CHARACTER COUNTS & TEACHES

When I first joined the PGA program, I was an assistant professional to Fred Atkins (now a life time member of the PGA of America) at Santa Teresa C.C., a Lee Trevino course just outside El Paso, TX. One year, we hosted the Sun Country Women's Amateur Championship, which was a multi day event. The night before the last round, Fred asked me to do the pairings for the last day saying, "Alex, please do the pairing for tomorrow. Place the leaders on #1 and the rest of the field on #10". It did not sound right, but I was one to never question a boss, and least of all Fred. Every flight had 16 players, so I placed the top eight of each flight on #1 and the bottom eight on #10. The next morning, when the Sun Country Section people and women in the tournament realized what we had done, the complaining began... to Fred.

Before starting the players -we still had 60 minutes to the first tee time on either tee- Fred called me to his office, shut the door, placed the pairing sheet on his desk in front of me and asked, "Is this the way you did things in Mexico?" It was not a sarcastic tone, or malicious. He just wanted to know. I said, "No". He continued, "Then, why did you do the pairings like this. I wanted full flights on each tee". I replied that the way he said it, this is what I had understood. He remembered the words he said to me and closed our meeting by saying, "That's right. Next time, if you have doubts, please ask me. The pairings will stand as printed", and that was the end of it. He went out and told everyone that this was the way HE had wanted the pairings and they would remain as such if they wanted to use our golf course for the final round. How is that for support? Fred was one of those who showed me what character is all about and down the line, made me appreciate and recognize the character in others.

I mention that past episode of my career because for the past 4 years, I've been working with someone very similar and worthy of my respect: Larry Binkley, Financial Director and Assistant City Manager. Four years ago, Larry was assigned to head the upper management of the golf course operations as well as some projects. During this time, he showed us all, that everything you do, you must do with conviction and character. In more than one occasion, Larry was attacked -very unfairly I would say-, publicly and privately. Many times the attacks were for things that he had no power over the outcome or even for the genesis of the plans. Yet, he never complained, a very commendable and role model like as he remained loyal to both, those above him, but much more importantly, those under him. When any of his subordinates "dropped the ball", he was prompt to take all responsibility and any blame that came our way. He "faced the music" with a quiet optimism and confidence that things would turn out well. Sure, there would be a meeting and some "rear end chewing" to redirect our goals and positions, however, publicly, he never made mention that it was someone else's mess-up.

Over the years, we learned how to "disagree without being disagreeable" and in recent months, we communicated with each other much more closely for diverse things, from the very unimportant to those of more important and influencing nature. This is the man, who after about 40 years of working in the public sector -10 years with the City of Gallup and about 30 with the schools-, has called "quits" and will retire at the end of this week. There were many positives during his tenure, and more than outnumber any perceived negatives. Outside the golf course, he fought for budget increases, he wanted us to have a lift, he requested a maintenance superintendent for 3 years -finally getting his way last year, he insisted that we needed newer and more efficient equipment and overall, wanted the golf course and its operation to have a new image, both with the public and with those who make the final financial decisions. Inside, with staff, he wanted to learn about our operation, but concurrently, demanded our best and wanted us to change whatever needed to be changed in order to give better services and conditions with our knowledge in each different area, whether maintenance or operations. Because at times there were areas in which he perceived there could be a problem, but could not find it's roots, he took what he used to call a "shotgun approach": take a shot in the dark and see what he caught. More often than not, he caught something that needed to be changed. We hated it, because we all got "sprayed", but whatever problem was there, surfaced and got solved. His successes far outnumber his defeats in these areas. For all of that, my view will be about the man that I worked with. What I will remember as he leaves, is that, agreeing with him or not in procedures, there was never a doubt that nothing he did was self-serving and everything he did was with the conviction that it was the best for the golf course and those who use it. You can say whatever you want, but indecisiveness was not his way. Now, we all hope that in his spare time, he uses the golf course more than he used to and that a golfer, "from the other side of the ropes", he continues using that shotgun to make us change what needs to be changed. Thanks... sincerely.