NTGCSA Fall Chapter Connect

Volume 23 Issue 3

Fall 2015

September Our annual trip to the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children featuring Dr. Mike Richardson from the University of Arkansas.

We’ve Been Busy This Fall!

October (above) Annual Meeting hosted by Kevin Redburn at Tenison Park GC in Dallas.

November NTGCSA Scholarship Tournament at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney. Hosted by Superintendent Kevin Whitten

President’s Message I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and was able to take a break from work to spend some time with family. The year is winding down and we are making plans for our last event of the year. We’ve also secured the site for the Annual Banquet to be held in January! We will once again be returning to the Fort Worth Club for a night of great food and to celebrate the past years accomplishments. Two of our most prestigious awards are given out at the Annual Banquet. The A.C. and Garry Bearden Memorial Superintendent of the Year and the Distinguished Service Award. Superintendents will be voting for the SOY candidates later this month, but the Distinguished Service Award Committee has already made their selection. This years Distinguished Service award recipient will be Mr. Jim Newkirk. I hope you will make plans to join us for what’s sure to be a memorable evening. Watch for details regarding this event.

This year our scholarship tournament raised nearly 18,000 for scholarships, research and money towards our Family Fund. Over $2,000 was raised for the Scottish Rite hospital as well.

Thank you to all of our participants and sponsors. Your involvement in this tournament creates future financial opportunities for family members of the association. We will be awarding these scholarships at the Annual Banquet.

What’s the Family Fund you may ask? With recent successes of the association we are now able to start saving money for NTGCSA families in need of financial assistance. Over the years we’ve witnessed many families encounter difficult times due to an illness or family tragedy. The fund will reestablish a savings account for the association to give back to members during a time of need.

On a personal note, this will be my last newsletter article as President of the association. I want to say thank you to the members of the NTGCSA for allowing me to serve you as president this year. It has been personally rewarding to give back to the association. I also want to recognize the hard work of Carol Cloud on her first year as our Chapter Executive. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude towards my fellow board members for their involvement and commitment to the association this year. I leaned on them to keep the association moving forward and challenged them to explore new ways to make the association a valuable asset to our members. One board representative in particular has been a key member to this association and has served on the board since 2007. Pat Cooper undoubtedly has a wealth of knowledge regarding the association and could be relied on to keep us on track throughout the year. Thank you Pat for your involvement over the years, for your leadership and most of all for your friendship.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Kevin Carpenter

About Us

North Texas Golf Course Superintendents Association Board of Directors President: Kevin Carpenter kcarpenter@northwoodclub.org

Website: NTGCSA.org

Vice President: Kevin Redburn redburnk@aol.com

Secretary / Treasurer: Earl Snowden esnowden@diamondoaksclub.com

Past President: Aaron Schick CGCS aschick@eldoradocc.com

Superintendent Directors Mike Epps mepps@miravistacountryclub.com Kyle Embry

embry.kyle@gmail.com

Willie Wallace Sterling Naron

wwallace@dentoncc.org sterling@hawkscreek.com

Joe Todaro Kirt Phillips

Twitter: @ntgcsa

joe.todaro@tstc.edu

kirt@dallascountryclub.org

Vendor Directors Pat Cooper Jim Newkirk

ptcooper@landolakes.com

Facebook

jim.newkirk@austinturf.com

Chapter Executive Carol Cloud ntgcsa@gmail.com 817-377-4552 800-277-6449 5552 Plata Ln., Benbrook, TX 76126 FLICKR: https://www.flickr.com/photos/131649320@N08/sets/

Sic ‘em Joe and Camo!

North Texas GCSA Board Member Joe Todaro and his son Camo made a commitment at the beginning of the 2015 football season that they would show their allegiance and love for the Baylor Bears by attending every Baylor game — home and away. It started with a promise Joe made to Camo that they would definitely attend their hottest rival game with TCU in Fort Worth. Then he started looking at Stubhub for tickets and started thinking about a couple other games they might be able to swing….

