Australian Turfgrass Management Journal - Volume 26.1

CELEBRATING THE EFFORTS OF AUSTRALIA’S SPORTS TURF MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS

ISSN 1442-2697

www.astma.com.au

VOLUME 26.1 JAN-FEB 2024

Staying grounded

Keeping course renovation costs to a minimum

A family affair Vogels star on course at Webex Murray River

Amateur aces

Yarra Yarra, Keysborough and Southern host top amateurs

Shaping a new future

Pymble GC redevelopment a true team effort

PREMIUM PARTNERS PREMIUM PARTNERS

PREMIUM PARTNE PREMIUM PARTNERS PREMIUM PARTNERS ASTMA PREMIUM PARTNERS PLATINUM support of the following premium partner companies PREMIUM PARTNERS The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association is indebted to the support of the following premium partner com The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association is indebted to the

JOURNAL

Published by the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA)

The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association is indebted to the The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association is indebted to the support of the following premium partner companies The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association is i

support of of the the following following premium premium partner partner companies companies Editorial support Brett Robinson The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association is indebted to the Office: (03) 9548 8600 support of the following premium partner companies Mobile: 0434 144 779 Email: brett@astma.com.au Advertising Pam Irvine Office: (03) 9548 8600 Mobile: 0402 069 489 Email: pam@astma.com.au Art Direction & Design Jo Corne

PLATINUM PLATINUM PREMIUM PARTNERS PLATINUM PLATINUM PREMIUM PARTNERS PLATINUM PREMIUM PARTNERS The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association is indebted to the

PLATINUM

The Australian Sports Managers Association indebted to the support of theTurf following premium partner is companies The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association is indebted to the support of the following premium partner companies support of the following premium partner companies

GOLD

Printed By Southern Impact Pty Ltd

Suite 1, Monash Corporate Centre 752 Blackburn Road, Clayton, VIC 3168 P: (03) 9548 8600 E: admin@astma.com.au W: www.astma.com.au ABN 96 053 205 888

GOLD

PLATINUM GOLD PLATINUM PLATINUM GOLD GOLD GOLD

SILVER SILVER GOLD

ASTMA Board Ben Tilley (president), David Thomson, Peter Lonergan, Damian Hough, Troy Jordan, Mark Findlay Chief Executive Officer Mark Unwin Office: (03) 9548 8600 Mobile: 0438 320 919 E: mark@astma.com.au

SILVER

Membership Allison Jenkins E: admin@astma.com.au

SILVER GOLD GOLD SILVER SILVER

SILVER BRONZE SILVER SILVER BRONZE BRONZE BRONZE

Finance Manager Frank Joseph E: frank@astma.com.au Events and Education Simone Staples E: simone@astma.com.au Pam Irvine E: pam@astma.com.au

BRONZEBRONZE

RTO/Training Manager Albert Sherry E: albert@astma.com.au M: 0437 064 726 AGCSATech Bruce Macphee (Senior Agronomist) E: bruce@astma.com.au Tim Fankhauser (Agronomist) E: tim@astma.com.au Social Media/First Green Program Keally Nankervis E: keally@astma.com.au www.facebook.com/TheASTMA

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

BRONZE BRONZE BRONZE The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association encourages all members to support

these companies who support your association The Australian Australian Sports Sports Turf Turf Managers Managers Association Association encourages encourages all all members members to to support support The The Australian Sports Turf Managers Managers Association Association encourages encourages all all members members to to support support The Australian Sports Turf these companies who who support support your your association association these companies these companies companies who who support support your your association association these

www.linkedin.com

TheSports Australian Sports Association Turf Managers Association encourages membersencourages to supportall m The Australian Turf The Australian Turf Managers encourages all Sports members to Managers support allAssociation these companies supporttoyour association companies whoTurf support your association these companies who support your association Thethese Australian Sports Managers Association encourages allwho members support

www.instagram.com/the_astma @TheASTMA Copyright © 2024

The ASTMA believes that material sourced and produced for Australian Turfgrass Management is accurate, but gives no warranty in relation thereto, and disclaims liability for all claims against the ASTMA, its subsidiary companies, its employees, agents or any other person which may arise from any person acting on the materials contained within. No portion, in whole or part, may be reproduced without the written permission of the ASTMA

these companies who support your association The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association encourages all members to support these companies who support your association The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association encourages all members to support The Australian Sportsthese Turf companies Managers Association all members to support who supportencourages your association JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 1 these companies who support your association

CONTENTS

8 COVER STORY

PYMBLE SHAPES NEW FUTURE

8

David Stone certainly won’t forget his first day as the new course superintendent at Pymble Golf Club. On the same day, the country was plunged into the first nationwide lockdown of the COVID pandemic – the course was closed, the clubhouse locked up and his newlyinherited team split into two. Then there was the small issue of a major course redevelopment that the club was looking to embark upon, with the aim of the works being completed in time for the club’s 2024 centenary. In our lead story, ATM editor Brett Robinson catches up with Stone to look back on the redevelopment, how they managed the project during one of the most challenging periods the industry, and society, has faced and how a team effort across all areas has helped to set Pymble up for a prosperous future.

22

Cover: Pymble Golf Club’s 7th green and bunker complex. Photo: Adrian Logue.

ALSO IN THIS EDITION… Foreword Thinking – Mark Unwin Best on ground – Socials AGCSATech Update – AIR2G2 trial Around the Trade Association Reports Book Review Obituary - Bill Reid 2

26 4 6 50 60 66 70 72

FEATURES

Staying grounded Surface stars Renaissance continues Amateur aces On the right wicket

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

18 22 26 30 34

38

Aussie expertise

N

34 COLUMNS

JOHN NEYLAN PETER MCMAUGH AM JOHN FORREST KATE TORGERSEN BEN GIBSON

38 42 46 52 56

6 Contributors to Australian Turfgrass Management Journal Volume 26.1 (January-February 2024): Chris Allen (Yarra Yarra GC); Nathan Bennett (TMSA); Jack Besley (Southern GC); Idris Evans (Western Australian GC); John Forrest (Forrest and Forrest Horticultural Consultancy Services); Ben Gibson (The Toolbox Team); Monina Gilbey (Glenelg GC); Dennis Grounds (Club Catalina/Royal Canberra GC); Mark Hauff (GCSAQ); Steven Hewitt (13th Beach); Bradley S. Klein; Nick Launer (Keysborough GC); Adrian Logue; Bruce Macphee (AGCSATech); Peter McMaugh AM (Turfgrass Scientific Services); John Neylan (Sporteng); Matthew Oliver (Suncorp Stadium); Alec Pengilly (HBF Park); Gavin Reid (BRG Group, Vietnam); Albert Sherry (ASTMA); David Stone (Pymble GC): South Australian Cricket Association; Ian Todd (Rosebud CC); Kate Torgersen (Environmental Golf Solutions); Mark Unwin (ASTMA); USGA Green Section; Terry Vogel (Cobram Barooga GC).

