Celebrating the leaders of turf social media

Social media feels a little different today than it did a year, two, or 12 ago.  

When we launched our Super Social Media Awards in 2012, categories included Innovative Use of Twitter, Excellence in Video and Best of Blogs. Here on the brink of 2024, blogs seem to be mounting a bit of a comeback, video is more important (and might soon be used by more superintendents) than ever before, and Twitter … well, you know. Those categories have changed and evolved a little bit every year just as social media has changed and evolved a little bit every year. 

We are happy to announce that we will recognize some of the turf industry’s social media leaders for the 13th straight year — here on GolfCourseIndustry.com, on social media (appropriately enough), and at our Social Media Celebration presented by Aquatrols at the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in Phoenix.  

And this celebration is not without a little change. 

A quick FAQ primer and preview:  

So, uh, what is different this year? 

For the first time, we are honoring some of the industry’s turf leaders without categories. Oh, we’ll still hand out the Kaminski Award for Overall Social Media Excellence — at least after external nominations and an internal vote from a panel of trusted turf vets — as well as the Conservation Award. But the rest of the awards slots are wide open. We’re big on inclusion, and this feels like it includes more people. 

You said something about nominations? 

Right, that’s one thing that’s not changing. We follow thousands of industry accounts on our various social media feeds, but we definitely miss things and we’re always open to suggestions. Feel free to nominate a friend, a colleague, a favorite follow, or even yourself, by sending an email to editor-in-chief Guy Cipriano at gcipriano@gie.net or managing editor Matt LaWell at mlawell@gie.net any time through Friday, January 5. You can also DM Cipriano @GCIMagazineGuy and LaWell @MattLaWell.

When will you announce the winners? 

Each winner will be featured in a story here on the website starting Tuesday, Jan. 16, and in an edition of our Fast & Firm email newsletter soon after that. They’ll also be honored at the start of our annual Social Media Celebration presented by Aquatrols. That event is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, at Aquatrols Booth No. 2747 in Phoenix.

Waaaaait a minute. Social Media Celebration? Didn’t that used to be called the #Tweetup? 

It did, indeed. But Twitter isn’t Twitter anymore and you can’t convince us Xup wasn’t actually a forgotten 1990s soft drink. If platforms can re-brand, so can we, and Social Media Celebration sounded good to us. So mark your calendar and plan to join us at Aquatrols Booth No. 2747 for a little celebration and a lot of hanging out, conversation and, just guessing here, light snacks and adult beverages.* 

*Cell phone not required but definitely helpful. 

Do I need to be on social media to attend the Celebration? 

Nope. You just need to show up on Jan. 31, clap and cheer a little bit, and have some fun. 

That sounds nice. 

We think so. See you online — and see you in Phoenix! 

Past Super Social Media Award winners

2023

Kaminski Award: John Reilly, Longboat Key Club, Longboat Key, Florida

Best Overall Use of Social Media: Chad Braun, Town & Country Club, St. Paul, Minnesota; Guelph Turfgrass Institute, Guelph, Ontario

Best Twitter Feed: Ian Daniels, Country Club of Jackson, Jackson, Michigan; Carol Turner, Bigwin Island Golf Club, Baysville, Ontario; Steve Whitaker, Old Barnwell, Aiken, South Carolina

Best Use of Video: Paul Hurst, Greens Pro, High Ride, Missouri

Best Idea Shared: Chad Allen, The Club at Chatham Hills, Westfield, Indiana, “Data Spreadsheets”

Conservation Award: Ipswich Golf Club Greenkeepers Team, Ipswich, England

2022

Kaminski Award: Paul Larsen, Royal St. George’s Golf Club, Sandwich, Kent, England,

Best Overall Use of Social Media: Jennifer Torres, Westlake Golf and Country Club, Jackson Township, New Jersey; NC State Turf Pathology Team, Raleigh North Carolina

Best Twitter Feed: John Reilly, Longboat Key Club, Longboat Key, Florida; Jeremy Boone, Springdale at Cold Mountain, Canton, North Carolina

