Andy Jorgensen, CGCS, honored with the Distinguished Service Award

The Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association (GCSA) awarded Andy Jorgensen, CGCS and director of community maintenance operations for On Top of the World Communities in Ocala, Fla., with its Distinguished Service Award (DSA). Jorgensen received his award during the association’s annual meeting at Sailfish Point Golf Club in Stuart, Fla. 

Jorgensen is a past president of the Florida GCSA, the Florida Turfgrass Association and the Seven Rivers GCSA. He has served on and chaired numerous association committees over the past 20 years and has also served as a Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Grassroots Ambassador since 2015. Plus, Jorgensen was a member of GCSAA’s Best Management Practices (BMP) Resource Task Group.  

“Andy is as dedicated to his profession and his colleagues as you can possibly be,” says Florida GCSA executive director, Jennifer Bryan. “I really don’t know of anyone who devotes more of their time and energy to the golf course superintendent profession as a whole. And he always does with a smile and encouragement for those around him.” 

The Florida Turfgrass Association also recognized him with its highest honor, the Wreath of Grass, in 2020. In 2014 and 2017, he won Environmental Leaders in Golf awards from GCSAA and Golf Digest. In 2022, he won the GCSAA President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship. 

“I was very surprised and humbled to receive the award. You never serve thinking you’re going to get awards, you do it because it’s the right thing to do,” Jorgensen said.  

Jorgensen arrived at On Top of the World in 2005 after stints at Southern Woods Golf Club (now Citrus National GC), World Woods (now Cabot Citrus Farms) and Sugarmill Woods, which were all under the same ownership. He began engaging in service almost immediately by hosting a Seven Rivers GCSA meeting and golf outing.   

“That was my first foray, and I quickly realized the value of being involved and it just grew from there,” Jorgensen said. “Serving has been especially helpful to my career. Getting to know as many people as I have, if I have an issue, I know help is just a phone call away.” 

Also from the annual meeting, Jason Zimmerman, CGCS, director of greens and grounds at The Nest Golf Club in Bonita Springs, Fla., was elected new president of the Florida GCSA. Zimmerman, a Michigan State University graduate who has been at The Nest since 2006, takes over for Parker Ferren, CGCS from Copperleaf Golf Club, also in Bonita Springs. Ferren will now serve a term as immediate past president. 

The new vice president is Ryan Swilley, CGCS, director of agronomy at The Dye Preserve Golf Club in Jupiter. Dustin Plemons, golf course superintendent at municipally owned Cleveland Heights Golf Club in Lakeland, Fla., is the new secretary-treasurer.

The day after the annual meeting, Mike Kelly, assistant golf course superintendent at Gulf Harbour Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers, won the Florida GCSA Golf Championship during the annual Steve Wright Memorial Golf Tournament. Kelly won on the first hole of a sudden death playoff over Easton Davis, from Pelican Marsh Golf Club in Naples, after finishing with one-under par rounds of 71.  

  

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