EARTH SHAPING NEWS Published Quarterly by the Golf Course Builders Association of America
GCBAA members and guests seated in the historic Breakers ballroom.
Inside Issue the
4
President’s Perspective
5
Executive Director Notes
13 Human Resources 18 Allied Updates 21 New Members 21 GCBAA Meetings Calendar 22 Movers & Shapers
3Q | 2019
GCBAA South Florida REGIONAL MEETING On December 10th -12th, the GCBAA hosted its annual South Florida Regional Meeting at The Breakers in Palm Beach, FL. The meeting was kicked off with an Open Discussion for Irrigation contractors, followed by a networking reception sponsored by our partners at Caterpillar, Kelly Tractor, and Ring Power. Nearly 100 individuals, representing over fifty companies, were present for this courtyard event. During the Irrigation discussions the group took a special moment to remember Glenda “Sissie” Cope (Passed April 4, 2019). Paul thanked the group for the love and support he and his family received while Sissie and Paul went through treatments. The outpouring of support is one of the very special reasons this association is so much different than others; the group is a family and supports one another during difficult times; whether in business or personal life. Day two of the meeting was filled with education and discussion led by Dr. Todd Bunnell (BrightView), Justin Apel (GCBAA Executive Director), Justin Ganschow (CAT Safety), Erin Wilder (Sod Solutions), and Martin Sternberg (Capillary Concrete). Topics like Growing in a Golf Course, Safety, Innovative Solutions, and Hydroponics were discussed by our speakers. An continue on pg. 2
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open panel discussion of “latest design trends” was held by architects Erik Larsen, John Sanford, Kipp Schulties, and ASGCA President, Jan Bel Jan. Day three gave way to what we love most -- GOLF. A whopping four people teed it up at The Breakers’ Ocean Course, with Jay Smith taking the opening tee shot of the morning. Also, on the card was Chris Clarke, President of Clarke Construction Group, Inc., as well as Drew McGeein and Justin Stewart with Travelers’ Haven/Hotel Engine. We won’t divulge any scores, but it was 18-holes of the Chris Clarke show. The fishing charter was cancelled due to inclement weather and 8-foot seas. All in all, the regional meeting was a great success, with a strong representation from all companies. The GCBAA, and its members, cannot thank our participating sponsors enough. Without these companies, and the individuals who serve within them, this meeting would not have been possible. EAGLE supporters were Sunbelt Rentals, Caterpillar, Ring Power, Kelly Tractor, Big Orange Rental, Hotel Engine, and Travelers Haven. Our BIRDIE supporters were Harco, Capillary Concrete, Ryan Golf Corporation, MCI Motor Controls Inc., QGS Development, The Toro Company, Hector Turf, and Wesco Turf. PAR support companies were Lasco Fittings, Total Golf Construction, Watertronics, Total Turf Golf Services, Tee Off Temps, South Florida Grassing, Inc., Peat Inc., Sullivan Electric & Pump, Regency Wire, Links Bridges, Rain Bird, BrightView, ADS/Hancor, and Wadsworth Golf Construction Company. Sunbelt Rentals sponsored breakfast and breaks on Wednesday, with Big Orange Rental sponsoring our lunch. The sponsorships of these companies are profound. Not only are they committed to the comradery of the association, but to the excellence of our industry. Thank you to each of our sponsors, and members, for your participation in the 2019 GCBAA South Florida Regional Meeting.
2 GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019
Regional Meeting Sponsors
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019 3
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
I
Patrick Karnick
GCBAA PRESIDENT
BOARD MEMBERS Ronnie Adkins Aspen Corporation Chris Caccavale Caterpillar Inc. (Secretary) Ellen Davis SportZmix Solutions (Vice President) Judd Duininck Duininck Golf (President Elect) Greg Hufner Total Turf Services John McDonald II McDonald & Sons, Inc. (Treasurer) Jon O’Donnell Heritage Links Mike Perez VM Golf Services Manny Pina Ewing Irrigation Bob Sylvester The Toro Company Blake Thomas Regency Wire Jon Truttmann Hunter Industries Scott Veazey Southeastern Golf, Inc. (Past President) Rick Williamson LASCO Fittings, Inc. Tom Works Landscapes Unlimited, LLC
4 GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019
t’s hard to believe that my two-year term as President of the GCBAA is coming to a close. I remember putting some notes together for my first President’s Perspective like it was yesterday and wondering what challenges were ahead for myself and the Association in this role and whether or not I was the right person for the job. I can say two years later that there have been challenges I never expected as well as many more rewards that came along with working through those challenges, both personally and for the GCBAA. It was an honor to be elected to this position and it has been even more of an honor to serve the Association, both as President and as a Board Member over the past 12 years. Much has changed in the golf industry and within the GCBAA over that period. Looking back through several previous issues of Earth Shaping News, it would appear that the entire Board of Directors has turned over in that time, with the exception of John McDonald, II. I have always felt that while change can be difficult at times, in the end, it is usually for the better and makes progress more successful. I am proud to be a part of a Board that has accomplished many of the goals that we set out to take on over the past several years. Improving Member Benefits and Allied Association Relationships have always been on the top of the list for this Board and I assume will be there for the foreseeable future. Our recent partnership with the GCSAA and the ASGCA for the Golf Industry Show in Orlando and beyond is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Board and GCBAA staff. In addition to raising the awareness and profile of our Association, this partnership will create greater opportunities for both the Association and our individual members. It has also created opportunities to improve the financial position of the GCBAA through increased member participation in this partnership program. Looking back over my time with the GCBAA, there are many people to thank for their support, guidance and direction through the years. To name a few; Tommy Sasser, Tom Shapland, Bob Pinson, Dave Munkvold, Kurt Huseman, Rick Boylan and Scott Veazey. All PastPresidents that have led the Association and provided a common high standard to follow in that role. I have also been fortunate to meet many new people and develop great friendships on the Board. While there have been several, the dedication of time and effort by Ellen Davis, Stephanie Zimmerman and Dennis Wagner over many years has been a constant inspiration and
reminder of what volunteering for the GCBAA entails. Thanks to all of you for your leadership and friendship! As I step into my role as Past-President, I look forward to supporting our incoming President, Judd Duininck, and the entire Board of Directors. I would also like to congratulate our new incoming Board Members Chris Hill (Course Crafters), Jason Sloan (Frontier Golf), Matt Lohmann (Wadsworth Golf), Kevin Grieder (Sunbelt) and Rick Shriver (Harco) and thank our departing Board Members for their service including Ronnie Adkins (Aspen Golf Corporation), Ellen Davis (Waupaca Sand), Mike Perez (VM Golf) and Blake Thomas (Regency Wire). The success of the Board has been a result of the teamwork atmosphere that exists within that group and future success will require that to continue. Good luck to all of you! Finally, a great deal of thanks goes out to our Executive Director, Justin Apel, for his dedication and service to our Association and constant forwardlooking vision on how to maintain and improve our position within the golf industry in general and within our group of allied associations in particular. I have personally seen Justin develop from his previous role as Executive Assistant into his current role as Executive Director. Justin plays an important role in managing the leadership of the Association and we are fortunate to have him. I fully expect and hope that change will continue within the GCBAA for many years to come. There are several new members and member companies and the leadership of the Association continues to evolve and include those willing to step up and play a role in the future of the GCBAA. We will always be a member driven organization and our success will always depend on the active participation of our membership. I encourage each of you to find some way to participate and get more involved in the GCBAA and I can promise you will get more out than you put in. Thank you for all the support and friendship you have given over the past couple years. I hope I can continue to participate and stay active within the Association for many years to come. As always, if there is ever anything I can do to assist in any way, please feel free to reach out directly. Sincerely, Patrick Karnick
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NOTES
W
rapping up 2019 and moving into 2020 has been an adventure to say the least! We all felt the rush of a late Thanksgiving along with the holiday’s and new year hitting mid-week; compile that into an early Golf Industry Show; we all wonder what happened to January. When you are trying to keep a newsletter on schedule it hits even harder! We are at a point of drawing clear lines in the sand of what articles go in which quarter newsletter and after the next few weeks we will be caught back up in our publication routine! The industry received some heartening blows with the loss of some amazing individuals in golf. Some who have had an amazing career in golf like Pete Dye and Paul Fullmer; however, two that were still producing significant contributions and creating their own legacies through mentorship and support to our members: friends Mike Jenkins and Bob Bryant. It was difficult to hear the news of both of their passing and we certainly sent our support to their families during the holidays. GCBAA and our members never cease to amaze me with their support of one another. To see the level of support by our members to one another in 2019 and now moving well into 2020 has been truly humbling. We saw collaboration
when the industry recession was at its peak; one another helping each other through the troubling times. What is amazing to see is how many of our members continue to work together even through the current strong market. Too see firsthand the level of support given to the organization by our volunteers shows the strength of what this association has become. It gives a true new meaning to “Member Driven Organization” and gives your staff and board the motivation to keep growing and expanding our offerings. Case in point; you will see several contributions for articles in this issue. We appreciate our partners who provide content and welcome your ideas moving forward. We want to see this publication continue and be an information resource for our members and subscribers. We appreciate everyone’s support and patience as we roll out 2020 and the new partnership and programs made available to our members!
GCBAA AND OUR MEMBERS NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE ME WITH THEIR SUPPORT OF ONE ANOTHER
Justin Apel
EARTH SHAPING NEWS
©GOLF COURSE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
6040 S. 58th St., Suite D Lincoln, NE 68516 TEL (402) 476-4444 FAX (402) 476-4489
information@gcbaa.org www.gcbaa.org
JUSTIN APEL
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
justin_apel@gcbaa.org
MYCHELLE THOMPSON
PROGRAM & PLANNING MANAGER
mychelle_thompson@gcbaa.org
LUNDMARK ADVERTISING & DESIGN DESIGN & LAYOUT
www.lundmarkadv.com
Information in this publication may be reproduced for nonprofit education purposes. Please include source credit if reproducing. Contact the Executive Director if material is used for any other purpose to obtain written permission. News releases via email or fax are welcomed and encouraged.
