CGSA Deadlines Approaching

Several deadlines are approaching for nominations for Canadian Golf Superintendents Awards.
T
hose include Future Superintendent of the Year (March 31), Superintendent of the Year (May 1), President’s Scholarship (June 30) and John B. Steel (July 1).

For more information, click here or contact Lori Micucci at lmicucci@golfsupers.com.

New Brunswick Tourism Needs Superintendent

The Department of Tourism and Parks in Mactaquac, N.B. is seeking a golf course superintendent at Mactaquac Provincial Park.

As a member of the Tourism Operations branch, the successful candidate will serve as superintendent for the Mactaquac Golf Course and advisor to Herring Cove Golf Course.

Responsibilities include:

Supervision of maintenance operations such as mowing and resodding.

Maintaining records and performance-related duties.

Soil testing, application of chemicals such as fertilizers and herbicides, overseeding, topdressing and other duties specific to golf course maintenance.

Training staff in all aspects of golf course maintenance, keeping up with developments within the turfgrass industry, attending meetings and making recommendations concerning related maintenance operating practices.

Ensuring compliance with health and safety practices.

For more on this position and to apply online before March 16, click here. Please indicate competition number TAP-12-02.

More Super Employment Opportunities

The following employment opportunities were provided by the Canadian Golf Course Superintendents Assocaition employment referral service:

Miskanaw Golf Club

Miskanaw Golf Club in Fort McMurray, Alta., is looking for a head mechanic.

Under the direction of the superintendent, the successful candidate will ensure that maintenance equipment is properly cleaned and in good working order, making sure all safety guards are in order and the equipment is safe to operate.

The person will also offer advice on proper maintenance/storage of equipment and operation.

Responsibilities include:

Repairing and maintaining all golf and grounds service related equipment and machinery to conform to warranty and manufacturer specifications

Ordering and managing a reasonable inventory of parts and service equipment

General maintenance and handy work

Responsibility for the maintenance and safety of the mechanical area

Identification of safety issues and problems with equipment and correction in a timely manner

Maintenance of service records to a high degree of detail in accordance with MacDonald island Park Occupation Health and Safety policies

Training, coaching and supervising of colleagues involved in the golf mechanics shop

Performance of related duties as assigned

Assistance with snow removal when necessary

Proficiency with reel grinding and set-up an asset

Qualifications

Certified mechanic is required

Class 5 Drivers License  with  proof of updated drivers abstract

1 to 2 years previous experience as a golf course mechanic is preferred

Toro certification an asset

Fabricating experience is an asset (i.e. welding)

Ability to adapt to a flexible work schedule and multi task

Computer skills

Trouble shooting and problem solving skills

Miskanaw is also looking for a full-time associate superintendent.

Responsibilities include:

Supervision and delegation of work assignments to staff

Monitoring the performance of staff, initiating possible corrective action and / or
progressive discipline when required

The hiring of additional staff within the budget and as seen fit; taking into account
the economic and efficient operation of the course

Formulation of work schedules and safety training

Monitoring records to ensure they are valid and up to date

Training and guideing designated staff, ensuring employees are accounted for and
their work is preformed efficiently and effectively

Ensuring that the union contract is accurately observed

Overseeing the planning and execution of  fertilizer and chemical applications

Representing golf maintenance in a diligent  manner on the Occupational Health and
Safety (OHS) committee and Managers Committee.

Overseeing the development and maintenance of an IPM program

Offering guidance to staff who are working  towards achieving Certified Audubon
status

Monitoring the course diligently to detect trouble spots and areas of special
attention, ensuring the highest standard of course maintenance is upheld at all times

Reviewing and updating policies and procedures and health and safety policies for
golf maintenance.

Qualifications:



Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to get along easily with others and function as a high performing team member.

Must be able to follow direction and work independently, gain respect of peers and subordinates through effective management skills

Valid driver’s licence

Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Excel

2-3 years degree in turf, plant and soil science or comparable turf-related degree.

1-year supervisory experience is essential

Valid Alberta pesticide applicators license or ability to obtain within 90 days

*A second associate superintendent is also required.

Submit your resume in Word of PDF format to jennifer.freake@macdonaldisland.ca, or fax to (780) 791-2898.

Morningstar Golf Club

A second assistant superintendent is required at Morningstar Golf Club in Parksville, B.C.