o, I’m not referring to Mitchell Marsh blasting a four off the final ball in the first T20I match against New Zealand a few weeks ago to cruelly snatch an undeserved victory. I’m definitely not talking about Nathan Lyon’s six-wicket haul to skittle the Black Caps on day four of the first Test in Wellington a few days later. And I’m definitely not harking back to that nightmarish Mitchell Starc yorker which clattered into Brendon McCullum’s off stump in the opening over of the 2015 ODI World Cup at a packed MCG (I can still hear that roar...). Having one’s hopes dashed yet again this summer and your so-called ‘mates’ bringing up memories of past Black Caps failures against the Canary Yellows has made the past few weeks a challenging one for this particular scribe, but I’m sure there will be little, if any, sympathy from readers of this journal. I digress…

While Australian’s cricketers – both men and women – continue to dominate pretty much every form of the game at present – there is another area where Australia continues to lead the way. During the first Australia v West Indies Test held at the Adelaide Oval in mid-January, it was revealed that head curator Damian Hough and his team were playing a major role in assisting the preparation of wickets at one of the venues to be used during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be held in the US this June.

Earlier that week, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had announced that a 35,000-seat pop-up stadium – Nassau County International Cricket Stadium – was to be built in Long Island, New York. It will host eight games during the tournament, including the high-profile fixture between India and Pakistan on 9 June. The new ground will feature four drop-in wickets along with a further six drop-ins that will be used at the warm-up venue.

Hough and the newly-formed Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions division constructed six of the 10 modular drop-in trays before popping them into a container in the latter part of 2023 and shipping them to Florida. Hough then spent a number of weeks there ahead of the Adelaide Test overseeing the trays being put together, adding the wicket soil and compacting it and then laying the turf. Now well into the grow-in and consolidation phase which has been overseen by a team on the ground in Florida, Hough will head back a number of times in the lead-up to and during the tournament to help with their final preparation and match-day set up.

“It’s quite incredible and something I haven’t done before, so there are a lot of firsts,” Hough told Channel 7 cricket commentator Trent Copeland about the project in a TV interview during the Test match. “We had a conversation with the ICC at the back end of last June and became involved through our new Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions venture where we are wanting to support the industry where possible with the experience we now have with drop-in pitches.

“A lot of work has gone into it so far, but the real work will start in early May. It will take two days to transport the trays 1800 kilometres from Florida to New York. You do have to pinch yourself sometimes and it’s great for Adelaide Oval to have this level of involvement and assist with something historical given that it’s the first ICC World Cup to be held in America.”

Recently, I was fortunate enough to head over to Adelaide and catch up with Hough to find out more about the project which we will feature in an upcoming edition. It is a fascinating story which puts Adelaide Oval squarely at the forefront of advancements in drop-in wicket technology.

It is also a great story of how one of Australia’s leading curators and his team are sharing their combined expertise with the wider industry for its benefit. As part of that, they recently assisted another of Adelaide’s premier First Class venues – Karen Rolton Oval – which this past summer trialled two drop-ins in the middle of their conventional table to help them get wickets up earlier in the season. While in Adelaide I was also fortunate to meet up with Karen Rolton head curator Trent Kelly and we will also delve into that story in a future edition of the journal.

On the topic of expertise, our lead story this edition covers the significant redevelopment that has taken place over the past four years at Sydney’s Pymble Golf Club. Guided by course superintendent David Stone, he oversaw an expert team to deliver a project that has set the club up for many years to come. They had to navigate a number of challenges along the journey, but thanks to the skill and expertise of those involved, as well as total buy-in across all departments, a successful and rewarding outcome has been achieved. Enjoy the read…

Brett Robinson, Editor JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

3

FOREWORD THINKING WITH MARK UNWIN, CEO

Build up to bumper combined Brisbane conference begins

R

eflecting back on the events of 2023, we saw the industry face a growing challenge relating to staff attraction, with a notable increase in the number of facilities looking to manage staff numbers. This in turn placed additional pressures on teams managing and maintaining surfaces which themselves have faced an increase in demand for usage. In order to help turf managers address these challenges, this area will be a key focus of activities in the coming year in line with our updated Strategic Plan (2023-2027).

The first of our activities relating to workforce attraction and retention is the recently-announced turf industry staff engagement research project in conjunction with La Trobe University’s Centre for Sport and Social Impact. Launched in late January, this large undertaking aims to support turf managers and employers in working through ways to help engage, recognise and reward staff. The research project provides an opportunity for turf managers to participate and give their thoughts and feedback into workforce engagement, conditions and opportunities to improve. It is being led by centre director Dr Geoff Dickson and senior research fellow Dr Alex Donaldson, both of whom will present their findings and outcomes to sports turf managers and club managers at this year’s conference.

Speaking of the 2024 Australian Sports Turf Management Conference and Trade Exhibition, the ASTMA team is busy planning for the industry’s return visit to Brisbane from 17-20 June. Delegate registration opened in early February and in the weeks since we have announced a number of keynote speakers and topics that will be part of a bumper education component across the various learning and development streams.

Following on from the tremendous success of the 2022 conference in Melbourne, we are again partnering with Golf Management Australia (GMA) which will provide an opportunity for superintendents and managers to attend and share learnings and continue developing professionalism and ongoing engagement.

To date we have announced some exciting keynote speakers who will be joining us in Brisbane, among them Dr Jay McCurdy from Mississippi State University (MSU) in the USA. Jay is an associate professor and extension specialist in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at MSU and has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications as well as numerous trade journal and extension articles.

He has undertaken research projects in a variety of areas including precision assessment of turfgrass growth and development, weed ecology and management on golf courses and 4

sportsfields, herbicide resistance (including the USDA-funded ResistPoa Project) and wildlife habitat inclusion within the built environment.

We look forward to welcoming Jay Down Under.

Headlining the Tuesday Plenary sessions, we have former AFL club chief executive Cameron Schwab, behavioural science expert Dr Juliette Tobias-Webb, technology and innovation expert Adam Spencer and several others rounding out an exceptionally strong opening day focussed on developing leadership and management knowledge.

For those looking to attend the conference, further announcements on headline speakers will be made over coming weeks, while more information on the program is available on the ASTMA website www.astma.com. au. The agronomy streams are highlighted by several international keynote speakers, including current superintendents at worldleading courses and research experts from the USA and Europe discussing the latest in research and industry management practices, complemented by a range of local industry experts.

