GCSAA/Golf Digest announce 2007 Environmental Leaders in Golf awards2007 Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards
In recognition of their commitment to environmental stewardship, The Marvel Golf Club in Benton, Ky., and its Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Class A golf course superintendent, Christopher S. Gray, have been named the overall winner of the 2007 GCSAA/Golf Digest Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards (ELGA).
Gray and The Marvel Golf Club will be featured in an upcoming issue of Golf Digest magazine and the February issue of GCSAA’s Golf Course Management magazine. Syngenta Professional Products and Rain Bird Corp. – Golf Division are the presenting partners of the award.
Judges selected winners in three national categories (public, private and resort courses), and two international co-winners, with an overall winner being selected from those five. Additional recognition was given to the top entry from each GCSAA affiliated chapter, and merit honors were awarded to those who did not earn national or chapter honors, but deserved special recognition in the opinion of the judges.
The national winners include (facility, location, chapter):
* National Public & Overall: Christopher S. Gray Sr., The Marvel Golf Club, Benton, Ky., Quad State Turfgrass Association
* National Private: Richard T. Lawrence, CGCS, TPC Wakefield Plantation, Raleigh, N.C., Carolinas GCSA
* National Resort: Jonathan W. Moulton, Old Greenwood Golf Course, Truckee, Calif., Sierra Nevada GCSA
* International (tie):
o Mark J. Dinan, Valle del Sol Golf Course, Santa Ana, San Jose, Costa Rica
o Jay M. Miller, Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica, Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Golf course superintendents and their courses that have been named national, chapter or merit winners will be formally recognized at the GCSAA Education Conference (Jan. 28-Feb. 2) and Golf Industry Show (Jan. 31-Feb. 2) in Orlando. In addition, program sponsors will make donations to The Environmental Institute for Golf, the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA, in the names of all national and chapter winners.
"This year’s winners are to be commended for their commitment to environmental stewardship," said GCSAA President Ricky D. Heine, CGCS. "They, along with their facilities, have demonstrated that golf courses can be compatible with the environment – and in many cases enhance it."
"Golf Digest has been an active participant in generating discussion regarding golf and its relationship with the environment, dating back 11 years ago to the Golf and the Environment Initiative," said Roger Schiffman, managing editor of Golf Digest. "We are pleased to share the good story that golf is indeed achieving positive results.”
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Christopher S. Gray Sr.
Christopher S. Gray Sr.
The Marvel Golf Club
Public & Overall winner
Richard T. Lawrence, CGCS
Richard T. Lawrence, CGCS
TPC Wakefield Plantation
Private winner
Jonathan W. Moulton
Jonathan W. Moulton
Old Greenwood Golf Course
Resort winner
Mark J. Dinan
Mark J. Dinan
Valle del Sol Golf Course
International co-winner
Jay M. Miller
Jay M. Miller
Four Seasons Golf Club
International co-winner
Gray, a nine-year GCSAA member, becomes the first two-time overall winner in the seven years that the award has declared an overall winner (the national awards have been presented since 1993). A GCSAA Class A member and the director of golf course operations at The Marvel Golf Club, he previously won the 2003 national public and overall ELGA at Lost Marsh of Hammond Golf Course in Hammond, Ind. Gray also earned ELGA chapter awards in 2002 at Lost Marsh and at Marvel Golf Club last year. Marvel’s golf course irrigation pond is fed by waste water created from the 513 homes in the surrounding subdivision that utilize individual aerobic sewage treatment systems, as well as harvested storm water from the streets through a system of lift stations. The diesel turf equipment is powered by vegetable oil and used fryer oil, while the maintenance shop is heated during the winter by an oil burner that burns recycled oil from equipment. Click here for more on Gray and The Marvel Golf Club.
Lawrence, a 16-year GCSAA member, employs an as-needed irrigation philosophy with no set schedule combined with an on-site weather station and a weather sentry service to make decisions on when and how much water to apply. Click here for more on Lawrence and TPC Wakefield Plantation.
Moulton, a two-year GCSAA member, worked with Joel Blaker, CGCS, director of agronomy for Tahoe Mountain Club (which Old Greenwood Golf Course is a part of), to earn Gold Signature Golf Course certification from Audubon International. Click here for more on Moulton and Old Greenwood Golf Course.
Dinan, a 10-year GCSAA member, came to Costa Rica in 1997 during the construction of Valle del Sol Golf Course as the grow-in superintendent and stayed on as the superintendente de golf. Click here for more on Dinan and Valle del Sol Golf Course.
