 Tim Powers, CGCS
Crystal Springs Golf Course
Public & Overall winner
|
 Thomas Brodeur
TPC Boston
Private winner
|
 Thomas Lively
TPC San Antonio
Resort winner
|
 Stephen Marsden
Cape Kidnappers Golf Course
International winner
|
Doing
more with less has been a way of life for Tim Powers, CGCS at Crystal Springs
Golf Course in Burlingame, Calif., but it has not meant sacrificing a
commitment to environmental stewardship for the 24-year GCSAA member.
For
his efforts, Powers and Crystal Springs have been named the overall winners of
the 2011 Golf Course Superintendents Association of America/Golf Digest Environmental Leaders
in Golf Awards (ELGA). Powers and other national category ELGA winners will be
recognized at the 2012 GCSAA Education Conference during Celebrate GCSAA!
presented in partnership with Syngenta and hosted by GCSAA President Bob
Randquist, CGCS, Feb. 28. The conference (Feb. 27-March 2) will be held in
conjunction with the Golf Industry Show (Feb. 29-March 2) in Las Vegas.
National winners
The national winners include:
- National Public
& Overall: Tim Powers, CGCS, Crystal Springs Golf Course, Burlingame,
Calif.
- National Private: Thomas
Brodeur, TPC Boston, Norton, Mass.
- National Resort: Thomas
Lively, TPC San Antonio (Texas)
- International: Stephen Marsden, Cape
Kidnappers Golf Course, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
"What
we have seen in the nearly 20 years of the program is one constant – golf
courses provide valuable green space for our communities," Randquist said.
“It is a testament to GCSAA members and their facilities that they are
committed to managing their facilities in a sustainable manner.”
Winners
of the ELGA program will be featured on GolfDigest.com and were highlighted in
the February 2012 issue of GCSAA's Golf
Course Management
magazine. Presenting partners Syngenta and Rain Bird Corp. - Golf Division
will make donations to The Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG), the
philanthropic organization of the GCSAA, in the names of all national and
chapter winners.
Judges
selected winners in three national categories (public, private and resort
courses), and an international winner, with an overall winner selected from
those four. Recognition was given to the top entry from each GCSAA-affiliated
chapter, and merit honors were awarded to those who did not earn national or
chapter honors but deserved special recognition in the opinion of the judges.
"Golf
Digest
is proud once again to join with the GCSAA to honor these far-sighted
superintendents who are doing the right thing regarding best environmental
practices," said Roger Schiffman, managing editor of the magazine.
"It is our hope — indeed, our intention — that these superintendents and
the courses they manage continue to serve as role models for others to follow
in the months and years ahead. I can think of no greater calling in our game
than to be a leader in environmental stewardship."
The
ELGA winners went above and beyond in their environmental stewardship. They
feature management programs using efficient and accurate irrigation systems;
extensive recycling programs; composting of grass clippings, leaves and other
herbaceous debris; bird houses; energy-saving light; and
stringent integrated pest management programs.
Powers arrived at Crystal Springs, just 15 miles south of
San Francisco, in November 2001. He operates under an IPM-CHAMP program
(Integrated Pest Management – Chemical Application Management Plan). He
minimizes the use of pesticides and fertilizers. His main fertilizer is a seaweed
extract and his annual nitrogen use has decreased from 6,000 to 600 pounds. He
has reduced his irrigated acreage from 90 to 75 and recycles as much as he can
for compost on the course. Crystal Springs has been a
fully certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary since 1998.
Brodeur
and TPC Boston host the Deutsche Bank Championship, so being under the
microscope is not new. Last year’s event was the first carbon-neutral
championship for the PGA Tour, with the offsets benefiting a sugar processing plant
with the installation of new energy-efficient furnaces. His “Species of the
Month” program educates facility members on wildlife about the property.
Lively
and TPC San Antonio have answered critics by providing a top-notch golf
experience that is sustainable. Nearly a decade ago, opponents fought to keep
the facility from being a reality. Through a well-thought-out design and
maintenance program, the doubters have been all but silenced. A key feature is
the retention/closed-loop irrigation system that captures runoff and drainage and
directs it toward 14 retention ponds.
Marsden
and Cape Kidnappers became the first Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in New Zealand in 2010. The property is home of New Zealand’s largest mainland wildlife
sanctuary. Recycling is an emphasis for the course, including the creation of
notepads from wastepaper. Timber from the course is used for firewood, and
cattle from the farm are brought in to graze in the tallgrass areas.
