When it comes to doing more with less, few have been able to match Matt Gourlay, CGCS, at Colbert Hills when it comes to pulling rabbits out of hats.
Gourlay never has had a budget increase since he's been superintendent at the course at Kansas State University in Manhattan. In fact, his budget was slashed by 20 percent in 2015. Despite an ill-timed drought that plagued Manhattan last year, Gourlay's water-related expenditures came in $40,000 under budget in 2015. Since he was named superintendent at Colbert Hills a decade ago, Gourlay has cut spending on water by 71 million gallons.
Those were just some of the reasons Gourlay was named winner of the 2015 TurfNet Superintendent of the Year, presented by Syngenta. Whoever succeeds Gourlay will really have to be on top of his, or her, game.
With more than a month left in the nomination period, TurfNet has received nearly 400 nominations for more than 200 individual nominees.
TurfNet has been honoring superintendents like Gourlay with the Superintendent of the Year award since 2000. Since then, the Superintendent of the Year award has recognized nominees for their work in producing great playing conditions often during times of adversity. If this sounds like a superintendent you know, there still is is time to nominate him (or her) for this year's award.
Nominations can be submitted by golf course owners, operators, general managers, club members, golf professionals, vendors, distributors or colleagues, even by mothers and wives. The nomination deadline is Dec. 9.
Nominees are judged on their ability to excel at one or more of the following criteria: labor management, maximizing budget limitations, educating and advancing the careers of colleagues and assistants, negotiating with government agencies, preparing for tournaments under unusual circumstances, service to golf clientele, upgrading or renovating the course and dealing with extreme or emergency conditions.
The winner, who is selected by a panel of judges from throughout the golf industry, will be named at next year's Golf Industry Show in Orlando, and will receive a trip for two on the 2017 TurfNet golf trip to Ireland, courtesy of Syngenta.
To nominate a deserving superintendent for this year's award, visit the 2016 Superintendent of the Year Award nomination page. For more information, email John Reitman.
Previous winners of the award include Matt Gourlay, Colbert Hills, Manhattan, Kansas, 2015; Fred Gehrisch, Highlands Country Club, 2014, Highlands, North Carolina; Chad Mark, Kirtland Country Club, Willoughby, Ohio, 2013; Dan Meersman, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Philadelphia, 2012; Paul Carter, The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, Harrison, Tennessee, 2011; Thomas Bastis, California Golf Club of San Francisco, South San Francisco, California, 2010; Anthony Williams, Stone Mountain Golf Club, Stone Mountain, Georgia, 2009, Sam MacKenzie, Olympia Fields Country Club, Olympia Fields, Illinois, 2008; John Zimmers, Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pennsylvania, 2007; Scott Ramsay, Golf Course at Yale, New Haven, Connecticut, 2006; Mark Burchfield, Victoria Club, Riverside, California, 2005; Stuart Leventhal, Interlachen Country Club, Winter Park, Florida, 2004; Paul Voykin, Briarwood Country Club, Deerfield, Illinois, 2003; Jeff Burgess, Seven Lakes Country Club, LaSalle, Ontario, 2002; Kip Tyler, Salem Country Club, Peabody, Massachusetts, 2001; and Kent McCutcheon, Las Vegas Paiute Resort, Las Vegas, 2000.