Carolinas GCSA Conference and Trade Show a success in return

By Golfdom Staff| December 3, 2021 0 Comments

Outgoing president, Brian Stiehler, CGCS, MG from Highlands Country Club, receives a gavel to mark his service from new president, Billy Bagwell, from Callawassie Island Club. (Photo: Carolinas GCSA)

The Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association (GCSA) Conference and Trade Show returned with a crowd of nearly 1,800 people in attendance. After a year off because of the pandemic, the comeback show was held from Nov. 15-17 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The turnout and the breadth of industry partner support confirmed the event’s status as the preeminent regional gathering for golf course maintenance professionals.

Carolinas GCSA executive director, Tim Kreger, said there was something even more notable about this year’s conference.

“For once, we didn’t break any records. But by any numerical measure — attendance, exhibitor support, overall participation, you name it — it was still a hugely successful show,” Kreger said. “Most importantly though, we brought people together again, face to face, and they loved it. We all loved it. From start to finish, the atmosphere was incredible.”

Like so many organizations in so many industries, the association canceled last year’s in-person show and held an online alternative, selling more than 2,200 seminar seats.

“None of what happened last year and what happened at the show this year would be possible if there was a weak link in the chain,” Kreger said. “We where we are today as an association is because our members, our industry partners and our researchers are in synch, and totally get the idea that real success is a collaborative effort. We are extremely grateful.”

Among other highlights of this year’s Conference and Trade Show:

• A total of 192 companies occupied 377 trade show booths and 1,341 seminar seats were filled in the education program presented by Syngenta.
• Billy Bagwell, from Callawassie Island Club in Okatie, S.C., was elected president and Jeremy Boone, CGCS from Springdale at Cold Mountain in Canton, N.C., and Daniel Knight, from Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C., were elected to the board of directors.
• Entomologist Dr. Rick Brandenburg, from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., finally received the Distinguished Service Award, the association’s highest honor, that he won the year before.
• Earlier that day, Brandenburg spoke to nearly 200 people at the fellowship breakfast, presented by Corbin Turf and Ornamental Supply, about his near-death experience from complications with malaria treatment in 2017.
• Riley Boyette, from Carolina Golf Club in Durham, N.C., won his third Carolinas GCSA golf championship, presented by Toro and Smith Turf and Irrigation, as one of 300 golfers who teed it up across three courses.
• Industry veteran Andy Apple, vice president and director of agronomy with Atlantic Golf Management, won the $3,000 grand prize in the 27-Hole Challenge, presented by John Deere Golf, Greenville Turf and Tractor and Revels Turf and Tractor, then immediately donated it to Scott Martin, CGCS of Corbin Turf and Ornamental Supply, who spent many weeks in hospital overcoming COVID-19.
• Past-president Adam Charles, from The Preserve at Verdae in Greenville, S.C., won his third sporting clay championship, presented by Bayer and Carolina Fresh Farms.