Is your facility powered by GCSAA?

Presented by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

Avid golfers may not realize it, but behind their golf course superintendent is a vast array of products and services that enable him or her to make their playing experience more enjoyable.

From authoritative information, to affordable and accessible education, to an extensive network of peers and researchers, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America is an integral component that drives success and provides solutions for golf facilities.
“The most valuable asset of the golf club is the golf course, so it is only prudent that the club has a GCSAA member managing that asset,” GCSAA CEO Mark Woodward, certified golf course superintendent, said. “In a sense, GCSAA membership is the ‘Good Housekeeping’ seal of approval that gives golfers assurance that the best resources are available to them.”

It was none other than Arnold Palmer who said that the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America is “the single most important entity in golf today.” The son of a superintendent, Palmer has witnessed first hand the advances made in golf course management and the role of the GCSAA golf course superintendent.

“We as golfers also owe our gratitude to these professionals who have pushed themselves to higher standards of education, training and performance that have resulted in making golf a more enjoyable game. Those who derive income, either as a competitor or as a businessman, are equally indebted to the superintendent for their contributions.”

The feedback from those who are involved in the world of golf has been positive. Golfweek senior writer Jim Achenbach said about GCSAA's and the superintendent’s role in the game, “No organization in golf has been more progressive or forward thinking than GCSAA. No person is more crucial to the everyday operation and perception of any golf facility. Long live the supers – they make many friends and commit few bloopers. (They) are the most underappreciated people in golf."

As a testament to their commitment to quality and professional development, GCSAA member superintendents voted stringent standards upon themselves back in 2001. These standards include a combination of formal education; experience as a golf course superintendent; continuing education; and the fulfillment of the IPM competency, thus exhibiting environmental stewardship. These standards must be met in order to become a Class A golf course superintendent and must be adhered to in order to maintain that status.  It is this commitment to excellence that separates GCSAA members from non-members.

High standards are nothing new for GCSAA. In 1971, the association instituted a certification program awarding the professional designation “CGCS” (Certified Golf Course Superintendent), which is now recognized as the industry’s highest level of achievement in golf course management. Since its inception, the program has represented a rigorous combination of career experience, education and testing. The program’s most recent update was in 2004, when it was redesigned as a learning process based on the association’s newly defined list of competencies for the golf course management profession.

To apply to GCSAA’s competency-based certification program, a superintendent must first earn Class A membership in GCSAA through the standards previously mentioned. A minimum of one year as a Class A member, plus an additional 50 hours of education after attainment of Class A is required. The candidate’s knowledge, skills and abilities are validated through the development of a portfolio consisting of their responses to skill statements, case-study scenarios and submission of work samples; an on-site inspection of their golf facility; and a rigorous six-hour examination covering: equipment, irrigation systems, materials and technology; golf course and grounds; human resources, rules of golf, financial and administrative systems, regulatory and programmatic systems, crisis management, project management and ethics and values. The National Certification Commission labeled it as “one of the most extensive and comprehensive certification programs for any profession.”

The marketplace has responded in kind to the value golf course superintendents provide. A recent salary survey revealed that annual compensation for superintendents has risen from $44,000 in 1993 to nearly $79,000 in 2009. The average salary of GCSAA certified golf course superintendents rose to $93,414 in 2009, up from $56,994 in 1995. Certified superintendents’ salaries averaged 21 percent greater in 2009 than superintendents without GCSAA certification.

Having a GCSAA member superintendent in your corner means you are playing on a course prepared with the highest professionalism and standards. And when it comes to your game, you want every advantage you can get.