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Superintendent John Carlone, recently retired after 40 years in the business, recalls the title of a GCSAA seminar he attended years ago that provided some of the most valuable lessons he ever encountered. It was called “Hold Your Tongue, Hold Your Job.” “The point of the class,” he said, “was to make sure you treated people tactfully, and that you did not reveal what you actually thought about whatever they had to say.” Over the years, added Carlone, he learned never to argue with a golfer who presented an idea or complaint. “No matter how crazy or how absurd,” he said, “I tried to respond with something helpful that showed them I was listening and taking them seriously.”

That’s easier said than done given some of the feedback golfers come up with and the steady drumbeat of suggestions from armchair agronomists that bedevil a typical superintendent. Golfer complaints about course conditions can be nerve-racking at the least, and sometimes a real threat to a superintendent’s job security. Handling them effectively takes more than discipline and tact, you need to have a strategy and a larger analytical perspective on the nature of golf course operations.

Remember the 90/10 rule.

For starters, the old “90/10 rule” is relevant here. At most courses, the vast majority of golfers are reasonably happy, or at least quiet. Roughly 90 percent of the unrest emanates from about 10 percent of the golfers. This seems to be a consistent ratio for many businesses, with the additional proviso that golf contributes to the frustration level of its participants like few other activities, and the unhappiness that comes from bad shots often gets directed outwardly rather than articulated as self-criticism. Someone is at fault for the failures encountered during a round. For many golfers, it might as well be the person responsible for setting up the playing field. It’s important for superintendents and golf facility leaders to keep the 90/10 ratio in mind so they don’t overreact to the loudly voiced grievances of a relatively small number of customers.

"Roughly 90 percent of the unrest emanates from about 10 percent of the golfers."

Avoid reverse exposure.

Running a golf course is firmly planted in the hospitality and service industry. Like many other service businesses, the bulk of customer interactions don’t typically happen with department leaders who are best prepared to answer questions or receive angry complaints – it’s often whomever happens to be manning the counter at the golf shop or the first maintenance staff member that drives past an unhappy player. This creates an information gap where the initial concerns a golfer might have about course conditions do not get an appropriately informed response. The result can be misunderstanding and a perceived accountability vacuum.

Establishing well-known lines of communication for golfers to reach the superintendent can help alleviate this issue, and many superintendents are proactively making themselves visible and available on the course throughout the day so they can connect with golfers and answer any questions or concerns. Handling complaints on the fly might not necessarily be enjoyable, but it gives the superintendent an opportunity to better understand the issue and either explain it or assure the golfer that steps will be taken to address it. You can even hop in a cart and go check out the problem together. Defusing issues on the spot is much better than letting them get amplified over a few drinks in the bar after the round.

Present a unified front.

Handling complaints and questions about course conditions successfully requires a unified front across golf course departments. That means having the general manager, golf professional and superintendent on the same page publicly. If golfers perceive any breach in that formal unity, there is sure to emerge the kind of subterranean grumbling that leads to dissension and unrest.

Well-run courses provide a unified message to the customer regardless of any differences of opinion that get expressed in department meetings. Weekly conferences among department leaders also help, ideally on a rotating basis in the respective offices of the main characters. It’s great for the superintendent, golf professional and general manager to play golf together from time to time, or visit neighboring courses to see how they operate. This builds comfort, strengthens lines of communication and helps the leadership team handle problems smoothly. The goal is not for the general manager or the head professional to become an agronomic expert, or for the superintendent to become a sommelier, it’s just to make sure everyone is on the same page. This is especially important when it comes to planning infrastructure upgrades or major renovations, because the disruption that comes with these projects is bound to produce more than the usual amount of grumbling.

"Handling complaints and questions about course conditions successfully requires a unified front across golf course departments."

The leadership team needs to present a common front and share relevant information with customer-facing staff so that a clear, simple and affirmative message is conveyed consistently. Otherwise, chronic naysayers will exploit perceived gaps. The USGA Green Section did a podcast featuring the superintendent and head golf professional at Southern Hills Country Club in Oklahoma that covers the importance of a unified front in great detail.

You can’t please everybody.

Everything from routine decisions about course maintenance to plans for much-needed infrastructure improvements can be derailed by a few negative voices – often it’s the same voices again and again. It is up to the facility leadership to distinguish legitimate concerns from the kind of narrow-minded objections raised by people who find fault with everything or who have a personal agenda that doesn’t match the long-term best interests of the course. Decision-makers often spend an immense amount of time responding to the concerns of what can only be described as perpetual whiners. In the process, they can lose focus on sound planning and everyone suffers. It’s important for people to be heard, but the priorities of long-term planning and daily decision-making can’t be driven by the whims of a few grumps.

"Decision-makers often spend an immense amount of time responding to the concerns of what can only be described as perpetual whiners."

Outreach is important.

When you get golfers in a room to discuss matters related to course maintenance or renovations, it can be striking how unfamiliar they are with some of the basic considerations. That usually applies to owners, boards and committees as well. Superintendents need to recognize this even if the golfers don’t. Be proactive with your education efforts and keep them simple.

A membership forum or smaller focus group can be a very instructive venue for educating rank-and-file golfers about course conditions, maintenance practices, and the long-term needs of a facility. Including outside experts in these meetings helps reinforce important messages. The key is to prevent these sessions from getting hijacked. An open bar is never conducive to rational discourse, and it’s good to have some supportive and influential golfers ready to pose questions that advance a productive discussion.

Listening carefully and taking concerns seriously is always the best approach – with the qualifying note that not all concerns merit an explanation of the same detail and nuance. Of course, there is always the approach taken at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana, where a suggestion box welcoming comments sits on a pole in the middle of the lake alongside the 18th hole.

One thing is for sure: The fine art of dealing with complaints is a far more sophisticated craft than simply pretending to listen.

Bradley S. Klein is a veteran golf writer, book author and design consultant. He regularly contributes articles to the USGA Green Section Record about course renovations, long-term golf facility planning, and many other topics.