Set on a pristine white sand beach, Baha Mar perfectly balances an array of spectacular experiences with luxurious relaxation in the pure Caribbean sunshine. Exquisite dining experiences from world-renowned chefs, lush tropical pools, The Bahamas’ top golf course, and our new 15-acre luxury water park Baha Bay await.
Given our 2,087 feet of elevation, fall at Fairfield Glade is more beautiful than most anywhere else in the country. It’s hard to put into words the colorful display you’ll experience on our five Championship Golf Courses. Even out of bounds.
What you feel is beautiful too.
Cool, dry fall air that makes golf, hiking, tennis, pickleball, fishing, boating or swimming especially comfortable and fun. Our Stay & Play and Golf Packages make a fall getaway visit to Fairfield Glade Resort beautifully affordable too.
Now the fun begins.
Conveniently located between Knoxville and Nashville, just a few miles from I-40 (Exit 322) For information or reservations, call 888-334-5233 fairfieldgladeresort.com
Hurricanes, Humanitarians, and Hard Work
Every month we hold a Gratitude Giveaway for our subscribers and we owe a congratulations to Tom Schoendorf for winning four Central Florida Golf Cards as well as a Shot Scope V5 Watch! Thank you for subscribing to our publication!
A second spotlight is due to shine on our Turf Pirate, Anthony L. Williams!
On page 52, A Turf Pirate’s Journal features a special edition on the recent storms. A message of hope and experience from the perspective of a superintendent.
We are deeply saddened by the recent devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Our hearts go out to the communities and families who have suffered tremendous loss, who are coping with fear and change, and are tasked with rebuilding their community together, however that may look on the journey ahead.
This publication caters to golfers. We understand the significance of the courses and clubs that serve their communities—places where friendships are forged, memories and livelihoods are made. These are the circumstances where the strength of those bonds is tested. We want to express our support for every individual facing the hardships brought on by this disaster. We also extend our appreciation and applause for those who are offering resources, service, and updates on these areas.
Once a storm passes, the work has just begun. It is important that we come together, strengthened by compassion, ready to assist and uplift those in need. We encourage everyone to extend a helping hand in whatever way possible, whether through donations, volunteer efforts, or offering comfort and support to victims.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we will share resources and stories of resilience as we navigate the recovery and rebuilding that will follow. Please consider the following resources to offer assistance.
Baby2baby.org
World
Beloved Asheville
Volunteer Florida
Care.org
United
Feeding
Samaritans Purse
Greater
Publisher: Terrie L. Purdum (terrie@golfcentralmag.com)
Editor in Chief: Shannon Coates (shannon@golfcentralmag.com)
Graphic Design: Melahn Cable
Social Media Manager: Nafanua Marlowe
Turf Pirate: Anthony Williams
Social Media Consultant & Editorial Contributor: Kennedy Lee
Editorial Marketing Writer & Multimedia Content Creator: Joseph Harmon
Photojournalist: Greg Corbo
Photographers: Lynn Pelham, Brion Price, Peter Hakansson, Tres Fenton, Mike Coonan, Becky Galloway, Madison Coates, Mac Carraway
Senior Correspondent: Rick Harris, Sr.
International Correspondent: Dave Finn
Contributing Writers: Jay Golden, PGA; Bob Bolton, Greg Corbo, Elisa Gaudet, Holly Geoghegan, Mike Jamison, Mike May, Anthony Williams, Tres Fenton, Ronald Malone
Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa invites you to experience two extraordinary golf courses, perfect for your ultimate golf escape.
Immerse yourself in the beauty of our Jack Nicklaus Signature designed Ocean Course, where pristine wetlands, sparkling lakes, and six incredible holes along the Atlantic shoreline await. With over 100 acres of Platinum Paspalum grass, this course is a true golfer’s paradise. The final four holes, famously known as the “Bear Claw,” offer an unforgettable challenge that has earned accolades from top golf publications worldwide.
For a different yet equally captivating experience, our Tom Watson Signature designed Conservatory Course spans 140 acres of rolling greens, highlighted by waterfalls, babbling brooks, and intricate field stonework. Its classic links-style layout, including a picturesque island green, provides a unique and scenic challenge that’s rare in Florida golf.
In addition to world-class golf, Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa offers an array of activities and amenities for everyone to enjoy. Enjoy a round of putt-putt, bike rentals, ocean view accommodations, full-service spa, fitness center, ten pools, waterslide, and multiple dining options. Plus, sports enthusiasts will love our tennis courts and newly added four pickleball courts!
Volvik teams up with Coach Rusty to raise awareness for Breast Cancer Research Foundation
The innovative manufacturer of multilayer high-performance golf balls is collaborating with Ryan Rustand aka Coach Rusty on social media to raise awareness and donations specifically in the male dominated golf community. While over 70% of golfers are men, breast cancer affects men and women directly or indirectly, and research continues to be the key focus for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF).
As a popular trick shot artist and former golf instructor, Coach Rusty has taken his talents to the canvas by combining his love of golf and paint. Each of his one-of-a-kind masterpieces are adorned with his signature golf ball and crown.
The collaboration is a new take for Coach Rusty on creating his masterpiece. For every dollar raised, Coach Rusty will swing a paint-covered golf ball into the canvas. “I can already tell several of my friends are going to challenge me with $1,000 donations to see me sweat this out in 1,000 swings,” said Coach Rusty. At the end of
October Volvik and Coach Rusty will auction the artwork, and all monies raised will go directly to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
For those interested in contributing to the campaign and the number of swings Coach Rusty will take, please donate at: https://give.bcrf.org/artbycoach Additionally, everyone can follow along Coach Rusty’s progress, live streams and auction of his latest unique creation on Instagram @coach_rusty
Since its founding in 1993, researchers funded by BCRF
have been behind every major breakthrough in breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and metastasis. With BCRF in the forefront of science and innovation funding worldwide, Volvik aligns and supports its mission to prevent and cure breast cancer.
For more information about BCRF, visit www.bcrf.org.
No. The world doesn’t need another celebrity Tequila. But goodness gracious the Tequila industry sure could use a shot of fun. And that’s exactly what Pantalones is: Really good, really clean fun.
100% Premium Organic Tequila.
0% Organic Pretentiousness.
Pantalones is a 100% Blue Weber Agave, super premium ORGANIC Tequila that is smooth, flavorful, and great for sipping, shooting or mixing up in your favorite Fancy Pants cocktail. Pantalones is Spanish for pants, and also Spanish slang for guts. Pantalones Tequila is all about having the guts to make that next move, to have fun and not take things too seriously. We all put our pants on one leg at a time, and just like pants our Tequila is for everyone.
LEGENDARY GOLF
Bestselling packages are bookable for next year at French Lick Resort’s acclaimed Pete Dye and Donald Ross courses. Play 54 holes resort-wide (including Sand Creek, the new short course) and discover why French Lick Resort is the Midwest’s gotta-play destination.
French Lick Resort’s Pete Dye and Donald Ross Courses #1 and #2 in Indiana for 14 consecutive years, Golfweek’s “Best You Can Play”
frenchlick.com/golf
Where were you born? Did you grow up there? Born in Royal Oak Michigan and grew up in Springfield, IL.
Is “acting your age” overrated? VERY! What is the harm of wearing a bikini, having long hair or wearing a mid-drift shirt in your 80’s!
What do you do for a living? LPGA Golf professional/ Owner, Windy Hill Golf Course & Sports Complex.
What would you like to do for a living? Exactly what I am doing now!
Aside from golf; what do you prefer for fun and relaxation? Dance, Sing Karaoke, listen to live music, sit by a beach or be with friends.
What golf apparel do you like to wear? I have my own line (To the Moon & Back) and also wear Donna Jo & LuluLemon.
Whom do you most admire for their inner and outer beauty? My kids. They are all gorgeous inside and out but their inner beauty shines because they love being who they are!
Tell us about your first kiss? Good Lord… It was under a bed with my neighbor Rob. We were trying out the new flavored chapstick I got in my stocking. I was like 10!! My first real kiss was in 8th grade! Biggest crush ever! And was scared to death! He just grabbed my face and kissed me on a paddle boat! It was super sweet and innocent.
Steak, chicken, or seafood? UGH! I loved steak but cannot eat it now. So, I eat chicken and seafood but would eat seafood every day!
Tell us something about yourself that only your closest friends know. I won the cow chip throwing contest in Illinois 3 years in a row. Epic!
Nichole Inkel
What three things would you need to survive on a deserted island? Titos, celsius & pizza
Who would you like to have with you on the same deserted island; and why? My Grandpa. He was an engineer for Ford, incredibly smart, had the best stories ever and could find a way off the island within days!!
What do you find to be the most annoying habit people demonstrate on the golf course? Driving the cart too slow. Parking the cart, or leaving equipment in front of the green or as far away from the next tee as they can. People that stand behind you with BITCH WINGS!
Name the three most important things to you in this world. My Family, Faith & Self Worth.
What do you fear the most? Spiders, falling in front of people.
What three people would you most like to play with in your fantasy golf foursome? Stephen Curry, Ricky Fowler, Justin Timberlake
What are some of your great accomplishments? Owning my own business, receiving the 2023 award for top ten most influential women in golf. The Greatest would be being where I am today after suffering a severe brain injury in a car accident in 1992. The doctors told my parents I would never be normal and would never be able to work. I may not be normal, but I relearned everything and more after 10 hard years of cognitive and physical therapy.
Last book you read? Standing Firm
Favorite charity to support? Brain injury & child cancer
What else would you like for us to know about you? I am very simple, independent, smart ass and live everyday by giving back and making sure I laugh my ass off!
Joshua N. Price, PGA
Where were you born?
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Did you grow up there?
Moved to Virginia when I was 4 years old, and then Raleigh, NC when I was 10.
What do you do for a living?
Head Golf Professional, Venetian Golf Club
What would you like to do for a living?
Director of Instruction/ General Manager
Whom do you most admire for their inner and outer beauty?
