The Marvel Golf Club and Christopher S. Gray, Sr. Named as Overall and National Public Course Winner in Environmental Awards

In recognition of their commitment to environmental stewardship, The Marvel Golf Club in Benton, Ky., and its Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Class A golf course superintendent, Christopher S. Gray, have been named the overall winner of the 2007 GCSAA/Golf Digest Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards (ELGA).

Gray and The Marvel Golf Club will be featured in an upcoming issue of Golf Digest magazine and the February issue of GCSAA’s Golf Course Management magazine. Syngenta Professional Products and Rain Bird Corp. - Golf Division are the presenting partners of the award.

Judges selected winners in three national categories (public, private and resort courses), and two international co-winners, with an overall winner being selected from those five. Additional recognition was given to the top entry from each GCSAA affiliated chapter, and merit honors were awarded to those who did not earn national or chapter honors, but deserved special recognition in the opinion of the judges.

The national winners include (facility, location, chapter):

• National Public & Overall: Christopher S. Gray, The Marvel Golf Club, Benton, Ky., Quad State Turfgrass Association
• National Private: Richard T. Lawrence, CGCS, TPC Wakefield Plantation, Raleigh, N.C., Carolinas GCSA
• National Resort: Jonathan W. Moulton, Old Greenwood Golf Course, Truckee, Calif., Sierra Nevada GCSA
• International (tie):
  • Mark J. Dinan, Valle del Sol Golf Course, Santa Ana, San Jose, Costa Rica
  • Jay M. Miller, Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica, Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Golf course superintendents and their courses that have been named national, chapter or merit winners will be formally recognized at the GCSAA Education Conference (Jan. 28-Feb. 2) and Golf Industry Show (Jan. 31-Feb. 2) in Orlando. In addition, program sponsors will make donations to The Environmental Institute for Golf, the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA, in the names of all national and chapter winners.

"This year's winners are to be commended for their commitment to environmental stewardship," said GCSAA President Ricky D. Heine, CGCS. "They, along with their facilities, have demonstrated that golf courses can be compatible with the environment - and in many cases enhance it."

"Golf Digest has been an active participant in generating discussion regarding golf and its relationship with the environment, dating back 11 years ago to the Golf and the Environment Initiative," said Roger Schiffman, managing editor of Golf Digest. "We are pleased to share the good story that golf is indeed achieving positive results.”

Click image to download Christopher S. Gray Sr. The Marvel Golf Club Public & Overall winner Richard T. Lawrence, CGCS TPC Wakefield Plantation Private winner Jonathan W. Moulton Old Greenwood Golf Course Resort winner Mark J. Dinan Valle del Sol Golf Course International co-winner Jay M. Miller Four Seasons Golf Club International co-winner

Gray, a nine-year GCSAA member, becomes the first two-time overall winner in the seven years that the award has declared an overall winner (the national awards have been presented since 1993). A GCSAA Class A member and the director of golf course operations at The Marvel Golf Club, he previously won the 2003 national public and overall ELGA at Lost Marsh of Hammond Golf Course in Hammond, Ind. Gray also earned ELGA chapter awards in 2002 at Lost Marsh and at Marvel Golf Club last year. Marvel's golf course irrigation pond is fed by waste water created from the 513 homes in the surrounding subdivision that utilize individual aerobic sewage treatment systems, as well as harvested storm water from the streets through a system of lift stations. The diesel turf equipment is powered by vegetable oil and used fryer oil, while the maintenance shop is heated during the winter by an oil burner that burns recycled oil from equipment.

Wildlife surveys at Marvel Golf Club conducted six years apart found an 18 percent increase in the population of mammals such as white tail deer, coyotes, wild turkeys and skunks. Eight American bald eagles have made Marvel their permanent home, prompting Gray to expand and enhance their natural hunting grounds on the golf course. Corridors established as passageways and cover for wildlife travel connect naturalized areas on the golf course with the native woodlands and Kentucky Lake. Gray hosts tours of the golf course's various environmental programs for area students and he serves as environmental coordinator for the neighboring property owners association. He also writes a seasonal, bi-weekly column for a local newspaper about general home lawn maintenance.

