ATLANTA, Ga. -- For the third year, Bayer Environmental Science and The Environmental Institute for Golf are sending golf course superintendents to the 2006 Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Education Conference and Golf Industry Show at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Feb. 6-11.

The 2006 GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show had originally been scheduled for those dates in New Orleans; however the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina forced a change of venue. For a brief period, show officials were in discussions with Houston representatives for that city to host the event, however as talks progressed that option was dismissed.

The Bayer Superintendent Grant Program assists superintendents with their professional development through participation in the annual event, which features the most comprehensive education program available in the industry. Superintendents receive airfare (including international), hotel accommodations for six nights, conference full-pack registration, two educational seminars (half-day, one-day or two-day), two tickets to the President’s Celebration and a $200 expense stipend. Any superintendent who did not attend the 2005 GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show in Orlando or the 2004 GCSAA Conference and Show in San Diego was eligible to apply. The five winners are:

* Stacy D. Baker, Table Mountain Golf Club, Oroville, Calif.
* John H. Boyce, El Monte Golf Course, Ogden, Utah
* Tom H. Dickman Jr., Burningtree Country Club, Decatur, Ala.
* Lee T. Mahnke, Mayville (Wis.) Golf Club
* Robert Rodriguez, Camelot Golf and Country Club, Cumberland, Ontario, Canada

In response to the tragedies on the Gulf Coast, 10 additional grants have been made available for superintendents who were directly affected by hurricane-related weather. GCSAA and The Institute are working with affiliated chapters in the Gulf Coast area to identify those superintendents affected by the storms. Those identified will be placed in a random drawing to select the 10 recipients at a later date.

“Bayer has been a strong supporter of GCSAA and The Environmental Institute for Golf by contributing to the betterment of the golf course management profession,” said GCSAA President Timothy T. O’Neill, CGCS. "We are grateful to Bayer for stepping up its support of our members, especially those affected by the devastating hurricanes.”

"The devastation left in the wake of these hurricanes is simply heartbreaking and our thoughts are with those struggling in the aftermath of this disaster, especially golf course superintendents," said Mike Daly, Bayer Environmental Science director of marketing. "The Bayer Superintendent Grant Program is one way to give back to those that have lost so much.”

Bayer Environmental Science is one of five supporters at the Champion's Club level in the Cumulative Giving Program of donors who have contributed between $250,000 and $499,999 to The Environmental Institute for Golf since 1987.

About Bayer Environmental Science
Bayer Environmental Science is a member of the worldwide Bayer Group, a $27 billion international health care and chemicals group based in Leverkusen, Germany. The Bayer Group stock is a component of the DAX and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: BAY). For more information on Bayer Environmental Science, call (201) 307-9700 or visit www.bayerprocentral.com.

About the GCSAA Education Conference
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.

About the Golf Industry Show
Presented by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), the Golf Industry Show is an innovative trade show that features unparalleled networking opportunities and hands-on access to golf course and facility management solutions for professional members of the golf industry. The Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) will become associated with the event in 2007. Also participating as supporting organizations are the Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA), the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) and the National Golf Foundation (NGF). For more, visit www.golfindustryshow.com.

About The Environmental Institute for Golf
The Environmental Institute for Golf, the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA, is a collaborative effort of the environmental and golf communities, dedicated to strengthening the compatibility of golf with the natural environment. The Institute concentrates on delivering programs and services involving information collection, research, education and outreach that communicate the best management practices of environmental stewardship on the golf course. For more on The Institute, visit www.eifg.org.

About GCSAA
Since 1926, GCSAA has been the leading 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 individual 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. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.

For more information contact:
Jennifer Remsberg, Bayer Environmental Science communications manager, at (919) 549-2484
Teri Harris, GCSAA managing director, development, at (785) 832-4465