Other 2011 winners
In
addition to the national winners, 22 chapter and merit winners were selected
from GCSAA's 100 affiliated chapters.
Chapter
winners
Private
- Thomas M.
DeGrandi, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn., Connecticut Association of GCS
- Stephen
Britton, TPC Potomac (Md.), Mid-Atlantic Association of GCS
- Jim
Pavonetti, CGCS, Fairview Country Club, Greenwich, Conn., Metropolitan GCSA
- Charles
Robertson IV, CGCS, TPC Craig Ranch, McKinney, Texas, North Texas GCSA
- Russell
Vandehey, CGCS, Oregon Golf Club, West Linn, Ore., Oregon GCSA
Public
- Paul F.
Grogan, CGCS, TPC Deere Run, East Moline, Ill., Iowa GCSA
- Paul L. Carter, CGCS, Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, Harrison, Tenn., Tennessee GCSA
- Matthew
Weaver, CGCS, South Shore Golf Course, Staten Island, N.Y. GCSA of New Jersey
- Mark
Krick, CGCS, The Homestead, Lakewood, Colo., Rocky Mountain GCSA
- Todd
Draffen, TPC Treviso Bay, Naples Bay, Fla., Everglades GCSA
- Thomas
Doyle, Callippe Preserve Golf, Course, Pleasanton, Calif., GCSA of Northern
California
Resort
- R. Jeff
Plotts, TPC
Scottsdale (Ariz.), Cactus
and Pine GCSA
- Sean
O’Brien, Hawk’s Landing Golf Club, Orlando, Fla., Central Florida GCSA
- Preston
Charles, The Preserve at Verdae, Greenville, S.C., Carolinas GCSA
International
- Andrew
Hardy, Pheasant Run Golf Course, Sharon, Ontario, Canada, Ontario GCSA
Merit
winners
Public
- Gary M.
Ingram, CGCS, Metropolitan Golf Links, Oakland, Calif., GCSA of Northern
California
- Dustin
Green, Mirimichi Golf Course, Millington, Tenn., Tennessee GCSA
- Donald
Paul, Los Lagos Golf Course, San Jose, Calif., GCSA of Northern California
Private
- Dave R.
Davies, CGCS, TPC San Francisco Bay at Stonebrae, Hayward, Calif., GCSA of
Northern California
- Jim
Thomas, CGCS, TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tenn., Tennessee GCSA
- Sean
Foley, Round Hill Club, Greenwich, Conn., Metropolitan GCSA
International
- Bruce
Constable, CGCS, Woodside Golf Course, Airdrie, Alberta, Canada
The
Environmental Leaders in Golf Award recognizes golf course superintendents and
their courses for overall course management excellence in the areas of resource
conservation, water quality management, integrated pest management,
wildlife/habitat management, and education/outreach. In addition, these
categories are judged on sustainability, criticality, originality, and
technology implementation/use. An independent panel of judges representing
national environmental groups, turfgrass experts, university research, and
members of the golf community conducted the award selection.
The
EIFG is a collaborative effort of the environmental and golf communities,
dedicated to strengthening the compatibility of golf with the natural
environment. The EIFG concentrates on delivering programs and services
involving research, education, and outreach that communicate the best management
practices of environmental stewardship on the golf course. For more on the
EIFG, visit www.eifg.org.
GCSAA is a leading golf organization and
has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top
professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the
United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the
association provides education, information and representation to 19,000
members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA's mission is to serve its members,
advance their profession, and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the
game of golf. Find GCSAA on Facebook,
follow GCSAA on Twitter, and
visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.
Golf
Digest
is part of Condé Nast and is the largest golf publication in the world. Condé
Nast, a division of Advance Publications, operates in 25 countries. In the
United States, Condé Nast publishes 18 consumer magazines, two trade
publications and 27 websites that garner international acclaim and unparalleled
consumer engagement. For more information about Golf Digest go to www.golfdigest.com and stay connected on
Twitter by following @GolfDigestMag.
For more information contact:
- Greg Lyman, GCSAA director, environmental programs, 800-472-7878
For
national winner information contact:
For
sponsor information contact:
Notes:
- The
title "CGCS" after a superintendent's name, stands for Certified Golf
Course Superintendent, which recognizes the achievement of high standards of
professionalism through education, testing, and experience.
- A list of past ELGA national award recipients
