Live Green Proves Memorable

There is nothing like a little youthful enthusiasm to rejuvenate you and make you appreciate the countless benefits of working in the golf course industry. Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with The First Tee of Northwest Florida in its "Live Green" event conducted on a perfect Saturday morning at Osceola Municipal Golf Course.

I was blessed to work alongside volunteers from the Gulf Coast GCSA, Audubon International, The First Tee, and the Toro Co. But the best part was that I had the pleasure of discussing the positive environmental impacts of golf courses with roughly 50 eager First Tee students.

GCSAA Class A member Eddie Daigle provided six educational stations through which the students rotated. The students were able to see how hole locations are changed and greens are mowed. They were also exposed to such practices as planting of ornamental grasses and trees, and mulching. Joellen Lampman from Audubon International provided an overall environmental perspective.

I worked with 7-12 students at a time planting Cypress trees. The students were excited to work in the dirt and plant what several called Christmas Trees. I was able to relay the reasons we were planting the trees. I was surprised to find how many of the students already knew about photosynthesis.  I went on to discuss how the trees were being positioned to frame the hole, and protect the cars in the parking lot as well as provide habitat for birds and other animals like gorillas. The students agreed that there would probably not be any gorillas in Pensacola!!

Once we discussed the benefits of planting the trees, the real fun began. The Toro 30” auger stole the show as the kids were fascinated when it moved on its tracks and spun a hole a foot or two deep in less than 10 seconds. The students’ enthusiasm for leveling the bottom of the hole was only matched by mine as we jumped in the hole and kicked the dirt around (by we, I mean myself and the students!). The laughter that accompanied this process was priceless. Once the tree was planted and covered with mulch you could tell the kids had a genuine sense of accomplishment.

First Tee of Northwest Florida students planting Cypress trees at Osceola Municipal Golf Course

As each new group rotated through our session, I was impressed to see how the students exemplified the nine Core Values of The First Tee. It was during these transition times that I realized how fortunate I am to be able to share my passion with the next generation. It is my hope that these types of interactions will lead them to do the same in their future.

I will close by saying, if you are ever given the chance to work an event similar to this or invite students to your facility, take the opportunity to do so. You may think of it as a chance to enlighten the children, but I guarantee the reward you will receive will far outweigh the work you put into it.  Several days after the event I am still smiling as I recall the questions and comments from the students as their laughter echoes in my memory.

Is our vision 2020?

I was in my office the other day trying to get my internet service to quit crashing. It reminded me a little bit of a Monday morning as a superintendent. You know the drill: A couple of employees are no shows; a greens mower will not start; a fairway unit is leaking hydraulic fluid; and a bunker rake has ended up in a lake - all before 7 a.m.!

My technology trials are vastly different, but they serve as a reminder of how much we rely on our machines. It is when they are not working that we truly grasp the importance of technology. The way that technology has advanced in the 27-plus years that I have been in the golf industry would have been inconceivable in the late 1980s. In fact, my wife, Tennille, relayed to me recently that the Voyager 1 probe that was launched in 1977 and has been reported to have left our solar system is powered by technology that is inferior to today’s smart phones. The Voyager 1 probe has three computers that can process about 8,000 instructions per second compared to your smartphone that processes 14 billion per second!

Where am I going with all this? Take a moment and look around as you read this. Think about the things that may be different in seven years in 2020, or even 27 more years in 2040? In 1985, I was the night irrigation employee, and I moved quick coupler heads around the course all night. Today you can control all your heads individually from your computer, radio or smartphone, and you do not even need to be on the property. What will irrigation systems look like in the next 20 years? What regulations will be imposed on your ability to utilize water resources?

Now move beyond the facility level and think of the changes for your local chapter. What will you need as a member of your local association? What issues will the chapter face within seven years? Will there be an issue with membership retention? Who will your members be? Will there be continued support from vendors or allied partners?

Recently at the Chapter Delegates meeting, GCSAA set forth on an examination of what the industry will look like in the year 2020. How will GCSAA need to adapt to meet the needs of members? Are the efforts to market Class A sufficient? Should we change our membership structure? Do we need to address the standards to attain or maintain Class A status?

In addition to these issues, what programs and services will be enhanced or implemented to assist members in their efforts to achieve professional success? The core of GCSAA is built on professional development, environmental stewardship, advocacy, community and responding to member needs. We know that has been the cased for nearly 90 years and will no doubt continue for the next 90.

We are faced with regulations regarding water use, fertilizer and pesticide, as well as labor issues. These issues will definitely transform the industry and GCSAA. We will look much different in 2020 as we aspire to be the leader in golf. We will continue to focus on our mission, and we know that technology will certainly be a focus moving forward.

Arthur C. Clarke stated that, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Even though this year’s Golf Industry Show will be held in close proximity to the Magic Kingdom, we are not magicians at GCSAA. However, the diligent work of the board of directors and the 89 employees who support you every day will move the association forward in a direction that may well be incomprehensible today - no sleight of hand, just good old fashioned hard work with an eye on the future. For the record, my internet did not crash once while I wrote this . . .(knock on wood).

Welcome to the Florida regional page

I am excited to announce an additional communication platform: regional pages. GCSAA field staff will be blogging regularly to share pertinent information and the feedback we receive through our outreach efforts.

I have had the opportunity to relay information through my participation at local chapter meetings, chapter newsletters and a regular submission in The Florida Green. Through my interactions with individual members and chapter boards, I have also been able to report back to the GCSAA Board of Directors and staff about issues that directly impact our region. We then collaborate to support you, our members.

With this regional blog, I will keep you abreast of events and issues that have a direct impact on you and your facility. I hope this will help you to communicate with golfers, owners and boards the complex issues you deal with on a regular basis. 

In addition to items such as on-going fertilizer ordinances, the fight for continued use of methyl bromide for golf courses, and the impact of weather on maintenance practices, I hope to highlight accomplishments of individuals and chapters in an effort to promote your positive contributions. In my five years as your GCSAA representative, I have heard countless stories of chapter benevolence and individual charitable deeds that I look forward to sharing.

As this is a new endeavor, look for my blog updates at least every couple of weeks. It will be updated more frequently as the need and opportunity presents itself. I hope you find the information pertinent, as well as entertaining. But most importantly, I hope this content will help you meet your needs at your facility or within your chapter.