My mom. She is my angel and the sweetest girl in the whole world!
Steak, chicken, or seafood?
Steak. Chateaubriand Oscar Style.
Tell us something about yourself that only your closest friends know.
Played Quarterback at Chowan University
Who would you like to have with you on a deserted island; and why?
My Dog, she is my best friend and companion
What do you find to be the most annoying habit people demonstrate on the golf course?
Throwing clubs not fixing divots/ ball marks
Name the three most important things to you in this world.
My mother, my dog, my friends
Given the choice; would you select love, success, or money to keep yourself happy?
Don’t need a whole lot other than to be happy!
What do you fear the most?
Bogeys/ bad drivers
What three people would you most like to play with in your fantasy golf foursome?
Aside from golf; what do you prefer for fun and relaxation?
Duck Hunting and hanging out with my Dog Maddie.
What golf apparel do you like to wear?
Footjoy and anything with a Venetian Golf Club logo.
Arnold Palmer/ DJ Khalid/ Charley Hull
What are some of your great accomplishments?
Started a Ducks Unlimited Chapter in Wilson, NC (2012). NC Preps All State selection football (2006). Athletic Scholarship Chowan University (2008). PGA Membership.
Heritage Cares/ Golfers vs. Brain Cancer (Jay & James Pittman)
What else would you like for us to know about you?
Currently work at Venetian Golf Club, a Heritage Golf Group property. In my 2 years with this company it has been extremely rewarding and a great learning experience. Heritage Golf Group leadership is incredibly supportive and continues to set high standards. Thank you to my Mom (Elizabeth), Dad (Michael), and Brother (Zach) who have always challenged me to be the best I can be! Last but not least, thank you to my Grandfather Chip Hunter who taught me the values of being a good player and more importantly, a good man.
Every autumn the collective brain trust of the golf industry gathers at one of the nation’s top destination resorts for the Golf Inc. Strategies Summit. “The Summit” is dedicated to fostering innovation, collaboration, and leadership within the golf industry. Its mission is to bring together top executives, course owners, operators, and key stakeholders to explore emerging trends, share best practices, and develop strategies that enhance the growth and sustainability of the sport. The summit serves as a platform for thought leadership, networking, and the exchange of ideas that address the evolving challenges and opportunities in golf, with a focus on improving profitability, customer experience, and operational excellence.
This year’s rendition took place October 1-3 at the breathtakingly beautiful Westin Hilton Head Island Resort and Spa in South Carolina. Attendees had the opportunity to kick off The Summit by playing in a golf outing at Port Royal’s Robber’s Row Course. The course caters to the avid golfer and history buff alike. Originally designed by George W. Cobb and William C. Byrd, and
Golf, Inc. Strategy SummitA Resounding Success
redesigned in 1994 by Pete Dye, the course sets atop former Civil War grounds and features historical markers throughout the course, describing events which took place on the Island during the conflict.
One of the highlights of The Summit came right off the bat in the afternoon on Day-1. Golf Inc CEO, Jack Crittenden, conducted a most insightful Q & A session with 2009 Open Champion, Stewart Cink. Now, there’s been running jokes through the years since his victory at Turnberry that not even Cink’s own family wanted
to see him best the 59 year-old Tom Watson in what would have been one of the game’s greatest moments in history. However, once you spend an hour in the same room with Cink, you almost feel guilty having rooted for Watson. Jack Crittenden helped to give us an insight as to how Cink approaches the game of golf, life and family. We learned about his wife’s battle with cancer and their courage to live life and win. We learned about his faith-based charities and his second-best memory on the course; beating
Terrie Purdum Publisher– Golf Central Magazine
Sergio Garcia in Sunday’s singles matches in the 2006 Ryder Cup. Cink was captivating, funny and heartwarming. That was just the beginning of what was to be a phenomenal week for the Summit.
Later that afternoon, Greg Nathan, President & CEO of the National Golf Foundation, presented the State of the Industry Keynote alongside Concert Golf CFO, Charles Bracher, Ian Blunt of Inrange and EVP of Troon, Kris Strause. Afterward, the day wrapped up with the Networking Reception sponsored by the brokerage firm Leisure Investment Properties Group.
The Golf Inc Strategies Summit consists of daily keynote sessions followed by hour-long breakout sessions geared specifically for one of three tracks; operations, technology or ownership. The CEOs of Troon, Kemper Sports, Heritage Golf Group and UGOLF
International took part in the CEO Keynote, sharing thoughts on the growing golf economy, what they believe to be instore for the future and why. Spoiler Alert: its looking pretty rosy. Another highlight was a fascinating interview with best-selling author, Erik Weir, conducted by LIPG National Managing Director, Steve Ekovich. They covered a wide range of topics from how Erik became one of the largest franchisees of Top Golf to his best-selling professional development book, Who’s Eating Your Pie? The Leisure Investment
Properties Group was well represented at the Summit. In addition to Steve Ekovich, LIPG Senior Managing Directors, Greg Lewis and Chris Karamitsos, discussed golf course acquisitions and financing on a panel hosted by Rick Zbranek of Cushman & Wakefield.
For anyone who is in management or ownership of golf assets (or would like to be) Golf Inc. Strategies Summit is a mustattend event. This year’s Summit saw over 80 presenters conducting 25+ education sessions with 8 networking events. Each year Golf Inc. alternates regions for hosting the Summit. As of time of publishing, the venue for 2025 is to be announced but will likely take place in the western time zone. For more information subscribe to golfincmagazine.com.
Open Champion Stewart Cink, (left), with Golf Inc. CEO Jack Crittenden
Steve Eckovich and Chris Karamitsos
A Familiar Affair
For me, designing golf courses has always been about working with family. My dad, Roy Dye, began designing golf courses with his brother Pete when I was 12. He had my sister and me come to the office after school and help with plans. This was the last thing I wanted to be doing when I would rather be at the ball field playing baseball and, when the boys let me, football. Most family vacations were spent in places where my dad was working. Being from a small town in rural Ohio, this
was pretty exciting. One of the most memorable trips was to Las Hadas in Manzanillo, Mexico for Christmas. The resort was just being developed and the international airport didn’t exist. We all flew, seven kids at that time, in a small plane and landed in a field. It was an ultra-exclusive resort that we had to ourselves with a few other families. They had a New Year’s party that a bunch of famous people from all over the world attended. We climbed on the roofs to spy on the party and watch the entertainment -- belly dancers. Golf allowed us to travel
to so many exotic places; even to Ireland to camp one summer. All through school and college I would work on and off with dad. My sister Carolyn was his steady and did most of the drawing. I hated cleaning the ink pens and wanted to go outside. That is why I studied Horticulture and Landscape Architecture in college. My three brothers -- Andy, Matt and Luke -- all worked in construction on dad’s and Uncle Pete’s courses. I always felt sorry for them as they were sent off to dig ditches!
I didn’t consider Golf Course Architecture as my profession until my husband and I moved our five kids to Colorado to work with my cousin Perry Dye at Dye Designs Group. Soon I found myself traveling around the world landscaping the courses he was designing. My three brothers also began working for Dye Designs as design coordinators in countries across Asia. So when I traveled to do the landscaping, I usually had a brother on the site. With Perry as the ring leader, we all had a lot of fun working and playing.
Like how I was raised, I would bring my kids to places where I was
Cynthia Dye McGarey and Matt McGarey Sheraton New Caledonia Resort
Cynthia Dye McGarey and Matt McGarey West Cliffs, Portugal
working. One trip we all took was to Japan, Thailand and Singapore. I had a brother working in each of these places. Luke was in Japan, Matt was in Thailand and Andy was in Singapore. We had a Dye course opening in Japan and courses under construction in Thailand and Singapore. It was quite the group touring through Asia – my five kids, Perry and Ann’s two girls, my younger sister, and Pete and Alice Dye. Pete gave everyone a laugh when he picked up a booklet of matches to see where he was. It was Phuket, Thailand but he didn’t pronounce it the way the Thai’s do!
My 3 boys -- Charlie, Matt and Sam -- started working on golf courses during summer breaks in high school. Charlie, my oldest, was one of my best shapers. He started shaping on my first golf course design, White Horse in Seattle. But after spending seven years in China he wanted to return to the US and settle down with his family. He had enough of traveling. I was devastated. Sam, my middle child,
ran the office in China right out of college. After eight years and the collapse of the China golf market, he also returned to the US to pursue his dream job of managing business development for a very innovative engineering firm. Matt, my youngest, started working for Perry in Spain, New York and Turkey. Perry said he had a good knack for finishing. I recruited him along with Charlie and my cousin Frashure Dye to work on my course in New Caledonia in the South Pacific. They rented a house on top of the highest hill overlooking the bay. We called it the Wind Castle. They picked it so they could watch the surfing conditions! Matt then spent some time on Pete’s courses at Purdue University and The Golf Club in Ohio.
After working on my first golf course in China, Tycoon Golf Club, Matt wanted to return home. Total Turf, a golf course contractor, was just starting the remodel of Castle Pines Golf Club outside of Denver and just 15 minutes from our house.
Matt spent the next seven years working on the remodel as a shaper and construction manager. His time with Total Turf gave him the opportunity to work on amazing golf courses with great architects. Just last year, he finally made the decision to work with me and start his career as a golf course architect. He still jumps on a machine now and then. It amazes me how talented he is. He really showed his creativity on my design at West Cliffs in Portugal. He also finished the remodel of Copper Creek in Colorado this year, a course Perry designed 35 years ago. And Matt was in charge of the bunker remodel this spring at Inverness in Denver, after which he moved right into remodeling The Ocean Point Course on Fripp Island, South Carolina.
I’m so proud of Matt; he is off to a good start. When he was young, I asked him if he wanted to be a golf course architect. He responded that it wasn’t possible because we’d already built them all. I guess he was wrong!
