Super-Scratch, a Pennsylvania-based non-profit founded in 2020, has one explicit goal: funding the education of golf’s future golf course superintendents. It’s a difficult battle, and one that’s fought against serious undercurrents that have depleted the superintendent pipeline.
In the last 20 years, there has been a drastic reduction of young people going into turfgrass and agronomy; attendance in college programs has dropped, some of those programs have been slashed and the demands of the career have not always sat well with a generation that prizes work-life balance. Across America’s courses, applications for open positions have declined precipitously and the effects are felt in particular at public courses. This phenomenon may have started with widespread golf course closures after the 2008 financial crisis, when the number of available jobs dipped, but with the COVID boom in golf participation that has shown no any signs of slowing in the past five years, the shortage threatens to bloom into a crisis in the not-so-distant future. As Director Brian Laurent noted, “the long-term health of our courses depends on rebuilding this pipeline.”
In the face of that reality, Super-Scratch is attempting to plug the gaps by raising money that goes directly into scholarships for aspiring superintendents. The main engine of its fundraising are regional invitational tournaments in which superintendents compete in two-man teams alongside a member from their clubs, culminating in a National Invitational. This past October, the season-ending tournament at Huntingdon Valley Country Club outside Philadelphia succeeded in raising $125,000 in scholarship funding—along with registration fees, the purse is built from sponsorships and both club and individual donations—with their total for the year eclipsing $200,000.
Jon Urbanski, Director of Golf Courses & Grounds at Wilmington Country Club, partnered with member Matthew Homer to post a wining score of 64, with Urbanski also capturing Low Superintendent Net with a 70. The money they raised is allotted according to the wishes of participating clubs, along with tournament results—in other words, the players all have skin in the game.
“As the golf industry continues to face challenges in attracting and developing its future workforce,” the tournament press release read, “Super-Scratch remains committed to connecting those who enjoy the game with those who make it possible, ensuring the next generation has the resources and opportunities to succeed.”
Super-Scratch is now planning its 2027 slate of events and continuing to solicit partners through avenues that include its Advocate Club program, in which private clubs interested in helping fight the pipeline problem contribute to the foundation’s fundraising goals. If you have interest in learning more about the programs or donating money, you can go to www.superscratchfoundation.org/donate.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