Justin Apel
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CHARTER MEMBERS
ACC Golf Construction ADS/Hancor, Inc. Aspen Corporation Boyd Irrigation, Inc. Bryant Taylor Gordon Golf Cal Olson Golf Architecture Caterpillar, Inc. Clarke Construction Group Duininck Golf Dye Designs International Eagle Golf and Landscapes Products Ewing Irrigation Fleetwood Services LLC Forward Group Glase Golf, Inc. Greenscapes Six HARCO Fittings Hartman Companies, Inc. Henderson & Company, Inc. Heritage Links Hunter Industries ISCO Industries Jacklin Golf Landirr, Inc. Landscapes Unlimited, LLC LASCO Fittings Inc. Leemco Inc. MacCurrach Golf McDonald & Sons, Inc. MCI Flowtronex Medalist Golf Mid-America Golf & Landscape, Inc. Mountain View Seeds NMP Golf Construction Corp. Profile Products LLC QGS Development, Inc. Rain Bird Corporation - Golf Division Raven CLI Ryangolf Corporation Shapemasters, Inc. Southeastern Golf SportZmix - Waupaca Sand & Solutions Sunbelt Rentals Tee-2-Green The Cart Path Company The Toro Company United Golf, LLC VM Golf Services Wadsworth Golf Construction Company West Coast Turf XGD Systems, LLC DBA TDI Golf
Archived issues available at www.gcbaa.org. GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019 5
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6 GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019
Outgoing President Pat Karnick
Incoming President Judd Duininck
SIT DOWN WITH THE GCBAA LEADERS –
Pat Jones
O
ur good friend Pat Jones had a chance to catch-up with GCBAA Outgoing President Pat Karnick and incoming President Judd Duininck to capture a little more about the two leaders of the association.
The Wadsworth Way The Chicago burbs have always been kind of a launching pad for successful folks in the golf business. Countless top superintendents, world-class designers and trailblazing owners hail from the Windy City. The place is breeding ground for industry talent. Growing up in Glen Ellyn, Pat Karnick didn’t have a clue about any of that. He’d played golf a bit, but it wasn’t a passion. He happily headed south to the University of Illinois to study computer science without a thought of golf in his head. But, it turned out he wasn’t a fan of being inside a stuffy building writing computer code all day long. The idea of working outdoors was far more appealing so he switched to landscape architecture and loved it. He finished his degree and made it a career. Then, fate intervened. “Every day on my way to work at my first real job out of college, I drove by an office that said, ‘Dick Nugent, Golf Course Architect,’ Karnick recalls.
“Every day, I’d see it and think ‘You know, that sounds like a neat thing to do.’ So, one day I pulled into his office with a portfolio of all my landscape architecture drawings and stuff from school that I had put together. This was 1989 and Bob Lohman, Jeff Brauer, Jim Engh, Bruce Borland and all those guys had recently left Nugent’s office to go to work for Nicklaus or go out on their own. So, Dick has a bunch of work to do. He asked me three questions: ‘Can you draw? Can you do a grading plan? Can you start tomorrow?’ I answered in the affirmative and that’s how my career began,” he recalls with a laugh. Many of the Chicago-area Nugent projects involved Wadsworth. “At the time I got to know the company I was a draftsman and doing rudimentary grading plans that Dick would review and fix. Mostly I was sitting behind a drafting board every day. Every time I got to go out in the field and there were bulldozers pushing dirt and backhoes digging ditches and cool things going on, I would think, “This is what I want to do.” So, the time came, and Dick was making some staffing changes, so I went to work for Wadsworth.” In the quarter-century since, Karnick has been a leader within Wadsworth, the GCBAA and the industry. His term as president of the GCBAA has been a busy one. As he finishes his time at the helm, we talked with him about what he’s learned, how things have evolved
and what his hopes are for the future. PJ: What was it like at Wadsworth during the go-go days when you signed on? PK: When I joined the team in ’90, Wadsworth was building 20-25 new courses per year. We worked everywhere: southwest, southeast, midwest and Hawaii. It was crazy. I had only worked in the office for about three months when they came to me and said hey do you want to move to Hawaii? You think about that time and compare it today. Wow! PJ: Who are the people who’ve really influenced you along the way? PK: Personally, my parents were a huge influence… setting me on the right course. Put your nose down and work hard and you’ll get where you want to go. From a professional standpoint it was certainly John Cotter and Brent Wadsworth. John was really running the company most of the time I’ve been here. He was really managing all the offices and running the projects from our headquarters in Chicago. He hired me and was the one who sent me to Hawaii to work out of our Pacific office with Tom Shapland. Day or night, I could call him and ask him what to do in almost any circumstance. He was my go-to guy. He was a big influence on myself and of dozens of others GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019 7
within the company. Brent was all about putting quality first for the projects and the people we were working for. His attitude was, “It’s not me you’re working for, it’s this owner or this architect.” That’s a great lesson. When John really took over the company, Brent was able to get involved in a bunch of different things. He owned Innisbrook in Florida and Tamarron in Colorado and even a Toro distributor in Florida. He was also starting his foundation and finding ways to grow the game of golf. He became a great advocate for golf and everything that came along with it. He loved everything about it. He invested to try to get golf back on its feet again. It’s sad that he’s gone but I think we were lucky to have Brent around as long as we did. PJ: You’ve overseen quite a few projects. Talk about a few particularly meaningful ones. PK: I was a project job superintendent for 15 years so during that time there are three that came to mind. Haymaker, in Steamboat Springs, which was a Keith Foster creation. It was just a farm field that was part of a sand quarry and we carved it into a golf course. This flat piece of rocky, sandy ground turned out to be a great experience. Then there’s The Preserve out in Carmel, a Tom Fazio design. It’s very remote. We built that thing through these valleys and there were hundreds of people climbing around in this amazing location and working every day. It was a massive project that demanded things like plastic underneath greens and liners under the lakes. On top of that it was just a spectacular golf course carved through unbelievable topography. The third was Mayacama up in Santa Rosa, California. It was a Nicklaus job that was similar to the Preserve in topography. Just a raw piece of ground with just a perfect course carved out. It was a very fluid job and it was incredibly fun to build.
PK: The use of GPS. It’s evolved so much that it’s in everything that we use. We can now put the architect’s plan on a handheld GPS unit and if you want to measure the green in the field you can walk around it and determine its 6,000 square feet. When I started out none of this was around. One time we actually used paper plates over the top of irrigation heads and did a flyover in a plane to take pictures and create an as-built! PJ: Were there things along the way you wish you could change? PK: I’ve been so many places but I didn’t do much sightseeing! I just went to build a golf course somewhere. I went to work every day in Napa or Sonoma but never really got out and checked out what was right there all around me. You get so focused on getting the job done and you don’t take that time to experience the place. I’ve made a conscience effort to do that over the last ten years.
WE HAVE TO EDUCATE FOLKS ABOUT WHO WE REALLY ARE AND WHAT WE REALLY DO
PJ: What’s the similarity among those? PK: They were all similar environments. Brand new raw piece of ground. You had to have a vision to see what it was. You go out and there’s a center line stake half through prairie and half through woods, you had to really envision what you were going to build there. PJ: You just described what a lot of golf course construction is…having the vision to see the reality of a blueprint. PK: Right! You can look at a grading plan and hold it up in the air over a piece of ground and say, “Yeah I can see that there.” You’re translating twodimensional into three-dimensional. PJ: What’s the thing that’s changed things the most from the time you started until now? 8 GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019
PJ: When you think about your most memorable colleagues at GCBAA, who stands out? PK: When I got on the board, Bob Pinson was president. He took me under his wing and said, “Tell me what I can do to help you do what you want to do.” He was a smaller contractor, but he was a great man. He was also a ref and an umpire in his life before golf. He called ‘em like he saw ‘em! Then Tom Shapland who I’ve worked with my whole career with Wadsworth. He’s always been a great example for me. Finally, I’ve got to say Rick Boylan who worked for Wadsworth for 15 years before he started his own company. He always encouraged me, coached me and supported me. We’ve grown to be great friends over many years of working together on the GCBAA. PJ: What will you remember most from your time as president? PK: Closing the deal of the partnership with the superintendents and the architects to be the main presenting partners in the show and just our associations working so well together. That’s a huge thing. And then there were fun things like the summer meetings and golfing with the GCSAA presidents like Darren Davis and Rafael Barajas. Both are great guys and great golfers. Also giving the Rossi award to Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore in San Diego. Meeting Ben Crenshaw…I was beside myself. I was in awe of being up there. (Laughs) One moment that stands out was my first day as president at the show in San Antonio. I was walking over to the hotel and I got a call and learned that Brent
had passed away. I’ll never forget it because it was a blow, but I had to think how proud that he would be. The company was moving on without him and that’s what he wanted to happen. He wanted to make sure we kept going. PJ: Let’s talk about that…as things have evolved, what is Wadsworth doing differently? PK: We’ve tried to find a level of business that’s maintainable over a long period. Our model is to find the number and size of projects that works for us over the next five or six years. You can’t predict too much but we feel like if we can maintain seven to eight jobs and this amount of revenue and keep our people working we’ll be in good shape. One thing that hasn’t evolved is that all we do is build golf courses. We don’t manage ‘em or maintain ‘em…we just build ‘em… and there are people that appreciate that. But we have tried to take on more of a boutique approach because some clients want that. We’ve always had a reputation as being a big production company. Yes, we have the resources for big, complicated projects, but we’ve been trying to overcome the stigma that we only do giant projects. We try to provide great service on the personal level. PJ: So it’s kind of a rebranding thing? PK: Exactly. We have to educate folks about who we really are and what we really do. PJ: Are you optimistic about the reno market? PK: There’s going to be constant renovation. We’re starting to renovate all the golf courses that are 2025 years old. Five more years from now they’ll be a new bunch. We have eight projects right now including two new courses. One in Indy for Tim Liddy, which Pete Dye had a hand in up until he recently passed. He had such a huge influence on our industry in so many ways. And we’re building one of the PGA of America courses out in Frisco, TX with Beau Welling and his team. PJ: We’ve just begun the ‘20s. What are your hopes for the future for GCBAA? PK: I want to make sure we maintain a passion for our membership and that members see the good that individual involvement brings to the whole association. There has to be grass roots to make this a strong and positive group and that happens when people pitch in, get in the trenches, go to the meetings, and continue to learn. Being willing to learn and keep growing individually is so important. PJ: What do you hope your successors will do? PK: I think they need to stay engaged with the allied associations. It’s critical. It’s what got us our success. We all had the same problems and if something benefits one, it usually benefits the others. Those three associations…the stronger we are together, the stronger we are individually. We lift ourselves up by holding on to each other.
