A successful showing from San Diego for the 2025 GCSAA Show
This was, in my opinion, a hugely successful GCSAA Conference and Trade Show for all involved. The trade show was absolutely packed on Wednesday. On Thursday, yes, the crowd was diminished, but guess what? I probably did the most actual “business” of my entire week in the last two hours of the show when booths weren’t overwhelmed with attendees.
And compared to the last time when we were in San Diego? I wrote my column last month about what a forgettable conference that one was. This one, in comparison, was absolutely a hit … maybe even a home run (foreshadowing!)
Here are some quick thoughts from my week in San Diego attending the 2025 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show:
- The opening reception at the USS Midway was cool. A great way to start the week. Disappointing that the drone show didn’t happen (I’m told the drones were stuck in Mexico. You can imagine how this made me laugh when I was told the plight of the drones over beers. Free the drones! ¡Viva Zapata!)
- The CEO talk with the USGA’s Mike Whan, GCSAA’s Rhett Evans and Golf Digest’s Jerry Tarde — titled Working Together for Golf’s Future: Insights from USGA and GCSAA Leadership — was interesting and well-attended. The highlight for me was hearing the opening statement from Tarde, who read a powerful essay about the importance of the game of golf for people around the world and related it to the importance of the work everyone at the show does. The remainder of the seminar was also good (what I had time to stay for), but Tarde’s talk stood out. And it’s not often you get to see/hear something like that (I’m told this was Whan’s first-ever GCSAA conference).
- The most hectic moment of the show was at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. I was standing in the Envu booth in the midst of a conversation, and people were milling all about. Across from them was the USGA’s booth, and these two booths were just swamped. I looked around and said to the folks I was visiting with, “Congratulations … this is what this show is all about.”
- What were the most interesting products I saw at the show? There were several, and I’ll save much of that material for the new issue of Golfdom. In the meantime, check out this autonomous mower from John Deere, and perhaps the star of the 2025 trade show, the USGA’s moisture meter, the latest addition to the Deacon platform.
- The Friends of Golfdom party at the Field lived up to expectations. Thanks to Thad Thompson, Terry Hills GC in N.Y., and Patrick Joy, Boot Ranch GC in Texas, for paying off their Bills/Chiefs bets. They’re good sports and great dudes. Our party was so packed that management told us we needed to get 10 people to leave the upstairs area because we were breaking fire code. My response? “I’ll go! It’s hot up here!” Great seeing everyone. For those who missed it — I get it! There were a lot of parties that night.
- Concurrent (mostly) with our party was the PBI-Gordon party at Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres. Wow! I was able to pop in just for a bit, but my friends at PBI — an employee-owned company local to me and dedicated specifically to this industry — hit it out of the park! Touch ’em all, PBI-Gordon, that party was a home run.
- I started what I hope is a new tradition of conducting 19th Hole interviews in the off-hours of the conference and trade show. I managed to sit down with three superintendents at The Field, Lucky’s and Kansas City Barbecue (aka the Top Gun bar) and do in-person video interviews — those interviews/videos to come soon. Let’s continue that tradition in Orlando next year, cool?
- Another shout-out to the folks at Nufarm for hosting a fun industry event at Good Night John Boy. That was like taking a time machine to my grandparents’ living room with all that 1970s décor. I also was able to attend the first ever Las Vegas GCSAA chapter party at Kansas City Barbecue. I meant to hit more chapter and vendor parties, but time is short in the evenings.
It was great seeing everyone in San Diego. Thanks to the dozens (hundreds?) of people who stopped me and said hello, shook my hand and complimented the magazine and the work we’re doing. I realize I stick out in a crowd — I’m tall and was sporting a shock of gray hair this year — but it’s those handshakes, quick compliments and meaningful conversations that energize me to do what we do.
Cheers!
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