Divot Mix

One of the reasons why I, a medical man, decided to give up medicine was a firm conviction of the extraordinary influence on health of pleasurable excitement, especially when combined with fresh air and exercise. How frequently have I, with great difficulty, persuaded patients who were never off my doorsteps to take up golf, and how rarely, if ever, I have seen them in my consulting room again. --Alister MacKenzie

H-2B relief measure negotiations break down

The U.S. Senate approved a one-year extension of the H-2B visa "returning workers" exemption in October by including it in the Senate Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill.

But that wasn't enough to get the measure into law. The provision was removed from the bill during conference committee negotiations last week.  

According to Chava McKeel, GCSAA senior manager of government relations, the situation is complicated because negotiations have broken down over issues that have nothing to do with the H-2B program – the only legal program allowing golf facilities to access seasonal workers to meet employment needs due to a shortage of U.S. workers.

In an effort to get action on the H-2B "returning worker" exemption, it is now tied to the Agriculture appropriations bill (or Farm bill) but its fate is uncertain too.  

McKeel said GCSAA members have been given a call to action that provides telephone numbers for their members of Congress, and talking points to help guide the conversations. GCSAA members who would like to respond to the call to action can do so through the Advocacy section of gcsaa.org (members-only feature).

In addition, the Save Small Business coalition has announced an emergency H-2B Fly-In in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Dec. 5, to push for passage of the "Save our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act of 2007." The Fly-In will occur two days after Congress returns from its Thanksgiving recess. A briefing will begin at 8 a.m. and the rest of the day will be devoted to lawmaker appointments. More details about the Fly-In will be posted on the Save Small Business Web site. Anyone interested in participating should contact McKeel 800-472-7878, Ext. 3619, cmmckeel@gcsaa.org.

Mona and Kane keynote speakers at NIGM

Steve Mona, CAE, GCSAA CEO and Mike Kane, director of knowledge and learning for the National Recreation and Park Association join the National Institute of Golf Management in January 2008 as featured speakers.  Mona will kick off the event on Sunday night and join the Academy of Higher Learning on Monday for a session titled, "Are You Really Maximizing the Capabilities of Your Golf Course?"  Kane will join the NIGM on Thursday evening to provide the keynote at the Graduation Banquet.   Don't miss the insight these well known speakers will share, register to attend NIGM, to be held Jan. 6 – 10, 2008, at Oglebay Resort and Conference Center in Wheeling, W.Va.  Registration information is available at www.nigminstitute.com.

GCM editor blogs from Guadalajara

GCM magazine Seth Jones is in Guadalajara, Mexico, where he got an exclusive interview with LPGA superstar Lorena Ochoa. Ochoa is known among golf course maintenance workers for the efforts she makes to connect with the people who work on the course, especially those of Hispanic heritage.

In the meantime, Jones has posted another exclusive interview on the GCM blog. While in Mexico he caught up with… himself.

Firm selected for GCSAA CEO search

The GCSAA Board of Directors has selected SpencerStuart to conduct the search for the association's new chief executive officer. GCSAA CEO Steve Mona, CAE, announced in late September that he had accepted the CEO position at the World Golf Foundation but would continue with GCSAA for up to six months to assist in a successful transition.

Before making the selection, the board considered 10 firms, then requested proposals and conducted interviews with finalists before selecting SpencerStuart, an internationally recognized firm specializing in searches for top executive and board leadership.

A team from the company is currently conducting interviews with the GCSAA board, staff, members and other constituents to develop a complete picture of the qualifications and qualities of the ideal candidate.

For more about the position and how to contact the SpencerStuart team, click here.

Compost Awareness Week poster contest

The International Compost Awareness Week Committee is looking for people to get involved in the 2008 event. The council has announced its first poster contest and is inviting a wide range of groups to participate.

Candidates include municipal, facility, and state agency representatives; students from grade school to college; homeowners; commercial composters; green industry businesses or youth groups

The theme of the contest is,The Possibilities Are Endless....Compost!Posters will be judges on the basis of:

• Marketability to multiple audiences -- 10 points
• Creativity and original artwork and idea - 10 points
• Attractiveness in terms of design and neatness of layout --- 10 points
• Overall Impact, all graphics are related to the topic and make it easier to understand the poster theme – 10 points

The top three finalists will be highlighted during the kick-off of the USCC Annual Meeting in Oakland, Calif. The winning poster will be used to promote the 13th Annual International Compost Awareness Week, May 4-10, 2008.

Complete contest rules and information are available online.