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.
BURLINGAME, CA– Crystal Springs Golf Course, and its golf course superintendent, Tim Powers, CGCS, have been named merit winners of the 2004 Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA)/Golf Digest Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards (ELGA).
Powers is also the 2005 recipient of the Turfgrass Excellence Award, given annually by the Northern California Chapter of the GCSAA. Crystal Springs, managed by CourseCo, Inc, is one of just nine winners in the public golf category selected from GCSAA's 104 affiliated chapters nationwide. Crystal Springs is one of three CourseCo-managed courses to garner ELGA honors, representing one-third of the public golf courses selected.
Environmental awards are nothing new to CourseCo and Crystal Springs. 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. Crystal Springs received GCSAA/ELGA awards in 2002 and 2003 and is the first and only golf course in the United States to be certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council. The course was fully certified as an Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary in 1997, the 7th course in California with that distinction. Six CourseCo courses are fully certified. There are 2000 courses in California and only 40 are fully certified.
"CourseCo prides itself on the ability to manage golf courses in a manner consistent with our strongly held environmental values," said Ray Davies, CourseCo's director of golf course maintenance and construction.
"The recognition received by Crystal Springs 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.
The Turfgrass Excellence Award is proof that strong turfgrass conditions are not inconsistent with strong environmental management," said Davies.
"We get to play and work in spectacular scenery full of deer, coyotes, and birds. It is a very peaceful setting that few courses have. It is easy to go to work every day," said Powers.
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.
Crystal Springs is located within a 32,000-acre wildlife refuge owned by the San Francisco Water Department, according to Powers. Powers takes great pride in managing this environmentally sensitive site while meeting all standards and guidelines set for the course.
Powers was formally recognized for the ELGA award Feb. 11 during the General Session of the GCSAA Education Conference and inaugural Golf Industry show, Feb. 7-12 in Orlando. He received his award with two CourseCo peers, Alan Andreasen, CGCS, and Don Roller, superintendents at Los Lagos Golf Course and Eureka Golf Course respectively.
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 Crystal Springs Golf Course, 6650 Golf Course Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010, call the course at (650) 342-4188, or visit www.playcrystalsprings.com.
Crystal Springs Golf Course is managed by CourseCo, Inc, a Petaluma, California-based management company that operates golf facilities throughout Northern California.