UMass alum James R. Fitzroy ’70 was recently elected to the position of secretary/treasurer for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).
His latest honor is one highlight in a long career dedicated to the management of golf courses in and around New England. A member of the GCSAA for 41 years, Fitzroy held a position as the superintendent of a course in North Quincy for over 30 years before being elected secretary/treasurer at the beginning of the month.
He was the superintendent of courses in Sutton and New York prior to accepting the North Quincy job.
Fitzroy, who earned an associate’s degree in turf management from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture in 1967 and a bachelor’s degree in park administration from the University in 1970, was still actively involved at UMass long after his graduation.
While president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of New England, he served on the original committee that conducted a feasibility study for the Troll turf research building in South Deerfield.
“I think my experience in building construction within the laws and regulations of the state helped direct the efforts of the staff toward a plan that could result in the appropriate type of facility built within the organizational structure of public projects,” he said.
Fitzroy was hooked on the allure of the golf course from an early age. As a youth he played golf, and one summer he got a part-time job at a course.
“I found the concept of managing a golf course just fascinating, and the natural progression was to continue my education in that area,” he said.
Choosing a college to attend was an easy choice for Fitzroy.
“UMass has always had one of the premier curriculums in the country for Turf and Golf Course Management,” he said.
Now Fitzroy has much more to focus on than regional projects. His appointment to a position on the board of a nationwide organization will demand the majority of his time. Despite his absence, he feels that students at UMass will still be more than ably led as they continue their progress toward a degree in turf management.
“At this time I’m concentrating on my service with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, but there are many golf course professionals in New England who strongly support the UMass program,” said Fitzroy.
“Steve Curry from the Berkshire Hills Country Club is president of the UMass turf alumni group and they do a wonderful job of fundraising and advising staff on course content issues that will help students succeed in the field,” he added.
Even with his successes, Fitzroy still looks back on his time spent at UMass with a sense of nostalgia. Aside from the obvious benefits of the degrees he earned, his experiences in student life have also stayed with him.
“I have many fond memories of my time at UMass, both as a student at Stockbridge and then at the University,” he said. “The friendships I developed there have stayed with me over the course of my career and life, and I still enjoy getting back to campus for a football or basketball game.”
In his nearly 40 years of involvement with the UMass campus, Fitzroy has also seen a lot of change and growth and summed up the University’s progress in one short sentence.
“The Mullins Center is a far cry from ‘the cage,'” he said.
