Who will it be? -- Part 4, our best guesses yet??

OK, our WORST guesses yet...

Here's our final installment of suggesting the next GCSAA CEO. Hope you've had as much fun as we have! And good luck to GCSAA finding the right person -- we're rooting for ya!

Seth Jones, editor in chief, Golfdom magazine
Odds: 15,000/1
Pros: Charming; deceptively young given his abundance of gray hair; member of inaugural “Leadership GCSAA” class; once bowled a 135; christened by Phoenix Environmental Care “smartest editor in the turf business”; likes to party; also, humble.
Cons: If named GCSAA CEO, would insist on making every day “jeans and a Jayhawk T-shirt day” at GCSAA headquarters. That dress code would apply to visiting superintendents, too.
Why it would work: Jones claims the staff at GCSAA still mostly like him despite his recent move to Golfdom. He could make industry leaders feel good about their own golf games when they witnessed his lousy golf game. Jones would also aggressively add an extended “happy hour” to all GCSAA functions, something we could all agree is a good idea. Finally, two words: margarita machine.
Why it wouldn’t work: CEO position would cause Jones to fall behind on his quest to find the world’s best chicken fried steak. Plus, Jones is currently having too much fun at his new gig with Golfdom.

The Active Ingredient, crime fighter extraordinaire
Odds: 15 million/1
Pros: Sworn enemy of Dollar Spot and Fairy Ring. Also, bulletproof.
Cons: Vulnerability to anthracnose. Also, the Masked Avenger would refuse to work daytime hours. Plus, would probably insist on bringing in his sidekick, Active Ingredient Lad, to work as his receptionist -- and we all know Active Ingredient Lad is a bit pretentious.
Why it would work: GCSAA could boast the only CEO that was a superhero! The AI could double as GCSAA CEO and security at all industry events. Also, rumor has it he likes to party. But despite rumors, he is not Seth Jones... Seth is, uh... shorter. And, Seth isn't bulletproof. But he does have a weakness to anthracnose, but that's entirely coincidental.
Why it wouldn't work: Would golf industry feel comfortable making business deals with a man in a mask? Cape could inhibit golf swing. Also, overall superhero costume probably violates most clubhouse dress codes. The AI refuses to provide Social Security number, citing secret identity concerns. Finally there's the thought that some have, that he may be certifiably insane. I mean, really, who dresses like this?!? I know I certainly wouldn't...

Who will it be? Part 3

Here is part three of Golfdom's possible candidates for the GCSAA CEO position. Click here for part one, scroll down for part 2.

The GCSAA is currently interviewing candidates in Kansas City.

It is absolutely possible that a new CEO of the association will be named this month.

Who will it be?
All week here at the Golfdom blog we're throwing out guesses -- some good, some OK and some just flat out bad -- on who the next CEO of the GCSAA might be.

Agree, disagree, have your own candidate? Want to nominate yourself? The comments button is open, post yours!

Greg Norman, World Golf Hall of Famer
Odds: 87/1
Pros: C'mon, the guy is a Shark! Plus, the salary is irrelevant to him. Extra bonus, Norman's star power would make him a keynote speaker on just about any agenda, getting GCSAA tons of found exposure.
Cons: Golf game might get rusty with winters in Lawrence, Kan.
Why it would work: OK, we're not saying Norman wants the job of GCSAA CEO... we're just saying that Norman wants to rule the world. Or at least, the golf world. If he ever had eyes on being commissioner of the PGA Tour, this might be a good first step, eh Sharky? Also, Norman already knows GCSAA well, having been heavily involved with the EIFG and winning the GCSAA's Old Tom Morris Award in 2008. Wow... I've almost talked myself into this one!
Why it wouldn't work: Well, there's the whole playing schedule thing. And the different companies he's already in charge of. Plus, GCSAA headquarters wasn't built to code for a helicopter landing pad on its roof. OK, I talked myself back out of it.

Chuck Borman, former executive director of the Carolinas GCSA, former COO of GCSAA, currently a consultant for the CGCSA
Odds: 100/1
Pros: Previous experience at GCSAA as the association’s Chief Operating Officer. Years of experience as the director of the Carolinas GCSA, the most successful chapter out there right now.
Cons: Already enjoying semi-retirement.
Why it would work: Borman has the connections as well as a proven track record as the leader of the Carolinas. He also has a lot of friends back at GCSAA.
Why it wouldn’t work: You know how the Minnesota Vikings had to send three players to Mississippi to get Brett Favre to come back last year? Well, it would take all remaining 80 GCSAA staff members to go to South Carolina to drag Borman back to Lawrence, Kan. Second, Borman’s already left the GCSAA once, GCSAA wouldn’t want to set itself up to be left again.

Steve Mona, CEO, World Golf Foundation
Odds: 250/1
Pros: GCSAA CEO during most of the association’s heyday (1993-2007).
Cons: Can you ever go home again?
Why it would work: Mona was a cherished asset at the association while he was there. If he pulled a Roy Williams-goes-back-to-Carolina (apologies for another Lawrence, Kan. reference) and returned to the association which made him a force in the golf industry when they really need him? His appreciation within the GCSAA membership would be off-the-charts! At least until the GCSAA dropped back-to-back games in Hawaii, fell out of the AP top 25, and then... wait, I'm talking about Roy Williams again, aren't I? Sorry.
Why it wouldn’t work: Mona’s been there, done that. He's looking forward, not backward.

Come back tomorrow for what is surely our single-best nominee yet!

And if you have your own opinion, maybe you think a different Tour golfer would be a better CEO? Post it below!

Who will it be? Part 2

Here is part two of Golfdom's possible candidates for the GCSAA CEO position. Click here for part one.

The GCSAA is currently interviewing candidates in Kansas City.

It is absolutely possible that a new CEO of the association will be named this month.

Who will it be?

For the next five days here at the Golfdom blog we're throwing out guesses -- some good, some OK and some just flat out bad -- on who the next CEO of the GCSAA might be.

Agree, disagree, have your own candidate? Want to nominate yourself? The comments button is open, post yours!

Rhett Evans, interim CEO, GCSAA
Odds: 12/1
Pros: Former GCSAA COO, now current interim CEO. Was brought in to be groomed as the future CEO while Woodward was still there. Knows well the current situation and mood at GCSAA HQ. Also, would only have to move his office about 25 feet.
Cons: The GCSAA Board of Directors might think that naming Evans CEO lacks pizzazz, and would seem like a long-term plan put into effect too soon. Also, Evans is still relatively new to the association, having started in July of 2009.
Why it would work: The GCSAA board of directors likes Evans. They trust him as well, as he’s been asked to be involved in some pretty high-level layoffs in his short tenure. Evans also has the hallmark characteristics of a CEO: friendly, yet ultra-competitive and driven.
Why it wouldn’t work: Who says it wouldn't work? But if the GCSAA Board is looking to make a big splash, promoting the interim CEO doesn't ripple a lot of water.

Teri Harris, former director, Environmental Institute for Golf
Odds three months ago: 15/1
Odds today: 1,500/1
Pros: Years of experience at GCSAA as a high-level director, including a long stint as the head of GCSAA’s Environmental Institute for Golf.
Cons: Recently laid off. Whoops.
Why it would work: Had she not been let go a few months ago, Harris could have been a great candidate. She was one of the top executives at GCSAA for over a decade. She was good on camera. She had a knack for developing relationships that benefited the EIFG and the GCSAA. Also, it could have made a big splash to have named a woman CEO.
Why it wouldn’t work: Obviously, hiring Harris as CEO months after she was let go would not only be a human resources nightmare, but also a public relations nightmare. Had things worked out differently and she were still working at GCSAA, Harris may have been considered one of the front-runners for the position.

Hendren's Hyperbole! Episode 2 -- Stick with the Pool, Dude

Welcome back to Hendren’s Hyperbole! I hope everyone’s week was parallel to Jonathan Byrd and not Camilo Villegas. I logged a lot of time last week watching the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. I figured by now, as much golf as is watched in the Hendren household, my wife and daughters would be as huge a fan of watching golf as I am, but no, at least not yet. Let’s be honest, if they’re not fans after over a decade of constant golf watching, it’s probably not going to happen.

Let’s begin this week by taking a closer look at Geoff Ogilvy. Ogilvy is the two-time defending champion of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions (formally the SBS championship). Geoff had to withdraw prior to the start of the tourney Thursday due to a cut on his finger. Apparently he slipped while swimming in the ocean and cut his finger on some coral. A cut that needed twelve stitches to close up. Alright, come on, what the hell is Ogilvy doing in the ocean in the first place? Is he a professional golfer or a professional surfer? He’s not in Hawaii on vacation; he’s on a business trip! If he felt the need to cool off possibly the pool may have been a better option, maybe a cool shower. He is not only going to miss this week’s tournament but reportedly next week’s tournament as well. Here is the kicker; he is going to receive $70,500 for withdrawing. That’s not a typo, $70,500 for essentially flying to Hawaii and cutting his finger.