This new position is for somebody seeking experience in managing a unionized crew, tournament preparation, including provincial and national levels, maintaining playing conditions year-round, planning and execution of capital projects, working within a tight operating budget and development of short and long-term goals.

This is a 12-month position with benefit package.

Cover letters and resumes can be sent to rj@morningstargolf.com. Application deadline is Feb. 24.

Super Employment Opportunities

The following employment opportunities were provided by the Canadian Golf  Superintendents Association employment referral service:

LEGENDS ON THE NIAGARA

Legends on the Niagara in Niagara Falls, Ont., seeks a mechanic. Qualifications include:

Successful completion of a Golf Course Equipment Technician Certificate or a Small Engines Certificate coupled with relevant golf related experience.

Knowledge of electric and gas golf carts as well as knowledge of testing equipment.

Class “G” Drivers Licence.

Knowledge of any applicable legislation/regulations including the Occupational Health & Safety Act.

Minimum two years of related golf equipment experience including working on electrical/electronic and hydraulic components.

Minimum of one year experience working on Dual Express and Angle Master grinding equipment.

Mechanical aptitude and ability to troubleshoot.

Ability to perform the physical requirements of the position.

Possess organizational, communication and interpersonal skills and record keeping skills.

Please reply in confidence by Feb. 16 to
Director of Employee Services,

The Niagara Parks Commission,

P.O. Box 150

Niagara Falls, Ont.,

L2E 6T2

Fax: (905) 356-9019

E-mail: employment@niagaraparks.com

GLENCOE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB

The Glencoe Golf and Country Club near Calgary has an immediate employment opportunity for an equipment manager.

The areas of focus may include:

Reel, bedknife and rotary maintenance

Record keeping

Weekly reporting and attending management team meetings

Daily inspection of quality of cut out in the field

Leadership roles with team orientation & training sessions, OH&S program

Involvement with as time allows with equipment repair and servicing.

Assist in equipment work bay area improvement plans short and long term

Assist in equipment fleet acquisition plans short and long term

Hiring assistant equipment manager

Requirements:

Value the importance of being a team player with proven leadership competencies and contributes to making the working environment a place for all to excel and enjoy.

Minimum of five years’ experience as a golf course equipment manager or in the field of equipment/machinery/automotive profession.

Degree, Diploma or Certificate, Red Seal Trade from a recognized institution.

Possession of  valid Alberta Operator’s License

Must be legally entitled to work in Canada and a criminal background check will be conducted on all applicants we interview.

Start Date: March 1 (negotiable)

Application Closing Date: February 22

Qualified individuals are invited to submit their resume and cover letter to:

Kerry C. Watkins, AGS

Golf Course Superintendent

The Glencoe Golf & Country Club

Email: kwatkins@glencoe.org

Office: (403) 240-3663

Fax: (403) 240-9805

ROYAL OTTAWA

The Royal Ottawa Golf Club requires a qualified Spray/Cultural Practices Technician.

Duties will consist of all spraying, fertilizing and IPM documentation. Extensive involvement in the implementation of all cultural practices will be important. This is a full-time seasonal opportunity with the potential for year-round employment.

Please send resumes to:

Steve Verrall.

Superintendent

E-mail: steveverrall@rogc.com

Fax: (819) 777-6345

KANANASKIS COUNTRY GOLF COURSE

Kananaskis Country Golf Countse near Banff seeks an assistant superintendent.

Requirements include a minimum of 3 years experience as an assistant golf course superintendent, previous experience with interviewing, hiring and scheduling of personnel, a valid pesticide applicators certificate and experience in applying, team leadership qualities with good communication skills.

Applications will be accepted until February 10, 2012.

All interested candidates should send cover letter and resume to:

Calvin McNeely,

Golf Course Superintendent,

Kan-Alta Golf Management Ltd.,

P.O. Box 1710,

Kananaskis Village, Alta.,

T0L 2H0

E-mail: cmcneely@kananaskisgolf.com

Note: Only those receiving interviews will be contacted for the above positions.

CGSA Names Gordon Witteveen Winner

Jamie Downton, superintendent at Sawmill Creek Golf Resort and Spa in Camlachie, Ont., has been named the 2011 recipient of the Gordon Witteveen Award.

