The superintendent’s job at a golf course is to keep the land in pristine condition, and there are few as accomplished as Plymouth Country Club’s Ben Whiting.
Tucked away on a parcel of land just off of Route 3 in Plymouth and only a few hundred yards from the Atlantic Ocean, PCC, as it is affectionately known, is one of the premiere private courses in the state of Massachusetts.
It’s commonplace to find Ben out on the course with his crew. His assistant superintendents are never far off. Ben started as a regular employee 21 years ago and worked up to the top the old-fashioned way.
“Oh come on, none of that shit. No close ups.”
Ben’s dad works at the course as well, and they have no qualms about busting each other’s chops. “Putting me on the cover of Golf Digest, right? Make me famous!”
Even in an age where technology reigns, there’s still a little room for some old-fashioned tool…but course maintenance is dominated by machinery, which requires constant maintenance and upkeep, with a spray can for every conceivable need.
For the most part, the crew working for Ben is attentive and hard-working, as they understand that he only expects of them what he would do himself…
…but not every team is perfect, and being the boss means correcting mistakes too.
Ben is a constant present at the course, and can always be seen flying around in the distance, going to make sure some part of the course is alive and well (in this case, the 4th tee box).
Working 80-hour weeks is no simple undertaking, and at the end of the day, the remnants of early mornings and late nights end up in Ben’s trunk. It is a never ending battle to keep the course alive, and he’ll be back tomorrow morning with more coffee.
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