Despite bleak economic times, the Carolinas GCSA gives an upbeat report from its annual Conference and Trade Show, which took place last month in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
In all, 221 companies exhibited in the two-day trade show occupying 407 booths, compared with 222 companies and 425 booths in 2007. Carolinas GCSA executive director, Chuck Borman said those numbers indicated that companies were tightening their belts but that they were committed to maintaining a presence at what is the largest regional event for superintendents in the country. While most trade show numbers were down for the first time in a decade, declines were marginal when measured against the steep growth the show had experienced over that decade.
Total attendance of 2,124 was up over 2007 and while the 1,222 seminar seats filled was down from 1,281 last year, it was still the second-highest number in the show’s history. Gross revenue for the event came in at $590,000 making for a dip in net revenue of 3.7 percent on the record set in 2007.
Borman was upbeat despite the slight downturn. “Though our gross revenue was off a little from last year we were gratified at the support we received from our exhibitors and attendees during these tough economic times,” he says. “The fact that we actually had more attendees than last year says a lot about how much our members value this event.”
In other news:
Paul Jett, CGCS at Pinehurst No. 2, was elected president of the Carolinas GCSA. Jett, host superintendent for two U.S. Open championships and this year’s U.S. Amateur championship, said his election marked a “particularly gratifying” moment in his career because it came as a result of volunteer service. When he joined the Carolinas GCSA board of directors in 2000, he expected to serve one two-year term. Instead, the idea of serving his association and profession had taken hold and already he is considering ways to stay involved once his current term is done.
Bill Anderson, CGCS from Carmel Country Club in Charlotte, N.C., received the Carolinas GCSA’s Distinguished Service Award. Anderson is a past-president of the association and has served two separate stints on the board of directors. He has been at Carmel Country Club for 36 years. Conference and Show week was big for Carmel Country Club. One of Anderson’s superintendents, Scott Fallon, won the grand prize in the 27-hole challenge give-away presented in partnership with Revels Turf and Tractor, Greenville Turf and Tractor and Georgia Turf and Tractor. Fallon receives a golfing trip for two to Bandon Dunes valued at $6,500.
Mitch Clodfelter, from Cowans Ford Country Club near Charlotte, N.C., is the Carolinas GCSA’s champion golfer for 2008. It was Clodfelter’s second Carolinas GCSA championship to match the two national superintendent championships he won in 2001 and 2002. Clodfelter shot a three-over par round of 75 at The Dunes Golf and Beach Club in Myrtle Beach to beat incoming association president, Paul Jett, CGCS by a shot. The golf championship is presented in partnership with Smith Turf and Irrigation, Toro and Toro Financing.
Carolinas GCSA members also viewed two video presentations recapping major events from 2008. The first told the story of the association’s grand opening of its new headquarters building in Liberty, SC. The Carolinas GCSA is the first affiliated chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America to own its own headquarters. The second showed equipment donated by Carolinas GCSA members at work in New Orleans where it has helped Peter Carew maintain the one operational municipally-owned course in the city. Carolinas GCSA members gave and delivered two truckloads of equipment earlier that Carew said has kept his course alive. The videos were produced in partnership with Golfdom magazine and TC Group Brush Attachment, owned by Carolinas GCSA member, Jeff Connell, from Columbia Country Club in Columbia, S.C.
Former board member, James Duke, CGCS, now with Halifax Fertilizers, won the sporting clay championship presented in partnership with Bayer Environmental Science.
