To be brief, this is a message about the power of a personal note.  I have written about the power of using the phrase “thank you” in the past; this is a little different.  I have always tried to incorporate the use of such notes, and encourage others to do so too.  The notes you will read below are special.  They are real, come from an interesting source, and touch on a very important subject to those who received them.  Some are very funny, others are very deep in meaning.  All are a special way of thanking a golf course superintendent for exposing them to the game of golf, and more specifically, the role of a superintendent.

Last year at the Golf Industry Show, several field staff representatives took part in a First Green field trip in conjunction with a GCSAA seminar.  It was a great opportunity to participate in another field trip, my third, and see how others operate their student learning curriculums.  After the on-site portion of the First Green trip, the group got to meet back at the convention center and hear from a panel of superintendents who have run trips at their facilities recently. 

One of those on the panel was Ryan Kraushofer, general manager of Westminster National Golf Course, Westminster, Md.  Kraushofer shed light on his course’s success with schools in his county and also noted the benefits he received as a turfgrass professional.  Some of those benefits were at the personal level.

Within days after hosting his First Green field trip consisting of fifth graders, Kraushofer was to marry the love of his life.  As a thank you, the students who visited had the ability to send their First Green host “Advice for the Newlyweds from a Fifth-Grader.”  Kraushofer was kind enough to share some of the personal notes he received from the students.  As a reminder, this is marital advice from fifth-graders!

Dear the Kraushofers,

Always make the wife happy.  If you are in an argument, if you know you are wrong admit it.  If you know you are right, still admit you are wrong.  If you have a happy wife you have an easier life.

Hello.  Here is some advice to have a happy life together.

1.       Don’t go to sleep angry, if you fight resolve it as quickly as possible

2.       Talk about important decisions before making them

3.       Forgive each other.  Remember that you love each other and that sometimes people make mistakes

4.       Don’t use technology during potentially nice moments such as dinner or vacations

If you want good advice, keep on reading! (I’ve happened to go to a lot of weddings, so I know a thing or two!)  First of all, you should get a 5- to 7-year-old girl to throw the pedals, because everybody will go: awwww!  Also, use some breath freshener before you kiss, because if your breath smells bad, it would be awkward (don’t ask why, I just know).  Otherwise, I’ll wish you good luck!  Hope everything goes well; also, be a happy couple! 😊

Remember some of this advice on your wedding day:

1.       Whenever your wife says, do I look good always say yes.  Never yeah you look fine always say you look fantastic or gorgeous or wonderful.

2.       Tie your shoes.  While dancing you don’t want to go face first on the floor.  Trust me, it’s very embarrassing…

Dear Mr. Kraushofer,

·       Forgive your wife

·       Love your wife

·       Help your wife

·       Party with your wife

·       Kiss your wife

These notes were a simply a way to say thank you for a school visit to a golf course.  If you talk to Kraushofer, you will find that those notes took on a much deeper meaning.  In fact, he told me they were some of the best wedding gifts they received, and they shared many of these notes with their guests!

While you hope to convey a message when writing a note of thanks, what may in fact seem simple to you the sender may well have a much deeper and more profound effect on the recipient!