They soon added a couple other games to their wish list and eventually realized they were close enough to make it a Father and Son season of a lifetime and they would attend every single game. Their travels have taken them on road trips to Dallas, Manhattan - KS, Stillwater - OK, Lawrence - KS, and a very very cold and wet Fort Worth in late November. Joe estimates they traveled about 3500 miles to watch their beloved Bears win 9 games and score 559 points. As of this writing, they are geared up for their final regular season game (and sure win) of the year when the Texas longhorns limp in to McLane Stadium in Waco in early December. (can you tell an Aggie wrote this?)

While the season hasn’t gone quite as well as Joe and Camo would have hoped, (another Aggie dig) they wouldn't have traded their experience for anything. Next on their agenda is a bowl game and they are hoping Santa shows up with some great tickets under their tree.

Joe says it started out about the football and turned in to a special experience that he and his son will cherish forever. Their trips have been documented on Facebook and have even been featured on a local Waco news story. That story is included on the following page along with some great pictures from along the way. After each game, Joe and Camo have taken a photo with the final scoreboard in the background.

Way to go Joe! Thanks for sharing your story and for setting a great example of a father and a son making great memories that will last a lifetime!

WACO (October 19, 2015) With the rise of the Baylor football program, many of the team’s fans will do anything to watch the Bears play, but a father and son have gone the extra mile to show their love for the Baylor football program.

Joe Todaro and his 9-year-old son, Camden, are going to be spending a lot of time together in a car this football season.

"We just go. We just get in the car, we do our picture before we leave and then we go,” Joe Todaro says.

The pair is going to every Baylor football game from McLane Stadium to Lawrence, Kan., and everywhere in between as they crisscross the country by car. Joe says the father and son road trip began with just one must-see game.

"We are definitely going to TCU. That is one we have definitely got to go to that game,” he says.

"TCU… I don't know but I think they have gotten like a little bit worse. I don't know but we have just gotten better so I think we are going to beat them,” Camden said.

But after looking at the road schedule, Joe decided with some frugal travel methods, Fort Worth would be just the beginning. "(Camden) said heck yeah let’s do it! So we started the plans from there,” Joe says. Road trips do come at a cost though. Joe has missed some days of work and Camden has missed a few classes here and there.

"The Kansas State game is a Thursday night so that means a couple of days out of school and, of course, he has doctor appointments for that,” Joe laughs.

But Camden says the days of school he misses are completely worth it.

"Sometimes it’s fun days at school, but I don't really care because I like Baylor better,” Camden says. He is enjoying this special season with his dad which so far, has been all smiles.

"You know we have this thing we take a picture before we leave and then we take a picture at every scoreboard and so far we have been smiling in all of them,” Joes says.

Joe agrees that the season for him and his son is not all about wins and losses. "It was about the trip and the fun not necessarily all that other stuff,” he says.

But a final road trip with a smiling picture in Glendale, Ariz., for a National Championship victory would sure be a nice place to stop.

Developing a solid philosophy that is based on the vision, mission and values of the organization is the foundation that successful employees and teams are built upon. Vision in business requires that you clearly see where you choose to be in future and formulate the necessary steps to get your organization there. Creating and sustaining a vision for an organization calls for discipline and creativity.

The vision for my department is to provide a challenging yet enjoyable course and an environment where guests of all golf levels, from casual to expert, can create memorable experiences.

A leader must have the passion, strength of will and necessary knowledge to achieve long-term goals. Our vision drives our goals. A focused individual who can inspire his team to reach organizational goals is a visionary leader. To cultivate this loyalty the attitude of supervisors is of utmost importance. Growing grass is very easy; to form and grow a team is a challenge that requires vision, attitude and discipline. As a leader, I strive to make leaders out of my staff in order to encourage them to learn and grow both within and outside of their job functions and department. It is important to create a personal sense of ownership and belonging for employees.

Editors Note: This letter on developing a philosophy and team leadership was submitted by 2014 Superintendent of the Year finalist Jorge Croda. Jorge is a Mexican national living and working in Burleson, Texas, where he is superintendent of Southern Oaks Golf Club.

