GCSAA - GCM January 2002 -- Through the years

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Editor's note: In 2002, Past GCSAA President Clifford A. Wagoner, CGCS, will make his 47th consecutive trip to GCSAA's conference and show. Over the last five decades, Wagoner and his wife, Myrtle, have seen the conference grow and change. The following are excerpts of the Wagoners' conference and show diary.

1956

In 1956, I went to Long Beach, Calif., to attend the first of 47 consecutive GCSAA conferences and joined the association at that time. My wife, Myrtle, has accompanied me to all but two conferences. I was inspired to attend by reports of local chapter members who returned from conferences praising "the national" on the benefits they received by participating. I had just returned to Del Rio Country Club in Modesto, Calif., after spending two years at the city of Modesto nine-hole municipal course and one and a half years at Sunnyside Country Club in Fresno, Calif. My turf education was limited to night classes at Modesto Junior College and experience from Ed Silva, the superintendent I worked under when building Del Rio CC and then as his assistant for four years. That year the club did not provide financial help to attend the conference because they were not convinced that enough could be gained to justify the expense. A comprehensive report convinced them to pay the expenses for future conferences. The Wilton Hotel was headquarters for the event, and the Long Beach Auditorium was the site of the conference. Curtains divided the auditorium so the education sessions could be held in the front section and the equipment in the rear. Early on the third morning of the conference, an earthquake shook the Long Beach area, and a large number of Easterners were really shaken up and immediately returned to their respective homes -- back to hurricanes, tornadoes and freezing weather.

1958

The 1958 conference was held at the Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., a very impressive and large hotel. Even though the number of attendees was growing, the hotel had enough room to handle all of the conference activities. Banquet tickets cost $7.50. The highlight of the get-acquainted party was an appearance by Richard Nixon, then vice president of the United States. Myrtle came with me to this one. It was her first plane ride. We flew non-stop from San

Francisco to Washington in a TWA four-engine prop Constellation, which took 13 hours. Our return flight was also in a Constellation. During the flight, the rear cabin door latch slipped open one notch. A cargo net was placed over the door as the air escaped through the crack, but there was a shrill whistle that lasted the 11 hours back to San Francisco.

1961

In 1961, the conference was in Toronto, Canada, at the Royal York Hotel. We were one of three couples from Northern California who went together, along with Richard and Charlotte Viergever and Walter and Nina Boysen. We first attended a USGA meeting in New York and then rented a car and drove to Toronto. The trip was exciting because of the snow, cold and ice. In spite of the weather, the Canadians put on a great conference. Conference registration was 1,700.

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1964

In 1964, the conference was in Philadelphia at the Sheraton Hotel. We flew non-stop from San Francisco in a 707. Myrtle and I and the Boysens visited with Eberhard Steiniger (now CGCS) at Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey. Because the course was for men only, the ladies were secretly taken through the back door while Eb escorted Walter and me around the course. At the show, the first triplex greensmowers were on display. Walter was

elected to the executive committee (as the board of directors was called then), and his fellow superintendents from California really celebrated that night.

1968

The 1968 conference was at the San Francisco Hilton Hotel. The tournament was in Monterey at Pebble Beach and Monterey Peninsula golf courses. GCSA of Northern California was the host chapter, so we were very busy. I was chairman, and Myrtle was chairman of the ladies' events. The hotel lacked a large area for the show, so exhibits were placed in hallways and small meeting rooms. Conference attendance was 2,900. The annual meeting was exciting for me because I was running for a director position. I did not get elected, but President Jim Brandt (now CGCS) appointed me to a position on the board. Walter Boysen was still on the board as past president, and he and I introduced the idea of a program to encourage continued education. Later, our program would become the certification program.

1970

We flew to the 1970 conference in Houston in an American Airlines 707. We got a shock when we arrived in our hotel room -- it was being renovated. Plaster was hanging from the wall and there was no carpet. No other rooms were available, so we had to spend the night in the room, but the next day we

night in the room, but the next day we were moved to a luxury suite. After two appointments to the executive committee, I was finally elected to a two-year term. It was time to celebrate. Entertainment at the Rice Hotel and Convention Center included an indoor rodeo and barbecue. The executive committee even made a grand entrance on horseback. Hopefully, we were better superintendents than horseback riders. In addition, certification was introduced to the membership at the General Session.