Down to Earth Managed Courses Making Improvements in Central Florida
Many local courses piled up a lot of deferred maintenance in the last 15 to 20 years as golf courses struggled to make ends meet. Many courses need significant upgrades to irrigation systems including pipe, sprinkler heads
and pump stations. Additional examples include regrassing greens, redraining bunkers and even clubhouse renovations and replacement. If these upgrades pile up, it can be cost prohibitive if the golf course owners want to try to fund all of these projects.
It’s a busy summer at some of the Down To Earth Golf Management courses. After starting their own golf construction company last year there has been no shortage of courses searching for companies to carry out their capital projects.
Following are some ballpark costs of some of these projects:
• Greens renovations can cost half a million and more when you factor in lost revenue during construction. This improvement takes approximately 3 to 4 months depending on how extensive the renovation has to be.
• A full irrigation replacement can approach 3 million dollars depending on the amount of pipe, sprinkler heads and pump
station replacement.
• We see in course reviews that players complain about muddy bunkers. This condition is caused by faulty drainage systems in sand traps. Over time bunker drains will clog up and cause the bunker to hold water. This condition causes puddling and hard pan making sand shots much more difficult. Depending on the number of bunkers on a course, bunker renovations can cost $400,000 to $500,000 dollars.
• A moderate clubhouse replacement can easily get to 6 or 8 million dollars. Remodeling and minor facelifts are less but costly nonetheless.
This summer they are overseeing a complete replacement of the irrigation system at Wekiva Golf Club. While irrigation isn’t a sexy improvement that players notice right away, it is a system that will help improve the course quickly. There can’t be a course without it. Seminole County, the current owner, has decided to invest in the property to improve it for its long-term health and enjoyment of the local residents.
Mayfair Country Club, owned by the City of Sanford, is about to begin construction on a new clubhouse that will be a major upgrade to one of the area’s oldest clubs. It’s the City’s hope that the new facility will improve the experience of the golfers who play there as well as be a benefit to the residents who may wish to dine or have events in the new event space. The golf course will continue to make incremental improvements while the clubhouse facilities are constructed. The needle is pointing up at Mayfair Country Club.
Twin Rivers Golf Club, owned
by the City of Oviedo, has already received irrigation and bunker improvements since the city purchased the club in 2017. Reopened in September, the course has new Tiff-Eagle greens.
Both Kissimmee Bay C.C. and Remington Golf Club invested in new pump stations within the last year which is critical to the longterm survival of the courses.
Down To Earth is fortunate to be servicing course owners who are willing to make improvements to their businesses that set the table for better conditions and future success. In some cases, the deferred maintenance needed outraces the value of the facility. When that happens, course owners have to make the difficult decision to close or operate at a diminishing level as conditions inevitably decline.
We look forward to completing these projects and seeing the benefits for the courses and their players.
With 3 decades of culinary experience, Chef Zachary Mims brings his passion for all things food to Grand Haven Golf Club.
Chef Zac is a from-scratch chef. Whether it is water bagels, handmade sausages, cured salmon lox, cheesecakes or his daily focaccia bread, everything that comes out of Chef’s kitchen is made from scratch.
With a background in fine dining, Chef Zac has inspired a new level of excellence in dining for the club and its members.
Zac’s natural ability to create unique, original dishes affords Grand Haven members an exclusive dining venue in this small Florida town.
Chef Zac knew he loved to cook at a very early age and started working in professional kitchens at fifteen years old. When he was 18, he chose a more traditional education as a culinary apprentice at the Topaz Café in Flagler Beach, Florida.
After moving to Colorado with his mentor, Zac helped to open Opus Restaurant in downtown Littleton. He worked his way up to sous chef and eventually chef de cuisine responsible for producing Opus’ elaborate menu items. By 2006 Opus was ranked by Zagat’s as in the top 500 restaurants in the nation.
After Opus, Zac became the chef de cuisine for Wind Crest senior living in Highlands Ranch, Colorado coordinating the production of 1100 meals a day for their 800 residents and 350 staff members.
Chef Zac later started his own catering and personal chef business which he ran until 2016, when he moved back to his home state of Florida.
Finally landing at Grand Haven Golf Club, in Palm Coast, he now continues to work his magic in the kitchen. Chef Zac loves to cook and always cooks with love!
Dijon Crusted Rack of Colorado Lamb
Manhattan Crab Chowder
Tuna and Watermelon
Chef Grazing Table
Chef Zachary Mims
In a very braggadocious way… the Dominican Republic has long been an escape for countless celebrities, sports personalities, and adventurous travelers.
This Caribbean nation shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti to the west. It is best known for its beaches, resorts and yes... Golf!
With terrain made up of a rainforest, highlands, including Pico Duarte, the Caribbean’s
tallest mountain, and miles of undisturbed beach, you are assured that golf in the Dominican Republic will be diverse to fit your desires.
If you are a history buff along with being an avid golfer… the capital city of Santo Domingo has Spanish landmarks like the Gothic Catedral Primada de America dating back 5 centuries in its Zona Colonial district.
The undisputed leader of golf in the Caribbean and Latin America. If you can believe it, this island nation is home to twenty-seven golf courses. We would say this makes the Dominican Republic… the Mecca of Caribbean Golf.
If you have a particular favorite style… you will find golf courses designed by the most acclaimed golf course architects, including Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Gary Player, Tom Fazio, Nick Price, and Greg Norman.
Consider this – at least seven of the Dominican Republic courses have been rated in the “Top 50” courses in the Caribbean and Mexico. Punta Espanda consistently in the top 10 DR courses. Los Corales, since 2018 has hosted the PGA Tour – Corales Puntacana Championship with its 2025 dates being April 18-21, so plan early.
By: Beverly and Greg Wise – Golf the Wise Way
Punta Espada Golf Club
Teeth of the Dog
AND… who could forget the “Teeth of the Dog” at Casa de Campo, the Pete Dye course that has been in the number one spot since 2009.
Just a touch of reality… of the twenty-seven courses, eightysix holes have sea-facing holes. You are one with the water and sand… paralleling the fairway… and in many cases you’ll have a forced carry over the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea, and thirty-nine ocean-side holes with a small strip of trees or brush between you and the ocean.
Think about it this way golfers - when your significant other says… “I really want to spend some time at the beach…” – you now have the ultimate location… Golf in the Dominican Republic.
About the Authors…
As opsimaths, Greg and Beverly Wise have been traveling the world, playing and writing about their golf experiences as “Golf the Wise Way.” Greg has played golf for more than 60 years and truly believes that “a picture is worth a thousand words…” so, Beverly and Greg both excel in getting the right photos to enhance their stories.
Corales Golf course
In 1924, Cyril Walker, playing at Oakland Hills in Birmingham, Mich., won the U.S. Open, the first and only major of his professional career. Walker defeated a strong field headlined by golf’s emerging young legend Bobby Jones, the defending champion who had won the 1923 U. S. Open at the Inwood Country Club in New York.
One hundred years later… 2024, at the Kenosha Country Club, a superb Donald Rossdesigned course in Kenosha, Wisc., Mark Lakin won his first U. S. Hickory Open. Lakin is a club member and club champion at
KCC. He had been convinced to give hickories a try by fellow club member, Greg Thompson, a true gentleman, who had convinced the KCC board to host the prestigious Society of Hickory Golfers’ tournament. Greg, who knows Lakin’s game quite well, assured him he had a chance to win.
And much like the history before him, Lakin bested a field that included past USHO champions Taylor Jones (2018 at Sedgefield CC in Greensboro, N.C.; and 2020 at Happy Hollow CC in Omaha, Neb.), James Ciganek (2022 at Mission Inn Resort at Howeyin-the-Hills, Fla.), and Richard
Woeckener (2010 at Mimosa Hills CC in Morganton, N.C.; and 2019 at Belvedere GC in Charlevoix, Mich.).
In the Women’s Division, Rylee Stovall held on to her first-round lead to claim a second championship over 2020 Champion, Susan Marchese (at Happy Hollow CC, Omaha, Neb.), and 2023 Champion Jane Pohlman (at Inwood CC, Inwood, N.Y.), and runner up Anna Oxenstierna of Sweden by 4-strokes. Miss Stovall won her first USHO title in 2017 at the Del Monte CC in Monterey, Calif. 2024 was the 17th year of the U. S. Hickory Open, presented by the Society of Hickory Golfers.
By the numbers…
Highest Number of Players in the annual event – 130 (38 Open Players – 40 Senior Players – 40 Super Senior Players – 12 Women Players) Highest Number of Women Golfers – 12 First two-time Women’s Champion –Rylee Stovall (2022 Mission Inn and 2024 Kenosha) 24 United States Represented Highest Number of International Players – 7 (China 3 – Switzerland 1 –Sweden 2 – Denmark 1)
Story and Photos by: Greg and Beverly Wise – Golf the Wise Way
Thanks to the Kenosha Country Club for hosting the 2024 USHO. The special plaque was created by Steurer & Jacoby. From left are USHO Site Selection Chair Dave Brown, SoHG
President Joe Hollerbach, Kenosha Club President Mike Burke, Kenosha Club member and historian Gregg Thompson, and 2024 USHO Organizing Chairman Ernie Ernst.
What’s in the works for 2025?
The 2025 U.S. Hickory Open is scheduled for Hot Springs, Ark., at the Hot Springs Country Club. World Hall of Fame golfer Willie Park Jr. designed “The Park Golf Course” in 1898 as a nine-hole golf course. It was expanded to an 18-hole golf course years later. The course features six sets of tees and from the tips is 6,852 yards long. Bentgrass greens and views of the surrounding lakes and mountains, make this a perfect site to test those hickory skills in 2025. It’s time to make your plans to be in Hot Springs, Ark., for the 2025 U.S. Hickory Open!
Greg and Beverly Wise have been traveling the world, playing and writing about their golf experiences as “Golf the Wise Way,” and submitting to numerous publications. Greg has played golf for more than 60 years and truly believes that “a picture is worth a thousand words…” so, Beverly and Greg both excel in getting the right photos to enhance their stories.
