Association news

Members added to advisory council
Lawrence, Kan. - Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of Nakheel, agreed to serve on The Environmental Institute for Golf advisory council. He will join nine other members to comprise the 10-person advisory council headed by Greg Norman.
Nakheel, a developer and promoter of Dubai’s prominent real-estate projects, launched a division dedicated to the development of golf in Dubai.
The purpose of the advisory council is to provide guidance to the institute’s board of trustees for outreach, fundraising and strategic planning. The members were selected to the advisory council to enhance the institute’s ability to cultivate relationships with current and potential donors, as well as communicate the importance of the work conducted by the institute.

Other members of the advisory council include: Tom Crow, founder of Cobra Golf and a retired trustee for the institute; Dana Garmany, chairman and c.e.o. of Troon Golf; R.D. Hubbard, owner of Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif.; Paul C. Kanavos, chairman and c.e.o. of Flag Luxury Properties; Vernon A. Kelly Jr., president of PGA Tour Golf Course Properties; Owen G. Larkin, president of the Vineyard Golf Club in Edgartown, Mass., Jamie Ortiz-Patiño, owner of Valderrama Golf Club in Sotogrande, Spain; H. Thomas Webb III, senior vice president of residential development for Crescent Resources; and Frank Weed, c.o.o. of Medallist Developments.

ASGCA to join Golf Industry Show
Lawrence, Kan. - The signing of the American Society of Golf Course Architects complements the participation of various other allied golf associations, including the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the National Golf Course Owners Association, the Club Managers Association of America and the Golf Course Builders Association of America in presenting the Golf Industry Show.

The inaugural Golf Industry Show, which combines the GCSAA and NGCOA trade shows, will be conducted Feb. 10-12 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. CMAA will become associated with the event in 2007 in Anaheim, Calif.
The architects and the builders will develop the building of the green solution center that will feature a 6,000-square-foot putting green constructed on the trade show floor. ASGCA and GCBAA members will be demonstrating design and construction methods and providing information about putting green complexes. The ASGCA also will offer its “Remodeling University: A Short Course to a Better Course” seminar.
“As one of the allied associations of golf, it made sense that the ASGCA fully support an initiative that is bringing the industry together,” says ASGCA president Bill Love. “As the organization of professional golf course architects – whose work involves collaboration with superintendents, owners, managers, developers, builders and other important groups – we believe that our participation will provide new outreach and educational opportunities for our members.”

GCSAA adds new chapter
Lawrence, Kan. - The Gulf States Superintendents Association is the 104th affiliated chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. This new chapter represents more than 80 members in the southern regions of Louisiana and Mississippi.
The following individuals were elected to the chapter’s board of directors:
President – David K. McCallum, The Island Country Club in Plaquemine, La.
Vice president – Scott H. Ledet, Gray Plantation in Lake Charles, La.
Secretary/treasurer – Scott A. McKnight, CGCS, English Turn Golf & Country Club in New Orleans.
Director – Bruce V. Corkern, Money Hill Golf & Country Club in Abita Springs, La.
Director – Brandon W. Johnson, University Club at Baton Rouge (La.).
“We are looking forward to developing education opportunities and sharing experiences unique to this area,” McCallum says. “In addition, we will promote and advance the golf course superintendent profession.”
“The acquisition of the skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to advance the golf course superintendent profession lies heavily within our chapters,” says GCSAA president Mark J. Woodward, CGCS. “The Gulf States Superintendents Association will be an asset to its members, the national association and ultimately the profession.”
GCSAA’s chapter affiliation agreement defines an affiliated chapter as a voluntary association of persons engaged in the management and operation of a golf course that has formed a nonprofit corporation to support each other. It’s recognized that this voluntary association promotes activities and programs that benefit its members and the golf course superintendent profession.

Carolinas GCSA puts up numbers
Myrtle Beach, S.C. - Superintendents in the Carolinas topped $500,000 in gross revenues for the first time at their annual conference and trade show in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association staged the four-day event in November that attracted about 2,500 attendees and provided more than 100 hours of education.