Now, on to Mr. Villegas, Mr. Camilo Villegas. Everyone knows you are a workout fanatic but here is a tip from me to you. Next time you are riding your bike from Jupiter, Fla. to Orlando to catch a flight to your next tournament (he literally rode his bicycle 80 miles from his home in Jupiter to the Orlando airport and got on a plane to go to a tournament) how’s about downloading a copy of the Rules of Golf on your iPod? Villegas was disqualified before play started on Friday due to turning in a signed, incorrect scorecard Thursday. The problem I have is that the infraction wasn’t caught by Villegas, his caddie, another player, or even the PGA’s vice president of rules. The infraction was called in by a golf rule narc, errrrr, television viewer! WOW! Remind me not to hit up the local muni with that guy! Oh well, I guess this will give Camilo a few more days before next week’s tournament to bang some weights, rip off a few crunches and read the Rules of Golf!

On a couple of lighter notes, Stuart Appleby lost his putter before the start of the tournament. It was found by a Golf Channel employee and returned but not before he bought a $120 putter in the pro shop and played his round Thursday. Isn’t a professional golfer losing his putter like a race car driver losing his keys?

Did anyone see Jason Day hit his tee shot fat by about 6 inches on No. 13 Friday? It was a dribbler off the tee! It reminded me of playing a round with one Mr. Seth Jones. The only difference is Jason still got a par! Golf, I love this game!

That’s it for this week’s addition of Hendren’s Hyperbole! My next entry will be posted from Cozumel, Mexico where I will be on the beach with a cocktail in both hands so I don’t cut either one on any coral!

Who will it be?

The GCSAA is currently interviewing candidates in Kansas City.

It is absolutely possible that a new CEO of the association will be named this month.

Who will it be?

For the next five days here at the Golfdom blog we're throwing out guesses -- some good, some OK and some just flat out bad -- on who the next CEO of the GCSAA might be.

Agree, disagree, have your own candidate? Want to nominate yourself? The comments button is open, post yours!

40-ish lawyer/sports agent type with a smooth demeanor
Odds: 4/1
Pros: This guy is good in front of a camera, looks slick in a nice suit and has had some real success out there in the private sector. He even smells like potential.
Cons: Doesn’t truly understand the work of the superintendent. The last time he interacted with one was when he helped get one fired as a member of a greens committee at his country club, but let's not tell anyone that!
Why it would work: Because the GCSAA is at its core still a business, and they need a businessman to run the place. If that same businessman could turn the charm on in front of the cameras? Deal. Plus, by hiring someone who is an up-and-comer rather than an established executive, that could save the GCSAA some serious coin.
Why it wouldn’t work: Who says it wouldn’t work? Only possible hiccup would be training new guy quickly in politics of superintendents and board of directors. But the new guy could lean on the GCSAA staff early. Let’s face it, whoever they choose this time around, they’re going to have to give him a longer rope than they gave Mark Woodward – the GCSAA doesn’t need to have the dubious honor of having four CEOs (Woodward, Rhett Evans, the new guy and his replacement) in the span of four years.

Jeff Spangler, Senior Vice President, Science and Agronomy, Troon Golf
Odds: 8/1
Pros: Former superintendent with as much experience in the boardroom as in the maintenance facility. With 17 years as an executive with Troon, understands the politics involved with public, private and resort courses.
Cons: Would members embrace a… gasp! management company guy?
Why it would work: Spangler already represents a huge number of superintendents… why not represent them all? He knows what challenges superintendents are up against, and he has ideas on how to deal with them. By being essentially in charge of every golf course’s agronomics under the Troon umbrella – and that’s a lot of golf courses – there might not be a better suited person out there right now.
Why it wouldn’t work: The fear of the big, bad management company. By hiring someone from the management company school of thought, would the anti-management company supers react like the GCSAA just hired Darth Vader to run the Empire? Possibly.

Check back tomorrow for more "who will it be?" guesses! If you want to comment, post it below!

A super's Super Bowl

As the clock winds down on the week here at Golfdom HQ, it's easy for us to start thinking about one team and one team only... THE CHIEFS!

I called devout Patriots fan Steve Sarro, superintendent at Vail (Colo.) Golf Club to see if he was worried about the Chiefs being in the Patriot's way to the Super Bowl.

Seth: So, are you worried about the Chiefs beating the Ravens and being on a collision course with your Patriots?

Steve: The Chiefs? They deserve to be in a bowl game! One of the dot-com bowl games that nobody cares about!

Seth: Ouch! We'll see about that!

Steve: I really think the Patriots have the best shot at the Super Bowl, depending on what the Ravens and Steelers do. But it really comes down to the Steelers or the Patriots. You know the Steelers could play all home games except for the Super Bowl...

Seth: If the Steelers can keep Big Ben together for a few more games, I think they're the team to beat.

Steve: Yeah, I don't know. I think Tom Brady walks on water. Look at what he's done without much of a roster right now.

Seth: I remember calling you when Belichick got rid of Randy Moss, and you told me you weren't worried about it... "In Belichick we trust."

Steve: I bet Randy Moss is sitting somewhere in Tennessee right now, thinking to himself, 'Man, I shouldn't have ticked those guys off!'

So... no love for my Chiefs. But you've got two picks made here. Sarro is taking his Pats, I'm taking the Steelers. Who are you taking the whole way?

What if?

Editor's note -- Today Pat Roberts, publisher of Golfdom, checks in to talk the impending new GCSAA CEO announcement... and something the association should consider doing.

I’m waiting for the big announcement on the new CEO of GCSAA -- if I were in the ivory tower, I’d surely make the announcement at the big show in Orlando. It would have a profound impact as opposed to getting an email from GCSAA headquarters with a press release.

This got me thinking about who the new CEO could possibly be. Let's see, they tried going the “one of our own” route this last time around and we all know what happened there.

Wait, actually, we don’t know what happened there, do we?

Before him the GCSAA went with the “tried and true” association guy, which worked well.

But what if this time around they thought outside of the box? What if they brought in a woman, or a minority to run the association?

It would certainly raise some eyebrows, but I think it just might be what the doctor ordered. I think it would be fantastic and a breath of fresh air.

These times call for strong leaders, regardless of their gender or ethnicity. Hey, Nancy Pelosi was the first female Speaker of the House in the history of this country, and we have a minority in the White House. Why not GCSAA?


-- Pat Roberts, publisher, Golfdom

How clear is your crystal ball?

That was a question asked to me today.

An industry person wanted to know what my expectations for the golf industry in 2011 were. My first thought was, "Wow, you want to know what I think?" My second thought was, "I'd like to tell you what I think!"

A short email followed... and I thought, why just email this complete speculation to one person? Why not share it with the world?

So, here you go: Seth's totally non-researched prediction for the golf industry where I predict such things as a Tiger Woods revival and the weather

• Golf will bounce back in 2011. I'm sure of it.
• OK, say that golf is behind the rest of the world when it comes to the economy (I wonder how many industries say that about themselves... "In the cotton candy industry, we're behind the rest of the world...") But if there's even a slight bounce-back in the economy, that means that those golfers are going to want to get out more than they did in 2010. Even if it's just one round more. I'm from the Steve Mona school of "a rising tide lifts all ships," OK?
  
• Here's where I predict the weather: the weather is going to be better in 2011, more golf friendly. That's not according to any book or weather reporter... that's according to the "it couldn't get any worse, right?" belief. 2010 was brutal. If 2011 is anywhere less than brutal? Good things.
  
• Tiger Woods will play better, contend... WIN... and drive TV ratings again. As soon as he sticks a 7-iron at an impossible pin to win a tournament, that'll inspire tons of us hackers to attempt the same shot the following weekend.

So, apologies for a non-researched post on this fine Wednesday afternoon... but I hope you can appreciate, I have Kansas Jayhawks basketball tickets for tonight's game. I picked up two tickets for me and a friend.

What's that? Why, no, I didn't buy any Kansas basketball tickets in 2010... you know, the econo--

Hmmm! So maybe the order goes like this: college basketball tickets, cotton candy, then golf.

You read it here first.

Hendren's Hyperbole! Episode 1 -- Fantasy versus Reality

Editor's note: Beginning with this installment, the Golfdom blog will feature a regular column from Matt Hendren, a superintendent for the city of Kansas City, Kan., and all-around golf nut.

Welcome to the inaugural entry to Hendren’s Hyperbole! This will serve as a weekly outlet to rant about all things golf and golf related. Now while I have absolutely none of the needed skills to be a great golfer, I do have all the needed skills to rant and rave about the 2011 PGA Tour Season. Check back here weekly for additional updates.

Believe it or not the 2011 PGA Tour kicks off this week in Kapalua, Hawaii with the Hyundai Tournament of Champions January 6th through the 9th. Being a big fan of all fantasy sports I decided to do a little research on World Golf Rankings versus fantasy rankings. If you currently participate in a fantasy golf league or are considering joining one I think you will be interested in the difference. Let’s compare the current top ten World Golf Rankings versus the average top ten fantasy draft golf cheat sheet.

