President’s Update
Growing Interest T
his spring has been mild compared to our start in 2018. In breezing through photos of last year, my lawn was still dormant-brown and looking quite pathetic. Fast forward a year and I’m just about ready to lay down my first cut of the season as ground temperatures continue to rise and plants are glowing green. Rain across Pennsylvania has been sporadic, and some are still dealing with wet conditions that have persisted going back more than a year. I hope 2019 brings a more pleasant pattern of weather for all our members in golf, landscaping, lawn care, and sports turf management. Labor has been an ongoing issue in the golf industry, and I believe these challenges have translated into other green industry sectors as well. Even with
rising wages, it has been difficult for superintendents to get applications for these jobs, let alone find qualified or willing candidates to fill these positions. This worker shortage has forced superintendents to be more creative with their hiring, including heavier recruitment with high school students. In fact, I recently attended a career fair in Frederick, MD with the MidAtlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents. We set up a table display with different turfgrass samples, a moisture meter, a video about working on a golf course, and other items, trying to spark students’ interest in finding a summer job on a golf course. We had many meaningful interactions with students ranging from freshmen to seniors, but rarely did any of them consider a
career within the turfgrass industry. As a whole, we need to try to attend events like this when we can and get involved in creating interest in turfgrass. These students can help fill summer positions and some may be a future key employee for whichever sector of the turfgrass industry in which you work. Another initiative working to grow interest in the turfgrass industry is The First Green, a GCSAA program. This program aims to bring 5th graders out to the golf course and teach them about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education through the lens of golf course management. These field trips often include “labs” covering topics such as soil science, water conservation and related technology, and reviews of insects and wildlife found on golf courses. If you have a chance to participate in a field trip, it is a great opportunity to work with kids and make a difference. The students who attend these events are truly engaged and excited to participate. On April 30 and May 1 we observed National Golf Day in Washington D.C. On April 30 we completed a community service project on the National Mall, in which we helped enhance one of our nation’s most visible areas for tourists and the like. On May 1, we visited lawmakers on Capitol Hill to talk about the benefits of turfgrass and the golf industry and hope to gain credibility for our stewardship of the land, environment, and wildlife. Again, this was a great opportunity to “tell our story,” and this initiative proves beneficial for all sectors of the turfgrass industry. Best of luck heading in to summer, and I hope to see you around! Yours truly,
Chase Rogan, PTC President 6 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Summer 2019
