40 Off the charts
I COLUMNS
PETER MCMAUGH – AUSTRALIA’S FOREMOST TURF EXPERT 40 GRASS-ROOTS WITH JOHN NEYLAN
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COMPLIANCE CORNER WITH TERRY MUIR
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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT WITH KATE TORGERSEN 56 HR MANAGEMENT WITH VICKI CROWE
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Contributors to Australian Turfgrass Management Journal Volume 21.2 (March-April 2019) Jared Armitage (Emerald GC); Matt Bailey (Lynwood CC); Kerry Betihavas (Metricon Stadium); Peter Blain (Forster Tuncurry GC); Will Bowden (STANZ); Nathan Bradbury (NSWGCSA); David Cassidy (The Cut); Michelle Couling Photography; Shaun Cross (Byron Bay GC); Vicki Crowe (PGA of Australia); Rowan Daymond (The Grange GC); Scott Fogg (STA ACT); FTMI Class of 2019; Larry Gilhuly (USGA); Danny Gilligan (Tasmania GC); Phil Hill (Barnbougle); Tim Hoskinson (Cairns GC); Scott Irving (Latrobe GC); Allison Jenkins (AGCSA); David Johnson (Patterson River GC); Steve Lewis (Royal Hobart GC); Stewart MacFarlane (Waterford Valley); Paul McLean (GCSAQ); Peter McMaugh (Turfgrass Scientific Services); Terry Muir (epar); Tim Muir (Cumberland Council); Simon Muller (The Dunes); John Nelson (Grafton GC); John Neylan (Sporteng); David Oatis (USGA); Matt Page (MCG); Matt Plunkett (Turf NSW); Anthony Powter; Barry Proctor (VGCSA); Eva Ricci (TGA WA/STA WA); Travis Scott (Riversdale GC); Simone Staples (AGCSA); STA Victoria; Sean Stuchbery (Bundaberg GC); Kate Torgersen (Environmental Golf Solutions); Mark Unwin (AGCSA); Trevor U’ren (Devilbend GC); Jim Vaughan (Turf Queensland); Tim Watson (Tuross Head CC); Darren Wilson (Wembley GC); Jenny Zadro (Turf Australia).
t was a long night wasn’t it, but boy was it worth it - every shot! As one of the commentators said after Tiger Woods planted his tee shot to within a foot on Augusta National Golf Club’s famed 16th green, which would lead to back-to-back birdies and a two-shot Masters lead, “I am compelled to say, ‘Oh my goodness’.” Two holes later, one of the greatest comebacks in the history of all sport was complete when Woods collected his fifth Green Jacket, 14 years after his last. While we often bemoan ‘Augusta syndrome’ and the unrealistic expectations it sets in regards to golf course maintenance, you really can’t rival the drama and theatre that this one-ofa-kind golf course in Georgia has a knack of repeatedly creating. While there’s a lot of secrecy behind the maintenance practices that go into producing the most talked about playing surfaces in the industry, the magic that Augusta superintendent Brad Owen and his team weave annually can only be marvelled at. The 2019 Masters will go down in golf folklore and in years to come will be recalled as one of those ‘Where were you when…’ moments. For two Australian course superintendents (well, one Aussie and one ex-pat Kiwi if we are being technical) they were lucky enough to be there to witness it all first hand, helping to make up the more than 110 course volunteers that complemented the 50-strong Augusta National full-time crew. Elanora Golf Club’s Dan Cook, who worked within Owen’s inner circle during a two-year stint there in the mid-2000s, made his annual pilgrimage back to assist, while Kooringal Golf Club superintendent Tay Wilson returned for his second consecutive guernsey. As Wilson commented to me through social media channels within minutes of Woods claiming his 15th ‘major’, “This is off the charts!” Tournaments are the pinnacle of golf course management for any crew, whether it’s the 160-plus throng of Augusta or the three-man crew that superintendent Bryan Kelly led when Queanbeyan Golf Club hosted the Women’s NSW Open back in early March. Every superintendent and crew member strives to produce the best surfaces they can with their available resources and often do so with innumerable challenges thrown at them. For two particular crews we feature in this edition, the agronomic challenges this past season were pretty significant. But they seemingly paled into insignificance when confronted by something else straight out of left field. Both The Grange Golf Club in Adelaide and Riversdale Golf Club in Melbourne tragically lost crew members in the months leading up to their major events. Aiden Johanson (The Grange) and Danny Adams (Riversdale) were much-loved and integral members of each crew and their sudden loss cut both clubs deep. As you will read in this edition’s dual lead stories on the 2019 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open and the 2019 Riversdale Cup tournaments, they were harrowing situations that superintendents Rowan Daymond and Travis Scott had to navigate not only themselves but their crews through also. While immeasurably difficult, it ultimately drew them all together and created even stronger bonds. As the articles and photos attest, they certainly did their departed crewmates proud and the quality of the surfaces they delivered deserves special accolades considering the circumstances. And while we are on the theme of negotiating difficult times, in this edition we also look at the story of Scott Irving from Latrobe Golf Club in Melbourne. Those who attended the recent AGCSA National Turf Education Seminar Series would have heard about the freak workplace accident which forever changed his life. The powerful lessons from Scott’s story should be a timely reminder for the industry that you can never be too vigilant when it comes to workplace health and safety. Enjoy the read...
Brett Robinson, Editor
JANUARY-FEBRUARY MARCH-APRIL 2019
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