Media Contact: Ray Davies, CGCS
Phone: (707) 763-0335
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Phone: (707) 763-0335
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
SAN JOSE, CA – Los Lagos Golf Course and its golf course superintendent, Alan Andreasen, CGCS, have been named chapter winner of the 2004 Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA)/Golf Digest Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards (ELGA).
Los Lagos, managed by CourseCo, Inc, is one of just two chapter winners in the public category selected from GCSAA's 104 affiliated chapters nationwide. Los Lagos is one of three CourseCo-managed courses to garner ELGA honors, representing one-third of the public golf courses selected. CourseCo facilities Eureka Golf Course and Crystal Springs Golf Course also received honors.
Environmental awards are nothing new to CourseCo and Los Lagos. In 2003 CourseCo received the state of California Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award for sustainable practice, the only golf course organization to hold this honor. Los Lagos received the GCSAA chapter award in 2003 and full certification as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in 2002.
"It adds a lot of pride and self satisfaction in my professional life to work for a company like CourseCo that values our commitment to environmental principles. It is not just talk with CourseCo -- we put into practice where others may only offer words," Andreasen said.
GCSAA/ELGA recognizes golf course superintendents and their courses for overall course management excellence in the areas of resource conservation, water quality management, integrated pest management, wildlife/habitat management and education/outreach. In addition, these categories are judged on sustainability, criticality, originality and technology implementation/use.
"Los Lagos Golf Course is bisected by Coyote Creek. The city of San Jose set aside approximately 75 acres of land along both sides of the creek to return the area back to valuable riparian habitat for a variety of plant and animal species," Andreasen said. "This gives us the opportunity to show our commitment to environmental principles and demonstrate how golf and the environment can co-exist and actually be mutually beneficial. We also have about four acres of mitigated land that was replanted with native species for wildlife habitat. We work closely with wildlife groups and have sponsored the rehabilitation and release of raptors back into our wildlife areas. It is very rewarding to showcase these programs with our golfers and the community," said Andreasen.
"Alan's accomplishments have come without compromising course conditions. Los Lagos is always in outstanding condition. This is critical to the success of the facility," said Ray Davies, CourseCo's director of golf course maintenance and construction.
"The national recognition received by Los Lagos Golf Course under CourseCo management has shown our effectiveness in meeting the demands of golfers and the environment with courses located on environmentally sensitive sites," said Davies.
Andreasen was formally recognized Feb. 11 during the General Session of the GCSAA Education Conference and inaugural Golf Industry show, Feb. 7-12 in Orlando. He received the award with two CourseCo peers, Tim Powers and Don Roller, superintendents at Crystal Springs Golf Course in Burlingame, and Eureka Golf Course, respectively. They are receiving two of six ELGA merit awards.
An independent panel of judges representing national environmental groups, turfgrass experts, university researchers and members of the golf community conducted the award selection. All courses that reach a determined threshold receive merit awards. This year just nine public courses met that standard.
For more information about Los Lagos Golf Course, 2995 Tuers Road, San Jose, CA 95121, call the course at (408) 361-0250, or visit www.playloslagos.com.
Los Lagos Golf Course is managed by CourseCo, Inc, a Petaluma, California-based management company that operates golf facilities throughout Northern California.