What does the season mean to you?

As I scribe this blog, it is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  Without question, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  And for many reasons.

First of all, it's simple.  It is the opportunity for us to show thanks to family, friends, co-workers and those that have made an impact on who we are.

Secondly, the event is spending time with others.  There's no buying presents or having to "party" like New Year's. (Yes, I enjoy the food and the football, as well.)

But Thanksgiving is only the start. During December, many of us will attend services and parties, and recognize others for the great work and accomplishments throughout the year.  At GCSAA, it is a chance to review our goals and objectives for 2015 and work to execute and improve for 2016.

In addition, it's a chance to communicate with our members and staff about their importance to the industry.  I'm grateful to work with an amazing staff and a chapter outreach department that is dedicated to serving our members. Serving you is the essence of  GCSAA's mission statement. During this season, I also thank you as members for your support of your organization.

On another important note, I ask that you take a moment and look toward 2016.  Ask how you can become a better professional.  Look no further than becoming more involved with your chapter, your community, or in an area that you have an interest.

In 2015, instead of making a resolution, I made a single word a focus. That word was "professional."  Be a professional, in good times and in bad.

Looking ahead to 2016, the focus is on commitment.  Being committed to serving our members, becoming more involved with family, the community, and our passion – our profession.

While we look back and give thanks, take a moment to recognize what's important to you and how you can make an impact on our profession.  Enjoy time with family and friends.  We look forward to seeing you out in the field!

Chapter delegates meet and engage in discussion

From October 27 through the 28, 90 chapter delegates met in Kansas City and later at GCSAA headquarters in Lawrence, Kansas, to discuss various initiatives and listen to candidates vying for a seat on the GCSAA Board of Directors.  Many of the initiatives will come up for a vote at GCSAA's annual meeting in San Diego on Thursday, February 11.

One of those items is a revised member standards proposal.  In previous posts, we discussed member standards and the changes.  To summarize, Class A eligibility will be a points-based system.  Points are earned through formal education (bachelor's/associate's degrees), years of superintendent experience and approved GCSAA education points.

Under the proposal, Class SM would become Class B.  For Class A renewal, five points over a 5-year period would be required.  Education points would be enhanced  to a minimum of 3.0.  Service points will be based on golf-centric activities.

Delegates also received a breakdown of the work completed by various task groups.  The board has approved a new affiliation agreement.   A task group discussing the affiliation agreement met and revised the document.  A couple of the changes include:

• Eliminating the three-year renewal of the document.  Instead, the document will be reviewed annually, or as changes are needed.  Task groups will discuss any future changes, which will then be discussed by the board then the chapter delegates.
• Updated verbiage to reflect current business practices. 
• Conducted a legal review of the document to ensure both the needs of chapters and GCSAA are met.

In November, the revised document will be sent to chapter officials to be signed and returned by December 31.  The new agreement will be in effect January 1, 2016.

Delegates also heard of various initiatives ongoing at GCSAA, including a revamped schedule with Rounds4Research.  The auction will now be held in April.

A snapshot of various programs and services were shared, including the Member-Get-A-Member campaign, Government Affairs/advocacy and marketing/communications.

Delegates also heard of the upcoming Golf Industry Show schedule and engaged in a lively discussion during the Town Hall Session.

Complete outcomes of the meeting – as well as slide presentations of the event – are being developed and will be available for review.  Please contact me if you have any questions.  Thank you for your service!

Steve Randall
Director, Chapter Outreach

Chapter Delegates Meeting to tackle Member Standards

The annual GCSAA Chapter Delegates Meeting will be held October 27-28 in Kansas City and at GCSAA headquarters.  There are a variety of items that delegates, members, staff and the GCSAA board will discuss.  Those items include:

• President and CEO Briefing
• Rounds 4 Research check presentations and program update
• Member standards/classifications proposal – (As previous communications have indicated, the GCSAA board has developed a proposed members standards/classifications model to help move our members forward.)
• Task group updates – Various task groups have met over the past 12-months.  This has allowed the organization to engage members and receive input on a variety of initiatives.
• Town hall session – One of the most popular agenda items of the event.  This allows attendees to ask the GCSAA board/staff any question.  We receive excellent input and feedback during this session.
• Programs and services update – Topics discussed include GR/Advocacy, BMP and Environmental Programs, Member/Get a Member Campaign, Thank a Golf Course Superintendent initiative and more.
• Board candidates will also present to the delegates.  This event officially kicks off the campaign season. (The GCSAA will provide each delegate a copy of the outcomes and will ask each delegate to summarize the meeting to their chapters.  Being a delegate is a great process of engagement and we encourage delegates to view this as a 12-month project of informing members at the local level.)