The Brisbane conference will feature over 120 hours of education across the Plenary, Sportsfield, Golf Course Management, Agronomy and Leadership streams. Local speakers will present on topics ranging from environmental stewardship and renovation

Mississippi State University’s Dr Jay McCurdy will be headlining at the Brisbane conference in June

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

practices through to disease management and tournament preparation. With a particular focus this year on combined education sessions with GMA on staff attraction and retention (as noted with the workforce engagement project above), there promises to be an informative and compelling variety of topics offered to those heading to Brisbane.

Similar to last year’s event in Adelaide, the 2024 trade exhibition was completely sold out

by December, some six months ahead of the event. With a larger space to accommodate an expanded trade show plus the GMA, this continues to demonstrate strong demand for both the conference and exhibition.

Always a significant part of the conference is the National Turf Industry Awards, recognising the achievements of turf managers and their teams across the country. As always, the state winners of the Superintendent Recognition/Excellence in Golf Course Management awards and Graduate of the Year winners are automatically nominated as finalists for the national awards. The ASTMA is also seeking nominations for the Team of the Year Award and Claude Crockford Environmental and Sustainability Award.

Nominations can be submitted through the ASTMA website and are an opportunity to recognise the outstanding contributions and achievements by turf management teams right across the country.

Lastly, an update on perhaps the largest initiative undertaken by the association in recent years – becoming a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) to support apprentices in Certificate III training in South Australia and the Diploma of Sports Turf Management for states and regions unable to access this level of qualification previously. With around 50 students now enrolled after the first six months of delivery, it has been a very encouraging start. Feedback from the students and workplaces has been very positive and we look forward to welcoming more enrolments throughout 2024. You can read a full update on the ASTMA’s RTO activities in Albert Sherry’s report later in this edition.

Furthermore, we were pleased to recently announce the appointment of Alex Wood to an expanded ASTMA training department.

Alex, who will support Albert in the delivery of Certificate III training to South Australian students, has a background of 12-plus years in turf management at Prince Alfred College and Scotch College Adelaide among others, combined with his studies in education and teaching. Alex’s addition to the team will allow the ASTMA to provide the level of training and support to both apprentices and workplaces that we aim to deliver as part of our commitment to excellence in training and development.

DuraTurf® Sports Oval Outstanding Mediterranean Genetics

When over-seeding for winter, you need strong performing winter active germplasm. Mediterranean types have higher winter activity and provide better protection for warm season grasses. They also germinate and establish faster in cooler conditions than Continental types. This means they can withstand wear earlier and are better suited for the narrow transition window between summer and winter sport. In a side by side winter comparison, why wouldn’t you choose Mediterranean germplasm?

PWS 2002

Experts from earth to turf.

Call 1800 DURATURF or visit pggwrightsonturf.com

facebook.com/pggwrightsonturf

SOCIAL MEDIA

IDRIS EVANS “It’s going to be another scorcher again today. It definitely wasn’t the worst morning.” (Western Australian Golf Club superintendent Idris Evans captured this stunning sunrise over the Perth course in early February ahead of a 40-plus degree day.

Perth’s BOM station recorded eight days over 40 for the month of February!)

Best

on ground ATM showcases some of the best social media posts and pictures from around the sports turf industry in recent months.

6

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

MATTHEW OLIVER “Fair to say it’s been a big week.

Huge efforts from everyone across all departments at the stadium to pull off 2 x P!nk concerts, an A-League match and Super Rugby #cooked.” (Suncorp Stadium ground manager Matthew Oliver deserved this brief respite after a manic week – back-to-back concerts 16-17 Feb, bump out, 2200m2 turf replacement, then back-to-back A-League and Super Rugby fixtures 23-24 Feb.)

JACK PARKER “Been a great experience with the Doosan Bears this year, the team has done an amazing job working between baseball, softball and jumping into the grow-in of our new multipurpose athletics field. (Blacktown International Sports Park in Sydney recently hosted one of South Korea’s major professional baseball teams, with the turf crew producing a magnificent stage.)

ADELAIDE OVAL “We are thrilled to share the new SACA honour board at Adelaide Oval celebrating the 10 individuals who have served as head curator since 1872.” (Damian Hough, left, and predecessor Les Burdett at the unveiling of the new board along the ‘Avenue of Honour’ during the Australia v West Indies Test in mid-January.)

BEN TILLEY “Being solely reliant on rainfall catchment for our irrigation, we added another data source today to aid in our decision making.”

(Headland Golf Club’s innovative installation to measure its dam storage levels.)

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

7

REDEVELOPMENTS

Pymble shapes a

new future

Over the past four years, during one of the most challenging periods the industry has faced, Pymble Golf Club in Sydney undertook a major course redevelopment ahead of its centenary celebrations this year. ATM editor Brett Robinson catches up with course superintendent David Stone to look back on the project, the multitude of challenges the construction team faced and the lasting legacy that has ultimately been created for the Pymble membership.

8

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

9

PHOTOS: ADRIAN LOGUE AND DAVID STONE

Over a four year period, Pymble Golf Club in Sydney’s northern suburbs reconstructed all greens, tees and bunkers. The redevelopment works were timed to coincide with the club’s 2024 centenary celebrations.

Pictured is Pymble’s par five 7th

REDEVELOPMENTS

A

s far as starts go, it was a first week that David Stone won’t forget in a hurry. Arriving at Pymble Golf Club as its new course superintendent in March 2020 following a successful decade up the road at Bayview Golf Club, Stone was all set to tackle what was shaping up as a new and exciting chapter of his career. Having just come off a greens reconstruction project at Bayview, more of that was in the pipeline at Pymble which was also looking to embark on major works to improve its offering to members in what is a very competitive northern Sydney market.

Stone’s enthusiasm, however, was somewhat tempered by the uncertainty of the time. A global pandemic was dominating the headlines and countries were quickly slamming their borders shut and enforcing strict lockdowns upon their citizens. Sure enough, Australia would soon follow suit and it just so happened that Stone’s very first day in charge at Pymble would coincide with the first day of the country’s first nationwide lockdown.

The course was closed, the clubhouse locked up and his newly-inherited team, who he had barely met, were split into two teams as part of new COVID working protocols. It was an interesting introduction indeed.

Fast forward nearly four years and sitting in the Pymble clubhouse the week of the 2023 Australian Open last November, Stone can only smile and shake his head as he reflects on what was a very different time. He has just returned to the course after changing holes at The Lakes Golf Club for good mate Anthony Mills, who roped him in to volunteer for the week, while out on the course there is a flurry of activity as his crew races to turf the surrounds of a fairway bunker on the 10th hole ahead of some forecast storms later in the day.

