Mark D. Kuhns, CGCS, director of grounds at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J., was elected president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) at the association's annual meeting Feb. 6. The annual meeting was held in conjunction with the GCSAA Education Conference (Feb. 2-7) and Golf Industry Show (Feb. 5-7) in New Orleans. Kuhns will serve until the 2010 annual meeting, Feb. 12 in San Diego.
Kuhns, who has been at Baltusrol since 1999, previously was golf course superintendent at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club (1991-99); Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier, Pa. (1979-91); and Ligonier (Pa.) Country Club (1977-79). A 28-year GCSAA member, Kuhns first earned certification in 1983.
Kuhns' resume includes extensive major championship experience. He hosted the 1989 U.S. Senior Open at Laurel Valley Golf Club; the 1992 U.S. Women's Open and the 1994 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club; the 2000 U.S. Amateur and the 2005 PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club. Kuhns will host the 2016 PGA Championship at Baltusrol as well. A native of Ligonier, Pa., Kuhns graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in agricultural science.
Elected as vice president was James R. Fitzroy, CGCS, director/superintendent at Wollaston Recreational Facility/Presidents Golf Club in North Quincy, Mass. Robert M. Randquist, CGCS, director of golf course and grounds at Boca Rio Golf Club in Boca Raton, Fla., was elected secretary/treasurer.
Peter J. Grass, CGCS at Hilands Golf Club in Billings, Mont., was elected to a two-year term on the board of directors. Keith A. Ihms, CGCS at Country Club of Little Rock in Little Rock, Ark., and John J. O'Keefe, CGCS, director of golf course management at Preakness Hills Country Club in Wayne, N.J., were re-elected to two-year terms on the board.
Sanford G. Queen, CGCS, manager of golf operations for the city of Overland Park, Kan., and Patrick R. Finlen, CGCS, director of golf course maintenance operations at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, both enter the second year of their terms as directors. David S. Downing II, CGCS, vice president of operations and construction for Signature Golf Group in Myrtle Beach, S.C., will serve on the board for one year as immediate past president.
The GCSAA Education Conference continues to be a vital resource for the golf industry as 5,258 seats were filled for 121 seminars. Content for the seminars focused on the professional development of attendees, including personal skills, leadership, communications, operations management, and resource utilization. An additional 50 hours of panel discussions, sessions and forums that touched on such subjects as the nation's economy, diversity, media/public relations, environmental compliance, etc., were offered.
"Continuing education has become an absolute necessity for golf course superintendents," Kuhns said. "Not only is it important for their professional development, but for the success of the golf facility as well. I believe the quality of the programs and the number of attendees is a testament to the importance golf course superintendents and employers place on GCSAA programs."
One of the highlights from the GCSAA Education Conference was the 15th annual Collegiate Turf Bowl Competition, won by the Purdue University team of Jack Weatherway, Eric Haub, Eric Wanstrath and Chris Ulrich, ending Iowa State's streak of seven straight titles. The third and sixth-place teams were also from Purdue, while Iowa State (2nd), Maryland (4th), Penn State (5th, 8th), Arkansas (7th), Tennessee (9th) and Wisconsin (10th) rounded out the top 10, as 309 students from 83 teams participated in the competition.
Seth Strickland, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Miami Shores (Fla.) Country Club, fired a three-day total of 11-over-par 227 to win his second consecutive GCSAA National Championship, and third overall, at Kiva Dunes Golf Club in Gulf Shores, Ala., Feb. 3. The GCSAA National Championship and Golf Classic is presented in partnership with The Toro Co. Full tournament results are available at www.gcsaa.org/conference.
GCSAA founding president Col. John Morley was posthumously honored with the Old Tom Morris Award at the GCSAA Education Conference Opening Session. James J. Roney Jr., GCSAA Class A director of golf courses and grounds at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa., was the overall winner of the GCSAA/Golf Digest Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards, presented in partnership with Rain Bird and Syngenta. Tim Hiers, CGCS at The Old Collier Golf Club in Naples, Fla., won the GCSAA Excellence in Government Relations Awards. Mark Esoda, CGCS at Atlanta Country Club; the late George Hamilton, Ph.D., former turfgrass professor at Penn State; and Monroe Miller, GCSAA Class AA member who recently retired after 36 years as superintendent at Blackhawk Country Club in Madison, Wis., won GCSAA Col. John Morley Distinguished Service Awards. Dan Dinelli, CGCS at North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Ill., won the GCSAA President's Award for Environmental Stewardship. Thomas Lavrenz, retired GCSAA Class A golf course superintendent from Hiawatha, Iowa, won the GCSAA Leo Feser Award for his article, "Stress: What's really important," which appeared in the February 2008 issue of Golf Course Management magazine.
