Jorgensen receives Florida GCSA award

The Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association honored Andy Jorgensen, CGCS, with its Distinguished Service Award. Jorgensen, who is director of community maintenance operations for On Top of the World Communities in Ocala, received his award during the association’s annual meeting at Sailfish Point golf Club in Stuart.

Jorgensen is a past president of the Florida GCSA, the Florida Turfgrass Association and the Seven Rivers GCSA. He has served on and chaired numerous association committees over the past 20 years. He has also served as a GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador since 2015 and was a member of GCSAA’s Best Management Practices Resource Task Group.

The Florida Turfgrass Association recognized him with its highest honor, the Wreath of Grass, in 2020. In 2014 and 2017, he won Environmental Leaders in Golf awards from GCSAA and Golf Digest. In 2022, he won the GCSAA President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship.

“Andy is as dedicated to his profession and his colleagues as you can possibly be,” Florida GCSA executive director Jennifer Bryan said. “I really don’t know of anyone who devotes more of their time and energy to the golf course superintendent profession as a whole. And he always does (it) with a smile and encouragement for those around him.”

For all that, Jorgensen was surprised to see the award presentation listed on the agenda. He serves on the Florida GCSA awards committee and as he explained to a fellow superintendent while driving to the meeting, he had no idea who was getting the DSA. “I believe I’m still on the committee,” he said. “But I guess I must have missed a committee call because I don’t know who’s getting it!”

“I was very surprised and humbled to receive the award,” Jorgensen said. “You never serve thinking you’re going to get awards, you do it because it’s the right thing to do.”

Jorgensen arrived at On Top of the World in 2005 after stints at Southern Woods Golf Club, World Woods and Sugarmill Woods, which were all under the same ownership. He immersed himself in service almost immediately, hosting a Seven Rivers GCSA meeting and golf outing. 

“That was my first foray, and I quickly realized the value of being involved and it just grew from there,” he said. “Serving has been especially helpful to my career. Getting to know as many people as I have, if I have an issue, I know help is just a phone call away.”

Also at the annual meeting, Jason Zimmerman, CGCS, director of greens and grounds at The Nest Golf Club in Bonita Springs, was elected new president of the Florida GCSA. Zimmerman, a Michigan State University graduate who has been at The Nest since 2006, takes over from Parker Ferren, CGCS, of Copperleaf Golf Club, also in Bonita Springs. Ferren will now serve a term as immediate past president.

Ryan Swilley, CGCS, director of agronomy at The Dye Preserve Golf Club in Jupiter, is the new vice president. Dustin Plemons, golf course superintendent at municipally owned Cleveland Heights Golf Club in Lakeland, is new secretary-treasurer.

Mike Kelly, assistant golf course superintendent at Gulf Harbour Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers, won the Florida GCSA Golf Championship during the annual Steve Wright Memorial Golf Tournament. Kelly won on the first hole of a sudden death playoff over Easton Davis of Pelican Marsh Golf Club in Naples after finishing with one-under par rounds of 71.