1971

We combined a skiing trip with the conference as it was held at the Denver Convention Center. It was an eventful conference for me because I had two major accomplishments in one year. First, Dick Blake (now CGCS) was elected president and appointed me as secretary/treasurer of GCSAA. Also, at the pre-conference board meeting, the board voted to make certification a top priority and approved developing brochures, application forms and exams so superintendents could become certified. In September 1971, after almost four years of work by the executive committee, 20 superintendents became the first to have the title CGCS.

1972

The 1972 conference and show was held at the Cincinnati Convention Center. That year I was elected vice president. Certified superintendents were recognized for the first time -- 20 from 1971 (including me) and 24 who were certified in '72. Certification was on its way. At the post-conference board meeting, new President Bob Mitchell appointed me chairman of the relocation committee to find desirable sites for the GCSAA headquarters. Our search finally settled on the Kansas City area and ultimately Lawrence, Kan.

1973

The facilities at the Boston Sheraton Hotel and the John B. Hayes Civic Auditorium in Boston were great, but the frigid weather in 1973 will not soon be

forgotten. Attendance was a record 4,214 people, 152 firms exhibited, and 124 played at the tournament in Hilton Head, S.C. At this conference, I accomplished my goal. I was elected president of GCSAA. I was well aware that with this great honor came a huge responsibility. The night of the banquet was a blur because I had caught the flu and was running a high fever. President Mitchell passed me the gavel, but I am not sure how I made it through the evening.

1974

My term as president ended at the 1974 conference in Anaheim, Calif. In my year as president, I had spent more than 100 days away from work on GCSAA business, including numerous trips to Lawrence to make decisions on the construction of the GCSAA headquarters. At the dedication ceremony, U.S. Sen. Bob Dole helped me cut the ribbon. The

conference continued to grow, with more than 5,000 attendees. The entertainment that year included comedian Berl Williams, marimba player Mora Ray and vocalist Gordon McRae. The six-hour drive home to Modesto was a time for us to reflect on my past six years on the board and what a great experience it had been.

1976

With my tenure on the board complete, 1976 in Minneapolis was the first time in seven years that I was able to attend education sessions and really see all the exhibits. We were expecting cold weather, but to our delight it was very comfortable. Later that year we would travel to another big GCSAA event. The 50th anniversary celebration took place in September at Sylvania Country Club in Toledo, Ohio, where Arnold Palmer gave the keynote address.

1980

The 1980 event was in St. Louis, and it was the first to bear the name International Golf Course Conference and Show. Another attendance record was broken. This time 7,055 were in attendance to view 69,000 square feet of exhibit space.

1985

We brought along our two teen-age grandsons, David and Alan, to the 1985 conference and show in Washington, D.C., and took them sightseeing for four days before the event. The Opening Session was very special for me because I was awarded the GCSAA Distinguished Service Award. I was very honored to join the 50 distinguished colleagues who had won the award before me. This was also my last trip that would be supported by Del Rio CC, as I retired on Dec. 31, 1985.

1986

The 1986 event was once again close to home at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. Even though I was retired, we decided we would continue to attend to keep in touch with our many friends that we had made in our 30 years of conference attendance. I continued to visit exhibits to keep up with the trends instead of to consider purchases. The keynote speaker was Gen. Chuck Yeager, and Patty Berg won the Old Tom Morris Award. That year, a bylaw change transformed the executive committee into the board of directors.

1990

More than 15,000 attended the 1990 conference and show in Orlando. We combined a trip to the event with a chance to see friends and relatives. From Modesto to Orlando is 2,900

miles, and we took seven days to make the trip in our van. We continued to travel after the conference and, in all, spent 42 days and 8,000 miles on the road before returning home.

1994

The 65th annual conference was held in Dallas with Zig Zigler as keynote speaker. There were 59 seminars available and 600 exhibitors at the trade show. The membership was introduced to the association's new executive officers, Steve Mona, chief executive officer; Joe O'Brien, chief operating officer; and Julian Arredondo, chief financial officer. The week finished up with outstanding performances by Crystal Gayle, Loretta Lynn and the Oak Ridge Boys at the Gala.

