By David MacPherson Let Mother Nature rule says Crowbush superintendent   Crowbush Cove is best described by superintendent Nancy Pierce as a golf course where nature is allowed—not encouraged—to follow its own path. The Prince Edward Island gem is a perfect example of how sound environmental stewardship doesn’t deter from the enjoyment of a golf course. Ever since opening, Crowbush has been perennially ranked in the Top 10 courses in Canada in ScoreGolf’s annual poll. They’ve also won two environmental awards: the CGSA/Toro Environmental Achievement Award for all of Canada (2002) and the GCSAA/Golf Digest Environmental Leaders in Golf Award (2004).   “As the course has matured I’ve discovered that, not only for budget reasons, but also for environmental reasons,…

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By Ken Cousineau   The CGSA has a mission statement that reads as follows:   “Canadian Golf Superintendents Association is a society committed to excellence in golf course management and environmental responsibility through the continuing professional development of its members.”   While this statement is shorter than many mission statements and while all of the above is certainly true, it is a true test of the loyalty of any member or staff person to be able to recite that statement and promote all that it stands for on a day to day basis.   Recently, I listened to a speech on the subject of marketing.  The essential message in the delivery was that mission statements, though popular from a corporate standpoint,…

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  Clarification Needed By Ken Courineau, CAE Executive Director Canadian Golf Superintendents Association   The issue of pesticide use within Canada continues to be a prominent point of discussion for the CGSA and the golf industry.  As long as there are activists that believe that these products are the cause of human health issues, or who are prepared to argue that our “environment” would be “better” if pesticides were not used or used in smaller quantities, this will continue to be an issue.  In other words, forever!  I have purposely used quotations around the words “environment” and “better” because these rather vague, subjective terms are never defined by activists and as such could mean whatever you want or need them…

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Adam Zubek has been named the new superintendent at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club. Originally from Montreal, Zubek spent the last six years as Superintendent at Capilano Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, British Columbia – one of the premier private golf clubs in Canada, before making the decision to come to Ontario. “From a professional point of view, the move to Mississaugua G&CC is a fabulous opportunity at one of Canada’s premier private clubs. It’s one of the most coveted positions in Canadian golf,” says Zubek, who starts his duties at Mississauga G&CC on February 7. “First and foremost, I would like to take the day to day operations and standards that we set for the golf course to…

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The CGSA has a mission statement that reads as follows: “Canadian Golf Superintendents Association is a society committed to excellence in golf course management and environmental responsibility through the continuing professional development of its members.” While this statement is shorter than many mission statements and while all of the above is certainly true, it is a true test of the loyalty of any member or staff person to be able to recite that statement and promote all that it stands for on a day to day basis. Recently, I listened to a speech on the subject of marketing.  The essential message in the delivery was that mission statements, though popular from a corporate standpoint, are clumsy when it comes to marketing…

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Bill Hughes is not an environmental extremist and he says the thought of throwing himself in front of a bulldozer has never crossed his mind. “I’m a golf professional. I’ve kept my head down and my feet in the dirt for 30 plus years,” says Hughes, a PGA of America master professional and the general manager at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida the home of the PGA Tour’s Players Championship. Hughes is, by his own admission an unlikely leader, in the movement for golf courses to go green. Not green as in perfectly manicured, green as in environmentally friendly. “I’m not a tree-hugger but I do believe that a lot of people learning and being educated about things…

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Crowbush Cove is best described by superintendent Nancy Pierce as a golf course where nature is allowed—not encouraged—to follow its own path. The Prince Edward Island gem is a perfect example of how sound environmental stewardship doesn’t deter from the enjoyment of a golf course. Ever since opening, Crowbush has been perennially ranked in the Top 10 courses in Canada in ScoreGolf’s annual poll. They’ve also won two environmental awards: the CGSA/Toro Environmental Achievement Award for all of Canada (2002) and the GCSAA/Golf Digest Environmental Leaders in Golf Award (2004). “As the course has matured I’ve discovered that, not only for budget reasons, but also for environmental reasons, less is more,” says Pierce. “I don’t try to fight Mother Nature. Instead,…

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