The Gordon Witteveen Award is presented annually by the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association to the superintendent who is judged to have authored the best article for publication in the CGSA’s GreenMaster Magazine.

Downton’s article Sharpening Your Management Skills appeared in the January/February issue of GreenMaster.

He will receive the Gordon Witteveen Award plaque and a cash reward of $500 from the Toro Corporation.

Downton will receive the honour at the CGSA Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 7, as part of the Canadian International Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show in Calgary.

CGSA Names Equipment Technician, Environmental Award Winners

David MacIntyre, equipment technician for the Seymour Golf and Country Club in North Vancouver, B.C. has been named the 2011 winner of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association Equipment Technician of the Year Award recipient.

The award, sponsored by John Deere Golf, is presented annually to the technician whose nomination is judged to be the best example of an individual who exhibits professionalism, innovation and a team approach to make a significant contribution to their golf facility and the golf community.

The CGSA has also announced that Graeme Douglas, manager of golf and hotel facilities at the St. Eugene Golf and Casino Resort in Cranbrook, B.C., has been named the winner of the 2011 CGSA Environmental Achievement Award.

Sponsored by Club Car, the award is given annually to the superintendent whose submission is judged to be the best example of an activity, project or management approach that improves the sustainability of the golf facility.

Consideration is given to initiatives that demonstrate the potential for ongoing benefits, the capture of measurable results and the feasibility of the initiative being applied to other facilities.

In other news, the CGSA and BASF have announced a new partnership that will see BASF become a corporate sponsor of the 2012 Social Hour at the Canadian International Turfgrass Trade Show in Calgary on Feb. 8.

For more information on these stories, click here.

CGSA AGM Coming Up

The Canadian Golf Superintendents Association will be holding its Annual General Meeting on Wed., Feb. 8, beginning at 8 a.m. at the Telus Convention Centre in Calgary.

The meeting breakfast will take place at 7:30 a.m.

The Envelope Please … And Other Fall Stuff

The temperature may be dropping, but the golf industry isn’t stopping.

T’is the season for awards to be handed out by various associations, celebrating lifetime achievement and outstanding contributions in 2011. Below are recent recipients of the hardware in their respective associations and specialties, along with some other autumn news.

Jim Gibson recently recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the PGA of British Columbia. That award has only been handed out only six times, including Gibson, in the history of the association. Gibson was president of the BCPGA for three years and was made an honourary lifetime governor. For more on Gibson, click here. Read more

CGSA Swears In First Female President

Debbie Amirault of the Quarry Golf Club in Edmonton has been sworn in as president of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association. She is the first female president of the CGSA in its 45-year history.

She takes over as president and chair of the board of directors from outgoing president Greg Holden, superintendent at Clear Lake Golf Course in Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba.

Amirault has a 30-year background in golf course management, including 25 years as superintendent at Edmonton’s Royal Mayfair Golf and Country Club, site of the 2007 CN Canadian Women’s Open.

“As president for 2011-2012, my goals are to continue the vision of the CGSA as set out in our strategic plan. The plan calls for the association to provide professional development opportunities, promote the value of the association and its members to the golf community and be a leader in addressing environmental issues” said Amirault.

Amirault has been a member of the CGSA board of directors for the past six years.  She was the chair of the 2008 conference and trade show in Calgary and has chaired the Member Services Committee for several years.  She is currently serving on the board of directors of the Canadian Turfgrass Research Foundation, representing the CGSA.

Other members elected to the board of directors at the Vancouver AGM were Tim Kubash of the Salmon Arm Golf Club in Salmon Arm, B.C., who was elected as vice president, Greg Austin of the Williams Lake Golf and Tennis Club (director, B.C), James Beebe, of the Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club (director, Alberta) and Kyle Kellgren, of the Jackfish Lodge Golf and Conference Centre (director, Saskatchewan).

All of the director positions noted are for two year terms (2011 – 2013).

John Mills, superintendent at Northumberland Links Golf Club in Pugwash, N.S., was named secretary treasurer and Jim Flett, superintendent at Muskoka Lakes Golf and Country Club in Port Carling, Ont., was confirmed as Ontario Director, replacing the retiring Jarrod Barakett.

Turfgrass Show/Conference Schedule

The Canadian International Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show gets underway in early March in Vancouver.