The first ever Nicklaus Heritage Course. A 10-hole Tiger Woods Playground Course. Jack’s Bay Club is the first and only residential community in the world with courses by both The Golden Bear and Tiger. 15 holes will be directly on the azure seas and pink sands of Eleuthera, Bahamas.
An oasis for the soul, Jack’s Bay spans 1,200 privately-owned acres and stretches over four miles of beachfront. It features an enviable slate of Club amenities and unforgettable experiences that will leave an imprint on your family.
You are invited to inquire about the Atlantic Club Cottages and our Beachfront, Oceanview and Golf Homes. www.jacksbayclub.com/golf-central +1 (800) 320-6281 sales@jacksbayclub.com
The Trek To and From The Bothy at Nairn
By Mike May
One of the unique aspects of playing golf at Scotland’s Nairn GC is your access to a halfway house, which is situated between the ninth green and the tenth tee. It’s called the Bothy. That’s a Scottish word which means shelter. Simply put, there are very few golf courses in the world which have a historic, on-course amenity like the Bothy at Nairn. When you enter the Bothy’s only door, you can smell its smokey warmth and you can feel its comfortable coziness. The Bothy can best be described as welcoming, homey and truly Scottish. The exterior of the Bothy is painted white and its bright white chimney can be seen in the far distance when you stand on the first tee. Truth be told, from the outside, it looks like a small country church or an old-fashioned one-room schoolhouse. The Bothy is the furthest point on the golf course from the clubhouse at Nairn.
On a day when the weather conditions are rainy, misty, damp, cool, windy, blustery, overcast, or possibly even snowy, the Bothy serves as a brief retreat from the elements for the golfers. The Bothy is perfectly situated among the gorse bushes. Here, you can warm up by standing next to the fire burning inside in the fireplace on a chilly day, grab a snack, or pick up a cup of piping hot coffee, which can be enhanced with a wee drop of Glenmorangie Scotch, which is a favorite of the locals and many overseas visitors.
The only lighting inside the Bothy comes from the natural light through the small windows and lit candles inside this structure.
Inside the Bothy, you will find two long, horizontal tables
bordered by a series of long wooden benches. After walking nine holes, the Bothy is a welcome respite. The interior walls of the Bothy are decorated with old golf clubs, a working clock, and fishing accessories. There’s a reason for the fishing theme to the interior décor.
The roots of the Bothy date back to 1904, which is 17 years after the Nairn Golf Club first opened. Prior to becoming a halfway house for golfers, it was a fish house which was used to prepare locally caught salmon, as the fishing industry
was a major source of income for locals prior to the emergence of the country’s now globally popular golf industry. Adjacent to the Bothy is a solid-stone structure capable of withstanding stormy conditions which roll in off the Moray Firth. It’s called the Icehouse, which was used for storing the caught salmon. The Icehouse has been standing since 1877, ten years before the opening of the Narin GC. It was built into the terrain and is still covered with a turf roof.
Upon arrival at the Bothy,
you can stay for as long as you want. When you return to the golf course, you just wait for a gap among the players and then continue your round.
“Our policy is that we want people to enjoy the experience of the Bothy and not feel rushed,” said Hugh Sutherland, club archivist of the Nairn Golf Club. “The Bothy is an excuse to gather and celebrate midway through your round of golf.”
When you arrive at the Bothy and the Icehouse, grab your phone and take a selfie or record a short video to send home to your friends, family, and golf buddies.
P.S. Booking a flight and arriving in Scotland for golf is one thing, but getting the chance to play the Nairn Golf Club where you can visit and experience the Bothy is a true memory maker.
Monumental Memories of Riviera Maya, Mexico
By Dave Finn
What’s your pleasure? Is it wading into the Caribbean Sea or plunging into the crystal-clear freshwater cenotes? It is exploring the many archeological sites or simply chilling around the pool with a cool beverage. Either way the Riviera Maya Mexico is the perfect winter getaway – me included, on more than one occasion. It
stretches over 140kms along the eastern Yucatan Peninsula from Tulum to just south of Cancun and is home to several world-class golf courses just waiting to be played. Here is a quick rundown of the courses I’ve recently played just to ‘whet your whistle’.
El Camaleón Golf Course is a Greg Norman design and the
only resort in Mexico to host an annual PGA Tour event and now the LIV Golf League. Like the lizard capable of changing colors to blend in with their surroundings, this course delicately winds through the sensitive jungles, mangrove swamps and alongside magnificent ocean vistas.
Iberostar Paraiso Golf Club
Vidanta Riviera Maya
El Camaleon - Hole 7
is located right next door to Mayakoba, about 30 minutes south of the Cancun International Airport. Carved from an ancient Mayan jungle, every effort has been made to preserve the natural heritage of the property. P.B. Dye’s “DYEabolical” design boasts more crests and swales then the adjacent Caribbean Sea.
Moon Palace Cancun is home to the first Jack Nicklaus Signature course in the area and when it was built in 2002 it began to raise the bar on golf courses in the region. The original 18, known as the Jungle and Lakes nines, intertwines through dense jungle and rocky sloped lagoons. In 2005, the Dunes nine was unveiled with a desert feel and vast waste areas that come into play on most holes.
PGA Riviera Maya Golf Club is the southernmost golf course, just minutes north of Tulum. This Robert Trent Jones Jr. course opened in 2010 but has become a perennial favorite. The design consists of an 18-hole par 72 championship layout as well as a 9-hole par 3 course with plenty of natural lakes.
Vidanta Riviera Maya is a Jack Nicklaus Design and one of the best collections of par threes you’ll ever play. In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say almost every hole could be a signature hole anywhere else. This par 54 is fun for everyone in the family but will definitely test your short game.
Gran Coyote Golf Carasol is a Nick Price design that opened in 2011. If everyone in your party is not as ‘avid’ of a golfer as you, I can suggest this player-friendly 18-hole par 71, since it is by far the most forgiving course in the area with wide and relatively flat fairways. It is also the closest course to Playa del Carmen so make sure you enjoy a stroll along the La Quinta Avenida Street mall with a smorgasbord of dining establishments, non-stop shopping and more than a bar of two where you can indulge with a cold cerveza while people watching.
Green fees are not cheap on the ‘Riviera’ but all of the clubs include a power cart and some are all-inclusive with food and drinks provided on the course. Most will even pick you up at your hotel and bring you back after your round. What’s not to like. Más cerveza por favor.
Moon Palace - Dunes 7th Tee
Gran Coyote Golf Carasol
PGA Riviera Maya Hole 15
The 500 Club is proud to announce the historic appointment of Alex Fourie as the first-ever disabled Head Golf Professional in the United States. As a Level One PGA Golf Instructor, Level 1 PGA Associate Member, and the #2 one-armed golfer in the U.S., Alex is set to transform the landscape of adaptive golf through his inspiring leadership and expertise.
Alex brings a wealth of experience and passion to The 500 Club, where his mission aligns perfectly with the club’s values of inclusivity and innovation. The 500 Club aims to create a unique and accessible golf experience for all, focusing on fun, social experiences that include golfers of all ages and abilities and adaptive golf programs designed to inspire and engage individuals with disabilities.
“I want to say how humbled I am to be the new Head Golf Professional here at The 500 Club,” Alex shared in a statement. “The people of Charlotte and the team have been incredibly welcoming, and I am truly thankful. This role carries a significant impact, not
The 500 Club Hires First-Ever Disabled Golf Professional in the USA
just for the city of Charlotte but for North Carolina, the United States, and the global golf community. I hope to inspire people of all abilities to reach new heights and accomplish their dreams. I’m excited to begin new programs for kids, women, and golfers with disabilities, making golf more fun and accessible for everyone.”
The club’s leadership is equally enthusiastic about Alex’s arrival. “We’re in an exciting position as we build and shape the 500 Club into something truly unique in the golf and entertainment industries,” said Jana Chanthabane, General Manager of The 500 Club “I met Alex a few years ago at the first U.S. Adaptive Open at Pinehurst, and I’ve been inspired by his
journey ever since. He thinks differently and quickly aligns with our vision. We’re excited to expand the golf experience in Lake Norman area with adaptive golf, social opportunities, and learning programs for everyone.”
The mission of Single Hand Golf, one of Alex’s key initiatives, is to inspire kids with adaptive needs to love, learn, and grow in golf. The program promotes competition, recreation, and physical and emotional rehabilitation through golf.
For more information about The 500 Club and its adaptive golf programs, visit https://500-club.com/
Alex Fourie
Alex Fourie
By Mike May
A Georgia Golf Trail Treat
If you want to reconnect with Mother Nature, while enjoying the creature comforts of a mountain resort, start packing your suitcase and make a beeline for the Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa (6321 Highway 76, Young Harris, Georgia 30582; 706.379.9900; www.brasstownvalley.com), which is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia.
“Any trip through the mountains of North Georgia is incomplete without a visit to the Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa,” said Georgia Golf Trail Founder Doug Hollandsworth. “It’s a spectacular journey through north Georgia. The golf course at Brasstown Valley is
one of the finest golf courses on the Georgia Golf Trail and in the entire state of Georgia, for that matter.”
In addition to golf, Brasstown Valley has an indoor pool, riding stables, archery, fishing, tennis
courts, beach volleyball courts, many hiking trails, and a first-class, stateof-the-art spa known as the Equani Spa, which offers facials, massages, pedicures, manicures, and includes access to a sauna and a hot tub.
When you look at what Brasstown has to offer, it’s easy to see why this place is an attractive place for you and your significant other, your golf buddies, and your family.