PJ: Who do you want to thank? PK: My folks and my family. I’m 53 now with two little kids (3 and 5!) and I had six brothers and sisters growing up. I’m really just beginning to understand what my mom and dad went through with all of us! Wow. I’m very thankful. And then Brent and what he did for the golf industry and for providing me and so many people with such great opportunities. When I interview people interview now I say, “I’ll offer you an opportunity and what you do with it is entirely up to you.” That’s all John offered me back nearly 30 years ago. He said, “I’ve got an opportunity for you. It’s gonna take a lot of hard work, you’re gonna have ups and downs, good days and bad days, time away from your family and friends…but you’re going to get the chance go great places and do remarkable things.” That’s what Wadsworth provided for me.
Faith, Family, and Friends in GCBAA Judd Duininck has the world's shortest LinkedIn page: "Partner, Duininck Companies, June 1992 to present." Those few words say a lot about the person who's about to take the tiller of the GCBAA. He's had a singular focus for 27 years, he's all about faith and family, and he's been firmly planted in Minnesota. In fact, the tiny town of Prinsburg, Minnesota, 100 miles west of Minneapolis, has been at the heart of Duininck's story since day one. The population is just 497 but a sizable chunk of them seem to be his cousins or kin. And construction is in their blood. Faith and family have been dominant themes in Duinincks’ life. He grew up one of four children of a father who is part owner with his brothers and relatives in the family construction company started by his grandfather and two other Duininck brothers in 1926. "We all grew up in Prinsburg. Many of my cousins that I played with as a kid are now all my business partners." As early as 15, his mom was dropping him off to work at job sites: "My job was testing gravel and doing quality control to see if the gravel mixes met specifications. It wasn't rocket science but early on I already had a feel for sieves and sands which helped me as I entered the golf business. This experience helped me to understand greensmix and bunker sands as I started into the golf industry." By 16, he was on the road working construction on summer breaks from Central Minnesota Christian School, the only school (public or private) in the small town of Prinsburg where he and his family all attended. The school didn’t have a golf team when I was in school there. Playing golf was not an option in a construction family like his. "You worked when the weather was good. Six days a week. I had tried golf but never had time for it because it was work all week and then family and the lake on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. The closest golf course was 25 miles away, so we just weren’t around it." He went on to attend and graduate from nearby Bethel College and then started in earnest in the
family's broad-based construction business, which included road building, underground utility projects, and serious engineering jobs. The company had built a course in 1968 and again in 1983 but golf construction wasn't really part of the business yet. In the late 80’s a focus on golf course construction was starting to begin. "After I graduated, my uncle who ran our heavy civil construction division called me into his office and asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I didn't want to do underground utility construction and I didn't want to build golf courses! He said it sounded like I was a road builder, so I went and did that for six months." But his life changed soon thereafter when the company was awarded a golf project. "I was the only young single Duininck at that point, so I got volunteered and headed out on the road to help a guy named Dave Munkvold." That began a long and remarkable mentoring relationship between Munkvold -- one of the association's most highly regarded veterans -- and Duininck. It was the spark that lit Judd's career and led him to the presidency of GCBAA.
PJ: And then the golf boom started! JD: Yup, it was already underway, but we stayed pretty regional during the '90s. We didn't have to travel because the business was here (in the Minnesota region). Then we spread our wings and working all over the country. From coast to coast, and north to south. Over the years my family has taken up golf as family time. All of our children have played on their high school golf teams. I was even fortunate enough that Chris Tritabaugh (golf course superintendent at Hazeltine National) let me be on the grounds crew during 2009 PGA Championship. This was a great experience that I will never forget.
2019 WAS A GOOD YEAR AND 2020 IS SHAPING UP TO BE ANOTHER STRONG TIME IN THE INDUSTRY
PJ: What has it meant to still have that business connection with the people you've grown up with? JD: I kind of take it for granted that all of us cousins can be friends, business partners, and all get along. There are eight of us who are partners and cousins and brothers. I actually report to one of my cousins who’s younger than me. But that doesn't even matter because we all get along so well, and we have the same values and purpose for what we are working for. PJ: What is that? JD: For us as partners we're all Christian businesspeople who are kingdom focused. We work towards a greater purpose that isn’t about us, but about serving the people around us. PJ: How did you get hooked on golf course construction? JD: It only took one project for me. I loved working independently both on the golf course and on my own. Let’s just say the opportunity to get away, away from my dad and uncles who had a tendency to micromanage was nice! It was more interactive with the owner and architect than other types of construction, which I loved. Golf course construction gave me the opportunity to use some of the creative talents that God blessed me with. When work is fun, you look forward to getting up each morning.
PJ: What was the moment you knew you wanted to have a
career in golf? JD: The collaborative effort between the architect, owner, and ourselves sparked me as so much different than heavy civil road projects. Projects weren’t a “we vs they” but instead, people were more focused on working together as a team. Being able to build teams, affect culture through creativity is what I enjoy and building golf courses provided that opportunity for me at Duininck.
PJ: Who do you think has had the biggest influence on your career along the way? JD: There were a few people. Dave Munkvold was my mentor on the construction side. I've never before or since met anyone who had such a vast knowledge of construction. He had the ability to build anything and everything and he could read any type of plan quickly, understand the scope of work, and put it into action. He was a good teacher – he had a real gift – and if you had a willingness to learn, he would teach you. He had a unique ability to assess situations and problems and understand plans better than anyone I've come across. When we were putting together a cost estimate for a project, he could spot the future problems. He saved us numerous times from making a bad estimate. When Dave retired it was a sad day to lose that knowledge and experience. He's always been a friend. Todd Clark (CE Golf Design) is an architect that was influential early in my career. Todd understood I was new in my role and helped me understand what he wanted to see. Todd knew that we as a company were a company built on strong values. This helped us work together great as a team. All the golf course architects we have worked with have been so influential as well. As a golf course construction company, we are able to work with so many architects and see so many different ideas and styles. These different outlooks have become a wealth of knowledge to our employees and clients. GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019 9
From a business side my biggest influence has really been the entire Duininck Companies organization. We're the third generation of the family business. Our 2nd generation partners always taught us to be servant leaders. It’s more than the work. It’s the relationships above and beyond the work. At the end of the day we are here to serve others. PJ: Sneaking up on 30 years in the business, which projects have come to mean the most for you? JD: It's not one specific course. What I appreciate the most have been the projects where the entire team – owner, consultants, architect and our team – are all rowing in the same direction. That may sound easy but for some reason not all projects go that way. When everyone has their main role, but everyone is willing to be flexible and collaborate and make the project better, you feel free to share what you really think. Maybe it’s humility? A willingness to drop the ego and collaborate and get it done. Leaving your ego at the door. Finding those right relationships for projects is really key. PJ: Any disappointments or things you’d wish you’d tried earlier? JD: Every business has its ups and downs. For me the bigger disappointment is that 20 or 30 years ago, all we did was work! Six days a week, home every other couple of months or just for the holidays. We spent very little time with our families. My wife Shelly has been such a great supporter over the years. Weeks on end I would be away, while she was at home raising our three children alone. As I look back, her job was much more difficult than mine. It's hard because one of our core values as a company is family. Golf course construction means travel and living away from home for extended periods of time and you can't get away from some of that. We as a company are trying to get our people home on a more regular basis and help live out our values. PJ: What would you tell a young person considering a career as a golf course builder? JD: I always emphasize both the positives and the challenges. On the upside, the golf course business is the most fun type of construction to be involved in. Every project it different. The type of work being completed changes often – you’re doing demolition, clearing, earthwork, drainage, feature construction, irrigation, finishing, etc. There's nothing more gratifying than pulling it all together at the very end and seeing the finished product. The people you get to work with are great people to be involved with. On the other hand, unfortunately, the business demands time away from family. Therein lies the constant struggle. I think that's why it's not unheard of for people to change careers after a while. They don't jump to another competitor, they move on to something that's more conducive to a healthy family life for them.
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PJ: Is it fair to say it's a lifestyle, not a job? JD: Oh, for sure. PJ: Name the #1 most game-changing technology for golf course construction in your view. JD: As a company, it's been implementation of GPS in general. That said, some people now think you just stick a GPS unit on your dozer and go build golf courses. It obviously doesn't work like that because the operator and shaper are still heavily relied on for creativity and artistic ability. But GPS has taken design, layout and data collection to whole new levels. I can remember using a hand-drawn plan from an older architect who didn't know how to do CAD work. We took a picture of the drawing with a phone, emailed it to ourselves and built a CAD plan around it. From there our incredible estimating team uploaded it into our GPS system and we staked the project with the GPS. That's pretty incredible. It’s all GPS-driven now. Accurate as-builts are crucial and GPS gives us that ability.
PJ: What are your goals for your time at the helm? JD: We’re dedicated to the industry and focused on growing our membership and opportunities for our members. We have to have solid membership benefits and opportunities. That comes from continued support for our “Buy from Within” program. That’s very important. Growing our relationships and our industry profile are still at the top of the list as well. PJ: You've been involved for a couple of decades. What are your hopes for the future of GCBAA? JD: I still think the golf course construction is still strong. The one thing with golf and country clubs is that everyone always wants to be different. As my friend Allan MacCurrach said to me once in his southern drawl, “Goldarn Judd, now I'm rebuilding the courses I built way back when for the second or third time." There's always that desire to keep up with the Joneses. Allan's right on that. I'm optimistic and it looks like 2020 is going to be another busy year.
