Douglas C. Lowe, CGCS, and the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association (GGCSA) have been selected to receive the 2007 Excellence in Government Relations (EGR) Awards for their exceptional commitment to government relations in the area of advocacy.

Lowe, a 20-year Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) member, is the golf course maintenance director at Greensboro Country Club in Greensboro, and the Georgia GCSA is an affiliate chapter of GCSAA.

"Doug Lowe and the Georgia chapter have done so much to increase the profile of the golf course management industry," said GCSAA President Sean A. Hoolehan, CGCS. "They have done a tremendous job advocating the positive impact that golf courses and those who manage them can have on their surrounding environment."

The awards were presented Feb. 23 during the President's Celebration at the 2007 GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show in Anaheim, Calif.

It marks the first time that a GCSAA affiliate chapter has won an EGR Award.

EGR Award nominees were judged on how their efforts have served the interests of the golf course superintendent profession and the golf course management industry. Members of the GCSAA Government Relations Committee conducted the evaluation.

Lowe has become a fixture in the grassroots advocacy scene since 2003, after onerous drought restrictions were imposed on the golf industry.

He contacted local government officials to explain the implications of further drought restrictions and to find an equitable solution that could benefit all parties. This effort and the ensuing collaboration were critical in allowing golf courses to manage their water use efficiently rather than being subjected to blanket water reductions.

He was recognized by the Carolinas GCSA's publication Carolinas Green for his leadership and ability to gain equitable water concessions in cooperation with the city of Greensboro.

Lowe also leads the North Carolina Water Task Force, which works on behalf of the golf industry to campaign for greater flexibility in water restrictions on golf courses.

Previously, Lowe served as an assistant superintendent at The Country Club of North Carolina. He is married to Mandy McPherson Lowe, formerly of Cameron.