Here, there are three options for overnight accommodations -- The Lodge, The Cottages, and the Equani Spa Suite. All guest rooms provides plush bedding, well-placed furnishings and oversized bathrooms. You will sleep well at Brasstown Valley. The Brasstown Valley is the
Brasstown Valley 11th green
The Cottages Equani Spa Brasstown Valley Dining Room
quintessential mountain golf getaway. It’s so good that it’s worthy of a same-day replay or a next-day repeat. Even though Brasstown Valley is located in the mountains, the golf course was built in a valley, which justifies its name – Brasstown Valley. Here, the atmosphere is refreshing, relaxing, and re-energizing. The golf course is very well maintained, cleverly designed, and entertaining to play. It all starts with a tee shot from a raised tee to a fairway down below. After that, the golf course winds its way through wildlife preserves, ponds, and streams. At all times, you’ll have spectacular views of
the surrounding mountains.
The quality of the food served at Brassies Grill, the Fireside Lounge, and inside The Dining Room is first-class. Much of the food served is locally grown and is regionallyinspired cuisine with seasonal ingredients. The Friday Night Seafood Buffet and the Sunday Brunch Buffet in The Dining Room are very popular with guests. The Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa awaits your arrival.
Equani Spa
Holiday Decor in the Lobby
Horseback Riding Fishing
25 Students from 15 schools earn $8,000 Scholarships
The PGA of America REACH Foundation, the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the Association, has awarded scholarships to 25 students at 15 colleges through the PGA WORKS John & Tamara Lundgren Scholars Program for the 2024-25 academic school year. With the generous support of the Lundgrens, the $8,000 scholarships were presented to talented and motivated students from diverse backgrounds who are working toward PGA of America Membership through one of the 16 accredited PGA Golf Management University Programs across the nation.
PGA WORKS—an initiative designed to evolve the demographic composition of the golf industry’s workforce and the PGA of America’s Membership—leverages fellowships, scholarships, career exploration events and the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship
to inspire and engage talent from diverse backgrounds to pursue key employment positions across the golf industry.
Scholarship recipients must be pursuing bachelor’s degrees in a golf industry-compatible major, with the ultimate goal of obtaining PGA of America Membership. Since its inception in 2018, a total of 93 individuals have earned PGA WORKS Golf Management University scholarships totaling $744,000.
“Our PGA WORKS John & Tamara Lundgren Scholars display the bright future of the PGA of America and the golf industry workforce,” said PGA of America President John Lindert, PGA Director of Golf at the Country Club of Lansing (Michigan). “We are grateful for the Lundgren family and their support of these young adults who will no doubt make their mark within our game as they become PGA of America Golf Professionals
and find meaningful careers.”
Scholarship recipients were selected on the basis of academic record, leadership demonstrated through participation in school and community activities, honors and work experience, a statement of goals and aspirations, unique personal or family circumstances, an outside appraisal, active participation in the game of golf and playing ability.
To ensure success and perpetuity of the program, as well as objectivity in the selection process, the PGA of America REACH Foundation retained Scholarship America as a third-party administrator. Scholarship America is the nation's largest designer and manager of scholarships, tuition assistance and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations and individuals to help students achieve their college dreams.
2023-2024 PGA WORKS John & Tamara Lundgren Scholars Program Recipients
Isabella Boyle Lincoln, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska - Lincoln, Class of 2027
Abigail Brooks Kings Mountain, N.C., North Carolina State Univ. Class of 2025
Natalie Brosig Erie, Pa., Methodist Univ. Class of 2025
Jordyn Cline Mahwah, N.J., Univ. of Nevada; Las Vegas, Class of 2026
Peyton Cusick Ballwin, Mo., Univ. of Nebraska - Lincoln, Class of 2027
Joseph Fenceroy Fox Point, Wis., Coastal Carolina Univ. Class of 2027
Maximus Kaufman Westfield, Ind.. Eastern Kentucky Univ. Class of 2027
Nikolas Pitiris Cyprus, New Mexico State Univ. Class of 2026
Jamie Rush McMurray, Pa., Methodist Univ. Class of 2025
Aidan Hall Pateros, Wash., New Mexico State Univ. Class of 2027
Gabriel Knowshisgun Albuquerque, N.M., New Mexico State Univ. Class of 2027
Sydney Raines Oakland, Calif., Univ. of Maryland Eastern Shore, Class of 2028
Jenna Rutledge Fairbanks, N.C., Methodist Univ. Class of 2026
Alexander Ham Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Univ. of Nevada; Las Vegas, Class of 2025
Emily Martin Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, Campbell Univ. Class of 2026
Luke Roque Tacoma, Wash., Univ. of Idaho, Class of 2027
Meredith Speer Cedar Park, Texas, Sam Houston State Univ. Class of 2027
Alexander Henbest Manahawkin, N.J., Univ. of Nebraska - Lincoln, Class of 2028
Addyson Meadows Troy, Ala., Univ. of Nebraska - Lincoln, Class of 2026
Brianna Rostescu Norridge, Ill., Florida Gulf Coast Univ. Class of 2028
Scarlet Sturch Durant, Okla., Univ. of Central Oklahoma, Class of 2027
Reagan Hubbard Ellicott City, Md., Penn State Univ. Park, Class of 2028
Willow Merry Michie, Tenn., Mississippi State Univ. Class of 2026
Atirath Roy India, Univ. of Nebraska - Lincoln, Class of 2026
Rachael Volin Lincoln, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska - Lincoln, Class of 2026
PGA Family Golf Championship Was A Winner on Disney’s Palm Golf Course
By George McNeilly
Nearly 100 golfers from 23 states made some lasting memories while enjoying quality time together in the second annual PGA Family Championship, Sept. 28-29 on Disney’s Palm Golf Course operated by Arnold Palmer Golf Management.
This championship brought together teams of 2 to 4 players, who are either biologically or legally related, for a magical weekend of golf. Thankfully the impeding threat of Hurricane Helene never materialized in Central Florida, and champions were awarded in four divisions:
Junior/Adult: Teams include at least one adult and one junior CHAMPION: Nick Kondratiuk and Andrew Kondratiuk (brothers), Dallas, Texas, -8
Brothers Nick and Andrew Kondratiuk had the lead for most of the two-day event in the Junior/ Adult division and captured the championship with a -8, four shots better than second place.
“It’s pretty special to play on a course where (PGA) TOUR Professionals have played,” Andrew Kondratiuk said. “There are signs on the holes that show the history of this course, and it’s great to be
in the moment and play at a place where so much history was made.”
Nick added, “Each hole has a special story, so it gives you a really good feeling when you are playing well on such a tough course.”
Adult: Teams include all adults CHAMPION: Nate Murphy and Stephen Peltier (cousins), Dalton, Mass., -9
First time participants Nate Murphy and Stephen Peltier shot under par in all four rounds in the Adult Division winning the championship with a -9, six shots ahead of the second-place team.
“We thought it would be a good task for our golf game,” Peltier said. “I played in the national club championship a couple of years ago in Kiawah, so I brought Nate with me to get away and enjoy Florida for a week.”
Professional/Adult: Teams include at least one PGA of America Golf
Professional or LPGA Professional CHAMPION: Danny Elkins, PGA, and wife Leslie Elkins, Roswell, Georgia, -6
Danny Elkins, PGA, was quick to credit his wife, Leslie, with their first-place finish in the Professional/Adult division.
“She made the putt on the last hole to win,” said Danny Elkins, PGA, of his wife, Leslie, who paired with him to capture first place. “That was very cool, and she knew she had to make it to win.”
Professional/Junior: Teams include at least one PGA of America Golf
Professional or LPGA Professional and at least one junior CHAMPION: Dave DeSantis, PGA; Holly DeSantis and Gordie Gatrell (grandson), Salt Lake City, Utah, -11
Repeat participants Dave DeSantis along with wife Holly and grandson Gordie Gatrell defended their title
The Winners
Photo Credit: Olivia McNeilly Communications
Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course #9 Bunker
Photo Credit: Russell Kirk
with a win in the Professional/ Junior division with a -11, four better than the second-place team. They plan to go for championship number three next year.
“We will be back next year, and as many times as we can for sure,” said Gatrell, who teamed with his grandparents, Dave and Holly DeSantis. “This was a great tournament and we will be in Whistling Straits next year.”
What A Venue!
“It’s really a special Floridastyle resort golf course,” said Texan Shelby Neal who made the trip with his 14-year-old daughter Olivia for the second consecutive year. “It almost looks like it’s part of the Magic Kingdom, but it’s actually real nature.”
Competitors were treated to the picturesque natural beauty featuring shimmering lakes, majestic palm trees and tropical sands which made Disney's Palm Golf Course a pleasure to play.
"The family nature of this tournament makes it the ideal event to be held at Walt Disney World Resort which is passionate about bringing family fun to the game of golf," said Alex Forsyth, PGA, Director of Sales and Marketing, Arnold Palmer Golf Management. "We have a long history of hosting a plethora of extraordinary events, from youth tournaments to PGA TOUR, LPGA and Senior PGA (of America) events, so the PGA Family Golf Championships added a new chapter to our story.”
Magical Memories
WELCOME BACK
More than 41 golfers from the 2023 PGA Family Golf Championship at PGA West returned to play in this year’s event.
PGA PROFESSIONAL FAMILY TIME:
There were six PGA Professionals playing with their families in the event, including:
Ralph Landrum, PGA, returned to Disney’s Palm Golf Course with a special piece of history, his yardage book from the 1985 Walt Disney World® Golf Classic where he competed as a member of the PGA TOUR in an event won by former PGA Champion Lanny Wadkins.
This time around, Landrum was teamed with his two adult sons, Kyle and Joe, in the Pro-Adult Division and finished runner up with a -5, one back of the champion.
“This is a good spot and it’s pretty special that I can be here with my kids and grandson.” said Landrum.
A Very Special Guest
Disney’s legendary character Goofy attended the player’s welcome reception to open festivities on Friday (Sept. 27) evening on Walt Disney World Resort’s new Putting course and took photos with all of the participants, young and old.
