I have very mixed emotions about this move. On one hand I am super excited about my new opportunity in Macon. I am moving to a great Country Club with a great golf course. The staff and membership there are awesome. On the other hand, I am leaving a golf course that I have poured my life into for the last five and a half years.
Georgia National was my first superintendent job on bentgrass greens. It was the course where I was working when both of my children were born (luckily I wasn't working while they were being born). Georgia National will always hold a special place in my heart.
I have seen a lot of great things happen at Georgia National while I was here. There have been a lot of struggles over the years, but there have been some really great times as well.
While I was here I have had the opportunity to work with some great people. Terry O'Leary gave me a shot as his assistant and I am truly thankful for that. I learned a great deal from him during our time at the Nat together. I have had three assistants in my time as superintendent and they were all great guys. I never had to worry about leaving the course in their hands. But, the true backbone of the golf course is the maintenance staff. The super and assistant can plot and plan all they want to, but it takes a great team to execute the plan. I believe we have always had a great team. Even when some of the guys left, someone else always seemed to step up. Every compliment I have ever gotten on course conditions should have gone to the crew and I always tried to give them all of the credit.
The membership at Georgia National has always been very supportive of me as well. I truly appreciate you all standing behind me even when things went a little sideways every now and then. We always seemed to make it through and you all always seemed to understand. Thank you all for that. That makes our job easier when we have a supportive membership.
I have truly enjoyed my time here as assistant and superintendent. I always think a great measuring stick of a superintendent is at the end of the day asking if the course is better than when you started. I can't say whether Georgia National is a better course today than it was when I started, but I can say without a doubt I am a better superintendent today than I was when I started. That is all because of a great membership, leadership team, and most of all the best maintenance staff I could ever ask for.
Thank you and I will miss you all.
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