Mason Sohre (front row, far left) and the crew at St. Cloud Country Club in Saint Cloud, Minn. Photos courtesy of Mason Sohre
Whether you are a crew member, assistant superintendent, mechanic or superintendent, you have a vital role in growing the turfgrass industry and retaining team members year after year. Entering my fourth season, I know the reasons why I love what I do and want to continue growing in this industry. Mowing stripes, cutting cups, and creating the best playing conditions are all rewarding aspects of the job. What often gets overlooked, however, is the importance of the team around you and the role they play in making the job enjoyable and sustainable.
Now at my fourth golf course, I have experienced different work environments, staff dynamics and team cultures. The very first course I worked at, St. Cloud Country Club in Saint Cloud, Minn., set the tone for my outlook on the industry. The crew at SCCC made coming to work enjoyable. The relationships we built made showing up every day easy and pushed me to work harder. Those relationships and sense of teamwork are ultimately what led me to stay in the industry.
Sohre works on a tee renovation.
After a summer there, I moved home from college and started to work at Mankato (Minn.) Golf Club. The staff there made work enjoyable, but the biggest influence on me was the superintendent. He took the time to get to know the crew and explain why things were done a certain way. He genuinely cared about helping people improve and showed me that this is a career I could pursue. He made me realize that I could take pride in the work I did and have fun doing it. He pushed me to continually get better, encouraged me to learn more about the trade and helped me pursue opportunities I wouldn’t have considered otherwise. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have thought about this as a long-term career.
A year and a half later, I decided to move to Texas and step into a new challenge as an irrigation technician. Working with a 30-plus-year-old irrigation system poses many challenges. The work was demanding and hard on my body, and there were many days I questioned whether I was cut out for it. It was a different type of work than I was used to, and it pushed me mentally and physically. While there, one person who made a big impact on me was our mechanic. He noticed the commitment I had to the profession and the level of enthusiasm I brought to work. Every day, he reminded me why I was there and encouraged me to continue strong in my work and my education. Hearing that from someone who’s been in the industry for years helped me push through the difficult days and kept me from walking away from a job I loved.
Sohre works on a drain alongside the crew during his time as an irrigation technician.
Looking back, I can see how each course I worked at shaped the way I view the turf industry. At St. Cloud, the crew and the relationships I built made me want to show up every day. At Mankato, the superintendent showed me this could be a career, not just a job. In Texas, the mechanic helped me stay the course when things got rough. Each one played a role in helping me grow in this industry.
Employee growth and retention in the turf industry doesn’t rest on one position alone, but the team. Every crew member, assistant, mechanic and superintendent plays a role in the bigger picture. The way we communicate, treat one another and encourage others each day can determine whether someone sees a future in this field or decides to walk away.
Now, as a second assistant superintendent at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y., I know how important a strong team environment and workplace culture can be in setting people up for success. The expectations are high, but the support system is strong. I feel challenged, trusted and encouraged to continue learning and growing. Being a part of a staff that values development and professionalism is not only preparing me today, but also for the long-term goal of becoming a superintendent. If my path so far has taught me anything, it is the role that you play — no matter your title — can shape someone’s career.
Mason Sohre is the second assistant superintendent at the South Course at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y.