As the world of golf management evolves and changes, so does the role of the superintendent. As management companies and public golf facilities enter the arena in increasing numbers, superintendents may no longer find themselves in a traditional triumvirate situation, where they split management duties equally with a golf professional and a club manager, while also reporting to a green committee.

Superintendents today may supervise several courses, or several courses and other athletic facilities. They may serve as agronomic or environmental consultants to their employers, or they may be in general management positions with responsibility for all functions of the entire golf facility. Indeed, as the times change, additional opportunities may arise for superintendents who keep their options open and continue to pursue a lifetime of learning.

Becoming a jack-of-all-trades

Canadian Robbie Hellstrom heads up the golf management team as the director of golf course operations and maintenance at the new $7.4 million Le Geant golf course at Mont-Tremblant in Quebec. Owned by Intrawest, which has several well-known resorts in the United States, British Columbia and other Canadian provinces, Mont-Tremblant is a destination resort that includes a world-class ski area and a multitude of retail shops in addition to the golf course. Also known as the director of golf, Hellstrom - who has associate degrees in industry studies management and agronomy - oversees anything that touches golf at the resort.

"I'm responsible for everything from how the hamburgers are cooked, to what shirts we have in the pro shop, to the conditions of the course, to marketing the golf course. I work directly with people in all aspects of the organization," Hellstrom says. "When you're handling many different amenities, you have to be a jack-of-all trades and a master of none."

Hellstrom adds that his role brings unique challenges. "You have to deal with the pro, the guests, the food and beverage service, the marketing of the course. Many different elements compete for your attention."

Hellstrom is also overseeing the building of another 18-hole golf course at Mont-Tremblant and consults with other Intrawest resorts on topics of mutual interest. He divides his workday so he can get out on the course with his outside team in the morning and work with his inside team in the afternoon. He maintains two lockers in the club to deal with necessary wardrobe changes.

"If I need to go from supervising an irrigation repair to dealing with a problem in the pro shop, I step right in there and change clothes. Some days you feel like Superman."

Hellstrom serves on the 12-person board of directors at Mont-Tremblant, and is the chairman of the weekly directors meeting. Directors at Tremblant include individuals in charge of marketing, boutiques, food and beverage, mountain operations, technical services, human resources and other departments. His previous work experience has included several years as a superintendent. His most recent post was overseeing construction and serving as superintendent at Balmoral Golf & Country Club in Morin Heights, Quebec. He was recruited by Intrawest to supervise the development of its new course at Mont-Tremblant. "I had no intention of being a director of golf," Hellstrom says. "In fact, I had a bad impression of them. It almost evolved naturally with me. I was applying some of my business education and saw an enormous opportunity."

Hellstrom thinks changes in the way facilities are run have impacted his career, and he can see advantages to the setup at Mont-Tremblant. "This structure allows us to be more customer service-oriented, more team-oriented," he says. "A lot of clubs have the superintendent's team, the pro's team and the food and beverage team. Here we have one team working for one goal and one objective."

A member of GCSAA for the last two years and a speaker at one of the Innovative Superintendent sessions at the Orlando, Fla., conference and show, Hellstrom says superintendents can be good choices for management teams with a single leader.

"Superintendents already run the biggest cost center and the single most important revenue-generator," he says. "They already know how to run the biggest team, with the biggest cost and the biggest revenue. Besides, it's not that easy to learn how to grow grass."

Hellstrom also thinks that superintendents' natural tendency to be perfectionists who demand a high quality product is an attribute that pays off in management, as does the fact that superintendents are highly educated and experienced at dealing with high-stress situations.

As part of his duties, Hellstrom takes the opportunity to speak with guests whenever he can, and he notes that many of the guests relay comments about the condition of the golf course, which, of course, is still his favorite topic.

"They seem much more interested in discussing that than other parts of the resort," he notes with a chuckle.