To delve into a couple of highlights from what the proposed member standards entail:

• The Superintendent Member classification will become Class B
• The Class A definition proposal will allow for a more industry-inclusive background for Class A status
• Eligibility for Class A will continue to be a combination of education and experience
• Class A renewal will require five points over a five-year period with a minimum of education points increased to three.  Service points continue to be available but for golf-centric activities.

As always, GCSAA will do its best to update members on a regular basis.  We also appreciate your feedback.  We hope your fall is off to a great start and I encourage you to please contact me if you need anything.

All the best,

Steve Randall
Director, Chapter Outreach
(800) 472-7878

A journey to western Nebraska reveals great things

On August 17, I made my annual visit to western Nebraska.  During the three-day visit, I began to reflect on the uniqueness of the open plains, and see first-hand individuals working together to make a difference.

One of my fist stops was in Ogallala, NE.  Western Winds Golf Club, an 18-hole facility just south of I-80, is a traditional family-owned, small golf course operation with friendly people enjoying their craft.

Corey Crandall is a 20-year GCSAA member and serves as the owner/operator and superintendent. As I toured the front nine, I noticed numerous cars entering the parking lot.  In fact, it looked a lot like the high school girls' golf team.

Not paying much attention, I continued on.  About 30 minutes later, I looked over to the driving range.  Here they were, the entire group of girls working together to pick range balls?!  I'll admit, it's been a while since I've seen that type of effort picking and prepping the driving range.  In fact, I have to go back to my college coaching days when our teams were required to pick our own range balls during the early spring.

The following day, I ventured to Kearney, NE to meet Scott Schurman, the president of the Nebraska GCSA and the superintendent at Kearney CC.  We had an excellent visit.  We were able to speak specifically on chapter issues.  We discussed chapter meeting formats and the what type of schedule might best serve the membership.  We talked about how the chapter can best serve members at the local level.  We discussed resources GCSAA can provide to assist.

Ultimately, these visits are about the members and how GCSAA and chapters can work together to enhance value.

Following my visit in Kearney, I talked to former NGCSA President Josh Mahar at his facility in Gothenburg, NE.  Wildhorse GC is an excellent golf course.  Knowing Josh had been president of the NGCSA, we discussed how members needs have evolved over the past years.  We discussed how superintendents receive information and how they consume education.

With the concept of "140 characters" leading many of our lives, we talked about different types of on-site education.  Could chapter education consist of six or seven subjects with 30 minutes for each?  Would this type of format allow for something of interest for everyone, thus making attendance valuable?  Ultimately, it was great to catch up.

That evening, I worked my way back to Ogallala.  I had dinner at a local restaurant called the Open Range Grill.  It was a casual restaurant with burgers, chicken sandwiches and salads.  All of the beef was grown and produced locally.  Ogallala, with a population of 4,770, is a small community.

After I received my food, I noticed a mother and her 2-year-old son go up to the staff and ask for a job application.  The restaurant was scheduled to close in 15 minutes, so it wasn't busy.  Staff was cleaning up. Knowing the 2-year-old had other priorities, staff members exchanged time with the boy, keeping him content, helping him use a coloring book and interacting.

At that point, I realized this doesn't happen everywhere.  I thought of how golf course superintendents also help each other.

The next day, I met with Kyle Hegland at Sand Hills Golf Club and he spoke of a huge hail storm that pounded his course this summer.  The facility was closed for four days. Citizens, superintendents and other volunteers came together to help clean up. It was a team effort.

As I returned home, I reflected on our vision with GCSAA's chapter outreach program. "Working together to accomplish the "We."  These visits were a reflection of that.

All the best to our membership as we work through the fall season.

Map out your strategy for success

One of our vital services for members and chapters is to conduct strategic planning sessions. Recently, Jeff Jensen, our Southwest field staff representative, and I facilitated a session with the Southern Nevada Chapter.

I've been honored to work with many chapters this year, including the Iowa GCSA, Minnesota GCSA, Western Washington GCSA and more.  The mission of these sessions is to provide a view and roadmap for short- and long-term success.

The process
If you have not participated in a GCSAA-facilitated session, we have a template that works well for most chapters.

First, we ask attendees what their expectations are for the day.  This helps shape the direction for the meeting.  It is always interesting to hear different viewpoints and see which issues are at the forefront for the members.

SCOR
From here we will participate in a strengths, challenges, opportunities and risk exercise.  Mostly these are related to the chapter, however, we will discuss industry and individual member concerns, as well.