This is a follow up article to one from the Summer 2015 Chapter Connect. Thank you Jorge Croda for your contribution.

We also designed a mission, values and rules that my department follows to meet the expectations of our members, guests and owners. Our mission is to provide exceptional recreational and social opportunities to our members, guests and anyone interested in gaining positive experiences through maintaining high expectations of excellence. Our values include:

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Our members are our most important asset.

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Our staff is a critical and vitally important element in our continued success.

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We treat all people, fellow members, guests, staff and suppliers, as we would like to be treated.

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We are respectful, friendly, courteous and honest in our relations.

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We value friendships and enjoyable recreational and social experiences.

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We value teamwork and volunteerism in pursuing excellence.

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We value the traditions, heritage and etiquette of the game of golf.

Leadership and management will be open and transparent as they

strive to continuously improve our quality customer satisfaction in a fiscally responsible manner. The objective is to foster skills that will benefit employees in both their professional and personal lives. There are five core rules that establish discipline expectations and govern our department.

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Be Safe.

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Be kind to others.

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Give each task your best.

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If you make a mistake, tell someone.

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Have fun.

These rules are essential to the smooth operation of our facility and ensure that we are all operating within our philosophy each and every day. We have weekly meetings within the department to discuss important issues such as; member and guest comments, management announcements, tasks that need focus and improvement and ideas/suggestions on how it can be done, congratulations for hard work, encouragement for giving best efforts, reinforcement of our vision and rules and an opportunity for employees to voice comments, suggestions and/or questions. These meetings are an important facet of our philosophy because it is a structured reminder of the philosophy and expectations of our department.

We focus on these skills:

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Interpersonal skills - proper introductions when greeting someone or meeting someone new and how to effectively communicate with others.

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Intrapersonal Skills - techniques for managing thoughts and emotions.

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Goal setting - setting attainable milestones to reach desired goals and dreams.

Resiliency - strategies to adapt, manage and overcome challenges.

Our employees are offered opportunities to acquire skills beyond just their job specific duties such as classes to build and improve English skills, computer skills and cross training that can translate into other areas of their life and create employees that are more well-rounded people. A strong philosophy should focus on developing a company's greatest asset, its employees.

A well-treated and motivated staff will develop loyalty and remain with a company for a long time. The goal is to create a culture of gratitude within your department. The role of the leader of the department is to effectively role-model the ways to show gratitude at all possible times. Here are three strong examples of ways you can establish a culture of gratitude within your organization or department. The first example is to encourage employees to celebrate each other This could be done by some type of structured recognition program where people can praise co-workers for specific behaviors or attitudes or another option would be a more anonymous recognition program where employees are encouraged to leave notes of gratitude for other employees in a designated location.

The second example is to show your appreciation for the entire team by hosting special events or activities. I do this in my department by having a monthly luncheon to show appreciation for my staff and their hard work. Another major event was a scramble tournament for employees that we planned. This allowed the employees to play golf on the course and increase team building skills while experiencing the importance of etiquette and safety, seeing things from the perspective of a member or guest on the course and recognizing what guest/member needs are. The main guideline for the scramble tournament was be positive, enjoy what you do, have fun, be happy and you will be successful. Last, but not least, make "thank you" a phrase heard daily. These two simple words have a significant impact on making employees, and people in general, feel valued and appreciated. By establishing a culture of gratitude, you will not only have happier employees, but employees who are more engaged, motivated, and loyal.

My philosophy focuses on teaching and demonstrating to my employees the values for life, teamwork, etiquette, communication, leadership and motivation and then most importantly, having the expectation that they put these skills to use every day on the job. Richard Branson once said: "Train people well enough so they can leave; treat them well enough so they don't want to."

GCSAA News

National survey shows golf courses using nearly 22 percent less water than eight years ago Survey conducted by Golf Course Superintendents Association of America also shows increased water conservation practices at U.S. courses Lawrence, Kan. (Dec. 1, 2015) - Golf course superintendents used 21.8 percent less water overall and just 1.44 percent of all irrigated water in the U.S. to maintain their courses in 2013, compared with usage in 2005, according to recently released survey data. The survey was conducted by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and funded by the United State Golf Association (USGA) through GCSAA’s Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG).

