VOLUME XXVII, PART VII, M A R C H / A P R I L 2 Q 1 3
NEWSLETTER OF THE FLORIDA GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION

DARREN

DAVIS'

ELECTION

TO G C S A A

BOARD!

Congratulations! Kevin Sunderman, FGCSA Vice President and Voting Delegate (left) and Bob
Randquist, CGCS, Past President of the GCSAA congratulate Darren Davis on his election to a
full two-year term on the GCSAA Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting in San Diego.
CALENDAR

OF

EVENTS

MARCH 4

MARCH 1 4

MARCH 2 1

SUNCOAST G C S A SCRAMBLE

U S G A GREEN COMMITTEE UNIVERSITY

SEVEN RIVERS G C S A MONTHLY MEETING

LAUREL OAK COUNTRY CLUB

BOCA W E S T COUNTRY CLUB

GOLDEN OCALA

MARCH 8

MARCH 1 5

MARCH 2 8

CENTRAL FLORIDA G C S A VENDOR EXPO

U S G A GREEN COMMITTEE UNIVERSITY

SOUTH FLORIDA G C S A EXPO, FORT

REUNION RESSORT

AUDUBON COUNTRY CLUB

LAUDERDALE RESEARCH & EDUCATION CENTER

MARCH 1 1

MARCH 1 8

APRIL 1

NORTH FLORIDA G C S A PABLO CREEK

SPRING REGULATOR TOUR

RESEARCH TOURNAMENT

OLD COLLIER GOLF CLUB

PABLO CREEK

MARCH 1 9

MARCH 1 2

EVERGLADES G C S A EDUCATION AND

U S G A GREEN COMMITTEE UNIVERSITY

DINNER MEETING

TAMPA PALMS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

PELICAN BAY

WEST COAST G C S A MEMBERSHIP MEETING
SUMMERFIELD CROSSING GOLF CLUB
APRIL 1 5
NORTH FLORIDA G C S A MEMORIAL
TOURNAMENT
MARSH CREEK GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

PRESIDENT'S

REPORT

BY NANCY MILLER,
C G C S
Fellow Superintendents: The GIS was great!
I took an excellent tech seminar. Learned tricks and tips re: helpful apps, twitter,
and blogging.
Can I write this whole column in semi-twitter style and still use all allotted space?
Notes from the Golf Industry Show:
Congratulations to Darren Davis of Olde Florida Golf Club on being elected to a
two-year term on the GCSAA Board of Directors!
The Florida reception rocked. Hotel Palomar was a great space with indoor and
outdoor gathering spots. Thank goodness for the patio heaters, and what an
awesome hotel entry door.
Thanks to our Industry Partners and reception sponsors. Please support those
who support us by spending your money with our partners and sponsors.

Nancy Miller, CGCS

Thanks to generous donors the Benevolent Fund raised $1110 including 50/50
raffle winner Jeff Wright's $420 donation back to the fund. Thanks Jeff and all who
contributed to help fellow superintendents in need.
Rounds 4 Research (R4R): Florida's response to the R4R campaign has been
lackluster, at best.
Money raised by R4R is donated to the chapter(s) you select for research,
advocacy and scholarships.
GCSAA is working to provide help for you publicize the program to your
members/golfers. We'll let you know as soon as publicity materials are available.
Look for more info at Floridagcsa.com and/or rounds4research.com.

r

N

Editor:

Financial Support:

Joel Jackson, CGCS
(407) 248-1971 (fax/phone)
E-mail: FLGrn@aol.com

This issue of the Green Sheet
is being sponsored by:

News Coordinator:
Jennifer Bryan
PO Box 65
Jensen Beach, FL 34958
(772) 334-7515
(772) 334-6015
E-mail:fgcsa@comcast.net

The Green Sheet is a bimonthly FGCSA
Newsletter printed as follows: Jan/Feb,
March/April, May/June, July/August,
Sept./October, November/December.

