Superintendents are known for spending money wisely when it comes to maintaining golf courses. That practice also carries over to attending the Golf Industry Show. Mike Burton and Eric McCormick are perfect examples.
Burton, golf course superintendent at the private Dubuque (Iowa) Golf & Country Club, has been to the Golf Industry Show (previously the GCSAA Conference & Show) 20 out of the past 29 years. He’s missed the show only for important, personal reasons.
“I go just about every year,” he says. “I enjoy it. It’s worthwhile to learn. Additionally, I get to spend the week with my parents if the show is in Florida. My dad was a superintendent for 40 years and still attends the show when it’s close to his home.”
Dubuque pays for Burton to attend the national show, and it’s been that way since 1979, when he first started at the club. The club’s general manager usually attends the show, too, but Burton’s assistants don’t.
The past few years, Burton, who typically looks for the least expensive hotels, has been budgeting between $1,500 and $1,700 to attend the show. Last year, he spent $1,300 attending the show in Orlando. This year, he’ll be arriving in New Orleans Wednesday and leaving Saturday, staying one less night because the hotel rooms are more expensive compared to Orlando. Burton paid $80 a night last year compared to $180 a night this year. Overall, the cost to attend the national show has slowly increased. In 1980, he budgeted $500.
To save money, Burton won’t attend the preshow seminars, just those that are scheduled during the days the trade show is open. To meet his continuing education needs, he attends local seminars.
McCormick, golf course superintendent at McCall Municipal Golf Course in Idaho, has attended the golf show all 16 years he’s been a superintendent except for one.
“It’s better now that I’m at a muni because I budget for it,” he says. “The course I worked at before was unique because it was member owned but public. Funding some years was tough, and I paid my own way one year. My boss now believes attending the GIS is important and that I continue my education.”
More specifically, McCormick doesn’t budget just for the show; he budgets $4,000 a year for continuing education for him and his staff, which includes state association education. Last year, he budgeted $4,000 for continuing education, and he’ll likely do the same for the foreseeable future.
“I’ll probably spend more than $2,000 attending the Golf Industry Show this year,” he says. “The cheapest portion of the GIS expense is the registration.”
This year, McCormick is staying at the Chateau Sonesta hotel with other member of the Idaho and Montana chapters. McCormick’s assistant doesn’t attend the GIS with him, but he does attend local seminars.
The location of the show doesn’t affect whether or not McCormick attends the GIS.
“I never leave the hotel or the convention center because I usually have such a busy schedule,” he says. “So I don’t get to see the attractions of the host city. I go for the education, not the location. I attend the social functions but don’t spend a lot of extra money. I don’t go out on the town much.”
McCormick usually works out a class schedule so he’s at the show for a certain number of days.
“I try to make the trip as inexpensive as I can,” he says.
Overall, McCormick says the show is a great networking opportunity and he learns something new every year.
“I wish I could drag my assistant down with me,” he says.
For Burton, the economy has no effect on whether he attends the show or not. Additionally, he hasn’t talked to anybody who isn’t going to the show because of the cost.
“It’s money well spent,” he says. GCI
The GCSAA has put together cost-saving tips for budgeting a trip to the GIS. To view click http://www.gcsaa.org/conference/budget.asp.