The survey results from nearly 2,000 golf course superintendents were collected and independently analyzed by scientists at PACE Turf and the National Golf Foundation (NGF), which published the findings for peer review before making the information public.

"This study shows us that the golf industry has been addressing water issues for some time and is realizing positive results. The numbers show that golf course superintendents across the country have reduced water consumption," said Wendy Gelernter, Ph.D., co-owner of PACE Turf, which has been providing data analysis for the golf industry for more than 25 years. "There is always room for improvement, however; and I think we will see even Continued on Next Page-

less water being used and fewer acres being irrigated in the years ahead."

Along with reducing overall water usage by 500,000 acre-feet, golf course superintendents increased their use of recycled water by 33 percent over the last study. Both of those trends are positive for the industry, since golf courses are able to filter recycled water before it re-enters the ecosystem.

Golf course superintendents also have demonstrated water savings through turf reduction and improved technologies, such as computercontrolled targeted irrigation systems and sensors that measure soil moisture.

Since 2005, golf courses have reduced managed irrigated turf by 14,430 acres, enough of a reduction to cover more than 100 golf courses. This reduction does not include golf course closures.

In addition, the study provides data on average water use in the seven different agronomic regions of the country, with water usage the lowest in the Northeast and the highest in the Southeast and Southwest – two regions that have year-round play and turf growth.

"The golf course superintendent profession is committed to science-based technologies and environmental stewardship," said Rhett Evans, CEO of GCSAA. "We hope that this national study will demonstrate our commitment to efficient water management and inspire the industry to continue to lead in the future. In the end, water management is about providing playing conditions that satisfy the needs of golfers today without compromising the needs of the future."

It's not surprising to find water usage down and water costs up nationally for golf course managers. The picture of the golf industry has changed, and it will continue to evolve, even at the national championship level, where the world’s best players are seeing a shift from overall uniform green to firmer surfaces that receive less water.

Visit www.gcsaa.org to review the complete survey report.

Over the next two years, GCSAA will publish four additional national surveys in key areas related to golf course management as part of its Golf Course Environmental Profile. Each of those surveys is also being funded by the USGA through the EIFG.

September Meeting - Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children The Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children hosted the North Texas GCSA for our annual education seminar. The hospital has very generously offered this venue since 1999. More than15 years! Mike Richardson PhD. was the honored guest speaker and delivered a terrific seminar that included information on Foliar Fertilization, Irrigation Management, Cultural Practices and Turf Selection. Attendees earned .5 GCSAA CEU's and 5 TDA credits. Dr. Richardson is a Professor of Turfgrass Management and Physiology at the University of Arkansas. Considering he was in semi-hostile territory with the Texas A&M and Arkansas game only days away he behaved himself very well and resisted "Calling the Hogs". Dr. Richardson is an LSU graduate and is counting the days down to Thanksgiving. The association is very appreciative of Dr. Richardson's excellent presentation. We are also very grateful that he chose to donate his entire speaking fee to the TSRHC. No trip to the TSRHC would be complete without a visit from Mr. Quinton Johnson. Quentin was the driving influence who introduced the association to the great work being done at the hospital in 1999. Quinton and his wife Martha still volunteer weekly at the hospital. Their story of how they got involved with the hospital and their continuing relationship is an inspiring one. If you ever get the chance to sit down with Quentin have him tell you all about it.

TSRHC President and CEO, Bob Walker and Kyle Cavin Assistant Administrator of Patient Services spoke to the association during lunch. They expressed their sincere appreciation for the continued financial support the NTGCSA has given over the years. They gave a brief review of the important work being done at the hospital and in the Dallas community. Since 1921 the hospital has provided medical care for kids in need through private donations of generosity.

Thank you again to our Platinum title sponsor.

We really appreciate your support.