While on the face of it those works were a simple turfing job, they actually marked part of a pretty significant juncture for the club.

The new fairway bunkers on 10 were the very last component of Pymble’s major course redevelopment project which had started back in late 2020, just months after Stone’s arrival. During those years, the club would navigate one of the most challenging periods the industry has witnessed to boldly undertake the biggest project in its proud history.

Coordinated to finish in time for the club’s centenary in 2024, the works have not only set up Pymble for a strong future, they have also seen the course jump back into the Top 100 rankings for the first time in over a decade.

RECALIBRATION REQUIRED Pymble Golf Club is located in the affluent Sydney suburb of St Ives. One of the city’s elite Group 1 clubs, it resides on an undulating 41-hectare parcel of land surrounded on all sides by prime northern suburbs real estate.

It’s compact (just 6100m in length), it’s unique and it’s busy, with an active membership playing upwards of 70,000 rounds each year.

While it has never held a major tournament, the course and environs have always been known for their high level of conditioning, while off the course the club prides itself as being one of the most socially active in Sydney. As Stone will tell you, the clubhouse is just as busy as the course most days, especially after the weekly competition rounds.

In bringing Stone on board as its new superintendent, Pymble had gained a vastly experienced practitioner. As well as his turf management skills, in the last six years at Bayview Stone had assumed the role of general manager as well, performing both duties after the club found itself in some troubled waters. Calling upon his expertise in

staff and project management, Stone steadied the ship and also oversaw the reconstruction of 14 greens in a four-year period. In a way, that project was an apprenticeship for what was to come at Pymble.

Prior to the current redevelopment, Pymble had dabbled in some masterplan works.

Over a period of nearly 20 years, the club had reconstructed 10 greens to USGA spec under Ross Watson. As part of its new fiveyear Strategic Plan (2019-2024), the club had plans to do the remaining greens over another staged process and just a few months before Stone arrived it had appointed local Sydney architect James Wilcher (Golf by Design) to guide those works.

If truth be told, neither Stone nor Wilcher were overly enthusiastic about just doing the remaining greens. Yes, they needed to be reconstructed, but in doing so would leave the club with an inconsistent set of greens that varied in age and had different profiles. The Watson greens were anywhere from three to 17 years old and some of those were starting to show deficiencies. Additionally, there were a number of inherent problems elsewhere on the course that needed addressing, in particular the design and playability of the bunkers and the inadequate size of the tees for the level of traffic the course received. There were also questions over whether newer turf varieties could provide better playing conditions and streamline maintenance practices.

What was needed was a recalibration, so Stone and Wilcher put forward a case to the club to go all in – reconstruct all greens, tees and bunkers within the shortest possible timeframe. In doing so it would bring a level of consistency in terms of construction, maintenance and playability and it would also enable Wilcher to stamp his own design mark across the entire property.

Pymble’s greens are now all A1/A4 bentgrass with a consistent rootzone profile comprising a 100mm gravel layer and 300mm layer of brown WM sand. Pictured is the 3rd

10

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

To that end, Stone went away and costed the redevelopment. Using an in-house model with contract shapers, he came back with a price tag of $3.8 million which included robust contingencies due to the uncertain climate created by the pandemic. Having only been at the club a few months, Stone clearly recalls the extraordinary meeting he had with the Board that June to discuss his costings and their decision to ultimately pull the trigger.

“Club treasurer James Dunning looked at me and said, ‘Let’s do it’,” remembers Stone. “I nearly fell off my chair! I didn’t know the financial situation of the club and hadn’t worked at a club before which had that level of resources to be able to make that sort of decision. It was pretty amazing and huge credit goes to James (now club president) and then president Frank Woods for getting straight behind the idea of increasing both the scope of works and size of the budget and for assuring the Board it was achievable financially.”

With the green light given, it set in motion a flurry of activity. Wilcher completed his designs which would address the aforementioned issues, while Stone began the arduous process of organising materials and sorting out logistics. Adding to that complexity was the club’s stipulation that an 18-hole layout be in play at all times during the redevelopment.

In early spring of 2020 the Board presented to the members its ‘Shaping the Future’ course redevelopment document which outlined their bold plan to get their buy in. Not surprisingly, it received overwhelming support.

INITIAL WORKS With its centenary in 2024, the club had effectively four growing seasons in which to complete the redevelopment. The initial stage across the 2020-2021 growing season would focus on a raft of preparatory work that would set things up for the main works to begin the following season. This included constructing a number of spare holes and a new 2000m2 bentgrass nursery to complement the existing stock it had on its two chipping greens (about 1000m2). Concerned about member fatigue throughout the reconstruction, Stone had recommended solid-turfing the greens rather than seeding them in order to reduce the time to get them back in play.

The spare holes would play a crucial role in enabling the club to keep an 18-hole layout in play at all times. Pymble has a unique course set up, with three separate loops of six holes and three-tee starts throughout the whole week (holes 1, 7 and 13). Prior to the redevelopment the club already had one spare hole, 18a, which doubles as a practice fairway and a chipping green adjacent to the par three 18th. It was decided to rebuild the chipping green adjacent to the 13th hole and turn that into a 140m par three (13a), while a push-up

Pictured top: Slotted drainage pipes were installed in the green bases so that the club could, if it chose to in the future, purchase SubAir units and connect them; Middle row: Major changes were made to the par three 11th with construction of a stone wall and creek system (left), while the greens sand was amended with coir fibre (right); Above: Greens were solid turfed so they could be brought back into play quicker

bentgrass green was constructed on spare land adjacent to the 12th (12a). That meant there was a spare hole in each six-hole loop, with one hole able to be taken out and worked on at a time while still maintaining a full 18-hole layout for members.

The early works also included an upgrade to the course’s irrigation control system. New Rain Bird satellite boxes and software was installed in order to run a hybrid IC system.

Essentially, all the existing areas would

continue to run from the multicore cables, while all new works would have IC from the boxes out, giving the club the capability to run additional sprinklers and back-to-back heads.

The upgrades would also set the club up for future fairway irrigation and mainline works scheduled for 2025.

“For the most part, that first summer of works went to plan,” reflects Stone. “Looking back, it all feels a bit of a blur, between taking over a new course, learning the property and JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

11

REDEVELOPMENTS

One of the biggest changes with the redevelopment is the style of bunkering. Numbers were reduced but area increased to around one hectare, with Wilcher’s unique, semi-rugged style instantly recognisable

kicking off a major project simultaneously. At the same time, my wife Maddie was having our second baby, so everything was happening all at once. The one real positive to come out of that first summer was the quality staff that came on board who would become the backbone of the construction crew. That included Matt Tierney and apprentices Corey Calvert and Matt Ross. We also locked in Craig Brown as our lead shaper who would prove to be an integral part of the team.”

