This is a career case study of two individuals in very different circumstances but with one thing in common: they know what they want out of life and career.

Those of you who have hung around TurfNet for any length of time either know or know of John Colo.  Passionate golf course superintendent, long-time TurfNet member who organized and orchestrated the around-the-world "Where's TurfNet" banner campaign a few years back, twin brother of a golf course superintendent (Jim, at Naples National). 

I first met John when he was assistant to Jim Loke, CGCS, at Bent Creek Country Club near Lancaster, PA, back in 1994 when TurfNet was just in lift-off mode.  He impressed me at the time. Professional, well-mannered, hard working, a good guy.

He spent three years working for Nick Brodziak (also a long-time TN member) at Rockaway Hunt Club on Long Island.  As the saying goes, if you can make it in NY -- particularly on Long Island -- you can make it anywhere.

Back to Bent Creek for another three years, then hopscotched to the Country Club of York (PA), where he served as superintendent for ten years.

Sometime along the way he met and married Peggy, a native of Ireland, and they had two sons. John also accompanied us on several of our TurfNet Members Trips, to Ireland and Bandon Dunes.  He's the only guy I've ever seen stick to drinking his favorite beer (Budweiser) while in Ireland, taking all manner of abuse in the process.  As I said, he knows what he likes.

Three or four years ago the political waters started to swirl in the bowl at CCY, and ultimately John was out of a job.  Hey, it happens. He's surely not alone.  Nothing to be ashamed of; dust yourself off, put your helmet back on and get back in the game.

Sometimes that's easier said than done, especially for one in his mid-forties.

John stayed in touch, stayed active on TurfNet, went to chapter meetings, networked.  I helped him with his resume and website.  He applied for jobs, and more jobs.  Did what he had to do to make ends meet.  Worked as a spray tech at a nearby course, drove a limousine for a while.

John stayed in touch, stayed active on TurfNet, went to chapter meetings, networked...

Not too long into this process, his wife Peggy was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, requiring surgery, chemo, radiation, the whole package. Talk about kicking a family when they're down.

The silver lining of unemployment was being able to help care for Peggy and the boys, and manage the household while she recuperated (and she has, and is now cancer free).  Local chapters and Wee One stepped up to help financially.

Believers in divine providence might say his job loss was intended to allow him to stay at home when he was needed there.  I'll stick with my grandmother's old maxim that things always work out for the best in the end.

I received many phone calls and emails from John, often with news of a hopeful opportunity and interview.  Too many were followed with rejection. I began to think I was jinxing him.

Then a couple of weeks ago John called again, with the news of a job offer and his acceptance of it.  Ironically, at Little Mountain Country Club in his home town of Painesville, Ohio, where many of his family still live.  He started the next week.

The punch line here is that it took John two years and 160+ applications to get another superintendent job.  That's not to say he didn't have other opportunities, in sales or grounds management. He did. We talked about many of them, but he always stayed true to his gut: he simply wanted to stay on the golf course, plain and simple, and would accept no substitutes.

Congrats, John, for staying the course and getting what you wanted.

* * *

Part Two of this story involves an "anonymous" post in the TurfNet Forum back in December asking for opinions on the pros and cons of a young superintendent at a low-budget course potentially taking a step back to an assistant position at a name-brand club to further his career.

I posted that upon request of a TN member who, frustrated with the "better superintendent job" application experience, didn't want to jeopardize his existing position while contemplating a change.  The discussion generated 22 replies and over 1700 views.  The replies were heartfelt, well thought out and from personal experience.  They made good arguments for both staying and going.

With his permission, I'm going to "out" the individual in question and tell a bit of his story. His name is Nate Jordan, 29, formerly golf course superintendent at Saratoga Lake Golf Club in upstate New York, now an assistant superintendent at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club under Jon Jennings, CGCS

Point of note/reminder:  Shinnecock will be hosting the US Open again in 2018.

Nate first came on my radar seven or eight years ago, I would say, when I met him at a couple of Beer & Pretzels events.  He was working as an assistant to Kevin Ross at the Country Club of the Rockies at the time, and would always seek me out, introduce himself and say hello.

I remembered him among the many at B&P because he did that (not all that many do), and always sent me a note or email of thanks afterwards.  I knew that one of the required courses at kevinross.edu (so to speak) is the proper use of thank-you notes.  Another point of note: it works.

Nate came on my radar again when he took the position at Saratoga Lake, a couple hours south of me here in Vermont.  As a new superintendent, Nate utilized the TurfNet Forum in exactly the manner I had been proselytizing for many years: Ask for guidance when making a decision, use it as a sounding board. He did that, repeatedly.

As a new superintendent, Nate utilized the TurfNet Forum in exactly the manner I had been proselytizing for many years: Ask for guidance when making a decision, use it as a sounding board. He did that, repeatedly...

Among the various comments in the "anonymous" Forum discussion was one that said, and I paraphrase, "Hey, so-and-so who recently hosted a US Open took a step back many years ago to take an assistant position at Augusta National..."

I had forgotten that, and when I saw the post I sent an email to Nate, encouraging him to call "so-and-so" (I'll keep him semi-anonymous so he doesn't get inundated with similar requests).  I also sent an email to so-and-so, a good friend and long-term TurfNet member as well, simply advising him of Nate's situation and that he might receive a call from him.

Nate made the call and they spoke at length.

That ignited a flurry of emails among a below-the-radar private subnetwork of top-tier superintendents across the country, coast to coast.  So-and-so simply alerted his peers that if anyone was looking for a good assistant, here's one.  Boom.

Several contacts were made, a couple of in-person interviews and Nate was offered an assistant position at Shinnecock, which he accepted.  A bold move on one hand, a no-brainer on the other.  He would have to uproot his wife and St. Bernard and move with sticker shock (even for rentals) from the Saratoga area to the Hamptons on Long Island. He would be relinquishing his superintendent status.  On the other hand, it's no secret that assistants at US Open venues can write their own ticket post-event.

Nate attended GIS with the Shinnecock group and officially started there March 1.  He has stayed in touch, breathlessly as I expected.  I know Jon Jennings to be totally focused and committed, and expects the same of his troops.

No doubt Nate is running hard at his new job, absorbing and learning. He will likely work harder over the next two years prior to the Open than he ever has or likely will have to again. But it's the experience of a lifetime, and he made it happen.

Just like John Colo, Nate knew what he wanted and went after it. Good for him.