A few quick observations thus far on the big, big show...
Thumbs up for the sparkling reviews of the education sessions that focused on leadership, people management, communications and other critical non-agronomic skills. For years, the association would offer these classes, but attendance would be thin compared to the usual turf management topics. I think this change is the product of being able to get strong technical information back home and a growing recognition that “soft” skills are often vastly more important than grass growing in today’s market.
Thumbs up to a little dose of star power from the always affable Ben Crenshaw. I chatted with him for a few minutes before he and Bill Coore accepted the Don Rossi award from the GCBAA. He’s simply a nice person who happens to have a unique vision for how golf courses should be routed and how they should “feel” when you’re playing them. Oh, and he won a couple of green jackets. Otherwise, totally humble guy who was kind enough to say a few nice things about our little magazine.
Thumbs up to the convention center itself which is easy to get around and well-staffed with nice folks. It would be great if there were more food choices available in the building, but they obviously want conventioneers to spend bigger bucks and support local merchants in the Gaslamp.
All that said, a big, big thumbs down to the city of San Diego — one of America’s wealthiest communities — for allowing the shameful numbers of street people, homeless men and women, and addicts to continue to explode. It’s way worse than three years ago. It’s way worse than any other big city in America. It’s unconscionable and it’s a disgrace.
Honestly, I’d never come back here again if it was up to me. I feel like having the GIS here and investing millions of dollars in this city condones this awful situation. Remember that show organizers dropped New Orleans from the rotation supposedly because it was dirty and dangerous. I’ve been to NOLA a dozen times and I’ve never been anywhere near this many people who are obviously schizophrenic or addicts who are literally overdosing on the street. In just 15 minutes walking back to my hotel last night, I saw two different ambulance crews administering Narcan to revive people who had OD’ed right along 5th Avenue, the main entertainment strip in the Gaslamp.
So, sorry for being Buddy Buzzkill, but if you aren’t a little outraged by what’s literally happening in front of our industry’s biggest event, you ought to be.
Hope to give you a happier report tomorrow, but I gotta call this one as I see it.
Pat Jones is GCI’s editorial director.