North Texas GCSA President, Kevin Carpenter thanked attendees for their attendance and support. Under Kevin's leadership the association raised funds to make a generous donation to the hospital. Following lunch and the check presentation, members were treated to their annual tour of the facilities at the hospital. Attendees saw first hand exactly how the hospital changes the lives of patients and their families. The traditional smell of popcorn filled the colorful halls. The facility is cheerfully decorated in such a manner as to make you feel like your not in a hospital at all.

The chapter made a very generous donation of $3,500.00. In addition to this donation members contributed $235.00 through their participation in the 50/50 pot in June at the Chapter Championship. Combined with Dr. Richardson's donation, the chapter made a contribution of $4,360.00.

But our membership was not done there. Tony and Brenda Campagna of Turf Materials matched donations made by members who participated in the "closest to the hole" contest at the same meeting in June.

So all told, the donation made this day totaled a fantastic $5,100.00.

Thanks again,

   

Dr. Richardson, we hope to have you back soon.

All of our members who generously give of their time and money to help us support the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for their hospitality at this wonderful venue. Every year they roll out the red carpet.

Quinton and Martha Johnson for introducing us to the great folks at TSRHC. We look forward to many more years of supporting and visiting the hospital.

Throwback Article - Originally Published December 2004 As an assistant superintendent you face many challenges from day to day. I have only been an assistant for four months, but I have already had to overcome many obstacles to maintain the tournament like conditions of the golf course. My crew is composed of 14 guys that only speak and understand Spanish. This has been a problem for me, considering my limited Spanish vocabulary. I studied Spanish for three years in high school.

That doesn’t seem bad, except that it was seven years ago.

My first days spent on the golf course were very quiet. I really did not know how to begin to speak to my crew. I was extremely lucky to have an intern when I started that was able to speak fluid Spanish. With his help, I was slowly able to remember some of the basic Spanish I learned in high school. Numbers, colors, and directions were of the most consequence to me. Becoming familiar with these, and my ability to point at objects allowed me to get a basic point across to my crew. This was the start I needed to help me become confident with my vocabulary skills.

I have found many teaching aides, such as the English - Spanish dictionary, and web sites that will translate words and paragraphs from English to Spanish. My superintendent’s knowledge of Spanish has also been of great help to me. I have used all of these tools to help me learn to conjugate verbs and speak in complete sentences with my crew, rather than just saying a few words and hoping that they get the point. I believe this has helped me to earn some respect from the guys by showing that I am willing to learn their language in order to make this course a more enjoyable place to work for everybody Although I encountered a few blank stares from the crew early on, I have begun to effectively communicate with every person on the crew with no major problems. I still have trouble finding the right words sometimes, but with help from my crew, the mechanics, and my boss I am able to schedule my crew and carry on conversations without having to worry about misinterpreting something important.

Thanks, John - good advice for Assistants even in 2015. John is now the Golf Course Superintendent at Firewheel Golf Park in Garland, Texas

Special Announcement!!

The North Texas GCSA Board has decided that Emerald and Bronze Memberships will be available again in 2016! This special membership was a great hit in 2015 and members enjoyed prepaid entry in to all meetings and events (not including Scholarship Tournament and Annual Banquet). It is a great value for vendors and professional members alike. Think about—1 trip to the accountant vs. 10! 25 members took advantage of this great deal in 2015 and enjoyed free events and hassle free registration.

October - Annual Meeting at Tenison Park Golf Course This year's Annual Meeting was held at Tenison Park Golf Course on October 13th. Our host Superintendent, Kevin Redburn, did a great job setting up the course and tournament. We appreciate Kevin, his crew, and the staff at Tenison Park who welcomed us with open arms.

Thank you again to our Platinum title sponsor. We really appreciate your support of the Association.

Board of Director elections were held at this event.

The nominees for the Superintendent Board Positions were: Michael Epps, Kirt Phillips, Kyle Embry and Bryan Brown Nominees for the Affiliate Board Position were: Brian Jeffries, Aaron Fox and Curt Franklin Kirt Phillips and Kyle Embry were elected as Superintendent members and Aaron Fox was elected as an Affiliate member.

Congratulations to you all and thank you for your service.

