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Two GCSAA Member Superintendents Awarded $2,500 to Advance Education in Plant Health.

Bayer CropScience Announces Plant Health Scholarship Recipients

As part of its commitment to the advancement of plant health research and education in the turf care industry, Environmental Science, a division of Bayer CropScience LP, today announced the selection of two Plant Health Scholarship recipients. Michael K. McNamara, GCSAA Class A superintendent, TPC Prestancia, Sarasota, Fla., and John Petrovsky, GCSAA Class SM superintendent, Greenbriar Woodlands Golf Club, Toms River, N.J., will each receive a $2,500 scholarship to be used toward continuing education in the area of plant health. The Plant Health Scholarship is one of four educational opportunities available to superintendents as part of the Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow program Bayer developed in collaboration with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America’s (GCSAA’s) Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG).

“Our aim with the Plant Health Scholarship is to equip superintendents with the knowledge and tools to address some of their greatest challenges,” said David Wells, golf business manager for Bayer’s turf and ornamentals (T&O) business. “Michael and John show a clear passion for turfgrass science and continuing education, which they feel is the best resource available to help them meet course expectations and the challenges of an increasingly complex industry.”

McNamara, who recently began a new position as superintendent at TPC Prestancia, plans to use the funds to attend the educational coursework offered by GCSAA at the 2014 Golf Industry Show in Orlando, Fla. He has worked in the turf industry for 20 years and has participated in many industry advancement programs, including Bayer’s and John Deere’s Green Start Academy. He has also been the recipient of numerous GCSAA and other industry scholarships and awards. McNamara has accumulated more than 450 hours of continuing education from seminars and webinars, and is certified in Green Industries Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Golf Industry BMPs. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Turfgrass Science from Penn State University.

“Continuing education is vital as a superintendent in order to stay current and be successful in an evolving industry with rapidly-changing technologies,” said McNamara. “I’m honoured by this award and appreciate the opportunity, from Bayer and GCSAA, to further my professional development at the 2014 Golf Industry Show.”

Petrovsky, superintendent at Greenbriar Woodlands Golf Club, has worked in the industry for 10 years. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Turfgrass Science at Penn State University, and plans to use the Plant Health Scholarship to help fund his full-time coursework. He is an active member of GCSAA and the GCSA of New Jersey. Petrovsky also volunteers his time to support events in his region, such as The Barclays and the PGA TOUR FedExCup.

“Having worked my way up in the industry with no formal education in agronomy, it means a lot to me to be able to go back and gain the additional knowledge that will help me fill any gaps and grow to the next level,” said Petrovsky. “You can become very good at your job as a superintendent through experience, but there’s no replacement for formal education.”
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