FGCSA has become a founding
member of the Florida Golf
Alliance. The partnership includes
Florida Club Managers
Association, Florida North Section
PGA, and Florida South Section
PGA.
It's all about advocacy. In today's
political climate, we're fighting for
our future.
Florida Golf Day 2013: The State
House and Senate declared
February 21, 2013 "Florida Golf
Day". FGCSA and allied golf
association representatives met
with Lt. Governor Carroll, the
Speaker of the House, and
President of the Senate and key
policy makers. In an Industry
roundtable discussion and Capitol
courtyard and rotunda displays,
FGCSA, PGA, LPGA, World Golf

Golf Ventures
5101 Gateway Blvd., Suite 18
Lakeland, FL 33811-2704
800-330-8874
800-481-8911
888-222-7072
All material submitted for printing will
be edited at the discretion of the editor.
Material must be typed or clearly
printed. Photos are encouraged. Items
must be for the good of the association.
Deadline next issue April 15.

Allied Associations: FGCSA and
GCSAA represented by Joel
Jackson, Ralph Dain and Greg
Pheneger, respectively, are active
in a variety of allied golf, agronomy
and turf associations.

V

Continued on on page 3...

...President's

Message continued

from page 2.

Foundation, First Tee Program, FTGA and others spoke
on behalf of Florida's golf industry and conducted demos
and workshops for legislators.

Calendar of Events continued from page 1
APRIL 1 8
EVERGLADES G C S A SPRING SYMPOSIUM, NAPLES
BEACH HOTEL & GOLF CLUB

Key Points: The most recent Florida Golf Economic
Impact Study revealed an annual economic impact of $7.5
billion. Golfs benefits are economic, environmental,
social, healthy and charitable.

APRIL 2 2
SEVEN RIVERS G C S A JEFF HAYDEN MEMORIAL
ENVIROTRON CLASSIC
WORLD WOODS

FGCSA Winter Board meeting outcomes: The FGCSA
Board of Directors passed a due's increase of $25.00
effective for the 2013-14-budget year. Membership fees
fund your association's continuing voice of superintendent
unification via advocacy, economic impact studies,
fertilizer ordinance awareness, publications, BMP's and
research.
Final Tweet thoughts:
Comedian Steve Martin: Did you
know it's possible to Tweet a concise, grammatical,
correctly punctuated sentence that is exactly one hundred
forty characters long?
Comedian Nick Vatterott: Twitter is an online social
networking and micro-blogging service that enables its
users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140
characters.

Stuart Leventhal, CGCS was presented with the FTGA's
Wreath of Grass Award for his service to the golf and turf
industries at the Interlachen CC. Leventhal and the
CFGCSA have hosted 25 consecutive Central Florida
Research Tournaments benefitting the FTGA Research
Foundation raising over $100,000. His wife Roz was on
hand for the occasion in January.

APRIL 3 0
SUNCOAST AND CALUSA G C S A JOINT MEETING
CORAL CREEK CLUB
MAY 7
PALM BEACH G C S A MEETING
ATLANTIC NATIONAL GOLF CLUB
MAY 1 6
F G C S A BOARD MEETING
COUNTRY CLUB OF NAPLES
MAY 1 7 - 1 9
EVERGLADES G C S A POA ANNUA AND G . C . HORN
MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT

Golf Channel announcers Tim Rosaforte (left) and Brandel
Chamblee were the keynote speakers at the General Session of
the GCSAA GIS in San Diego. The pair offered high praise and
respect to the often under-appreciated jobs that superintendents
perform in managing golf courses. They were given a tour of the
Trade Show and educated about the vast array of technology we
employ in grooming courses. Here's hoping they share some of
that education during upcoming broadcasts this year.

