back n i n e ◗ David mcpherson
Retired CGSA Member Still Gives Back “Many pointed to me and said: ‘There’s the guy that built this place.’ That makes you feel pretty good.” Don Campbell
Don campbell
◗ From a caddy at Riverside Country Club – as a summer student in the 1940s – up the ranks to superintendent, manager, and executive director of this private club on the outskirts of Saskatoon, Sask. Don Campbell recalls this halfcentury journey with pride. “I grew with the club,” he says. “I was treated well there. They really looked after me and still do… it’s a great place. I managed it for 27 years until I ran out of gas!” Today, Campbell is happily retired. While he may be operating in a lower gear, he’s just as busy. He gets his turf fix tinkering in his backyard. “I’m still learning how to garden,” he admits. “I get lots of reward and enjoyment from that.” Twenty years on – from a full-time gig in the turf and maintenance business – Campbell still helps grow the game in other ways. The charter member of the CGSA is currently the executive director of the Saskatchewan Turf Association. Each month, members get a good dose of “Don’s Turf Tips.” Campbell muses on everything from turf trivia to greenkeeping history, news, and general observations on the state of the game; he also offers agronomic advice. These regular updates show Campbell’s sense of humor. Take this nugget from the April 2013 edition where he writes about arriving back to the prairies from a winter trip south to Florida and North Carolina: “We were home one day when Mrs. 42 greenMaster | www.golfsupers.com
Campbell came down with a horrendous cold. It was so bad she had to share it with me.” Campbell, a charter member of the CGSA who served as vice-president back in 1975, enjoys this executive role with his provincial turf association. It keeps him connected to the industry. “After I retired we only had about 60 members and now we have more than 200,” he comments. When he’s not spending time growing the Saskatchewan association Campbell gives back to other charitable causes in his community, most notably the Heart & Stroke Foundation. It’s a cause dear to him since he has suffered from heart disease for many years. In 2005, the charity awarded him its Cardiac Rehabilitation Volunteer of the Year. Campbell is running out of room on his walls for all his awards. Last year, the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame inducted him in the builder category. Previously the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame had bestowed upon him a similar honor. This award adds to his long list of achievements, which also include: the RCGA Distinguished Service Award (2002), CGSA’s John B. Steele Award (2004) and the Saskatchewan Centennial Leadership Award (2005). As a turfgrass manager Campbell admits he always “shot from the hip.” A leadership style that would be difficult in today’s politically-correct world. Riverside members still tell “war stories about Don Campbell,” he laughs. When asked about the role of the modern-day superintendent, the retired greenkeeper says the industry has grown and left him behind. That means there is lots of opportunity for young people choosing this career path. “Superintendents today are better educated and have more tools to work with,” Campbell explains. “They’ve really become professionals. When I started, we were just guys that cut the grass. The
golf pro was front and centre because he was the one that greeted golfers. Now superintendents are recognized as one of the keys to the operation of a successful golf club.” Campbell is now happy to leave the job of tending turf at a golf club to the next generation of greenkeepers like his son Doug, who followed in his footsteps, succeeding him as the head superintendent at Riverside. “It’s probably taken him 20 years to correct all my mistakes!” he laughs. In 2012, Riverside Country Club celebrated its 100th anniversary. During the centennial festivities, longtime club members spoke fondly of Campbell and the impact he left at their home away from home. “Many pointed to me and said: ‘There’s the guy that built this place.’ That makes you feel pretty good.” Looking back on his distinguished career – mistakes and all – Campbell would not change a thing. “I had a wonderful life on the golf course,” he concludes. “It was rewarding and I had a great career. Like the other old-timers, we wouldn’t have done it so long if we didn’t enjoy it. It’s hard work, but work isn’t hard when you are enjoying it.” GM