2016 Golf Industry Show recap

GIS always seems to creep up on the calendar, and when the week does arrive, it seems to go by in a similar fashion.

Although I wasn't able to attend the GCSAA Golf Championships, I heard great things about the course conditions, weather, camaraderie and competition. A big thank you goes out to the superintendents who played in the various competitions, and also to those superintendents and their crews who hosted the GCSAA Golf Championships. Their hard work makes the event possible.

As this was my first GIS as a field staff representative, my week was a little different than in years past, and I wanted to share with you some of my favorite moments:

• First off, thank you to all of the attendees who had their registration email or print-out handy, as registration with the QR (Quick Response) codes went smoothly with little to no trouble. It kept what little line there was moving quickly.

• With 25 new seminars and sessions offered this year, the education portion had something for everyone. I was fortunate to sit in on a couple sessions Monday afternoon, and was glad I did. I am always impressed by the level of education and preparedness of superintendents and industry professionals who teach the seminars and sessions, they truly provide relevant and timely information.  

• The Opening Session held on Tuesday night saw the various GCSAA awards handed out to well-deserving individuals. This is a fun event which is followed by the Opening Night Celebration which was held on the terrace of the convention center. The event featured food, drink, networking and wonderful weather.

• I attended the Chapter Executive and Chapter Editor's session on Tuesday which is an excellent networking opportunity and idea-sharing platform. Chapter executives from around the country (and Canada) get together to exchange information on what is and isn't working when planning chapter meetings, publishing newsletters and magazines, scheduling social events and creating education line-ups. Rhett Evans kick-started the meeting by introducing some of the 2016 GCSAA initiatives and priorities. The field staff team – myself included – were able to brief the executives on initiatives in our respective regions and give them an update on current focuses. 

• Wednesday the field staff team and GCSAA Board of Directors were able to meet with chapter presidents at the annual Chapter Presidents Breakfast. This event is set-up similar to the Chapter Executives Session, where chapter presidents are able to network, share ideas and focus on areas chapters are looking to improve. The event also allows chapter presidents to meet the GCSAA board of directors and have a Q&A session with them. Wednesday, I was also able to work the GCSAA booth on the trade show floor. Getting out on the trade show floor is always a highlight of the week, everyone is excited to meet with vendors and catch up with old friends.

• This was my first time attending GCSAA's annual meeting, which was held on Thursday and saw the proposed bylaw changes, member standards and definition of the Class A superintendent all pass after the voting was conducted by the chapter delegates. The annual meeting is a fun and interesting event as you get to see the voting process first-hand and meet many of GCSAA's past presidents in attendance. 

• The GIS concluded with the Closing Celebration. This event was extremely well-attended, and, in my opinion an excellent way to wrap up the week. Turf Bowl awards were presented which allowed everyone to get into their school spirit (maybe NC State will field a team next year), and comedian Frank Caliendo put on a hilarious show. If you haven't attended a Closing Celebration over the past few years, I highly recommend you do, it's well worth your time. 

Thank you to all those who attended GIS and to the vendors and sponsors who make this great event happen each year. Already looking forward to Orlando!