Last year's U.S. Women's Open shined a bright line on many women working in the turf industry and their greenkeeping skills. Now, the focus has shifted to keeping that positive momentum moving forward for women already working in the business as well as those who one day might be.
For someone who claims he is not an ideas person, Troy Flanagan has been known to come up with a pretty good plan now and again. After all, you do not get to be director of agronomy at a historic place like the Olympic Club without having a trick or two up your sleeve.
When Flanagan recruited a team of female superintendents and assistants to volunteer at last year's U.S. Women's Open in San Francisco, he had no idea what a long-lasting impact it might have. Of all the initiatives designed to push the role of women in turf, a group of 30 on the crew at the Olympic Club for a week at such a high-profile event might have given the movement its greatest visibility.
"It's not like you see my name all over the place doing all these innovative things. I just work hard at the club to produce a good golf course," said Flanagan, who last year was named the recipient of the Northern California GCSA chapter's 2021 Superintendent of the Year Award (pictured at right). "I just thought it would be cool to have a lot of women working at the Women's Open. That was my only thought at the time. I just had the idea, but those women were the real stars of the week.
"What was amazing to me was how important this was for the group, to get together and hang out and talk, and grow their friendship. I didn't know that was something that already didn't happen all the time. I learned how difficult it is for them to get noticed.
The camaraderie between the volunteer crew and Flanagan and his team was well chronicled during the tournament and in the days and weeks that followed. And despite Flanagan's best attempts to deflect praise and responsibility for the Open experience, those who were on the ground at Olympic for the week are quick to give him credit.
"Troy will forever hold a special place in our hearts," said Sally Jones, general manager and superintendent at Benson Golf Club in Minnesota, and a Women's Open volunteer. "He is an extraordinary man who I am very fortunate to know."
Although Flanagan says his sole intent was to provide a unique experience for his volunteers, it turns out it was just as meaningful to him as it was to them.
"I'm not someone who gets teary too often, but I was a wreck often that week. It moved me," he said. "I have two flags on my wall that I paid a lot of money to have framed. One was from the USGA Four Ball at Olympic when I started here in 2014. The other, the women gave me one last year that they bought from the merchandise tent and they all signed it. I look at that every day."
The $64,000 question now is "what's next?" so that any traction gained during the Open is not lost.
More than a half-year later, the goal for many of those involved is to build off that momentum for themselves, their peers and those who might follow in their footsteps.
"For the event itself, it was neat to have women helping to prepare a golf course at the highest level for other women playing at the highest level. That's a tribute to all women," said Kimberly Gard, a California-based territory manager for Syngenta who played a key role in organizing the volunteer experience at the Olympic Club. "Going forward, networking also is important. In this business, it is about who you know and word of mouth."
There is, however, a fine line to walk with such a volunteer experience to ensure the focus remains on the golf course throughout the week.
"We already have a volunteer list for Pine Needles. It is impactful to get everyone together," Gard said. "We also have to be sensitive to the fact that it is their event, it is the USGA's event. We don't want to impose ourselves and assume everyone wants to do the same thing, because putting on a tournament already is really hard."
Open week was an opportunity for all involved. For those who came from all corners of North America to volunteer, it was a chance to meet other women seeking to grow their network and simply prove they belong. For Flanagan, who was raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm, it was an opportunity for him and his team to view the profession from a different perspective.
"I learned some things, like what it's like for the women in our industry," Flanagan said. "They wanted to show what they can do. They feel like they have something to prove. It's too bad that is the starting point for women, if they're even able to get in the door for an interview.
"My mom worked her ass off every day at the family farm. Why would I think a woman can't pull a 100-foot hose?"
The mission now is to continue to spread that message that when it comes to producing conditions worthy of a USGA championship, women are capable of doing anything men can do. Plans already are in the works to have a contingent to volunteer at this year's Women's Open at Pine Needles in North Carolina and again at Pebble Beach in 2023.
The 2021 Women's Open was not a one-off type of event for A.J. Hill, an assistant at Mountain Lake, a 1917 Seth Raynor gem in Lake Wales, Florida. It is a piece in a puzzle to build her own network, learn from colleagues, share her experiences and know-how with other women in the industry and set an example for others who might never have considered turf maintenance as a career option.
Hill also was on hand for the 2020 event at the Champions Club in Houston, and hopes she is chosen for this year's Open at Pine Needles in North Carolina. A second-generation greenkeeper, she worked last year's Open at Olympic with her father, David, a 35-year industry veteran and the superintendent at Lily Lake Golf Club in Frostproof, Florida.
"If other women see us doing things that men are doing, then they think, 'hey, I can do that,' " said A.J. Hill, who also is a two-time volunteer at the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando.
"It's good to communicate with other women in this business, get their feedback and build your network. A lot of this business is about who you know, but also what you can learn from others. We are colleagues, and we share experiences, tricks and hacks to help others.
"Moving forward, if other women see us doing things that men are doing, then they think, 'hey, I can do that.' "
Networking opportunities are great, and there is nothing like proving your skills under fire, but somewhere along the way for almost every woman breaking into the business there will be a male counterpart who provided an opportunity or served as a mentor, making men a critical audience at networking and social events.
"I'll do anything to keep this going," Flanagan said. "I'm not someone who has great ideas, but I'll do anything to keep this message going.
"We need to get more men seeing other men talking about this issue. If we don't keep pushing, the naysayers will not take you seriously."