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!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
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!
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!
Friday, January 07, 2011
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?
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?
Thursday, January 06, 2011
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
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
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
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!
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!
Monday, January 03, 2011
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.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
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
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
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
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!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
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.
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
http://www.kcbd.com/Global/story.asp?S=13745340
Monday, December 27, 2010
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:
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
4611 West 6th Avenue
Stillwater, OK 74074
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
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?)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
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
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
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
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
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
Friday, February 05, 2010
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
-- Larry Aylward
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
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
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
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
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?
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?
Thursday, December 03, 2009
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
-- Larry Aylward
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)