Welcome to the Louisiana-Mississippi Golf Course Superintendents Association's website. The Louisiana-Mississippi Golf Course Superintendents Association exists to serve its members by providing programs and services that add value to their career and enhance and promote the game of golf.
GCSAA ACTION ALERT - Tell Congress to Support 501(c)(7) Organizations. Please read below for important message from GCSAA Government Affairs:
Ambassadors,
Congress recently passed the $2 trillion CARES Act
to support businesses, working individuals, and families
struggling to deal with the fallout of COVID-19. While the
golf industry was not specifically excluded from the bill, clubs
that are organized as a 501(c)(7) - and the employees
who work for them - do not currently qualify for some benefits
included in the bill, specifically the Paycheck Protection Program.
Congress is expected to take up additional legislation in the
coming days to fix issues such as this that may have been
overlooked in the CARES Act. Although not all golf courses
are organized as a 501(c)(7), many are, and the overall strength
of the golf industry relies upon fair treatment for all facilities.
Use the action alert below to tell your members of Congress
to include 501(c)(7) organizations in the Paycheck Protection
Program. Also, please reach out to congressional contacts
you’ve established as an Ambassador. You can use this alert
as talking points.
If your club is, in fact, organized as a 501(c)(7), we encourage
you to personalize your message by including details, such as
your club name and number of employees impacted by the
club's current exclusion from PPP.
Action Alert: Tell Congress to Support 501(c)(7) Organizations
Thank you,
GCSAA Government Affairs
Date posted: 4/6/2020
COVID-19 AND THE STATE OF THE GOLF INDUSTRY - PLEASE READ BELOW.
Date posted: March 23, 2020, 5:52 p.m. central
Dear LMGCSA Members,
Good evening everyone. Last Friday, allied golf associations of Mississippi and Louisiana held a conference call to discuss how COVID-19 is impacting clubs, the state of the industry and to game-plan based on current information. It was decided to start planning a communication that could be used in the event of a statewide stay-at home scenario. Associations represented were:
Louisiana/Mississippi GCSA
Louisiana Golf Assoc. (LGA)
Gulf States Section PGA
Mississippi Golf Assoc. (MGA)
CMAA-Pelican Chapter
Louisiana PGA
Mississippi PGA
First Tee of Central MS
First Tee Greater New Orleans
First Tee BREC Golf
Kelly Gibson Foundation
US Kids Golf Junior Tour
On Sunday March 22nd Louisiana Gov., John Bel Edwards issued a statewide stay-at-home order as part of Proclamation Number 33 JBE 2020. This left many questions as to the state of the golf industry in Louisiana. That being said, we were poised to have a response. Ron Wright, CGCS, CCA (SE Region Field Staff) reached out to me Sunday evening. We discussed actions that had been taken and Ron was prompt to deliver the communication to GCSAA Government Affairs for review. Over the course of the Monday, our allied association message had been reviewed and sent to the governor's office. Shortly thereafter a response confirming that we can in fact still maintain our properties and play golf. Please find the attached letter that was sent to the Governor's office for clarification on the proclamation.
This is good news for the time being, and while we do not expect any immediate changes, the situation remains fluid and volatile. In order to have the best opportunity for our businesses to stay operational, we must all follow the most stringent protocols that can be implemented. We must continue to show utmost responsibility and be proactive at finding continued ways at keeping our patrons, staff, and ourselves safe. Please use the following resources as reference and adhere to all messaging that is coming from the CDC and WHO:
Additionally, we need to all thank Robert Brown, PGA (CEO, Gulf States Section PGA) for coordinating the meeting that was held on Friday and Logan Ray (Executive Director, LGA) for composing the very well written communication. This also would not have been possible with out the GCSAA leadership via Ron Wright, CGCS and Michael Lee (GCSAA Govt. Affairs). We are also extremely thankful for the Governor's leadership and understanding during this very challenging time. Please take the time to thank all these individuals for their service to our industry as a whole.
