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You even have an official day to do so.

Tuesday, Sept. 9 — that’s today! — is Thank a Super Day, as in golf-course superintendent. To mark the occasion, here are 6 fun facts about supers and their jobs.

How much do golf-course superintendents work?

An average of 60 hours per week during the summer, according to a survey by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

How much do golf-course superintendents earn?

For 2025, the annual base salary of a super in this country was $121,238, a 10.6% increase over 2023, according to that same GCSAA survey. For assistant superintendents, the average base salary for 2025 was $62,184, a 10.5% bump since 2023.

What is the typical profile of a golf-course superintendent?

The average super is 41.7 years old and has been at the job for 15.9 years; 86 percent of supers have an associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree.

What kind of budgets do superintendents manage?

In 2023, the most recent year for which the data was available, superintendents had an average maintenance budget of just under $1 million (that’s $999,585, if you’re keeping score at home).

How much play do superintendents’ courses get?

Over the past six years, peak-season rounds (May-Sept) are up an average of 18% from pre-Covid numbers. And the boom does not appear to be slowing. Last year, golfers in the U.S. logged a record 545 million rounds, and they’re on pace to surpass that mark this year.

What is the scope of superintendents’ duties?

A super’s job isn’t limited to mowing and growing. They maintain ball washers and empty trash bins. They take part in bunker rebuilds and irrigation upgrades, drainage repairs and tree-removal projects. They also volunteer at one another’s courses to help them prepare for big events. Not even Augusta National does it on its own.

For all of that and more, you can thank a super. And don’t feel restricted to one day only. You can offer words of gratitude throughout the year, and share photos and videos here.

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The post Caretakers of Cypress Point: What it takes to maintain a national treasure appeared first on Golf.

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The guiding principle behind many of the greatest golf-course designs applies to their upkeep, too.

Take the case of Cypress Point Club.

On a California site that he described as an unmatched “meeting of land and sea,” Alister MacKenzie made a point of treading lightly. He believed it better not to mess too much with nature.

The maintenance team at Cypress Point feels the same.

“We’re here to fit the landscape as best we can. We don’t want to be seen or stick out too much,” says Kevin Marsh, the club’s assistant superintendent. “We do want to do our job but we want the golf course to be the centerpiece.”

As most avid golfers know, Cypress Point is private, intensely so. But on Sept. 6-7, the course will take a rare turn in the public eye when it welcomes the Walker Cup, an event it last played host to in 1981.

This will be the 50th playing of the biennial competition, a match-play showdown pitting a team of U.S. amateurs against their counterparts from Great Britain and Ireland. It’s a big deal. And this year’s venue, which ranks No. 2 behind Pine Valley, on GOLF’s roster of Top 100 Courses in the World, adds to the magnitude.

In the lead-up to the Walker Cup, GOLF.com spent a day with the maintenance crew at Cypress Point, following Marsh, head superintendent Jeff Markow and their staff. The resulting video includes stunning imagery of one of the world’s most scenic courses as it ducks through dunes and forest on a tantalizing path that teases players with ocean views before hitting a crescendo on the coast. But the footage is also educational, providing insights into what it takes to care for a uniquely astounding site.

Even if you’ve had the pleasure of playing it, this is Cypress Point as you’ve never experienced it before. Enjoy.

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The post ‘As penal as possible’: Why Oakmont’s rough is more brutal than ever appeared first on Golf.

The post ‘As penal as possible’: Why Oakmont’s rough is more brutal than ever appeared first on Golf.

There’s been a lot of it in advance of this week’s U.S. Open.

Specifically, talk about the toughness of the rough at Oakmont, which is long and thick and won’t allow for mindless bomb-and-gouging. Strategy and execution will be required.

“It’s not like every time you hit it in the rough, you’re grabbing lob wedge and hit it out,” Justin Thomas said after his practice round on Monday. “You have to think, how far can I hit this?”

Often, the answer is: not very far.

Thomas saw this first-hand from his Monday playing partner, Jackson Koivun, a rising junior at Auburn University.

“Jackson had a lie on 15 today that we were kind of thinking, is it a 6-iron? Open up a 6, or could you hit 7?” Thomas said. “He tried to hit 6-iron, and it looked like he could, and he hit it like four feet in front of him.”