World Golf Ranking
1. Lee Westwood, Eng
2. Tiger Woods, USA
3. Martin Kaymer, Deu
4. Phil Mickelson, USA
5. Graeme McDowell, N.Ire
6. Jim Furyk, USA
7. Steve Stricker, USA
8. Paul Casey, Eng
9. Luke Donald, Eng
10. Rory McIlroy, N.Ire

Fantasy ranking
1. Tiger Woods, USA
2. Phil Mickelson, USA
3. Zach Johnson, USA
4. Geoff Ogilvy, Aus
5. Padraig Harrington, Ire
6. Steve Stricker, USA
7. Jim Furyk, USA
8. Hunter Mahan, USA
9. Henrik Stenson, Swe
10. Dustin Johnson, USA

Only five of the current World Golf Ranking top ten are on the average fantasy ranking top ten. It would seem to me the top 10 on the World Golf Ranking would be a safe bet for any fantasy golf roster. They are, after all... the World Golf Ranking top 10!

All golfers listed on the fantasy top 10 are indeed top 25 golfers with two exceptions: Henrik Stenson, listed 9th on the fantasy ranking, is 53rd on the World Golf Ranking and Geoff Ogilvy, listed 4th on the fantasy ranking, is 27th on the World Golf Ranking.

Another interesting note: check out how many American golfers are on the top 10 fantasy golf list, and how many are on the actual World Golf Ranking top 10. We're looking at 7 American golfers on the fantasy top 10, but only 4 on the World Golf Ranking top 10. This is indeed a case of fantasy versus reality, and I'm sure those American golfers wish it were the other way around (I know I do).

Like all fantasy sports, fantasy golf is a crap shoot and the “sleeper” pick may be the pick to make but probably not break your fantasy roster. I just found it interesting to compare the World Golf and fantasy golf ranking top 10.

OK, that's it for for my first installment of Hendren's Hyperbole! I'll be back with more hyperbole next week, after we've seen one week of actual results. Thanks for reading, everyone!

-- Matt Hendren

Cloud, Pavlasek named GCSAA field staff

Congrats to Brian Cloud of Cloud Golf Services and Richard Pavlasek, CGCS, for being named GCSAA's newest field staff reps. Cloud will serve the South Central region (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana) while Pavlasek gets the sweet, sweet Southwest region (aloha, Hawaii! And California, Nevada and Arizona).

For now, click over here to read the GCSAA press release on Pavlasek, and click here to check out the press release on Cloud.

And expect your friends at Golfdom to follow up with both these gents down the road!

Fort Collins super earns DSA

Congrats to Grant Yaklich (pictured), Fort Collins (Colo.) CC superintendent, who was presented the Rocky Mountain Regional Turfgrass Association's 2010 Distinguished Service Award at its annual conference and trade show in Denver recently.

A former president of the RMRTA, Yaklich has been in the turfgrass industry for 27 years. His service includes an effort to expand educational offerings to the association in such areas as business and employment. While Yaklich was superintendent of the Links at Sierra Blanca, he improved the course's Golf Digest ranking from 10th to 6th while at the same time reducing the course's water usage by 54 percent.

Yaklich has been the superintendent at Fort Collins since 1999.

GCSAA 2011 plan and budget

Jim Fitzroy, CGCS, president of GCSAA, just sent out a tome of an email regarding the 2011 GCSAA plan and budget. The entirety of that email is below.

Look for Golfdom to be covering much of what Jim talks about below next year. In fact, look no further than the post below this one to read more about John Miller being the new field staff rep for the Great Lakes region...

*******

Over the past year I have shared with you information regarding the financial standing of GCSAA and how the association serves you by providing programs and services to enhance your success and that of your facility.

I appreciate the feedback you have provided and the concern you have shown for the association and its staff. I empathize with you as facility budgets have tightened and Mother Nature unleashed her fury on much of the nation. Despite these challenges, I am confident 2011 will be a year of stability with optimism for better times ahead for the association, the profession and the game of golf.

The purpose of this communication is to share with you the outcomes of the GCSAA 2011 Plan and Budget Meeting conducted by the board and executive staff earlier this month. The meeting was a culmination of study and discussions in association committee meetings, board meetings, a board strategic planning session and the chapter delegates meeting this past year. I believe we have constructed an association plan that delivers quality programs and services, while being financially responsible and balanced. The fact remains that we have a solid financial base with no long term debt and a healthy reserve fund. Here are some of the highlights of the 2011 GCSAA Plan and Budget:

Chapter Effectiveness
We continue to dedicate significant resources to enhance chapter effectiveness. The feedback from you has been clear that chapters need and want assistance in serving members. Earlier this year we announced a plan to expand the field staff program, and based on your positive feedback, we have opted to accelerate the growth of the program. Recently we announced the appointment of John Miller, CGCS as the field staff representative for the Great Lakes Region (Kentucky, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio). He joins Ralph Dain, who is the field staff representative for Florida. Next week, we plan to announce resident field staff
representatives for the South Central (Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico) and Southwest (Arizona, Nevada, California, Hawaii) regions.

Depending on the financial position of the association, the board approved the following sequence of filling the remaining regions of the Northeast (New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Ontario) and Northwest (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado) in the fourth quarter of 2011. The Southeast (Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi) and Mid-Atlantic (Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia) regions will be filled in 2012; and the Central Plains region (Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Missouri) in 2013.

In addition to field staff, we are continuing to fund and/or increase funding for key chapter resources in the area of outreach (media/public relations), advocacy (government relations), and leadership development (leadership academy, conference chapter workshops, strategic planning). I am heartened by the many stories of success where chapter and association resources have been utilized to the benefit of members and their facilities.

Research
No GCSAA board member disputes the importance of research to our members and the business of golf. That is why we budgeted dollars and additional resources to continue our research program in 2011, albeit at a reduced level from years past. We have also noted contingency actions to make increased funding among the highest priorities should certain revenue levels be met. Our goal is to expand this program as soon as it is feasible.

Advocacy/Outreach
Representing our members and the association remains a priority for GCSAA. We have shifted resources to provide a greater focus on government relations and compliance efforts, including helping chapters with regional issues they are facing. We will continue to collaborate with our peer associations to participate in the We Are Golf coalition, which seeks to establish a stronger presence for the golf industry with state and national lawmakers. We will also maintain a strong media/public relations program including visibility on the Golf Channel and in various publications, web properties and events that are directed toward owners, operators, managers, parks and recreation officials, developers and other decision-makers.

It is clear that GCSAA members are recognized for their value as 97 percent of employers consider them to be key to the economic vitality of the golf facility, and avid golfers indicate they are the top employee at a golf facility in delivering enjoyment. Similar to We Are Golf, GCSAA will continue to be active in Golf 20/20's Image of the Game initiative, which seeks to publicize the economic, health, environmental and charitable benefits of the game. We have many success stories in our advocacy/outreach efforts on a national and chapter level and providing more resources will help to continue and heighten that success.

Environmental Programs
GCSAA and its philanthropic organization, the Environmental Institute for Golf, will continue to put a focus on environmental stewardship and fostering industry collaboration on the sustainable management of golf facilities. Through the Institute's leadership, Golf's Drive Toward Sustainability is a collaborative initiative that will help to ensure golf courses remain viable and deliver environmental, economic and recreational benefits. Our focus will be to continue to produce tools for the industry to use, the cornerstone being Best Management Practices performance statements that present a supporting business case. The emphasis will be on continuous improvement for facilities. Two additional resources that will be provided in 2011 are the fourth and fifth phases of the Golf Course Environmental Profile; Energy Use and Conservation, and Pesticide Use, respectively. The GCSAA Golf Course Environmental Profile has been recognized as a resource for state and national surveys that measure the economic and environmental impact of the game. It has also been an important tool in golf industry advocacy efforts with legislators and regulators, and the media.

New Education Programs and Delivery
In our quest to continue to provide you the best education in the industry, we will invest resources to develop new seminars and utilize new technologies to deliver education and information.

New Programs and Services
We will produce new programs and services (and enhance current ones) to your benefit and to generate revenues to support those efforts. Among those that have been recently introduced or will be in 2011 include enhanced communications through the GCSAA Industry Spotlight e-newsletter, GCSAA online radio, a member-produced video channel on GCSAA TV and a redesigned website; development of a new and state of the industry Job Board; introduction of a Member Savings Program providing savings on a variety of goods and services for you personally and professionally; new superintendent competencies measured and addressed by the online Self Assessment Tool; a virtual trade show in cooperation with the International Golf Course Equipment Managers Association; enhanced networking through a new online discussion forums product and social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, blogging); tools to advance environmental stewardship including an online IPM template, BMPs and case studies. This is just a partial list of the recent offerings your membership has allowed us to develop.

Financial Analysis
Though the economy in general has shown signs of growth, the prevailing opinion is that the recovery is likely to be slow and steady. Golf, a leisure/recreation industry, is by nature likely to trail in that recovery. People will quite naturally spend money on necessities before discretionary items. For that reason, we see 2011 as a year of stabilization. Golfer participation, course openings, and rounds played will likely be flat. That will mean GCSAA revenues will be flat for the most part. We have been conservative in our projections and reduced our reliance on reserve funds, therefore we will actually show a decrease in revenues from 2010. To accomplish all that we have laid out in the plan, it is vital that we have your support for a dues increase to be voted on at the annual meeting in Orlando. As has been shared in the past, the percentage of revenues that comes from member dues (for classes A, SM and C) is 27 percent, which is 10-13 percent lower than that of similar associations.

