By Design - Winter 2018

20 | By Design “I became involved several years ago when I just thought I needed to give something back to the university where I received my education, says ASGCA Past President John LaFoy, ASGCA Fellow , a mentor in the Clemson University School of Landscape Architecture: “I majored in Architecture, and I have a BA from there too. I had worked for the university twice before doing design work on their golf team practice facility. The first work I did there, I did pro bono. I felt like I wanted to do something that would have more of an impact on the department that I had graduated in. I actually donated my plans, my supervision, construction observation of the facility, and later on—about three years ago—I did more work there: we added some more golf features to the facility like an ultradwarf putting green, we expanded the ultradwarf chipping green and a few other things too. I have always supported the university financially, but that is pretty impersonal, so mentoring a student seemed like an additional way in which I could help. “I did it to help young college students, especially ones just about to graduate—to teach them a little bit more about the business as much as the design—so many of those kids come out of college and they have a pretty good technical background in landscape architecture but they have no idea how business works.” Straka says: “I teach because a lot of people have helped me out along the way, and without those people I certainly would not be having as successful of a career as I am. At Scioto Country Club, I walked in with a client one day, and lo and behold there was one of my students as the assistant golf professional. Many of my former students have gone on to their own successful careers to include turf professors, golf course architects, golf professionals and more. It's extremely rewarding for me to give back - their success is my success.” “It was an honor to be asked,” says Wilczynski. “I love Michigan State, I love giving back to the university— that’s where I went to school, and they gave me so much, so for me it’s about giving back and sharing my expertise and knowledge that I have developed over the past thirty years. I am helping the young golf course superintendent students to look critically at a golf course and see how it can be improved and help them understand the process of how to improve a golf course and what that requires (the time, the cost). The benefit I get from teaching is from the sharing of my knowledge— doing something that outlasts me, and doing something that has a profound impact on these kids for the rest of their lives.” For Johnston, the motivation was improving the quality of teaching: “I felt I could do a much better job,” he says. “The materials were some brief handouts plus Golf by Design by ASGCA Past President Robert Trent EDUCATION Photo: courtesy of Chris Wilczynski