KEY CHANGES With the foundations in place, the following growing season (2021-2022) would kick off the first of three major work tranches. The redevelopment would see all greens, tees and bunkers reconstructed along with some design changes to a couple of holes, most notably the par three 11th which would include the construction of a stone wall and creek system around the front of the green. While the fairway corridors would remain relatively untouched and the existing kikuyu remain, from a turf management perspective some significant changes were about to occur elsewhere.

That started with the greens. Pymble had historically been a Poa greens course with the membership very pro-Poa. However, issues with magnaporthe that would regularly impact their conditioning, combined with advances in managing Poa in bentgrass, led Stone to convince the club that converting to an A1/A4 bentgrass blend would provide better playing conditions.

The other big change with the greens came with the drainage system and rootzone mix. Pymble is located in a notorious rain belt that stretches across the Turramurra, Pymble and St Ives area, with the course often copping some of the heaviest falls in Sydney. Combined with a heavily tree-lined layout and resultant shade and airflow issues, Stone recommended installing infrastructure for a SubAir system. During the greens construction process, the crew would install slotted drainage pipes so that the club could, if it chose to in the future, purchase the mobile SubAir units and connect them.

As for the rootzone mix, Stone would end up going with a brown WM Sand sourced from Newcastle. Although known as being a

much droughtier sand, Stone was comfortable with its selection due to annual rainfall levels together with the many microclimate and shade issues across the course. The WM sand also has a pH of 6 which helps offset the high pH levels (up to 8) in Pymble’s irrigation water.

The sand, which would also be used on tees, was amended with coir fibre at 2kg/100m2 and spread to a depth of 300mm across a 100mm layer of 7mm gravel.

Overall, total greens area would increase from 0.8 hectares to 1.1ha, with the most significant change being the inclusion of a double green – 8 and 14 (see photos page 16). On average it would take the construction team three weeks to build each green and a further 3-4 weeks to grow them in using bentgrass harvested from the onsite nurseries.

“Solid turfing the greens was probably one of the best decisions we made,” states Stone. “I’d done 14 greens at Bayview and wearing the other hat as general manager at the time you would often become the ‘Minister for Complaints’. With a reconstruction like this there can be a lot of member fatigue with all the disruption. By solid turfing the greens we were able to reduce that element a little and also the risk of them being impacted by the weather. The members certainly appreciated the fact we were able to turn them around and get them back in play a lot quicker.”

From a visual perspective, perhaps the biggest change with the redevelopment would come with the bunkering. Wilcher’s unique, semi-rugged style is instantly recognisable, with no better example than the extensive complex down the right-hand side of the par four 13th (see photo below left).

As well as appearance, improving their playability was also at the forefront of the works. All bunkers would be lined with an 80mm layer of 10mm gravel and Klingstone polymer sprayed over the top. Used as part of recent course redevelopments at Strathfield (Sydney) and Nudgee (Brisbane), Klingstone had a number of benefits, the biggest of which was that Stone and his crew could apply it themselves. While the total number of bunkers was reduced (from 70 to 65), the new hazards have increased in total area to about 1ha and were finished off with fresh white bunker sand imported from the Benedict quarry in Cowra.

Complementing their new design, Wilcher was also keen for the bunker edges to have a specific look. To that end and with Stone wanting to limit the number of different grass types he and the crew would have to manage, he started the search for one that could be used on tees, green surrounds and bunker edges. Taking a trip out to Dad & Dave’s Turf The impressive bunkering on Pymble’s 13th hole.

Tahoma 31 couchgrass was used to give the bunker edges their unique rugged look

12

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

farm to initially look at zoysias, while there it was suggested he try the new couchgrass variety Tahoma 31. The following day farm owner Graeme Colless organised for 200m2 to be delivered which Stone installed on a tee.

“I gave the Tahoma 31 its first mow after five days and instantly knew we were on to something,” says Stone. “The speed with which it established was like nothing I’d seen.

We then tried it on a bunker edge which is where it became an obvious choice given the way it thickened up and gave James that unique look he was after.

“I knew it was a risk given that we were the first club to use it, but we did our homework and I was confident I’d seen enough to make the call. It has worked out really well for us. As well as bunker edges, in most places we have installed a triplex-width ring (1.8m) around the greens and across all the tees and into some of our green surrounds.

“The Tahoma 31 seems to be a lot tougher than the Santa Ana we had previously. On some of our more shaded tees that get hammered through winter, the Tahoma 31 is as tough as an old boot and just hangs in there. Certainly coming out of our winters now we haven’t had to re-turf tees like we used to.

Previously we’d be replacing at least a couple of hundred square metres every year.

Works to the 10th fairway bunkers prior to last Christmas signalled the end of the huge four-year redevelopment

“Being new, we have fed it quite heavily to date. It’s got a better herbicide tolerance than Santa Ana but it does need more Primo we have found. Around the greens we have it down to 8mm but it can be cut down as low as 5mm which we are hoping to get to eventually.

The only real criticism is that it goes really dormant in winter. The contrast that provides around the bunkers looks good and as far as the tees and greens surrounds go we can use pigments.”

Increasing the size of the tees was also a key component of the upgrade works.

As Stone quips, “We sprinkled some commonsense over the tees and made them as big, as wide and as long as possible.”

With the course pumping through 70,000 rounds, the tees had always been problematic, especially in winter, and the sole goal for Stone was to provide better playing conditions and also reduce the maintenance headaches they had long given the staff.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

13

REDEVELOPMENTS

PYMBLE GC COURSE REDEVELOPMENT A TRUE TEAM EFFORT

T

he magnitude and complexity of Pymble Golf Club’s course redevelopment required buy-in from all parties.

Across every stage of the works, course superintendent David Stone would be fortunate that everyone would play their role, whether it was the initial support from the Board to go all in with the works, through to course architect James Wilcher, the shapers, suppliers and his crew. The finished product that they have all had a hand in creating is something that everyone has been proud to put their name to. Stone is quick to point out that the project would not have been a success without the great bunch of people involved, but there were two individuals in particular who he happily singles out for special mention and for very different reasons.

As any architect or superintendent knows, having an expert shaper performing the on-ground works can make or break any project and in Craig Brown Pymble had one of the best in the business. Well known throughout Sydney and NSW, Stone had seen first-hand Brown’s skills and strengths, in particular his eye for detail, during the works they undertook together at Bayview.

Additionally, Brown had worked on a number of other Wilcher design jobs and knew his approach and methodologies.