Conclusion
I appreciate your continued support of GCSAA. Our association retention rate since 2003 of 92 percent for Class A, SM and C members and 97 percent for Class A members is a testament to the value you place on GCSAA membership. However, we must never take that support for granted. You are constantly being asked to demonstrate a return on investment for your expenditures and we as members should expect no less from our association. I believe the GCSAA programs and services offer considerable value over and above that investment. I urge you to take advantage of these opportunities. A great way to start would be to join your peers at the 2011 GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show, Feb. 7-11 in Orlando. Again, thank you for being a part of GCSAA and taking the time to read about our plans for 2011. Please contact me at jfitzroy@presidentsgc.com should you have questions.

Sincerely,

Jim Fitzroy, CGCS
GCSAA President

Miller talks end of LPGA agronomist, beginning of field staff

I've had the good fortune of knowing John Miller, CGCS, soon-to-be former GCSAA LPGA staff agronomist, for a few years now. I even had the pleasure of shadowing him while he was on the job at the 2008 Kraft Nabisco Championship at Mission Hills CC in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

The GCSAA recently announced that beginning in 2011, Miller will have a new job for the association -- he will be the new field staff representative of the Great Lakes region. Consequently, that also means he's on his last few days as the LPGA Tour agronomist.

Golfdom caught up with Miller recently to discuss the change of jobs.

"Sure, I'm sad (about the end of the LPGA position), but we accomplished what we set out to do," Miller said. "It was a sign of the times -- there was no money to fund the position anymore. GCSAA decided not to renew the contract."

Miller said his favorite thing about the LPGA position was being able to work with superintendents around the globe to make their golf courses the best they could be.

"I was an extra set of eyes that could help out," Miller said. "But it turned out I learned as much from (the LPGA Tour superintendents) as they learned from me."

While I talked with Miller, he told me he had missed my call earlier that day because he was at a regional superintendent holiday party. So it's obvious that Miller isn't wasting any time getting started on his new gig.

"I'm really excited about this new position. GCSAA has been working hard on this field staff project, and it seems to be going over well with the membership," Miller said. "I think it'll be fun to take the knowledge that I have -- I'm a past chapter president -- and working with other chapters to see what their challenges are. There are a different set of challenges now than when I was a chapter president -- it's a whole new set of challenges. So I'm sure I'll be taking what worked for chapter A and applying it to chapter B. It'll be a lot of fun, and it'll be a good challenge."

Miller said there's an unusual symmetry between his new role as a field staff representative and his old position with the LPGA, especially here in the early goings.

"It's almost the exact same process as when I started out with the LPGA. It's a lot of introductions and getting the word out," Miller said. "It's the same thing with the chapters -- meeting with chapter presidents and leadership, finding out their needs. It's the same as I did with the LPGA. It's taken an interestingly parallel path."

***

Regardless of what you think about GCSAA's field staff program (and I am interested in what you think about it, leave me a comment below), let me tell you that Miller is a great hire and a great representative for the association and for superintendents everywhere. Any time you speak with him, you can just tell that the guy is razor sharp. If he wasn't in turf, I think he'd do just fine as a politician. And he's one of the friendliest guys out there, too.

So good luck in your new position with GCSAA, John, we're rooting for you over here at Golfdom!

Leach says woman sat in 35-degree water for two hours

So much for a slow Monday after Christmas, Greg Leach, assistant superintendent at Lubbock (Texas) CC, said.

Leach arrived at the course around 7 a.m. and was enjoying what he called a "slow Monday after Christmas" at the course when one of his crew members came into the shop and told him there was a car in the pond on No. 15.

"I thought he meant someone stole a golf car and drove that into the pond," Leach says. "I didn't realize it was a real car until I saw it. I was about to call 911 when I saw someone was still in there."

Leach figured the woman in the car was dead. Overnight temperatures dropped to 25 degrees and there were areas of ice on the corners of the pond. Then he saw her move.

"I kicked off my boots and jumped in. The water is about four feet deep," Leach told Golfdom in a phone interview this morning. The car door was already open when he got there, but the woman was still buckled into her seat. "She was moving and speaking, but she wasn't making any sense."

Leach said he was in the water for all of two minute, but the cold water was enough to make his lower body entirely numb. The maintenance facility has a surveillance camera, and reviewing that evening's tape showed headlights going into the pond at 6:30 a.m.

"She sat in there for two, maybe two-and-a-half hours," Leach says.

By the time he had her out of the pond, the first police car was on the scene.

Leach, who got his turf degree from Texas Tech and has been at Lubbock CC for four years, said he once helped pull a 97-year-old man from a pond, but he was in a golf car. This was new territory for him. By the time Golfdom caught up with him on Tuesday morning, he had already done two interviews, one with the local TV news and another with a local newspaper reporter.

"It was a little bit exciting for what I thought would be a slow Monday morning," Leach said.

Assistant super rescues woman from pond

Greg Leach, assistant superintendent at Lubbock (Texas) CC, made the news by rescuing a woman from a vehicle crashed into a course pond. "First I thought she was dead," Leach told KCBD News in Lubbock.

http://www.kcbd.com/Global/story.asp?S=13745340

Tragic news out of Texas A&M

Dr. J. Chris Stiegler, assistant professor of turfgrass science and ecology at Texas A&M, and his wife, Jenny, both died in a car wreck on Christmas Eve near Waco, Texas. Their infant daughter Emily has been upgraded from critical to stable condition.

Our prayers go out to the family and especially that baby girl.

Here's the TV news story from Bryan/College Station's KBTX.

Here's the story from yesterday's Bryan-College Station Eagle, a true tear-jerker: http://www.theeagle.com/local/Infant-s-parents-killed-in-wreck

From AgriLifeToday.com, also posted yesterday: http://agrilife.org/today/2010/12/26/stiegler-killed-in-car-wreck/

A fund has been established for Emily as follows:

Emily Grace Stiegler in care of Citizens State Bank
4611 West 6th Avenue
Stillwater, OK 74074

Happy holidays from your friends at Golfdom!

Hi everyone!

In case you haven't heard yet, there's a new editor-in-chief of Golfdom magazine... and yeah, it's that guy sitting on the couch wearing the Chiefs jersey right there... that's me, Seth Jones. (GO CHIEFS!!!)

I'm excited to be here. This is my 8th day on the job so far. I don't remember the last time a mundane day in the office has been so rewarding. I'm thrilled to have this new job, and I promise to work hard for the readers of Golfdom.

The Golfdom blog... well, it's been a lonely place for a while now. There just hasn't been any action. I look back and, wow -- this is the 5th post of the year? (At least I can say I'm responsible for 20% of the posts in 2010!)

I plan on changing that. I like to blog. Especially when I'm travelling for work. Not every blog post will contain cataclysmic information regarding the golf course maintenance industry. Some will be for fun. Some will be serious. But there will be something here for you to check out regularly. That's a promise.

Last thought from me: happy holidays. I hope all our many superintendent readers around the world have a wonderful holiday season. Travel safe. Enjoy the company of your families. Get a little rest.

We'll see you here again soon. Thanks for checking in on us.

(Photo by my daughter, Evey. She's only four! Not bad, huh?)

What Happened to the Green Filters on the TV Cameras at Pebble Beach?

When I watched the U.S. Open on television and saw Pebble Beach Golf Links — you know, the course a lot of people were saying looked lousy because the greens weren't green — I thought of something United States Golf Association agronomist Pat Gross said at a meeting a few months ago.

Gross spoke at the American Society of Irrigation Consultants meeting in late April. He told attendees that new USGA President Jim Hyler wanted to bring a more environmental approach to golf. Included in Hyler’s approach to this thinking was to have NBC remove “green filters from TV cameras” during the U.S. Open.

Really? Is that one reason why Pebble's greens looked brown?

Well, according to NBC’s Tom Roy, green filters used on TV cameras to make a course look greener is “a complete fabrication.”
“The colors that you see at home are the same as you'd see in person,” Roy said in an e-mail to me. “I've never been told to remove filters or adjust colors by any officials. The only manipulation we do is make the picture brighter when the sun sets.”

So where did this off-with-the-green-filter-thing come from?

-- Larry Aylward

Tiger and His PR

Tiger Woods has hired former George Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer to help him with his PR problems, if that's possible. But if I was Tiger, I'd think twice about having Fleischer advise me on what to say after hearing Mark McGwire's confession of steroid use last January.

Fleischer, who operates Fleischer Sports Communications, reportedly was hired by McGwire to help him patch up his image after he stumbled over his alleged steroid use during a congressional hearing a few years back. McGwire decided to come clean earlier this year, and he admitted to using steroids, but not to help him hit more home runs. McGwire said he used steroids for health reasons.

Most of the public, not to mention McGwire's peers, didn't buy the former Big Mac's statements. His confession was a joke.

Did Fleischer have anything to do with it? If I was Tiger, that would be my first question to Ari. Not that anyone can fix Tiger's image, though.

— Larry Aylward

Tell Us What You Think About the Show

If you get a minute, drop us a line at the Golfdom blog to let us know what you think about the show. If you're going, enjoy yourself in San Diego.

