Mark Erickson Named GAM Course Rater of the Year
By Greg Johnson
Mark Erickson of Owosso, who retired in 2016 from a career in public education, was looking to get something to eat in the short term and looking for a retirement activity besides playing golf in the long term.
He found both at a Burger King in the Detroit area.
“There was a guy with a (Golf Association of Michigan) jacket and I asked him if he worked for the GAM, and he said, ‘no, I’m a course rater. He sat at his table, I sat at mine and we chatted about it. It sounded interesting, he gave me contact information and it went from there.”
Erickson, 66, has been named the GAM Course Rater of the Year for 2023. The award is presented annually to the course rater who demonstrates outstanding proficiency with the Course Rating System™ and is committed to helping grow and develop the GAM Course Rating Program.
Erickson has been a captain/team leader since his second year working with the GAM. He oversees an area in the central part of the state, manages relationships with GAM member courses in that area and coordinates and leads the ratings at those courses. He said he was humbled by the award.
“This is a huge honor,” he said. “There are so many incredible dedicated raters in the state and any number of them are worthy of this honor. Rating helps golf and golfers and grows the game. If a course has seven tee boxes to provide the appropriate tee for every golfer, I will rate every tee. Every tee is the right tee for somebody and to make that possible in some small way is fantastic.”
GAM Superintendent Award of Merit: Dan Lucas, CGCS, High Pointe
Dan Lucas, the superintendent for the high-profile comeback/renovation at High Pointe Golf Club near Traverse City, humbly acknowledges his reputation as a superintendent that works well on construction projects, and for becoming an expert regarding fescue fairways.
Still, he was surprised to be named the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) Superintendent Award of Merit winner for 2024.
“I guess it’s recognition for the 40 years I’ve been in this business, the four different construction projects I’ve been involved in here in Michigan and leading the wave at Kingsley Golf Club with the change to fescue grassing,” he said. “Or I could just go with the old line that I’ve been around so long they had to give me something.”
The annual award, presented since 2011, is bestowed upon a superintendent who has demonstrated leadership, professionalism, good character and high standards of conduct through pursuits associated with golf course grounds maintenance and care. His nomination by Belvedere Golf Club Superintendent Jordan Caplan was supported by the Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association (MiGCSA) and GAM Green Committee.
“Dan is a slam dunk on all those things, leadership, professionalism, everything,” Adam Ikamas, the executive director of MiGCSA said. “On top of that he’s just a down-to-earth good guy, very welcoming and the list of superintendents he has influenced and worked with keeps growing.”
Lucas, who is 62, said he has been fortunate to work with and for great people.
“I’ve been tremendously lucky to work for single owners at four golf courses where I was part of construction projects,” he said. “All gave me the freedom to grow grass the way I wanted and none of them looked over my shoulder.”
