I was fortunate enough to take a few days off last week and take a fall trip with my extended family. This trip has grown into an annual family ritual that we all enjoy. This years edition took to the beautiful town of Mahone Bay, located on the south shore of the province of Nova Scotia.

While it was great to get away and recharge a wee bit, there was something else that caught a great deal of my attention while in this town. Mahone Bay is an old town with a rich shipbuilding heritage. Many of the towns founders were craftsman and ship builders, and it was reflected in the architecture of its homes and buildings.

The craftsmanship and detail work present in the structures of this small town were a throwback to a different era. By stopping and examining the scroll work, the dormers, the sills, and the ornate doorways, one could not help but appreciate the amount of dedication and skill it took to create these buildings. You could see in the detail that it not only took an immense amount of talent and creativity to craft these works of art, but it also took something else: time.

These craftsmen knew that to create a lasting impression with their work, it would take both time and patience to do it right. They knew that rushing through the process only to get the job done was not going to cut it. Creating structures that were both functional and beautiful took an immense amount of dedication and knowledge. These buildings are lasting monuments to an age when craftsmanship trumped expediency.

While looking at these fine examples of architecture I could not help reflect on our industry, and what separates the really great superintendents from simply the good ones. Great superintendents know that the devil is not only in the details, but in the right ones. Not the superfluous ones like waterfalls of acre-sized annual beds (although if you have them you still need to maintain them), but in the details that make truly great golf courses. Things like judicious tree management, true greens, or resilient turf that can hold its own when times get rough are but a few of the details that really great superintendents focus on. They know that they are stewards of a property that will long outlast their tenure, and they are responsible for its ongoing legacy.

Great superintendents know that the devil is not only in the details, but in the right ones..." 

By taking the time to get things right and staying true to the details, great superintendents ensure the continued success of their courses. Rome was not built in a day, and neither were any of the great courses in the world of golf. So keep a long range view in all that you do. Whether its organic matter management, mowing lines, or irrigation management, know that by focusing on the finer details and going the extra mile to do a job right, you will go a long way in creating a lasting work of art.