I’m hoping that through this research I can eliminate some of the stereotypes directed at golf course employees. I can give this positive aspect back to my subculture. Numerous golfers that I have talked to can only tell me about negative encounters that they’ve had with people of my subculture, which I think is unfortunate. As in any subculture, there will be a few individuals that are not likeable, but that shouldn’t create a stereotype of disliking of an entire group. Therefore, I can possibly give people the truth about my subculture and remove some of the negative opinions about it.
So far this mini-ethnography has improved my interviewing and research skills. I’ve learned so much more information on how to research a topic, and what type of questions to ask for an interview and to get the answers that I need. I hope that through this min-ethnography I can inform the class and others about what golf course employees are really made of, and that the majority of us are good, down to earth people. We don’t fall into most of the stereotypes that surround our subculture.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Week 6- Post 6
Wiscombe, Janet. “Creative Hiring on the Green.” Workforce. 81 (February 2002): 21. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. 18 Feb. 2009 http://www.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail.
This article contains information that may lead people to the common stereotype that only older retired men are employed at golf courses. Greg Searle is the manager at a golf course in New England, and describes that for several years he has only hired retired men because they tend to “more reliable, trustworthy, and enthusiastic.” This article leads people to believe that younger individuals who work at golf courses are rude and irresponsible. Therefore this article can cause people to create a bias towards golf course employees, even when these people are not fully aware of the realistic characteristics of these workers.
I plan on using this article in my mini-ethnography when I talk about the stereotypes pointed towards golf course employees. Outsiders to this subculture may form a bias based on this one site that only hires older retired men. There’s proof at most golf courses around the country that all sorts of people are hired at courses. These people range from teenagers, to older people, to the middle-aged, and those of different races and classes. In other words, any type of person can be found working at a golf course.
Scott, Shane. “Female Caddy Counters ‘Caddychicks’ Stereotype.” Adobe. 2007. 18 Feb. 2009
This article describes the stereotypes that are directed at women who work at golf courses. The author describes how a female caddy is treated by the golfers that she has to assist. The caddy, Molly, says in the article that the golfers treat her like she doesn’t know anything. She feels that the golfers think that she’s only there to be pretty, and they don’t take her seriously when she gives advice on which club to use for certain plays. She mentions, which I personally find to be true, that the only ones who treat her with respect are women golfers. This describes in good detail the stereotypes that are pointed at female employees.
I want to use this article in my mini-ethnography when I describe the differences between being a man and a woman working at a golf course. I know from personal experience how men and women employees are treated differently by customers. I’m still need to get the opinions of other female workers when I conduct my interviews, but I’m almost sure that most of their opinions will be close to that of my own.
This article contains information that may lead people to the common stereotype that only older retired men are employed at golf courses. Greg Searle is the manager at a golf course in New England, and describes that for several years he has only hired retired men because they tend to “more reliable, trustworthy, and enthusiastic.” This article leads people to believe that younger individuals who work at golf courses are rude and irresponsible. Therefore this article can cause people to create a bias towards golf course employees, even when these people are not fully aware of the realistic characteristics of these workers.
I plan on using this article in my mini-ethnography when I talk about the stereotypes pointed towards golf course employees. Outsiders to this subculture may form a bias based on this one site that only hires older retired men. There’s proof at most golf courses around the country that all sorts of people are hired at courses. These people range from teenagers, to older people, to the middle-aged, and those of different races and classes. In other words, any type of person can be found working at a golf course.
Scott, Shane. “Female Caddy Counters ‘Caddychicks’ Stereotype.” Adobe. 2007. 18 Feb. 2009
This article describes the stereotypes that are directed at women who work at golf courses. The author describes how a female caddy is treated by the golfers that she has to assist. The caddy, Molly, says in the article that the golfers treat her like she doesn’t know anything. She feels that the golfers think that she’s only there to be pretty, and they don’t take her seriously when she gives advice on which club to use for certain plays. She mentions, which I personally find to be true, that the only ones who treat her with respect are women golfers. This describes in good detail the stereotypes that are pointed at female employees.
