Superintendents’ winning article on adapting golf courses for Americans with disabilities
Lawrence, Kan. (Oct. 14, 2014) – Jim Ferrin and Sam Samuelson, certified golf course superintendents and co-owners of Turf Eco-Logic Consultants LLC, have been selected to receive the 2014 Leo Feser Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). The award is given annually to the author of the best superintendent-written story published in the association’s flagship publication, Golf Course Management.
The two superintendents from California co-authored a January article entitled “Fear and Loathing and the ADA” about how adapting golf courses for Americans with disabilities is the right thing to do for every reason, including that it makes solid business sense for golf facilities.
Ferrin, 62, is the superintendent at Timber Creek Golf Course at Sun City Roseville in Roseville, Calif., while Samuelson, 59, is the superintendent at Wildhawk Golf Club in Sacramento. Both are certified golf course superintendents and have been members of GCSAA for at least 30 years.
“I am on cloud nine right now,” said Ferrin. “It’s a dream come true. I am going to take this feeling and run with it for a while. When I got the news, I actually cried.
“For Sam and I, it was a great experience. We wanted to tell a story to help golf courses and to show that this is an opportunity. It feels great to be recognized for something I believe in.”
The two winners will receive all-expenses-paid trips to the 2015 Golf Industry Show in San Antonio and will also have their names engraved on a plaque permanently displayed at GCSAA headquarters.
The Feser Award honors the late Leo Feser, a pioneer golf course superintendent and a charter member of GCSAA. Feser is credited with keeping the association’s official publication alive during the Great Depression. For three years (1933-36), he wrote, edited, assembled and published each issue of The Greenkeepers’ Report (as the association’s magazine was called then) from his home in Wayzata, Minn. The award was first presented in 1956 and has been given annually since 1977. Members of GCSAA’s Strategic Communication Task Group select the winner of the award each year.
About GCSAA and the EIFG
The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) is a leading golf organization in the United States. Its focus is on golf course management, and since 1926 GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the U.S. and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to nearly 18,000 members in more than 78 countries. The association’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 or find us on Facebook or Twitter.
The Environmental Institute for Golf is the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA. Its mission is to foster sustainability through research, awareness, education, programs and scholarships for the benefit of golf course management professionals, golf facilities and the game. Visit EIFG at www.eifg.org or find us on Facebook or Twitter.
Contact:
Craig Smith, Director, Communications and Media Relations
Phone: 800-472-7878, ext. 4431 or 785-691-9197 (cell)
csmith@gcsaa.org