GreenMaster, the digital magazine of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association, has provide a complete list of seminars and other events going on throughout the show. You can see that by clicking here.

CGSA Names Two More Award Winners

Jason Honeyball, golf course superintendent and environmental manager for the OslerBrook Golf and Country Club in Nottawasaga, Ont., has been named the 2010 winner of Canadian Golf Superintendents Association/Toro Environmental Achievement Award.

In other news, Dean Piller, former president of the CGSA and 2010 Superintendent of the Year, was named the recipient of the Gordon Witteveen Award, which is presented to a superintendent or assistant deemed to have authored an outstanding article to GreenMaster Magazine.

Piller, the superintendent at Cordova Bay in Victoria, was recognized for his article, Drawing Up A Greenprint, which was presented in the Sept./Oct. issue.

Mississaugua Introduces New Superintendent

Adam Zubek has been named the new superintendent at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont.

Originally from Montreal, Zubek spent the last six years as superintendent at Vancouver’s Capilano Golf and Country Club.

“From a professional point of view, the move to Mississaugua is a fabulous opportunity at one of Canada’s premier private clubs. It’s one of the most coveted positions in Canadian golf,” says Zubek, who begins his duties on February 7.

He replaces the departed Bob Brewster.

“First and foremost, I would like to take the day-to-day operations and standards that we set for the golf course to the next level, so the membership can truly enjoy their course,” says Zubek.

“I would like Mississaugua to be regarded as having one of the best conditioned courses in Canada,” he added.

Zubek has never played the course at Mississaugua G&CC. He last toured it in 2009 to review the greens renovations carried out by Doug Carrick, who is also the consulting architect at Capilano.

Zubek is an accredited member of the Canadian Golf Superintendent’s Association and sits on the association’s Environmental Committee.

He’s also a member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and sits  on the board of directors for the British Columbia Golf Superintendents Association.

Zubec is also a member of the Canadian Society of Club Managers and has also instructed at Capilano University in the Landscape Horticultural Program.

He is a graduate of Penn State University Turf Management Program Since and has also worked at Baltusrol Golf Club in New Jersey as assistant superintendent and Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club in Coquitlam, B.C., also as assistant superintendent.

Zubek has also worked at Royal Montreal and The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.

One of Zubek’s first duties will be to oversee the completion of the remodelling of Mississaugua’s practice facilities including target greens that started last fall.

Industry Notes: Jan. 18, 2011

FootJoy, based in Newmarket, Ont., is looking for an apparel product manager.

Duties will include managing the product through its life cycle, gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, defining the product vision and working closely with global apparel product teams.

The position will also include working with sales, marketing and operations to ensure revenue and customer satisfaction goals are met. It will also include ensuring that the product and marketing efforts support the company’s overall strategy and goals.

Expectations include:

• Determining the product line selection
• Forecasting, purchasing and managing all apparel inventory
• Executing product and sales presentations to Sales Team and Key Accounts
• Working with internal teams to develop annual sales forecast and marketing plans
• Developing sales tools and collateral
• Designing and implementing customer training program
• Be an expert with respect to the marketplace

To meet these objectives, the following is required:

• Minimum of 3 years experience as a product manager or product marketing manager
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• University or college degree in marketing or equivalent field
• In-depth knowledge of the apparel industry
• Excellent teamwork skills
• Achieve goals with minimal direction
• Ability to travel extensively to participate in Canadian key account presentations, trade shows, local and international sales, marketing and product development meetings
• Work experience in the golf industry preferred
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite

Candidates should e-mail their resumes to Lesley Hawkins, lesley_hawkins@acushnetgolf.com.

Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

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Tournament Deadline Approaching

The 2011 Vancouver Cup Golf Tournament for Turf Research will be held March 3 at Northview Golf and Country Club, prior to the start of the Canadian International Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show.

Hosted by the British Columbia Golf Superintendents Association and the Western Canada Turfgrass Association, the deadline for registration is Friday, Feb. 18.

For more information, click here.

Guest Blog: Ken Cousineau, CGSA

The calendar has turned to a new year and while, for most of Canada, the turfgrass is dormant under a blanket of snow that in no way means that superintendents, assistant superintendents and equipment technicians are taking a complete hiatus from all things related to the golf course.