Somewhere, Henry C. Fownes is smiling. Oakmont’s founder built the course to be a beast. Difficulty is baked into the design. But it also depends on proper presentation. Lightning greens. Firm, fast fairways. Snaggletoothed rough. 

For everyone at Oakmont — members, staff and grounds crew alike — maintenance is a point of pride throughout the season. But the emphasis on tournament-tough conditions turns up a notch whenever the U.S. Open comes around. Scores of volunteers arrive to pitch in with the primping: fine-tuning fairways, touching up bunkers, top-dressing greens and, yes, dialing in the gnarliest of turf. Getting the rough right for the national championship isn’t just a matter of letting the grass grow.

With Oakmont set to host its 10th U.S. Open, Oakmont’s superintendent Mike McCormick gave GOLF.com the lowdown on the venue’s notoriously tough rough, what it takes to whip it into shape, and why it stands to be more challenging than ever this time around. Keep reading for his 3 main points.

To learn more Oakmont maintenance from McCormick and his crew, you can watch the video above. (Details on the rough begin at the 10:48 mark.)

Why Oakmont’s rough is tougher this year

At the last two U.S. Opens at Oakmont, in 2007 and 2016, missing the short grass was plenty penal. The fairways were framed by six feet of intermediate cut, mown to roughly 1 inch, which gave way to 20 to 25 feet of graduated cut, mown to a height of 3 to 3-and-a-half inches. Beyond that graduated cut was the rough itself, some 5 inches or higher. Not easy by any stretch.

This year, though, McMormick says, there will be even less leeway for errant tee shots, as the graduated cut has been eliminated. The intermediate cut will transition immediately to full-blown rough, kept at a uniform 5 inches. Some of that rough might be more trampled-down by spectators than others. But if a drive strays beyond the short grass, it is bound to be in a world of hurt.

What Oakmont doesn’t do to the rough

In the run-up to a U.S. Open, McCormick says, “a lot of people think we stop mowing the rough. That wouldn’t be farther from the truth.” If he and his crew simply let the grass grow, it would lay over itself and balls would wind up sitting on top of the turf, rather than sinking into it. Instead, they mow the rough at regular intervals, increasing its height incrementally (for year-round member play, Oakmont keeps its rough some 2-and-a-half inches tall, so that everyone can get around in four hours or less) so that it’s at full-strength come tournament time.

How Oakmont keeps its rough upright

Tell your kids to stand up straight and they may or may not listen. Grass is different. You don’t have to badger it about its posture. You just have to treat it right. At Oakmont, the mowers McCormick and Co. use in the rough have a suction function that stands the grass up as the blade cuts, so the turf grows upright. That way, McCormick says, the ball nestles down and the rough lives up to reputation.

“We want it as penal as possible,” McCormick says.

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That news comes from the latest biennial Compensation and Benefits Report from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), which found that the average annual salary for golf course superintendents has climbed to $121,238. That figure represents a 10.6% increase over the profession’s average salary in 2023, outpacing the national average, which, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, rose 8.1% over the past two years. It is also nearly double the annual salary of the average American worker, which is just over $66,000, data from the Social Security Administration shows.

The report shows a similar trend for assistant superintendents and equipment managers. Assistant superintendents saw their earnings climb 10.5% to $62,184 while equipment managers on average enjoyed a 12.5% bump to $68,154.

The findings draw on an online questionnaire, which was filled out by just over 3,000 GCSAA members.

Rhett Evans, CEO of the GCSAA, said the numbers reflect a broader recognition of the important role that superintendents and their teams play in the industry.

“Golf course owners increasingly understand that and are investing in them accordingly,” Evans said.

As in other industries, education and experience often correspond to earnings. The report found, for instance, that certified superintendents — those who had bolstered their skills and knowledge through classroom study and on-the-ground training — enjoyed greater financial gains than their non-certified counterparts over the same time period, with average salaries that rose to $138,303.

The report also sketches a portrait of today’s superintendent and an outline of their duties. The average age of a superintendent is 47.1, with an average of 15.9 years of industry experience. And their jobs involve more than just growing and mowing grass. According to the report, 39 percent of their time is spent on maintenance, with the bulk of their other hours devoted roughly evenly to business tasks and personnel management.

