Savage wins GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador Leadership Award
Golf course superintendent honored for advocacy efforts, advancement of association priority issues and congressional outreach
Mitch Savage, golf course superintendent at Broken Tee Golf Club in Englewood, Colo
Lawrence, Kan. – Mitch Savage, golf course superintendent at Broken Tee Golf Club in Englewood, Colo., has been named a Grassroots Ambassador Leadership Award winner from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).
The Grassroots Ambassador Leadership Award, presented quarterly in partnership with The Toro Co., recognizes and honors individuals who have demonstrated growth in advocacy and advancement of the GCSAA Priority Issues Agenda through congressional outreach and relationship development with a member of Congress. Through Toro, the winners will receive a trip to take part in the 2020 National Golf Day in Washington, D.C.
“Congratulations to Mitch for being recognized for his hard work and dedication to the golf industry,” GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans said. “He is a vocal advocate for golf in Colorado, and has raised the profile of issues affecting the industry in the state.”
The GAL Award is part of the GCSAA Grassroots Ambassadors program, which pairs superintendents with members of Congress to build strong relationships between them. More than 400 GCSAA members currently serve as ambassadors.
A general interest in politics led Savage, a 17-year GCSAA member, to volunteer for the ambassador program in 2016. In 2018, he helped train other advocates at the Grassroots Ambassador Bootcamp offered at the annual Golf Industry Show.
“This program, more than any other program or committee I have been involved with through GCSAA, has pushed me and put me well outside my comfort zone and taught me many valuable skills and lessons,” Savage said. “It has taught me to pay close attention to all the issues that are affecting golf course management at any given time. Even if a particular issue may not be directly impacting me, my golf course, or my state at the moment, it is certainly affecting other superintendents and turf professionals somewhere on some level and I need to be educated and ready to speak on their behalf.”
Savage is paired with Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and has worked hard to create a relationship with the congresswoman and her staff. He frequently attends town halls and other events DeGette hosts and has been successful in engaging her on topics affecting the golf industry, such as labor. He was personally invited to attend a roundtable at the University of Denver hosted by DeGette and other local business leaders to discuss immigration reform, including H-2B work visas.
“As a golf course superintendent at a municipal golf course, one of my goals is to host a site visit with Rep. DeGette or members of her staff and show them how valuable of an asset Broken Tee Golf Course is to our community,” Savage said. “Being an ambassador has given me and many others the platform needed to point out the numerous ways in which members of our profession are doing so much good for everything around us.”
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 19,000 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. Visit our industry-leading magazine at GCMonline.com.
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.
