Croce headlines Golf Industry Show General Session

The emphasis at the 2007 edition of the Golf Industry Show's General Session was on teamwork: superintendent, owner and club manager all working together to build a successful operation. But the session's keynote speaker, Pat Croce, had another idea.

"Gamble on yourself," the former NBA team owner, talk show host, restaurateur, best-selling author and golf course owner, told the audience in a packed ballroom at the Anaheim (Calif.) Convention Center today. "It's time to bet on a sure winner."

Croce believes passionately in an individual's power to achieve success by "expecting the best."

"Unleash the power of your soul," he advised. "Everything seems impossible -- before it works."

To call Croce's keynote speech energetic would be an understatement. Croce gave his audience what he called "a little shot of vitamin P12" with anecdotes of how he turned his own dreams into reality, even when success seemed a long shot. He encouraged the crowd to achieve their dreams by developing a "positive passion" and a "giving attitude.

"I want you to be unforgettable," he concluded.

The General Session was emceed by Golf Channel's Adam Barr, who also introduced the leaders of the Golf Industry Show's presenting partners and supporting organizations.
"I'm here to tell our GIS partners that superintendents are team players," GCSAA President Sean A. Hoolehan, CGCS, told the crowd.