Attracting that personnel can be a challenge. Like many industries, golf faces a labor shortages, especially at the entry level — a longstanding problem that has been intensified by factors ranging from changes in immigration policy to competition from other sectors. Part of the mission of the GCSAA is to support superintendents and their teams while highlighting the opportunities within the trade.

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The post ‘Very rare’: Pro describes ‘wild’ green feature at PGA Tour event in Myrtle Beach appeared first on Golf.

The post ‘Very rare’: Pro describes ‘wild’ green feature at PGA Tour event in Myrtle Beach appeared first on Golf.

It was Friday afternoon, and Higgs was fresh off a second-round 66 that put him in a tie for the lead at the Oneflight Myrtle Beach Classic at the Dunes and Beach Club, where the putting surfaces had given players fits.

Higgs was pretty certain he knew why.

“It was real hard at the end because there’s not a ton of grass,” he said. “That’s not to say — they’re in perfect condition. But they’re almost, you know, Bermuda gets a little frictionless, and they’re fast. With the wind blowing, it moves even more.”

That makes sense. Fast greens. Breezy day. A recipe for three-putts. And not unusual.

But Higgs said that there was yet another challenge, a complication that he described as “wild.”

On many putts, he said, the grain and the slope were working in opposite directions, “so it’s a going to break little bit and then it’s going to straighten up.”

Those opposing forces — grain going one way, slope the other — were, Higgs said, “very rare.”

That’s an interesting, um, granular, take.

But is the science behind it sound? Is it true that grain and slope usually work in the same direction?

Darren Davis, superintendent at Olde Florida Golf Club, in Naples, Fla., would beg to differ.

“Grain and grade are prevalent on most putting surfaces,” Davis says. “But they are independent of each other.”

That is, just because a green is sloping one way doesn’t mean the grain will be inclined to lean in the same direction. There is no correlation between the two. 

Higgs was right in one respect, though. Grain and grade can both influence putts. But, Davis says, golfers tend to overestimate the impact of the former. 

“Often when putting uphill, golfers think grain is causing a putt to be slower,” Davis says. “Or when putting downhill golfers might assume grain is causing a ball-roll to be quicker. Most often the reality is it’s just the slope increasing or decreasing the speed.”

That’s a good tip for the everyday golfer, who may be wasting time trying to read grain.

But Higgs probably doesn’t need to bother with it. However he’s reading the greens this week, the method seems to be working fine.

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The post Spring lawn-care guide: 5 secrets to control weeds, according to a USGA agronomist appeared first on Golf.

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1. Get ahead of the game

Waiting to deal with weeds until you see them in your yard is like yelling at your drive as it’s slicing toward the trees: By that point, it’s too late. The time to act is in advance, and the tool to use is a pre-emergent. As the name suggests, pre-emergents target weeds before they get established, just as the seeds have germinated. The best time to apply them depends on a range of factors, including climate, weather patterns, soil temperatures and the type of weed you’re looking to control. A term worth knowing is GDD, which stands for “growing degree days.” Tracking this metric will tell when it’s time to get your pre-emergent down. As with most things, you can do this through the ether with an online GDD tracker. Just input your zip code and some other basic info, then select 50 F temperature, and the tracker will tell you what to put down and when. Many granular fertilizers are chemically bundled with pre-emergent herbicides, which allows you to ‘weed and feed’ your lawn with a single application. Usually, these products get watered into the soil. You can do this yourself with sprinklers, or wait until rain is in the forecast. It’s the turf-care equivalent of killing two birds with one stone.

2. What to do when weeds appear

You can’t stop all weeds all the time. Almost invariably, some invasive grasses will make their way into your lawn, even if you’ve put down a pre-emergent. What to do when that happens? Pulling weeds is one way to go, if you’ve got the time and energy for the job. But a lot of weeds are stubborn. If manual labor doesn’t do the trick, you might consider using a post-emergent herbicide. There is a wide range of products in this category, and before you use them, you’ll want to know the type of grass you have and the kind of weeds you’re trying to control. It never hurts to ask an expert at your local lawn care store for guidance on what to apply and how to apply it.