PJ: If you could wave a magic wand and fix one thing wrong with the golf construction business, what would it be? JD: I’d like to go back to the '90s when the golf course construction industry was booming because back then we had -- and I'm putting this carefully -- more financial flexibility and give-and-take in the process. Everything now is much more constrained after the housing industry became dominant in golf it became much more cost centric. That was kind of the tipping point between the early years of the business and today. Now, as a mature industry, you can still make money, but margins are so much tighter and there's far more pressure on us to get even small things right. We take great pride in partnering with architects and consults on projects. I am so proud of how the high quality project management our team does on the upfront job planning to make it simple for the entire team. This helps take pressure on the owners and architects.
PJ: Who do you want to thank? JD: I’m thankful to the whole GCBAA membership to have the confidence in me to elect me to lead the organization. We have a strong board and executive board. And Ellen Davis has been a champion for the GCBAA and has been on the executive board for years. She's stepping off this year and she's going to be missed when she leaves the board for sure. I can’t express enough gratitude for what she has meant to me and the entire organization over the years. And Justin. I really appreciate his leadership. He does an excellent job juggling all the balls that we as a board throw his way. Mychelle has stepped right in and been a great addition to the GCBAA staff. Our entire team at Duininck Golf. The team works at such a high level. Their dedication to be the best for our company, and clients is exceptional. They are the ones who truly get it done with such professionalism. Finally, my wife Shelly. All those years I spent on the road. She’s raised our kids and met every challenge. I literally couldn't do it without her.
PJ: Tell me about your GCBAA cohorts. Who’s helped you along the way? JD: I mentioned Dave Munkvold earlier. I remember the days during the really tough years, and he was GCBAA president. He was a tremendous leader, but a couple of times he looked at us and said, “Why do I have to be president now???” The people in this association are such good people. The fun part is that we’re more than competitors. We're friends and colleagues and we can compete and commiserate with each other. Pat Karnick is a friend so it's been so fun to be alongside him as he's led the GCBAA over the past couple of years. He’s done a terrific job at an important time. And he’s really been a good mentor helping me prepare for the next two years. I have to include Scott Veazey and Rick Boylan as well. I learned a lot from Rick as a leader who genuinely cared about everyone having a chance to speak and share their thoughts.
PJ: Final thoughts? JD: 2019 was a good year and 2020 is shaping up to be another strong time in the industry. We’re truly blessed to be living in a country that allows us to do the things we love to do and gives us the freedom to live out our passions. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to serve. God’s blessed me with an amazing family and a great career and a spectacular team who really work to get it done. I’m blessed to have this amazing opportunity that lies in front of me. I'm honored and humbled at the opportunity to help the GCBAA make tremendous strides and move forward in the industry that we all love so much.
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019 11
2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Election Results
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e are pleased to announce the results of the 2020 Board of Directors election. Newly elected to the board is Kevin Grieder, Sunbelt Rentals, Inc.; Chris Hill, Course Crafters LLC; Matt Lohmann, Wadsworth Golf Construction Company; Rick Shriver, HARCO Fittings; and Jason Sloan, Frontier Golf. Their two-year term will begin in January at the Golf Industry Show in Orlando. Remaining GCBAA Board of Directors are Chris
Caccavale, Caterpillar Inc.; Judd Duininck, Duininck Golf; Greg Hufner, Total Turf Golf Services; John McDonald II, McDonald & Sons, Inc. (re-elected); Jon O'Donnell, Heritage Links; Manny Pina, Ewing Irrigation; Bob Sylvester, The Toro Company (re-elected) ; Jon Truttmann, Hunter Industries (re-elected); Rick Williamson, LASCO Fittings, Inc.; and Tom Works, Landscapes Unlimited LLC.
Rick Shriver
Chris Hill
Jason Sloan
Kevin Grieder
Matt Lohmann
Drug & Alcohol CLEARINGHOUSE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY GCBAA MEMBER AND PARTNER LMC & INSURANCE & RISK MANAGEMENT
I
f you hire CDL drivers, please take note: Beginning January 6, 2020, there will be new requirements in effect for obtaining drug and alcohol information for commercial driver’s license applicants and existing drivers. When hiring a CDL driver, employers are required to obtain accident history along with drug and alcohol history from previous DOT-regulated employers during the past three years. Beginning January 6, 2020, there will be new requirements in effect for obtaining drug and alcohol information for commercial driver’s license applicants and existing drivers. Employers will be required to query the new drug and alcohol clearinghouse to
determine whether current and prospective employees have incurred a drug and alcohol violation that would prohibit them from performing safety-sensitive functions covered by the FMCSA and US DOT drug and alcohol regulations. What is the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse and what information will it contain? The Clearinghouse is a secure online database that will give employers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs), and State law enforcement personnel real-time information about commercial driver’s license (CDL) and commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders’ drug and alcohol program violations.
Grassing golf courses since 1969 Six locations covering California, Colorado and Washington
Joel Addink 951-687-7581 jaddink@agsod.com
12 GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019
The Clearinghouse will contain records of violations of drug and alcohol prohibitions in 49 CFR Part 382, Subpart B, including positive drug or alcohol test results and test refusals. When a driver completes the return-to-duty (RTD) process and follow-up testing plan, this information will also be recorded in the Clearinghouse. Mandatory use of the Clearinghouse goes into effect, January 6, 2020. More information can be found on the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse website: https://clearinghouse. fmcsa.dot.gov
HUMAN RESOURCES
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR UPDATES ON
Salary and Overtime Exemption BY JACK L. SHULTZ AND KRAMER L. LYONS
O’NEILL, HEINRICH, DAMKROGER, BERGMEYER & SHULTZ, P.C., L.L.O.
T
he Fair Labor Standards Act ("FLSA") is a federal law which establishes minimum wage, overtime pay eligibility, record-keeping and child labor standards affecting full-time and part-time workers. On September 24, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (the "DOL") revised the FLSA overtime rule as it relates to the salary amount that "white-collar" executive, administrative, or professional employees and highly compensated employees must be paid in order to meet the salary requirements for exemption from overtime pay. The new rule will take effect January 1, 2020, and raises the minimum salary threshold for exempt employees to $684 each workweek, which is an annual salary of $35,568. The new rule allows employers to pay up to 10% of the salary requirements in nondiscretionary bonuses that are paid at least annually. In addition, the highly compensated employee exemption is raised to $107,432 each year, of which, $684 must be paid weekly on a salary or fee basis. None of the highly compensated employee's minimum weekly salary may be paid by bonus or otherwise. This is the first change in the salary test for exempt employees since 2004. Currently and through the end of 2019, the exempt employees must be paid at least $455 per work week, or $23,660 annually, while the highly compensated employee salary threshold is $100,000 annually. Most commentators agree that raising the salary test is long overdue in light of the wage growth since 2004, but this change requires that employers understand the new changes and take action to ensure compliance with the new rules. Generally speaking, most jobs are governed by the FLSA overtime rules, but there are specific jobs
and areas of work that are completely excluded from coverage. For example, movie theater jobs and many agricultural workers are specifically excluded from the FLSA coverage, and railroad workers and truck drivers are governed by their own specific federal labor law and not the FLSA. Many of the FLSA exclusions are found in Section 213 of the FLSA. If the FLSA overtime rules do apply, employers must recognize those employees who are exempt and nonexempt. Nonexempt employees are entitled to overtime pay, while exempt employees are not. Generally speaking, the exempt employees must meet the new salary threshold outlined above beginning January 1, 2020, and perform specific exempt job duties which fall under three classes: (1) executive, (2) professional, or (3) administrative. The specific duties required under each class can be found in Section 13 of the FLSA. A highly compensated employee must meet the salary threshold outlined above, while also regularly performing at least one of the exempt duties or responsibilities of an executive, professional or administrative class. In order to prepare for the January 1, 2020 implementation, employers must take action now. First, employers should review salaries and bonuses for all exempt employees and highly compensated employees to determine whether they meet the new salary thresholds. For those employees that do not meet the new thresholds, employers must decide whether to keep the salaries below the new threshold, which will cause the employee to become nonexempt and eligible for overtime pay, or whether it makes more economic sense to raise the employees' salaries to meet the new salary threshold thereby keeping
them exempt. This is also an opportunity for employers to consider a thorough wage and hour audit to ensure that any misclassified employee is classified correctly under this new rule. However, employers should carefully consider any decisions that are made as it would be a mistake to simply raise the salary of all employees currently below the new threshold without considering fairness issues. For example, employees will have different tenure, skill set, education, experience, etc. These factors should weigh heavily in the decision-making process. Moreover, there are many considerations that must be made if an employee is reclassified as nonexempt. For instance, should these employees remain salaried nonexempt workers? Or should they be converted to hourly staff? If they will remain salaried, will the employer use a fluctuating workweek method to calculate overtime pay? Employers must determine what is best for their business and may make these decisions on an employee-by-employee basis. Most importantly, employers should create a clear communication strategy and establish protocols to implement any changes before January 1, 2020. The employees who are reclassified should understand that the change is not a demotion, but that it is required due to new government rules. Any new strategies and procedures for controlling overtime for those employees who will be reclassified as nonexempt should be clear and concise. The DOL has indicated that it intends to update the earnings threshold more regularly in the future. Establishing concrete and clear protocols now will set the precedent for any changes that will be required in the future.