Short Game Heroes:
Golfers were treated to a fun putting contest on the brand new 18-hole grass putting course which has been graded to give the area contours and elevation changes. The Top 5 Finishers, based on their stroke total on the 18 holes were:
• Champion: Cal Kondratiuk, 34 (Brookhaven Country Club, Dallas, Texas)
• 2nd: Andrew Kondratiuk, 35 (Brookhaven Country Club, Dallas, Texas)
• T4th: Mike Abate, PGA, 38 (Divide Golf Club, Matthews, North Carolina)
• T4th: Mike Brockway, 38 (Creekside Golf Club, Salem, Oregon)
Ralph Landrum, PGA (World of Golf, Kentucky) and his sons Joe and Kyle; Danny Ekins PGA (Georgia Golf Center) and wife Leslie; Dave DeSantis, PGA, (Golf Galaxy, Salt Lake City, Utah), wife Holly DeSantis and grandson Gordie Gatrell; Mike Abate, PGA, and his son Nicholas (Charles T. Myers Golf Club, Charlotte, NC); Michael DAgostino, PGA (Penfield Country Club, New York) and his son Anthony; and Matt Montecucco, PGA (Chambers Bay, Tacoma, Wash.) and his cousin Avery Marie Renggli.
FAMILIES FROM 23 STATES REPRESENTED
The following states were represented by families in the championship: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina. Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Olivia and Shelby Neal, Texas
Photo Credit: George McNeilly
Disney's Palm Golf Course #1
Photo Credit: Nile Young
CP and Mokhaten Singh, California
John Somers and the U.S. PGA Cup Team wins the 2024 PGA Cup
John Somers didn’t take long to make an impact during his debut with the U.S. PGA Cup Team as they took on Great Britian & Ireland at the 2024 PGA Cup. This is a Ryder Cup style event with 10
2024 Section Championship and PGA Professional Championship Qualifier Recap
The Section Championship and PGA Professional Championship Qualifier was held September 17 – 19 at The Conservatory at Hammock Beach. This fantastic course in Palm Coast provided a great test of golf and provided an beautiful backdrop for this big event. Greg Koch’s three-day total was 12-under 204 and he needed three playoff holes to win the Section Championship and Sandra Changkija shot 10-under 206 for the three days and needed one playoff hole to capture the Women’s Section Championship. Koch’s playoff effort not only won him the Section Championship, but it also made him the the North Florida PGA Professional Champion and qualified him for the 2025 PGA
players on each team and was held at the incredible Meadows Course at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, OR. Day 1 and Day 2 featured FourBall and Foursome matches, Day 3 was the Singles matches. Somers started quickly by making
Professional Championship!
Joining Greg in qualifying included: Matt Borchert, Hayes Farley, Dalton Bartlett, Christian Bartolacci, and Jonathan Mansfield. The North Florida PGA Golf Professionals that qualified through previous exemptions included Rod Perry, Sandra Changkija, Stephanie
7 birdies and an eagle in the morning Four-Ball matches and ended going 2-0 with two different partners in Day 1. He capped off his debut in the Singles matches with a 2 & 1 win. John and Team USA ended up winning this year’s PGA Cup 17.5 to 8.5! The Section was thrilled to see John represent Team USA and his performance meant a great deal to the team.
Connelly-Eiswerth, and John Somers. The Section is looking forward to watching these players compete at the 2025 PGA Professional Championship at PGA Golf Club, April 27 – 30! To learn more about the North Florida PGA, visit nfpga.com.
Greg Koch
Sandra Changkija
2024 PGA Cup John Somers Singles Matches 1st Tee
2024 PGA Cup John Somers
Hana Ryšková Wins U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur in All-Louisville Final Carter Hammond, Golf House Kentucky
The bluegrass ties ran deep in 2024 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Brae Burn Country Club. Kentucky natives Taryn “Durham” Walker and Lidsay Gahm put up impressive performances on the course, but it was University of Louisville graduate and “honorary Kentuckian” Hana Ryšková who claimed the ultimate honor as this year’s champion. After posting impressive scores in the stroke play portion of the event, Ryšková, Gahm, and Walker each won their first two rounds of match play. Walker, a twotime Kentucky Women’s Open champion, was the first to fall after suffering a heartbreaking “one down” loss to the top overall seed in the round of sixteen. Gahm and Ryšková continued to find success and dominated their way through their respective matches. The week of great Kentuckian success culminated with the two meeting in an all-Louisville final. Gahm, the granddaughter of legendary Valhalla Golf Club founder Dwight Gahm, is a Louisvillian through and through. She was born and raised in the “502” and attended Sacred Heart Academy before splitting her college career at the University of Indiana and Louisiana State University. In college, Gahm not only was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, but she also won back-to-back Kentucky Women’s Open titles in 2012 and 2013. Ryšková, on the other hand, can be considered an honorary Kentuckian of sorts. The twenty-five-year-old was born in the Czech Republic, where she put together an impressive junior career before joining the University
of Louisville women’s golf team in 2019. At Louisville, Ryšková played a crucial role for the Cardinals, carding multiple top ten finishes and consistently low scoring averages. “Louisville has definitely become a second home for me,” said Ryšková, “In my five years, I’ve never met a single rude person. Everyone is so nice and welcoming”. Ryšková struck first in the championship match, winning the first hole. Gahm quickly fought back to win the second and tie things up. The duo traded blows through
the rest of the front nine, with Ryšková holding a one-up lead at the turn. “I’m a long hitter, so the front nine doesn’t exactly play to my strengths,” said Ryšková, who only used her driver once on the front nine. “After making the turn, I was able to break out the driver and attack the longer holes”. She did just that, birdying three of the next five holes, and claming a 5&4 victory. With the win over Gahm, Ryšková cemented herself in the history books as the 2024 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion.
Finalists Lindsay Gahm and Hana Ryskova (Photo via Kathryn Riley_USGA)
Hana Ryskova, 2024 US Women's Mid-Amateur Champion (Photo via Kathryn Riley_ USGA)
Andrew Filbert, PGA Assistant Professional at West Bay Club in Estero secured his second South Florida PGA Professional Championship after firing an 8-under 64 during round three today at Imperial Golf Club.
The 45th South Florida PGA Professional Championship serves as a celebration for the PGA Professionals, who’s work on the course and across south Florida’s golf facilities grows the game of golf. The championship was contested the last three days, September 18-20, at Imperial Golf Club’s East and West Courses.
The tournament also serves as the premier event on the annual SFPGA tournament schedule and the first stop in a PGA of America Professional’s journey to the PGA Championship, with spots in the PGA Professional Championship on the line.
Filbert, who won the event in 2017, beat one of the strongest fields in the championship’s rich history with the second lowest three-day total ever (6767-63-198). Today’s 8-under helped Filbert overcome a onestroke deficit after 36 holes to Justin Hicks, PGA, teaching professional at Stonebridge Country Club in Boca Raton.
“Coming out of the Bushnell, I didn’t play very well,” explained Filbert. “Luckily I saw a great instructor in Jonathan Sutera who helped me think of one swing thought during the golf swing and then for some reason my putter came alive this week.”
Hicks shot an 8-under 64 on Imperial Golf Club’s West Course yesterday to put him in front of a tight leaderboard as five players entered today’s final round within four strokes of the lead. Filbert (-10), Evan Bowser, PGA (-9), Dakun Chang, PGA, (-8) and Tom Cooper (-8) were all chasing Hicks to open the final round which was contested on Imperial’s East Course.
Filbert wasted no time separating himself from the pack with two birdies to open his day, the only player in the bunch to do so. After
Andrew Filbert Wins Second South Florida PGA Professional Championship
collecting two more birdies before a bogey at the ninth, the 2017 and 2018 South Florida PGA Player of the Year carded four consecutive birdies on his back nine to pull away for good, winning by three strokes.
“Seven years later and I am just happy to be out here,” said Filbert remembering his previous Section Championship. “I mean life has changed completely in seven years. I got married and have a little one now so it changes life a little bit but makes this more enjoyable.”
With his family walking with him and cheering him on all day, Filbert acknowledged his fanbase aided his play, “it means I’m not alone. They want me to succeed as much as I want to succeed so I couldn’t do it without them.”
Filbert’s win also earns him a spot in the 2025 PGA Professional championship where he will compete for a chance to reach
the 2025 PGA Championship, previously qualifying for the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage. Additionally, Filbert earned a berth into the 2025 Puerto Rico Open.
“The most important thing is winning this championship against all these great professionals,” said Filbert. “Getting another spot in a PGA TOUR event, I didn’t think that would happen again since our Section has gotten so tough.”
Filbert will be joined at the PGA Professional Championship by Bowser (LaPlaya Golf Club), Hicks, Chang (Seminole Golf Club), Cooper (Pine Tree Golf Club), Michael Kartrude, PGA (The Bear’s Club), Justin McCarraher, PGA (Heritage Bay Golf and Country Club), Alan Morin, PGA (The Club at Ibis), Nick Latimer, PGA (Trump International Golf Club), Domenico Geminiani, PGA (Old Corkscrew Golf Club), David Ladd, PGA (The Champions Club), Jared Isaacs (Adios Golf Club), Justin Smith, PGA (Bonita Bay Club West) and Darin de Lelys (Fiddlesticks Country Club)
The South Florida PGA received 13 entries into the 2025 PGA Professional Championship,tied for the most of any of the 41 Sections. In addition to these entries, Bowser, Tyler Collet, PGA, Jeremy Wells, PGA, Matt Cahill, PGA and Ron Philo, PGA were exempt, bringing the total count for SFPGA Professionals to compete next year at PGA Golf Club to 18.