Lifestyle

3. Bolster your lawn’s natural defenses

When your body gets run down, it’s more susceptible to illness. Something similar is true of your lawn. The sparser it is, the more susceptible it becomes to invaders. One of the best ways to keep your turf lush and robust—and more resistant to invaders—is to avoid common pitfalls, such as mowing to the wrong height. Here, again, a lot depends on climate and turf type. For cool-season grasses, aim for a mowing height of around 3 inches. For most warm-season grasses, you can go lower, with a target height of 1.5. to 2. 5 inches. Shade and water are important factors, too. Not all turf types require the same amount of sunlight or irrigation. Knowing what kind of grass you have — and the kind of care it calls for — is essential to your battle against weeds.

4. Stick with it

Controlling weeds is like controlling your golf ball. Both take consistent effort. Quick fixes will only last so long. If your lawn-care regimen is paying dividends, keep doing what you’re doing. And if it’s going sideways? Don’t hesitate to ask for help at your local lawn-care store or through a university extension program.

5. Be realistic

Trying to keep up with the Joneses is tough enough. Trying to keep up with a superintendent is pretty much impossible. Greenskeepers are experts with ready access to expensive equipment, and even they lose some battles against weeds. If your lawn doesn’t look as perfect as the manicured fairways at the local club, give yourself a break. There’s no reason that it should.

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The post He invented a groundbreaking grass. But his golf impact didn’t end there appeared first on Golf.

The post He invented a groundbreaking grass. But his golf impact didn’t end there appeared first on Golf.

Rodney Lingle has enjoyed both pursuits.

Lingle, 74, the former longtime superintendent at Memphis (Tenn.) Country Club, spent decades studying bermudagrass, identifying strengths and weaknesses of different strains and pinpointing their mutations while tinkering with cultivars of his own. His exhaustive work inspired an industry-wide movement focused on fine-tuning playing conditions for countless golfers and golf courses around the country, and ultimately led Lingle to a groundbreaking achievement: his development of Mach 1, a high-performance and resilient ultradwarf bermuda that he brought to full-scale testing in 2015 and which has since taken root on greens ranging from such noted Southeast properties as Streamsong, Atlanta Athletic Club and Pinehurst Resort to courses in Arizona, Hawaii and beyond.

Lingle patented Mach 1, which is not his only legally protected invention. In 2008, he began prototyping an innovative greens-mowing brush system, which he later licensed to Toro. The product, which Lingle designed to help grass blades stand up straighter, remains popular on the market today as the Greens Perfection Brush.

For all his influence on turf maintenance, Lingle made an even greater impact as a mentor, helping guide and nurture the careers of countless superintendents. Turning his vast volumes of knowledge into an open book, Lingle shared his expertise with colleagues at turf management workshops at Memphis CC, where he also hosted hundreds of superintendents, introducing them to his novel turf-care techniques. 

In recognition of those lasting contributions to the trade, Lingle has now received the agronomic equivalent of an Oscar. On Wednesday, he was given the 2025 USGA Green Section Award, which has been presented annually since 1961 and honors distinguished service to golf through an individual’s work with turf.

“Everyone in golf needs to know the name of Rod Lingle — and follow his example,” Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA, said in a written statement that accompanied the award announcement. “Rod has shaped careers, changed the way we think about golf course maintenance, and has never been satisfied with the status quo. But there isn’t a greater legacy you can leave than to be counted as a revered teacher and friend.”

Like many superintendents, Lingle got into golf agronomy through his love of golf. A Mississippi native, he played competitively in high school, and recreationally while studying at the University of Mississippi. At the outset of his college education, Lingle was a liberal arts major. But while contemplating his future career options, he caught wind of a turf-science program at Mississippi State: a pragmatic avenue into a life in golf.

Never mind the fearsome rivalry between the schools — “They were like oil and water,” Lingle says — the opportunity was too good to resist. Lingle transferred to the enemy campus. He never looked back.

After landing his first job in the field at Hattiesburg Country Club, in 1974, Lingle signed on as a superintendent Memphis CC, a role he held for 37 years before moving on to Escondido Golf and Lake Club, in Texas. 

Since retiring two years ago, Lingle has gotten back to playing golf, a hobby that fell largely by the wayside while he tended to golf courses. Last year, at 73, he shot his age on several occasions. He has also remained active as a turf-care consultant, keeping his hand in a career that always felt more like a calling than a duty.

“I’ve always enjoyed being outdoors and staying productive,” Lingle says. “I loved it so much, it never really even seemed like work.”