-- Larry Aylward

A Better Perspective

A year ago, during the Golf Industry Show in New Orleans, I heard several people say, “We just need to make it through this year.” These people had one thing in common — they were shells hocked by the onslaught of a dreadful economy. Well, we made it through a brutal 2009. Now what?

Not much has changed since last January. Then again, a lot has changed. It’s difficult to say where the golf course maintenance industry will be a year from now, but I’m betting it will be in better shape. Last January, we were all freaked out because there were so many unknowns. There are fewer unknowns this year, which is surely healthy for all of our mental attitudes.

San Diego will be a better show from that perspective. People will be more upbeat, having made it through the wreckage of 2009. Bring on the SoCal sunshine.

--Larry Aylward

Will Tiger's Tanking Image Impact the Golf Industry?

Everybody has a Tiger take? What's your's?

Do you think the golf course industry will suffer because Tiger's image has been tarnished?

Do you think people will forget about this in a matter of time and Tiger will go on to break Jack Nicklaus' record?

Time to Refinance

Earlier this month, I attended the Carolinas GCSA Trade Show & Conference -- an excellent show, by the way -- and heard a great seminar by Keith Smith, a financial advisor, who told superintendents they should refinance their homes if they already haven't. His reason? Rates! Did you know the average interest rate for a 30-year mortgage dropped to a record low of 4.71% this week. Check out this story: http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2009-12-03-mortgae-rates-low_N.htm.

-- Larry Aylward

Currier Leaving Bethpage

Craig Currier is leaving Bethpage State Park, whose Black Course was the site of this year's U.S. Open, for the Glen Oaks Club, a private course on Long Island. Currier is one of the most recognized superintendents in the business. He has also been called one of the best superintendents in the business. Watch Golfdom for an interview with Currier.

A lot of people probably thought Currier would never leave Bethpage. They seemed a perfect fit. On the other hand, Currier is moving on to another and different challenge. There's nothing wrong with that. Such chances aren't going to open up much these days.

-- Larry Aylward

Just Like Lyle Lovett and Julia Roberts

I was surprised when I first heard the Club Managers Association of America dropped the Golf Industry Show like a bad habit. But my surprise only lasted for about two minutes.
Truth is, the marriage of these two associations’ trade shows was kind of like that of country crooner Lyle Lovett and Hollywood starlet Julia Roberts in 1993. It was so oddball that you just knew it wasn’t meant to be. Hence, I can see why the CMAA is leaving the GIS after February’s event.
— Larry Aylward

Look Who Has Time to Play Golf?

Obama has played 24 golf rounds this year. Nice to know he has the time. I hope he's talking about how to fix the economy while putting for a seven.
--Larry Aylward

Wiser When It Comes to Watering

Golf course superintendents are much wiser when it comes to watering in 2009.

A whopping 97 percent of superintendents say they’re taking measures to manage water more efficiently on their golf courses, according to a recent irrigation survey by Golfdom. The survey, conducted in mid-October, garnered nearly 500 responses from superintendents across the country.

The answers to the first question of the survey — Are you doing all you can to manage water as efficiently as possible? — reveals superintendents are more serious about reducing their water use than they were in past years. Fifty percent of superintendents said they’re finding ways to reduce overall water use, even if it causes occasional stress on the turf. Forty-seven percent of respondents said, “Somewhat, we’re trying to find the right balance.” Only 3 percent of superintendents said they were “watering away to attain as green and lush turf as possible.”

We conducted a similar survey in 2006, and the difference in answers between now and then is startling. Back then, only 25 percent of superintendents said they were managing water use as efficiently as possible and 65 percent said they were trying to find a balance. Almost 10 percent said they were watering away for the lush, green look.
— Larry Aylward

Are You Doing Anything to Avoid Job Layoffs?

The good news is unemployment DROPPED in July. Maybe we won't hit that nasty 10 percent mark after all — although several U.S. states have soared past it.
Are you doing anything to avoid layoffs at your course or company?
Let us know.

Have You Been Slighted?

If you read my column above, "They Dropped the Ball -- Big Time," you'll see the story of another superintendent who didn't get his due. In this case, it is Terry Bonar, certified superintendent of Canterbury Golf Club in Cleveland.

How about you? Do you feel like you're getting your due where you work? Does your owner, general manager and pro understand the important role you play at your course?

Blog here and let us know.

Thanks,

Larry Aylward
Editor in Chief

Unemployment And Sitting On His Duff

I just heard of a guy who lost his job last fall but has been content to sit on his butt and collect employment. The dude is not even looking for work! No, he's not one of those "discouraged" unemployed workers who stopped looking for work because he can't find any work; he would just rather take a few bucks from Uncle Sam and not work.
Do you know anybody like this? How should the country handle people like this?

-- Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

Will Players Take Pity On You?

Conventional wisdom might say golfers will cut you some slack if your golf course looks a tad ragged, considering that your maintenance budget was probably slashed. It would be a nice and polite gesture for golfers to sympathize with superintendents over this matter, especially in this time of financial upheaval. I had a recent conversation about this topic with veteran certified superintendent John Miller, who also happens to be the LPGA tour agronomist. But Miller says if a course’s maintenance budget has been cut to $700,000 from $1 million, the golfers playing that course still expect it to look and play like a million bucks.

They don’t care that a superintendent had to cut his maintenance budget.

What do you think? Do golfers still expect the best conditions — event though you don't have the money to pay for those conditions?

— Larry Aylward

GCSAA Suspends Research Funding. What Do YOU Think?

Did you hear the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America has suspended funding for new research projects? According to a report, "The GCSAA Board of Directors determined that the highest priorities for research in the coming year will be publication of the survey results from the Golf Course Environmental Profile, the testing and introduction of the IPM template and advancement of the Pesticide Characteristics Project. While there will be no funding of new chapter cooperative research projects in 2009, GCSAA will continue to monitor the current 22 projects that are part of the Chapter Cooperative and National Research programs. The board has emphasized its commitment to funding applied agronomic, environmental and regulatory research, and plans to resume funding of new research when the projects listed above are completed and stability returns to the economy."

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this matter. Blog here!

-- Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

Thanksgiving Day Lover/Under RESULTS

The turkey was moist, the stuffing was dry and the family that never disappoints didn’t. What’s become my own little social experiment with my in-laws has, yet again, provided holiday humor for us all to enjoy. This year's over/under predictions tell the tale of family dysfunction which we all of are frighteningly familiar.

UNDER 5
The number of times “Gus,” my new 3-month-old Pug had “an accident” on my in-laws new downstairs carpeting: three “accidents” on the new carpeting highlighted the holiday
UNDER 7
Incidents that involve children crying: six crying incidents from children, mostly involving the Wii.
OVER 2
Incidents that involve adults crying: four crying incidents from adults, mostly involving each other.
UNDER 18 – Cigarettes secretly smoked while "taking out Gus": 12 cigarettes. Didn’t know brother-in-law quit last month.
UNDER 1
Major announcements that someone is pregnant (This has happened for the past six years, I’m NOT kidding): 0 — It’s a miracle! No one pregnant.
OVER 60
Minutes late that “Lunch/Dinner” is actually served: 86 minutes late — a new record!
UNDER 34
Total Score of Tennessee/Detroit game: 57 — Detroit is going to make history by winning zero games.
UNDER 40
Total Score of Seattle/Dallas game: 43 — meaningless score by Seattle ruined this pick.
UNDER 47
Total Score of Arizona/Philadelphia game: 68 — Arizona had better find some D-fense before the playoffs.

Another “Turkey Day” in the books for the in-laws and me! I hope everyone had a great holiday before the tryptophan kicked in leading to hours of relatively uncomfortable couch sleep.

Thanksgiving Day Over/UnderPredictions

I love Thanksgiving Day and all the predictability that comes with it. Each year, the family and I make the annual trek up north to an often snow-infested part of northwest Indiana dubbed “The Region.” This would be her family — an entire house filled with people that I haven’t seen since last year’s festivities. Oh what joy! The real entertainment will begin when I start checking off the list of this year’s over/under predictions:

5 — The number of times that Gus, my 3-month old Pug has “an accident” on my in-laws new downstairs carpeting.

7 — Incidents that involve children crying.

2 — Incidents that involve adults crying.

3 — Bottles of wine consumed throughout the day.

18 — Cigarettes secretly smoked while “taking out Gus.”

1 — Major announcement that someone is pregnant. (This has happened for the past six years, I’m NOT kidding.)

60 — Minutes late that lunch/dinner is actually served.

34 — Total score of Tennessee/Detroit game.

40 — Total score of Seattle/Dallas game.

47 — Total Score of Arizona/Philadelphia game.

I will promise to observe keenly and report back on these predictions for those of you who are playing the home version of the game.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

— Christopher S. Gray, Sr.
General Manager/Director of Golf Course Operations
Marvel Golf Club, Benton, Ky.

Will Parts of Your Golf Course Disappear?

I visited Kirtland (Ohio) Country Club not long ago. They were amid a bunker renovation, and they discovered that some bunkers were missing from the original designs of C.H. Alison in 1921. Superintendent Chad Mark surmised that some were filled in during the Great Depression to diminish labor costs.

It made me wonder if superintendents would be considered visionaries today if they started filling in bunkers around their golf courses as economists allude to a global economic downturn that could rival the loss of wealth experienced in the 1930s.

