Guest Columnist Being a member by Adam Ikamas, CGCS, Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association Executive Director
If you are reading this then you are very likely and active and involved member of the MGCOA so first and foremost congratulations on being an involved and proactive member of an association that represents Golf Course Owners all over Michigan. As a reader of this you probably already know how important it is to be active in an association that represents your profession, after all without members there is no association, and without active member there is no advancement of the profession. But as an active MGCOA member do you encourage the same type of involvement to your employees? Many of you have PGA Professionals working for you, are they a member of the Michigan PGA? Food and Beverage managers and chefs are they members of the Michigan Food and Beverage Association? And most importantly to me is your Golf Course Superintendent a member of the Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association? The MiGCSA is the local chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. We have over 700 members mainly in the state of Michigan and represent just shy of 300 golf facilities. We have multiple golf and education meetings throughout the year to help facilitate networking with other Superintendents in the area and continuing education. As you all know the #1 asset at any Golf Course is The Course, and the #1 influence on that asset is your Superintendent. A membership to the MiGCSA is only $75 a year and is a great investment in the individual that takes care of the most important part of your operation.
But again as an active and involved member of the MGCOA that has read this far into this article you know that just being a member is not enough, remember without member involvement there is no advancement. So after you make sure your Super is a MiGCSA member or after you sign them up a great way to help the entire Golf Business in Michigan is to bring them to Golf Day on June 13th. There is no better way to make sure they are as involved as you are than to bring them with you, if it is important to you it will become important to them by default. The Michigan Golf Alliance is exactly what it sounds like; all of the
5
associations are aligned to help promote golf in Michigan. We all do a great job on our own to help promote our members, but without all of us working together we would not be able to accomplish as much as we have. This same philosophy can be transferred to your facility; everyone must be working towards the same goal regardless of their position. If all of your managers are not involved and aligned towards a common goal how can you expect to be successful. So this year make sure all of your managers are as dedicated to their trade associations as you are, and now I really know you are dedicated because you made it to the last paragraph!
WWW.MGCOA.ORG
MAY/JUNE 2012