Commonwealth Crier News from the Virginia Golf Course Superintendents Association
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December 2017 Commonwealth Crier News from the Virginia Golf Course Superintendents Association President’s Message Winter seems to have come early to I would encourage all members to go I am also excited about our annual Southwest Virginia and has provided a into the conference season with these fundraiser, which will be held at welcome respite. We just held our Annual goals in mind and to pick the brains of Independence Golf Club on May 21, where Conference at The Darden Business School fellow superintendents at local and national Virginia Tech is developing some great at UVA and by all accounts it was a great meetings and seminars for ideas and research for the central part of the state. event and we will be planning next year’s success stories. I would also encourage In closing let me express my thanks to meeting based on that input. The guiding local outreach and recruitment at local exiting board members, Steven Ball and force was to provide a variety of subjects so high schools through guidance counselors, Eric Spurlock, who have done a great job that there would be something of value for golf coaches, agricultural programs, and in the past year. Replacing them will be everyone. for those superintendents with children, Garrison Fowler and Ian Grove. Also I One of the subjects discussed was that through direct contact. This is going to would be remiss if I didn’t thank all our of employee and assistant recruitment and take a grassroots effort on our part. Already Partners who provide much needed retention. By all accounts attendance at we are seeing some results from the VSGA support so that we can continue to turf schools around the country is down. and a commitment to get the message out provide for our members. Many superintendents in Virginia have to junior golf programs, thanks to Matt I would also like to extend the best noticed the lack of assistants available in Smiley, who attended our annual meeting. wishes of everyone at the VGCSA to the hiring pool. I believe it is our duty as Events in the near future include the Dr. Erik Ervin, who will be leaving Tech an association to help in any way we can. annual Rounds4Research auction. I strongly for greener pastures in Delaware. Thanks, As such we can start by looking at a encourage participation this year. This can Erik, for your commitment to the turf two-pronged approach. First by encouraging be done by donating and bidding on program and research on our behalf — it the development and implementation of Virginia rounds, or by encouraging others hasn’t gone unappreciated. programs to develop “in house” talent at to do so. Virginia golf courses, through crew seminars I would also like to invite any and education and to provide modest superintendents in the state to join in scholarship assistance for such programs. National Golf Day activities in Secondly, we need to continue to market Washington DC — this was a great success the job of superintendent to today’s high last year and it continues to showcase our Mark Cote, CGCS school students. profession as leaders on the national stage. VGCSA President 2018 VGCSA Board of Directors VGCSA Officers VGCSA External Vice-Presidents At-Large Board Members President Old Dominion Golf Course Assistant Superintendent Mark Cote Superintendents Association Garrison Fowler Pete Dye River Course of VT Scott Mauldin, CGCS Two Rivers Country Club 8400 River Course Drive The Foundry Golf Club 1950 Two Rivers Road Radford, VA 24141 3225 Lees Landing Rd. Williamsburg, VA 23185 Ph: 540-633-0247 / Cell: 540-679-9002 Powhatan, VA 23139 Ph: 757-258-4605 E-Mail: [email protected] Ph: 804-598-5968 / Cell: 804-467-3167 E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected] Vice President Associate Bill Keene Tidewater Turfgrass Association Ian Grove Blacksburg Country Club Pete Stephens, CGCS Target Specialty Products 1064 Clubhouse Road Indian Creek Yacht & Country Club 11132-A Progress Road Blacksburg, VA 24060 P.O. Box 1508 Ashland, VA 23005 Ph: 540-552-2461 / Fax: 540-552-0461 Kilmarnock, VA 22482 Ph: 804-382-8838 Cell: 540-537-1096 Ph: 804-435-2470 / Cell: 804-436-4059 E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected] Secretary/Treasurer Virginia Turfgrass Association Jeff Whitmire, CGCS Sean Baskette Williamsburg Golf Club Hidden Valley Country Club 1801 Merrimac Trail 2500 Romar Road Williamsburg, VA 23185 Salem, VA 24153 Cell: 757-291-2286 Cell: 540-892-9299 E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected] Past President Greater Washington Golf Course General Counsel Jeff Holliday, CGCS Superintendents Association Salisbury Country Club Aaron Wells M.E. “Dick” Gibson, Jr. 13620 Salisbury Road Belmont Country Club Tremblay & Smith, PLLC Midlothian, VA 23113 19661 Belmont Manor Lane 105-109 East High Street Ph: 804-794-8389 / Cell: 804-640-0748 Ashburn, VA 20147 Charlottesville, VA 22902 E-mail: [email protected] Ph: 703-723-8520 Ph: 434-977-4455 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Shenandoah Valley Turfgrass Association Talina Hammonds Ed Eagle, CGCS Administrative Assistant Ingleside Resort Tremblay & Smith, PLLC 1410 Commerce Road 105-109 East High St. Staunton, VA 24401 Charlottesville, VA 22902 Ph: 540-248-7888 / Cell: 540-292-0019 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Ph: 434-977-4455 Staff Executive Director Chapter Executive David Norman Tyler Eastham VGCSA VGCSA 1900 Manakin Road, Suite C 1900 Manakin Road, Suite C Manakin-Sabot, VA 23103 Manakin-Sabot, VA 23103 Ph: 804-708-9760 / Cell: 804-399-7802 Ph: 804-708-9760 / Cell: 757-329-3577 E-Mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] 2 The Commonwealth Crier Annual Conference a Hit in Charlottesville Great Speakers and a Great Location Presented by Held at In just its fourth year, the VGCSA Annual himself, by setting Jack Nicklaus’s record for Buy Sod and Target Specialty Products. Conference has matured into a “can’t miss” majors as his goal. He said if Tiger had a After adjournment, the group enjoyed the experience for Virginia’s golf course bigger goal, he might already have surpassed Syngenta Reception in the beautiful South superintendents and associated industry Nicklaus! He hit the “comfort zone” of Lounge. That evening, Ian Grove of Target colleagues. Revels and Finch continued to almost achieving it — a good, but not great, Specialty Products hosted a networking serve as the presenting sponsors. outcome for a person of his abilities — party, with Monday Night Football featured. “Nice job, good venue, very good speakers, interesting! Set your goals high! The second day of the conference opened great location,” remarked veteran Fred Then the VGCSA Annual Meeting, with a networking breakfast. Attendees Biggers, CGCS, of Wintergreen Resort. presented by Landscape Supply, took place. then moved into the conference hall for a The Inn at Darden on the UVA campus President Cote gave a fun and informative dynamic lineup of speakers. played host to a crowd of over 100 who review of the 2017 activities of the Tim Hiers, CGCS of the Club at Mediterra came for education, networking, CEU credits, association. Awards Chairman Aaron Wells in Naples, FL kicked it off with “Challenges and, of course, FUN! had the pleasure of presenting the annual and Opportunities,” after an introduction The two-day conference began on the awards to Brent Graham (Environmental by Old Dominion GCSA President Paul afternoon of December 4th, featuring a Stewardship) and Rob Wilmans Van Buren. Tim has been ranked among the USGA Green Section pre-con event on (Distinguished Service). Wells then introduced top five superintendents in the country. His “Colorants” at Farmington Country Club. Neil Jones of Buy Sod, who announced topic covered communication. He noted Attendees learned about the popular Scholarship Awards to Cole Vincel and that “the doors of opportunity swing on the off-season products for warm season grasses Madilyn Wheeler. Cote presented the hinges of opposition.” He inspired the in the classroom first. Then they saw a live President’s Award for Lifetime Service to audience to lead and to not be afraid to ask demonstration of “painting” on Farmington’s H.T. Page, who drew a standing ovation. questions. Tim’s presentation was recorded new short game practice area – it was (See detailed award articles in this newsletter) and is available at www.vgcsa.org. impressive. Elliott Dowling of the USGA Cote then recognized and thanked Next up was GCSAA’s Government coordinated the event with Scott Kinnan, outgoing board members Eric Spurlock and Relations man, Bob Helland, with an CGCS of Farmington. Steven Ball. And he thanked all the update on the new GCSAA PAC (Political Then the conference officially began at Partners for their tremendous support of the Action Committee), along with an the Darden Conference Center in an ideal association. This included event sponsors encouraging report on legislation now that setting. After introductions by President Revels & Finch, BASF, Bayer, Landscape Republicans are in power. The Ambassadors Mark Cote, Dr. Cale Bigelow of Purdue Supply, Syngenta, Harmon Turf Services, program is doing well and Virginia is nearly University presented “Assistants Pipeline — Vereens, Old Dominion GCSA, Trinity fully represented with superintendent Who is available to Hire?” The Virginia Turf, Genesis Turfgrass, Riverside Turf, Continued on page 4 Tech graduate discussed one of the most important topics facing clubs in the region — just where are the next superintendents coming from? Turf program enrollment is down, and Bigelow interacted with the audience to generate ideas to tackle the problem. The second presentation was a “Fireside Chat” with the world’s preeminent sports psychologist Dr.