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The post Want to build a backyard putting green? Here are 4 key considerations appeared first on Golf.

The post Want to build a backyard putting green? Here are 4 key considerations appeared first on Golf.

Of those three ambitions, the last might be the closest within reach. Which doesn’t mean it’s easy to achieve. Building a backyard putting green takes time, money and expertise, and for most people, it’s not a DIY project. It’s usually a job best left to the pros. But no matter how you take it on, you’ll need to make a series of important decisions.

What are the questions you should ask yourself? Here are some of the main considerations, drawn from a recent article in the USGA’s Green Section Record, which laid out guidelines for how to turn your backyard dream into a reality.

Real or synthetic turf?

When asked which he preferred, real grass or Astroturf, the former Boston Red Sox pitcher Bill “Space Man” Lee famously replied, “I don’t know. I never smoked Astroturf.” As far as we know, he never built a backyard putting green, either. But if he had, he likely would have gone with synthetic turf, mostly due to cost and convenience. Sure, real grass is sweet, but keeping it in golf-able conditions is labor-intensive and expensive. According to the USGA article, even “a modest public course can spend more than $10,000 per year maintaining each of its greens.” Synthetic greens require a fraction of the upkeep. They’re also easier to install.

Rules

Location, location, location

The type of putting green you build is bound to be influenced by the site. How much sunshine does it get? Is there a reliable water source? What’s the climate like? Depending on the answers, natural grass might not even be an option. Other factors, such as slope of the terrain (will it need to be graded?) and ease-of-access for construction equipment will have a bearing on your decision. And then there’s soil and drainage. It’s possible — but improbable — that the native soil in your backyard is suitable for a natural-grass putting green. More likely, you’ll need to purchase sand-based material in which the natural turf can thrive. Proper drainage is another must. There’s a good chance you’ll need to have that installed. Is authentic turf sounding preferable to you now?

Size matters. So does price

According to a recent USGA study, 5,550 square feet is the average size of a green on a golf course in this country. Backyard putting greens tend to be smaller. But the costs of building them still add up. While a lot depends on the region and the construction, here’s a good rule of thumb: a bentgrass putting green usually costs somewhere between $18 and $20 per square foot. That’s just for the materials. The average cost of building a synthetic green is higher (upwards of $30 per square foot or more, depending on the quality of material). But again, maintaining them is significantly less expensive. And they last a relatively long time, especially given the minimal required upkeep, with an expected lifespan in the neighborhood of 10 years.

Design features

Are you itching to let loose your inner-Tom Doak and design a green with wild undulations? Or maybe you’re working with a narrow, quirky space? Here, again, synthetic turf is often the more sensible choice, as they minimize maintenance headaches. No need to worry about how you’ll maneuver with your mower, or where, exactly, you’ll place the sprinkler heads. On the flip side, the USGA article points out, synthetic turf gives you less flexibility with hole locations, as you can’t swap the cups out as you would with natural turf. You can read more insights from the article here.

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The post 8 thankless golf-course superintendent duties that you should thank them for appeared first on Golf.

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Speaking of which: When was the last time you expressed gratitude to your local greenskeeper?

This week would be a good time. Tuesday was Thank a Superintendent Day.

To mark the occasion, we asked David Jones, superintendent at Indian Springs Country Club, in Broken Arrow, Okla., and a longtime member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, to tick off the many hidden tasks he and his cohort handle beyond dispatching gophers and mowing turf.

1. Critters

Armadillos, beavers, skunks, gophers, moles, you name it. Animals of all kinds take up residence on courses, biting through wires, digging up greens in their search for grubs, and wreaking all kinds of headache-inducing havoc. The Carl Spackler approach is out of the question, but you’ve got to do something. “Depending on where you are, you might be allowed to hunt them,” Jones says. “If not, you’ve got to trap them. They’re pretty much a constant no matter what you do.”

2. Fungus among us

Fairy ring may sound romantic. It’s anything but. It’s one of myriad diseases supers deal with, from snow mold mold and brown patch to necrotic ring spot. And then there’s pythium, the Voldemort of fungal invaders that, Jones says, is most likely to affect bentgrass. “It’s the nightmare of nightmares,” he says. “Once it gets in there, it pretty much wipes out a green. And there are three or four types of it, so you’ve also got to figure out which one you’re dealing with.”

