A tradition continues for the 14th year when the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) joins forces with The Toro Co. to bring the GCSAA National Championship and Golf Classic to Orlando Jan. 27-29.

Few golf competitions can match the number of participants attracted by this golf event for GCSAA members. Nearly 500 GCSAA members will compete for top honors at five world-class Orlando golf courses, while staying at the The Caribe Royale Orlando.

The GCSAA National Championship and Golf Classic are held in conjunction with the GCSAA Education Conference (Jan. 28-Feb. 2) and Golf Industry Show (Jan. 31-Feb. 2), at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

Accomplished golfers will test themselves against GCSAA’s finest in the National Championship, Jan. 27-29 at Ginn Reunion Resort's Independence Course. The National Championship is limited to the first 100 players with a 5.0 handicap index or lower. It is a three-day, 54-hole, stroke-play event. Practice rounds will be held at Ginn Reunion Resort's Independence Course Jan. 25-26. The 2008 GCSAA Champion, along with champions from the last five years, will receive an annual invitation to participate in the renowned Trans-Mississippi Golf Championship, where the likes of PGA Tour professionals such as Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw, Dean Beman and Bob Tway, among others, have carried home the championship trophy.

For a more relaxed competition, the popular Golf Classic welcomes players of all abilities. It will be played Jan. 28-29. The Golf Classic is limited to the first 480 entries with handicap indexes from 0-36, participating in 10 flights. Golf Classic participants will compete in both gross and net competition within their respective flights using the point quota scoring system. Flights in the Golf Classic will rotate between Orange County National's Panther Lake and Crooked Cat courses, Grand Pines Golf Club, and Hawk's Landing Golf Club. The Golf Classic also includes a fun Four-Ball on Jan. 27 before the competition tees up. A chapter team competition also will be held in which scores from the National Championship and Golf Classic are compiled to see which GCSAA-affiliated chapter holds the best golfers.

The Toro Co. is partnering with the association to present the annual GCSAA National Championship and Golf Classic. Toro, a global leader in providing maintenance equipment and irrigation systems to golf courses, has been the sole partner of this event since 1995, and recently signed on through 2013.

The 2008 GCSAA National Championship and Golf Classic marks the 11th time the tournament has been hosted in the Sunshine State during the 57-year history of the event. It will also be making a fifth trip to Orlando this year, after visits in 1982, 1990, 1996 and 2005.

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.

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). The 2008 event will be Jan. 31-Feb. 2 in Orlando. Visit www.golfindustryshow.com.

GCSAA National Championship and Golf Classic host facilities
* The Independence Course at the Ginn Reunion Resort
Kristian Chambrot, GCSAA golf course superintendent, 407-390-9665
* Orange County National's Panther Lake Course
Carl K. Benedict, GCSAA Class A director of golf course maintenance, 407-905-2214
* Orange County National Crooked Cat
Carl K. Benedict, GCSAA Class A director of golf course maintenance, 407-905-2214
* Hawk's Landing Golf Club
John Kopack, GCSAA Class A director of golf course management, 407-238-8868
* Grande Pines Golf Club
Christopher Flynn, GCSAA certified golf course superintendent, 407-239-7410

For more information contact:
Pat Payne, CMP, GCSAA manager of tournament logistics and meeting planning, at 800-472-7878, ext. 4407, or ppayne@gcsaa.org