Golf course superintendents honored for advocacy efforts, advancement of association priority issues and congressional outreach

Lawrence, Kan. (April 15, 2025) – Chris Ortmeier, director of agronomy at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas, and Clinton Tingen, CGCS, superintendent at Sandhill Crane Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., have been named Grassroots Ambassador Leadership Award winners from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

The Grassroots Ambassador Leadership Award, presented in partnership with The Toro Co., recognizes and honors individuals who have demonstrated growth in advocacy and advancement of the GCSAA Priority Issues Agenda through congressional outreach and relationship development with a member of Congress. Through Toro, the winners receive a trip to take part in the annual National Golf Day event in Washington, D.C.

The GAL Award is part of the Grassroots Ambassador program, which matches superintendents with members of Congress to build strong relationships between them. More than 500 GCSAA members currently serve as ambassadors.

Ortmeier, a 19-year GCSAA member, grew up playing golf and held summer jobs on golf courses as a teenager. He attended Texas Tech University and received a degree in turfgrass management. The summer before graduating from Texas Tech, he interned at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. Ortmeier spent seven years at Colonial Country Club, working his way up from second assistant superintendent to superintendent before moving to Champions Golf Club, where he has been for nearly 11 years. 

He became a Grassroots Ambassador in 2021 and is partnered with Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX). Ortmeier said being a Grassroots Ambassador has allowed him to be involved in the golf industry beyond his duties on the golf course. In addition to being an ambassador, he served on GCSAA’s Assistant Superintendents Committee in 2012; has served on the Lone Star GCSA Board of Directors since 2018; and served as the president in 2022.

“I have always jumped at any opportunity to do my part for GCSAA,” Ortmeier said. “Being an ambassador doesn’t require much prior political experience and, at its core, is about serving for the greater vitality of golf.”

Ortmeier has hosted one of McCaul’s staff members at Champions Golf Club, with support from Johnny Walker, GCSAA’s South Central regional representative. They discussed legislation impacting pesticide products and applicators as well as labor policy, including the H-2b returning worker exemption. As an ambassador, he has gained a greater understanding of the political process as it relates to golf and has a renewed appreciation for the government affairs work GCSAA does and the positive impact it has on the golf course management profession.

Growing up on a farm, Tingen, has always loved being outside. After serving in the Marine Corps, he obtained his associate’s degree in turfgrass management from North Carolina State University. Tingen, a 13-year member, joined GCSAA as a student for the networking and educational opportunities, which have served him well over the years. After graduating, he worked in North Carolina for two years as an assistant superintendent and then as a superintendent before moving to Florida, where has been for the last 10 years. Tingen is in his fourth year at Sandhill Crane.

Before joining the Grassroots Ambassador Program in 2020 and beginning his advocacy outreach, Tingen had no idea how important this kind of work is and had assumed that most congress members already knew about the golf industry’s issues. However, once he heard from staff members and the representatives themselves, he realized they didn’t know nearly enough.

“They didn’t know the golf industry relies on H-2B visas or that golf was included in the ‘sin list,’ and it hit me that these people are all busy and fielding asks from everybody,” he said. “If we don’t have a seat at the table, our voice will not be heard. I’m glad I got involved and don’t mind giving extra time to educate people about our industry.” 

Tingen is paired with Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) and stays in regular contact with several staff members from Mast’s office. He has had the opportunity to meet with Mast and members of his office to discuss the H-2B program and the tax code bill that excludes golf from federal economic aid and disaster relief. They’ve also discussed water usage and how the golf industry is often lumped in with agricultural issues concerning water use, but how this categorization is incorrect and can be problematic.

“We presented numbers about sustainability and golf’s real water use, explaining how irrigation computers limit water use to reduce waste,” Tingen said. “My advocacy efforts also include watching out for and responding to calls to action from the GCSAA government affairs department. Advocacy is important because although it may not pay off instantly, the relationships we build will help us out one day. We need to let people know that golf has good intentions and to ask them to keep us in mind when making decisions.”