Lowe, Georgia GCSA recognized for excellence in government relations Douglas C. Lowe, CGCS, and the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association (GGCSA) have been selected to receive the 2007 Excellence in Government Relations (EGR) Awards for their exceptional commitment to government relations in the area of advocacy.
Lowe, a 20-year Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) member, is the golf course maintenance director at Greensboro Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., and the Georgia GCSA is an affiliate chapter of GCSAA. "Doug Lowe and the Georgia chapter have done so much to increase the profile of the golf course management industry," said GCSAA President Sean A. Hoolehan, CGCS. "They have done a tremendous job advocating the positive impact that golf courses and those who manage them can have on their surrounding environment."
The awards will be presented Feb. 23 during the President’s Celebration at the 2007 GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show in Anaheim, Calif. It will mark the first time that a GCSAA affiliate chapter has won an EGR Award.
EGR Award nominees were judged on how their efforts have served the interests of the golf course superintendent profession and the golf course management industry. Members of the GCSAA Government Relations Committee conducted the evaluation.
Lowe has become a fixture in the grassroots advocacy scene since 2003, after onerous drought restrictions were imposed on the golf industry. He contacted local government officials to explain the implications of further drought restrictions and to find an equitable solution that could benefit all parties. This effort and the ensuing collaboration were critical in allowing golf courses to manage their water use efficiently rather than being subjected to blanket water reductions.
He was recognized by the Carolinas GCSA’s publication Carolinas Green for his leadership and ability to gain equitable water concessions in cooperation with the city of Greensboro. Lowe also leads the North Carolina Water Task Force, which works on behalf of the golf industry to campaign for greater flexibility in water restrictions on golf courses.
Lowe also has made inroads at the state level of government. Legislation passed in 2006 addressed water conservation and could have negatively impacted golf courses in the state. Under Lowe’s direction, the North Carolina Water Task Force was able to coordinate selected testimony among some 50 superintendents and organized supporting research to offer at three sets of public hearings. As a result, golf course superintendents were able to win concessions to the bill that improved their flexibility and options to deal with future water restrictions.
A second advocacy award will be presented to the Georgia GCSA. Since 2002, the chapter has reached out to lawmakers, regulators, and researchers to devise a mutually beneficial water management plan. The association has become a leader in the golf industry regarding best management practices and environmental stewardship in Georgia. The GGCSA has led the way in the formation of the Georgia Allied Golf Council, which supplements ongoing lobbying efforts representing the golf industry at various levels of state government.
Currently, the GGCSA is working with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division on a ground-breaking water conservation initiative. This collaboration has created the Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Water Conservation Program. The goal of the program is to have 75 percent of GGCSA member golf facilities utilizing a written water conservation plan by May 2007.
The Georgia GCSA also created the Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation, with the aim of blending the business of golf with responsibility of environmental stewardship. To date, the foundation has raised more than $80,000 to support its mission of advancing research and education in the field of turfgrass management. The GGEF has supported educational opportunities for GGCSA members on water conservation practices and the implementation of BMPs on golf courses throughout the state. An individual case study on all nominees for the 2007 EGR Awards is available in the awards section of www.gcsaa.org.
Celebrating its 80th anniversary, GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 21,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. The association’s philanthropic organization, the Environmental Institute for Golf, works to strengthen the compatibility of golf with the natural environment through research grants, support for education programs and outreach efforts. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.
Contact:
Jeff Bollig, GCSAA director of communications
(800) 472-7878, ext. 4430 or jbollig@gcsaa.org