Are you doing anything drastic to your golf course to reduce maintenance or mitigate costs?

— David Frabotta

Economic Headaches Continue

I've been swearing a lot lately. The profanities fly every time I read the financial news, shop for luxuries like milk and hamburgers, and especially when I check my 401k.

And I’m not alone. Everyone from Joe the plumber to Donald Trump is talking in no uncertain terms about the flailing financial markets and the struggling general economy.

During the past month or so, stock brokers have permanently solidified the perception that they are an overpaid, fickle mob. Did Kevin Stone break onto the trading floor and put level-headed traders in a trance of wild unpredictability? It’s like everyone contracted some sort of contagious fiscal bipolar disorder.

How are you dealing with the wild undulations with your wealth, be it your home value or stock portfolios? How long before wealth returns to the same levels, and how long before golf rides on the tails of that prosperity to stability?

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

Help! I Need Someone to Soothe My Economic Fears

Oil was back up on Monday, Sept. 22. Way up. Oil prices jumped more than $25 a barrel — the biggest dollar jump ever — before dropping a tad. It closed at $120.92 a barrel, up $16.37 from Friday's close. I just read a story on www.cnn.com where oil expert Matt Simmons says a barrel will hit $500 before we know it. That number is not a typo.

I must say that oil prices and the current happenings on Wall Street have me more than concerned for my and my family's future. It's all pretty scary. How are you dealing with all of this crazy financial news? HELP!

— Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

So, Who's Going To Bail Me Out?

If you’re like many Americans voicing their disdain over the government’s proposed bailout of the banking sector, you might be wondering why fiscal irresponsibility is being rewarded with huge chunks of cash.

I couldn’t be angrier about spending hard-earned taxpayer money to bail out corporations that gambled greedily and failed. I pay my mortgage, and private mortgage insurance, I might add. Where is all the PMI for these high-risk loans?

However, the alternative seems bleak. Without the bailout, economists say we very well could slump into the worst economic depression since the 1930s. They called that one The Great Depression, and this one could be greater when you consider the global repercussions.

But there is a bright spot for superintendents: access to dandelions. Dandelions were the most-consumed vegetable in the 1930s. They are very nutritious and plentiful. So go easy on the 2,4-D.

— David Frabotta

Somebody Explain It To Me, Please

Perhaps I was just raised differently or possibly in a better environment than others, but I simply do not understand what type of perverse pleasure or sense of satisfaction a person gets from vandalizing a putting green.

No matter how many times I get that phone call describing the scarring damage that someone has inflicted on one of my nineteen “other children,” my mind always leaps to the same unanswered question: Why? What is at the root of one of the most vicious acts that strike at the heart of any well-manicured golf course?

Is it frustration? I have missed my fair share of gut-wrenching putts while golfing, but none that would ever make me take out my car keys and cut around the cup to make it larger. Nor have I ever felt so compelled to take the flag stick and repeatedly poke multiple holes across the green making it resemble Swiss cheese.

Normally I am a guy who can understand most rationales in this confusing world, but vandalism never has, and probably never will, make one ounce of sense to me in any way, shape or form. It’s simply a sad reality that we all must deal with from time to time.

What's the most senseless crime you've experience on your course, and have you ever been able to ascertain why?

— Christopher S. Gray Sr.

My New Golf Course Supplier: eBay

Last week I was having some serious electrical problems with a front-deck mower. So much in fact, I quickly realized I needed the technical manual, which I didn’t have. I picked up the phone and called my local distributor and asked how much the manual was going to run me. “That manual is $139.50,” I heard from the other end. “Alright, I’ll let you know,” I responded half-heartedly. After mentally cursing the manufacturer, another idea popped in my head: I should check eBay.

Over the years, I have probably spent thousands of dollars on useless crap that I should have never bought on everyone's favorite auction site. Admitting I had a problem was the first step. So I said to myself, “Let’s see what the eBay community has to offer in the way of front deck mower technical manuals.” My search terms yielded a result of 63 items. After looking closer at the results, I found the technical manual I needed. The auction was ending in 13 hours and no one had bid on it yet. In short, I bid and won the manual…for $10.00 plus $12.50 shipping (This manual is really heavy).

I spent $22.50 for the same thing that the manufacturer wanted $139.50 for.

I started looking around eBay and have found other supplies I need for my course that include irrigation parts, tri-plex parts, rotary blades, and the list goes on and on. For anyone looking to save some cash and stretch your budget, check out eBay and see what they have. Just stay away from the useless crap … if you can.

— Christopher S. Gray Sr., director of golf operations for Marvel Golf Club in Benton, Ky.

Consumer Confidence in Scary Territory

Amid the highest unemployment rate in four years and the lowest consumer confidence since 2002, consumers are closing their wallets.

Consumer spending fell 0.2 percent, the largest drop since February, the Commerce Department revealed Aug. 4. The decline comes despite a $168-billion stimulus plan that includes income tax rebates.

Some of the blame is being attributed to inflation. The Consumer Price Index, which measures prices at the retail level, is up 5 percent in the trailing 12 months, the largest one-year increase since 1991.

Add a volatile investment climate, mortgage troubles and skyrocketing food and energy costs — the CPI excludes food and energy inflation — and one has to wonder how much money might be left for golf.

The National Golf Foundation has reported fewer rounds across most golf properties, but the largest declines reside in public facilities, where play is down 2.5 percent so far this year. Play at private clubs fell 1.8 percent this year.

What do you see in your market? Are daily fee courses suffering more than country clubs?

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

What Are You Doing to Save Gas?

I’m no Einstein, but conservationists and economists are telling us we can save gas — and cut down on our demand for it — if we drive a little slower. This will help gas prices to stabilize or even drop because demand will outweigh supply.

Now, I know this issue is a political issue as much as it is a supply and demand issue, but I decided I’m going to do my part and slow down on the highways to save fuel — and save money for myself. And let me point out that slowing down in this case basically means driving the speed limit, which nobody goes these days on the interstates.

Well, I quickly discovered I’m not a very popular person for easing up on the gas. Everybody is passing me by. Everybody! Just the other day I was going 60 mph in a 60 mph zone and somebody blew by me during evening rush-hour traffic at about 70 and flipped me the bird for driving “slow.” The jerk in a hurry probably made it home two minutes before I did — and used a half a tank more gas for having a lead foot.

I wonder if $7 a gallon — which “experts” say will be here in a few years — will get people to slow down to save a few bucks.

By the way, what are you doing at your golf course to save fuel?

— Larry Aylward

My Stupid Work Excuses

I haven’t always been a model employee. I was young once, too. So there was a time when I figured that life owed me a little more than I was getting, so I would take things — like days off from work.

We’ve published dozens of excuses that superintendents have sent us from their crews, and it got me thinking about some of the reasons I played hooky.

I never lied, mind you. I never really thought it was worth it. But I was a giant flake at times. Like the time I went through the drive-through for lunch and saw a hitch-hiker standing by the freeway when I was on the way back to work. “Surely this was a noble cause that my boss would understand,” I thought to myself. So I pulled over.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“Pennsylvania,” he replied.

“Hop in.”

He was fresh out of jail on drug charges. I was taking him across state lines. But it didn’t seem as risky as calling my Type-A personality boss to tell him I wasn’t coming back for the afternoon. Needless to say, he didn’t deem the act as honorable as I did.

It wouldn’t be the only time brutal honesty got me in trouble. While working for the same manager, I called early in the morning on a gorgeous July day to leave the following message:

“Good morning Jeff, hope you are doing well. I decided it is just too damn nice outside to come to work today, so I’m going golfing. See you tomorrow.”

The next day, he had a message of his own for me. It went something like this: “Dave, we have three personal days at this company, and when you take them, I don’t want to know why.”

Check out our favorite excuses at www.golfdom.com and send us more of your favorites.

— David Frabotta

We All Need Some Compassion

We try to dodge illness and suffering all our lives. But really bad things still happen to people. Things you don’t want to hear or think about because you’re too busy trying to be happy.

I try to remember that when I’m driving amid road ragers or grocery shopping around people who clearly have a biting contempt for humanity. I often wonder “Man, what’s their problem?”

Truth is, I probably don’t really want to know. Many people have huge crosses to bear, and no one wears badges that say, “Diagnosed with cancer,” or “My daughter is missing.”

A guy from Texas once told me, “You have to respect the right of others to be in a hurry.” I’m not sure if it’s a local saying, but it made sense to me. And taking it further, people are permitted to be in rotten moods sometimes. You never know what they’re going through, and a few unsolicited kind words might keep someone from losing faith in themselves for just one more day. Don’t we owe each other that much as a society?

Your crew is a micro society. Someone is always happy, sad, tired, lazy and eager. It’s easy to get frustrated with apathy and moodiness, but sometimes, they just might have a good reason for a healthy dose of compassion.

Ever embarrass yourself when an employee has a good reason to slough off?

How's the Housing Market Doing Where You Live?

I recently sold my house after it was on the market for seven months. I didn't get what I wanted for it, but I was satisfied with the sale knowing that there are some good deals to be had out there for an upgrade.