2013 FGCSA Reception Sponsors
Thank you for your SUPPORT and making
this event possible!
PLATINUM SPONSORS

Agrium Advanced Technologies
Bayer Environmental Science
Golf Ventures
Harreirs
Howard Fertilizer & Chemical Co., Inc.
John Deere Golf, Beard Equipment, ShowTurf
The Toro Company, Hector Turf, Wesco Turf
GOLD SPONSORS

AmeriTurf
Grigg Brothers
Numerator Technologies, Inc.
SILVER SPONSORS

Becker Underwood
Florida Superior Sand, Inc.
Winfield Solutions Professional Products Group
BRONZE SPONSORS

BASF Specialty Products
Dow AgroSciences
FLORATINE
Geoponics Corp.
Go For Supply, Inc.
Golf Agronomics Supply & Handling
Independent Turf Partners
Precision USA
QGS Development, Inc.
Southeast Partners, Inc.
Sullivan Electric & Pump, Inc.
Tom & Mark Burrows Turfgrass Services

the second Florida Golf Day in Tallahassee. An off
shoot of that enterprise is the forming officially of the
By Joel Jackson, C G C S Retired
Florida Golf Alliance which will be a declared
organization of all of those associations to conduct
Official Business: Greg Pheneger, Chairman of the periodic outreach and education on the issues
FGCSA Government Relations Committee and Ralph affecting the golf industry.
Dain, GCSAA Florida Region Representative are on
the allied green industry group called the Florida
This year Nancy Miller and Mark Kann will be
Partnership for Sustainable Greenspaces (FPSG).
conducting one on one visits with various legislators
The group is designing a logo and a website to
heading up key committees during the Florida Golf
provide easy recognition and access to communicate Day activities. They will also be part of the group
with the public and government on the issues
meetings of the Speaker of the House, President of
affecting the green industries.
the Senate and the Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll.
Governor Scott will be out of town on that date.
A lot of focus lately has been on the east coast
fertilizer ban activity in Brevard County and the City of There will be House and Senate Proclamations of the
Rockledge. Brevard County elected to adopt the State Florida Golf Day, an industry roundtable meeting with
Model Fertilizer ordinance and the City of Rockledge key state department heading including tourism,
has received a lot of input from the FPSG and has
economic development and DEP. There will be a
twice postponed hearings on their rather severe draft putting contest between Republicans and Democrats
of their ordinance. Here's hoping they continue to look in the Capital Court yard, some hitting nets and golf
at the science being given to them.
lessons by PGA and LPGA teaching pros and
various display booths in the Captial Rotunda. The
Florida Golf Day: By the time you read this the Allied FGCSA will have a booth and Erin Wilder of Sod
Golf Associations of Florida will have participated in
Solutions will have turfgrass samples of the various
kinds of turf used on golf greens, tees and fairways.
COMMUNICATIONS

r

REPORT

\

Central Florida/FTGA Research Tournament: From left: Big
Cypress Golf Club General Manager Ron Hibbard and
Superintendent Gary Newcomb teamed up for a 63 and won in
a match of cards over Jim Ellison and Bill Sellers who also fired
a superhuman 63 at the Interlachen CC in January.

Communications: A news release was sent to
Florida Golf Media about the charitable giving of the
FGCSA and it's eleven local chapters. By now you
should have seen the first of the new "Did You Know"
email series that will focus on our association's
accomplishments and the benefits of participating in
our state and local associations. The first one
highlighted the combined charitable giving totals for
2012. Multiply that over the years and we have been
good neighbors to our local communities.
We would like to direct you to our website:
www.floridagcsa.com to join our Facebook and
Twitter feeds so you can share photos and info about
your course. The website is also a one-stop shop for
linking up to all the chapters, signing up for education
and events and renewing your dues. The Calendar
button will give you a look at all the meetings and
events that chapters have submitted information on
for posting. Also, we will alert you to upcoming
events statewide via our Email Blast network, and we
can send out emails for your chapter events via the
same network and customize your messaging by
chapter, region or statewide. Check it out!

«csaa*
(Florida Superintendents Andy Jorgenson, Candler Hills G.C. and Michael McNamara, Palma Ceia G & C C were among
25 superintendents selected to the 2012 Syngenta Business Institute at W a k e Forest University last December.
Jorgenson added, "It was a tremendous opportunity. My skills were greatly increased and enhanced. It was truly an
honor to be selected and was the finest education I have ever received."

