The summer of 2024 was a summer, unlike anything I have experienced since I was in college in 1994. My name is Joe Poulas and I am a 48-year-old golf intern. Unlike many of the students in the IAA, I approached my summer internship as a continuation of a 30-year work career. However, like many other students in the IAA, I was surprised by how much I learned about the golf industry and myself. I rediscovered the joy of fully committing to a new endeavor. I learned that when you are a father of three, devoting nearly 800 hours over 12 weeks to your job can be incredibly fulfilling and tremendously difficult.
Columbia Country Club, in Chevy Chase, MD is a storied club in operation for 126 years. The club hosted the US Open in 1921–an event won by Jim Barnes. The tournament also featured Bobby Jones and was attended by Warren G. Harding. By joining this storied institution I put my own small stamp on history. I worked nearly every job on the golf course this summer. However, the most demanding job, the job that I routinely spent 13 hours a day devoted to, was hand watering greens. This task is essential at nearly every tournament-ready golf course in the United States. It takes on special significance when you hand water unrenovated greens that Bobby Jones played on over a hundred years ago.
Every day this summer began with a morning meeting. Following the meeting, the staff gathered on the 18th hole. Once there, the team would discuss their individual tasks before moving throughout the golf course. More often than not I started by tracking moisture levels on the green. After gathering all the moisture data I hooked up my trusty 100-foot, 40-pound hose. I watered only the sections of the green that required it, leaving the green firm and fast. Then, over the next four hours, I worked my way through 25 more greens. Depending on the weather, I sometimes had a partner or two. Each day carried on until the sun began to set.
In approaching the care of a historic golf course, local knowledge is essential. The team at Columbia is led by Matt Sumpter, a graduate of Purdue University. He is supported by a dedicated team that includes his three assistant superintendents. Colton, Brad, and Carter each bring years of knowledge and education to the table. Perhaps most important is Columbia’s hard-working staff of 20 which includes men and women of all ages and experience. I will be forever indebted to the entire team for all the lessons they shared with me. From learning how to (almost) cut laser straight lines on the greens from Dora, a 22-year veteran of the club, to the hard-won knowledge Matt shared about his holistic approach to golf course management.
One crucial point of wisdom Matt shared with me this summer will stick with me forever. When discussing the overall health of the golf course, he spoke on the interconnected nature of all agricultural enterprises. He explained that “The golf course is a complete ecosystem. From the animals to the trees, to the turf and down into the soil. It’s all connected”.
I played one small part in that ecosystem this summer. The work pushed me physically and mentally in a way I had forgotten could be so special. In between the pressure and excitement, I made so many memories. Memories of watering the storied greens of Columbia Country Club and of spending time with new friends. The calluses on my hands may be the most visible remembrance of my internship, but the relationships with the maintenance team and our members will stay with me the longest.