Best Use of Video: Mike Rollins, SIP, In the van, Everywhere USA

Best Idea Shared: David Jones, Club at Indian Springs, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, “Value of playing other golf courses”

Conservation Award: Isaac Breuer, A.L. Gustin Golf Course, Columbia, Missouri

2021

Kaminski Award: Drew Miller and the Brentsville District High School Turfgrass Management Program, Nokesville, Virginia

Best Overall Use of Social Media: James Bledge, Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, Deal, Kent, England; Ryan Cummings, Elcona Country Club, Bristol, Indiana

Best Twitter Feed: Dan Grogan, The Sagamore Club, Noblesville, Indiana; Jeff Sexton, Evansville Country Club, Evansville, Indiana; Thad Thompson, Terry Hills Golf Course, Batavia, New York

Best New Program: Morgan Creighton, Women in Turfgrass Management, Alberta, Canada

Best Idea Shared: Trey Kemp, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Dallas-Fort Worth, #GolfCourseAerialoftheDay

Rookie of the Year: Matt Shaffer, happily retired

Conservation Award: W. Craig Weyandt, The Moorings at Hawks Nest Golf Course, Vero Beach, Florida

2020

Kaminski Award: Tyler Bloom, Sparrows Point Country Club, Baltimore

Best Overall Use of Social Media: Carolinas GCSA Assistants, Liberty, South Carolina; Bill Bergin, Bergin Golf Designs, Atlanta

Best Twitter Feed: Maggie Reiter, University of California Cooperative Extension, Fresno, California; Michael Vessley, Culver Academies Golf Course, Culver, Indiana

Best Video: Rush Creek Turf, Maple Grove, Minnesota, “Maintenance Monday”

Best Idea Shared on Social Media: Trent Manning, Ansley Golf Club, Ansley, Georgia, “Dew Roller”

Conservation Award: Lesley Thomas, Scarboro Golf & Country Club, Toronto, Ontario

2019

Kaminski Award: Jason Haines, Pender Harbour Golf Club, Pender Harbour, British Columbia

Best Overall Use of Social Media: Craig Boath, Carnoustie Golf Links, Carnoustie, Scotland; Jessica Lenihan, Hayden Lake Country Club, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Best Twitter Feed: Paul Van Buren, Kanawha Club, Manakin-Sabot, Virginia; Scott Ramsay, The Course at Yale, New Haven, Connecticut

Best Blog: Tyler Bloom, Sparrows Point Country Club, Baltimore, Maryland; Kevin Komer, Stowe Mountain Resort, Stowe, Vermont

Best Use of Video: Ontario GCSA, “Today in Ontario”

Conservation Award: Matthew Gourlay, Colbert Hills, Manhattan, Kansas

2018

Kaminski Award: Matthew Wharton, Carolina Golf Club, Charlotte, North Carolina

Best Overall Use of Social Media: Ian Andrew, Ian Andrew Golf Design, Brantford, Ontario; St Andrews Turf Team, St Andrews, Scotland

Best Twitter Feed: Steve Hammon, Traverse City Golf & Country Club, Traverse City, Michigan; Steve Wright, Pine Tree Golf Club, Boynton Beach, Florida

Best Blog: Chris Harriman, Cattail Creek Country Club, Glenwood, Maryland; Richard Johnstone, Nairn Dunbar Golf Links, Nairn, Scotland

Best Use of Video: Atlantic Golf Course Superintendents Association, “Deep Roots”

Megaphone Award for Hurricane Recovery: South Texas Superintendents

Conservation Award: Paul Carter, The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, Tennessee

2017

Kaminski Award: Chris Tritabaugh, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minnesota

Best Overall Use of Social Media: Kyle Callahan, Victoria National, Newburgh, Indiana; Steffie Safrit, TPC Piper Glen, Charlotte, North Carolina

Best Twitter Feed: Matthew Marsh, Santa Ana Country Club, Santa Ana, California; Sean McCue, The Country Club at Castle Pines, Castle Rock, Colorado; Mike Richardson, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas; Jesse Shaver, Gull Lake Country Club, Richland, Michigan