3. Equipment repair

A well-maintained course requires well-maintained equipment, which in turn means sharpening blades, replacing rotors and repairing hydraulics leaks, among many other workshop duties. At clubs without the budget for any equipment manager (which is most), all of these duties fall on you know who.

4. Vandalism

Stolen flagsticks. Broken rakes. Delinquents on motorcycles doing donuts on greens. The depth of disrespect and stupidity can be astounding, and the worse part is, the scofflaws rarely get caught red-handed. But when they are, it’s often thanks to a superintendent and their staff. “We once followed cart tracks to a garage in the neighborhood, and sure enough, there was bentgrass in the tires, so the kid couldn’t even deny it,” Jones says. The boy was put to work on the maintain crew until he’d made up for the damage he’d done.

5. Algae

Not just in ponds. It also gets on greens, creating overly soft conditions. No matter where it shows up, getting rid of it is crucial. “But you’ve got to be very careful with what products you use and how you use them,” Jones says. “You don’t want to kill fish or cause any other harm to the environment.”

Lifestyle

6. Irrigation upkeep

Broken pipes. Jammed sprinkler heads. It’s never-ending. “There’s always something that needs fixing,” Jones says. “We call it ‘irritation,’ not irrigation.”

7. Ball washers, trash bins, signage, etc.

At any given time, somewhere on the course, something needs cleaning, emptying, straightening or repairing. Those duties comes under the super’s purview, too.

8. Golfers

That’s right. Not gophers. Golfers. A peculiar species inclined to believe that when the greens are sanded, it means that the super is out to get them. Their gift for grousing and blamed-casting is unparalleled, and it underscores a point: a head greenskeeper’s job requires the patience of Job.

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The post How this course survives in one of the hottest spots on earth appeared first on Golf.

The post How this course survives in one of the hottest spots on earth appeared first on Golf.

Bobby Alford is the assistant superintendent at Furnace Creek Golf Course, in Death Valley, Calif., where the property bottoms out at 214 feet below sea level and summertime temperatures routinely crack 120 degrees.

We asked him how those searing conditions affect course upkeep, and how he and his crew manage to keep their cool. To hear more from Alford, check out the video accompanying this article.

What to know about H20

Furnace Creek is a literal oasis. It sits on ancient springs that supply what Alford describes as “pretty much unlimited water.” Not that he’d ever want to waste it, which means the sprinkler heads go off when the sun is up. In a lot of places, irrigating turf at night is considered a no-no, as moist conditions, left to linger, invite disease and other problems. It’s a different story at Furnace Creek, where most irrigation happens after dark: 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. is prime time to water, Alford says. “It’s just not an issue for us because the water doesn’t stick around for long.” Sometimes, he and his team spot-water during the day. “But to water in the day you almost have to water twice as long for it to do its job.”

Which turf can take it?

Spoiler alert: not a cool-season grass. Alford and his team have tried a bunch of turf varietals. At times, he says, he feels they’ve been sold a bill of goods. “A lot of the grasses that companies have suggested we use, they all sprout good,” Alford says. “But then about two weeks later, they start to die.” Nothing they’ve tried tops the two strains they’ve come to rely on: common Bermuda on the tees, fairways and in the rough, and Tifway 419 Bermuda on the greens. “We’ll have times when the lowest temperature at night is 101 degrees, and the grass never has a chance to cool off. Bermuda is the only one that can stand it.”

Mellower mowing patterns

Mowing is reduced from every day to every other day, which minimizes wear and tear in a stressful season. It also gives time for the grass to grow, a key to turf resilience. The longer and lusher the leaf blades, Alford says, the better the grass can endure the heat.

Human limitations

To protect its guests, Furnace Creek restricts tee times in the summer. If you want to play 18, you have to start before mid-morning. The course takes similar precautions with its staff, bumping shifts earlier in the morning (they start at 4 a.m. instead of 5:30 a.m) and cutting off the work day at noon. Regular breaks are encouraged, and if the temperatures near 120 degrees, outdoor work is called off and everyone is brought inside.

Machine vs. nature

Extreme heat can be hard on engines and batteries, among other maintenance parts. The remedy is to treat machines as you treat people, Alford says. Provide lots of liquids — or coolant — and allow for frequent breaks.

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