Volume 26 Issue 1 Spring 2018 - North Texas Golf Course ...
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Spring 2018 Volume 26 Issue 1
President’s Message As we enter into the 1st quarter of 2018 and look back on the year, it has been great so far! We had a wonderful Annual Banquet at Bent Tree Country Club, with great food and entertainment. A big thank you goes out to NTGCSA member and Bent Tree GM Dan Burkett for making that possible. The highlights of the evening were for recognizing our award recipients, Scott Miller being named the 2017 Superintendent of the Year, and for Keith Ihms receiving the Distinguished Service Award, and Cody Crowther was the Assistant Superintendent of the Year. Kevin Carpen- ter once again made this evening special with his first class videos and we greatly appreciate all his work since he started making these for the banquet. It was also a great honor for the NTGCSA to award over $20,000 toward our Legacy Scholarship recipients! On the sponsorship front, the year has started off great, with the excellent support from all levels: Platinum, Gold and Silver! We have gained a few new sponsors in most levels and our Platinum Sponsors all renewed for 2018. The 2018 Golf Industry Show in San Antonio was once again successful and enjoyable, I personally like Texas hosting the show every three years and it was good to see a lot of our membership in attendance. The Lone Star Reception was a very fun event and a great place to catch up with our peers from all over the state. Just a reminder that if you haven’t used your free GIS pass with your membership, take advantage of this benefit in the future. The show will be in San Diego in 2019, Orlando in 2020 and back in San Antonio in 2021! I want to promote our next few upcoming events to kickoff our golfing this spring. We actually have two April events this year, starting with Helena’s sponsored golf and meeting at Mira Vista Country Club on April 2nd. Instead of having the Bully Cup in late March, we moved it to April 23rd at Hurricane Creek this year sponsored by Harrells. Hopefully this change provides better weather and better fits our busy schedules in the spring. On May 14th, we once again will return to Sky Creek Ranch for the Stephen Best Memorial Pro/ Superintendent tournament sponsored by Professional Turf Products. In closing, I’d like to thank Past President Mike Epps for his service and leadership in 2017. We appreciate the time and dedication to the betterment of the NTGCSA. I’d also like to thank the outgoing board members Kyle Embry, Kevin Redburn and Stan Reyford for your service. Let’s all make this another banner year for the NTGCSA. I encourage everyone to get involved with the chapter by volunteering for a committee, or writing a newsletter, and attending events and providing feedback. Thank you all for allowing me to serve this great association and chapter. Thank you, Kirt Phillips Golf Course Superintendent
About Us
North Texas
Network with your peers!
Golf Course
Superintendents
Join us at: Ntgcsa.org and:
Association
Board of Directors
President: Kirt Philips
kirt@dallascountryclub.org
Vice President: Bryan Brown
bryan.brown@lkpoa.org
Secretary / Treasurer: Jorge Croda
jorgec@southernoaksgolf.com
Past President: Mike Epps
mepps@miravistacountryclub.com
Superintendent Directors
Willie Wallace CGCS-wwallace@dentoncc.org Balancing Innovation and Sound Agronomics
Michael Underwood CGCS-michaelu@ppoaweb.com Sales, Contract Service, and Rental options available
Jason Wiedeman-jwiedeman@crosstimersgc.com Call Today to See The Equipment
KD Davis CGCS-kdavid@roccdallas.com
Turf Professionals Trust
Anthony Williams CGCS
anthony.williams@fourseasons.com
Affiliate Directors
Aaron Fox afox@textron.com
Curt Franklin curt@gitexas.com
Chapter Executive Jeff Kadlec (210) 413-3045 Rick Kadlec (314) 744-0379
Carol Cloud
ntgcsa@gmail.com
817-368-3002
5552 Plata Ln., Benbrook, TX 76126
The 2018 Annual Awards Banquet was
held at the beautiful Bent Tree Country
Club in Dallas. Attendees were first treat-
ed to a cocktail hour hosted by 2017
NTGCSA President Mike Epps followed by
a gourmet meal prepared by the excel-
lent Bent Tree culinary staff. General
Manager Dan Burkett rolled out the red
carpet for his fellow NTGCSA members
and the club staff provided flawless ser-
vice throughout the evening.
