"The highest good is like water. It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao."  Lao Tzu

As greenkeepers we have a very interesting relationship with water. In one breath we curse it, and with the next we welcome it home like the prodigal son. We watch it destroy what we work so hard to create, while at the same time watch with awe as it gives life to the very creation we tend. We respect the science behind it, while all along trying to perfect the art of managing it. Long story short, water affects everything we do; developing a healthy relationship with it is essential to becoming a truly great superintendent.

At its most basic level, the game of golf, like all things on earth, is distinctly intertwined with the ways of this mysterious liquid. From the seaside roots of golf in the UK, to the island green at the TPC, all the way to the snowy mountains of Banff, water has a major effect on the very nature of the game. Put water in front of a golfer and watch their knees start to wobble... use it judiciously and watch the ball roll forever. Too much or too little can change the very essence of a golf course.

Water is also one of the main reasons we watch the weather so closely. Up north we spend our winters watching the weather and try in vain to predict when it is going to turn our greens into hockey rinks. Down south, water watchers deal with high humidity and trying to balance out how much water the turf actually needs. Out west they spend a better part of their time managing either too much of it (in the form of rain in the Pacific West) or not nearly enough (in drought ridden California).

On a deeper level, much can be learned from the nuances of water's behavior. So much of what we do within our profession depends on the whims of water.  If we are attentive listeners we can we learn from its very nature and mold our courses and our lives around its attributes.

Water is strong when it needs be, but flexible when it comes up against an obstacle.  It can simply flow around a rock or a fallen log, finding the path of least resistance. Allowing ourselves to be fluid in our dealings gives us the latitude we need to flow with greater ease through our lives.

Water is patient, always waiting until it builds enough reserves to find another way. Water can use its energy  to focus its flow to expose weaknesses in seemingly impenetrable barriers. Or if it chooses, it can flow naturally and  even wear down a mountain over time. If we can learn to exercise the same patience, then we can observe, reflect, and make our way to enlightened decisions within our day to day endeavours.

Water always returns to a state of calm. It can go through the most turbulent of storms, change its very appearance by changing its state, or fall to the earth with torrential violence. But if left alone, it will always return to a state of natural tranquility. Remember that we are similar in nature to water. We are comprised of mostly water.  Like water, we too can get pulled through the ringer and spit out the other end, but if we allow ourselves to settle we can return to a peaceful place from which to move forward.

Our future dealings with water will decide the fate of the game of golf. If we can learn to manage it wisely and view it as a precious resource upon which not only our course -- but all living things on Earth -- depend, we can better respect its powerful essence. A deeper level of respect  may help us to achieve some realistic level of sustainability.

The same be can be said for our personal nature. Manage yourself wisely, view your very being as the invaluable resource that it actually is, and most of all respect your very essence.

When it is all said and done, just go with the flow man... just go with the flow.