Georgia GCSA honors Craig Ketelsen

Craig Ketelsen, CGCS

Craig Ketelsen, CGCS, received the Distinguished Service Award from the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association (GCSA), marking a 25-year relationship with the organization. Ketelsen, 52, was honored during the association’s annual awards banquet on Dec. 8 in St. Simons Island, Ga.

Today, Ketelsen is a territory manager for John Deere distributor Greenville Turf and Tractor in Murfreesboro, Tenn. He retains a consulting role with Orchard Hills Golf Club in Newnan, Ga., where he was golf course superintendent for 22 years. He was the Georgia GCSA president for the 2012-13 term.

“When we considered candidates for this award there was none more deserving than Craig,” says Mike Brown, Georgia GCSA president, The Standard Club in Johns Creek, Ga. “He has more years of service on our board of directors than anyone I know. But beyond that he is such a tremendous volunteer, whether in this industry or in his community. He is extremely deserving of this honor.”

Brown, who worked as an assistant superintendent at Orchard Hills from 1997 to 2001, credits Ketelsen for getting him involved in association service. “We talk association business every week and I’d see this gleam in his eye every time,” Brown says. “He really loves this industry.”

One of the first people he met in the industry in Georgia was Jim Dusch, CGCS — now at Hawks Ridge Golf Club in Cumming, Ga. Dusch was heavily involved in the Georgia GCSA at the time and influenced Ketelsen to “get involved,” a philosophy he carried outside the industry.

“I am thrilled beyond words that my peers think I have contributed anything worthy of this recognition when all I have done is get up every day loving what I do,” Ketelsen says.