The Awards Banquet is held each year to honor achievements by North Texas GCSA members and this even-
ing was very special. Our 2017 Golf Champions were recognized including the Assistant Champion Cody
Janssen, Match Play Champions Neil Packard and James Johnson, Vendor Champion Chuck McCaskill, and Ace
January Superintendent Champion Sean Westacott.
Newsletter Article of the Year Winners were Jorge Croda for Superintendent Article and Curt Franklin for
Affiliate Article of the Year. These awards came with a very nice $250 prize! So sharpen those pencils and
send us your article for 2018 and you might be enjoying some nice cashola!
A.C. and Garry Bearden
Superintendent of the Year
Winner Scott Miller CGCS
Left - Scott and Fiancé
Jamie celebrating a big night
Right - Scott and his family
2018 Distinguished Service
Award Honoree Keith Ihms
CGCS
Left - Keith and his family
Right - L to R
Brian Cloud
Keith Ihms CGCS and
NTGCSA President Mike Epps
Aaron Fox presented the chapter with a $1,550 donation courtesy of
Cushman’s Growing Green Campaign. This program gives back to chap-
ters based on member’s purchases. Cody Crowther of Dallas National
Golf Club was awarded the first Assistant Superintendent of the Year
Award for his hard work and dedicated.
Scott Miller CGCS of Gleneagles Country Club was awarded the A. C.
and Garry Bearden Superintendent of the Year. Scott managed a reno-
vation project at Gleneagles to rave reviews from his members.
Keith Ihms CGCS of Bella Vista in Arkansas was awarded the 2018 Dis-
Assistant Superintendent of the tinguished Service Award. Keith was a very active member of the
Year Cody Crowther NTGCSA in the 1990s and helped create many initiatives and programs
of Dallas National (Center) that exist today. Keith has also served on the board and as President of
the GCSAA.
Marian Fluhr Takushi
June 1, 1963 – February 9, 2018
The North Texas GCSA shares in the mourning
for the passing of the longtime Executive
Director of the South Texas GCSA and Lone
Star GCSA, Marian Takushi. Marian passed
away peacefully on February 9 and our prayers
go out to her husband Jerry and son Blake. She
will be missed by many throughout the golf
industry in Texas.
Below is a very thoughtful tribute written by South Texas GCSA President Kyle Brown:
Marian Takushi began her career with STGCSA about 15 years ago. Married to Jerry Takushi, a Superintendent, she had a good un-
derstanding of the needs of our association and the “Mothering” it sometimes takes to keep us going in the right direction.
Under Marian’s direction several new advertising programs were put into place allowing vendors and affiliates to have a bigger part
in the association while putting STGCSA in a healthy place financially. She was great at coordinating events and was usually the first
smiling face at the registration table and truly was the heartbeat who kept our events and association running smoothly.
After taking over the Executive Director position for Lone Star
GCSA, similar results were obtained. These positive financial re-
sults allowed STGCSA and LSGCSA to donate more money to re-
search at major Texas universities that ultimately will benefit our
profession. Let’s not forget the famous Lone Star Reception at
GIS that she organized each year. What a party that always was,
with the biggest and best happening a few weeks ago in San An-
tonio.
Above and beyond STGCSA, Marian’s true passion was her and
Jerry’s son Blake who is now attending her alma matter, The Uni-
versity of Texas. Blake grew up in front of many members eyes
through the pictures Marian loved showing off and the many sto-
ries of his baseball exploits. Being the good Aggie that I am I re-
member throwing a ut barb out to Blake at the scholarship ban-
quet last year and quickly getting chided by her. She was not tak-
ing any of that nonsense, especially when it came to her son.
She had the uncanny ability to be loving and tell it like it is all at
the same time. Marian was a pleasure to know and work with
and as Blake said, we may be able to fill the Executive Director
position, but we will never be able to replace Marian. From all of
us who had the joy of knowing you, Good-bye Marian and may
your soul rest in peace.