Best Blog: Brian Stiehler, Highlands Country Club, Highlands, North Carolina; East Lake Golf Club Agronomy Team, East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta

Best Video: Phil Scully, Granite Golf Club, Stouffville, Ontario, “It’s Your Course!”; Georgia GCSA, “Golf is Greenspace”

2016

Kaminski Award: Paul Carter, The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, Harrison, Tennessee

Best Overall Use of Social Media: Rick Tegtmeier, Des Moines Golf and Country Club, West Des Moines, Iowa; Joe Wachter, Glen Echo Country Club, St. Louis

Best Twitter Feed: Eric Bauer, Bluejack National, Montgomery, Texas; Paul Koch, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin; Patrick Reinhardt, Georgia Southern University Golf Course, Statesboro, Georgia

Best Blog: Joel Kachmarek, Tacoma Country & Golf Club, Lakewood, Washington; Brad Novotny, Hillendale Country Club, Phoenix, Maryland

Best Video: Graeme Roberts, Camberley Heath Golf Club, Surrey, United Kingdom

Megaphone Award for Outstanding Advocacy: Mike Huck, Irrigation and Turfgrass Services, Orange County, California

2015

Kaminski Award: Steve Cook, Oakland Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Best Overall Use of Social Media: Matthew Wharton, Carolina Golf Club, Charlotte, North Carolina; Pat O’Brien, Hyde Park Golf and Country Club, Cincinnati

Best Twitter Feed: Scot Dey, Mission Viejo Country Club, Mission Viejo, California; Kevin Hicks, Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Club, Coeur D’Alene, Idaho; Jason Hooper, Quilchena Golf & Country Club, Richmond, British Columbia

Best Blog: Joey Franco, Brookstone Golf & Country Club, Acworth, Georgia; Adam Garr, Plum Hollow Country Club, Southfield, Michigan

Best Video: Georgia GCSA, “Stewards of the Land”

2014

Kaminski Award: Micah Woods, Asian Turfgrass Center

Overall Social Media Program: Nick Christians, Iowa State University; Adam Ikamas, MiGCSA

Best Use of Facebook: Gary Grigg, Idaho/Florida; Jason Chennault, Turfgrass World

Best Blog: Jason Haines, Pender Harbour Golf Club, Madeira Park, British Columbia; Jason VanBuskirk, Stow Acres Country Club, Stow, Massachusetts; Tom Vlach, TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Best Use of Twitter: Randy Samoff, Champions Golf Club, Houston Texas; Ellie Parry, TurfJobs, Loughborough, Leicestershire, England; Justin VanLanduit, Briarwood Country Club, Deerfield, Illinois; Cale Bigelow, Purdue University

Best Multimedia: Adam Garr, Plum Hollow Country Club, Southfield, Michigan; Rick Brandenburg, NC State

2013

Kaminski Award: Bill Brown, Hartefeld National Golf Club, Avondale, Pennsylvania

Outstanding Blogger: Andrew Hardy, Pheasant Run Golf Course, Sharon, Ontario; Dan Meersman, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia; Brian Boyer, Cinnabar Hills Golf Club, San Jose, California

Outstanding Use of Twitter: Chris Tritabaugh, Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minnesota; Matthew Gourlay, Colbert Hills, Manhattan, Kansas

Special Achievement in Video/Other: PACE Turf LLC, San Diego, PACE Turf YouTube Videos; Steve Biehl, Naperville Country Club, Naperville, Illinois; GCM Blogging World

2012

Kaminski Award: Darren Davis, Olde Florida Golf Club, Naples, Florida

Best of Blogs: Chris Tritabaugh, Northland Country Club, Duluth, Minnesota; Steve Cook, Oakland Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; Bill Brown, Hartefeld National Golf Club, Avondale, Pennsylvania

Innovative Use of Twitter: Greg Shaffer, Elcona Country Club, Bristol, Indiana; David Phipps, Stone Creek Country Club, Oregon City, Oregon

Excellence in Video: Justin Ruiz, Indian Summer Golf & Country Club, Olympia, Washington