New superintendent at Shelter Island Country Club

One of the highest points on the Island, Goat Hill, has been the scene of delighted gatherings in the wake of recent heavy snows, as it’s famed for being one of the best places to go sledding. At the same time, plans have been put in place at “The Goat” (Shelter Island Country Club), to bring the underlying landscape to life in spring, with a new face at the helm as grounds superintendent.

Arielle Gardner, who has had a career devoted to sustainable agriculture, is excited about her new position, especially because it is groundbreaking to have a woman step into the role. “A huge part of my decision” to take this job was that “the number of women are few and far between who get this opportunity.” Out of more than 3,000 golf course superintendents, she said, fewer than 100 are women. The industry has made limited progress in addressing challenges that keep women from joining the ranks of “Women in Turf.”

She embraces the opportunity to show young women, “especially young people here on the Island — if she can do it, so can I.”

While the blanket of snow makes it clear that tending to the course grounds is still a way off, Ms. Gardner has gotten to work. “I’m a tough cookie,” she laughed, “so I’ve been out there pruning the wild brambles along fences where golfers hate to see their ball go.”

There is much more to do before spring arrives, she said, inventorying equipment, developing logistics, determining needs for sod, for fuel, and sharpening the blades on the mowers. Her duties include the implementation of turfgrass programs, irrigation management, staff training, equipment maintenance, and environmental compliance. To get and keep the nine-hole course in shape, she will not have a big crew or budget, so hopes to work closely with other staff at the clubhouse, including the pro shop and restaurant, preparing, for example, for outings that will bring large groups to the course.

The Shelter Island Country Club is run by a nonprofit, operating the golf course on land owned by the Town. The Highway Department cares for trees around the perimeter, and handles infrastructure improvements such as the cart path and the kitchen at the clubhouse.

Ms. Gardner said the plan for the coming season is to care for the grounds as they are now, tending the Kentucky blue grass and rye grass on the course. During that time, she will explore changes in seeds, possible new technologies to make the work of her small team more effective. She said she’s grateful for assistance from Huck Bromberg, who provides spray for both Gardiner’s Bay Country Club and SICC. “I talked to Ben Howell, who’s the superintendent at Gardiner’s Bay, and he was so supportive, saying ‘In turf, we all help each other.’”

Ms. Gardner has an extensive background in agriculture and agronomy, and will bring some of that experience to her new role. “I’ll plant deer-resistant flowers around to beautify the course.” She will also install “bee hotels, to combat the insects that harm the course.”

She noted that golf courses have carried a stigma as not being the best for the environment, and she plans to apply her knowledge of sustainable practices to keeping the course at its best. 

“Arielle’s background and knowledge in sustainable farming practices and plans to enroll in NYS Turfgrass Association program through SUNY Delhi make her a prime candidate to help SICC realize its full potential,” said Tim Sheehan, SICC Vice-President and a member of the Building and Grounds Committee.

Ms. Gardner has spent the past several years managing the educational farm at Sylvester Manor, where the work entailed caring not only for fields and crops, but dozens of chickens, ducks and pigs. The animals brought their own benefits, with the birds contributing fertilizer, and the pigs helping to clear the surrounding woodlands of invasives.

What she looks for in her work, she said, is a balance, between the work and the chance to be present in the community — “Especially in such a small town, with a lot of new people coming to live on the Island, I can offer something positive. That’s the most rewarding.”

She cheerfully embraced the challenge ahead, saying the work she’s begun “is the joy of my life — I’m most happy when I can fix things, when I can be productive.”