Once this is completed, we will have each participant offer their top two or three areas within each category.  From here, we see what the priority items are and we can focus our direction to ensure expectations are being met.

Mission, vision and goals
From here we look at the mission statement of the chapter.  This is key.  The mission is why the chapter exists.  The vision is what the chapter should look like to its membership.

A mission statement should be clear, concise and effective.  A two- or three-sentence mission statement shows a chapter is not focused on its existence.

The vision can be a statement or a short list.  GCSAA's vision is to be the "Global Leader in Golf Course Management."  A chapter vision statement may focus on being the go-to source for members on local golf course management issues.

Goals are developed on various factors.  First, we look at the SCOR analysis and priority items.  We look at what will help us achieve our vision.  We set a timeline of accomplishing our goals and look to individuals who will be a chair or vice-chair to keep the ball moving.

This template is also effective at the club or department level.  I have successfully helped facilitate sessions for teams and organizations.

If your chapter has not held a session in some time, please contact me.  Our chapter outreach team is here to help!

Steve Randall
(800) 472-7878 ext. 5146

Northwest Iowa GCSA members enjoy meeting at Spencer Country Club

As part of working with chapters, it's great to see items discussed during strategic planning sessions come to fruition. This was the case with the Iowa GCSA and its recent outreach efforts in the northwest part of the state.

This past spring, members of the Iowa GCSA board visited GCSAA headquarters for a retreat and strategic planning session.  As the group discussed various items, enhancing state meetings in different regions was a priority.

Iowa GCSA meeting at Spencer Country Club

Nearly 50 individuals attended the Iowa state meeting in the northwest section June 18 at the wonderful Spencer Country Club.  Ryan Lux was the host superintendent and also serves on the board.

I updated attendees on various GCSAA initiatives, including updates to member standards and classes.  President Ryan Cummings offered information on the chapter and ways for individuals to get involved.  In addition, Ryan highlighted his experience with the Melrose Leadership Academy and attendance at the 2015 GIS in San Antonio.  Part of the presentation was to encourage others to apply and take advantage of the opportunity.

The best part of the event was the camaraderie.  This was the first time in a while the state chapter held an event in Spencer.  Mr. Lux had the course in top condition.  He also had his staff participate in the meeting and event as they concluded their obligations on the golf course.

A lot can be said for encouraging other members of your staff to become involved. 

In October, the chapter will hold another outreach event in Cedar Falls, Iowa, to bring more people together from the east and northeast sections. 

Ultimately, these events show value.  Numerous conversations were held to discuss issues and treatments for problems happening at the course.  This type of interaction is crucial to relationship building, success and the long-term success of the profession.

Hats off to everyone.

I encourage everyone to become involved with their chapter. If not for yourself, for the benefit of the industry.

Future turf managers engage in various activities

I recently returned from a speaking engagement at Jacobsen in Charlotte, North Carolina. The annual Future Turf Managers Seminar allowed 22 current university students or recent graduates the opportunity to network with peers, learn essentials on becoming successful in their profession and gain exposure to a variety of turf management areas, including golf course, sports turf and landscape.

This was the fifth time I have spoken at the event and I am grateful for the invitation and opportunity. My presentation focused on GCSAA programs and services. We also offered insight on being a professional, learning how to define success and the value of emphasizing traits and skills that have a major impact on success in any career: behavior and an ability to listen.

Full Agenda
What makes the event successful is the exposure attendees have to various turfgrass management fields. They heard from Jacobsen's executive staff and golf course superintendents and toured the University of South Carolina's sports facilities in addition to the Sage Valley Golf Club and maintenance facility.

Educational topics included:

• Use of social media
• Athletic field construction
• Athletic field preparation for televised events
• Leadership, communications and working for success
• And, of course, a complete Jacobsen facility tour and demonstration of products built on-site.

I felt a sense of pride for the industry to see these students committed to learning as much as possible.

Many thanks to all who organized the event and I hope to see you again soon.

Affiliation Agreement Task Group to discuss chapter/GCSAA relationship

The first Affiliation Agreement Task Group is set to meet at the GCSAA headquarters in May. The group will take a look at the document which discusses the relationship between affiliated chapters and the GCSAA.

Chapters are non-profit organizations separate from the GCSAA, though we have a mutual agreement on many fronts. For example, local chapters have their own boards and volunteers, yet many of these individuals serve at the national level with GCSAA. Currently, there are shared membership levels for Class A and Class SM members, which is outlined in the affiliation agreement.

The agreement document has been extended over the course of several years.  It's time for chapter executives, chapter members, GCSAA members and representatives from the GCSAA board to ensure our affiliation agreement is current and fair for both the local and national organizations.

