Glase Golf snags Small Builder title

ATLANTA - The Golf Course News Best Small Builder of the Year Award was also a second-time winner. Glase Golf Inc. picked up the award for 2002, two years after taking home its first award.

Glase Golf president James Glase claimed the award at the Golf Course Builders Association of America’s annual dinner here on Feb. 14. Glase Golf earned 108.2 out of a possible 110 points for the three projects the company completed in 2002.

This year’s field of entries for the Small Builder Award was larger than in past years. Also entered were Mid-America Golf & Landscape, Golf Course Construction, Frontier Construction, Barbaron, LandTek Golf, SEMA Golf, Continental Golf, United Golf, Pennickey Sharp, Southeastern Golf, TDI International, Golf Services Group, Intergolf Designs, Hunnicutt Golf and Benson Construction.

Glase started his company in 1997, after many years in the golf construction industry. He worked with Wadsworth Golf Construction in the late 1960s and also spent time with architect John Bulla and builder Nick Seaman.

He founded his company, which is based in Bonita Springs, Fla., so he could do work locally and stay close to home. In 2002, all three of his projects were in nearby Naples, Fla.

Glase Golf completed work on the Roger Warner-designed Quail Creek Country Club, the Mike Smelek-designed Bay Colony Golf Club and the Jason McCoy-designed Tiburon Golf Club in 2002. Looking to 2003, Glase said he doesn’t see a slowdown in sight.

“We’re still very busy,” he said. “We see no change this year.”