Much of my travel for August included various facility visits throughout the region.  During the process of interacting with members and non-members, I always feel welcomed when visiting one of the many clubs across the Central Plains.

In late August, I made a trip to Southwestern Kansas and caught up with folks from Dodge City, Garden City, Elkhart and many places between.  While superintendents are knee deep in their summer schedules, the visits allowed me to appreciate the work GCSAA members do, not only at their facility, but their community as well.
One such visit was to a nine-hole facility in Elkhart. The city sits right on the Oklahoma border and very near the Colorado state line.  Kevin Shook is a 19-year GCSAA member and serves as a Class A superintendent at Point Rock Golf Club.

Remember my point about superintendents helping their communities?  Well, Kevin is a perfect example. In addition to the golf course, Kevin also oversees maintenance for the city airport, parks and grounds.  And if that isn't enough, he coaches various sports in the winter and spring, all helping the city.

You may also ask, why would a superintendent in an area far away from the big city, continue to support his national association and local chapter?

"Information sharing and networking are the two biggest reasons," stated Shook. "I know you can get information by using Google or other search engines on the internet.  But, speaking with people, hearing ideas and sharing information is much more valuable than that," he said.

While Point Rock is a 9-hole facility, the course boasts an excellent driving range and short-game area.  The course is used by high schools during the fall and spring seasons.  The course is an important part of the community.

"We value junior golf," notes Shook.  "While we charge a small fee for juniors to play, we feel its important to get kids involved in the game."

Thanks to a local grant, the club charges juniors just $1 to play.

Great work is being done, at facilities large and small.  It's also great to see the game of golf as an important part of a community.