For many, this marks a busy time for planning, budgeting, determining staffing programs, updating their education and renewing relationships with suppliers and colleagues.

As part of that planning process, it is a time to look ahead and estimate, guess or otherwise figure out what challenges the year will bring and how best to prepare yourself to cope with those challenges.

The weather is the single most influential factor that the superintendent and the course management team deals with each and every year.  It is also the factor that is least liable to be influenced by any member of the golf facility team.

Keep that in mind as the year goes on and understand the impact that weather can have on turf that is being mowed to an unnatural height and then subjected to heavy foot traffic, high humidity, high temperature and often too little or too much water.

Keep in mind what you are asking for and the many influences that control what can be done with the turf at any point in time throughout the year.

What does 2011 have in store when it comes to maintenance, equipment and construction expenditures on Canadian courses?  It may seem pessimistic but I suspect more of the same.

In 2010 salaries were flat, on average, across the country.  The average superintendent salary was $74,104.  Average rounds played were down, as were operating expenditures. Equipment expenditures and construction spending were both up over the previous year and over the five-year average.

Those numbers would suggest that equipment companies and those involved in course renovations were willing to provide better opportunities to facilities in order to stay busy while members were hoping that they could reduce maintenance costs in order to balance the budget.

For 2011, I suspect that it could very well be more of the same.

Further reductions in maintenance budgets are likely as golf courses try to find new members and generate new revenues in an economic environment that lacks confidence. Further reductions will be difficult without a change in expectations.

Equipment companies should be expected to continue to offer discount pricing and competitive packages to attract buyers. Now may be the best time to look at new equipment when your facility may be tempted to hang on to that worn out mower for one more season.

The potential for breakdown, expensive and time-consuming repairs and lost productivity and performance should be a definite consideration in that decision-making.

Staffing will continue to be a significant concern.  Salary costs as a percentage of operating costs increased by one per cent on average in 2010, while operating costs decreased by eight per cent.  That probably means that salaries were either held at 2009 levels or reduced.

This will continue to make it difficult for courses to attract reliable, skilled labour and this has a cost, both real and in terms of morale and productivity.

In addition, the existing supply of equipment technicians grows another year older and closer to retirement, creating what many would call a critical shortage in which the supply is aging and the training programs at the entry level are being cancelled due to low or no registration.

This year will see a renewed focus on appeals to employers to consider the use of apprentices to begin the renewal of the supply of technicians to meet increasing demands that will result from pending retirements of those that entered the profession in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s and for which golf may be a second career.

The issues of golf course sustainability, pesticide use and water and nutrient management will also occupy substantive space on many golf association and golf facility agendas in 2011.

The golf industry has a tremendous story to tell with respect to its environmental value and integrity, but much of the non-golfing public and a large number of golfers continue to see the industry as a game played by the segment of the population that they would label as wealthy.

That makes the industry an easy target for those who purport to want to protect the environment, often with no scientific knowledge or evidence to support their claims.

It is imperative in 2011, and probably for many years to come, that the entire industry work together to ensure that golfers, politicians, interest groups and the general public have an increased awareness of golf’s value economically and environmentally and its contribution to overall sustainability.

Whether it is recognition of the natural habitat that golf courses provide in urban and rural Canada, the impact of golf courses relative to reduced CO2 levels or the impact of golf courses on improved water quality, it is imperative that all segments of the industry speak in unison about its value.

Hopefully, this is the year that the message begins to resonate across the country.

Golf, like many other sectors needs 2011 to be better.  I am hopeful and cautiously optimistic that economic recovery will continue its slow climb, that Mother Nature will smile upon Canada from coast to coast and that the 26 per cent of Canadians that claim to play golf will each decide to play one more game in 2011 than they did last year and that they bring a friend.

Ken Cousineau is executive director of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association

Dean Piller: Superintendent Of The Year

GreenMaster, the online magazine of the Canadian Golf Course Superintendents Association, offers a look at Dean Piller of the Cordova Bay Golf Course in Victoria, who was named Golf Course Superintendent of the Year recently.

To read the story, click here.

Show Deadlines Approaching

The early bird registration deadline for the 2011 Canadian International Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show is January 28.

The hotel reservation deadline in Feb. 2.

The conference and trade show will be held March 4-8 in Vancouver. To register, click here.

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