November Event - Scholarship Tournament at TPC Craig Ranch Wow, what a great event! A good time was had by all at this year's Scholarship Tournament at TPC Craig Ranch. The course was in great shape and a bit of a challenge from all of the comments. However, many players conquered the course and turned in great scores.

Thank you to our hole sponsors and title sponsors:

Hat Sponsors - Colligan Golf Design Shirt Sponsors - Professional Turf Products and Helena Lunch Sponsors - Bayer and Winfield Reception Sponsor - Austin Turf and Tractor

We were very blessed to have many of our Affiliates step up and sponsor this year's tournament. Through sponsorships, tournament entries and scholarship donations, the chapter will be able to offer generous scholarships to our members children and grandchildren.

GCSAA News

Ninety chapters send delegates to meeting at GCSAA headquarters

Two-day session provides superintendents the opportunity for learning, feedback and community More than 100 members from 90 chapters visited GCSAA headquarters last week to cover topics ranging from a final look at the revised members standards proposal, to a chance to hear from candidates nominated for the 2016 board of directors. In addition, delegates participated in constructive dialogue on association issues such as committee structure and marketing initiatives for the association’s 17,500 members.

For some of the new attendees, it was a chance to learn more about their association.

“I now have a new appreciation for how the association is run and the true value that we receive by simply getting involved,” said GCSA of New England representative Greg Cormier, a certified golf course superintendent (CGCS) and director of golf course operations at Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord, Mass.

Jake Snyman, golf course superintendent at the Palmer Lakeside course at Barton Creek in Austin, Texas, was equally impressed: “I got more out of this than anything I have done in the last 12 years I have been a member,” said Snyman, a 40-year-old from South Africa who has been a superintendent at Barton Creek for three years and was in Lawrence representing the Central Texas GCSA. Russ Dooge, CGCS, thought it was time well spent, too, even though he has been connected to GCSAA leadership as a chapter delegate annually since 1996.

Dooge, a longtime superintendent and now general manager with golf course management oversight at The Dunes at Maui Lani Golf Course, traveled nearly 4,000 miles from Hawaii for the opportunity to spend 48 hours talking with fellow members and GCSAA staff.

“We talked about member standards at my first chapter delegates meeting in 1997,” recalled Dooge, a member of the Hawaii GCSA. “It is important. But what we are doing in advocacy for the profession and the golf industry as a

whole is huge. That is something I can’t do, and it helps me stay in business.”

GCSAA President John O’Keefe, CGCS, gave an overview of the member standards proposal that will be presented for membership approval at the 2016 Golf Industry Show in February. That proposal, developed after more than a year of discussions with chapter delegates and other members, will slightly increase the education points needed for Class A renewal as well as modify the requirements for eligibility, which will continue to be based on a combination of formal education, experience and earned education points.

“While there was some discussion about what will qualify for service points in a strong education platform, I am pleased that we have the full backing and direction from our delegates to move forward,” said O’Keefe, director of golf courses management at Preakness Hills Country Club in Wayne, N.J. “Class A member standards are important for defining who we are, both individually and collectively. They frame a member’s professional identity.”

In addition, GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans shared with delegates a brief snapshot of their association’s priority programs, an overview of how the association has been strengthened in recent years, and a preview of plans for the 2016 Golf Industry Show in San Diego. There was also time devoted to a free-flowing Town Hall session.

GCSAA’s 2016 Annual Meeting The 2016 Annual Meeting of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America will be held at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016, in Ballroom 6A of the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, Calif., as part of the 2016 Golf Industry Show

GOTCHA! What are NTGCSA Members up to this Fall?

Pictures from top left, clockwise Tony and Brenda Campagna with granddaughter Reese aka Buttercup. Easy rider Bull Sturm and wife Deanna. Newly married Ann Marie and Paul Hagy, Congratulations!.

Pete Williams and new baby, Congratulations!. Kolby Keeling and big catch from Lake Tawakoni. Brick Scott and his better half, Shannon. Todd Gilmour goes big in Movember. Willie Wallace, his wife Adena and their beautiful daughters.