Andrew Millls has been at Ledgestone Country Club for just over 10 years. Photos courtesy of Andrew Mills
I started my journey in the turfgrass industry just over 10 years ago. I applied to work on a golf course looking for an easy job. Boy, was I in for a surprise! Working on a golf course was anything but easy, and I quickly learned it’s more than just mowing grass! I immediately fell in love with seeing the direct results of all my hard work and effort.
Before golf, my only work experience was in a factory setting. I hadn’t even imagined setting foot on a golf course until coming to Ledgestone Country Club. At first, it was a challenge to learn all the different terms and lingo that describe various parts and functions of the golf course. Back then, it was all just grass; only the different heights of cut were what stood out to me. I had no clue what it all meant or even what it was called.
Throughout my time working, I began to learn more about equipment as well as the turf. Finally, something just clicked. I decided that this was more than just a job. It became a passion and something I wanted to pursue in life while seeing how far I could take this newly discovered career path. My superintendent Kolby Armbruster, GCSAA Class A superintendent, taught me a lot of what I now use in my decision making every day. He taught me the difference between being a boss and being a true leader.
When I started, I was just a seasonal employee with no formal training. Since then I have worked my way up to Assistant Superintendent. Along the way, I have become proficient with irrigation as well as spray tech duties. Kolby encouraged me to experience all GCSAA has to offer. I have learned so much that has helped me grow while being an active member of GCSAA over the past 5 years, from webinars and attending conferences to completing the Assistant Superintendent Certification Series. Kolby, GCSAA and countless members of our GCSAA community have helped mold me into a more knowledgeable and proficient turf professional.
Mills began his career as a seasonal employee, and quickly fell in love with the industry.
An obstacle I’ve had to overcome is changing the way I work and my understanding of what leadership is. I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist, and expected others to operate the way I do. We have so many variables in our daily routines, from weather events to staffing availability. There are never enough hours in the day, and I’ve had to learn that sometimes a task done well is better and more effective than perceived perfection.
It can be challenging to get things done the way you pictured it. Sometimes I must step back and take a different approach in the way I explain a task and what my desired outcome is. It helps to talk about why I want something done a certain way, so the person doing it can understand the benefit. It is also important to be open to recommendations from our staff, since they have firsthand experience with task completion. Finding the right person for the job and trusting them to do the work competently is something I am still learning to master.
One of my favorite parts of this journey is having the opportunity to visit other golf courses and seeing what I can learn from them. It is one thing to play on another course, but the best part is hopping in a cart with another superintendent and getting a behind-the-scenes tour. Hearing their experiences, learning the ins and outs of their everyday challenges, and sometimes being asked for my advice and guidance is fulfilling.
Even though things are different from course to course, we all have one common goal as well as a passion for maintaining and creating a high-quality product for the golfers to experience on our own golf courses!
Andrew Mills is an assistant superintendent at Ledgestone CC & Stonebridge Village in Branson West, Mo.