The Golf Course Superintendents Association of Queensland (GCSAQ) has revealed the finalists for its annual awards which will be announced at next month’s Queensland Golf Industry Awards. The GCSAQ will join with other Queensland golf industry associations and bodies to recognise the Sunshine State’s best golf course turf management staff at a gala function to be held at The Star – Gold Coast on 15 October. The association will hand out four awards on the evening, with the new-look GCSAQ committee, elected at last moth’s AGM at Gailes Golf Club, confirming the finalists this week. The ASTMA joins with the GCSAQ in congratulating the following finalists:

GCSAQ SUPERINTENDENTS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Peter Culross (Nudgee GC)
John Halter (City GC)
Matthew Hartup (Pacific Harbour G&CC)
Luke Helm (Meadowbrook GC)
Mick Kelly (Toowoomba GC)
Stephen Milgate (Beerwah GC)
Stuart Moore (Southport GC)
Brett Thomson (Carbrook GC)

GCSAQ ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS RECOGNITION AWARD
Luke Carroll (Burleigh GC)
Brent Johnston (RACV Royal Pines Resort)
Ray Lawrence (Nudgee GC)

GCSAQ APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR AWARD PRESENTED BY TORO
Nathan Baker (Byron Bay GC)
Dylan Bartlett (Keperra Country GC)
Shane Eastell (Gailes GC)
Glenn O’Sullivan (Royal Queensland GC)

Pictured right are last year's GCSAQ winners Graeme Andrews, Mick McCombe and Andrew Lothian

The GCSAQ will also hand out its Superintendents Industry Recognition Award on the night, which last year went to Paul Bevan. The two big awards of the evening – Most Outstanding Queensland Club, Facility or Place to Play (metropolitan and regional) – are set to be hotly contested. Queensland PGA Championship host venue Nudgee Golf Club heads the metropolitan finalists which include Pacific Harbour G&CC, Sanctuary Cove G&CC and Southport GC. Six finalists have been named for the regional award including Dysart GC, Half Moon Bay GC, Kingaroy GC, Toowoomba GC, Townsville GC and Tropics GC. 

RETIRED QLD SUPERS REUNION

And staying in Queensland, last week a group of retired Queensland superintendents and industry members hooked up for a reunion on the Gold Coast. Organised by Paul Bevan from Greenway Turf Solutions (pictured front row, far left), the gathering was held at the Wallaby Hotel in Mudgeeraba and featured many well-known names from the Queensland industry across the past 50 years.

Front and centre was ASTMA life member Doug Robinson (pictured front row, second from left), who for many years was course superintendent at Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Golf Club and was inaugural president of the Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association (now ASTMA) between 1988 and 1994.

Robinson was one of three former Coolangatta Tweed supers at the gathering and was joined by Jeff Gambin and Ian Grimshaw. Gambin, who also served as AGCSA president between 2004 and 2008, was Robinson’s assistant before taking over from him after he moved to Sanctuary Cove, while Grimshaw was Gambin’s assistant before taking over from him. Also attending was the legendary Loch Ledford, recently anointed GCSAQ life member Jon Penberthy and Darryl Edwards who after more than 50 years in the industry is still the present day superintendent at Burleigh Golf Club on the Gold Coast.

Group photo above: Back row (from left) – Darryl Edwards, Alan Mulcahy and Jeff Gambin; middle row (from left) – John Hume, Paul Lierse, Richard James, Frank Paul and Rod Cook; and front row (from left) – Paul Bevan, Doug Robinson, Loch Ledford, Ian Grimshaw and Jon Penberthy. Photo courtesy of Jeff Gambin