Education record set, Strickland takes Golf Championship
David S. Downing II, CGCS, vice president of operations and construction for Signature Golf Group in Myrtle Beach, S.C., was elected president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) at the association’s annual meeting Feb. 1.
The annual meeting was held in conjunction with the GCSAA Education Conference (Jan. 28-Feb. 2) and Golf Industry Show (Jan. 31-Feb. 2) in Orlando. Downing will serve until the 2009 annual meeting, Feb. 6 in New Orleans.
Elected as vice president was Mark D. Kuhns, CGCS, director of grounds at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J. James R. Fitzroy, CGCS, director/superintendent at Wollaston Recreational Facility/Presidents Golf Club in North Quincy, Mass., was elected secretary/treasurer.
Sanford G. Queen, CGCS, manager of golf operations for the city of Overland Park, Kan., and Patrick R. Finlen, CGCS, director of golf course maintenance operations at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, were re-elected to the board.
Robert M. Randquist, CGCS, director of golf course and grounds at Boca Rio Golf Club in Boca Raton, Fla., and Keith A. Ihms, CGCS at Country Club of Little Rock in Little Rock, Ark., both enter the second year of their terms as directors. Ricky D. Heine, CGCS, general manager and director of grounds at The Golf Club Star Ranch in Austin, Texas, will serve on the board for one year as immediate past president.
John J. O’Keefe, CGCS, director of golf course management at Preakness Hills Country Club in Wayne, N.J., was appointed to the board of directors, filling the remaining year of Fitzroy’s term, created by his election to secretary/treasurer.
The GCSAA Education Conference continues to be a vital resource for the golf industry as a record 8,004 seats were sold for the 121 seminars. That compares favorably to the 7,086 seats filled last year in Anaheim. Content for the seminars focused on the professional development of attendees, including personal skills (finances, time management, quality of work/family life); leadership (teamwork, professionalism); communications (administration, management, scientific content, outreach); operations management (financial management, resource allocation, regulatory compliance); and resource utilization (staff, materials, equipment, golf course). An additional 50 hours of panel discussions, sessions and forums that touched on such subjects as diversity, media/public relations, environmental compliance, etc., were offered.
“Continuing education has become an absolute necessity for golf course superintendents,” Downing said. “Not only is it important for their professional development, but for the success of the golf facility as well. I believe the quality of the programs and the number of attendees is a testament to the importance golf course superintendents and employers place on GCSAA programs.”
One of the highlights from the GCSAA Education Conference was the 14th annual Collegiate Turf Bowl Competition, won by the Iowa State University team of Adam Hebbel, Matt Hoffman, Shane Brockhoff and Brad Johnson, as the Cyclones took home their seventh straight title. The Turf Bowl challenged students from universities/institutions in areas of turfgrass growth and development, mathematics, identification of soils, diseases, weeds and insects as well as turfgrass species. The exam also allows teams to collaborate for the case study portion and submit an essay that addresses business management facets of the golf course superintendent profession, while emphasizing the importance of communication skills. The second, third and fifth-place teams were from Purdue, while Connecticut, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Wisconsin and Florida rounded out the top 10, as a record 341 students from 92 teams participated in the competition.
GCSAA members also approved a board recommendation to increase dues using a CPI-based formula. The increase will be $20 for Classes A and SM members, and $10 for Class C members. The dues change was supported by nearly 93 percent of those voting. Corresponding with the increases for those classes are those for affiliate (now $320), associate (now $160) and international superintendent member (now $160) classes. The new dues structure takes effect May 1.
Seth Strickland, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Miami Shores Country Club in south Florida, fired three straight 4-under-par rounds of 68 to win the 2008 GCSAA National Championship on the Independence Course at Ginn Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla. His 12-under-par total of 204 is the lowest total winning score in the tournament’s 58-year history. Strickland won the 2005 GCSAA title, also conducted in Orlando. The GCSAA National Championship and Golf Classic is presented in partnership with The Toro Co. Full tournament results are available at www.golfindustryshow.com.
World Golf Hall of Fame member Greg Norman was presented with the Old Tom Morris Award at the GCSAA Education Conference Opening Session. Christopher S. Gray Sr., GCSAA Class A director of golf course operations at The Marvel Golf Club in Benton, Ky., was the overall winner of the GCSAA/Golf Digest Environmental Leaders In Golf Awards, presented in partnership with Rain Bird and Syngenta. Michael Maffei, CGCS at Morefar Golf Course in Brewster, N.Y., Peter McDonough, GCSAA Class A superintendent at The Keswick (Va.) Club, and Richard Staughton, CGCS at Towne Lake Hills Golf Club in Woodstock, Ga., won the GCSAA Excellence in Government Relations Awards. Donald Hearn, CGCS, H. James "Jim" Loke, CGCS at Bent Creek Country Club in Lancaster, Pa., and retired superintendent Oscar Miles, CGCS, won GCSAA Distinguished Service Awards. Jeff Carlson, CGCS at Vineyard Golf Club, located on Martha’s Vineyard near Edgartown, Mass., won the GCSAA President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship. Chris Carson, GCSAA Class A golf course superintendent at Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield, N.J., won the GCSAA Leo Feser Award for his article, “10 things I wish they’d taught me in turf school,” which appeared in the February 2007 issue of Golf Course Management magazine.
GCSAA CEO Steve Mona, CAE, said farewell to the association after 14 years at the helm. He will begin his new post as CEO of the World Golf Foundation next month. The 2009 GCSAA Education Conference will be held Feb. 2-7 in New Orleans.
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
