Since golf was created in Scotland hundreds of years ago, dogs have been by the side of course superintendents. The course superintendent is the manager of the entire course in charge of making sure operations run smoothly. Dogs are the best companion for multiple reasons and keep the people around the superintendent happy.
Dogs Chase Critters
Some dogs are trained to hunt and catch different types of game. Even if golf course dogs aren’t trained as hunting or retrieving dogs they are still helpful for chasing off critters on the course. Dogs like to play with geese, ducks, squirrels and any other small woodland creatures.
This helps superintendents because it keeps more destructive critters off the course. For example, groundhogs can be damaging to fairways and the overall health of course grass. A dog superintendent can go and chase them off the course and scare them enough so they migrate elsewhere.
Great for Morale and Happiness
It is no secret having a dog makes you happier. They contribute to happiness and a sense of responsibility. A course superintendent sitting at attention in an office is great for people to walk in and look forward to. Course employees are more happy to come to work when they know an excited pooch is waiting to greet them with a wagging tail and excited outlook.
Dogs all create a sense of family. Many dogs that seem to live on courses become a surrogate child for every person on the course. Each individual looks to the course dog when they are having a good day and appreciates their undying affection when the day isn’t going well.
Famous dog superintendents
Shepherding Golfers through Whistling Straits
Site of the 2010 and 2015 PGA Championships and home to an energetic Aussiedoodle named Carly. At age eight, she hasn’t missed an opportunity to chase geese and always looks for golfers in the afternoons to greet them after rounds. She is a natural herding dog and loves to be outside with her course superintendent.
Nittany the Lion of Turtle Creek
Nittany is the course superintendent at Turtle Creek Golf Course in Limerick, Pa. At the age of four, this Border Collie loves to chase the geese almost as much as she enjoys lounging in the club watching Nittany football, from whom she is named after, games on lazy Saturday afternoons.
One of her major roles as a course superintendent is making sure all golfers coming up to the course are greeted with a friendly tail wag and a few sniffs. Nittany and her course superintendent are at Turtle Creek almost every day and can be seen riding and walking around the course.
Dogs were intended to be on the golf course as the creators of golf intended. Many European courses are already dog-friendly and more are catching on to make it more friendly to dog owners. Many championship golf courses have their best friends on the course to keep destructive creatures away. Dogs are great for clubhouse and morale making people very happy to come to work; it keeps everybody feeling responsible for the health and safety of the course dog.