Williams earns national environmental award

Anthony L. Williams, GCSAA certified golf course superintendent at Stone Mountain (Ga.) Golf Club by Marriott, has been selected by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Board of Directors to receive the 2010 GCSAA President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship.

The award will be presented during the 2010 GCSAA Education Conference at Celebrate GCSAA! Hosted by Mark D. Kuhns, CGCS, Tuesday, Feb. 9 (formerly the Opening Session and Welcoming Reception). The conference (Feb. 8-12) will be held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show (Feb. 10-11) at the San Diego Convention Center.

“This is a well deserved honor for Anthony, who is an innovative and tireless environmental steward,” said Kuhns, GCSAA president. “He not only goes to great lengths to identify and implement new ways to improve his facility’s environmental stewardship efforts, but he continues to share his findings and best management practices with his peers, as well as mentoring so many others.”

The GCSAA President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship was established in 1991 to recognize “an exceptional environmental contribution to the game of golf: a contribution that further exemplifies the golf course superintendent’s image as a steward of the land.”

Williams worked with the University of Georgia to develop a detailed water-quality testing program. He played an integral role in the Georgia GCSA’s work with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division on a ground-breaking water conservation initiative, creating the Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Water Conservation Program. Williams has helped mentor many colleagues about water conservation and has been instrumental in securing the commitment of 97 percent of chapter members participating in the Georgia BMPs for Water Conservation Program. He also continues to assist other superintendents and chapters across the country in creating their own BMP water conservation programs.

A Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, Marriott’s Stone Mountain Golf Club is a 36-hole public facility located 16 miles from Atlanta. Williams developed a maintenance plan that resulted in Marriott’s hotel property at Stone Mountain, the Evergreen Conference Resort, being recognized as the first hotel to become a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. Williams hosts Green Links, a feature on The Environmental Institute for Golf’s Web site, www.eifg.org, that highlights a different case study in EDGE each month. He has authored two case studies for EDGE, the first focuses on water conservation and management at Stone Mountain and the second is a collection of effective integrated pest management initiatives.

Williams is a three-time GCSAA/Golf Digest Environmental Leaders in Golf Award winner, capturing the overall award at Marriott’s Stone Mountain in 2006. He is a two-time Marriott Golf Grounds Professional of the Year winner and was honored with the 2008 J. Willard Marriott Award of Excellence for his record of success in directing golf grounds operations at two distinguished Marriott Golf-managed properties, the Renaissance Pine Isle Resort and Stone Mountain. Williams is listed among Golf Inc. magazine’s annual 20 most admired operators list in 2009.

Williams is a four-time Marriott Golf Crystal Achievement Award for Public Relations Excellence winner. He also received the 2008 J. Lamar Branch Alumni Award for outstanding agricultural leadership from his alma mater, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Ga. Williams serves as vice president for the Georgia GCSA and will take over as president in October. He is also the director of the Georgia Turfgrass Association.

A 13-year GCSAA member, Williams holds an associate’s degree in horticulture from ABAC. He is one of only approximately 1,800 individuals in the world who currently hold the GCSAA certified golf course superintendent designation. Williams also is a certified grounds manager, certified turfgrass professional, certified ornamental landscape professional, certified arborist, certified pool and spa operator and a certified Georgia master gardener. A master fifth dan black belt in Tenshi GoJu Karate, Williams is a member of the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

The GCSAA Education Conference, held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show in San Diego, is the largest educational conference in the turfgrass management industry. One hundred seminars and more than 40 additional hours of educational sessions are offered, covering all ranges of golf course management, including agronomics, communication and business management. Visit www.gcsaa.org/conference.

GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 20,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. The association’s philanthropic organization, The Environmental Institute for Golf, works to strengthen the compatibility of golf with the natural environment through research grants, support for education programs and outreach efforts. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.