Female Agronomists' Major Moment
Thirty female turfgrass specialists from around the country are volunteering at this week's U.S. Women's Open in Southern Pines, N.C.
:: David Droschak
SOUTHERN PINES, North Carolina — Jessica Lenihan will wake up at 4 a.m. Sunday morning just like she has hundreds of times as a golf course agronomist.
This time, though, things will be a little different. Her hands may need to be steadied a bit as she weighs the importance of cutting a sharp and clean hole on the 18th green at the final round of the U.S. Women’s Open.
Lenihan, who has spent the majority of her 18-year agronomy career in Idaho before taking a job at a bentgrass sod farm outside of Denver last fall, is part of a 30-crew contingent of female volunteers who are helping keep Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in tip-top shape this week for the 77th USGA national championship for female golfers.
The program to bring in the female agronomists — a vastly underrepresented group in the golf course industry — began at the U.S. Women’s Open last year at Olympic Club in California and was the brainchild of that course’s director of golf course maintenance, Troy Flanagan.
Flanagan partnered with Syngenta, a leading agricultural fertilizer and pesticide company, and irrigation industry leader Rain Bird to help fund the idea of bringing together female agronomists to showcase their talents and help grow the profession.
Flanagan then reached out to longtime Pine Needles superintendant David Fruchte to ask if he would like to continue to program at this year’s U.S. Women’s Open. Fruchte, who is facing a shortage of workers like many golf venues across the country, immediately jumped at the offer for the female help.
“Getting the women for the whole week is just a huge stress release on me and our staff,” Fruchte says. “They’re all so professional. They know where to go and what to do. The first day was a learning period, getting to know the golf course, but since then everything has been really, really smooth. You can’t ask for more than that.”
Only about 2 percent of the 19,000 Golf Course Superintendents Association of America members are female, according to Mike Strauss, the organization’s media relations director.
“The energy of the women here is unmatched,” Strauss says. “It is so important for them to see other women in the industry to know that they are not alone. You can tell they are soaking up every minute, making wonderful friendships, and showcasing the profession. I honestly get goosebumps when I see them connecting with each other and enjoying this opportunity so much.”
Lenihan is one of 15 of the female agronomists who also worked at Olympic Club last year and will be offered another spot at Pebble Beach in 2023, creating sort of an ongoing tradition. Another 15 of the Pine Needles volunteer agronomists are first-time participants in the program that didn’t receive much attention last year because of COVID-19 restrictions.
“Everyone at home is all excited to hear about it because it’s so much fun to be a part of a major event,” says Lenihan when asked about all the social media buzz amongst the female workers. “I don’t know if I would describe this as a ‘moving’ experience, but it’s certainly a very unique experience because we’re always the outnumbered ones in the room, and to have the room to be more women than men it’s a great feeling, knowing there are more of us out there.
“I like the profession because every day is different. I can’t imagine working in an office, or working 9-to-5. That sounds absolutely miserable to me. We get to experience these beautiful sunrises every day and have a unique job. People think we’re crazy getting up at 4 a.m. but I tell them I am more awake at 4 a.m. than I am at 9 p.m.”
Jobs this week for the female agronomists include cutting the greens, mowing the fairways and cutting cups like Lenihan.
A highlight of the week occurred at the tucked away maintenance shed where the women have gathered to escape the North Carolina heat, grab a bite to eat and exchange stories. Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam and two-time LPGA Tour winner Gaby Lopez stopped by to show their support, sign autographs and take photos.
Nancy Cienfuegos, 24, who like Lenihan is from Idaho, was more than happy to show off her hat signed by Sorenstam and Lopez.
“To be surrounded by these amazing women, for them to come down here to show us support, truly makes this a difference experience,” Cienfuegos says.
Darin Bevard, director of USGA Championship Agronomy, says the female agronomists share the same vision of the job as their male counterparts.
“It’s funny when someone gets on social media and posts that the sunrise was amazing today,” Bevard says. “Well, we see the sunrise every day doing our job and sometimes we have to see the sun set, too. But you enjoy being outside, you enjoy being around other people and working with other people. I don’t think what the females feel is any different than what the rest of us feel.
“I don’t care what you do in life; if you see people like you doing something and enjoying doing it, you think ‘maybe I should look into this.’ That’s what starts the growth, having people who are very successful at it. It’s a tough business but the golf course maintenance business is a good business.”
The group of female volunteers that has traveled from around the country range in age from a college intern to Kaye Pierson, a part-time golf course tech at nearby Pinehurst No. 2, who recently came out of retirement to enter agronomy.
“A lot of it is (females) just don’t this profession exists,” Strauss says. “You talk to some female superintendants and they want to work outside and they get in the horticultural side doing golf course flowers. Then they say ‘wait a minute I can be out here on a mower, too?’ To me, it’s just a matter of awareness.
“They are all just beaming. It’s a chance to be a part of a major championship and it’s a huge thing for them to be able to connect with other women because a lot of them will volunteer for tournaments but they may be the only female at a PGA Tour or LPGA Tour event. Everyone wants to do it now.”
These ladies deserve our respect and appreciation