Travels with Keith - take two

The second day of travels with GCSAA Past President Keith Ihms, CGCS, included the Kentuckiana GCSA Annual Business Meeting, held at Lake Forest Country Club in Louisville, Ken. Eight-year GCSAA member and current KGCSA Vice President Brian Curtis hosted roughly half of the KGCSA membership at the event. Brian had the course in outstanding condition, hats off to him and his crew on the work they have put in this season, it truly showed.

Hole #10 at Lake Forest Country Club.

Valhalla Golf Club superintendent and 21-year GCSAA member Roger Meier stepped down after a successful two-year term as president, with 12-year GCSAA member and Woodhaven Country Club superintendent Josh Adams assuming the presidency. This was a great meeting with a chapter who has seen a lot of growth over the past few years, which is a direct testament to the hard work the board has put in.

KGCSA director John Ballard, CGCS, addressing the membership during the Annual Business Meeting. 

Keith Ihms, CGCS addressing the turfgrass students at WKU.

The third and final day of our travels included a meeting with turfgrass students at Western Kentucky University. Keith and I were able to meet with Dr. Paul Woosley, professor of plant science at WKU and address the students in the turfgrass management class.This was a great opportunity to hear first hand from students, as they begin their turfgrass management careers. Keith and I were able to glean feedback from students and address some of their concerns. We also wanted to provide them with as many resources as possible in their young careers, including our free web-only student membership where they will have access to GCSAA and begin their membership. I thank Dr. Woosley for the opportunity to connect with the students, and hope to help them as much as possible as they begin their career in this very rewarding industry. 

John Leathers (L), Keith, and Tony Whitmer, CGCS (R).

Following the presentation at WKU, Keith and I met with 27-year GCSAA member Tony Whitmer, CGCS, and three-year Class C member John Leathers. Both Tony and John have been at Bowling Green Country Club for about a year, and are already making their mark on the facility. During our trip to BGCC, the Kentucky Boys' State High School Championships were taking place. Families from across the state descend on the course for an entire week to watch the competition. Tony and John had the course in fantastic shape, despite the recent weather challenges. Once the boy's competition wraps up, the girls begin their competition, with the KHSAA Girls' Golf Championship taking place at the club. Tony and John do an excellent job of not only providing championship conditions across the two weeks but do their part to help grow this great game at the youth level as tournament hosts. 

Keith Ihms, CGCS (right), Bob McLean (center left), Jason Hopkins (center right)

Our final stop of the day was a visit with 14-year GCSAA member Robert McLean and two-year GCSAA member Jason Hopkins at Indian Hills Country Club. Along with first-year GCSAA member Michael Reynolds, Bob and Jason make an exceptional team. During our tour of the course, it's easy to see their hard work paying off, the course was in fantastic condition. Our conversations with Bob and Jason were very rewarding. We were able to learn more about where our members are utilizing GCSAA services and programs, and where the association can improve to better serve our members and industry. Along with all of our previous visits, Bob and Jason were truly first-class hosts. I greatly appreciate the southern hospitality and look forward to my next visit to Bowling Green.

Travels with GCSAA Past President Keith Ihms, CGCS

During the first week of October, I was fortunate to spend a few days with Keith Ihms, CGCS, GCSAA past president, and current board director. The goal of our travels was to provide outreach to members, hear about their activities and challenges, and determine ways GCSAA can better serve our members moving forward.

Chris Knockwafel – Audubon Country Club – Louisville, Kentucky
To begin our travels, Keith and I met with 17-year GCSAA member Chris Knockwafel, superintendent of Audubon Country Club in Louisville, Kentucky, and one-year GCSAA member and assistant superintendent Paul Hauck. The four of us discussed current programs and initiatives offered by GCSAA, as well as potential future plans. Chris relayed, one of his largest challenges is finding sufficient labor. He, along with many other courses in the nation, struggle to attract and retain seasonal employees throughout the season. We were able to convey to him, the areas where GCSAA is working to attract individuals into our profession moving forward.

David Littrell – Crescent Hills Golf Course – Louisville, Kentucky
Following the meeting with Chris Knockwafel, Keith and I met with 20-year Class A member David Littrell at Crescent Hills Golf Course, which is run by the city of Louisville. David maintains the golf course with a full-time staff of just three, including himself! David has been with the city for over 15-years, however, he has only been at Crescent Hills since early 2017. During his short time at the course, he has overseen an extensive improvement project which has seen tree management, turf seeding, and irrigation repair to name a few. As we toured the course, it was hard to believe there were only three staff members to care for the entire property. He and his crew do a fantastic job and go the extra mile to ensure the course is in excellent condition.

David Littrell (left) and Keith Ihms, CGCS

Josh Adams – Woodhaven Country Club – Louisville, Kentucky
Current Kentuckiana GCSA vice president and 12-year GCSAA member Josh Adams welcomed Keith and me to Woodhaven Country Club where we were able to get a full tour of the golf course. Josh is currently overseeding his bermudagrass fairways with Kentucky bluegrass to create a ‘Bluemuda’ blend. He and his staff had a trial hole overseeded a couple years, and had successful results. Since the time of this writing, Josh has assumed the presidency of the Kentuckiana GCSA. Josh has been a board member within the KGCSA for almost a decade, which he felt has been very rewarding, and is proud of the accomplishments and programs the board has put in place during his time. I look forward to working with him more over the coming years.

Jacob Blair – Iroquois Park Golf Course – Louisville, Kentucky
The final stop of the day was at Iroquois Park Golf Course, which is also run by the city of Louisville. Jacob Blair, a four-year member of GCSAA, is in his first year as superintendent. Jacob, along with head PGA professional Paul Schuchard, was kind enough to give us a history of the course and discuss some of the challenges they face. The course is located on a great piece of property bordered by Iroquois Park which makes for a challenging and beautiful round of golf. Despite the recent challenges from Mother Nature, Jacob and his team had the course looking fantastic which is a testament to Jacob's passion for the job.

Paul Schuchard (left), Keith Ihms, CGCS (center) and superintendent Jacob Blair