Facility BMP frequently asked questions

GCSAA creates a facility BMP manual for all the member facilities to help distribute applicable state BMPs to every facility in a manner that enables members to customize those manuals to suit their needs.

Offering a streamlined process, members no longer have to create a manual from a template, but rather can immediately start to customize the photos and text to their own facility at their own pace. This immediately gives them a working document that can evolve as appropriate. Getting started is often the hardest part, and GCSAA wanted to help members take that first step.

No. GCSAA will only create a BMP manual for facilities that do not have a current manual. Facilities that created and deleted manuals, but did not create another will be included in the automatic BMP manual initiative. New manuals will need to be ‘completed’ or ‘customized’ by members.

GCSAA members (superintendents, assistant superintendents, and equipment managers) can access their facility BMP manual here. Members will still need to log into the tool with their GCSAA.org username and password.

Non-members will not have access to a facility BMP manual until they become GCSAA members.

GCSAA provides members with brief how-to-videos that cover key editing processes ranging from editing/creating covers, making text edits, to changing or incorporating photographs. Also, video BMP workshops from various states have been recorded for a full-length training option for members. BMP webinars focusing on section content such as water management and integrated pest management are also available. Watch the videos and webinars.

GCSAA members can also access the full-length BMP webinars through GCSAA’s Learning Hub to receive education credits.

Yes, GCSAA will provide 0.50 service points for completing Step 2 (BMP section) and Step 3 (Cover, introduction and references pages section) within their manual. Members do not have to do exhaustive edits to mark these two steps complete, but making the manual reflect the facility’s course management is recommended.

Members who have already received the service points will be grandfathered in and will keep those service points. However, GCSAA encourages members to customize their manuals. The cutoff date to be grandfathered in for the service points is May 23, 2023. Members can check with GCSAA regarding their service points and records at any time during business hours.

Yes, GCSAA intends to maintain the BMP workshops, seminars, and webinars throughout the BMP program to help members and chapters succeed.

No, GCSAA is not doing this to bolster participation data and does not intend to misrepresent the association’s BMP initiative to anyone. The message is simply: GCSAA worked with state leaders to create BMP manuals for every state and has provided a customizable manual to every member facility.

Metrics pertaining to facility BMP adoption are found within GCSAA’s Golf Course Environmental Profile survey series. GCSAA will focus on the number of manuals that are ‘completed, customized, and/or validated’ as the BMP initiative continues to develop throughout these processes.