Editor’s Note: This article is not intended to provide legal advice to our readers. Rather, this article is intended to alert our readers to new and developing issues and to provide some common sense answers to complex legal questions. Readers are urged to consult their own legal counsel or the authors of this article if the reader wishes to obtain a specific legal opinion regarding how these legal standards may apply to their particular circumstances. The authors of this article, Jack L. Shultz and Sarah J. Kniep can be contacted at (402) 434-3000, or at O’Neill, Heinrich, Damkroger, Bergmeyer & Shultz, P.C., L.L.O., P.O. Box 82028, Lincoln, NE 68501-2028, jshultz@ohdbslaw.com and skniep@ohdbslaw.com.
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019 13
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Networking · Family Fun · Education
Used with permission from The Biltmore Company, Asheville, North Carolina.
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DEVELOPERS GUIDE
Innovation IN GOLF COURSE CONSTRUCTION
BY HENRY DELOZIER
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GLOBAL GOLF ADVISORS
here are the next generation of innovative ideas for golf course construction? Innovation that attracts and engages golfers is important on many levels. The answer, perhaps, is a matter of whom you ask. Ron Whitten, the Senior Editor for Architecture at Golf Digest, answers, “If you mean in terms of adapting modern technology to construction, yes, they're innovating. If you mean coming up with new ideas about golf courses, no they are not innovating. Most architects feel the future of golf lies in the past, wider fairways, few trees, square greens, everything that caters to the nostalgia craze. I've seen contractors embrace this on projects because that's their job, to build what the architect prescribes. But innovation? Ain't seeing it. Especially in course remodeling. I famously wrote a few years back that "restoration is the narrow-minded substitute for imagination." If all one plans to do is slavishly follow an original architect's blueprint, the owner doesn't need an architect. he can turn it over to a contractor and get the same result.” The alliance between the golf course designer and the builder is a powerful one, as Whitten notes. For the designer, the work is one of passion and creativity while the job of the builder is to build efficiently what the designer has imagined. Undermining the efficiency of that dynamic is the owner-imposed pressure on costs. Too often, golf course design and
construction become a commoditized process. Usually, such circumstances sacrifice innovation for the low bid. Tommy Sasser, a former GCBAA President and veteran builder, sees it slightly differently, “I think cost of construction and the amount of available work has impacted programming and construction of both renovation and new construction. Owners tend to be much more involved in defining what they want as a golf course rather than direction or budgeting they did in the past. Developing the proforma to determine whether the work is justified is a leading element of work today. Designers and builders have become an integral part in developing plans, methodology, and construction schedules that will meet the financial requirements of owners.” John Strawn, currently a Director at GGA and previously CEO at Robert Trent Jones II and Hills & Forrest Design, notes an example of innovation in golf course construction, “Bunkers have always posed a challenge to designers, builders and superintendents. From the designer’s point of view, as Forrest Richardson discussed at length in Bunkers, Pits & Other Hazards, bunkers have strategic, aesthetic, and psychological functions. Time-consuming to maintain, bunkers are also among the most expensive elements of a golf course. They degrade, change their shapes, and blow and wash out. “ “More than twenty years ago,” Strawn adds, “then Augusta National superintendent Billy Fuller devised
a new approach to bunker building to address these chronic issues. Fuller’s innovation was adapted, modified and then commercialized under the name Better Billy Bunker, led by golf course architect Jerry Lemons. A competitive product called Capillary Concrete also came to market. Between them, these two innovative companies have given owners, designers and builders a new approach to building and maintaining bunkers. They provide a solid, permeable bunker base, so they reduce maintenance costs over the long term.” The challenge appears to be the convergence of creativity (from the course designer), practicality and cost management (the builder), and the source of funds (the owner). With only a few exceptions, the owner lacks expertise and needs gentle-yet-purposeful guidance. As a result, the tandem of the designer and builder must be aligned in vision for the course, congruent in methods to be used, and organized to educate the owner concerning the features, benefits, and costs to be gained from a collaborative approach. Innovation in golf course construction must be purposeful collaboration. Following the example of a three-legged stool, the builder – it seems – is the pragmatic teammate who must balance the budget for the owner and preserve the creative efforts of the designer. What steps do you take to stabilize the threelegged stool vital to your success?
Henry DeLozier is a principal at Global Golf Advisors, the largest international consulting firm that specializes in golf-related businesses. Henry is a friend to GCBAA members and the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Audubon International. Contact Henry at hdelozier@globalgolfadvisors.com.
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019 15
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16 GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019
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ALLIED UPDATES
WATERS ADVOCACY COALITION APPLAUDS NEW Clean Water RULE NEW WOTUS RULE IS BETTER FOR THE ECONOMY AND PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT
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ASHINGTON – January 23, 2020 – The Waters Advocacy Coalition, a broad cross-section of small businesses, farmers, ranchers and builders, today applauds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps of Engineers) for replacing the 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) regulation with a new Clean Water rule that brings much-needed clarity and certainty to enforcement of the Clean Water Act.. RThe new rule issued by the EPA and Corps of Engineers brings clarity to which level of government - federal or state - oversees dry land that is sometimes wet. The new rule does not change who oversees permanent waterways, such as lakes, rivers, streams and other bodies that always or usually contain water. It does make clear that usually dry areas should not be considered federal waters. The following is a joint statement by members of the Waters Advocacy Coalition: “Today’s new clean water rule represents small changes with a big positive impact that is better for the economy and protects the environment. It provides the regulatory clarity and certainty small businesses need to make confident decisions to produce goods and services, create jobs, build infrastructure, grow our food, and strengthen local economies. “This new rule does not reduce or remove environmental protections of any waters—it simply brings clarity to which level of government oversees which body of water under the federal-state partnership established by the Clean Water Act. “The Waters Advocacy Coalition is a broad crosssection of farmers, builders, manufacturers and other small businesses committed to protecting the environment and the communities in which we live and work. This new rule accomplishes that goal by bringing clarity to the lines of authority under the federal-state partnership established by the Clean Water Act.”
• Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, said, “Farmers and ranchers care about clean water and preserving the land, which are essential to producing healthy food and fiber and ensuring future generations can do the same. That’s why we support the new clean water rule. It provides clarity and certainty, allowing farmers to understand water regulations without having to hire teams of consultants and lawyers. We appreciate the commitment of the agencies involved and this administration for crafting a new regulation that achieves important regulatory oversight while allowing farmers to farm. Clean water, clear rules.” • Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, said, “Manufacturers were proud to wage the court fights that invalidated the overreaching and unreasonable past rule. Today’s announcement bolsters manufacturers’ confidence and empowers us to invest in our communities and expand our work in America, while also continuing our leadership for responsible environmental stewardship. This is the smart, balanced regulation America deserves. And make no mistake: manufacturers will keep our promise to deliver cleaner water for future generations, in our operations and through the innovations we pioneer.” • Marty Durbin, president of the U.S. Chamber’s Global Energy Institute, said, “Today’s announcement brings us a step closer to clean water regulations that are clear and consistent. The new rule distinguishes between waters that are regulated by the federal government and those that are regulated by the states, making it easier for businesses, states and local governments to understand their obligations. We look forward to continued progress on water quality under this sensible regulation and applaud the Administration for their leadership on this important issue.”
• Greg Ugalde, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders and a home builder and developer from Torrington, Conn., said, “NAHB commends the Trump administration for finalizing a new definition for its waters of the U.S. rule that will boost housing affordability by clarifying the limits of federal jurisdiction over certain ‘waterbodies.’ By excluding most man-made ditches and isolated ponds on private property from federal jurisdiction, the new rule will correct the vast overreach of prior rules, restore common sense to the regulatory process, reduce project costs and maintain environmental protection of our nation’s waterways.” • Stephen E. Sandherr, chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, said, “The new clean water rule employs sound administrative policy to protect our vital waterways while providing permitting clarity for infrastructure and development projects to proceed in a timely manner. We expect this rule will put an end to the regulatory uncertainty and bureaucratic confusion that threatened to stifle countless essential projects to improve our infrastructure and the environment across the country.” • National Mining Association President and CEO Hal Quinn said, “This updated rule provides the certainty and clarity that Clean Water Act (CWA) implementation has lacked for decades. It will now allow American businesses, including the nation’s mining industry, to make confident decisions that will create jobs, strengthen local communities and provide the energy and materials that are the foundation of our economy. Our industry and so many others welcome the rule’s clear, commonsense delineations between state and federal waterways. The 2015 rule, which unlawfully expanded the scope of federal CWA jurisdiction, was a shining example of the last administration’s propensity for federal overreach.”
Background: Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) have jurisdiction to regulate “navigable” waters. “Navigable” waters are defined in the statute as “the waters of the United States” (WOTUS). Any waters not regulated by the federal government are regulated by the states and local municipalities. On multiple occasions, the Supreme Court has said the federal government has a broad but not unlimited role in the use of public and private land. However, in June 2015, EPA and the Corps finalized a controversial rule that drastically increased their regulatory reach beyond those limits by expanding the definition of WOTUS to include nearly all waters nationwide—and many land areas that only temporarily hold water. In other words, the agencies reinterpreted the law to expand their own jurisdiction beyond what Congress authorized at the expense of the states. Under the 2015 WOTUS rule, EPA and the Army Corps would have unprecedented permitting and enforcement authority over land use decisions that Congress did not authorize. Farmers with ditches or low spots along their fields must apply for CWA permits for common farming practices, such as changing from one crop to another. It forced construction companies to rethink conventional building practices near any wet area, and property owners faced heavy fines for using their own ponds and creeks if they do not follow strict federal laws. Critical infrastructure projects could be slowed as a result of onerous permitting requirements. The 2015 WOTUS rule also unlawfully infringed on the role of states in protecting local waterways and granted the federal government nearly unlimited authority to regulate any low spot where rainwater collects. This ambiguous rule also resulted in substantial regulatory uncertainty and legal risk for a broad cross-section of the nation’s economy. The 2015 rule was quickly blocked by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals based on its legal flaws and the potential for it to create significant economic and regulatory burdens. The Golf Course Builders Association of America along with other allied associations in golf are members of and support the Waters Advocacy Coalition.