Chapter outreach has seen an explosion since the last affiliation agreement revision. It is the vision of the Chapter Outreach Program to successfully form the "we" between local chapters, members and allied groups. That's a monumental task, but looking at our current affiliation agreement is a step to ensure this vision is reached.

Following our May meeting, the group will begin crafting a revised document. Ultimately, we hope to have a new agreement ready for review at the Chapter Delegates Meeting, with approval by the board of directors later this year. Plans are for the new agreement to be in effect for 2016.

I will provide outcomes of the event and welcome any questions you have. Is there something you would like the task group to discuss? Please contact me at srandall@gcsaa.org. I look forward to hearing from you.

Chapter Leader/Executive Symposium encourages networking, professional development

GCSAA affiliated chapters strengthen their leadership teams at the Chapter Leader/Executive Symposium

Thirty representatives from 25 affiliated chapters sharpened their leadership skills at the 2015 Chapter Leader/Executive Symposium, March 24-25 at GCSAA headquarters in Lawrence, Kan. This year, GCSAA President John J. O’Keefe, CGCS; Vice President Peter J. Grass, CGCS; and GCSAA’s newest board member, Kevin P. Breen, CGCS, participated in the first day of the program.

The symposium is funded in part by the Williams Leadership Endowment Fund through the Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG).

This annual event is limited to 25 chapters that send a volunteer leader and association staff member. The program is intended to strengthen each chapter’s leadership team, build on successes and learn new concepts and ideas to support chapter effectiveness. The attendees do this by participating in sessions focused on a broad segment of volunteer and association management topics with plenty of time to network with their peers from around the country. GCSAA staff also highlighted the various ways the national association can assist in chapter operations. In addition, the attendees broke off into separate groups focused on issues related to region and role.

O’Keefe welcomed the attendees to the event by highlighting GCSAA’s dedication to its mission and vision. He emphasized that the relationships GCSAA has with its chapters are critical to the overall success of the association. He went on to brief the attendees on the next steps with the member standards initiative.

J.D. Dockstader, chief business development officer, stressed the importance GCSAA staff place on the mission and vision of the association. They aren’t just words on paper; GCSAA uses them as a filter before moving forward with any initiative or program. Dockstader’s final words to the attendees were to say that GCSAA would be just a small part of the program – the participants should be prepared to learn from one another.

"8 Laws of Leadership," a two-hour presentation by Jack Litzelfelner, president of Jack Litz Consulting, was the keynote address. Litzelfelner engaged the group in an interactive session focusing not only on his laws of leadership, but also on what skills and attitudes go into being an effective leader.

The objectives included:

• Gain practical skills and knowledge to help you successfully lead your facility and your chapter
• Explore the challenges and changes impacting today’s association operating environment
• Build an ongoing professional network of peers and share best practices and innovative ideas
• Receive updates on programs and initiatives that are of interest to chapters from GCSAA

Discussion topics included:

• Virginia’s BMP Project with David Norman, executive director, Virginia GCSA
• Chapter executive and leader breakouts
• GCSAA Communications, Marketing and GCM
• GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador Program and Government Relations update
• Non-Profit Insurance Needs, Sue Courtney, Schifman, Remley and Associates

Thank you to these chapter representatives for participating in this year's symposium:

• Natalie Barker, Intermountain GCSA
• Katy Boggs and Jim Nedrow, Nebraska GCSA
• Ricky Border, West Virginia GCSA
• David Norman, Mid-Atlantic Association of GCS and Virginia GCSA
• Michael Bostian, Mid-Atlantic Association of GCS
• Carol Cloud, North Texas GCSA
• Rodney Crow, CGCS, South Texas GCSA
• Nicholas Cummins and Jeff Wendel, CGCS, Iowa GCSA
• Christopher Hayman and Carey Sandland, San Diego GCSA
• Donald E. Hearn, CGCS (Retired), GCSA of New England
• Julie Heston and David Stott, GCSA of Cape Cod
• Andrew Jones and Ethan Shamet, Heart of America GCSA
• Samantha Kriesch and Mitchell Miller, Calusa GCSA
• Gary Leeper and Joseph Putnam, Rocky Mountain GCSA
• Andrew Ramsey, Carolinas GCSA
• Tricia Roberts, Gulf Coast GCSA and Louisiana-Mississippi GCSA
• Simon Parkin, Gulf Coast GCSA
• Brook Sentell, Louisiana-Mississippi GCSA
• Lori Russell, Idaho GCSA, Inland Empire GCSA, Peaks & Prairies GCSA
• Wade Altschwager, Peaks & Prairies GCSA
• James Curdy, Inland Empire GCSA
• Gerald Flaherty, CGCS, Idaho GCSA
• Simone Youngblood, GCSA of Northern California

Minnesota GCSA board retreat focuses on updates, planning

Recently, I was asked to help facilitate a Minnesota GCSA board retreat in Brainerd, Minn. The event was held at Cragun's Resort, which is a bustling area in the summer, offering lake cabin accommodations, multiple golf courses, great water activities, fishing -- you name it.