I'm amazed, however, at how many people have told me "congratulations!" on the selling of my house. It's like I won the lottery or something! (Believe me, I didn't hit it big on this transaction.)

The housing crisis hasn't been in the news lately as much as it was in previous months. But I get the feeling -- especially when people are congratulating me for selling my house -- that the market is still enduring tough times, at least where I live.

How's the housing market doing where you live? Any sign of a turnaround? Let us know by blogging here.

-- Larry Aylward

We Have An Intimate Little Industry

I like to follow golf because the fans know the players by their first names. From the time Arnie hits the ceremonial first drive at Augusta National, followers flock to Tiger and Phil to see superstars in the flesh.

It somehow makes me feel connected when Davis answers to his first name and Retief stops to sign autographs. The Masters is my favorite tournament to watch because so many generations attend and compete, from Jack and Gary to Bubba, Boo and Camillo. I’m even looking forward to seeing which putter Sergio brought and if Padraig can follow-up his Major victory.

I picked Hunter as my dark horse to cause mayhem for the rest of the field at Augusta, and I’ll always root for Vaughn to win the tournament to which he grew up so close.

What’s your favorite part of the Masters?

If You Can Throw Snowballs, It's Too Early For Baseball

Baseball’s opening day is a mixed blessing in Cleveland. No other day in all of sports imbues the city’s sports fans with such hope and sincere anticipation, especially this year as its playoff team returns intact.

Conversely, snow piles still encroach on the corners of parking lots, and Lake Erie is still frozen so thick that you can drive to Canada.

I remember going to opening day with my old man, each of us bundled as though we were going to see a gridiron grudge match instead of the boys of summer. It was the days of the old Municipal Stadium, a cavernous 100,000-capacity monstrosity where the wind would whip like your own personal arctic blast that rendered you hypothermic at some point in the second inning.

Fans commonly wore hunting gear and snow mobile suits. Vendors hustled more hot chocolate and coffee than beer, and I would eat a mound of jalapeños with my nachos just to feel a bead of sweat on my brow, even if just for a moment.

As I grew older, it became less fun. But I was loath to admit it to Dad. After all, time together was increasingly sparse as I sought independence. One year, I had to make my displeasure known as the forecast called for enough snow that the grounds crew carried shovels instead of brooms.

“Dad,” I started hesitantly. “Would you mind if maybe I took a rain check for opening day and maybe we could go to a game together in, say, July?”

Dad looked at me with a long, blank stare. I couldn’t read him. Then he spoke.
“Thank God,” he muttered. “I didn’t want to disappoint you, but I’m getting too old for this.”

“I’ve never liked opening day,” I said with a fear I might have nullified an important ongoing memory and time-honored tradition.

“Neither have I,” he said. “I wish you would have told me that 10 years ago. I’m cold just thinking about it.”

— David Frabotta, Senior Editor

Are We In a Recession? What Do You Think?

We may already be in one, but an "official" report says the weakening U.S. economy is slipping into a recession. A gauge of future economic activity dropped in February for the fifth consecutive month, according to the Conference Board.

Are you concerned about the golf industry's economic health? Why or why not? We want to hear from you.

Marriott Singled Out in ADA Suit

Litigation surrounding the single-rider golf car issue isn't going to wait for the Department of Justice to issue a ruling.

A federal judge ruled Jan. 28 that Marriott International’s golf division is in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act because it failed to provide “accessible” or “single-rider” golf cars to disabled persons at its managed properties, according to court documents.

Plaintiffs in the case are Lawrence Celano, Richard Thesing and William Hefferon, disabled golfers. They did not pursue monetary damages in the case, which really makes them look like the good guys in this case.

Marriott will end up paying several million dollars in legal fees to lose this case, and the company likely will be required to furnish the single-rider golf cars anyway.

But Marriott will not be the only ones. In a conversation with Golfdom, Thesing says he's going after other large management companies, too.

Should this be a battle? Doesn't golf have enough problems fighting the perception of exclusionary practices?

Economics and Golf

The economic news yesterday was not good. Consumer confidence is down. Meanwhile, wholesale inflation soared, just not like Superman in this case.

The New York-based Confidence Board reported Tuesday that its Consumer Confidence Index sank to 75.0 in February from 87.3 in January. It’s the lowest level since February 2003 when it hit 64.8. Analysts had expected the latest reading to hit about 83.0.

The Consumer Confidence Index measures how consumers feel about the economy, which in this case is not very good.

How could this affect the golf market in 2008? Rounds were down about a half percent in 2007. The economic experts say consumers shut their wallets when their confidence is down. Does that mean they’ll play less golf?

What are your thoughts?

— Larry Aylward

McCain Will Gain

Early last year, Golfdom conducted an informal presidential poll listing candidates Hilary Clinton, John McCain, Barack Obama and Rudy Giuliani to vote for. Not surprisingly, Guiliani won our poll with 35 percent of the vote. McCain was second with 29 percent.

We didn’t list preacher-politician Mike Huckabee in the poll because we knew little about him. But Huckabee, a Baptist minister, has come out of nowhere as a GOP presidential contender.

We plan to conduct another poll soon, and Huckabee will surely be listed as one of the candidates. I have a feeling that some in our industry will latch onto to the former Arkansas governor. But Huckabee, who has been labeled as a closet liberal and has a few skeletons rattling in his closet, will fade and will not win over the golf course industry crowd.

Speaking of skeletons, they will do in Giuliani, and the prediction here is McCain will become the industry’s favorite and the GOP’s presidential nominee.

What's your take?

-- Larry Aylward

The Smoking Gun ...

We've got a potentially landmark privacy-rights court case in our own little green industry. It began when The Scotts Co. fired Scott Rodrigues of Massachusetts after a urinalysis indicated he used nicotine at home.

Scotts says it’s trying to create a healthier workforce because it’s the right thing to do, and it hopes to lower its healthcare costs (because it’s the right thing to do for investors). Jim King, Scotts VP of communications and investor relations, told National Public Radio that the self-insured company decided that it cannot afford to underwrite the risk of smoking any longer.

So they initiated a policy of not hiring any smokers. That's fine. Many companies are doing that, and it appears the courts will continue to allow companies to set their own employment policies, which is the right thing to do.

This is where it gets interesting. Rodrigues was a new employee, fully aware that Scotts’ had a policy in place not to hire smokers. He applied anyway. Unfortunately for Scotts, they gave Rodrigues a truck and some chemicals before his initial urinalysis came back from the lab. He was hired to spray lawns before his employee-screening results were evaluated. So Scotts will argue that Rodrigues wasn't really fully hired, even though he was working. Rodrigues will argue that he was hired and then fired, even though he didn't complete his probationary period. I guess that’s why they need the lawyers.

Rodrigues, a certified pesticide applicator, is suing Scotts for violating his privacy and civil rights (he says he was chewing nicotine gum while trying to quit smoking). He now works for a competing company.

Should employers be allowed to restrict employee behavior during their personal time? Should Scotts’ right to set its own employment practices outweigh the rights of individual employees?

— David Frabotta

What Are You Doing About Those Dang Deer?

Nothing runs into your car and damages it more like a deer.

I’ve had several near misses over the years of hitting deer (or them hitting me), but I met my fate the other night. I buck ran smack in the side of my car as I was traveling 65 mph down the interstate.

If I was one second earlier, I would have missed him. But if I was one second later, he might have come through the windshield and crushed me.

So I guess I’m lucky that he only caused my car about $1,000 in damages.

The deer situation where I live in northeast Ohio seems out of control. They are everywhere!

I know many superintendents welcome wildlife on their golf courses. But what about an overabundance of deer? Are deer causing you and your course problems? If so, what are doing about it?

— Larry Aylward

Global Warming: Fact or Fiction

Golfdom's October cover story is on global warming. I interviewed several people for the story, and I was surprised at the diverse opinions people shared about the topic. Global warming, whether you believe in it or not, could impact the golf course maintenance industry in several ways.

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America takes neither a “yea” or “nay” stance on global warming, which it includes under the broader topic of climate change. But the GCSAA began studying the issue and its possible impact on the industry about a year ago. Carrie Riordan, the GCSAA director of information and public policy, says the GCSAA decided it needed to look into the matter on behalf of its 21,000 members. Riordan says the GCSAA doesn’t want to debate the topic because such a discussion would get nowhere with so many differing views among its members.

What do you think about global warming. Are you concerned how it could impact your line of work? Blog here and let us know your thoughts.

-- Larry Aylward, Editor in Chief

A Template For Managing Expectations

Certified superintendent Ralph Kepple should be every superintendent’s role model. And it’s not for pulling off a miraculous recovery of East Lake Golf Club’s bentgrass greens for the PGA Tour Championship following weeks of searing Atlanta heat, humidity and drought, although he should be lauded for that, too.

No, his true genius resides in the way he managed golfer expectations. Thirty of the best golfers in the world arrived at East Lake expecting to play on dirt. The course was closed to practice rounds early in the week, and a couple greens were off limits even when practice rounds began.

But there was no complaining about the conditions. Golf’s elite players expected worse, so they were pleased with soft greens that rolled around 10 feet on the Stimpmeter for the first couple days.

