GAINESVILLE, Va. — They’re at the far end of the property, hidden so deep behind the foliage that none of the fans know they’re there.

That seems like a perfect metaphor for this group of women who are creating the pristine conditions on the grounds of this week’s Solheim Cup, a sisterhood on a mission to swell their ranks and set an example for future generations.

The golf course maintenance facility at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club can be found behind a canopy of hardwoods just outside the guarded gate that protects the property. Assuming you made a wrong turn, you would still drive past it without noticing. It’s not until you wander around, past the John Deere mowers and the whiteboard with the daily schedule inked in legible but hurried penmanship, that you see the women of the maintenance crew wiping grease and dirt from their hands.

Lara Arias, a Spaniard, is the oldest and most experienced of this crew. “I was a forestry engineer, and I wanted to expand my career,” Arias said. “I spoke with a professional golfer who mentioned greenkeeping. I knew nothing about greenkeeping at the time, but I looked into it, took a job and now I love it. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

Arias is no stranger to the big stage. This is her second time prepping a course for a major international event. “I was the superintendent at Marco Simone,” she said. “I was the golf course superintendent for two Italian Opens and the Ryder Cup in 2023, and I worked through the full renovation.”

With that experience, Arias is helping a group of international female interns who are members of the grounds crew this week at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. They came through a turf sciences program at Ohio State University, led by a man named Mike O’Keefe who has for years placed international agronomy students in internships at high-end American clubs.

“I finished my undergraduate studies in Malaysia and was offered a job as a horticulturist in a stadium,” said Syahmira Yusoff, who had sand on her hands and shoes like she’d just come back from raking bunkers. “I realized that (being in that environment) wasn’t me. I wanted to get my hands dirty. That’s why I enrolled in the Ohio State Program and met Mike O’Keefe. He placed me in an internship at RTJ.”

Head Superintendent Scott Furlong is thrilled to have them, so much so that he feels confident giving them assignments and sending them on their way. That’s because of their experience and earnestness, but also because he knows the women on his crew feel like they’re setting examples.

RTJ _ Marsh “I was working in turfgrass research in Riverside, Calif., and that’s where I migrated toward the golf industry and fell in love with greenkeeping,” said Chiara Ferrari, an Italian who is also interning at RTJ. “I did an internship in Italy for the summer and realized that this was my career path. I worked on the Italian Open and a Ryder Cup and now a Solheim Cup, hoping to someday become a head superintendent.”

The only member of the crew with Solheim Cup experience is a college senior named Mique Soto. Her father, Ignacio Soto, is the superintendent at Finca Cortesin, host site of the 2023 Solheim Cup.

“I’m currently studying horticulture engineering at Saville in Spain, and I’ve been playing golf since I was a kid, helping out my dad out on the course since I was 6 years old,” Soto said.

They all play a little bit. But golf skill isn’t what brings them together. They are hoping to inspire in other ways.

“Not a lot of girls take this path, and we have to be encouraging because this is lovely,” Soto said. “It’s a lovely job and a lovely career. We must stay the course as much as we can. It’s not just a man thing, and we have to show that to young girls. I love it, and I hope others can see that.”

Arias agreed. “The industry is getting better,” she said. “We have more women in the industry, but, again, it’s about leading by example. That was important for me at the Ryder Cup. To be leading the team on the golf course staff at the Ryder Cup while 32 weeks pregnant was intentional. And that’s why I’m here. I have a baby, 9 months old, but I’m here at the Solheim Cup because I want to show other women, we can do this. Even if you’re pregnant, even if you have a baby, we can keep working and show the world that we can do this.

“There are so many parts to being a superintendent. It’s not just the agronomy. It’s also being a good leader, setting an example for the team, day by day, being out there with them. There is no way to build a team if you are in the office and tell them to go and cut the greens. The team needs to see that you can do it. Leaders lead by example.”

Yusoff added another twist. “Many women think this is just a man’s job,” she said. “For me, we can do what men do. When girls see me out there cutting the cups or watering the greens, they can feel inspired. And we can be pretty while doing this. I might be behind a push mower, but I’m still pretty while doing it.

“I do hope that women can change their perception of this industry,” she continued. “I really encourage girls to look into this.”

Women of Robert Trent Jones Golf Club Inspire Before the Opening Shots

Related Articles