Three Ohio GCSAs merge to form Ohio Golf Course Superintendents Association

By |  November 21, 2022 0 Comments
Photo: Ohio Golf Course Superintendents Association

Photo: Ohio Golf Course Superintendents Association

Three of Ohio’s golf course superintendent associations are now one.

The Central Ohio GCSA, Northwest Ohio GCSA and the Miami Valley GCSA have joined forces to form the Ohio GCSA (OGCSA).

“The individuals that run these other chapters are talented people,” says Rodney Robbins, president of the Central Ohio GCSA. “They’re smart, and they’re driven. So, the fact that we’re bringing that talent together will make us stronger. We’re bringing in the best talent from Toledo, Dayton and Columbus and working together toward the same goal.”

Tim Glorioso, director of golf course operations at The Toledo Country Club, will serve as the association’s first president. Robbins’ new title is secretary-treasurer.

Years in the making

Robbins, superintendent at The Country Club at Muirfield Village, joined the Central Ohio GCSA in 2017. He says the discussion about combining the three associations have been ongoing since before he arrived.

Rodney Robbins

Rodney Robbins

The Carolinas GCSA (CGSA) and the Michigan GCSA (MiGCSA) — which successfully merged several chapters in 2007 — served as models for the OGCSA’s move, according to Robbins. He says members of the OGCSA spoke with officials from the CGCSA and MiGCSA to gather ideas on how to consolidate successfully.

“We see that it’s easier to communicate,” he says. “We’re doing the same types of events, so now we’re inviting people statewide. We’re looking to take care of our partners. We felt like from an efficiency standpoint, we’re able to reach more people.”

What’s next?

Robbins says the OGCSA won’t try to reinvent the wheel and will spend its first year of operation laying the groundwork for future growth.

“The biggest thing for us is to build the chapter,” Robbins says. “On Jan. 14, we’re going to have a statewide celebration event, and that will be our first meeting where we’ll elect our officers. But this first year, we’ve got to get all the pieces in place.”

The OGCSA will aim to have three major statewide events each year, says Robbins, a scholarship outing, a Wee One fundraiser and its annual meeting.

“We have a great educational event that the Miami Valley chapter has done, so we’re going to roll that out statewide,” he says. “We’re working with the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation to strengthen that relationship and trying to get more superintendents involved in that. We’re open to everyone in the state. We want to reach out to people and make sure we’re fulfilling their needs.”

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About the Author: Rob DiFranco

Rob DiFranco is Golfdom's associate editor. A 2018 graduate of Kent State University, DiFranco holds a bachelor's degree in journalism. Prior to Golfdom, DiFranco was a reporter for The Morning Journal in Lorain, Ohio


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