1997

In 1997, we drove our RV to the conference in Las Vegas. A record 700 exhibitors used 210,000 square feet of space on the trade show floor. Ben Crenshaw won the Old Tom Morris Award, and Jim Lovell, commander of Apollo 13, spoke at the Opening Session. At the annual meeting, the membership voted in favor of a dues increase as well as to waive Class AA dues. The Certification Business Meeting and

Luncheon was special, as certification celebrated its 25th anniversary.

1999

Before the conference in Orlando, we spent a few days sightseeing in Florida. We visited the World Golf Village Hall of Fame with Past President Sherwood Moore, CGCS, and his wife, Marie. The GCSAA exhibit at the Hall of Fame was really good. Former First Lady Barbara Bush was the Opening Session speaker, and a record 22,000 attended the conference.

2001

We combined the trip to the 2001 show in Dallas with a stop to see our grandson, David, and his wife and children in Houston. The keynote speaker

was a real treat -- Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf. The historic displays that kicked off GCSAA's 75th anniversary celebration year were well done and created a lot of interest. Since I retired in 1985, we have driven more than 30,000 miles to GCSAA conferences.

After attending my first show in 1956, I could not have imagined what lay ahead for the next 46. Maybe the experience at my first conference was the catalyst to spur me on. My position at Del Rio CC from 1954 to 1985 was secure enough to allow me to grow with the profession and the association. In the GCSA of Northern California, I had been elected to the board, so I was aware of what could be gained by getting involved. My resolution to attend every conference gave me the opportunity to become acquainted with leaders in GCSAA, which led to my time on the executive committee and as president. In 1985, when I received the Distinguished Service Award, it was almost unbelievable. Myrtle and I owe the 47 years of great experiences to the association and its members. We could not accomplish this by ourselves. Our goal is to make it to our 50th.

Clifford A. Wagoner, CGCS is retired and living in Modesto, Calif. He is a 46 year member and past president of GCSAA.




