The start of our centennial year was nothing short of remarkable, filled with excitement, optimism, and the promise of what's to come, and it is an honor to serve as the OGSA president during this historic year. This milestone offered us a chance to celebrate our members, recognize past leaders who helped shape the association, and look ahead to the future of golf and the role of superintendents in the game’s continued growth.

The 2024 OGSA Turfgrass Management Conference, held in Niagara Falls, marked the beginning of our centennial celebrations, bringing together over 450 members and special guests from GCSAA, Golf Canada, Golf Ontario, CGSA, and many past presidents. Reflecting on the contributions of pioneers like William J. Sansom, C.L. Knuth, and Fred Hawkins, and Old Tom Morris, we recognize that the progress we make today builds the foundation for future generations. As we confront challenges like environmental protection, recruitment, and sustainability, we must continue to learn, adapt, and innovate.

A key focus this year was the launch of Ontario’s Best Management Practices (BMP) guidelines, a first in Canada. This vital document, championed by GCSAA, provides superintendents with tools to demonstrate a commitment to environmental sustainability.

Recruitment remains a priority as we strive to attract a new generation of professionals to turfgrass management. We released a compensation and benefits survey which aims to provide superintendents with valuable data to advocate for their budgets and their employees. Additionally, worked with a team from RZCD Law Firm to create an employment contract template to help members navigate contract negotiations.

To improve recruitment, we are focused on diversity and inclusion. Insights from an Inclusive People Practices seminar hosted by Syngenta, highlighted the importance of using inclusive language in job descriptions and creating strong onboarding processes to ensure new hires feel welcomed and supported.

Turfgrass research continues to drive our success, and the OGSA is proud to support the Ontario Turfgrass Research Foundation (OTRF). In the last 20 years, we’ve donated over $300,000 to turfgrass research, and we added $20,000 to this total again this year. This support enables continued innovation in the turfgrass industry.

Our sold out golf events, such as the Assistant’s tournament and the OGSA Championship, have become important social and networking occasions for members to benchmark and share their experiences each season, and we thank our sponsors for their continued support. They power our events, and are key to the Association’s continued success. Please be sure to review who our supplier members are and support them.

Looking ahead, the OGSA is focused on engaging youth through programs like First Green and supporting the development of future leaders through our scholarship programs, which are powered by partnerships with Brett Young, Syngenta, and GC Duke. We also encourage members to adopt the Ontario BMP and explore the opportunity to create a facility BMP document for your course. We will continue to create opportunities to help superintendents develop their skills through our education program.

I’d like to thank our Board of Directors, especially past president Ryan Scott, for their dedication to this association. Ryan’s contributions, including the launch of the First Green program, have been invaluable, and he will be greatly missed when his term ends in February 2025. I also want to express gratitude to our executive director, Courtney White, and the OGSA staff for their hard work in making 2024 a successful year. I am excited for what lies ahead as we continue to grow and shape the future of our industry.

Sincerely,
Ian McQueen