Kyle Brown - STGCSA President
Legacy Scholarship Thank You Letters
Thank you so much for the amazing scholarship! I feel truly blessed to
Thank you for the generous support from you all at the NTGCSA! have been selected by the NTGCSA for this honor! It is hard to believe
Since receiving the scholarship, I have been able to pay the remain- the costs of school, textbooks, and class supplies! Your generous financial
der of my tuition and fees for my second semester of my Junior year support is appreciated and is being put to good use.
at Texas Women’s University. I am so excited to finish my degree and
serve the community as you all have done for others. Thank you for Additionally, thank you for the evening at the NTGCSA Banquet! It made
being a beautiful example of generosity and compassion. me very happy to see old family friends and meet many of your members
that are associated through work with my Dad. I hear so much about the
Much love and thanks, Rachael Herrera
business and it was a wonderful evening meeting new people and putting
faces with names that I have heard over the years! Throughout the even-
ing, everyone was so nice and welcoming, from the time I arrived through
I am sincerely honored to have been selected as the recipient of the my “crash course education” at the Texas Hold ‘Em table!
$1,000 Legacy Scholarship. Thank you for your generosity, which has I have been blessed in so many ways. My parents have been extremely
allowed me to continue my education towards a degree in Engineer-
supportive of my decision to pursue my education at John Hopkins Uni-
ing. Thank you again for your investment in me.
versity in Baltimore and through generous gifts from Associations like
Sincerely, Ethan Doyle yours, I feel a weight lifted from my shoulders through the help with the
financial burden. I promise to make the most of the opportunity that my
parents and the NTGCSA have made possible!
Thank you so much for giving me the scholarship. I really appreciate Please accept my apology for not sending this note sooner; I have been
it and it will help tremendously! going nonstop “up here in the North”. I am currently overloading at 20.5
credits this semester while pursuing my two majors of Biomedical Engi-
From, Halle Tielkemeier
neering with a Cell/Tissue Engineering focus, and East Asian Studies with
a focus on Japanese and the History of Science and Technology. I am also
continuing my participation on the Johns Hopkins Quidditch Club, Hop-
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my essay. More im-
kins Woman’s Rugby Team, volunteering at the hospital with SHARE, and
portantly, thank you for selecting my essay for the Legacy scholar-
am looking into the Hopkins Marksmanship Team, but I promise that
ship. The award will help alleviate a portion of the financial burden
academics are priority number one! I know I have a lot of work ahead of
that is attached to earning a college degree. For this, I am forever me, but I love the material and I am excited about where the academic
thankful. career paths may take me! On another note, I am very pleased to an-
Respectfully, Koy Keeling nounce, that I have been selected for a highly competitive internship in
Japan this summer! I will be teaching English and getting real world expe-
rience practicing my new Japanese language skills. I am so excited!
Thank you so very much for choosing me to be one of the scholarship
recipients! I am beyond blessed and so very thankful for all of you! Again, thank you so much for your support and generosity! You have a
You all have helped me tremendously with my schooling this semes- wonderful organization with amazing members. It was so nice to meet
many of you at the banquet! Your thoughtfulness means so much to me.
ter!
Sincerely, Margaret “Maggie” Jukes
Olivia Lehmann
Thank you BWI and to our
great speakers for a terrific
day of education at Dallas
Country Club. If you
weren’t able to join us, you
missed out on these great
speakers as well as TDA
and GCSA Continuing
Education Points. NTGCSA
President Kirt Phillips was
our host and Dallas
Country Club was a
fantastic venue for our
education event.
NTGCSA President Kirt Phillips Laura Miller
(L) and Colby Johnson of BWI AgriLife Extension Agent
Gary Brooks Emmett Muennink
Bayer Arborjet, ISA Board Certified Master Arborist
Check out all of the photos from our great day: Click Here
The North Texas GCSA is excited to announce that we will be
visiting the beautiful Mira Vista Golf Club in Fort Worth in early
April. Past President Mike Epps and his staff have graciously in- SCHEDULE
vited the chapter and will certainly have the golf course in great
condition for a fun day of competition. Helena Chemical is our 9:00 Registration
Platinum Sponsor and will be our education provider that will de-
liver useful and practical information. 10:00 Education
11:30 Lunch
About the Sponsor - Helena
Founded in 1957, Helena Chemical Company has grown to be 12:30 Golf
one of the nation’s foremost agricultural and specialty formulators
and distributors in the United States. Products and services of- $60.00 per person
fered include Crop Protection Products, Fertilizer and Fertilizer
Application Services, Specialized Nutrients, Seed and Seed Treatments, Financial Services, and Precision Ag
Services and Software. Helena also offers its own line of products – Adjuvants, Bioscience, Branded Fertilizers,
Nutritionals, Seed Treatments and Value-Added Products – through the Helena Products Group (HPG).
