Here's how you can navigate the long-term effects of burnout on golf course managers' careers.

I lived this. Burnout is INTERNAL yet we blame it on EXTERNAL causes. Every yes is a no to something else, and so every time we choose to give that lesson or stay and score that event we are saying no to time with family, practicing for an event, or taking care of mind and body. But the choice to say yes was ours and ours alone. Probably out of fear that we would be judged for denying a service or not being visible, but more likely out of a martyr complex that the club would burn to the ground without ME. I’m not saying the hours, the illegal restriction of vacation days, and the ignorant criticism by people who can’t fathom you aren’t onsite all 98 hours the shop is open doesn’t take a toll. But burnout is internal and only you can fix it

PGA professionals aspire to the big chair! We want the responsibility and the opportunity to be stewards of the game we love. We also want marriage and children. We want to grow beyond golf as businessmen, artists, musicians, and BBQ experts. We want to be good neighbors, little league coaches, and involved in our communities. It’s not just about setting the boundaries. It’s about building a team around them and setting expectations around them, so no one can ever question them. Delegation. Coverage. Organization. Communication. All play a role. No one in our industry has provided a better example of this than Jason Ballard at Oak Hill. He asked for the opportunity to build his team around his needs and he earned the respect to do so.

I worked through pain and allowed injury to dictate the direction of my career. I was never a good player but I loved it. But rather than take advantage of access to take care of my body I chose to abandon my goals as a player, stopped competing, and allowed myself to be the example of what NOT to do. Mentally this drove my burnout. Practicing and playing was part of my self care. When I couldn’t do it I was left with nothing but work. When people ask me today what I miss the most about being a Head Professional, it’s the opportunity to play and practice, meet new people, travel with my members, and teach them just how amazing a game golf is. I allowed burnout to rob me of that.

As I said above no one has been more successful than Jason Ballard at building a staff that allows him to enjoy his career and his family equally. He doesn’t just delegate. His staff all have specialties that enable him and his members as well as his fellow managers to quickly and confidently get access to information, permission, or acquisition of whatever they need. Now you might say Oak Hill has resources you don’t and you might be right. But without vision and the conviction to build a life you love, you are letting what resources you DO have go to waste, and inviting burnout.

In my current role, via Zoom or in person, is see a reflection of me 5 years ago. Stressed. Unorganized. Overwhelmed. Always hitting 3 from the tee. 25 years ago every one of us adopted tee time software to reduce phone calls and place the human error of booking on golfers not staff. I can tell you that Golf Genius provides solutions to make your professional lives easier, and so do dozens of other solutions in our industry. SEEK THEM OUT. Identify your pain points and use technology to automate your processes and enhance the golfer experience. It’s like having additional staff to delegate to. You use it everyday in other parts of your life, why not at work for you your team and your golfers??

The Golf Course maintenance field,is one that seems to be stuck and is having a very hard time adapting. For, example the average hours worked per week for a Golf Course manager is 70 plus and that used to only be 90 days of summer but it has increasing become the standard. There is rarely a work/ family life balance. Many Superintendents and directors need to think how to be more flexible. Try to create different shifts, or regukar days off, if you have multiple Assistants try to adjust their schedule so as to limit them from.burning out. In a field where labor is sparse, we should be finding ways to retain employees instead of using and abusing and watching them either leave the business or for another course. They will get burned out.

Tony Chateauvert molded a gem of a golf course and knows how to run it, and have fun doing it. This man’s advice is golden.