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ALLIED UPDATES
INVESTING IN FAIRWAY RENOVATION
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ome grasses are more costly to maintain than others. There are older turf varieties that are more susceptible to diseases, insects, drought and winter injury. There are also many golf courses with a mixed stand of turf where the different grasses struggle to perform well at various times of the year. The costs to keep these older grasses alive and in good shape can rapidly add up, especially when discussing large turf areas such as fairways. For decades, the USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Program has funded the development of new grasses to improve specific traits such as disease and drought tolerance, or winter hardiness and color retention. The improvements in these traits have produced newer grasses that are much more reliable and require less time and money to maintain. As a result, an increasing number of golf facilities are converting their fairways to improved turf varieties or grasses that are better adapted to their location. The reduced maintenance costs that come with these conversions can allow a project to pay for itself within a few years depending on the circumstances. In addition to improving turf quality and reducing maintenance costs, converting fairways to improved grasses also provides an opportunity to address other issues that negatively impact playability or turf health. Areas that are difficult to mow or that drain poorly can be regraded as part of a fairway regrassing project without any additional disruption to golf. Tree removal can also occur while the new fairways are being established. In fact, selective tree removal may be necessary to get the best performance from the
new grass. To help facilities better understand the value of regrassing, the USGA Green Section recently developed a model to calculate the return on investment (ROI) for a fairway regrassing project. The model calculates how the initial cost for regrassing can be offset by comparing current maintenance costs with expected maintenance costs after the conversion. In most cases, fairway maintenance costs are reduced after a regrassing project due to reduced inputs such as water, labor, pesticides and fertilizers. The cost savings can then be reallocated to other areas of the golf course. For example, golf courses in cooler climates that upgrade to improved bentgrass varieties can save more than $10,000 each year in fungicide
applications. In warmer areas, converting from coolseason grasses to a warm-season grass can easily cut fairway water requirements by more than 20%. If water is expensive, the savings can add up quickly. To learn more about the potential benefits of fairway regrassing, contact the USGA agronomist in your region. Our team can assist with ROI analysis and provide guidance on grass selection and establishment, as well as examples of what has worked well in different locations. Working with a USGA agronomist to evaluate different conversion scenarios can help move the discussion at a facility from “can we afford this project” to “how can we afford not to.”
For more information about this topic, contact USGA agronomist Brian Whitlark at BWhitlark@USGA.org.
Converting to improved fairway grasses can pay for itself surprisingly quickly through reduced maintenance costs. (USGA/Steve Boyle)
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ALLIED UPDATES
SETTING THE CLUB INDUSTRY’S POLITICAL AGENDA BY JOE TRAUGER
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ver the last several months, NCA’s Government Relations Committee and staff have been working on a policy agenda that covers the issues affecting private clubs. The purpose of such a document is not to establish priorities, but to ensure that NCA members and staff have broad policy positions by which to measure the association’s support, opposition or indifference to legislation and regulation. It also ensures NCA members know the positions taken by the association are derived from a member-driven process that has been approved by the Government Relations Committee and board of directors. I’m pleased to share that the board approved the NCA Policy Agenda at it’s most recent meeting in November. The document covers five major issue areas and will be posted on NCA’s website. The issue areas are taxes, health care, labor and workforce, environment and immigration. By clearly articulating where the association stands on the major issues affecting members, it allows us to be policy oriented rather than politically oriented. In keeping with the policy agenda, over the last several months NCA has been working on items within the five policy areas. Health Care On health care, we supported House passage of legislation to repeal the so-called “Cadillac Tax” that was part of the Affordable Care Act. This surtax on health plans over a certain value has been delayed for a number of years and the bill would simply get rid of the tax altogether. The budget impact of repealing the
tax is estimated at $193 billion over 10 years, which reflects the unintended capture of nearly every health plan offered by employers over time. The legislation has broad bipartisan support and passed the House with 419 votes in favor and just six opposed. Prospects for passage in the Senate is unclear at this time, but it also enjoys broad support in that chamber. Also on the health care front, we have been working to pass the “Personal Health Investment Today Act” (PHIT), which has been sponsored by Senator John Thune (R-S. Dakota) in the Senate and Representative Ron Kind (D- Wisc.) in the House. This legislation would allow individuals to use up to $2,000 of their health savings account funds on fitness related activity and equipment. It would also allow parents to use the funds to offset some of the costs of their children’s organized sport activities. NCA is supporting the legislation and working with allied associations to secure passage this year, but we are meeting some headwinds. Labor Issues Labor issues continue to be front and center for the club community. Indeed, the Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) release of the final rule establishing a new threshold for overtime was a welcome development. In mid-September, the DOL set the new threshold at $35,330, which is roughly in line with what the level would be if it were chained to the consumer price index since it was last set in 2004. Other, more troublesome legislation has been considered by the House such as increasing the minimum wage to $15.00 an hour and sweeping legislation that would dramatically tilt the
playing field in favor of organized labor through the “Protecting the Right to Organize Act.” Among other things, this legislation would institute card check and force employers to hand over the personal information of each of their employees with no option for them to protect their information. Immigration Immigration continues to be an issue the club community is interested in given the tight labor market and welcomed the decision by the Department of Homeland Security to release an additional 30,000 H-2B visas earlier this year—something NCA had been pushing for quite some time. Legislation to make reforms to the program is also a policy NCA supports. Legislation to increase the number of visas available, allocation of visas quarterly and proportionally is a measure we continue to rally support for as an association in concert with other allied groups. The House and Senate continue to work toward finalizing spending bills for the federal government. Although the work was not completed prior to the November 21 deadline under the previous continuing resolution, another continuing resolution has given Congress until December 20 to complete its work. While impeachment proceedings dominate the headlines, it is still possible Congress will consider legislation to extend certain expiring tax deductions and credits prior to the end of the year. The U.S. Mexico Canada (USMCA) trade agreement is also waiting for consideration in the House, but it is unclear whether there is enough time or votes to get that measure moving before the end of the year.
Joe Trauger is NCA’s vice president of government relations. He can be reached at trauger@ nationalclub.org or 202-822-9822.
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019 19
ALLIED UPDATES
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RECOGNIZES GOLF INDUSTRY AS GROUP Volunteer of the Year
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ASHINGTON, D.C. – A coalition of golf’s leading associations and industry partners will be presented the group award for “Outstanding Volunteer Service” for their April service project, which achieved in just one day the equivalent of 800 hours of work and four months of labor from one National Park Service (NPS) employee. On April 30, the golf industry came together for the third-annual Community Service Project, which was part of the 12th annual National Golf Day. More than 200 participants demonstrated the industry’s commitment to collaboration on beautifying and preserving historical landmarks at the Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and the U.S. Capitol building. Golf industry leaders, led by GCSAA, volunteered to lay sod, rake, edge, over seed, aerate, mow, mulch, plant flowers and prune shrubs across 18 projects along the National Mall. “The work accomplished annually by our industry partners during National Golf Day’s Community Service Project serves as a prime example of collaboration for a purpose that is bigger than the sport itself,” says Greg McLaughlin, CEO of the World Golf Foundation. “Congratulations to everyone involved for a very deserving recognition.” The 2019 National Golf Day Community Service Project will be recognized during a ceremony at the NPS volunteer appreciation event held at Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday, Nov. 16. Chava McKeel, director of government affairs for Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), will accept the award on behalf of the industry. “The golf industry has been coming to Washington annually since 2007, so we wanted to find a way to give back to our Nation’s Capital,” says Chava McKeel,
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director of government affairs for GCSAA, who leads the community service project effort. “Being able to have 200+ volunteers help beautify and preserve the National Mall has been a personal dream come true and is a great example of golf’s dedication to the environment.” “Golf Course Superintendents and other golf facility professionals have such a high attention to detail, operations and logistics that it makes the half day of work so productive,” says Michael Stachowicz, manager of preservation maintenance for NPS. “The work completed is not only essential, the entire effort results in mentorship and training for both the volunteers and staff.” Planning is now underway for the 2020 Community Service Project on the National Mall on May 5, which will lead into National Golf Day on May 6. Under the banner of WE ARE GOLF, an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, this year’s National Golf Day produced a recordhigh 244 meetings with members of Congress representing 41 states to discuss the game’s $84.1 billion economy, nearly $4 billion annual charitable impact, 15,000 diverse businesses and two million jobs impacted across the United States. Throughout National Golf Day, data-driven metrics and trends reinforce the importance of the sport – from how it supports the U.S. economy to ways in which innovation is driving important topics around the environment, accessibility and inclusivity, and positively impacting the lives of Americans every day. National Golf Day is an annual time in which
the golf industry comes together to raise awareness of its economic and societal impact on the U.S. with lawmakers in Washington D.C. and in local communities. For more information on #NationalGolfDay and follow @wearegolf on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
NEW MEMBERS ASSOCIATE MEMBERS BUY SOD INC.
130 Applecross Road., PO Box 4089 Pinehurst, North Carolina 28374 Phone: (910) 975-4623 Website: www.buysod.com Andrew Perry – Email: aperry@buysod.com J.P. Hayes – Email: jphayes@buysod.com
J2 GOLF AND GOLFPHOTOS.COM
850 Dandelion Court Marco Island, Florida 34145 Phone: (813) 815-1140 Website: www.J2Golf.com John Johnson - Email: john@j2golfmarketing.com
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS D ROBERTS – D. ROBERTS INTERNATIONAL., LLC
INTERNATIONAL MEMBERS TURFCARE
6751 Royal Lane Avon, Indiana 46123 Phone: +353 (0) 86 2590370 Website: www.turfcare.eu Jim Holden – Email: jholden@turfcare.eu Pat Galavan – Email: pgalavan@turfcare.eu
BUILDER/IRRIGATION CONTRACTOR APPLICANT MEMBERS
VERDE SPORTS CONSTRUCTION 5603 Bayview Road Ste 15 Langley, Washington 98260 Phone: (214) 906-5529 Website: Verdesportsconstruction.com Joshua Peters – Email: Josh@verdesportsconstruction.com Ryan Cassidy – Email: ryan@verdesportsconstruction.com
MAVERICK GOLF DESIGN LLC
4445 Highway 17 North Awendaw, South Carolina 29429 Phone: (843) 224-6859 Website: www.maverickgolfdesign.com Alan Black – Email: ablack@bullsbaygolf.com Frank Antonelli – Email: fcantonelli@aol.com
613 Water Oak Drive #5250 Ellijay, Georgia 30540 Phone: (678) 525-8899 Email: donrobersintl@gmail.com
DAVID HUNSUCKER – THE DRONE CO. – RVA 4611 King William Road Richmond, Virginia 23225 Phone: (804) 248-0959 Website: www.thedronecorva.com Email: dhunsucker@thedronecorva.com
GCBAA MEETINGS CALENDAR May 6, 2020
National Golf Day
Washington D.C. August 4-6, 2020
2020 GCBAA Summer Meeting Asheville, NC
Visit the Events page at gcbaa.org to stay up to date!