Specifically with regard to the State of Mississippi and as stated in the Press Conference today with Governor Tate Reeves, Governor Reeves says that a state wide shut down is not needed at this time according to recommendations from the MS State Department of Health and the CDC; however as we understand the situation remains fluid and ever-changing.
We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves in both Louisiana and Mississippi. Be safe and God Bless.
Brandon L. Reese, LMGCSA President
Director: Golf Course Maintenance Operations
TPC Louisiana
11001 Lapalco Blvd.
Avondale, LA 70094
Mobile: (469) 569-4154
​ The LMGCSA TPC Chapter Meeting of March 25, 2020 has been cancelled. Please continue reading below for a message from our LMGCSA President:​
Dear LMGCSA Members,
A priority of the Louisiana-Mississippi GCSA is the health of our members and their families. This week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that for the next eight weeks gatherings where 50 people or more are present should be cancelled or postponed. Additionally, on Monday President Trump made an announcement urging Americans to avoid any gatherings of 10 people or more. After conferring with the Board, in view of this we are cancelling our TPC Chapter Meeting scheduled for March 25, 2020. We do not do this lightly and hope this will not greatly inconvenience our members. Please continue reading below:
CDC's Top 7 COVID 19 Prevention Recommendations:
1. Avoid close contact with people who are sick;
2. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth;
3. Stay home when you are sick; notify your supervisor immediately if not feeling well
4. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue;
5. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces;
6. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds;
7. Visit www.cdc.gov/COVID19 for more information.
* Some items that can be done in your operation are to implement enhanced cleaning procedures making sure to thoroughly wash each piece of equipment and hand tools-making extra effort to sanitize steering wheels, handles, control levers, work benches etc.....anywhere hands frequently come into contact with hard surfaces. It has become normal to remove ballwashers, sand bottles, rakes, and even flagsticks during this time. The practice of "social distancing" has become commonplace and is an integral part to the CDCs recommendations.
Many clubs have already started some of the following:
Staggering employee start times to avoid masses of people in one location
Not meeting inside in the mornings, but rather outside in an open environment
Designating lunch times (staggered)
Assign individual pieces of equipment
Discontinue staff meals that are serving buffet-style, discontinue use of "community" coffee/tea/soda fountains, individually wrap meals if provided
These are just a few recommendations.
Thank you for your continued support of the LMGCSA. Please stay safe!
-BR
Brandon L. Reese, LMGCSA President
Date posted: 3/18/2020
​East Mississippi Community College in Columbus, MS is now offering an Equipment Manager's Program. Read below for more information:
This course of study is designed to provide specialized instruction to prepare students for careers in the small engine and equipment repair industry… Core courses include Small Engine Mechanics, Small Engine Sop Management, Two Cycle Engines, Four- Cycle Engines, Measurements, Maintenance and Repairs of cutting mechanisms, Transmissions and Transaxles, Engine Troubleshooting, Small Engine Electrical Systems, Supervised Work Experience and Selected Electives. Classes are held at East Mississippi Community College Lion Hills Golf Center, 2331 Military Road Columbus, MS 39705. Contact Danny E. Smith @ 662-329-6757 or Will Arnett, 662-329-6746. Small Engine and Equipment Repair Technology is a great career pathway for those who love to problem solve, work with their hands and take things apart. Successful small engine and equipment repair technicians can build, diagnose, troubleshoot, and repair a wide variety of small engines. Graduates of this program have a wealth of career opportunities.
Get ahead of the game and CLICK HERE to pay your 2020 LMGCSA Membership Dues! Thank you for your membership and support of our Chapter.
Please opt in for the LMGCSA's new text messaging program, Member Text, to receive Chapter updates and notices regarding events. Please text "LMGCSA" to 71441. Thank you!
​
We have future Deep South Turf Expo dates through the year of 2023! The DSTE will be at the Mississippi Coast Convention Center for these dates. Please see below and mark your calendars:​​​
DSTE 2020: November 2-5
DSTE 2021: November 1-4
DSTE 2022: October 24-27
DSTE 2023: October 15-19