Reading the situation and knowing the challenging climate in which they were conducting the works, Pymble made sure they looked after Brown, who in turn gave the club a commitment that the works there would be his priority right until the final green was shaped and bunker constructed. The mutually beneficial arrangement reaped dividends with the quality of the finished product a testament to that.

“Craig was fantastic to work with,” explains Stone. “None of the staff had done construction work before, so not only was he the shaper but he was also willing to teach the guys and show them how things were done, such as drainage and bunker construction.

It was really good for the young guys on the crew and 2IC Chris Fiadino. Thanks to Craig they have learned some new skills which will assist them in their careers.

“At times, Craig’s role expanded to managing the job site while I was off doing other things which was really beneficial. And because he had worked with James before he knew what his requirements were which made my life easier. James would come in to sign off on every stage of the construction works. It is always an interesting dynamic between the architect’s creative flair and the superintendent’s responsibilities of managing the budget and schedule, but the project management ran like clockwork.

14

Above: Key members of the Pymble team (from left) superintendent David Stone, lead shaper Craig Brown, Daniel Scott, Luke Clark, assistant superintendent Chris Fiadino, Corey Calvert and Matt Ross. Below: With the majority of work completed in-house, the Pymble crew were involved in every aspect and developed new skills as a result

Another individual who would make a cameo appearance in the early part of the redevelopment was David Warwick who had just departed Avondale Golf Club after nearly a quarter of century as superintendent. Having left there burnt out and in need of a change, the eight months that Warwick would spend at Pymble in 2021 and 2022 proved just the tonic as he himself looked to recalibrate. As it transpired, after his time at Pymble Warwick would go on to oversee the construction of a new boutique private course north of Sydney and most recently was appointed as a course project advisor at Pennant Hills Golf Club where he will assist newly-appointed superintendent Michael Hedger as part of the upcoming masterplan works there.

Welcoming his good mate on board was also a timely win for Stone. In Warwick he had a vastly experienced superintendent with significant construction experience who he could call upon for advice or bounce ideas off. His counsel across a number of areas, in particular establishing the new bentgrass nursery and preparing the turf so that it was

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

at its peak come harvesting and laying, would prove pivotal in ensuring a strong end result when solid-turfing the new greens. Above all else, Stone also knew that Warwick’s easygoing nature and love for a bit of banter would quickly endear himself to the crew.

“As well as his experience, he also provided some wonderful comedic relief,” recalls Stone with a broad grin. “Some of the banter in the lunch room was hilarious and even the first year apprentices would get stuck in to him. Dave is such a great bloke and the boys loved having him around.

“Dave will probably agree with me when I say that we both experienced one of the funniest days of our careers during his time here. We were spraying the first bunker with Klingstone which sets like concrete if it gets on you. We were having a few issues with the pump on the drum and it ended up going everywhere. I glued my phone, Dave glued his glasses and car keys. All our personal items got covered in the stuff. We eventually worked it out, but it’s something we look back on now and have a good laugh about.”

“There was no science about it or being clever with the tees,” states Stone. “We didn’t need to be flamboyant, we just needed them to be big in order to handle the traffic and wear. We are one of the busiest private clubs in Sydney and the tees get smashed. The members just want good turf to play off, so we increased them in size to about 1.2ha in total.”

KEY CHALLENGES Every construction project is different and brings its own set of unique challenges and that was certainly the case with the Pymble redevelopment. Sydney’s weather, the uncertainly that the pandemic brought with it, not to mention maintaining 18 holes for play at all times, were just some of the challenges that Stone and the crews, both construction and maintenance, had to account for.

As previously mentioned, the project budget had a number of built-in contingencies ($1.7 million no less) and that proved critical as some costs, for example sand and gravel, would rise as much as 30 per cent because of COVID. As far as materials were concerned, Stone had to be ultra organised, especially with drainage and irrigation components. All stock was pre-ordered and held in stock for when they were needed.

From his previous work at Bayview, Stone had forged some strong relationships with a number of key industry suppliers which would come in very handy during the Pymble works. Whether that was the sand and gravel suppliers (Veljohn and Benedict) or turf farm (Dad & Dave’s), Stone was able to rest easy knowing that they would be able to make his requests a priority and supply everything on time and within their budget constraints. He was never let down.

Sydney’s ‘big wet’ of 2022 wreaked havoc during stages of the project. Pictured is damage to the 12th green after a 240mm overnight dump

From a logistics perspective, one of the trickier aspects was managing the flow of work across the course and coordinating material deliveries and storage. With no haul roads through the course and soil bins that could only hold three truck-and-trailer loads at a time, every piece of gravel and grain of sand had to be double-handled. The clubhouse carpark became a makeshift dump site with trucks only able to tip materials between 5am and 6am on certain days. Staff had to then transport the material either to the bins or directly to the work sites. As a result of those constraints, works were staged from the extremities of the course inwards, also bearing in mind that they had to work on one hole from each of the three six-hole loops at the same time.

The first season of major course works started in August 2021. Just to throw another spanner in the works, a second COVID lockdown was announced just two weeks out from the start of that tranche. That initially caused a bit of concern as shaper Craig Brown

lived outside of the area, but because he fell under the essential worker rule he was allowed to travel to the course.

Ploughing on and with the addition of Brendan Parry (son of Craig) to the shaping team and the arrival of former Avondale superintendent David Warwick (see more on that opposite) and new assistant Chris Fiadino, the greens on 15, 2 and 11 were completed before Christmas. Brown returned in midJanuary to work on a further three greens, however, Sydney’s ‘big wet’ would eventually put the project behind schedule.

After 200mm in January 2022, following the completion of turfing the 12th green one afternoon in early February, the course copped 240mm overnight, effectively destroying most of the work (pictured above). The rain would persist for the next few months and after tentatively opening up ground on the 3rd hole and shaping up a rough green base, 790mm would fall in March. April was thankfully less wet – 206mm – and they were able to finish off the 3rd by early May, at which time works were halted as winter had set in.

All up for the four months from the start of January to the end of April 2022, Pymble received nearly 1600mm. Total rainfall for 2022 would end up being 2749mm which is nearly two-and-a-half times their yearly average.

Thankfully the next 12 months (2023) would yield just 951mm and meant that construction could progress at a far greater pace.

The second season of works kicked off in August 2022 and by the following May nine greens had been smashed out – the putter, 18, 6, 13, 7, the 8-14 double green, 9 and 10.

During this stage, shapers Marc Lavermicocca and Daniel Scott joined the team which freed up Brown to concentrate on the bunkers.

...a cut above the rest!

