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Every November members of our team become temporary warblers. We travel south as a group to Myrtle Beach for the Carolinas GCSA Conference and Trade Show. The commerce portion of the event is just two days. We turn the event into a four-day trip, because we enjoy playing golf and being around intriguing people. When you live somewhere with four distinct seasons, you cherish opportunities to make bogeys outdoors from late November until late March.
The show, in recent years, illustrates golf’s macro prowess at a micro level. Every corner of the Myrtle Beach Convention Center was filled with vendors, many of them with tentacles beyond the Carolinas. Some of those companies weren’t pursuing the golf market a few years ago— or couldn’t justify the business expense of visiting Myrtle Beach during the third week of November.
The commerce portion of the event was predictable. Robust floor traffic on Tuesday night, followed by many attendees not bothering to show up Wednesday. Trade show veterans realize we learn more about products, services, people and industry at large during the closing hours of a gathering. The waning hours of days and weeks separate good from great. Getting and staying ahead requires operating when others are at the beach or bar, scrolling social media or driving home. The highest achievers authentically profess the grind is more rewarding than the paycheck or accolades.
During the final hour of this year’s Carolinas GCSA Conference and Trade Show, an individual holding one of the most desirable golf course maintenance jobs in the United States was walking the floor alone, gathering insight on solutions to elevate a course with an already gaudy reputation. The curious turf pro stopped by the Golf Course Industry booth for a few minutes. We asked him about his chaotic 2025, his favorite college football team and his personal well-being. We didn’t need to sell him on consuming our content, because he’s a loyal reader, listener and clicker. He’s an avid reader, listener and clicker because he’s uber curious. That curiosity makes him ultra successful.
At one point during the five-minute conversation, we asked him about something interesting he saw on the show floor. He showed us a picture of a reel grinder that doesn’t require lifting or hoisting. The icons of every profession always seek better ways to complete the job. When their desire to improve wanes, they change jobs or they become replaceable in the minds of finicky stakeholders who won’t tolerate stagnation.
The esteemed industry pro’s stakeholders funded a work trip to Mrytle Beach. He was there to ensure they maximized the investment. Nary a dollar or minute can be wasted, even at places with hearty budgets.
Out of nowhere, he thanked us for a social media post earlier this year. Genuine interest in others helps him connect with members, staff, industry peers and vendors. His job is massive and demanding, and he knows he can’t achieve excellence alone.
Shows and conferences bring people together. Your course and business will be there when the event ends.
But you can’t bring an entire industry of congenial people willing to help back to the course or office.
Guy Cipriano is Golf Course Industry’s publisher + editor-in-chief. He’s always willing to listen to your course or company’s story. He can be reached at gcipriano@gie.net.