“Reaching that milestone of a half million dollars in revenues is clearly healthy for our association, but the figure is also a good indicator for the golf industry as a whole,” says Chuck Borman, Carolinas GCSA executive director. “Golf has endured some challenging times in recent years, but we all have learned some valuable lessons as a result and the game will be stronger for it in the long run. Support of the kind that we enjoyed this past week tells me that business confidence is coming back.”
Borman says challenges in recent years have shown a need for improved communication between all aspects of the industry. Stepping towards that goal, the Carolinas GCSA staged a breakfast meeting for golf course owners during the conference and offered owners complementary admission to the trade show and general sessions, normally a $170 ticket.
Paul Jett, host superintendent for next year’s U.S. Open in Pinehurst, says the operations of the Carolinas GCSA play a critical role in the health of the golf industry in the two Carolinas.
“Without this association, we simply wouldn’t see the quality of the golf courses that we enjoy in this region,” Jett says.
Jett says the association’s 1,700 members benefited greatly from research support offered by turfgrass departments at Clemson and North Carolina State universities. Researchers from both universities work closely with golf course superintendents advancing environmentally sound maintenance practices and in identifying and resolving disease issues.
A record 202 companies bought exhibit booth space during the conference and trade show. Golf course superintendents also filled a record 1,220 seats in education seminars.

Three selected for stewardship
Lawrence, Kan. - The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America’s board of directors selected three recipients for its 2005 President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship.
The President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship was established in 1991 to recognize an exceptional environmental contribution to the game of golf – a contribution that further exemplifies the golf course superintendent’s image as a steward of the land.
Stephen A. Kealy, certified golf course superintendent at Glendale Country Club in Bellevue, Wash., was recognized for the salmon stream rehabilitation project he initiated at Glendale. Peter Lund, certified golf course superintendent at Rhode Island Country Club in Barrington, was honored for his involvement with Save the Bay. The third award went to the Oregon Golf Course Superintendents Association for the environmental stewardship guidelines the chapter developed. They are used in Oregon and Washington.
Kealy, Lund and the Oregon GCSA will be presented the award by GCSAA president Mark J. Woodward, CGCS, Feb. 11 at the general session during the GCSAA education conference presented in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show in Orlando, Feb. 7 to 12.

Champions invited to golf tourney
Lawrence, Kan. - The Trans-Mississippi Golf Association invited Golf Course Superintendents Association of America golf champions of the past five years to compete in its Trans-Mississippi Golf Championship, July 18 to 24, 2005, at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan.
The invitations will be awarded annually, with the newly crowned GCSAA champion becoming eligible and a past champion rotating off the list.
For the 11th consecutive year, The Toro Co. is partnering with the GCSAA to present the 2005 GCSAA Golf Championship, Feb. 6 to 8, in Orlando, Fla. The championship courses will be the Panther Lakes Course at Orange County National Golf Center and the International Course at ChampionsGate Resort.
The TMGA mission is to fund college scholarships for future golf course superintendents, giving about $50,000 to universities throughout the United States annually. The funds are derived from the financial support of the association’s board of directors and its member clubs and the proceeds of the two golf championships. Donations from individuals and businesses also are sources of support.

Association to fill board vacancies
Birmingham, Ala. - The 2004 annual meeting of the Alabama Golf Course Superintendents Association was held in November at Pine Tree Country Club and elections were held in accordance with the association’s bylaws.
Tom Vlach of Greystone Golf Club will serve as president for 2005. Don Cummings of River Bend Golf Course in Jasper was nominated to serve as vice president during 2005. Mark Langner of FarmLinks Golf Club will serve as past president.
Three new members were elected to serve on the board for 2005. They are Jason Miller of the Greystone Legacy Course, Jeremy Sutton of Montgomery Country Club and David White of the Terry Walker Country Club.
Andy Cook of Jerry Pate Turf and Irrigation was nominated to serve an additional term as the affiliate board member. Robert Milliken of Woodward Country Club and Tim Kocks of The Country Club of Birmingham will continue to serve on the board in 2005.