Editor's note: In 2002, Past GCSAA President Clifford A. Wagoner, CGCS, will make his 47th consecutive trip to GCSAA's conference and show. Over the last five decades, Wagoner and his wife, Myrtle, have seen the conference grow and change. The following are excerpts of the Wagoners' conference and show diary. 1956 In 1956, I went to Long Beach, Calif., to attend the first of 47 consecutive GCSAA conferences and joined the association at that time. My wife, Myrtle, has accompanied me to all but two conferences. I was inspired to attend by reports of local chapter members who returned from conferences praising "the national" on the benefits they received by participating. I had just returned to Del Rio Country Club in Modesto, Calif., after spending two years at the city of Modesto nine-hole municipal course and one and a half years at Sunnyside Country Club in Fresno, Calif. My turf education was limited to night classes at Modesto Junior College and experience from Ed Silva, the superintendent I worked under when building Del Rio CC and then as his assistant for four years. That year the club did not provide financial help to attend the conference because they were not convinced that enough could be gained to justify the expense. A comprehensive report convinced them to pay the expenses for future conferences. The Wilton Hotel was headquarters for the event, and the Long Beach Auditorium was the site of the conference. Curtains divided the auditorium so the education sessions could be held in the front section and the equipment in the rear. Early on the third morning of the conference, an earthquake shook the Long Beach area, and a large number of Easterners were really shaken up and immediately returned to their respective homes -- back to hurricanes, tornadoes and freezing weather. 1958 The 1958 conference was held at the Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., a very impressive and large hotel. Even though the number of attendees was growing, the hotel had enough room to handle all of the conference activities. Banquet tickets cost $7.50. The highlight of the get-acquainted party was an appearance by Richard Nixon, then vice president of the United States. Myrtle came with me to this one. It was her first plane ride. We flew non-stop from San Francisco to Washington in a TWA four-engine prop Constellation, which took 13 hours. Our return flight was also in a Constellation. During the flight, the rear cabin door latch slipped open one notch. A cargo net was placed over the door as the air escaped through the crack, but there was a shrill whistle that lasted the 11 hours back to San Francisco. 1961 In 1961, the conference was in Toronto, Canada, at the Royal York Hotel. We were one of three couples from Northern California who went together, along with Richard and Charlotte Viergever and Walter and Nina Boysen. We first attended a USGA meeting in New York and then rented a car and drove to Toronto. The trip was exciting because of the snow, cold and ice. In spite of the weather, the Canadians put on a great conference. Conference registration was 1,700.
			1964 In 1964, the conference was in Philadelphia at the Sheraton Hotel. We flew non-stop from San Francisco in a 707. Myrtle and I and the Boysens visited with Eberhard Steiniger (now CGCS) at Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey. Because the course was for men only, the ladies were secretly taken through the back door while Eb escorted Walter and me around the course. At the show, the first triplex greensmowers were on display. Walter was elected to the executive committee (as the board of directors was called then), and his fellow superintendents from California really celebrated that night. 1968 The 1968 conference was at the San Francisco Hilton Hotel. The tournament was in Monterey at Pebble Beach and Monterey Peninsula golf courses. GCSA of Northern California was the host chapter, so we were very busy. I was chairman, and Myrtle was chairman of the ladies' events. The hotel lacked a large area for the show, so exhibits were placed in hallways and small meeting rooms. Conference attendance was 2,900. The annual meeting was exciting for me because I was running for a director position. I did not get elected, but President Jim Brandt (now CGCS) appointed me to a position on the board. Walter Boysen was still on the board as past president, and he and I introduced the idea of a program to encourage continued education. Later, our program would become the certification program. 1970 We flew to the 1970 conference in Houston in an American Airlines 707. We got a shock when we arrived in our hotel room -- it was being renovated. Plaster was hanging from the wall and there was no carpet. No other rooms were available, so we had to spend the night in the room, but the next day we night in the room, but the next day we were moved to a luxury suite. After two appointments to the executive committee, I was finally elected to a two-year term. It was time to celebrate. Entertainment at the Rice Hotel and Convention Center included an indoor rodeo and barbecue. The executive committee even made a grand entrance on horseback. Hopefully, we were better superintendents than horseback riders. In addition, certification was introduced to the membership at the General Session. 1971 We combined a skiing trip with the conference as it was held at the Denver Convention Center. It was an eventful conference for me because I had two major accomplishments in one year. First, Dick Blake (now CGCS) was elected president and appointed me as secretary/treasurer of GCSAA. Also, at the pre-conference board meeting, the board voted to make certification a top priority and approved developing brochures, application forms and exams so superintendents could become certified. In September 1971, after almost four years of work by the executive committee, 20 superintendents became the first to have the title CGCS. 1972 The 1972 conference and show was held at the Cincinnati Convention Center. That year I was elected vice president. Certified superintendents were recognized for the first time -- 20 from 1971 (including me) and 24 who were certified in '72. Certification was on its way. At the post-conference board meeting, new President Bob Mitchell appointed me chairman of the relocation committee to find desirable sites for the GCSAA headquarters. Our search finally settled on the Kansas City area and ultimately Lawrence, Kan. 1973 The facilities at the Boston Sheraton Hotel and the John B. Hayes Civic Auditorium in Boston were great, but the frigid weather in 1973 will not soon be forgotten. Attendance was a record 4,214 people, 152 firms exhibited, and 124 played at the tournament in Hilton Head, S.C. At this conference, I accomplished my goal. I was elected president of GCSAA. I was well aware that with this great honor came a huge responsibility. The night of the banquet was a blur because I had caught the flu and was running a high fever. President Mitchell passed me the gavel, but I am not sure how I made it through the evening. 1974 My term as president ended at the 1974 conference in Anaheim, Calif. In my year as president, I had spent more than 100 days away from work on GCSAA business, including numerous trips to Lawrence to make decisions on the construction of the GCSAA headquarters. At the dedication ceremony, U.S. Sen. Bob Dole helped me cut the ribbon. The conference continued to grow, with more than 5,000 attendees. The entertainment that year included comedian Berl Williams, marimba player Mora Ray and vocalist Gordon McRae. The six-hour drive home to Modesto was a time for us to reflect on my past six years on the board and what a great experience it had been. 1976 With my tenure on the board complete, 1976 in Minneapolis was the first time in seven years that I was able to attend education sessions and really see all the exhibits. We were expecting cold weather, but to our delight it was very comfortable. Later that year we would travel to another big GCSAA event. The 50th anniversary celebration took place in September at Sylvania Country Club in Toledo, Ohio, where Arnold Palmer gave the keynote address.