The theme of People…Products…Knowledge… pervades all levels of the com-
pany, with customer success as the goal and ultimate end result.
Speakers
Click here to register
Brad Shaver – Helena Chemical
Topic: Biostimulants and Phytohormones in Turfgrass Management Programs
This talk will explore various categories of Biostimulants, how they help the plant respond to stress and how these
products can be used in an integrated management program.
Rick Blasi – Helena Chemical
Topic – Maintaining Optimum Turf Growth and Health
Plant Extracts and their impact on Turf. Covering Renova, Viva , and Utilize, three unique products from Helena.Tegtmeier and Croda take home Superintendent of the Year award
Jorge Croda, CGCS, and Rick Tegtmeier, CGCS MG, come from two vastly different worlds.
Tegtmeier grew up in the Norman Rockwell-esque Midwest, while Croda left his native Mexico to make a better life for himself and his family.
Due to a first-time tie in the judges' scoring, both were named 2017 TurfNet Superintendent of the Year in a presentation in the Syngenta booth
at GIS. 2017 was the tenth year of award sponsorship by Syngenta.
Though their stories are forever intertwined, the circumstances that brought Croda and Tegtmeier together couldn't be more different.
Tegtmeier, director of grounds at Des Moines Golf and Country Club in Iowa, was recognized not just for staging a virtually flawless venue for the
2017 Solheim Cup. He also won acclaim for the four years of hard work and preparation leading up to the event and, most importantly, how he
used the event to help others, including fellow superintendents throughout Iowa and colleagues around the country who had once worked for or
with Tegtmeier.
Croda, superintendent at Southern Oaks Golf Club in Burleson, Texas, has a reputation
that is more grass-roots.
He has been applauded by Southern Oaks members for the manner in which he revived
their course. Once an "eyesore" and an "embarrassment" as well as a threat to home
values, according to some of the members there, the course now is rated by some
among the best courses in the Fort Worth area.
"Jorge Croda is exceptional in possessing all of the talents required. Recently, I marveled
at the quality of product he creates as I 'secret shopped' 20 golf courses in the Dallas
metroplex. His facility was clearly the finest," wrote industrial strategist and marketing
guru J.J. Keegan.
But it wasn't always that way.
"The change from where it was then to where it is today speaks to Mr. Croda's dedica-
tion and passion in forming a team that was committed to excellence based on fulfilling
the vision of a new owner."
Croda and Tegtmeier were chosen from a field of finalists that also included Mark Hoban
of Rivermont Golf Club in Johns Creek, Georgia, Chris Ortmeier of the Champions Club in Houston and Josh Pope of the Old White Course at The
Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
Croda and Tegtmeier each receive a trip for two on the annual TurfNet golf trip to Ireland, courtesy of Syngenta.
Croda began rebuilding distressed golf courses in his native Mexico, and through a management company he started has had a hand in about 20
improvement projects south of the border.
Renovating golf courses represents only a slice of what Croda gives
back to the community. And, it is among the least significant of his
accomplishments. His passion for helping others symbolize what
service is all about.
Like everything he touches, Croda's goal is to make it better,
whether it is playing conditions on a golf course or the lifeskills of
his employees who him produce those conditions.
"My job is to try to make people better," Croda said.
The consummate ambassador for golf, Croda speaks at chapter,
state, national and international events; lobbies elected officials
on behalf of the golf industry; and is active on his North Texas
chapter board - all in an effort to promote the superintendent
profession to those in and outside the golf industry.
Even that doesn't compare to what he does for members of his
team, junior golfers and his neighbors in the Fort Worth area.
A certified First Tee coach, Croda is passionate about working to
grow the game and instilling in young golfers the values the on
which the game is built.
"We can make good choices, or we can make bad choices," he said. "I want to help them make good choices."ASSISTANTS: Elevate your profile and
differentiate yourself from the crowd
with the new Assistant Superinten-
dent Certificate Series (ASCS).
The Assistant Superintendent Certificate Series is
composed of certificates covering key competen-
cy areas of: • Agronomy
• Business
The certificates are golf-centric, available to
GCSAA members and non-members, and can be • Leadership and Communication
completed in any order. It is strongly recommend-
ed that an assistant superintendent has at least • Environmental Management/
two years of work experience before beginning
any of the ASCS certificates. However, the certifi- BMP’s
cates are available to all and not limited to assis-
tants.Save the Date!
