course conditions | summer 2009
President’s Perspective
STEVE HAMMON
Welcome to the 2009 golf season! I hope your season is off to a fantastic start and that everybody is happy to be back outside after a very long, cold winter and spring! Your MiGCSA is beginning the 2009 golf season in great shape thanks to the hard work of a very committed Board and staff. They all worked very hard throughout the winter season planning for 2009 and hosting numerous events around the state this spring. Our membership numbers have never been better! As of the end of April, we surpassed 100% retained and returning members. Our spring education sessions were all well attended and our MiGCSA spring golf opener at the Country Club of Lansing was a big success, despite the inclement weather. Thanks to our host Mark Magee, and his fine staff, for making the golf course playable in such wet conditions. We had 54 players who braved the rainy, cool weather. Thirty MiGCSA members traveled to Canada on April 27 for the annual Can-AM Tournament held this year at the Essex Golf & Country Club. The weather was fabulous and this year, our United States team prevailed and brought the trophy back home! Congratulations to Team MiGCSA USA. Next year's event will be held in our country. All MiGCSA members are invited to compete in the CAN-AM Tournament. Upcoming MiGCSA June and July events include: The Ravines Golf Course in Saugatuck, hosted by John Tuckerman, where Steve Allen of Geum Services will be speaking on native grasses and plants in the golf landscape, the Northern MTF fundraiser at The Bear at the Grand Traverse Resort, hosted by Paul Galligan, and a great day at Forest Lake Country Club with our host Fritz McMullen. For more information and registration to these events, visit the MiGCSA website at www.migcsa.org. There are two other MTF Fundraisers scheduled this year, one at Egypt Valley in September and the Big Event at Barton Hills in October. These fundraisers are great opportunities to spend a day with your owner, green committee, board member, GM, or golf pro. Understandably, it's not always possible to attend your local MTF fundraiser so we have included a spot on each registration where you can still make a donation and support the world class turf research at Michigan State University. Your Board held its first strategic planning session since the formation of the state chapter at its spring meeting at Crystal Mountain Resort in March. GCSAA Chapter Liaison, Steve Randall, facilitated this very important and positive planning session for the board and staff. Please take a minute to read Steve Randall's article on page 22; he has provided a very valuable review of our strategic planning outcomes. One of the highlights from the strategic planning session was the development of a new education partnership between the MiGCSA and the Michigan Golf Course Owners Association. Through this great partnership, the MiGCSA will be able to offer more business and management classes so that MiGCSA members can remain competitive and offer more resources to help support their entire golf facility. Each class will have GCSAA approved education points, stay tuned for more details. That's it for now. Have a fantastic summer season and thanks for your continued support of the MiGCSA.
STEVE HAMMON, MiGCSA PRESIDENT
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