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