April 23
Hurricane Creek
Country Club
All Time
Series Record
West 11
East 10
Join us for
THE BATTLE
FOR BULLY
It is Bully Cup time again in North Texas! XXII
Texas Turfgrass Association News North Texas TTA Representatives
Past President
Danny Smith, CPTM
City of Fort Worth Golf
817-994-4559 golfdrs@yahoo.com
Region 2 Representatives
Congratulations and Good Luck to the new Rusty Walker, CPTM, CSFM Raymond Miller
TTA Executive Director Katie Flowers (left). City of Grapevine Dow AgroSciences LLC.
She follows TTA Legend Mrs. Shirley Duble 817-229-0416 813-363-9059
who retired in December. rwalker@grapevinetexas.gov rcmiller2@dow.com2018 Golf
Industry Show
and Education
Conference a
Great Success!
In February, San Antonio extended a Tex-
as sized welcome to more than 11,700 attendees from all over the glove. The two-day trade show included
531 exhibitors covering 184,400 square feet of exhibit space at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
The GCSAA Education Conference, held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show, is the largest educational
conference in the turfgrass management industry. A total of 5,600 seminar seats were filled. In addition,
thousands attended complimentary forums, sessions and panel discussions throughout the week. Subject
matter included agronomics, business, environmental management, communications, leadership, technolo-
gy, and personnel management.
The 2019 Golf Industry Show will head to San Diego, Calif., Feb. 2-7.
Matt Cowan
claims second
GCSAA
National
Championship
Superintendent at the Hills Course at The Hills at Lakeway
in Austin, Texas, finishes with a two-day total of 2-over-par
to hold off a pair of other past champions.
On a layout he used to tend to as an assistant superinten-
dent, Matt Cowan reaffirmed his status as the true king of
Texas, at least when it comes to the GCSAA National Cham-
pionship.
Cowan carded a two-day total of 2-over-par 146 to outduel
two other past champions to earn the 2018 crown. De-
fending champion Michael Stieler, CGCS, from Spring Creek
Golf and Country Club in Ripon, Calif. — also a two-time
winner of the event — and three-time champion Seth
Strickland from Miami (Fla.) Shores Country Club both fin-
ished at 3-over-par 147.Congratulations
Grandpa!
Robert and Pam
Fleetwood
welcomed
granddaughter
Presley Elaine Daddy Chad Fisher welcomed his
Gabriel on newborn son Richard Ryan Pierce on
November 9, January 16. Congratulations Chad
2017. and Happy Diaper Duty!
Looking sharp! Cortland Winkle Scott Fuller on the NYC Subway. From Jay Tinsley: Proud Dad
and his much better half Haley Something about “carbing up” be- moment right here! Add that to the
Winkle. Big night on the town! fore a long run?? If you say so Scott. memory bank. Jakes first Ace!2018 Annual Meeting Review
DARREN DAVIS ELECTED 2018 PRESIDENT
GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION
OF AMERICA
Darren J. Davis, the golf course superintendent at Olde Florida Golf Club in Naples, Fla., has been elected to a one-year term as president of the
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) at the association's annual meeting Feb. 8, held in conjunction with the Golf Indus-
try Show in San Antonio.
Davis, a certified golf course superintendent (CGCS), served as vice president of the association in 2017 and has been a member of the associa-
tion’s board of directors since 2012. A 28-year member of GCSAA, Davis is a past president of the Everglades GCSA and a past president of the
Florida GCSA and Florida Turfgrass Association. He is currently a director with the Musser International Turfgrass Foundation. In 2004, the FGCSA
honored him with its Distinguished Service Award, and in 2011 the FTGA
presented Davis with the Wreath of Grass - the association’s highest
award.
A native of Tallahassee, Fla., he earned a turfgrass management certifi-
cate from Penn State University in 1991. He also obtained an associate in
arts degree from Tallahassee Community College in 1987 and a bachelor
of arts degree in communications from Florida Gulf Coast University in
2007.
“Becoming president is a privilege that I don’t take lightly,” said Davis. “I
hope I am able to give the association back even a fraction of what it’s
given to me.”
Other elected officers were Rafael Barajas, CGCS and director of golf
course operations at Boca Grove Plantation in Boca Raton, Fla., as vice
president, and John R. Fulling Jr., CGCS and grounds and facilities manag-
er at Kalamazoo (Mich.) Country Club, as secretary/treasurer.
