PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a Congressional press secretary in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

My belief, honed after more than 30 years as a member of Illahe Hills Golf and Country Club in Salem, Oregon, is that the course superintendent, Bill Swancutt, is one of the best.

For each of those 30+ years – not to mention eight more on top of that – Swancutt has, not only watched over a golf course, he has been my friend.

He took care of the golf course as if it were one of his children — with the care and concern that would mark a father. It was even said that Illahe was Bill’s second wife, which would be only a faint comparison to Bill’s real wife, Kathy, who has stood by him at Illahe for 38 years.

As of tomorrow, Halloween, Bill is retiring from a job he loved.

He is looking forward to being involved in some pursuit other than making sure a golf course was playable for all members.

At Bill’s retirement ceremony, I had the privilege to make a few remarks, so I provide excerpts here as a way to honor Bill.

• It was my privilege to chair the Green Committee at one point in the past and that gave me my best chance to get to know Bill as we spent time each month reviewing golf course conditions. He was the expert. I was one of those who got to sit by his side. It was through this experience that we became friends.
• Through that experience – and every other since then – I have found bill to practice a management style that is open to suggestions. Put another way, he does not have what I call an “artist’s mentality,” which, to me, means someone who always thinks he knows best and is not open to suggestions. While Bill knows his business, he always has been open to perspectives from others, a critical trait in a member-driven operation like a golf course.
• Bill has presided over many major improvements at Illahe over his 38 years. I remember when we were considering the installation of a new sprinkler system, Bill was often out on the course jerry-rigging the old system because parts were not available for a 40-year-old relic.

Another major project during Bill’s tenure involved re-building greens, which we had come close to losing in wet winter months. This occurred during my tenure as Board President, so I have a special affinity for Bill’s work on this project.

I remember the first green scheduled to be torn up was #7. On the morning the work was due to start, I walked down to the green from my house and, no surprise, Bill was there, too. As we saw the old sod get torn up by various pieces of power equipment, I remember telling Bill – “Hey Bill, you know if this doesn’t work, both of us will get fired and it will mean more to you than to me…yeah, thousands of dollars more based on your paycheck and, for me, zero based on mine.”

The rest is history. Illahe’s greens are among the best in the Northwest, attested to by many visitors who show up to play our course. Give credit where credit is due – to Bill for presiding over a successful project that has made Illahe the envy of many regional players.

Bill and wife Kathy have my wife’s and my best wishes as they embark on the next stage in life – retirement. They deserve high plaudits as they leave, but the good news is that, based on their 38-year commitment to Illahe, they have been made “lifetime members.” That means Bill and I still will see other on the course — this time playing, not tending to the turf.