MINUTES
2 0 1 3

OF

F G C S A

WINTER
BOARD

MEETING
The Winter 2013 Board Meeting of the
FGCSA Board of Directors was called to
order by President Nancy Miller
at 10:07 am, January 17, 2013 at Maple
Leaf Golf & Country Club, Port
Charlotte.
All officers were present. All Chapters
were represented, with the exception of
the Palm Beach, Treasure Coast and
the Ridge Chapters. The Chapter
Representatives were: Calusa - Jim
Foster, Seven Rivers - Mark Kann,
Central Florida - Rickey Craig, South
Florida - Ricky Reeves,
Everglades Wayne Kappauf , Suncoast - Bill Tyde,
North Florida - Bob Coffey, West Coast Kevin Sunderman
Others attending the meeting were:
Jennifer Bryan - Association Manager;
Joel Jackson - FGCSA Director of

Communications; Todd Lowe - USGA.
Ralph Dain - GCSAA and Darren Davis GCSAA.
Minutes of the FGCSA Fall 2012 Board
Meeting were approved.

Secretary/Treasurer Report - Bill
Davidson presented the current fiscal year
financials. Bob Coffey motioned for
acceptance of the financials. All in favor financials approved.
Dues Increase - Kevin Sunderman
presented the dues increase proposal that
was given to the External VP's at the
December 6, 2012 Long Range Planning
meeting and opened the floor for
discussion. Two chapters did not want to
support the increase. All of the other
chapters that were represented agreed the
dues increase was necessary. A motion
was made by Wayne Kappauf for a $25.00
one-time dues increase for the 2013/2014
fiscal year for all FGCSA members (class
A, SM, and C). The motion was passed
with 6 votes in favor of the increase and 2
opposed.

USGA - Todd Lowe reported that the
USGA will be initiating a fee increase for
their services. In addition, the USGA will
host a Green Committee University
beginning March 11-15. A survey will be
sent out looking for the top 5 topics for
discussion. The goal is to educate the
Green Committee, General Managers,
Pros, etc. on course maintenance needs.
In addition, the USGA will continue to be
available to the state and local chapters,
that are interested by working together to
provide educational opportunities.
GCSAA - Ralph Dain provided an
update on the status of the GCSAA. The
GCSAA is working with the FGCSA as a
key part of the Florida Golf Alliance
which is being modeled after the "We are
Golf for the Florida Golf Day that will be
held on February 21 in Tallahassee. The
GCSAA Compensation and Benefits
Survey will close on January 25th. Be
sure to take the time to complete this
survey. Ralph continues to communicate
on the local chapter level and is available
to make facility visits for those chapters
Continued on page 7...

...Board Meeting Minutes Cont. from page 3.

that would like his help to reach out to those
folks who are not members. GIS; the new
Golf format has increased participation for
the golf tournament, however, numbers are
still lower than expected for the GIS.
Rounds 4 Research - The Rounds 4
Research program will kick off with two
auctions this year; during the US Open and
PGA Championship. Information is
available on the website to help
communicate the program to the Pros and
GM's. Chapters may participate in both or
one auction.
Committee Reports:
LRP - The LRP committee and the board
continue to work on the future of the
Executive Director position. This will be a
slow process as the Association works to
develop and long term business model.
The process will not be rushed In addition
to developing a business model the
Association will find new ways to
communicate its value through marketing
and communication. The FGCSA will also
evaluate its chapter affiliation agreements
with the local chapters and incorporate
those changes into the new business
model.
Director of Communications Report
1. Government Legislative/Regulatory
Update: NNC: EPA has recognized many of
FL DEP's Nutrient Management Criteria, but
still is invoking their own set of criteria to
satisfy the previous Court Decree. However
implementation is delayed until Nov 2013 to
give EPA and DEP and chance to work out
more numbers and details.
Allied Associations and Industries of
Florida have been and continue to work on
a proactive legislative plan of advocacy
aimed at outreach and education of all
counties and cities that have yet to enact
fertilizer regulations. At the state level there
will be a push to get professional, trained
applicators and companies exempt from
Fertilizer Ban Periods that are certified in
the GIBMPs.
Water Quality and Restrictions: There are
no special water shortage restrictions
currently in place, but as we enter the "drier"
period of the calendar be on alert for
potential water use reductions. On the water
quality issue, Mac Carraway from SMR
Farms, and FTGA Member and Allied
Industry member is heading up a group to
work with Hillsborough County to provide
peer review oversight of the Tampa Bay
Monitoring program to get underway this
year with studies being done by a team of
scientists from the University of South