Board members Kevin P. Breen, CGCS and golf course superintendent at
La Rinconada Country Club in Los Gatos, Calif., and Kevin P. Sunderman,
director of grounds at Isla Del Sol Yacht and Country Club in St. Peters-
burg, Fla., were elected to serve again. While T.A. Barker, CGCS and su-
perintendent at Fore Lakes Golf Course in Taylorsville, Utah; and Jeff L.
White, CGCS and superintendent at Indian Hills Country Club in Prairie
Village, Kan., were newly elected to the board.
Mark F. Jordan, CGCS and natural resource leader at Westfield Group
Country Club in Westfield Center, Ohio; continues his service to the
board with one year remaining on his two-year term; while past presi-
dent Peter J. Grass, CGCS and golf course superintendent at Hilands Golf
Club in Billings, Mont., retires from board service.
In addition, delegates voted to approve 11 changes to the association’s
bylaws.National Golf Day 2018 Set for April 25 in Washington, D.C.
Industry Leaders to Give Back Through National Mall Service Project
WE ARE GOLF – a coalition of the game’s leading
associations and industry partners – today an-
nounces the 11th annual National Golf Day will be
held Wednesday, April 25 on Capitol Hill in Wash-
ington, D.C.
National Golf Day celebrates the game’s nearly $70 billion economy (updated da-
ta available in April 2018), nearly $4 billion annual charitable impact and many
Steve Mona environmental and fitness benefits. Industry leaders will meet with Members of
CEO of World Golf Foundation Congress, the Executive Branch and federal agencies to discuss golf’s 15,000-plus
diverse businesses, two million jobs impacted, tax revenue creation and tourism
Administrator of WE ARE GOLF
value.
Returning for 2018, golf industry leaders will arrive Monday, April 23 to participate in a community service initiative
on the National Mall the morning of Tuesday, April 24. The project will focus on beautification, preservation and help-
ing the National Park Service with turf deferred maintenance. More details will be available soon.
"With one in 75 U.S. jobs impacted by golf, the industry plays a significant role in stimulating our economy nation-
wide,” says Steve Mona, CEO of World Golf Foundation, admin-
istrator of WE ARE GOLF. “Last year, a record 2.5 million people
tried golf for the first time, further cementing why it is vital to
share golf’s interests with our country’s lawmakers, showcasing
the game’s many economic, charitable and fitness benefits.”
In April 2017, National Golf Day was the most successful to date
with a record 175 Congressional meetings scheduled in one
day. Globally, the #NGD17 Twitter campaign eclipsed 72 million
impressions and reached 24.3 million accounts, exceeding 12
million users in a one-hour span. More than 60 organizations
from within the golf industry participated in the week’s activi-
ties.
To join the conversation, visit the WE ARE GOLF social media
hub. Use #NGD18 and @wearegolf on Twitter and Instagram to
show your support for the golf industry.
About WE ARE GOLF
WE ARE GOLF, created in 2010, is an industry coalition that communicates the economic, charitable and en-
vironmental impact of golf, as well the health and wellness benefits of the game and the affordability and
accessibility of golf, to Members of Congress, the Executive Branch and regulatory agencies. The goal of WE
ARE GOLF is to ensure that laws and regulations that impact the golf industry are fair and appropriate to an
industry that generates nearly $70 billion in economic impact annually, impacts close to two million Ameri-
can jobs and generates nearly $4 billion in charitable giving each year.
For more information, please visit www.wearegolf.org.The Rounds 4 Research program was
designed to address a critical short-
Click age in turfgrass research funding by
auctioning donated rounds of golf
online.
The program is administered by the
Environmental Institute for Golf, the
philanthropic organization of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
Rounds 4 Research allows GCSAA chapters and turfgrass foundations to participate as fundraising partners
with the vast majority of proceeds going back to those organizations. In this way, these organizations can di-
rect the proceeds to specific projects that will have the most significant impact in their local areas.