Miller, an 11-year GCSAA member, has earned certification from Audubon International at Four Seasons Golf Club and a Costa Rican Blue Flag award for his work cleaning up two beaches. Click here for more on Miller and Four Seasons Golf Club.
An independent panel of judges representing national environmental groups, turfgrass experts, university research and members of the golf community conducted the award selection.
The Environmental Leaders in Golf Award recognizes golf course superintendents and their courses for overall course management excellence in the areas of resource conservation, water quality management, integrated pest management, wildlife/habitat management and education/outreach. In addition, these categories are judged on sustainability, criticality, originality and technology implementation/use.
In addition to the national winners, nine chapter winners as well as nine merit winners were selected from GCSAA’s 101 affiliated chapters.
2007 ELGA Chapter Winners
Public Facilities (facility, location, chapter)
* Robb R. Arnold, TPC Louisiana, Avondale, La., Louisiana-Mississippi GCSA
* D. Cord Ozment, CGCS, Callippe Preserve Golf Course, Pleasanton, Calif., GCSA of Northern California
* David C. Phipps, Stone Creek Golf Club, Oregon City, Ore., Oregon GCSA
Private Facilities (facility, location, chapter)
* Michael W. Cornette, Golf Club at Gray’s Crossing, Truckee Calif., Sierra Nevada GCSA
* Thomas M. DeGrandi, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn., Connecticut GCSA
* Michael Powers, CGCS, TPC Twin Cities, Blaine, Minn., Minnesota GCSA
* Roger A. Stewart Jr., CGCS, TPC Jasna Polana, Princeton, N.J., GCSA of New Jersey
Resort Facilities (facility, location, chapter)
* Pam S. Brown, Keystone Ranch Golf Course, Keystone, Colo., Rocky Mountain GCSA
* Fred W. Klauk Jr., TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., North Florida GCSA
2007 ELGA Merit Winners
Public Facilities (facility, location, chapter)
* Paul F. Grogan, CGCS, TPC Deere Run, East Moline, Ill., Iowa GCSA
* Jason M. Kubel, TPC Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay, Fla., Florida West Coast GCSA
* Timothy P. Powers, CGCS, Crystal Springs Golf Course, Burlingame Calif., GCSA of Northern California
Private Facilities (facility, location, chapter)
* Michael D. Crawford, CGCS, TPC Sugarloaf, Duluth, Ga., Georgia GCSA
* David R. Dettmer, CGCS, TPC Piper Glen, Charlotte, N.C., Carolinas GCSA
* Dale L. Hahn, CGCS, TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nev., Southern Nevada GCSA
* John M. Kulka, TPC Michigan, Dearborn, Mich., Greater Detroit GCSA
* Charles B. Robertson IV, CGCS, TPC Craig Ranch, McKinney, Texas, North Texas GCSA
* Russell C. Vandehey, CGCS, Oregon Golf Club, West Linn, Ore., Oregon GCSA
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. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.
The Environmental Institute for Golf, the philanthropic organization of GCSAA, is a collaborative effort of the environmental and golf communities, dedicated to strengthening the compatibility of golf with the natural environment. The Institute concentrates on delivering programs and services involving research, education and outreach that communicate the best management practices of environmental stewardship on the golf course. For more on The Institute, visit www.eifg.org.
Contact:
For winner information contact:
* Christopher S. Gray Sr., The Marvel Golf Club, at 270-703-9067 or cgray@marvelgolf.com
* Richard (Todd) Lawrence, CGCS, TPC Wakefield Plantation at 919-562-8693 or tlawrence@pgatourtpc.com
* Jonathan W. Moulton, Old Greenwood Golf Course at 530-550-2665 or jmoulton@tahoemountainclub.com
* Mark J. Dinan, Valle del Sol Golf Course at 506-282-9222 or mant-golf@vallesol.com
* Jay M. Miller, Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at 506-696-0421 or jay.miller@fourseasons.com
For sponsor information contact:
* Roger Schiffman, managing editor of Golf Digest, at 203-761-5237 or roger.schiffman@golfdigest.com
* Dave Ravel, Syngenta Professional Products golf market manager, at 866-796-3682 or dave.ravel@syngenta.com
* Barbara Booth, division director of Rain Bird Corp., Golf Division, at 520-741-6100 or bbooth@rainbird.com
