Great Opening Session to kick-start the GIS this morning. It was in a TV talk show format, with The Golf Channel's Adam Barr serving as host. GCSAA President Ricky Heine and Steve Mona served as a two-headed Paul Shaffer to Barr's quip-whipping David Letterman. A great show.
Everyone looked natural as they were pulled on stage to talk industry. Mona, in his last Opening Session as GCSAA CEO, thanked the membership for their support through the years, momentarily choking up as the emotions caught up with him.
"What’s most important to me is the way in which our members are perceived… To the members, thank you, it’s been a great ride these last 14 years," he said. A standing ovation for the CEO, soon moving on to become the CEO of the World Golf Village, ensued, while Heine offered Mona a hug.
The environmentally friendly Greg Norman, "The Shark," dazzled, as he is known to do. With tennis great fiancee Chris Everet in tow (pictured), Norman spoke on behalf of the superintendents and the environment. "The superintendents should be dictating, telling everyone what we can do. If you allow him to do his job, he’ll make sure to take care of the environment and the golf course will benefit from that...
"It’s time to put the respect back where it belongs,” Norman concluded. “We have a tremendous voice… look at this room. I’m honored to win this award but the award should go to everybody in this room, because making golf compatible to the environment is all of our responsibilities.”
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