In the winter, many attend for ice fishing, snowmobiling, snow-shoeing -- activities that hearty upper-Midwesterners enjoy. This year, there's no snow, but that didn't stop the crew from enjoying themselves.

The event began on a Sunday evening. The meeting is held in a large multi-room cabin, with meeting space, pool table, TVs and a full kitchen. Board members were asked to make a lasagna or crock pot food item. Everyone is also responsible for cleanup. Periodically, staff from Cragun's would empty the garbage or provide small amenities, but ultimately it was the responsibility of the board members to keep conditions tidy.

Following Sunday's pot luck, members made a short drive to the pro shop at the Legacy Courses at Cragun's. Winter golf is popular in Minnesota . . . winter golf that is indoors, in which you play on a simulator. I'm sure many of you have seen simulators. There are many courses to choose from.

The group got down to business Monday. Chapter executive Jack Mackenzie provided an advocacy and outreach update. Jack was a busy guy. Not only did we have the meeting Monday, but he traveled to St. Paul to represent the chapter, which is very active promoting golf and its benefits to multiple state agencies.

We also conducted a strategic planning session. This is the second retreat in the past three years. It was great to see the accomplishments of the chapter during that time. Outreach to members has been a huge achievement. Action items from this session included the development of a member/affiliate survey, on-going discussions with the University of Minnesota, financial planning, improving communications and tools, to name a few.

Many on the board participated in various social events the remainder of the day. As we reconvened Tuesday, the group held a regular board meeting and made committee assignments for 2015.

At the chapter level, serving members is key. The board will communicate the accomplishments of the session to its membership.

Making sure your board is on the same page is critical. Sometimes working with others in a relaxed setting outside the normal board room environment can be extremely valuable. If you are a chapter leader and considering a retreat, please contact me or anyone from the Minnesota GCSAA board/staff to learn more about the benefits the event provides.

Minnesota chapter executive Jack Mackenzie provides an advocacy update to the board.

















Minnesota GCSA board members are ready for the regular board meeting. Strategic planning and various group activities were also part of the retreat.

Although the Brainerd area has had very little snow thus far this year, conditions were difficult getting home following the event.

A New Year's resolution?

Skip the New Year's resolution:
Now that 2015 is upon us, the tradition of New Year's resolutions is rampant. I've tried the "I'll eat better" diet, the "I'll exercise more" bit and the promise of a better work/life balance.

In many of my readings over the past month a new idea seems to be popular. It's an idea with merit . . . So what is it, you ask? Instead of making a resolution, try using a one-word philosophy to help shape your year. For example, a co-worker is using "flexibile." If you find yourself unwilling to consider the opinions of others, telling yourself to stay "flexible" can hold great benefits.

Other people I know are using "committed" and "dedicated." It makes sense, doesn't it?

For me, the term "professional" really hits home. Not that I haven't been professional in the past, but when there are difficult times, I can turn to this word and re-focus my priorities. This can become a philosophy I can turn to on a daily basis.

Think about it -- New Year's resolutions are designed for failure. Here's an example: Is getting more exercise your New Year's resolution? If you go to the gym, you know it's difficult to find equipment and space from January through mid-February. But then what happens? Yep, work gets in the way; other commitments take precedent; and suddenly your resolution is unresolved.

If you are looking for a quick professional development tip, try the one-word approach. Just think, if you haven't made a New Year's resolution, your one-word philosophy is relevant during any day or month of the year!

Quick hits:
If you haven't already, make plans NOW to attend The GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show as well as our Golf Championships. The deadline for both events is approaching so don't delay.

This year, we return to San Antonio for the first time in roughly 35 years! Our hotels and activities are just a few minutes by foot to the convention center. Education sessions are again the "gold standard" and the entertainment and activities will not disappoint!

Please contact me if you have any questions

On the road again:
January and February will be heavy travel months for me and our chapter outreach crew. The events include chapter meetings, presentations at various events and turfgrass conferences, and strategic planning sessions.

If you or your chapter have not held a strategic planning session, please let us know. These are complimentary to our chapters, and we have a great list of accomplishments from chapters that have conducted these sessions.

As always, we are here to help. Have a great start to the New Year!