In an effort to promote career development in the turf industry, Bloom Golf Partners recently held its inaugural Leadership on the Links Summit.
About 100 turf managers from across the country attended the event, held Oct. 12 at Toftrees Resort in State College, Pennsylvania. Attendees included golf course superintendents, assistant superintendents, industry professionals and students and faculty from Penn State University. The gathering of Penn State alumni and students also recognized one of its own with a distinguished service award.
The full-day program focused on the leadership and personal-development skills that determine success in golf course management. It featured a personal branding session with A.J. Vaden, co-founder of Brand Builders Group and co-author of the New York Times bestseller Wealthy and Well-Known, a fireside chat with Penn State wrestling head coach Cael Sanderson, interactive roundtable sessions and an industry leaders panel with Justin Sims of The Alotian Club, Scott Pavalko of Castle Pines Golf Club and Alex Bonini of Merion Golf Club.
“Our industry spends a great deal of time developing turf and very little time developing the people who manage it,” said Tyler Bloom, founder of Bloom Golf Partners.
“This Summit was built to change that. Seeing 100 people, from students to championship-level superintendents, in the same room working on leadership tells me this industry is ready for it.”
The summit also marked the presentation of the inaugural Leadership on the Links Legacy of Excellence Award to Matthew Shaffer. The award is presented to someone who exhibits a career of sustained excellence in agronomy, leadership and developing the next generation.
Shaffer’s career includes stops at Hershey (PA) Country Club, The Country Club in Pepper Pike, Ohio and Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. As director of grounds at Merion, he prepared the course for the 2005 U.S. Amateur, the 2009 Walker Cup, and the 2013 U.S. Open. Shaffer developed a reputation as a mentor and innovator in golf course maintenance.
“I was caught off guard – honored, humbled, and surprised,” Shaffer said of the award.
“I was fortunate to work with some unbelievable people who have gone on to do great things.”
