Sauk Centre CC Superintendent Dan Dickinson
Wins 2011 MGCSA Championship at Ruttger's

On August 15, Superintendent Dan Dickinson, Sauk Centre Country Club, (pictured with the trophy below) was able to handle the tight fairways on The Lakes course at Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge, enroute to a score of 74 to win the 2011 MGCSA Championship. Drew Ekstrom, Superior Golf Cars, finished second at 77. Ben Walker, Somerset Country Club, finished third with an 81. Dan had nine hole scores of 36-37 and Drew fired an opening 41 but followed up with a back nine 35. Ben shot nines of 39-42.

On behalf of the Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents’ Association we would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge for hosting our Championship. The support from the club and the prime condition of the course made for a spectacular day to celebrate golf.

Host Superintendent, Joe Wollner won the First Flight with a net score of 74. Tom Jandl, Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge used his home course knowledge to shoot a net 75 and finish second. Tom won a scorecard playoff with Charlie Miller, Goodrich GC and Brian Horgan, University of Minnesota.

This years Senior Champion is John Monson, Long Prairie GC  John shot a net 68. Jim O’Neill, Cycle Works Golf Supply came in second with a net 79.

Winning the Callaway Flight was Greg Bondy, Turfwerks, edging out Turfwerks Zach Davis, Greg shot a net 72 and Zach had a 73. Larry Thornton, Superior Turf Services finished third with a net 74.

Our two 2011 Long Drive Champions are David Thalberg, Prestwick GC and Zach Wignall, The Meadows at Mystic Lake. Isaac Kasper, Columbia CC and Ben Wallin, Victory Links GC sank the longest putts of the day.  The five winners of the closest to the pin competition were Jeff Pint, New Prague GC, Charlie Miller, Goodrich GC, David Johnson, Territory GC, Zach Wignall, The Meadows at Mystic Lake and  Gary Deterrs, St Cloud CC.

Superintendent Joe Wollner, pictured on the right, along with his staff had the course in great condition. Golf Professional Jamie Alderman and his staff were very helpful in pre-tournament preparations. 

Special thanks go out to Dan O’Brien and Superior Golf Cars. Superior Golf Cars teamed up with the Minnesota PGA, Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Upper Midwest Chapter of the Club Managers Association of America and the Midwest Golf Course Owners Association for the inaugural Superior Golf Cars/Club Car Charity Classic which benefitted the allied associations. Superior Golf Cars donated a portion of the proceeds to the MGCSA.

Thank you to the following Affiliate member companies for sponsoring the 2011 Championship: Agrotain International, BASF, Bayer Environmental Science, Cycle Works Golf Supply, Duininck Golf, Excel Turf & Ornamental, Frontier Ag & Turf, Hartman Companies Inc., MTI Distributing Inc., Par Aide Products Company, Plaisted Companies Inc., Precision Turf & Chemical Inc., Specialty Ag & Turf, Superior Turf Services Inc., Syngenta Professional Products, Turfwerks, and Versatile Vehicles, Inc. 

The next MGCSA event will be the MTGF/University of Minnesota Turf and Grounds Field Day on September 15. The Stodola Research Scramble will be on September 19 at the Forest Hills Golf Club and the second Annual Wee-One event will take place on October 3 at North Oaks Golf Club. The Fall Mixer at the Horse and Hunt Club will be on October 17. Our Annual Awards Banquet will take place on December 7 at Brackett’s Crossing CC.