The Georgia GCSA recently honored one of its own and inducted its former executive into the assocaition's hall of fame.
After a restoration at the home of the PGA Tour's season-ending event, the Georgia GCSA chapter named Charles Aubry (right), director of agronomy at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, as its Superintendent of the Year.
The award is given to an individual "who has expressed outstanding dedication, care and commitment to the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association and to the golf course industry." Aubry was officially recognized as the recipient of the award at the association's annual meeting Dec. 9 at The King & Prince Resort and Club on St. Simons Island.
Aubry's career at East Lake started in 2015 as a senior assistant superintendent. He was named golf course superintendent in 2018 and took over as director of agronomy in 2023 when he succeeded 2013 Georgia GCSA Superintendent of the Year Ralph Kepple, CGCS.
Since then, Aubry helped orchestrate a $30-million renovation of the historic Donald Ross design in advance of the 2024 Tour Championship. He conducted a First Green field trip for local students the same week as the 2025 tournament.
"I can only imagine how stressful it is to showcase your work to the world," wrote Druid Hills Golf Club superintendent Joe Hollis in his nomination of Aubry for the award. "His willingness to [host the First Green outing] during this high stressful time shows his commitment to promoting our profession to the next generation of leaders."
Also at the annual awards banquet, the association inducted former executive director Tenia Workman to the Georgia GCSA Hall of Fame. Workman (right) ran an association from 2002 to 2024 that saw its membership nearly double to more than 700 members as it also became a model for government relations work and environmental stewardship.
"Our chapter became known as the Atlanta chapter," Tim Busek, who succeeded Workman as the chapter's executive director, told TurfNet in 2024. "All the board members were from Atlanta, 98 percent of all of our events were held in Atlanta. It really alienated superintendents around the rest of the state.
"She brought the association together as one."
In other news from the association’s three-day end-of year event:
- Chuck Moore, from The King & Prince Golf Club on St. Simons Island, received the Distinguished Service Award.
- Kyle Worthy, director of golf course maintenance at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, received the Environmental Leader in Golf Award, presented in partnership with the Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation.
- Cooper Thornton, from Savannah Golf Club in Savannah, was named Assistant Superintendent of the Year.
- Members elected three new directors to the board –
- Kent Cantrell of Achasta Golf Club in Dahlonega; Ken Lee, CGCS at Cherokee Town & Country Club in Atlanta; and Brandon Smith, CGCS at Laurel Springs Golf Club in Suwanee were elected to the chapter's board of directors.