Don't look now, but the Golf Industry Show is lurking around the corner. It'll be here before you can say Club Managers Association of America three times fast.
By the way, the CMAA joins the GIS party in February. So now it's the superintendents, owners and managers under one roof. Does this spell
d-y-s-f-u-n-c-t-i-o-n-a-l?
Two years ago, when the National Golf Course Owners Association joined the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America to form the inaugural Golf Industry Show, we reported that Big Brother — the “all-powerful” and “forever-watching” character from George Orwell’s novel “1984” — had landed in the golf industry of all places. Twenty-one years later, golf course owners had assumed the role of Big Brother. The story went that some superintendents were wary of the NGCOA joining their annual conference and show because they wouldn’t be able to get away with doing some of the things they did at previous shows — like ditching a day’s worth of educational sessions to play 18 holes or party into the wee hours of the morning at their hotel bars — if their courses’ owners were around.
Now with the CMAA joining the show, Big Brother has reared his ugly head again. Word is some superintendents don’t want the managers attending the show — especially if the managers are the superintendents’ superiors — because they could cramp their lifestyles.
How do you feel about this? Is it a bunch of bologna? Or is it as true as a tender T-bone steak?
Blog here to share your thoughts.
— Larry Aylward
2 comments:
I think that this comment is bad and unfair. I am sure some people do what you have mentioned, but only a small percentage. I know that I am in those meetings with a lot of people and if we all were doing what you said I would be there alone. I am concerned with the fact that it may get so big and busy that we will not get to do the networking as we have enjoyed in the past.I think that all family members should not be there and and all the giveaway stuff that does not pretain to our business be cut out and then the people in the booths would have time to talk to you when you come by. This is a very important opportunity to learn and conduct business that is why we are supposed to be there. I do not have a concern about managers or owners being there as long as they do not clog up the works. They are more likely to do what you are talking about than most of us.
It is interesting that some superintendents would use the time and money provided by their clubs to play golf and not attend the many great educational sessions provided by the GCSAA and then be worried that they would be caught! The combination of Owners, Managers and Superintendents should provide for a more cohesive work environment and give vendors the opportunity to present their products to the ultimate decision maker. The combination is terrific and long over due.
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