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A Turf Pirate's Journal
$Epic Storms, Light Houses, and Answering the Call
for Help $
Greetings Turf Pirates and I hope you have fared well amid the epic storms that have risen and rolled in 2024. Hurricanes Helene and Milton most recently. Tested we have been in many ways, old ways, and new ways. We must with each passing storm organize and plan to prepare for the threat and this means using some old skills and some new technology. It differs in each case but there is an underlying generational knowing that exists in the superintendents that face hurricanes and such. We prepare mentally and physically for the test that each storm brings, we watch a lot of weather and radar updates and often trust an intuition that seems to be deeper than some are comfortable acknowledging. I have weathered many storms in the last 40 years, some tropical and some arctic with a few micro-bursts and tornados thrown in for good measure. The new home of the Ancient and Honorable Tribe of Turf Pirates felt the nearly twelve inches of rain and wind that came through Georgia (we had only been in the house a few weeks) and I walked many impacted golf courses since that day. I was reminded as the storm passed that nature is amazing and powerful, and she is not to be trifled with, but we forge our very existence through a careful balance and cooperation of forces seen and unseen. Walk with me Turf Pirates for a step back to old storms and how we as humans brace for and survive the fury. Which do you think came first, the storm or the light house? Clearly the storm but shortly after the first of our salty ancestors tackled the need for safety and recovery. The first
lighthouses were built well before the time of Christ. The earliest known reference to a lighthouse is 1200 BC in Homer’s Greek epic poem, the Iliad. The first onshore beacons that were used to guide ships and provide coastal safety were actually bonfires. Eventually, bonfires were replaced with iron baskets filled with burning wood
or coal and suspended on long poles. It was not until the 18th century that these baskets were replaced by oil or gas lanterns. In the early to mid-20th century, electric beacons replaced oil and gas lanterns. One of the most important developments in the technology of lighthouse beacons was the invention of
the Fresnel lens which magnified the light over many miles. You see we learned from each storm, and we adapted, and we mourned loss, and we rebuilt better, and we came together all who heard the call to help, and we respected the forces that brought the storms, and we felt the ebb and flow especially in the golf industry because we rose up initially from the earth, sky and water. The business of golf is built upon a foundational partnership with nature.
After Helene passed, nineteen of the golf courses that I oversee had some level of damage. I sat in my office as Helene made her way inland and crossed our beloved courses and I prayed for the safety of all and for the strength to start the recovery once the sun rose and the winds calmed. I was reminded
that Golf people are resilient, and we come together when times are tough. We raise funds, we roll up our sleeves, we repair washed out bunkers and failed drains, we run chain saws to remove failed trees and debris, we organize, we help others. We are the beacons that connect those who came before to those who will come after. It is not just a job it is a calling. There will be more storms in the future, and they will be bigger and more epic, and we will still be earning a living in their shadow because we are drawn to the beauty of these areas when the storms are not looming and are willing to trade the sun filled days for the tests each storm brings. That said, we must know when we are outmatched, and evacuation is mandated. Understand the realities and the value of human
life. It is crushing to see homes and businesses washed or blown away but again we rebuild, better. We do carry on. Always have, always will but only the survivors get to rebuild. The ask today Turf Pirates is do whatever you can to help the storm recovery efforts, now and in the future. Start with your property and community and donate time, talent, and money. Do whatever you can do and do not forget to call your peers and check on them as the road to recovery for some areas will be long and arduous. If you were fortunate to have had no damage or very little be grateful but remember we all must tend the bonfire and lay the bricks to hold back future floods. Until our paths cross again Turf Pirates look lively to horizon, and may good fortune find you prepared for the challenge each day brings.
GCSAA announces 2024 Environmental Leaders in Golf Award Recipients
Four golf course superintendents
have been selected as recipients of the 2024 Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards (ELGA) by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). The annual awards are presented by GCSAA and Golf Digest in partnership with Syngenta. Eight runners-up also received recognition for their environmental efforts.
The awards have recognized superintendents and golf courses around the world for their commitment to environmental stewardship since 1993. In 2018 the ELGAs were updated to recognize more superintendents in more focused areas of environmental sustainability. Instead of offering national awards based on facility type, the current version of the ELGAs is based on environmental best management practices and honor specific areas of focus.
• The Communications and Outreach Award recognizes effective communication of conservation strategies with facility employees, golfers and other members of the community.
• The Healthy Land Stewardship Award recognizes effective strategies for efficient use of
pesticides and nutrients, as well as pollution prevention.
• The Innovative Conservation Award recognizes unique and innovative strategies for conservation.
• The Natural Resource Conservation Award recognizes effective strategies for water conservation, energy conservation and sound wildlife management.
“We are always proud to recognize the environmental leaders in our industry who are committed to keeping golf sustainable,” said GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans. “Not only do golf course superintendents practice environmental stewardship every day, but they do so while providing enjoyable playing conditions.”
The 2024 ELGA winners and runners-up include:
Communications and Outreach Award
Mark Claburn
Tierra Verde Golf Club
Arlington, Texas
Mark Claburn is a 25-year GCSAA member and has been the superintendent at Tierra Verde Golf Club since 2005. This is Claburn’s second ELGA recognition as he was tabbed as the ELGA Public Golf Course and Overall Winner in 2004.
Tierra Verde was the first golf course in Texas and the first municipal golf course in the world to be certified as an Audubon Signature Sanctuary. The public golf course encompasses 263 total acres with 90 acres of managed turf.
Claburn’s outreach includes serving on the board of the North Texas Golf Course Superintendents Association, “Sustainable Dallas” a local environmental and sustainable business organization, the City of Arlington Green Policy Council and the Parks Environmental Committee.
Mark Claburn
Steven Tierney
Kevin Ackerman
Jim Pavonetti
Claburn and the club host tours with multiple environmental science classes at all levels of education, make presentations to local civic groups and speak at many events. Tierra Verde continues to be used as a reference by golf courses and municipalities throughout North Texas for best management practices used in turf management.
“I think as superintendents we sometimes take for granted the great office we have and the technical expertise we possess,” Claburn said. “One of the great benefits of outreach and having nongolfers tour your course with you, is gaining a new passion for your profession when you explain the process of course maintenance and sustainable practices and then see the amazement of someone who has never stepped foot on a green before.”
First Runner-up: Carl Thompson, CGCS, Columbia Point Golf Course, Richland, Wash.
Second Runner-up: Eric Verellen, Snoqualmie Falls Golf Course, Fall City, Wash.
Healthy Land Stewardship Award
Steven Tierney, MG Golfpark Zurichsee Wangen, Switzerland
Steven Tierney, MG (Master Greenkeeper), is a 33-year GCSAA member who has been at Golfpark Zurichsee for 26 years. He has been a greenkeeper for 42 years and has earned his second GCSAA environmental award as he was the GCSAA Environmental Leaders in Golf National Overall and International Winner in 2012.
Tierney and his staff use zero insecticide on the property, which is in conjunction with Swiss law. To combat leatherjacket outbreaks, the staff uses black plastic tarps on greens at night and then manually clears the larvae in the morning.
They use 18-foot buffer zones around all water and do not mow wildflower meadow areas before June 10 each year. In addition, a recycling program has reduced waste 30 percent in the last 10 years as the facility works to get as close to zero waste as possible.
“We are guardians of the natural habitats, not just the golf course,”
Tierney said. “In my opinion we should be doing everything possible to maintain it to better the environment we live in today and be able to pass it on to the next generations knowing we have done our best to maintain and improve our golf courses and local environments.”
First Runner-up: Michael Bednar, Palouse Ridge Golf Club, Pullman, Wash. Second Runner-up: Harlyn Goldman, CGCS, Needwood Golf Course, Derwood, Md.
Innovative Conservation Award
Kevin Ackerman
Royal Wood and Country Club Naples, Fla.
Kevin Ackerman, a 25-year GCSAA member, was the director of agronomy at Royal Wood and Country Club in Naples, Fla., for 11 years before he recently took a job with FMC, an agricultural sciences company. Royal Wood consists of 60 acres of managed turf and 26 acres of lakes and preserves.
Ackerman, who started in agronomy in Michigan, moved to Naples to help develop the first paspalum golf course in the world at The Old Collier Golf Club in 2001. Ackerman worked with the University of Florida Entomology Department regarding the Tuttle mealybug. Ackerman developed an agronomic plan and chemical application to control the devastating insect. Through his research, numerous courses and chemical companies now target products specifically for mealybug control on golf courses and in the landscaping industry.
“Superintendents face various pressures daily, and the Tuttle mealybug is just one example of the potential challenges faced when maintaining ultradwarf bermudagrass greens,” Ackerman said. “At first glance, the damage caused by this microscopic pest can resemble a disease or nematodes. My success combatting this pest can be attributed to the support of my peers, insights from the University of Florida entomology department, manufacturers and my own independent trails.”
First runner-up: Jorge Mendoza, Green River Golf Club, Corona, Calif. Second Runner-up: Chris
Robson, Glendoveer Golf and Tennis, Portland, Ore.
Natural Resource Conservation Award
Jim Pavonetti, CGCS Fairview Country Club Greenwich, Conn.
Jim Pavonetti, CGCS, is a 29-year member of GCSAA and has been the superintendent at Fairview Country Club for 16 years. Pavonetti was the 2023 ELGA Innovative Conservation Award recipient and was the first runner-up for the 2018 and 2019 Natural Resource Awards and the 2021 and 2022 Innovative Conservation Awards.
Among Pavonetti’s conservation efforts are plans on reducing sprinkler irrigation by 20 percent. The course uses ponds that are filled by rain runoff and treated effluent water from the course and neighborhood. The facility regularly tests water quality entering and leaving the property and has proven that water leaving the course is cleaner than when it entered.
The facility conserves energy by using more efficient engines in equipment, replacing old air conditioning and refrigeration units with newer more efficient units, using motion-controlled lighting and converting to alllithium-powered golf carts.
Efforts to take care of wildlife include adding/expanding native areas, monarch butterfly areas, pollinator areas, bluebird and bat boxes, nesting areas, buffer zones around water and creating no-spray/fertilizer areas.
“I think the ELGA is a great initiative that promotes the good things that golf does for the environment and how environmental stewardship can benefit the golfer’s playing experiences, as well as benefit the surrounding communities while protecting water quality and wildlife habitat,” Pavonetti sad. “I hope more courses and superintendents continue to be recognized for the great things they do every day.”
