I was a 22 year old, soon-to-be college
graduate. Other than extended
internships, I wasn’t exposed to the real world just yet. I did have the
fortune of discovering a career at a young age in addition to a great support
system in a mother and father that mentored and coached me along the
way. Late fall during my senior year at Penn State, I started
receiving interest from several different Clubs as an Assistant Superintendent.
A Club and US Open venue in Michigan, a Discoveryland
Company project in Texas and Highlands CC were 3 solid possibilities.
There was always something about HCC that felt like the right fit for me.
It’s that gut feeling we get that you have to learn to trust. Ironically,
one of my Penn State classmates was born and raised in Franklin, NC and spent
several years working at Highlands CC under superintendent, Andy Laughridge-
also a Penn State graduate. Since the early 1980's, each HCC
superintendent was a graduate of Penn State, the oldest and most prestigious Agronomy
program in the world. The HCC/PSU relationship is a tradition in its
own right! In November of that year, I learned from my
classmate that HCC was in fact looking to hire an Assistant
Superintendent. I immediately sent my resume to be considered.
In December of 2000, the Club flew Hilary and me
from State College, PA to Asheville where we rented a car and drove to
Highlands. This was our 3rd trip to Highlands...we learned of the
area the year prior when I worked at Augusta National (again, all Penn
State relationships). In fact, we were
married in Augusta, GA in July of 2000 and then spent our honeymoon in
Highlands! That December was my official interview for the assistant
superintendent position...the job I really wanted! The Superintendent at
the time, Eric Shomaker, interviewed two other people for the job as
well. I knew I would fit exactly what HCC was looking for but I also knew
the other people being interviewed…both of which were great
guys. After Christmas of that year, I finally received the letter I
was hoping for! I remember the excitement seeing the envelope with the
Highlands CC logo on it. In it was a
letter from Eric, offering me the position.
It was the easiest decision I ever had to make, with the full
support of my wife. That same year, I was named a GCSAA Scholar which included
an all-expense paid trip to the Golf Industry Show…held in Dallas, TX that
year. Eric and I kept in constant communication those following months
and I planned to meet up with him in Dallas. A week before going to
Texas, Eric told me there is someone else who wants to meet me and spend
time with me. Keep in mind, I’m just a young college student and I felt
Highlands CC was going out of their way to make sure I was the right fit and
was content in my decision...everyone involved was first class all the
way. It just so happened that other person was Yancey
Stribling, then Highlands CC Green Committee Chairman. I was blown away
by this gesture...the HCC green chairman was going to fly to Dallas to meet me,
the new assistant superintendent! He made the trip that February, flying
to Dallas from their Aspen, CO home. We spent the day together, walked
the trade show floor and had dinner. I went back to Penn State and recall
telling the story to my fellow classmates who couldn’t even begin to relate to
my experiences of being hired by HCC. It was because of that first
impression I got from Yancey- and the way he treated me, that Highlands CC
would always be the place I wanted to be. In March of that year, Hilary
and I came to Highlands during spring break. It gave me the opportunity
to work with the staff for a week and get to know everyone. That
week, we went to dinner a few times with Greg and Rita, Eric and his
wife and of course, Yancey. Everywhere we went, it was like being with a
celebrity. He seemed to know everyone. Like me, everyone was naturally drawn to
his likeable personality. He was a special man. I remember all the
stories he would tell too- from his elaborate Lionel train set in his basement
to the times he and his father came to Highlands CC when he was just a
boy. If you knew Yancey, you probably heard the story of him and his
father, standing on #18 tee. His father
told him he would buy him a sleeve of Spaulding Dot golf balls in the golf shop if
he cleared the lake. He teed it up and successfully crossed the
hazard. That sleeve of golf balls became
a treasured possession of his. He could see how proud he made his
Dad...one of the best feelings anyone could have! It was stories like
this that made me realize how special this Club is. This property was a
huge piece of the lives and memories of its members...a scenario that happens
to make for the most successful and healthy clubs in the world.
In 2003, after 3 seasons at HCC, I had the opportunity
to be a superintendent. After all, that was my goal...spend 3 years max as an
assistant superintendent and then off to bigger things. Champion Hills Club in Hendersonville, NC
gave me that opportunity. It is a great place too, but certainly didn’t have
the culture or pedigree as Highlands CC. That position was short
lived. Hilary and I purchased a home and moved to Hendersonville in
January 2004. Three months later on a cold March morning, my
phone rang. I was standing on #14 tee at Champion Hills when Greg
Crawford called and explained that Eric accepted the Superintendent
position at a new Club being built in Cashiers, Mountaintop GC. Greg’s question
was: “What would it take to get you back?” At the time I was trying
to play it cool and tell myself to use my negotiating skills and play
hardball. The truth was...it was a done deal before Greg even finished the
question! It was the 2nd easiest decision I ever had to make (the
first was coming to HCC in 2000). I learned later that Yancey
took an article he had read about the Head Greenkeeper of the Old Course at St.
Andrews (who I worked for in 1999) being hired in that position at the young
age of 24 years old. In 2004, I was 25 years old. Twenty five year olds typically don't
land Superintendent positions at a Highlands CC
caliber Club. But it was a General Manager and a former HCC Green Chairman who
had the confidence in my ability to do the job. It’s these relationships that I
feel like I worked hard to earn but I’ve always been tremendously grateful
for. Yancey made a copy of that article and took it to Greg and said if
St. Andrews can hire a 24 year old, we can hire a 25 year old!
In all of our lives, there are people that come
and go. There are others who come and have an impactful presence in our
life; it’s like they were sent at just the right moment. There are
about 6-10 people in my life that I can say that about. I consider
myself fortunate to get to work with three of those people every day
and have for the last 15-18 years. To me, Yancey Stribling was one of
those people.
Going back to where I started with this
post....the turf life and specifically Highlands CC, has given me the
opportunity to meet some great people, many who helped shape my life and my
career. Highlands Country Club has given me the ability to grow
professionally, raise a family, travel, create wonderful memories,
build a staff that’s second to none, live a wonderful quality of
life all while living close to my parents (Greenville,
SC). It couldn't have been scripted any better for me. In 2000, I
had no idea it would have turned out as well as it did, but my gut told me
it would and I trusted it…for someone not known for their patience, I'm
most proud of this fact. For a long time, Yancey Stribling was the
face of Highlands CC to me. His passion for the golf course and how he
treated Hilary and me was a huge part of why I wanted to be at Highlands CC and
why I have such loyalty for this great Club.
Like everyone, I miss him. For me, there will always be a void at
Highlands CC without him because of this history. I’m forever grateful because I had the
opportunity to know him. When I ride around the golf course, there are so
many memories and stories of the many projects he was involved with that I will
always treasure.
I hope that one day I can have that same impact
on someone starting out in their career.