being a Head Greenkeeper? Well, of course, all job titles have to be lived up to, their salaries earned and reputations deserved. A job title does not do all this, you do.
Who Are You?
Course Manager or Head Greenkeeper? This is really down to you. Ask yourself, “is my title an accurate reflection of the responsibilities I have” or “does having the word manager in my job title give an application for a higher level post more credibility?”
Employers or employment agencies know that titles are as good at catching your attention as the salary. Think how much notice you take of what a job is called when you’re scanning vacancies. Or look at the reverse side of this, if a prospective employer is looking for a Course Manager, think how they will react if your latest title is Head Greenkeeper.
Getting a new title MATTER?
contract out to prove that you are a manager.
This leads me on to our American counterparts; the description below is taken from the GCSAA website:
“Golf Course Superintendent Definition: The Golf Course Superintendent is entrusted with the maintenance, operation and management of a golf course”.
The key word here being management, a Golf Course Superintendent is by definition a manager by another name. In my view a Head Greenkeeper is not. I do not believe that the word ‘superintendent’ reflects the standard of professionalism and respect that managers of golf courses achieve in the States. However, there is no doubting that, despite the title, they are held in
much higher regard by their clubs and by society as a whole than their counterparts in the UK. Why is this? A lot to do with being professional at all times and managing in a highly efficient and productive way I should think.
Avoid ‘Coarse’ Management
I still hear Head Greenkeepers saying things like “in effect all we do is grow and cut grass”. In essence, in its basic form, yes you do, but that is not what your employer is paying you for. Avoid belittling yourself and your chosen career. You have far greater management responsibilities that have a direct impact on the success or failure of your club as a leisure facility and a thriving business entity. Great, so if I am a ‘Course Manager’ that makes me a better greenkeeper than
If, on reflection, you feel that you deserve the title Course Manager get your title changed. A good time to discuss this is during a performance review. Prepare by looking at new responsibilities you have taken on and ways in which your job has changed recently. If you have particular achievements, strengths or areas of responsibility that you would like to develop, highlight them. Ensure that you show you are a manager by planning ahead and presenting your case well. Do not compromise on the principle of why you are making this request for change. If your bosses dismiss the idea, explain why it’s important, if you feel valued by your employer and proud of what you do, you will be more positive about your work and believe in your potential to develop further. Don’t be afraid to say you need acknowledgement of the contribution you are making now. Yes, your job title matters. It should be motivational, instil pride, increase confidence thereby engendering self- esteem and peer recognition. Oh, by the way, it will also aid your career development. Make sure your job title does you and the profession you represent justice.
About the author: Kevin Munt is Principle Consultant of KMgC, a management consultancy specialising in the Golf Club development and operational management. During his career in golf Kevin has been the
Course Manager at The Wentworth Club, Royal Dornoch and Hankley Common golf clubs. Project Manager at Golf Club Pfaffing, Germany, Golf d’Apermont, France, The London and Buckinghamshire golf clubs in the UK and was the Operations Manager at the
Buckinghamshire Golf Club during the first four years of its business life.
23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104