President's Message
Dear CTGCSA Members,

What a summer we have had.  I dare say we can see the frost delays on the not too distant horizon.  I want to thank everyone for all your support of our association this year.  Also, on a personal note, I want to thank all those who have attended the meetings this year and have supported our association.  I can almost rest easy knowing that I did not steer this association into the bar ditch.  I want to thank all of our members, board members and especially Carol Cloud for keeping us on the rails.  Just a reminder that we have some great events coming up.  On November 7th, we will be hosting our annual meeting.  This meeting will be sponsored by Winfield Solutions.  Justin White has put together an impressive lineup of speakers this year to facilitate our required CEU's.  Also during this meeting we will hold our elections for Board of Directors positions, vote on Superintendent of the Year award and hold a brief meeting regarding things that are pertinent to our association.  This is a call to anyone who has ever thought about serving on the Board.  If anyone has ever thought about serving and want to ask some questions please feel free to contact me at 210-818-6672.  I'd be happy to talk with any of you about working with such a great group of people.  Our final event this year will be held at The University of Texas Golf Club.  Our annual toy drive will be a great event and I ask that you all do what you can to participate.  I look forward to seeing everyone in November and again in December. 
 
Until Then,
 
Donny C. Latham
CTGCSA President 2016
Upcoming Events
Want to serve on the board of directors?

You can email Carol Cloud at rggcsa.executivedirector@yahoo.com
or contact one of the current board members to be added to the ballot.
http://ctgcsa.com/chapter-information/2016-board-of-directors/

 
"Board service is a very rewarding way to give back to your Association, 
profession and fellow members. Service will expand  your professional network and develop your business and organizational skills. Every Superintendent should consider board service at some point in their career."
2016 Toy Drive
December 5, 2016
UT Golf Club

Once again this event is open to everyone. If you would like to bring a family member, friend, work associate, etc. that would be great.

Every participate will be required to pay the entry fee
and bring at least one unwrapped toy to donate
to a local children's hospital.

Further details will be emailed soon and posted
on the website.

*** CLICK picture for all the details! ***
Top Stories
Event Wrap Ups
The 2016 Crew Appreciation Championship was a huge success. Everyone had a great time and ate jalapeno sausage wraps until they were about to bust.

The 2015 Defending Champions once again took home the 'boot'.
Congratulations to Crystal Falls Golf Club
 
Jared Heine presents Nick Smitham with his host plaque. Thank you Nick for all your hard work to make sure this day was special for everyone.

Here are a few pictures of the teams. Check out the rest of them along with many videos on Flickr...the link follows all pictures.

A HUGE thank you to Ric Burlingame for cooking all those jalapeno sausages
that everyone 
stuffed themselves with. You did a great job.

There were lots of prizes to be had. THANK YOU to Jeff Kadlace with GLK Turf Solutions  and Tony Atchison with The Andersons for donating gift cards. It is generous sponsors  like you that help keep this association strong.

Check out the rest of the pictures and all the videos.
GCSAA News and Updates
Shelia Finney selected as senior director of member programs
Former Tennessee association executive and golf course superintendent tapped to lead membership initiatives for national association

Shelia Finney will oversee four key programmatic areas in membership programs, chapter services, professional development and environmental programs for the national association, which represents 17,500 members in 72 countries. In addition to serving current members, she will be responsible for the development and implementation of growth and retention strategies of new members.
 
"I believe everything I've done in my career up until now has prepared me for this opportunity," said Finney, who will begin her new position Aug. 22. "I was successful as a superintendent because of GCSAA, and I am excited to now play an integral part of this association that means so much to me."
 
A 28-year GCSAA member who has served on numerous committees and task groups at both the state and national levels, Finney successfully increased revenue and member participation during her tenure as TGCSA executive director. She also increased membership in TGCSA by more than 30 percent and introduced new revenue streams for the association.
 
"This is an exciting time for GCSAA and Shelia brings a unique mix of qualities to this highly impactful position," said Rhett Evans, GCSAA's chief executive officer. "Shelia has demonstrated an ability to drive membership growth and value, and she understands the role of a superintendent at a golf facility. This position, which demonstrates our continual commitment to serve our members, aligns well with her experience and skill set and we look forward to benefitting from her energy and expertise."
 
Prior to her position as TGCSA executive director, Finney was the head golf course superintendent at Gaylord Springs from 1994 to 2015. She began her career as the assistant there from 1990 to 1994. During her tenure at Gaylord Springs, Finney was responsible for overseeing major course renovations and course preparations for hosting the Bell South Classic on the PGA Champions Tour for 10 years.  