The EIFG’s Rounds 4 Research is an expansion of the
We are in!
innovative program that was introduced by the Caroli-
nas Golf Course Superintendents Association. After The NTGCSA is proudly participating in the 2018
the Carolinas GCSA realized the program’s scope had Rounds for Research program and encourages our
grown beyond what it could administer, it offered the
members to consider donating a foursome of golf.
program to GCSAA. As GCSAA’s philanthropic organi-
It’s for a great cause and will directly benefit Super-
zation, the EIFG was the natural choice to oversee this
exciting fundraising effort. intendents in the region. To donate, visit
With your support, you can help us keep the future of roundsforresearch.com or contact the North Texas
our game green GCSA office at ntgcsa@gmail.com / 817-368-3002.Throwback Article
Course Etiquette – Where Has It Gone?
(ORIGINALLY PRINTED DECEMBER 2005)
by Richard Pavlasek, CGCS
Brookhaven Country Club
Jack Nicklaus once said that “Golf teaches us how to behave.” I’ve
begun to wonder whether or not he was actually referring to the
game of golf and the appropriate etiquette that goes with the game.
I’m sure that every golf course superintendent has been frustrated at
least once (a day) by the lack of appropriate golf course etiquette be-
ing observed on the courses under their care. Proper golf course etiquette can cover a variety of topics including the
safety of golfers, pace of play and maintaining the quality of the golf course. Of course, the first two are extremely
important during the play of the game; however, to golf course superintendents the latter becomes the primary focus
of every hour of every day. Superintendents are very passionate about their job and extremely dedicated to the
courses entrusted to their care. We put in long hours, go above and beyond the call of duty and in general, take care
of the property as if we owned the course ourselves.
This leads me to the question about course etiquette:
Where has it gone and do golfers really know how to be-
have? I am not sure if I have the answer, but I have noticed
that we are having to do more to try to combat the problem
than anything else we do in our business. It seems no
matter where you go to play, be it a private high-end facility
or a public daily fee course, you see measures being taken
to control the issues infringing upon the course. Traffic bar-
riers like cross-timbers, railroad ties, rope and stakes along
with course signage are placed throughout the course.
Attractive? No, not at all. Helpful? They can be, but only
when golfers abide by the rules.
New golfers are often taught the proper etiquette or spe-
cific rules of the golf game when they are first learning the
game… “Be kind to the Course” is one of the mottos they
should all learn. This would apply to such issues as keeping
carts away from greens and hazards, filling divots, repairing
ballmarks on the green, and raking bunkers. Course mainte-
nance is probably one of the most abused aspects of the
game of golf, yet it is one of the most important elements
of practicing good etiquette. Many times, I believe today’s
golfer feels that they pay to play and that the maintenance
staff is their to fix their problems. “I paid my dues (or green
fee) and they can fix my damage.” I may be wrong about
this attitude, but then why is there all the signage, barriers
and newsletter articles addressing these issues out there.It’s a common problem throughout the country and often a topic of conversation among superintendents. In addition, laziness is another culprit. We often see that someone is too lazy to walk around to the other side of a bunker to get a rake. Instead, he tries to level off the sand with his foot, or he just doesn’t do anything at all. Another shortcoming in etiquette for many players is repairing ballmarks on the green. Everyone is capable of making a ballmark, beginner to professional. Then why can’t they take the 10 seconds to reach down and properly fix the ballmark? There’s also the great debate as to whether rakes should be left in or out of the bunkers. Personally, I don’t mind where the rakes are placed just so long as golfers rake the bunkers properly when they exit. Now, we realize that all golfers don’t go about playing the game in the same way and following the understood eti- quette of the game. Some are proactive and will consistently follow the rules, fix their divots, rake the bunkers, keep the carts on the paths where appropriate and then there are those that are reactive, only follow the rules when some- one points it out to them or when they are playing with someone that is observing proper etiquette. The game of golf is still the same. Technology and course conditioning has changed, but the same principle still exists and that is for the golfer to go out and enjoy the game, both for leisure or competition. The game becomes less fun when you go out and find less than desirable conditions because your fellow player has not taken the game seriously following the proper behavior of good course etiquette. Maybe the golfers of tomorrow will appreciate what they have and rekindle the spirit of the game. Regardless of the type of golfer you have playing on your courses, we as superindents remain passionate about the maintenance of our courses. I don’t have answers to whether or not the golfers know how to behave … but what I do know is that we have to continue to be creative and inventive to keep reminding (subtly or not so subtly) golfers the best way to behave on each of our courses. In the end, we all want good golf course conditions for our pleasure and enjoyment when we play the game.
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