A job well done deserves a pat on the back.

Thank a Golf Course Superintendent Day, coming up this year on Sept. 8, was designed to give golf course management professionals a proverbial pat on the back.

GCSAA debuted Thank a Golf Course Superintendent Day in 2014 as a way to honor superintendents and their teams for all they do for the game. In the first few years, it centered on messages from professionals and other celebrities sharing their thanks. Other iterations included expanding the celebration to a full week and a related contest with a grand prize of a trip to the PGA Championship.

The contribution of superintendents was never more evident than in 2020, when golf emerged as a social-distancing friendly activity amidst the pandemic and golfers old and new began flocking to courses. That fall, GCSAA joined forces with its global counterparts – British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA), the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA), the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA) and The Federation of European Golf Greenkeepers Associations (FEGGA) – to form International Thank a Golf Course Superintendent Day (or Thank a Golf Course Greenkeeper Day in  the countries that use that nomenclature) with an emphasis on social media messages for superintendents.

The social media focus made it easy for golfers and others to share their support by simply using #thankasuper (or #thankagreenkeeper) to join the conversation, but some facilities went further by hosting events for their superintendents.

The first year, the social media campaign made more than 6 million impressions. It’s grown steadily each year with social media reach of 20 million in 2025 (a 38% uptick from 2024).

GCSAA’s mission is focused on serving members, advancing the profession, and improving communities through the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Thank A Superintendent Day is a great way to advance the profession by making golfers and other aware of the contribution of superintendents at their facilities and in their communities.

It's about helping 20 million people understand that their golf courses and communities are better because of you. It's about helping golfers recognize that the game is more enjoyable because of you. And it's about making more people aware that superintendents have been keeping the game on course for 100 years.

So this Sept. 8, when the appreciation comes your way, go ahead and accept 20 million proverbial pats on the back. You've earned them.