Florida. Other members of the Turf Industry
will assist Mac on making sure the science
is based on good practices and protocol. A
series about "Florida's Sick Rivers" ran in
the Orlando Sentinel in December. As per
usual it ignored FL DEP BMPs and NNC
recommendations and the recent UF/IFAS
findings of real world fate of fertilizers and
continued to call lawn fertilizers a major
pollution cause harming our waterways.

encourage more chapters to get
involved and join forces with other
chapters to offer regional BMP
opportunities. In sum, 146 people
have taken the test; 65 certified to
date.

In other news the FL DEP has issued some
new streamlined and uniform guidelines for
all water management districts to follow.
This as well as emails and attachments on
the other topics above have all been
forwarded to the FGCSA BOD as they came
across my desk.

Membership - A membership chart
was presented to the board. Overall
numbers have improved over last
year, however, many chapters are still
struggling. The board agreed that we
will need to continue to discuss the
Chapter affiliation agreements and
keep an open discussion on new ways
to work between the chapters with
memberships, specifically the affiliate
members.

2. Allied Association News: Ralph Dain and
I attended a Florida Golf Alliance meeting in
December at the Reunion Resort near
Orlando. The North and South PGA
Sections, Club Managers and LPGA were
also represented at the meeting. The group
discussed how to formalize and organize
the Florida Golf Alliance. The details are still
being finalized and various Founding and
Participating Levels are being defined. This
group going forward will help represent the
allied golf associations at the state level.
Florida Golf Day stakeholders held a
conference call on January 3 rd to go over
topics and agendas for the February 20 th 21 st activities in Tallahassee.
Subcommittees will work offline to formalize
the messaging and final agenda. Erin Wilder
of Sod Solutions has volunteered to arrange
for sod samples of various golf grasses to
be on display at the State Capitol so visitors,
legislators etc. can "see, touch and feel" the
kinds of grass used on golf courses. They
have handouts with info on the grasses as
well.
Membership Directory - The Membership
Directory went to the printer in early
December and should be completed and
mailed the end of January/beginning of
February. Advertiser numbers were down
from last year.
Industry Partnership Program - Our
Industry partnership program remains
strong with most partners renewing for the
new fiscal year. We have gained several
new partners and will continue to encourage
more supporters to join as an FGCSA
Industry Partner.
B M P - The BMP Certification Program
continues to grow. We held our third BMP
certification class on January 14th at IRSC
St. Lucie West. The FGCSA would like to

The meeting was temporarily
adjourned at 12:08 for a lunch break.
At 1:03 pm the meeting reconvened.

Reception - The FGCSA Reception
will be held at the Hotel Palomar from
7-10pm on February 7 th . The Hotel is
the sister hotel of the Hotel Solamar.
Support and Sponsorship has been
great and we anticipate a wonderful
reception and turnout.
Chapter Delegates - Kevin
Sunderman presented to the board his
election recommendations as the state
and local chapter GCSAAA Voting
Delegate. Bill Tyde motioned to
accept Kevin's vote recommendations.
The motion was approved.
The next Long Range Planning
Meeting will be held on March 7 th or
March 14th at Shingle Creek. Jennifer
will send out a straw poll to the board
and a final meeting date and location
will be announced.
The Spring Board Meeting will be held
at The Country Club of Naples on May
16th. The time will be announced at a
later date.
The meeting was adjourned 2:13 pm.

Follow us on Facebook and
Twitter:

https://www.facebook.com/FGCSA
https://twitter.com/FGCSA

Lakeland: 800-330-8874
Jupiter: 888-222-7072

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