It made headlines recently when state officials in Georgia, Nevada and other drought-plagued states turned to golf-course superintendents for advice on how to conserve water. That news astonished some golfers, too, but it shouldn't have.
Superintendents long have been some of the best conservationists in the nation. They handle the toughest job in golf, providing members and customers with the same playing conditions in August that they get in April, and in recent years they've done it with fewer chemicals, less fuel, less water and even less manpower.
Superintendents know their turf, and all of us -- not just state officials -- ought to listen to their advice. When they tell us we need a new watering system, it's not because it would make their job easier; it's because the more irrigation heads they have, the more water they can save, by directing it only where it's needed.
When they tell us they need to aerify more often, it's not because they enjoy punching holes in front of our putting strokes; it's because loosening compacted soil helps get roots deeper, and that means healthier grass.
When they tell us we should expect uniform greens but not uniform rough or uniform bunkers, it's not because they want weekends off; it's because they recognize the difference between a playing surface and a hazard, and trying to make hazards flawless gobbles up considerable cash for no good reason.
On the following pages we speak with superintendents from a dozen of the nation's leading courses. We need to listen to these guys. There's a reason each is called a super. -- Ron Whitten
