June is Women’s Golf Month and Syngenta wants to celebrate female leaders, achievers and educators who are growing the game.

Every golf professional has a story of how they first fell in love with the industry. For Shelia Finney, senior director of member programs for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), it was a love that started her first day watching the sun rise on the course, hearing the sputter of morning sprinklers and meeting the supportive golf community that she now calls family.

Finney began her career in golf management “completely by accident.”  When she heard about an opportunity to work on a golf course while working at a plant nursery, she explored the moment head-on. “I had never even run a weed eater before,” Finney said. “The superintendents at my first greens keeping job had me on tractors and mowers my first week. That’s when I fell in love with golf course management.”

As Finney grew into the role of a superintendent, the industry evolved with her. “Superintendents have been the unsung heroes of the golf course for far too long, and now they’re getting the attention they deserve,” she said, when asked what has changed and stayed the same in golf course management since that first week. “I’ve also seen the industry become more science and technology based. The tools that are now available on the golf course – moisture meters, weather stations, digital job boards – these allow superintendents to be more efficient.”

In addition to technology aiding success on the course, Finney emphasizes the importance of mentorship and community. Her advice to anyone pursuing a career in golf maintenance – don’t be afraid to ask for help. “Being a superintendent is as much an art as it is a science,” she said. “When you try to do it alone and not use the help that is there for you, you only hurt yourself.” Finney believes having a strong team that communicates and works together to achieve the same goal builds a community that excels.

After experiencing meaningful team relationships, Finney knew she wanted to volunteer at the GCSAA and give back to the golf community. She began volunteering at her local chapter, which led to volunteering with the national GCSAA, and blossomed into her role as chapter delegate for 11 years. Participating in educational meetings resonated with her and led her to pursue the role of senior director of member programs. “I had to compete for the job and the more I found out about it the more I wanted it,” Finney said. “The chance to be able to use my love and passion for helping the members and chapters achieve their goals on a national level is a dream come true.

Present: Finney is dedicated to growing the golf community as senior director of member programs for the GCSAA.

”Being a catalyst for change, a mentor and a friend to others is what has kept Finney’s love for the golf industry strong. She has a lot of growth planned for the industry, and she’s found her home at the GCSAA developing new programs to help individuals get education they need to succeed. Traveling to speak with golf course management groups about how the GCSAA can help them achieve their goals is a highlight of her day. “There are so many programs and services that the GCSAA has for members,” Finney said. “Being able to talk with students, assistants, superintendents and equipment managers to help them grow makes my day.”

While Finney and the GCSAA have come a long way in making sure superintendents and their team get the recognition they have earned and deserved, she believes there is still more to achieve, and she asserts the GCSAA will work tirelessly to make sure superintendents are appreciated. “The golf community has always been a tight group of professionals and it still is. I was drawn in by the fact that superintendents will do anything to help each other,” she said. “I get the opportunity to help the GCSAA serve its members on a higher level, and on a more personal level, make sure that our members know that we care about them as individuals.”



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