Elcona Country Club host First Green Field Trip

Ryan Cummings was determined to host a First Green field trip, so much so, he spent over two years planning with the school and faculty to ensure the event took place. In late April, his hard efforts paid off, as over 120 seventh grade students from Northridge Middle School descended upon Elcona Country Club in Bristol, Indiana, for a day filled with science, math, environmental awareness, physical activity and fun.

Elcona CC superintendent Ryan Cummings educating students on the club's rain garden.

As the students arrived, they were split into eight groups, which then broke off into the six education stations setup among the club grounds. Ryan Cummings manned the station next to the club's rain garden where he provided education to the students on how the recycled wash water provides habitats for various plant life and pollinators, creating a vast ecosystem. He also spent time discussing some of the aspects of the golf course superintendent profession and provided a hands-on demonstration with the students using a soil sifter to showcase the different soil textures found throughout the property.

Ryan Cummings providing students hands-on education on the various soil types found on the property.

Adjacent to Ryan's demonstration, Northridge Middle School math teacher Caleb Mast involved students in a math problem. Students participated in an activity allowing them to measure a golf green using the offset method to determine the green's total area. This gave students another hands-on activity while utilizing real-life examples. Other stations on the day featured a salmon run activity which simulates the life of spawning salmon and a geocaching scavenger hunt utilizing GPS and the club's hiking trails.

Along with the STEM education, the students were also able to learn the basics of the game of golf. Elcona Country Club Head PGA Professional Tom Thome was on hand and led a station on the club's driving range where each student had the opportunity to hit golf balls during the day. For many, it was their first time ever picking up a golf club. Former Northridge High School golf coach Dennis Sienicki also volunteered his time and manned the putting green station. Here, students learned about putting basics and green undulations; and were able to attempt putts on various hole locations set on one of the club's practice greens.

A huge thank you goes out to 13-year GCSAA Class A member Ryan Cummings who worked tirelessly to ensure this event took place. I would also like to thank The Fort Golf Resort superintendent and 34-year GCSAA Class A member Randy Brehmer, CGCS, for volunteering his time and assisting at the various stations throughout the day to ensure the event's success.

To find out how you can host a First Green field trip and impact your local community, visit First Green.

NWIGCSA leaders show dedication to chapter and community

In early April, board members of the Northwestern Illinois Golf Course Superintendents Association met and held a strategic planning session with Steve Randall, GCSAA's director of chapter services, and me. The mission of the session was to help the chapter design a roadmap of activities for the coming months and years and to help continue the momentum of a chapter which has made great progress over the years. To kickstart the meeting, Steve Randall worked with the group to determine everyone's expectations for the day's events, which included continuing to better serve and add additional value to the NWIGCSA membership, continually evolve as the chapter progresses, and GCSAA's role within chapters.

NWIGCSA board members working on the chapter's strategic plan.

Following meeting expectations, we moved into the SCOR analysis. Outcomes from the SCOR analysis included the growth of the chapter, valued added membership programs, community involvement, and promoting the superintendent profession, among others. The Northwestern Illinois Golf Course Superintendents Association also addressed the mission statement. After discussions regarding the need to elevate the superintendent profession to reflect their current role in the golf industry, as well as the need to promote the superintendent’s impact on the game as well as their environmental stewardship, the group crafted the following mission statement:

To elevate the profession and to enrich the quality of golf and the environment.

The group also addressed the vision statement and worked together to form the below vision statement:

A regional leader in the golf course management industry that provides value to an engaged membership.

These are two great statements which reflect the overall short-term and long-term goals of the chapter perfectly. The group created goals and action items which support both statements and the direction of the chapter. The goals create a wonderful opportunity for the chapter to promote the superintendent profession in the community and continue to add membership value to an already well-run association.

I want to thank the board members of the Northwestern Illinois GCSA for not only taking the time and contributing to a successful strategic plan but for their unquestioned commitment to the chapter and industry.