GCSAA comes to China

As you read this, industry leaders in golf, including GCSAA officials, are in China.

GCSAA Chief Executive Officer Rhett Evans and GCSAA President Bob Randquist are there for the 2011 Asia Golf Show/PGA Merchandise Show-Asia at the Guangzhou Jinhan Exhibition Center. The three-day event begins Thursday, and the show is supposed to feature more than 100 exhibitors. More than 7,500 people are expected to attend. Other golf officials in attendance include PGA of America CEO Joe Steranka, GCBAA Executive Director Justin Apel and PGA of Great Britain & Ireland CEO Sandy Jones.

GCSAA is an official supporter of two major golf industry trade shows in China, and will conduct GCSAA education annually at the events. GCSAA officials are scheduled to return in March 2012 to China for the China Golf Show/PGA Merchandise Show-China in Beijing. Reed Guanghe, a subsidiary of Reed Exhibitions Greater China, conducts both shows.

Evans, Randquist, and Michigan State University Associate Professor of Turfgrass Science Kevin Frank, Ph.D., will participate in five GCSAA education seminars this week.

Evans will be part of a panel that focuses on facility development and pre-opening, and another panel on sustainability and water use.

Randquist will conduct a seminar on basic bunker maintenance and he also will appear on a panel discussion about the superintendent-general manager relationship and how to generate higher profits and drive customer satisfaction.

Frank will teach four seminars on turfgrass soils, turfgrass cultivation, soil testing and turfgrass fertilization programs.

"We are pursuing international opportunities in a prudent and calculated manner," Randquist says. "GCSAA has members to serve in all corners of the world and we know that our education, information and credentialing are highly sought after. We are looking to areas where there is a void of resources or where we have been invited to participate. GCSAA's board of directors and staff are committed to an international strategy that will allow us to grow our net income as we deliver programs and services that benefit superintendents in the U.S. and worldwide."

A feature event at the show this week is the first-ever PGA Teaching & Coaching Summit-Asia, presented by Omega. Some top PGA of America teaching professionals will be doing their thing, including Hank Haney, former swing coach for Tiger Woods.