Wiedenmann Terra Spike... the best in Deep Tyne Aeration. www.fieldquip.com.au

1800 454 150 sales@fieldquip.com.au

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

15

AERIAL PHOTOS: NEARMAP

REDEVELOPMENTS

One of the biggest design changes and undertakings of the project was the construction of a new double green – 8 and 14 – which measures 1225m2. Pictured top is looking toward the green from the 8th tee, while the aerial photos show the complex before, during and after construction

With that stage complete, it would leave seven holes for the final stage. The club centenary was now fast approaching and with Stone eager to utilise the first three months of 2024 to really progress the final grow-in and establishment of the new turf areas, the club hatched a plan to complete the remaining holes between August and December 2023.

With Parry and Lavermicocca scheduled to jump across to works at Long Reef Golf Club, Pymble brought on board Luke Clark, a plumber by trade who would prove particularly useful with a large amount of drainage works scheduled across this tranche. Again aided by some good weather and round-the-clock efforts from the shaping team and crew, the last of the works was completed just before Christmas. In that time holes 16, 4, 5, 17, 1 and the chipping green were completed, while the 12th green was also rebuilt after a rethink over its shape.

A LASTING LEGACY In the months since the last of the construction works were complete, Stone and his crew of 15 have set about fine-tuning the new surfaces as the club prepares to host a series of centenary celebration events. One event in 16

particular looms large on the horizon for Stone, with Pymble playing host to the NSWGCSA Rube Walkerden Day this November.

As if to put an exclamation mark on the challenges that were thrown up during the project, this summer has been particularly brutal across Sydney. Humidity levels have been off the charts, the worst that Stone can recall in his near 30 years in the industry. As an example of that, the last Thursday in February saw the course swelter through a 39-degree day with 90 per cent humidity!

Although stressful for the bentgrass greens, those conditions did provide some perfect growing conditions for the warmseason grasses which have flourished.

Pymble’s kikuyu fairways have undergone targeted aeration, topdressing and fertilising to repair vehicle damage from the construction and were also cored in January. The Tahoma 31 tees and aprons received a heavy renovation after Christmas and have had fortnightly nutrition applications since. Root development has been a key focus on the greens, with weekly nutrition and light dusting with kiln-dried sand. Due to the challenging conditions, the greens have only been cut with walk-behinds to limit stress.

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

“Looking back, it was incredibly challenging but also a very enjoyable and rewarding experience,” says Stone of the redevelopment. “There were some stressful times with COVID, the unprecedented rainfall and maintaining the $3.8 million budget. We also effectively transitioned across a whole new team during the project. We had quite the clean out of staff, with only three of the original crew left. That was quite challenging given we were going hard with the course works.

“Coming out of the project it has been great to see some of my younger crew members really develop their skills and confidence over the journey. Given that every aspect of the construction was done in-house, there was an opportunity to learn at every turn. Our young apprentices Matt and Corey, who were a key part of the construction team, have learned how to use excavators, spray Klingstone and install irrigation. They could go off and build a green on their own now!

“My 2IC Chris was incredible and the hours he put in was next level. Seeing those guys come out of their shell, who have never done anything like this before, and blossom has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the whole project.”

PHOTO: NEARMAP

RECONSTRUCTION

Staying

grounded With a large number of golf course improvement projects being undertaken across the industry currently, Bradley S. Kline provides some timely advice on how to manage the rising cost of course renovations.

T

he golf industry is booming. Play levels have not fallen off much from the highs of the COVID boom and we also seem to be at record levels of renovation projects, with golf course architects and contractors busier than ever. Yet we may also be approaching a point where much-needed renovation work and infrastructure upgrades cost more than courses can reasonably afford. This dilemma is likely to get worse before it improves.

Rising demand has increased prices from contractors and suppliers. Meanwhile, the world economy continues to struggle with supply chain constraints and transportation backups, which pushes costs even higher.

No golf course, regardless of the resources available, is immune to the phenomenon of rising renovation costs. While some are relatively better positioned to absorb debt, 18

make large investments into the future and raise fees without fear of losing golfers, every facility must be mindful of what projects are financially manageable and how they can control costs.

Regardless of the scope or scale of your renovation, the following ideas can help you keep costs under control while delivering the most long-term benefit possible. The first thing to know is that staying within a budget that works for you isn’t just about cutting costs, it’s also about avoiding overruns. Deciding what you do and don’t need from a renovation is an important portion of the equation, but risk management should never be overlooked.

CAST A WIDE NET A few big-name architects are finding themselves the beneficiaries of courses that are willing to engage in a bidding war for their

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

services, such is the perceived value of these designers. Without question, they are highly skilled architects who deliver great results, but their services come at an increasingly high price, their availability for time on-site is limited and you may not be able to hire them in the first place.

The good news is that there are probably more fine architects (or architects-in-waiting) working today than ever before. These people are fully qualified, very experienced and many of them learned their skills as apprentices and associates of the big-name designers that have gotten so expensive. They’ve been waiting for the chance to showcase their skills as architects, their moment has now arrived and they are flourishing. These architects will charge lower fees than the big names.

Many of them will also spend more of their personal time on-site during your project. If

Course renovation projects abound at present, with a number of Australian golf clubs undertaking works to improve their offering to members. Among them is Commonwealth in Melbourne (left) which is nearing the completion of a two-stage redevelopment

your architect is on-site making decisions on a regular basis, that improves the overall efficiency of the project and limits the amount of work that has to be redone at the client’s expense.

Courses must be careful here. The experience of some former shapers and design associates may not have them quite up to the task of managing a full-scale renovation project including budgeting, planning, construction coordination and club politics. Facilities must engage in meticulous due diligence when recruiting architects to make sure the person they hire is fully equipped for the task at hand. With proper research, clubs can save considerably in both design fees and project costs by hiring a hungry young designer who is eager to showcase their architectural and project management skills to make their name in the industry.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT Thinking about the return on investment (ROI) of any proposed improvement is part of treating the golf course as a business rather than as an indulgence. Focusing on ROI can keep you from spending on items in a renovation that aren’t worth the money, which is an important part of controlling costs. This holds true even if a strict benefit/cost analysis of ROI is not possible on every proposed expenditure.

It’s not easy to put a dollar value on recontouring and expanding greens to acquire lost hole locations, or rebuilding bunkers that don’t drain or are too steep for safe entry and exit. Here and elsewhere, it is more a matter of qualitative assessment rather than quantitative certainty. On every proposed item, whether it’s irrigation, new tees or rerouting holes, force yourself to really think through whether the investment is worth it.

Some expenditures on the course recommend themselves almost immediately as creating value – better forward tees or tree work that improves turf health and decreases chemical inputs or staff time related to tree management issues. Rerouting two holes to gain length and create a “championship test” is less likely to make economic sense than rerouting to create space for a much-expanded driving range with a new short-game area and Himalayas putting green.