I want to use this article in my mini-ethnography when I describe the differences between being a man and a woman working at a golf course. I know from personal experience how men and women employees are treated differently by customers. I’m still need to get the opinions of other female workers when I conduct my interviews, but I’m almost sure that most of their opinions will be close to that of my own.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Week 6- Box #18
My site that I'm researching is Whispering Hills Golf Course. I guess most people would consider that the actually course where I do most of my work would be the focal point. However, I consider the maintenace barn to be the focal point of the course. A road divides the club house and maintenance barn from the playing course, which is nice. The barn is kind of a safe haven for the employees when we need to escape the customers. There are occcasions when the golfers give us a tough time and don't want to follow the rules of the course. The barn serves as a place where we employees can take a break, talk with each other, and get out of the humid heat. The barn is filled with equipment and tools; not what you might call a great atomosphere but I've come to call it my second home in recent years. Also, when we're down at the barn we can act like our normal selves, meaning that we don't have to put on a forced smile and be nice to customers who are being a pain. My favorite part of the maintenance barn is the lake beside it. Around the Fourth of July my co-workers and I set of fireworks around the lake. This past summer we discovered that if you throw the firwork in the pond at the right moment, it will shoot off as a torpedo underwater. I bring this story up because this place on the course is one of the few places where I can actually enjoy being at work. It's a great place to spend my free time and to socialize with my co-workers.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Week 5- Post 5/ How to finish project
So far I’ve noticed that I’m going to have trouble getting direct research about golf course employees. However, one form of research I intend to do it to look up the websites of all the golf courses around Indianapolis. Each website allows its viewers to leave comment about their experiences at that course. I’ve noticed that most of the comments have something to do with the employees and how they treat customers. This could definitely contribute to my research. Along with this, to finish this mini-ethnography by interviewing anyone who golf’s on a regular basis and has had any type of experience with the employees of the golf courses that they’ve played at (whether the experience was good or bad). Also, I’d like to observe other golf course besides mine, if possible. I’m hoping the weather improves in order for me to do that. All of the ideas above are how I intend to finish my mini-ethnography.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Week 5- Post 6
One spot that brings back of rush of sensory details is my Grandma's livingroom and kitchen at her old house. The livingroom had a patio door that let large amounts of sunlight in, but made it scary to look out of at night. When I was little I was convinced that one night I would look out the door's windows and see a monster or something standing on the other side. Her living room also had the scent of cigarette smoke. On the table beside the couch their was always a lit cigarette, and for some reason I was fascinated watching it burn down. I remember sitting at the kitchen table in the room right next door hearing the sounds of my grandma nagging my grandpa about teaching me how to play poker. He is my main memory of that house. After he died I remember walking into the house always hoping that I'd see him sitting at the table with a deck of cards playing solitaire. I was only six years old at the time, but these certain details stick with me even today. Anytime I smell cigarette smoke, or hear a voice that sounds like my Grandpa's, or play solitaire I think of my Grandma and Grandpa's livingroom and dining.
Week 4- In Class Writing
1.) I think the film was both an ethnographic study and a work of entertainment. They were exploring a subculture that has numerous stereotypes and were trying to find out the customs and rituals of skateboarders. It was also a form of entertainment in a sense that they used plenty of footage and pictures to surround the interviews that they conducted.
2.) The interview subjects were the actual skateboarders who started the revolution of skateboarding. That in itself makes them significant because we get the insiders point of views about the subculture, not the opinions of outsiders.
3.) The skateboarders had a solid belief about “members only.” They mentioned in the documentary that anyone who decided to surf in their area that didn’t live there were harassed. They would throw objects at them until they’d leave the surf area. Same went with skateboarding.
4.) The piece is organized in chronological order. They start the film out by describing how skateboarding began and continue on showing out it evolved. Seeing where the sport began helped me gain a better understanding of the subculture.
5.) I always considered skateboarders to be punks who were anti-social. In a sense I still hold this stereotype because in the film they mentioned that they hung around the same people, which was a pretty small group. They weren’t very friendly with people who weren’t a part of their subculture.
6.) I trust that the creator is telling the truth because he’s an insider and knows the facts of the subculture. However, at the same time his opinions could be considered bias because he could be persuading his audience to see only his views on the subculture.
2.) The interview subjects were the actual skateboarders who started the revolution of skateboarding. That in itself makes them significant because we get the insiders point of views about the subculture, not the opinions of outsiders.
3.) The skateboarders had a solid belief about “members only.” They mentioned in the documentary that anyone who decided to surf in their area that didn’t live there were harassed. They would throw objects at them until they’d leave the surf area. Same went with skateboarding.
4.) The piece is organized in chronological order. They start the film out by describing how skateboarding began and continue on showing out it evolved. Seeing where the sport began helped me gain a better understanding of the subculture.
5.) I always considered skateboarders to be punks who were anti-social. In a sense I still hold this stereotype because in the film they mentioned that they hung around the same people, which was a pretty small group. They weren’t very friendly with people who weren’t a part of their subculture.
6.) I trust that the creator is telling the truth because he’s an insider and knows the facts of the subculture. However, at the same time his opinions could be considered bias because he could be persuading his audience to see only his views on the subculture.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Week 4- Post 4
From what I’ve observed so far and with my prior knowledge of my subculture, and can conclude that I can overturn some of the stereotypes that surround golf course employees. With my specific site, Whispering Hills Golf Course in Indianapolis, not all of the workers are retired men, and that all of us aren’t there for the benefit of having free golf. However, I can only make those conclusions based on one golf course. I’m sure that the way that my co-workers act is not the same as the other employees that work at other golf courses around Indianapolis. I’m sure that not all the pros at the other courses are as lenient as my boss, in regards to how many breaks we are allowed to have, what time we arrive and leave work, and how much work gets done each day. I can say that there maybe some similarities between all the golf courses around Indianapolis, but I’m almost certain that we all have our differences.
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