The Utah GCSA is dedicated to improving the superintendents' position in the golf industry through education, networking, advocacy and to grow the game of golf.

The Utah GCSA is a community of golf course management professionals and a go-to information source to enhance and grow the profession.

Salesperson of the Year - Daryl Dinkel, Target Specialty Products

Sales Representative for Target Specialty Products.

Business Lead for the Target Golf Team in the western US

I am a graduate from Colorado State University with a BS Majoring in Landscape Horticulture with an emphasis in Turf Grass Management.  I have over 15 years experience as a Golf Course Superintendent and held the title of Certified Golf Course Superintendent as designated by the GCSAA.  In 1997 I was honored with the Western Region Environmental Stewardship Award from the GCSAA.  Overall I have been working the turf industry for over 34 years starting with Perry Dye and Dye Designs.  I currently cover Western Colorado and Central to Northern Utah.  Our warehouse location is at the Freeport Center in Clearfield, UT.  I have been married for 30 years and I have a son (25) and a daughter (23).  During the summer my wife and I drag race in the Rocky Mountain Chapter of America Nostalgia West.

You can reach him on Twitter @DarylDinkel

Email: Daryl.Dinkel@Target-Specialty.com

Phone: 970-214-7101

Assistant Superintendent of the Year - Jack Hammer, Glenwild Golf Club & Spa

I currently work as the 1^st assistant superintendent at Glenwild Golf Club in Park City. When I’m not on property working under the direction of Mike Valiant (CGCS) and alongside our maintenance team, I enjoy fly fishing, riding my gravel bike, and spending quality time with my dog, Spud, any way we know how. Additionally, I am currently in my last term at the University of Wyoming pursuing my Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Leadership.  

History in the Industry: 

After earning my degree in Turfgrass Management from Catawba Valley in 2013, I entered the golf course maintenance industry excited to utilize my skills. Having work-based learning from internships and apprenticeships completed at both the Trump National Golf Club of Charlotte and Washington D.C., I earned a spot at Glenwild Golf Club in the spring of 2016. Taking the skills I have from my past and combining them with the rigors and challenges faced in the intermountain west have been an invaluable opportunity that I am dedicated to developing.  

Superintendent of the Year (Public) - Jay Geise, Hobble Creek Golf Course

I grew up in rural northwest Ohio and ended up pursuing a bachelors in Turfgrass Science from Ohio State after working at several high end clubs in the area. While in school I worked at two Top 100 courses (Muirfield and Medinah) as well as another internship in the Seattle Area. I fell in love with the mountains and ended up moving back to Washington when I got my degree. 5 years and two Assistant positions later we moved to Utah for the Assistant Position at Riverside Country Club in Provo. Now I have just finished my third season at Hobble Creek as Superintendent. In my spare time, I like to mountain bike and ski with my wife, Hannah and hike with our two dogs.

Superintendent of the Year (Private) - Jake Ebner, Alpine Country Club

I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri and moved to Utah in April of 2000.  My love of the game of golf lead me to my first job as a young teenager at Bogey Hills Country Club.  Being just 15 when I started, my mom got up early every morning and drove me to work. After graduating with my degree in Horticulture and getting married in 2000, we moved west to Utah and I began my job at Alpine Country Club as part of the maintenance crew. One year later, in 2001, I was promoted to Assistant Superintendent.  In August of 2006, I was lucky enough to be given a chance to become the interim Superintendent. Later that year in November I was officially made the Superintendent at Alpine. Twenty years, three kids, two homes and many ski days later, I’m so thankful to be here. Utah allows our family to do all the activities we love to do-golf, ski, boat, fish, camp, hike and it’s all right here.  I’ll never tire of watching the sun come up over the Wasatch mountains.  

The Utah GCSA along with the governing bodies of Utah Golf are elated to announce Riley Stottern, CGCS, being inducted into the Utah Golf Hall of Fame.  Riley’s lasting influence on the members of this association and GCSAA will be felt for many years to come.  His passion for the profession and willingness to serve are the focus to why he was chosen for this prestigious award.  Mr. Stottern will be inducted on October 22, as part of the 2020 class.  He joins UGCSA member and Fore Lakes Golf Course owner Todd Barker as one of two superintendents in the Utah Hall of Fame.  In honor of the induction, we thought we’d throw it back to 1986 when Riley was elected president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).   Originally published by Golf Course Management, March 1986.

L-R: Ross O'Fee, CGCS, Empire Turf, Inc. (Affiliate Rep.), Phill Miller, Stotz Equipment (Affiliate Rep), Josh Virostko, Lakeside Golf Course (Director), Wes York, Oakridge Country Club (Director), Brian Roth, CGCS, Oquirrh Hills Golf Course (Secretary/Treasurer), Nate James, Soldier Hollow Golf Course (Vice President), Alan Davis, Willow Creek Country Club (President), Justin Woodland, The Barn Golf Club (Past President)

Not Pictured: Mike Valiant, CGCS, Glenwild Golf Club & Spa (Director), Brecken Varah, Willow Creek Country Club (Assistant Director)

July 15, 2019 – The Utah Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (UGCSA) held their eighth annual Chapter Championship at Salt Lake City’s Glendale Golf Course.

Superintendents, assistants and vendors from around the state competed for the coveted Green Source, L.L.C. traveling trophy and the esteemed title of UGCSA Chapter Champion.

With a score of four under par (68), David Booth, Assistant Superintendent at Lakeside Golf Course in West Bountiful wins the 2019 championship.

Gross winners:

Second place: Matt Isbell, Superintendent – Stonebridge Golf Club (71)

Third place: Dallin Naulu, Superintendent – The Oaks at Spanish Fork (73)

Net winners:

First place: Brian Cloud, Superintendent – Cedar Hills Golf Club (60)

Second place: Craig Goff, Assistant Superintendent – Meadowbrook Golf Course (66)

Third place: Tony Lopez, Assistant Superintendent – Mountain View Golf Course (67)

On behalf of the UGCSA, we would like to thank our title sponsor – Green Source, L.L.C., host Superintendent Bryan Witzel and the entire staff at Glendale Golf Course for their hospitality.

On October 10 & 11 in Wendover, NV, the Intermountain Golf Course Superintendents Association held its annual education conference and trade show.  One of the agenda items on the ballot at this years’ conference was the name change from IGCSA (Intermountain) to the UGCSA (Utah).  The initiative was brought forth for two main reasons.  The first being the membership is almost completely comprised of individuals from Utah.  The “Intermountain” region spans well outside of the borders of Utah.  Secondly, the UGCSA would be more identifiable on a national level.  Most people outside of the region are not familiar with the term “Intermountain” and the area it is entailing.  The ballot initiative passed and is in the final stages of officially changing on a national level.  Marching forward, the Utah Golf Course Superintendent Association should be more identifiable for the members of other associations, and we are proud to have the name of our great state attached to our professional organization.