Lawrence, a 16-year GCSAA member, employs an as-needed irrigation philosophy with no set schedule combined with an on-site weather station and a weather sentry service to make decisions on when and how much water to apply. In addition to various recycling programs and composting, TPC Wakefield Plantation has an enclosed area to mix and load chemicals with a collection drain for rinsate that is sprayed onto a field. A vigorous integrated pest management program is in place that relies heavily upon scouting for pests and not applying chemicals until thresholds have been passed. A continuous written inventory of all wildlife is tracked and more than 20 bird boxes have been built. TPC Wakefield Plantation, a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, has a resource advisory group and an environmental information display in the clubhouse. Lawrence writes newsletter articles to the membership and hosts an annual event to share information about environmental stewardship. He also hosted an environmental tour at the course for a Wakefield High School class this year.

Moulton, a two-year GCSAA member, worked with Joel Blaker, CGCS, director of agronomy for Tahoe Mountain Club (which Old Greenwood Golf Course is a part of), to earn Gold Signature Golf Course certification from Audubon International. They also work directly with the club's Natural Resource Manager to host a weekly walking club to help inform several area groups about the various environmental programs. There are four preserve areas designated on the Old Greenwood property with connecting wildlife corridors. The area was devoid of a water source prior to construction, so six ponds and a stream were constructed along with the golf course, adding fisheries to the ecosystem. The maintenance facility earned a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified bronze rating. Nearly 100 percent of the water used to wash equipment is recycled and reused at the maintenance facility and 57 percent of the construction waste, plus almost all of the soil removed for construction of the golf course, was used in berms to shield the property from Interstate-80.

Dinan, a 10-year GCSAA member, came to Costa Rica in 1997 during the construction of Valle del Sol Golf Course as the grow-in superintendent and stayed on as the superintendente de golf. A water treatment plant was developed to pump effluent water back to the golf course's irrigation lake and the golf course provides dry, hard, fast greens and fairways during the six-month dry season. Valle del Sol promotes recycling and adheres to a strict integrated pest management program to limit the use of chemicals. Recognized by Audubon International's Cooperative Sanctuary program, the recycling program is also locally certified at the Blue Flag level. Fifteen bodies of water and creeks, along with creek bank buffer zones and accompanying naturalized areas, provide wildlife corridors throughout the golf course. More than 50 different birds have been identified at the golf course during bird walks organized by Dinan and the Bird Club of Costa Rica. Dinan and his staff also provide golf course tours for area grade schools to see the butterfly gardens and various habitats.

Miller, an 11-year GCSAA member, has earned certification from Audubon International at Four Seasons Golf Club and a Costa Rican Blue Flag award for his work cleaning up two beaches. He has worked with the University of Costa Rica for years, testing the mix of fresh and saltwater mix to irrigate the paspalum turfgrass, and has accomplished a sizeable reduction in fresh water consumption. Recycling programs are in place on the golf course at the maintenance facility, as well as the clubhouse and hotel, and Miller serves on the resort's sustainability advisory committee. Four Seasons uses solar power for the sprinkler controllers and bathrooms on the golf course and all tees used are made from corn and breakdown naturally when left in the grass. Miller subscribes to an aggressive integrated pest management program that is committed to a reduction in chemical and fertilizer use. In an effort to battle the grub problem in the greens without chemicals, he borrowed an idea from neighboring sugar cane farmers, and set out maybug traps near each hole, consisting of tin trash cans with a light bulb and otherwise harmless soapy water to attract and kill the bugs that lay larva in the greens which develop into the destructive grubs. Located in a dry tropical forest along the Pacific Ocean on a rocky peninsula, Four Seasons Golf Club puts emphasis on preserving and planting native trees and maintaining natural cover for the bevy of wildlife and tropical plant species. Miller's staff guides daily nature tours on the golf course for hotel guests and he was a presenter at a sustainable turfgrass conference at Earth University in September that was attended by many Central American golf courses and sod farms.

