Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) certified golf course superintendents (CGCS) Donald Hearn, H. James "Jim" Loke and Oscar Miles have been selected as recipients of the 2008 GCSAA Distinguished Service Award.

They will be acknowledged at the Opening Session (Jan. 31) of the 2008 GCSAA Education Conference in Orlando, Jan. 28-Feb. 2. The Opening Session is presented in partnership with Bayer Environmental Science.

"Don, Jim and Oscar are most deserving of the Distinguished Service Award,” said GCSAA President Ricky D. Heine, CGCS. “They have made outstanding and significant contributions to the advancement of the golf course superintendent profession as well as to the game of golf. GCSAA is richer from the dedication of these gentlemen.”

Hearn, a 37-year GCSAA member, served on the GCSAA Board of Directors and was the association's president in 1987. He has also served on the USGA Green Section Committee. Hearn is a past president of the New England GCSA and is a past member of the Massachusetts Golf Association Executive Committee. A superintendent at Weston (Mass.) Golf Club for 29 years, Hearn also had stints at Lexington (Mass.) Golf Club and Vesper Country Club in Tyngsboro, Mass. He is credited with being on the forefront of the push for increased education and professionalism in the industry.

Loke, the certified golf course superintendent for the past 15 years at Bent Creek Country Club in Lancaster, Pa., is a 36-year GCSAA member and has served on numerous committees for the association. He currently serves on the USGA Mid-Atlantic Green Section Committee and the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council Board of Directors. He is a past president of both the Central Pennsylvania GCSA and the Northern Ohio GCSA, and has served on the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Board of Directors. Loke has hosted numerous high level golf events, including the 1975 PGA Championship at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio; two Ben Hogan PGA Tour events at Quail Hollow Resort in Painesville, Ohio; and several major Pennsylvania amateur events at Bent Creek. He is considered one of the pioneers in using fertigation and developing a 99 percent effective Poa annua-free management program at Bent Creek. Loke is recognized as an authority in both areas.

Miles, a 45-year GCSAA member, is a retired superintendent who last worked at the Merit Club in Libertyville, Ill. He has served on various GCSAA committees and hosted 13 professional golf tournaments, including 12 Western Opens at Butler National Golf Club in Oak Brook, Ill., and Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club, as well as the 2000 U.S. Women's Open at the Merit Club. A past president of the Illinois Turfgrass Foundation, Miles also served on the board for GCSAA's Indiana chapter. An industry expert who has mentored more than 75 interns, Miles is renowned for decades of soil temperature research, and he was at the forefront of the lightweight fairway mowing concept, now considered standard practice.

The GCSAA Board of Directors selects Distinguished Service Award winners from nominations submitted by affiliated chapters and/or association members. First presented in 1932, the award is given to individuals who have made an outstanding, substantive and enduring contribution to the advancement of the golf course superintendent profession.

GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 21,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. The association’s philanthropic organization, The Environmental Institute for Golf, works to strengthen the compatibility of golf with the natural environment through research grants, support for education programs and outreach efforts. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.

The GCSAA Education Conference, held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show, is the largest educational conference in the turfgrass management industry. More than 100 seminars and 50 additional hours of educational sessions are offered, covering all ranges of golf course management, including agronomics, communication and business management.

Golf Industry ShowThe Golf Industry Show is an innovative trade show designed for the owners/operators of golf facilities, and the professional members of the golf course and club management industries. Featuring its signature interactive solution centers, as well as the largest exhibit floor in the industry, the event combines education, networking and solutions for golf course superintendents, owners/operators, general managers, chief operating officers, architects and builders. The Golf Industry Show is presented by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) and the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA), along with supporting organizations the Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA), the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) and the National Golf Foundation (NGF). Visit www.golfindustryshow.com.

Note: The title "CGCS," after a superintendent's name, stands for Certified Golf Course Superintendent, which recognizes the achievement of high standards of professionalism through education and experience.

For more information contact:
Donald Hearn, CGCS, 978-256-8709
H. James Loke, CGCS, 717-569-1540
Oscar Miles, CGCS, 217-223-9350