GCSAA is celebrating their centennial anniversary

By Emma Peterson. 

Celebrating 100 years of service and the dedicated members who made that legacy possible. 

Today, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) boasts more than 21,000 members “who are science-based college graduates who oversee all aspects of golf course management, from agronomics to environmental sustainability.” That accomplishment was made possible through the dedicated efforts of individuals who saw promise in the organization’s mission and its members. 

GCSAA was founded 100 years ago in 1926 as the National Association of Greenkeepers of America. Key to that founding was Colonel John Morley, a vegetable grower and greenkeeper at a country club in Ohio, who served as the organization’s first president. That October, famed architect Donald Ross wrote to John congratulating him on the formation of the association, saying, “I congratulate you on your work as a greenkeeper of outstanding ability, and with leaders of your type, an association would unquestionably be a great success, not only from the standpoint of the members, but also from the clubs who employ them.”  

Alongside John were some 60 other groundskeepers, all working together to advance their profession and improve the communities around them. One of which was Frank Mastroleo. Frank was known in the industry, at the time having overseen the Geneva Golf Club in Illinois for 42 years. And working alongside him was his son, David Mastroleo, who today is known to be GCSAA’s longest membership holder.  

David was three years old when GCSAA was founded and grew up watching his father put leather shoes on the horses that pulled the mowers at Geneva Golf Club. By the time he was 30 years old, David was superintendent at the Arrowhead Golf and Country Club in Illinois. Six years after that, he found himself moving to California to work as a superintendent at the Fox Hills Golf Club in Culver City. After that it was Hillcrest Country Club, then Tierra Rejada Golf Club and Trilogy Golf Club. 

Throughout all of these career changes, David was a member of the GCSAA. In fact, he served as president for both the California GCSA and GCSA of Southern California at different times and received the GCSAA Distinguished Service Award (now renamed the Col. John Morley Award) in 1998.  

Craig Edminster, the founder of Pacific Northwest Natives, recalled encountering David at GCSAA events when he still worked at International Seeds, sharing, “We had a booth [at the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show] with different varieties [of turfgrass]. He was under contract with us, and what he grew for us was impeccable. He is just a pleasant guy who knew his stuff. He was good for the young superintendents, had a rapport with the industry veterans. He had great respect across the board.” 

David retired in 2004, but still maintains his membership with GCSAA, which is now over seven decades old – the longest standing membership. Looking back, David shared some thoughts, "I made it to 50 straight conferences, enjoyed every one of them and enjoyed every day on the golf course...I’m a lifetime member and I’m proud of it.” 

Want to hear more from the now 96-year-old David? Watch GCSAA’s interview with him.