John Deere Golf will partner with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America to present the 16th Annual Collegiate Turf Bowl Competition at the 2010 GCSAA Education Conference in San Diego, Thursday, Feb. 11.
The Collegiate Turf Bowl Competition engages university teams of up to four undergraduate students in areas of mathematics, turfgrass growth and development, and identification of soils, diseases, weeds, insects and turfgrass species. It is held from 8-11:30 a.m., and is facilitated by Leah Brilman, Ph.D., of the Turfgrass Breeders Association. The exam also focuses on the business and financial management side of the golf course superintendent’s profession. Winners will be announced during the Student/Superintendent Networking Reception, which is also presented in partnership with John Deere Golf, from 6:15-7 p.m., later that day. Cash prizes will be awarded to the universities representing the top performing teams.
“The GCSAA Collegiate Turf Bowl Competition is one of the great traditions of the annual GCSAA Education Conference,” GCSAA President Mark D. Kuhns, CGCS, said. “It provides a stage for some of the brightest students in the collegiate turfgrass programs to showcase their expertise and knowledge. These students are the lifeblood and the future of our association. Thanks to the support of John Deere Golf, we are able to enhance the event this year for the students in San Diego.”
The cash prizes include:
- 1st place - $4,000
- 2nd place - $2,000
- 3rd place - $1,000
- 4th place - $800
- 5th place - $700
- 6th-10th - $300 each
A longtime GCSAA supporter, John Deere Golf is a Platinum Partner in GCSAA's Partner Recognition Program and is also recognized at the Champion's Club level of The Environmental Institute for Golf's (GCSAA's philanthropic organization) cumulative giving program of organizations that have contributed between $250,000 and $499,999 since 1987. Gregg Breningmeyer, John Deere Golf group director of sales and marketing, represents the company on The Institute's Advisory Council.
"GCSAA member golf course superintendents are among our most loyal customers and we value their education," Breningmeyer said. "The GCSAA Collegiate Turf Bowl Competition is a wonderful opportunity for us to support some real up-and-comers in the industry each year at the GCSAA Education Conference."
The GCSAA Education Conference (Feb. 8-12), held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show (Feb 10-11), is the largest educational conference in the turfgrass management industry. More than 95 seminars and 40 additional hours of educational sessions are offered at the 2010 event, covering all ranges of golf course management, including agronomics, environmental management, communication and business management.