Welcome TO THE GCBAA! GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019 21
MOVERS & SHAPERS
Chase Field GETS NATURAL TURFGRASS OVERLAY FOR CHEEZ-IT BOWL
90,000 SQ. FT. OF WEST COAST TURF BANDERA BERMUDA SOD PUT ON TOP OF NEW ARTIFICIAL TURF FOR DECEMBER 27TH FOOTBALL GAME
P
hoenix, AZ……The Cheez-It Bowl is ready for the Air Force Falcons vs the Washington State Cougars on December 27th, on a new natural turfgrass field. Just last week, West Coast Turf installed 90,000 square feet of their 1” thick overseeded Bandera Bermuda sod directly on top of Chase Field’s new artificial turf baseball field. Installation took 2 days, and a layer of polyethylene plastic sheeting was put in between the artificial surface and the natural sod. The sod is thick-cut and weighs approximately 15 lbs. per sq. ft. so that rooting will not be a factor with such a short time frame. The weight will give the sod its stability.
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Chase Field’s artificial surface is one that involves concrete curbing so that using artificial turf to cover the baseball skins was not an option for a football field conversion. Sod was the obvious solution. This is not the first time West Coast Turf has been called in to place natural turfgrass over artificial turf. They have done the same process several times at Quest/CenturyLink Field in Seattle. West Coast Turf has also regularly put natural turfgrass “overlay” fields on top of other natural fields when time constraints do not allow for turf removal between important games. Following the Cheez-It Bowl, the natural turfgrass will be removed and partially donated to Cartwright
Elementary School in Phoenix. West Coast Turf had been the natural turfgrass supplier to Bank One Ballpark, Chase Field, and the Arizona Diamondbacks since the inception of the team in 1998. They have also supplied the NFL with eight Super Bowl fields from California to Florida, including Super Bowls XXVII, XXIX, XXX, XXXII, XXXVII, XXXVIII, XXXIX, and 50. GCBAA Associate and Charter Member; West Coast Turf is a full-service sod, stolonization and hydroseeding company with offices throughout California and Arizona, and headquarters in Palm Desert, CA. West Coast Turf grows more than 30 varieties of natural turf.
MOVERS & SHAPERS
GCBAA CHARTER & CERTIFIED BUILDER Kirk Grego – MID-AMERICA GOLF & LANDSCAPE ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN SPORTS BUILDERS ASSOCIATION
F
orest Hill, MD – The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA), the national organization for builders and suppliers of materials for athletic facilities, has announced the election of its officers and directors for the coming membership year. The new slate took its place at the conclusion of the ASBA’s Technical Meeting, held in Orlando, Florida. The meeting, which featured an all-time high attendance of more than 750,drew attendees from not only across the United States but around the world. Mark Heinlein, the Association’s present Fields Division President, was elected to the office of Chairman for the coming year. Heinlein is the Director of Technical Projects and Research with the Motz Group, LLC, in Cincinnati,Ohio. He holds the Certified Field Builder (CFB) designation, has spoken at meetings and has been active on the committee level of the Association as well, serving on both the Awards Committee and the committee to edit and revise the ASBA’s publication, Sports Fields: A Construction and Maintenance Manual. Kristoff Eldridge, CTB, of Cape & Island Tennis & Track, in Pocasset, Massachusetts, who has served as the Association’s Chairman, will take the office of Past Chair. Elected to the position of Fields Division President was Kirk Grego of Mid-America Golf & Landscape, Inc. in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Grego is a Certified Field Builder (CFB) and previously served on the Board of Directors as the Secretary/Treasurer. William Chaffe has been elected to the position
of Secretary/Treasurer of the Association. Chaffe is the President of Paragon Sports Constructors, LLC, in Fort Worth, Texas, and has been active in ASBA. Two individuals who have been re-elected to their current positions are Tennis Division President, Matt Strom, CTCB, of Leslie Coatings, Inc. in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Supplier Division President David Moxley, of Sportsfield Specialties, Inc., in Delhi, New York. Continuing in their current positions are Track Division President, Paul Nagle, CTB, of Nagle Athletic Surfaces, Inc., in Syracuse, New York; Courts & Recreation Division President, Randy Resley, of Sport Court of the Rockies, Highlands Ranch, Colorado; and Professional Division President, Megan Buczynski, PE, LEED AP, of Activitas, Inc., in Dedham, Massachusetts. Newly elected to the Board of Directors was Craig Honkomp, PE, PS, LEED AP, who will represent the Professional Division of the Association. Honkomp is with Sportworks Field Design in West Chester, Ohio. Current members of the Board of Directors reelected to new terms were Todd Dettor of Fast-Dry Courts, Inc. & 10-S Tennis Supply in Pompano Beach, Florida; and Dale Hendrickson of TD Sports, Inc. – Sport Court of Southern California, in Simi Valley, California. Both Dettor and Hendrickson will continue to represent the Builder Division of the Association. Chris Sullivan, RLA of Verde Design, Inc., Folsom, California was re-elected to the Board, representing the Professional Division. Those continuing as members of the Board of Directors, representing the Builder Division, David
Clapp, CTB, CTCB (Baseline Sports Construction, Knoxville, Tennessee), Joe Covington (Covington Flooring Co., Inc., Birmingham, Alabama), Jordan Fisher, CTB (Fisher Tracks, Inc., Boone, Iowa), and Jameson Sheley, CFB-S, CTB (Byrne & Jones Sports Construction, Bridgeton, Missouri). Those continuing to serve on the Board of Directors, representing the Supplier Division, are David Burke (NGI Sports, Chattanooga, Tennessee) and Tracy Lynch (Har-Tru Sports, Charlottesville, Virginia). The ASBA is a non-profit association helping designers, builders, owners, operators and users understand quality sports facility construction. The ASBA sponsors informative meetings, publishes newsletters, books and technical construction guidelines for athletic facilities, and keeps its members aware of the latest developments in the industry. It also offers voluntary certification programs in tennis court, running track and sports field construction. Available at no charge is a listing of all publications offered by the Association, as well as the ASBA’s Membership Directory. For information on the ASBA, as well as on its publications, activities and upcoming meetings, please contact the Association at 2331 Rock Spring Road, Forest Hill, Maryland 21050. The toll-free phone number is 866-501ASBA. The ASBA also may be reached via its website: www.sportsbuilders.org, or via e-mail at info@ sportsbuilders.org.
TRUMP NATIONAL PRACTICE FACILITY GREEN DURING grow-in
I
n addition to growing characteristics, Sowers is pleased with the aesthetics and playability of Mach 1. “It’s a really tight looking plant, upright with excellent color and good, thick, healthy roots,” said Sowers. “Our members are accustomed to impeccable playing conditions, and the feedback we have received has been fantastic. We are looking forward to getting into our next growing season and watching the performance of this new product. It’s been exciting to be one of the first to implement
as our agronomy team is always looking for ways to further enhance the experience at Trump National Golf Club Charlotte.” Streamsong Resort in Bowling Green, Florida, began trialing Mach 1 last fall. As a three-course resort facility hosting about 100,000 rounds of golf per year, Streamsong requires greens that can impress. “I would say it’s probably the finest putting surface I’ve seen in my life,” said Rusty Mercer,
director of agronomy at Streamsong. “I don’t know if I’ve seen a surface this fine and tight before. It’s almost like the ball is floating.” Mercer, who is experienced in managing ultradwarf greens, described Mach 1 as less laborintensive than TifEagle. He found Mach 1 to be drought and disease resistant with a giant root system and requirements for less nitrogen.
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019 23
MOVERS & SHAPERS
NEW ULTRADWARF BERMUDAGRASS MACH 1 RECEIVES Patent And Praise
R
EMBERT, SC / LAGRANGE, GA (December 17, 2019) Mach 1, the newest and fastest ultradwarf bermudagrass available for golf course greens, recently received its plant patent (PP31139). Developed by Certified Golf Course Superintendent Rod Lingle, Mach 1 sets itself apart from previous ultradwarf releases with super fine texture for superior ball roll, excellent response to
growth regulators, and incredible visible purity. As part of Mach 1’s introduction to the market, courses around the world from Florida to Vietnam planted trial plots for evaluation. Trump National Golf Club Charlotte in North Carolina is the first to install the new ultradwarf for permanent play. Their new Fazio-designed par-three practice facility, Fazio Five, features Mach 1 on all greens.
“We were surprised at how quickly the Mach 1 grew in,” said Trump National Director of Grounds James Sowers. “We planted in June for a September grand opening, but the greens were almost completely covered in just six weeks. I have also noticed that we aren’t getting as much vertical movement as lateral growth, which has been positive for the speed of the greens.”
