Lawrence, Kan. (Oct. 21, 2014) – Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Past President Melvin B. Lucas Jr. and Cal Roth, senior vice president of agronomy for the PGA Tour, have been selected as recipients of the association’s 2015 Col. John Morley Distinguished Service Award.
Lucas and Roth will be acknowledged at the 2015 Golf Industry Show in San Antonio, Wednesday, Feb. 25, during the Opening Session, presented in partnership with Syngenta, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.
The award is given to individuals who have made an outstanding, substantive and enduring contribution to the advancement of the golf course superintendent profession. The award was renamed in 2009 in honor of Col. John Morley, GCSAA’s founder and first president. He was the first to earn the Distinguished Service Award, in 1932, and he received it again in 1940.
“These gentlemen embody what the Col. John Morley Distinguished Service Award represents,” GCSAA President Keith A. Ihms, CGCS, said. “They have made significant contributions to the game of golf and have dedicated themselves to the advancement of the superintendent profession.”
Lucas, retired CGCS, has been an association member for 52 years, serving on the board of directors from 1974-81 and holding the title of GCSAA president in 1980. In addition, the 72-year-old Lucas has served as agronomy consultant for more than 60 golf course projects.
A graduate of Penn State University where he earned his degree in turfgrass management, Lucas began his career as an assistant superintendent at Piping Rock Club in Locust Valley, N.Y., in 1961. He continued to be associated with Piping Rock and nearby Garden City Golf Club in Garden City, N.Y., for most of his career, until 1985, when he took on the role of golf architect and superintendent at Round Hill Community Golf Club in South Dartmouth, Mass.
He also served the Long Island Golf Course Superintendents Association as an executive committee member for seven years and was that association’s president from 1973-75. Since his retirement in 1991, he has continued to serve the golf course management profession as a consultant both domestically and abroad.\
Roth, 64, has been a PGA Tour Golf Course Properties Inc., employee since 1983. He currently holds the title of senior vice president of agronomy and oversees course conditioning for the TPC network facilities and more than 120 professional golf tournaments annually. He is a graduate of Southern Illinois University and has been a member of GCSAA since 1979.
Roth began his career with the PGA Tour at TPC Plum Creek in Carmel, Ind., and now oversees agronomy at all 17 TPC owned and/or operated courses. Roth is a sought-after speaker at national conferences and has received other honors too, such as Turfgrass Man of the Year. He has served on several GCSAA committees since 2004 and currently is in his second year as a member of the board of trustees for the Environmental Institute for Golf, the philanthropic arm of the association. As a trustee, Roth helps make the financial decisions that determine the environmental programs and activities that are funded by the EIFG.
Under his leadership, TPC courses have been encouraged to demonstrate environmental leadership, which has led to participation in the Audubon International program, ePar USA and numerous Environmental Leadership in Golf Awards from GCSAA.
The GCSAA Board of Directors selects the winners from nominations submitted by affiliated chapters and/or association members.
View the complete list of GCSAA Col. John Morley Distinguished Service Award past recipients
About GCSAA and the EIFG
The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) is a leading golf organization in the United States. Its focus is on golf course management, and since 1926 GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the U.S. and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to nearly 18,000 members in more than 78 countries. The association’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org or find us on Facebook or Twitter.
The Environmental Institute for Golf is the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA. Its mission is to foster sustainability through research, awareness, education, programs and scholarships for the benefit of golf course management professionals, golf facilities and the game. Visit EIFG at www.eifg.org or find us on Facebook or Twitter.
About the Golf Industry Show
The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) presents the Golf Industry Show annually. It is an innovative trade show designed for the owners/operators of golf facilities, and the professional members of the golf course and club management industries. Featuring the GCSAA Golf Championships and the GCSAA Education Conference, as well as the largest exhibit floor in the industry, the event combines education, networking and solutions for golf course superintendents, owners/operators, general managers, chief operating officers, architects and builders.
The Golf Industry Show is presented jointly with the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), along with supporting organizations, the Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA), the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA), the National Golf Foundation (NGF), the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the International Golf Course Equipment Managers Association (IGCEMA). The 2015 event will be Feb. 25-26 in San Antonio. Visit www.golfindustryshow.com.
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