In a world where firm and fast is the benchmark for good conditioning, the soft and slow East Lake greens allowed Zach Johnson to set the course record on Saturday with a 60, and Tiger Woods won with a total of 257 strokes, the third-lowest in PGA tournament history.

No one complained. It’s a perfect case study of how agronomic conditions must supersede golfers’ whimsical and unrealistic expectations.

If Kepple can make the case to the best golfers in the world, then who are your members to argue?

Do you think the East Lake example will help you moderate golfer expectations through newsletters and other member communications?

— David Frabotta

What Playoffs?

No Phil at Cog Hill. Last week’s Deutsche Bank champion and FedExCup Points leader will sit out the third leg of the PGA Tour Playoffs to spend some time with his family.

In stark contrast to other playoffs where athletes play hurt, tired and homesick, golfers don’t have a team to let down. They’re not under any contractual obligation to play, and the uninspired abstention of the sport’s elite players undoubtedly will take its toll on public interest and enthusiasm in the fledgling competition.

In a sport where the four Majors are still the benchmark for success among peers and the public alike, it’s clear PGA professionals don’t have the buy-in necessary to create a groundswell. And if last week’s pseudo-match-play ending between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson didn’t create a buzz, it’s unlikely much else will.

What are your thoughts on the PGA Playoffs? Are you disappointed that high-profile players — including Woods, Mickelson and Ernie Els — have skipped tournaments? Is the players’ ambivalence a result of the PGA’s failure to court their opinions?

— David Frabotta

Important Enough To Tell The World

To me, most vanity license plates are just about the silliest and most self-absorbed thing you waste their money on. Oh sure, there are some clever and cute ones. A newlywed friend of my little brother has one that says TEACH4U (Mitsubishi Eclipse). She’s yet to find a job, but her exuberance is adorable.

Then there’s the minivan that says BILLPAYR. Ironically, they now have one extra bill to pay with the personalized plate. HAVEFUN or SUNGODSS on a convertible makes me smile (and my wife jealous for a drop-top). My favorite one donned STOP EPA on a rebuilt 1978 F-150 in response to Ohio’s mandatory emissions check (he had to write his congressman and present the letter to the BMV for that one.)

But it really annoys me when a vanity plate redundantly brags about the car.

MYPRSCHE from the movie “Office Space” epitomizes this redundancy quite well. If you drive a car, we already know the model and probably that it’s yours (even if your daddy bought it for you). LEXUS and S CLASS (Mercedes) are some of the least original. And it’s hard to go a day without seeing PONYGT or MSTNG on a … well, you know what. Why don’t you ever see FOCUS or TAURUS on other Fords? (Side note: What genius named the Aspire? Does it aspire to be a better car?)

So now it’s your turn to let me have it. How many out there have TRFGURU, GRNSPEED or TURFGUY? What are the coolest or lamest vanity plates that you see around town? I bet each state has a HOT2TROT and an ALLTHAT with a bag of chips magnet on the bumper.

— David Frabotta

Chrysler Steps Up Warranty

With so many car manufacturers claiming to be the industry leader in something, Chrysler is trying to shed its dubious distinction of recall leader (2006) by offering a lifetime powertrain warranty.

Chrysler has had a tumultuous few years. It overhauled most of its products following the buyout by Daimler-Benz, and now a new owner appears to be restoring drivers’ confidence with the industry’s first lifetime powertrain guarantee.

The warranty covers all parts and labor as long as the owner brings the car to a Chrysler dealer at least once every five years for a free powertrain inspection. Another caveat is that the new warranty applies to the original owner and is not transferable. If the car is sold within the first three years, the warranty reverts to the previous three-year/36,000 mile coverage for subsequent owners.

Will this automotive milestone coax other car companies to follow suit? Will you be more likely to buy a Chrysler because of the new guarantee?

— David Frabotta

Taking One for the Team

Poor Bud Selig. He must follow Barry Bonds in his stretch run to break Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record. Having to witness Bonds hit No. 756 and cheer as he is rounding the bases is cruel and unusual punishment. But it comes with the territory. But Selig must do his job as baseball’s commissioner.

We’ve all done things we don’t want to do because we've been thrust into highly volatile political situations. We’ve had to take one for the team, so to speak.

As superintendents, I’m sure you experience this all the time. We want to hear some of your I-took-one-for-the-team stories. Tell us what you had to do and how you garnered the strength to do it. Feel free to blog here.

— Larry Aylward

Manufacturing Transparency Hard To See

It began with chemicals in toothpaste and tainted dog food. Then children’s toys were found with lead paint. Now, Chinese-made tires are raising the ire of the automotive industry and its subsequent consumers.

U.S. officials have told Foreign Tire Sales of Union, a small New Jersey importer, to recall 450,000 radial tires for pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans after the company disclosed that its Chinese manufacturer had stopped including a safety feature that prevented the tires from separating. Tread separation is the same defect that led to the recall of millions of Firestone tires in 2000.

The company first suspected problems in October 2005. Almost a year later, in September 2006, the Chinese manufacturer, Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber, a former state-owned company based in eastern China, acknowledged that a gum strip that prevents the tread from separating was left out of the manufacturing process.

In the burgeoning era of globalization, it’s increasingly difficult to determine subtleties in the supply chain. I remember the scorn from my father when I was shopping for foreign cars. I was fresh out of school, and I needed a good deal. He guilted me into buying a Ford, which I later found out was built in Mexico with mostly Japanese parts.

Do you know where your products are made?
Would you be able to detect a manufacturing defect if you found one?

— David Frabotta

Media Relations? What Media Relations? USGA Needs to Get Its Head Out of the Bunker Sand

If you're a tournament golf fan, you probably know of Tim Moraghan. He was the United States Golf Association's long-time director of championship agronomy who participated in 21 U.S. Opens. He no longer holds that title. Moraghan either quit or was fired. Nobody knows for sure because nobody is saying for sure.

I called the USGA the other day to see if the association was ready to issue a statement on Moraghan's departure. The media person I spoke with obviously had a gag order placed on him. He answered none of my questions.

Meanwhile, rumors circulate of what might have happened. This has been brewing, some say. Something happened at Oakmont, others say. This goes back to what happened at Shinnecock in 2004, others say.

I hate rumors. They damage credibility and rob people of their dignity.

The USGA needs to get its head out of the bunker sand and come clean on this matter by issuing a statement. The USGA needs to shut down the rumor mill.

— Larry Aylward

Is Golf A Sport?

Chalk one up for the … well … out-of-shape people in this world.

Angel Cabrera’s U.S. Open win over Tiger Woods Sunday was a victory for all of us who aren’t in fine fettle.

There was the beefy, cigarette-sucking Cabrera hoisting the 2007 U.S. Open trophy on national TV after defeating the sculpted and sinewy Woods by one stroke at Oakmont Country Club to gain the nation’s championship. It was kind of like Luciano Pavarotti putting the hurt on Hulk Hogan in a steel-cage match.

Seriously, though, what does Cabrera’s win over Woods say for the argument that golfers don’t have to be athletic to succeed? With that out in the open, I'll bring up the age-old question: Is golf a sport or a skill.

We want to know what you think.

— Larry Aylward

Here's to LeBron Leading the Cavs

Let’s talk NBA basketball for a minute. In case you didn't know, Golfdom is based in downtown Cleveland, home to some fantastic golf courses, including Canterbury Golf Club on the old-course end and Sand Ridge Golf Club on the new-course end.

And Cleveland is home to the beloved Cavaliers, a team that has never appeared in the NBA finals until now. The Cavs, of course, are led by LeBron James, who went to high school at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, about 30 miles down the road from Cleveland.

I attended Archbishop Hoban High School, the cross-town archrival of St. Vincent-St. Mary. The two schools have had a heated rivalry for years.

The first time I saw LeBron play was when he was a senior in high school. His team, the Fighting Irish, was playing my alma mater in the state tournament. Hoban was 22-1 at the time and was enjoying one of its best seasons ever.

But LeBron and company (his team was the best high school team I’ve ever seen) dismantled Hoban by about 30 points. And LeBron did about five things in the game that were purely beyond those of what normal and even above-normal players that age can do. He had "No. 1 pick in the NBA draft" written all over him.

Now, four years later, LeBron has amazed most basketball fans with his skills. Here’s to him doing the same thing to the San Antonio Spurs that he did to the Hoban Knights.

- Larry Aylward

It's Time to Conserve. What Are You Doing?

On my way to work this morning, I saw this personalized bumper sticker pasted in large green capital letters on the back of a small car.

“Slow Down. Reduce Oil Use. Save Human Lives.”

With spring sprung and the weather getting warmer throughout the country, people have increased their driving (so the "experts" say). And because there’s more of a demand for oil, gas prices have skyrocketed. It’s $3 or more a gallon where I live. (Funny thing, they were saying a few months ago that we probably wouldn’t see $3 a gallon this summer.)

Which brings me back to the guy’s man-made bumper sticker. Are you doing anything to reduce your reliance on gas this summer to save money in your maintenance budget?

We’d love to hear how you’re doing it. Please drop us a line at this blog.

By the way, I’m not going to touch the meaning of the last line in the bumper sticker. But if you have a view on global warming, I’d love to hear it, too.

— Larry Aylward