1980 The 1980 event was in St. Louis, and it was the first to bear the name International Golf Course Conference and Show. Another attendance record was broken. This time 7,055 were in attendance to view 69,000 square feet of exhibit space. 1985 We brought along our two teen-age grandsons, David and Alan, to the 1985 conference and show in Washington, D.C., and took them sightseeing for four days before the event. The Opening Session was very special for me because I was awarded the GCSAA Distinguished Service Award. I was very honored to join the 50 distinguished colleagues who had won the award before me. This was also my last trip that would be supported by Del Rio CC, as I retired on Dec. 31, 1985. 1986 The 1986 event was once again close to home at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. Even though I was retired, we decided we would continue to attend to keep in touch with our many friends that we had made in our 30 years of conference attendance. I continued to visit exhibits to keep up with the trends instead of to consider purchases. The keynote speaker was Gen. Chuck Yeager, and Patty Berg won the Old Tom Morris Award. That year, a bylaw change transformed the executive committee into the board of directors. 1990 More than 15,000 attended the 1990 conference and show in Orlando. We combined a trip to the event with a chance to see friends and relatives. From Modesto to Orlando is 2,900
miles, and we took seven days to make the trip in our van. We continued to travel after the conference and, in all, spent 42 days and 8,000 miles on the road before returning home. 1994 The 65th annual conference was held in Dallas with Zig Zigler as keynote speaker. There were 59 seminars available and 600 exhibitors at the trade show. The membership was introduced to the association's new executive officers, Steve Mona, chief executive officer; Joe O'Brien, chief operating officer; and Julian Arredondo, chief financial officer. The week finished up with outstanding performances by Crystal Gayle, Loretta Lynn and the Oak Ridge Boys at the Gala.
1997 In 1997, we drove our RV to the conference in Las Vegas. A record 700 exhibitors used 210,000 square feet of space on the trade show floor. Ben Crenshaw won the Old Tom Morris Award, and Jim Lovell, commander of Apollo 13, spoke at the Opening Session. At the annual meeting, the membership voted in favor of a dues increase as well as to waive Class AA dues. The Certification Business Meeting and Luncheon was special, as certification celebrated its 25th anniversary. 1999 Before the conference in Orlando, we spent a few days sightseeing in Florida. We visited the World Golf Village Hall of Fame with Past President Sherwood Moore, CGCS, and his wife, Marie. The GCSAA exhibit at the Hall of Fame was really good. Former First Lady Barbara Bush was the Opening Session speaker, and a record 22,000 attended the conference. 2001 We combined the trip to the 2001 show in Dallas with a stop to see our grandson, David, and his wife and children in Houston. The keynote speaker was a real treat -- Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf. The historic displays that kicked off GCSAA's 75th anniversary celebration year were well done and created a lot of interest. Since I retired in 1985, we have driven more than 30,000 miles to GCSAA conferences. After attending my first show in 1956, I could not have imagined what lay ahead for the next 46. Maybe the experience at my first conference was the catalyst to spur me on. My position at Del Rio CC from 1954 to 1985 was secure enough to allow me to grow with the profession and the association. In the GCSA of Northern California, I had been elected to the board, so I was aware of what could be gained by getting involved. My resolution to attend every conference gave me the opportunity to become acquainted with leaders in GCSAA, which led to my time on the executive committee and as president. In 1985, when I received the Distinguished Service Award, it was almost unbelievable. Myrtle and I owe the 47 years of great experiences to the association and its members. We could not accomplish this by ourselves. Our goal is to make it to our 50th. Clifford A. Wagoner, CGCS is retired and living in Modesto, Calif. He is a 46 year member and past president of GCSAA.