The Great Golf Show

ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTON CENTER, ORLANDO FLORIDA

The Golf Industry Show has the largest exhibit floor in the golf industry, which combines education, the latest products and services, networking opportunities, and business solutions.

Lawn Solutions Australia and the GCSAA

The Lawn Solutions Australia (LSA) team including Gavin Rogers, Simon Adermann, and Joe Rogers were fortunate enough to attend GCSAA in 2023. LSA members and staff have been attending the US Golf Show many times over the past decade sourcing new and improved cultivars of turf amongst other things like lawn care products.

The trade show component of the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show is one of the largest in the industry, featuring hundreds of exhibitors showcasing the latest products and services for golf course management. Exhibitors include manufacturers of turf grass equipment, irrigation systems, pest control products, and other golf course management supplies. This is an excellent opportunity for attendees to learn about the latest technologies and equipment available in the industry and to network with industry suppliers and peers.

One of the key benefits of attending the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show is the opportunity to network with other professionals in the turf management industry. The conference attracts golf course superintendents, assistant superintendents, equipment technicians, and other industry professionals from around the world. Attendees can meet and connect with others in the industry, exchange ideas, and build relationships that can be valuable in their careers.

Over the years, LSA’s visits to the GCSAA have brought about such things as the importation and understanding of cultivars TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda and Sir Grange Zoysia, as well as wonderful lawn care products such as ColourGuard Plus. This year was the first time LSA has been at the GCSAA for about five years due to Covid. This year’s edition was massive, with lots of turf farms and turf breeding institutions exhibiting. The highlights of the show from an LSA perspective, other than the exciting new turf cultivars hitting the market, were the advances in automation within our industry. There was plenty of automatic mowing and turf care equipment on display which is exciting to see.

Further to this, it was great for LSA staff to catch up with some long-term friends and colleagues including Dr. Brian Schwartz and the team at the University of Georgia, Billy Skaggs and Terry Hollifield from ITGAP, Ken Morrow and Bill Carraway from The Turfgrass Group and David Doguet from BladeRunner Farms to name a few. Our US colleagues are based all over the country, so the Golf Show provides the perfect opportunity to have everyone under one roof enabling the opportunity to catch up socially as well as conduct some business!

There was a large contingent of Australians present this year as well which was great to see. The Syngenta welcome dinner was a great opportunity to catch up with some Australian Golf Course superintendents, turf researchers, turf farmers, and chemical manufacturers to discuss all matters of the Australian turf industry. Again, there aren’t many events globally that allow all these people within our industry to be together, so it was fantastic to catch up.

Another significant benefit of attending the conference is the educational sessions and seminars that provide a wealth of information on topics ranging from new technologies and equipment to best practices in turf grass management and sustainable practices. This information can be invaluable for us to stay up to date with the latest trends and advancements in the field.

With our continued collaboration and relationships with international turf scientists and turf breeders only getting stronger, attending events such as the GCSAA is becoming more important than ever. LSA will look to attend around every second year to continue to be at the forefront of the Australian and international turf industry. The next edition is expected to be held in the month of February 2024.