Trip highlighted by attendance at GCSA of Southern California Annual Meeting

GCSAA board member Kevin Sunderman made the trip out from Florida to speak at the GCSA of Southern California Annual Meeting as well as conduct site visits with numerous members from both the Southern California and Hi-Lo Desert GCSA chapters.

Kevin is the Class A superintendent and director of grounds at Isla Del Sol Yacht & Country Club in St. Petersburg, Fla., and is finishing his second year of service on the national board.  He is a 17-year member of GCSAA. 

The trip was part of a GCSAA initiative to have junior board members make one trip per year out of their region to interact with affiliated chapters. 

Sunderman along with GCSAA Southwest field staff representative Jeff Jensen conducted the visit November 5-8 which featured stops throughout the greater Southern California area.

The trip started with visits in Orange County at Pelican Hill Golf Club and Newport Beach Country Club.  Steve Thomas serves as the director of agronomy at Pelican Hill and welcomed us with lunch and a tour of the 36-hole facility which is one of the premier golf resorts on the West Coast. A quick stop at Newport Beach Country Club with superintendent Scot Dey followed.  Scott took over the facility this past summer and is preparing for the PGA TOUR Champions Hoag Classic in March. 

On Nov. 6, Kevin was the featured speaker at the GCSA of Southern California Annual Meeting held at Mile Square Golf Club in Fountain Valley, CA.  Kevin spoke to the group on teamwork, leadership, board involvement and numerous GCSAA initiatives including the Equipment Managers Certificate Program, Assistant Superintendent Certificate Program, First Green and the Golf Industry Show.

On November 7, we ventured to the Coachella Valley and conducted site visits at four facilities starting with Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.  Director of Agronomy David Hay and superintendent Jared Taylor play host to the LPGA Tours first major of the year, the ANA Inspiration held in March.  Site visits were also conducted with Mountain Vista Golf Club and Hi-Lo Board member Tyler Truman, Andalusia Country Club superintendent Mike Magnani and Eldorado Country Club superintendent Craig Ellis.

On November 8, we headed back North for site visits to Green River Golf Club in Corona and El Prado Golf Club in Chino.  Green River superintendent John Lanier and El Prado superintendent and GCSA of Southern California Vice President Nick Koning provided us with some great feedback and tours of their respective facilities. 

To end the trip, we stopped by Cal Poly Pomona to speak with the Turf Club.  Cal Poly Pomona is the only four-year university in the state with a turf program and always finishes near the top of the standings at the annual Collegiate Turf Bowl at GIS.  The students were excited to meet Kevin who highlighted the benefits of the superintendent profession, golf industry and GCSAA student membership.  He additionally spoke on the value of teamwork and the importance of communication and leadership.  

Thanks to Kevin for taking the time to come out to Southern California and visit with our chapters and superintendents while sharing some great strategy and ideas and thank you to the superintendents and the GCSA of Southern California for the great hospitality.