An independent panel of judges representing national environmental groups, turfgrass experts, university research and members of the golf community conducted the award selection.

The Environmental Leaders in Golf Award recognizes golf course superintendents and their courses for overall course management excellence in the areas of resource conservation, water quality management, integrated pest management, wildlife/habitat management and education/outreach. In addition, these categories are judged on sustainability, criticality, originality and technology implementation/use.

In addition to the national winners, nine chapter winners as well as nine merit winners were selected from GCSAA’s 101 affiliated chapters.

2007 ELGA Chapter Winners

Public Facilities (facility, location, chapter)

• Robb R. Arnold, TPC Louisiana, Avondale, La., Louisiana-Mississippi GCSA
• D. Cord Ozment, CGCS, Callippe Preserve Golf Course, Pleasanton, Calif., GCSA of Northern California
• David C. Phipps, Stone Creek Golf Club, Oregon City, Ore., Oregon GCSA

Private Facilities (facility, location, chapter)

• Michael W. Cornette, Golf Club at Gray's Crossing, Truckee Calif., Sierra Nevada GCSA
• Thomas M. DeGrandi, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn., Connecticut GCSA
• Michael Powers, CGCS, TPC Twin Cities, Blaine, Minn., Minnesota GCSA
• Roger A. Stewart Jr., CGCS, TPC Jasna Polana, Princeton, N.J., GCSA of New Jersey

Resort Facilities (facility, location, chapter)

• Pam S. Brown, Keystone Ranch Golf Course, Keystone, Colo., Rocky Mountain GCSA
• Fred W. Klauk Jr., TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., North Florida GCSA

2007 ELGA Merit Winners

Public Facilities (facility, location, chapter)

• Paul F. Grogan, CGCS, TPC Deere Run, East Moline, Ill., Iowa GCSA
• Jason M. Kubel, TPC Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay, Fla., Florida West Coast GCSA
• Timothy P. Powers, CGCS, Crystal Springs Golf Course, Burlingame Calif., GCSA of Northern California

Private Facilities (facility, location, chapter)

• Michael D. Crawford, CGCS, TPC Sugarloaf, Duluth, Ga., Georgia GCSA
• David R. Dettmer, CGCS, TPC Piper Glen, Charlotte, N.C., Carolinas GCSA
• Dale L. Hahn, CGCS, TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nev., Southern Nevada GCSA
• John M. Kulka, TPC Michigan, Dearborn, Mich., Greater Detroit GCSA
• Charles B. Robertson IV, CGCS, TPC Craig Ranch, McKinney, Texas, North Texas GCSA
• Russell C. Vandehey, CGCS, Oregon Golf Club, West Linn, Ore., Oregon GCSA

GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 21,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.

The Environmental Institute for Golf, the philanthropic organization of GCSAA, is a collaborative effort of the environmental and golf communities, dedicated to strengthening the compatibility of golf with the natural environment. The Institute concentrates on delivering programs and services involving research, education and outreach that communicate the best management practices of environmental stewardship on the golf course. For more on The Institute, visit www.eifg.org.

For winner information contact:

• Christopher S. Gray, The Marvel Golf Club at 270-703-9067
• Richard (Todd) Lawrence, CGCS, TPC Wakefield Plantation at 919-562-8693
• Jonathan W. Moulton, Old Greenwood Golf Course at 530-550-2665
• Mark J. Dinan, Valle del Sol Golf Course at 506-282-9222
• Jay M. Miller, Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at 506-696-0421

For sponsor information contact:

• Roger Schiffman, managing editor of Golf Digest, at 203-761-5237
• Dave Ravel, Syngenta Professional Products golf market manager, at 866-796-3682
• Barbara Booth, division director of Rain Bird Corp., Golf Division, at 520-741-6100

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