While the crew at Pebble Beach might be taking a well deserved sigh of relief with the conclusion of another awesome U.S. Open, the crew at Whistling Straits is just getting more excited for their event -- the 2010 PGA Championship.
I'm currently at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis., doing interviews for the August PGA preview story. I've spent time with Michael Lee, manager of golf course maintenance; Chris Zugel, superintendent of the Straits Course; Emily Shircel and Joe Sell, Straits Course assistants; and Cliff Henning, lead repair tech.
I'm trying to think of the theme of my story... I'm still miles away from figuring it out, but one thing that's interesting is that everyone here believes the person they work with is the most hard-working person at the property. I asked Lee about Zugel: "Dedicated, hard working." I asked Zugel and Sell about Shircel: "The hardest working person from Blackwolf Run." I asked Zugel about Sell: "I saw him digging 1-inch rock... he did the whole job by himself... the hardest-working guy out here."
So if everyone thinks the other person is the hardest working person out here... who really is? It's an impossible question to answer, but the theme is clear: everyone out here recognizes the dedication of their colleagues. And that's a recipe for success.
Pictured here, from left to right, Joe Sell, Chris Zugel, Michael Lee and Emily Shircel.
(By the way, as I'm typing this, we're under a tornado warning in Sheboygan, Wis. Apparently a tornado was on the ground near Milwaukee. In Sheboygan, we're seeing a downpour and a lightning show. It's feeling like Kansas here!)
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