Trent Manning, CTEM, to receive the 2022 Edwin Budding Award from GCSAA

Trent Manning, CTEM, eight-year Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) member and equipment manager at both Ansley Golf Club at Midtown in Atlanta, Ga., and Ansley Golf Club at Settindown Creek in Roswell, Ga., is the winner of the 2022 Edwin Budding Award.

Trent Manning, CTEM. (Photo: GCSAA)

The Budding Award, named for the inventor of the lawn mower, is given annually to an equipment manager or related innovator, technician or engineer who has made a significant impact on the golf course and turf industry.

Manning began working at Ansley Golf Club at Settindown Creek at 16. He later moved to an assistant technician position under equipment manager Larry Freeman. From there, Manning worked his way up from crew member to equipment manager.

“The turf industry picked me,” Manning said. “Most of what I’ve learned over the years I picked up from the experienced and knowledgeable technicians I’ve been fortunate to work with, starting with Larry Freeman and including many legendary Atlanta-area techs.”

After working in several aspects of the golf and sports turf industry, including as a Toro mobile service technician, Manning returned to his original home at Settindown Creek course at Ansley Golf Club in 2010, again under the leadership of Courtney Young, CGCS, director of agronomy and 38-year GCSAA member.

Manning launched the Reel Turf Techs (RTT) Podcast in March 2021, which has amassed more than 30,000 downloads in the last two years. Manning created the podcast “to highlight the stories of turf technicians and equipment managers worldwide.”

In addition, Manning helps the Georgia GCSA develop equipment manager education and has served on the GCSAA Equipment Managers Task Group for GCSAA. He completed the GCSAA Equipment Management Certificate Program Levels 1 and 2 on the way to earning his CTEM designation.