Sports Turf Managers Association show waves chekered flag in Daytona

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A town best known for rowdy spring breakers and race cars tempoararily became sports turf managers central, as turf pros from around the country flocked to the annual STMA show.

As the Sports Turf Managers Association’s 24^th Annual Conference and Exhibition in Daytona Beach, Fla., wrapped up, the news seemed to be good. Attendee numbers appeared to be up, action on the trade show floor was good and both attendees and exhibitors seemed to be happy.

“It’s been excellent, we’ve had more pre-registrants this year than we’ve had any other year,” Kim Heck, CEO of the STMA, said. “The numbers aren’t final yet, but we expect this year’s attendance to be larger than last year’s.”

Zach Holm, head groundskeeper for the York (Pa.) Revolution, was attending his sixth STMA conference and said the show was going in the right direction.

“It seems like there’s a few more (people), but not terribly bigger, but bigger than my first year when it was in Phoenix. And there seems to be more and more students,” Holm said.

New issue out the door/STMA here we come

WHEW!

What will the new mag look like? Wait and see!

Finally, I can take a deep breath.

We just got done with a big issue of Golfdom... it was double the size and double the importance, because it was the first issue of our big redesign. 

I hope everyone likes it. It should be in your hands by the end of next week. Look twice, because you won't recognize it at first. It's not your, uhm, older brother's Golfdom.

I have the new cover here on my computer right now, and it looks so cool... I could unleash it all on you right now, but I think I'll keep it stashed away for a few more days, allowing for maximum impact when it hits your mailbox.

A tip of the hat is due to Pete Seltzer, North Coast Media's vice president of graphic design. He led the charge on this project, and it just about killed him! Ha! Seriously, Pete is in stable condition in Cleveland right now, but he really did put in the hours on this endeavor, and it shows. Thank you Pete.

Another big shout-out to Carrie Parkhill Wallace, who has been working on this redesign with us for a long time now. She is the regular designer on Golfdom and she does a great job, she's like a combo designer/editor and we couldn't have done this redesign without her.

And I would be remiss not to mention all the hours senior editor Elizabeth Geraci put in on this issue. It's not everyday a journalist gets to take part in a big redesign like this, and she recognized this and jumped into the project with great gusto. Thank you Elizabeth!

And thanks to all the contributors... the writers, photographers, the interns, the people at the post office, truck drivers, the people who make One A Day men's multivitamin... thank you Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka for inspiration... thank you to the Beastie Boys for being on the jukebox and adding energy to the office... thank you to Bigfoot just for keeping it real... and a big thank you to all of you out there who CARE!!! You, the music makers, the dreamers of dreams, the people who keep grass green and lies tight. Our readers? Bad-asses, every one of 'em.