First Runner-up: James Sua, CGCS, Pei Tou Kuo Golf and Country Club, Taipei, Taiwan
Second Runner-up: Justin Brimley, Crystal Springs Golf Course, Burlingame, Calif.
Minnesota’s Keller Golf Course Is A True Model of Sustainability
By Vic Williams | Photos by Paul Diegnau
When Certified Golf Course
Superintendent Paul Diegnau started at Keller Golf Course nearly 30 years ago, the popular Ramsey County public track already had more than 60 years of impressive history behind it. Laid out over a beautiful blend of woodland and farmland along Keller Lake in 1929 and located in the East St. Paul community of Maplewood, MN, it hosted such high-profile tournaments as the two PGA Championships, USGA’s National Amateur Publinks Championship, and the PGA Tour’s Western Open and St. Paul Open.
These days, Keller makes history as a model for how to run a golf course in the most environmentally friendly way possible. Certified in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for Golf program since 2008, the course checks all the boxes in sustainability best practices, from water and turf management to native area and wildlife habitat protection. Even through an extensive
course and clubhouse redesign in 2013, that commitment remained strong. Diegnau’s personal and professional credo to work in concert with Minnesota’s incredible natural environment has only deepened over the years, spurring important partnerships in the process.
“In 2003, we entered a partnership with our local watershed district (RWMWD), and started doing some shoreline restorations on our golf course ponds,” Diegnau says. “Using available cost-share programming from the district, progressed into additional prairie acreage and woodland restoration. We combined a lot of that back in 2013 when we did a total renovation
of the golf course–all new playing surfaces, irrigation, cart paths, everything. We incorporated about another 15 acres of prairie into that project. So right now we’re looking at probably 30 acres total between prairie, woodland
and shoreline restorations.”
Diegnau’s deep need to do his part for the planet has coursed through his bloodstream from the beginning. “I’ve always keyed in on the environmental aspect of [this work],” he says. “When I went to school, my interests were in wildlife management, and then I got into golf course work and one thing led to another. At my last golf course, I was seeing all this wildlife, but golf courses were getting hammered in the media–all the negative publicity about the pesticides and water use and what have you. So, I made a pledge to myself that I was going to do whatever I could to counter those negative opinions and articles. When I got here, within the first year we put in three acres of native Minnesota prairie in out of the way places on the golf course, and that’s where it all started.”
At Keller, Diegnau was able to get a golf course over the ACSP for Golf certification finish line in 2008, with recertifications following every three years. This year, he scored a personal site visit from Scott Turner, Audubon International’s ACSP Manager. “I was super impressed with Scott. Very knowledgeable. He asked great questions. [Audubon International’s] standards are high, but they’re also good at following through and helping you through the process.”
Turner was impressed, too. “Keller Golf Course meets and excels at all levels of ACSP Certification,” he wrote in his final report.
“It was truly one of the most impressive cases of environmental stewardship I have seen on a golf course. It is an exceptional example of how championship level golf and environmental stewardship can co-exist.”
The ACSP for Golf certification process involves several levels of planning, execution and expense. Diegnau and his crew have achieved them all–from adding those acres of native prairie to setting up a bluebird trail with 36 bird boxes on 18 sites throughout the course. This year they fledged 61 bluebirds, plus two osprey. They’ve also seen more hawks and owls on the course.
Diegnau has personally observed and logged 110 bird species in all.
“We’ve also got fox and coyotes and lots of critters out here,” he
adds. “Our deer population is back after leaving during construction eleven years ago. We have a tremendous pollinator population that utilizes our 20 plus acres of prairie, that contain a variety of flowering plant species. Our prairie parcels are very diverse, containing over 80 plant species. We’ve had a beekeeper maintaining beehives on property here since I’ve been here, and they’ve been very successful.”
They’ve also got a healthy population of Monarch butterflies stopping by each year, with parts of some 20 acres of native garden at their disposal, including milkweed planted from seeds provided through Audubon International’s Monarchs in the Rough program.
Keller Golf Course is clearly a “poster child” for how to do sustainable golf operations. Once again, its ongoing partnership with Ramsey County’s watershed district is key to making that poster big and clearer for the surrounding community and
golf industry at large.
“They like to use our property as a teaching facility with tours,” Diegnau says. “They bring interested people out, and I do tours, too. We also have a maintenance intern cost-sharing arrangement with them for annual upkeep of our natural areas.
“We’re trying to get the word out that golf courses can be incredible environmental assets, that what you’re hearing in the news is not always accurate. I’m trying to get some of my colleagues in the [Twin] cities to get on board. We’ve had other superintendents looking at our property. I’m hopeful we’ll get some of them to light a fire and start doing some of the cool stuff we’re doing.”
To learn more about how your local golf course, community or resort can gain recognition for your environmental efforts or to learn how to expand your initiatives through Audubon International’s numerous environmental certifications, visit www.auduboninternational.org or call toll free: 1-844-767-9051.
2025 Outstanding Contribution Award from GCSAA
PACE Turf founders will be formally recognized at the 2025 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show
Wendy Gelernter, Ph.D., and
Larry Stowell, Ph.D., turfgrass researchers and founders of PACE Turf, have been selected to receive the 2025 Outstanding Contribution Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).
The Outstanding Contribution Award is given to an individual who has or individuals who have made a significant contribution to the membership, through outstanding contributions for the golf course industry. The outstanding contribution must be significant in both substance and duration, and it may be or have been regional in nature.
Together Gelernter and Stowell have greatly impacted GCSAA and the advancement of the turfgrass industry via contributing to GCM Magazine and other scientific publications, teaching seminars at the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show, providing innovative solutions for golf course care, mentoring countless turfgrass management professionals over the years and more.
From developing tools such as the temperature-based growth potential to their contributions in pest identification and control, Gelernter and Stowell have benefitted many golf course management professionals and provided turfgrass management resources around the world.
Stowell founded PACE Consulting in 1986, and in 1993, Gelernter and Stowell combined their complimentary backgrounds in entomology, plant pathology, agronomy and crop science with their interest in translating turfgrass research into practical management solutions to form the PACE Turfgrass Research Institute. In 2008, the research and consulting businesses merged and became PACE Turf; Stowell
and Gelernter currently serve as visiting research directors.
“When we founded PACE Turf, our vision was to create a company dedicated to supporting turfgrass managers by offering agronomic and pest management solutions, diagnostic services, research findings and educational resources,” Stowell said. “Collaborating with the national GCSAA team and regional organizations across the U.S. has allowed us to share our insights and innovations broadly.”
Gelernter and Stowell were responsible for much of the second phase of GCSAA’s Golf Course Environmental Profile, adjusting survey questions, analyzing data from the survey, writing reports for distribution to superintendents, writing articles for GCM and outlining the results. The project was extensive, spanning three years until its completion.
Additionally, Gelernter and Stowell were instrumental in developing an Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) program for GCSAA. This program, which was released in 2010, serves as the basis of many IPM programs used at golf courses across the country today. The IPM program is continually updated and required several years of focus and attention to create.
“From advancing soil test interpretations to identifying emerging turf diseases and insect life cycles, the GCSAA has been instrumental in disseminating this information to superintendents nationwide,” Stowell said. “We are deeply honored to receive the GCSAA Outstanding Contribution Award and will cherish this recognition.”
Gelernter and Stowell will formally receive the award as part of the 2025 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in San Diego.
To learn more about the Outstanding Contribution Award, visit gcsaa.org/awards.
Bobby Jones Links Names Ken Mangum Director of Agronomy Veteran golf course superintendent brings expertise
Bobby Jones Links (BJL), the golf industry’s leading client-centric, boutique management company, has named Ken Mangum as Director of Agronomy for every golf property in the BJL portfolio.
“Ken Mangum is one of the most respected agronomists and golf course superintendents in the business, so we are very pleased and honored he has agreed to make his services available to the three-dozenplus BJL-managed clubs,” said BJL Founding Partner Steve Willy. “We’re excited about the things we can accomplish with Ken involved in raising the standards and taking opportunities to raise the quality of the golf courses that need his expert touch in providing a finer product for our clients.”
The Franklin, Tennessee resident will apply his expertise, as needed, to BJL-managed properties on a variety of agronomy projects. “Instances such as offering my expertise on what goes into a new golf course – such as identifying what grasses will thrive best and how to set the turf up for longterm success,” says Mangum.
“On projects like this, I have been involved in helping with the initial planning on the maintenance facility, the grassing concepts, the grow-in program, and involved in helping find a superintendent for the facility. I like the way BJL does business, and I think they have a number of projects I can help with. To me, that’s what working with BJL is all about – helping people.”
Mangum spent 27 years as Director of Golf Courses and Grounds at the renowned Atlanta Athletic Club. An inductee into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame back in 2015, Mangum has made presentations around the world on topics that span turf
and golf course management. His specialties include Major Championship preparation, organizational management, grassing selections, course renovation, and turf conversion. He’s also been a seminar instructor and speaker for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, several USGA Green Section conferences, Spanish Golf Federation, Georgia Superintendents Association, and the Club Managers Association.
As a grassing consultant now, Mangum is highly involved in new golf courses and grassing
recommendations. “Bobby Jones Links has a few courses that I will visit to look at some of the issues they may be having,” he says. “To Bobby Jones Links, I think I add a different set of eyes and kind of look at projects from a different perspective. I’ve done a lot of work to produce operational efficiency, and work that involves grassing concepts that are environmentally sustainable with lower longterm maintenance costs.”
Ken Mangum
CHANGING LIVES
THROUGH THE GAME OF GOLF
Patriot Golf Day® has become the largest grass-roots golf fundraiser in America – a joint initiative of The PGA of America and the USGA, Patriot Golf Day enlists the support of public and private golf facilities across the country. Funds support Folds of Honor, providing educational scholarships to the children and spouses of service members killed or disabled while serving in America’s Armed Forces.
Although the national promotion of Patriot Golf Day is over Labor Day weekend, you can play golf any time of the year to support the families of our fallen and disabled service members. Here are a few ways to get involved.