National study shows golf courses have
significantly reduced nutrient use and acreage fertilized
 
Survey by Golf Course Superintendents Association of America also shows conservation practices account for 90 percent of the reduction in nutrient use

Golf course superintendents have significantly decreased nutrient use rates and the number of acres being fertilized, according to recently released results of a national survey that compared totals from 2006 and 2014. The survey was the second in the latest series of the Golf Course Environmental Profile reports, conducted by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and funded by the United States Golf Association (USGA) through GCSAA's Environmental institute for Golf (EIFG). The survey results from more than 1,500 golf course superintendents were collected and independently analyzed by scientists at PACE Turf and the National Golf Foundation, which published the findings for peer review before making the information public.

"This study shows us that the golf industry is doing more with less when it comes to nutrient use on golf courses. The numbers show that golf course superintendents have reduced nutrient use across the board with positive results," said Wendy Gelernter, Ph.D., co-owner of PACE Turf, which has been providing data analysis for the golf industry for more than 25 years. "Conservation practices accounted for about 90 percent of the reduction in nutrient use."

While the study demonstrated an overall reduction in fertilizer use, it also showed that golf course superintendents cut back most dramatically on their use of phosphate fertilizers, one of the three main nutrients used on managed turf. The study results showed a 53 percent reduction in the use of phosphate fertilizers from 2006 to 2014. The largest overall reduction in the use of phosphate and all nutrients was realized in the cooler climates of the Northeast and North Central regions. The industry also lowered its use of potash by 42 percent and nitrogen by 34 percent, resulting in a drop of more than 80,000 tons of nitrogen, phosphate and potash fertilizers each year. Golf courses nationally are fertilizing fewer acres than ever before, which helped lower total nutrient use. Acreage fertilized with phosphate was again cut the most sharply, as superintendents reduced the application of phosphate on 463,000 acres, potash on 252,000 acres and nitrogen on 192,000 acres.

"Golf course superintendents are committed to their role as environmental stewards," said Rhett Evans, CEO of GCSAA. "This national study further demonstrates our commitment to monitor resources used and willingness to implement change for the betterment of the environment."

Visit  www.gcsaa.org to review the complete survey report. The first study in this series of the Golf Course Environmental Profile was devoted to water use and conserv ation. It was released in December 2015 and showed that superintendents 
used 21.8 percent less water over an eight-year period from 2005 to 2013. Over the next year-and-a-half, GCSAA will publish three additional national surveys in key areas related to golf course management
 as part of this series of the Golf Course Environmental Profile. Each of those surveys is also being funded by the USGA through the EIFG.
Golf course superintendents from Canada and U.S. to compete in first CanAm Cup

Competition for golfers from each country
set for October 2017
 
We know that Canada and the United States have educated and talented golf course superintendents, but we will find out which country's superintendents will rise to the occasion when the inaugural CanAm Cup is played Oct. 23-24, 2017, at two premier golf clubs in the Northeast.

More than 200 total golfers from each country's national golf course superintendents' association will take part in a flighted competition to be held over two days at Baltusrol Golf Club (Upper and Lower courses) in Springfield, N.J., and Canoe Brook Country Club (North and South courses) in Summit, N.J.

"There is more interaction between golf course superintendents from Canada and the U.S. than ever before, and this friendly rivalry will give us a chance to strengthen the camaraderie we have built over the years," said Rhett Evans, CEO of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), one of the sponsoring organizations for the event. The other is the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA).

"I think we have hit on something great for our two organizations," said James Beebe, CGSA president. "Our superintendent associations were forged on cooperation and learning from each other. Now, we will get to do that more than ever before while enriching our long-standing annual Fall Field history with this event."

The event, which looks to build on the rich history of the CGSA Fall Field Day that has been held in Canada annually since 1966, will also feature continuing education and offer an opportunity to visit New York City, as well as team networking receptions.

"I would be excited to play," said reigning GCSAA national

champion Shawn 
Westacott, the superintendent at Maridoe
Golf Club in Carrolton, Texas. "It would be a great way to
build relations and have a competitive spirit. And those are
some fantastic venues. Count me in."


CLICK picture for more information
2016 Annual Sponsors


2016 Event Calendar
November 7, 2016 - Annual Meeting
Plum Creek
Sponsored by WinField Solutions

December 5, 2016 - Toy Drive
UT Golf Club
Sponsored by Harrell's - Lunch & Awards
Sponsored by Turf Care of Texas - Prizes

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