Streamsong Resort TRIALING MACH 1 ULTRADWARF BERMUDAGRASS
I
haven’t found anything that I don’t like about this grass,” said Mercer. “I’ve had superintendents from all over the country visit, and they were blown away. They all try to compare it to something they’ve played before, but no one can come up with anything like it.”. Genetic stability is an advantage of Mach 1
getting attention as well. Lingle selected the grass nearly 20 years ago. Throughout testing and trials, no visible off-types have occurred. Turfgrass production company Modern Turf in Rembert, South Carolina, is the exclusive grower of Mach 1 and manages distribution throughout the
United States. Atlas Turf International oversees sales and marketing outside of the US. For more information about Mach 1 Ultradwarf Bermudagrass, please go to modernturf.com for projects in the United States or to atlasturf.com for projects outside the United States.
THE INDUSTRY LEADER IN HDPE IRRIGATION EXPERTISE
GO PR ISCO installed the first complete HDPE golf irrigation system on any golf course in 1987, and we’re still the industry experts. Our staff isn’t just certified on McElroy fusion equipment - we’re qualified to train your staff on how to use it. ISCO has over 40 locations with HDPE in stock and nationwide local support for fusion expertise and the fastest response in the golf industry.
Call 800-345-ISCO or visit ISCO-PIPE.com to learn more.
24 GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019
THE HDPE EXPERTS EXPERTS THE HDPE
IN REMEMBRANCE
MICHAEL H. JENKINS Michael H. Jenkins, 65, of Lincoln passed away November 25, 2019. Mike served as President of Landscapes Golf Group which is a division of Landscapes Unlimited, LLC, a golf construction, development, and operations company and member of the GCBAA. Mike joined Landscapes Unlimited as its Chief Financial Officer, a position he held from 1990 until 1999, when he assumed his current role as Landscapes Golf Group’s President. Mike is past President of the Nebraska Golf Association and is an active associate member of the National Golf Course Owners Association, the Club Managers Association of America and the National Club Association. Mike obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and his Master’s degree in Marketing from the University of Nebraska.
BOB BRYANT Bob Bryant passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family on December 20, 2019 at Baylor Scott & White Hospital in Temple, Texas. Bob was born in Plainview, Texas on June 14, 1949 to Herman James Bryant and Ethel Marie (Hite) Bryant. He married Rhonda Hancock on November 16, 1991 in San Juan Capistrano, California. In 1967 he attended Texas Tech University, then joined the United States Marine Corps in 1969. Bob served in the Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Reserves until 1976. He left active service as a 1st Lt and was promoted to the rank of Captain while serving in the United States Marine Corps Reserves. He always remained an ardent supporter of the military and all who served. He honored family and friends who served our country. He held them dear to his heart. Bob graduated from California State University, Long Beach in 1975 with a Bachelors of Science. He had a long, fulfilling and successful career in the Irrigation Industry. Along with his partner Dave Taylor, he formed a golf course irrigation design company in 1993. They acquired Gordons Irrigation Consulting the following year and the company evolved into Bryant Taylor Gordon Golf. Bob loved the industry and the many friendships he developed over the years. Bob was preceded in death by his parents. Bob is survived by his wife Rhonda of Leander, TX, daughter Julie (Doug) Morrison of Norco, CA, son Dylan (Debra) Bryant, grandson Coleman Bryant of Aliso Viejo, CA and sister Ginger Bryant of Corpus Christi, TX. Bob has been a member of the Association since the mid-1980’s and his company, Bryant Taylor Gordon Golf, became Charter Members of the Association in 2007. Bob served as a member of the Board of Directors from 2007 to 2012. Bob was very active in various committees, including the Don A. Rossi Awards Committee and the Membership Committee; he also served on the GCBAA Board of Governors. Bob was instrumental in the development and expansion of the GCBAA Cost Estimating Guide for Golf Course Construction by creating Irrigation Installation calculations. He also helped author the GCBAA Golf Course Irrigation Contractor Certification Program. Along with his volunteer service and time spent serving our country as a Marine, he was also one of the most influential Golf Course Irrigation Designers in the industry. Bob will be missed!
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019 25
IN REMEMBRANCE
PETE DYE Pete Dye - Pete Dye, a Past President and Fellow of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) and 1995 Donald Ross Award recipient, died Jan. 9, 2020, at age 94. The patriarch of one of the most famous families in golf course design, ASGCA members will also remember Dye for his service to ASGCA and the game of golf. Dye met his future wife, Alice, at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. The couple married in 1950 and moved to Indiana. According to a 2003 article by Ron Whitten in Golf Digest, Pete came home from work on a summer day in 1955 and said to Alice: “I’m tired of the insurance business. What I really want to do is build golf courses.” Dye learned about golf course maintenance while chairman of the green committee at the Country Club of Indianapolis and gradually turned his interest in architecture into a profession, designing nine holes at El Dorado (now named Dye’s Walk Country Club), in Greenwood, Indiana, in 1959. Soon after, the Dyes designed their first 18-hole layout, at Maple Creek Golf and Country Club, also in Indianapolis. “It’s hard to overstate the influence that Pete, along with Alice, had on the profession of golf course architecture,” said ASGCA President Jan Bel Jan.
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“Their designs were remarkable and advanced the profession, as did their mentoring of countless golf course architects. They were a major part of ASGCA for more than five decades and will be sorely missed.” An elite amateur golfer, Dye played in the 1957 U.S. Open, where he finished ahead of future ASGCA contemporaries Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. His commitment to golf course design was cemented after a tour of Scottish golf courses the Dyes undertook after Pete competed in the 1963 British Amateur. “Both Pete and I were champion golfers and played famous courses, which influenced our design features,” Alice said in a 2018 interview. Over time, Dye became known for his unique designs that also included respect for the environment. His projects featured drainage, irrigation designs and wetland areas, which helped to recycle and purify water. The list of legendary Pete Dye-designed courses in lengthy, and includes: Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, South Carolina; TPC Sawgrass-Stadium Course, Ponta Vedra, Florida; The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, South Carolina; PGA West – Stadium Course, Palm Desert, California; Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wisconsin; and the Honors Course, Ooltewah,
Tennessee. Dye’s golf course legacy stretches far beyond the courses he designed. Many of golf’s leading course architects honed their craft while working alongside him, including Jack Nicklaus, ASGCA Fellow; Bill Coore, ASGCA; ASGCA Past President Lee Schmidt; Bobby Weed, ASGCA; Tim Liddy, ASGCA; Brian Curley, ASGCA; and Chris Lutzke, ASGCA. Dye was recipient of countless awards during his career, including the Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and the Golf Writers Association of America’s William D. Richardson Award for outstanding contributions to golf. Dye’s sons, P.B. Dye, ASGCA, and Perry Dye, ASGCA, have also gone on to develop their own golf course design portfolios. Many other members of the extended Dye family are now also involved in golf course architecture, including Pete’s niece, Cynthia Dye McGarey, ASGCA. Dye became an ASGCA member in 1966, served as President from 1988-89 and achieved Fellow status in 2004. He is survived by sons and ASGCA members, P.B. and Perry.
IN REMEMBRANCE
Paul Fullmer, long-time ASGCA Executive Secretary, dies at age 85 Paul Fullmer, former President of Selz/Seabolt Communications and Executive Secretary of the American Society of Golf Course Architects when based in Chicago, died Jan. 10, 2020 in Carlsbad, California. He was 85. Fullmer, a 1955 journalism graduate of the University of Notre Dame, spent two years as a reporter/columnist for the Aurora Beacon-News after graduation. He then joined the Lawrence H. Selz Organization and spent his entire professional career with the public relations firm. In 1980 he became president and CEO of the firm, renamed Selz/Seabolt Communications, and served in that role for 20 years until selling the company to the French communications conglomerate, Publicis, in 2000. He continued as a consultant for three years. Included among the firm’s clients during his tenure was the American Society of Golf Course Architects. Fullmer served as Executive Secretary of the organization from 1970 until his retirement in 2004. “Paul was the Executive Secretary when I became a member,” ASGCA President Jan Bel Jan said. “It
PAUL FULLMER
was easy to speak with Paul because he was always interested in each person as an individual. He welcomed new members and did his best to help them feel comfortable at their first meeting and every meeting. Paul relished learning what was important to you. You learned he cared when he later recalled the smallest details. The was the ‘reporter’ in him. “Paul’s natural penchant for collaboration was always on display,” Bel Jan continued. “While he helped lay the foundations for cooperation with other golf associations, he always reminded us that ASGCA was the voice of its members and how important it was to be active in the Society.” “Paul’s skill and savvy helped establish golf course architecture as a recognized profession, and ASGCA as a voice in the game of golf,” ASGCA Executive Director Chad Ritterbusch said. “His personal standing helped unite the varied voices of the Society. Along with visionary members, he gave the organization purpose. He was, as Alice Dye once told me, ‘The glue that held ASGCA together.’” Fullmer served in the U.S. Army Reserve for six years, with six months active duty in 1957. He is survived by his wife, Sandra; two children, Monica Fullmer (Denver) and David Fullmer
(Schaumburg, Ill.); four grandchildren, Lidia, Victor, Keith and Steven Fullmer; two step grandchildren, Tabatha Ramirez and Patrick Begley; six greatgrandchildren; and one brother, Rev. Hugh Fullmer, retired pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Church in Aurora, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his parents, Marie and Joseph Fullmer of Elmhurst, Illinois, and his brother Mel Fullmer, of Santa Clarita, Calif. Fullmer and his wife, former president of the Women’s Western Golf Association, retired in Carlsbad, California, in 2017. A Celebration of Life Mass will be held Jan. 30 at 11 a.m. (PST) at St. John the Evangelist Church, 1001 Encinatas Blvd., Encinatas, Calif. On Friday, Feb. 7, visitation will be from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. (CST) at Donnellan Funeral Home, Skokie, Illinois. The funeral Mass will be offered at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Glenview, Illinois, on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 11 a.m. A private burial will follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Paul Fullmer Scholarship Fund, University of Notre Dame, 1100 Grace Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556.
GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019 27
GOLF COURSE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA 6040 S 58TH STREET, SUITE D LINCOLN, NE 68516
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
28 GCBAA Earth Shaping News | 3rd Quarter 2019
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID LINCOLN, NE PERMIT #40