The cost of golf course renovations has been rising fast thanks to surging demand and high material prices

Part of the ROI analysis is to identify what problems are being addressed and whether the plan will solve the problem. It could be as basic as not having enough hole locations and being stuck with greens that wear out and are less interesting to prospective golfers, who instead opt to play at a neighbouring facility.

Expanding the greens offers a good chance to address those issues, so there’s a clear economic and experiential benefit.

Another example is installing a turf variety that is more drought tolerant and less irrigation dependent in a region where future water supplies are running dry and water costs are rising fast. But if the plan to rebuild and re-grass older greens comes from a desire to have putting surfaces running consistently at 12-13 feet on the Stimpmeter, then the costs involved are unlikely to yield efficiencies, savings or meaningful playability benefits down the road.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND MATERIALS For all the emphasis upon maintaining sound infrastructure, improving any aspect of it has discretionary elements – whether that’s in scope, quality or extent. You may need new bunker sand, but do you need sand shipped to your course from halfway across the country – or will a local (and cheaper) source be fine?

Decisions abound when it comes to improving infrastructure and there are opportunities to save or spend more at each fork in the road.

How far does one need to go to provide ideal playing conditions? Or perhaps a more realistic question for many facilities is how much infrastructure does a course need to provide playing conditions appropriate for the customers, ownership budget and market setting of the golf course? There are a lot of ‘bells and whistles’ available that might entail an indulgence rather than a wise investment.

Upgrading course infrastructure is important, but it can also be an expensive exercise. Thinking hard about what you really need and where you need it is critical for controlling costs

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

19

RECONSTRUCTION “I’ve yet to do a project in which cost was not a factor,” says course designer Andy Staples of Scottsdale, Arizona. His body of renovation work includes prominent facilities like Meadowbrook Country Club in Michigan, Olympia Fields outside Chicago and the PGA National Resort in Florida. His observation is common to most, if not all, of his fellow members in the American Society of Golf Course Architects. “There is no magic bullet to managing costs. If you want to save money, you have to do less.”

The job of the architect, however, is not simply to cut expenses but to help a facility decide which investments make the most sense and which methods of construction will bring the best results and the most value. That means prioritising.

Staples, for example, lists the elements of a masterplan from top to bottom to communicate not only what is most important structurally, but also which tasks produce the highest value. Examples include focusing on new forward tees rather than redoing all the teeing grounds. Or deploying some grass hollows in areas where the old historic maps might have shown unnecessary sand bunkers.

Architect Brian Schneider, a design principal with Renaissance Golf Design who played a key hand in the construction of The National Golf Club’s new Gunnamatta course on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, is among many who think that some courses are too willing to spend and indulge in infrastructure excess when a more cautious approach would make better sense.

“I have great respect for superintendents and appreciate the excessive demands and expectations placed upon them. It is fair of them to want every available tool at their disposal. However, I often find myself trying to talk them – or the golfers at their course – out of spending for things they might want but don’t need, especially if that extra infrastructure might compromise their original architecture.”

For example, rebuilding greens to improve drainage has obvious practical benefits, but perhaps not at the risk of losing something special about the design.

“Even if they can afford it now,” continues Schneider, “there’s always the possibility of another recession looming, so courses need to think about whether these upgrades are going to require extra long-term maintenance, or whether they’d rather save the money for a rainy day.”

Schneider is not averse to salvaging old bunker sand, doing away with bunker liners or just tweaking the surface of old greens rather than rebuilding them for the sake of marginal improvements in speed or turf performance. In at least one case, he walked away from a potential job at a prominent US club that insisted on rebuilding its Golden 20

Building new forward tees is a relatively low-cost investment that has a big potential return

Age putting surfaces to get the latest and greatest infrastructure when Schneider thought the work unnecessary. Thinking about the infrastructure you need, and where you really need it, can make a big difference in the final bill for your renovation project.

PROJECT MANAGING In the US there is a small but growing coterie of consultants now specialising as independent, third-party project managers.

One of those is Nick Mazzella who is the head of his own eponymous golf course project management firm based in Charlotte, North Carolina. He’s in constant communication with designers, builders and superintendents helping to coordinate who is at what stage of each project.

“The more complex the project, the more value you see in an objective project coordinator,” he says. “I always defer to the superintendent when it comes to knowing the site, but it’s another thing when you have to coordinate the work of civil engineers, wetlands scientists, irrigation consultants and contractors, agronomists, builders and government regulators.”

The complexity of many modern golf course renovations introduces another level of paperwork, meetings and spreadsheets. This is where a project manager’s familiarity with the administration and logistics required can prove worthwhile. For a fee, usually a single-digit percentage of a project’s total budget, they can help oversee every step of the process and lighten the burden of responsibility that would otherwise fall on a superintendent, general manager or committee member.

In the past, facilities often assumed the superintendent would manage course renovations, but that has become increasingly challenging as projects get bigger and more complex while expectations for playability during and after the project are higher than ever. If the project entails only partial closure

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

of the course, with a share of everyday golf course maintenance still in the hands of the crew, it might simply be too much for one person to be handling both golf course maintenance and a construction project. This is where a project manager can really help.

Of all the developments in golf course construction today, there is probably less consensus on the value of a project manager than on anything else. Some architects swear by them. Others swear at them and won’t go along. It all depends on their track record, which is why due diligence here, as with everything else, is crucial. However, if your project manager can ensure that the renovation moves forward as efficiently as possible while minimising the risk of any major cost overruns, they will almost certainly save you money.

THE FINAL ANALYSIS Controlling costs isn’t easy when the price of everything is going up and the firms involved in every step of a golf course renovation are so busy that they’re turning away work and scheduling years in advance. However, making some of the basic choices described in this article can help your course navigate these challenging waters. For everyone involved, course renovation these days is a whole new ball game – and a much more expensive one.

With sensible planning, it does not have to be quite so costly.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ATM wishes to thank the USGA Green Section for allowing the publication of this article. The original article appeared in the January 20, 2024 edition of the Green Section Record and was titled ‘Managing the rising cost of golf course renovations’. Bradley S. Klein is a veteran golf course writer, book author and design consultant. He has previously written for the USGA Green Section Record on golf course renovation planning and other topics.

PHOTOS: JOHN DEERE AND AUSTRALIAN GOLF MEDIA

TOURNAMENTS

Surface

C

obram Barooga Golf Club hosted its third Webex Players Series event from 18-21 January, with the Murray River course again presented in top notch condition by course superintendent Terry Vogel and his expanded tournament team.

Kiwi Kazuma Kobori conquered hot and blustery conditions in the final round to claim a two-stroke victory on the Old Course, his 21-under kick-starting a run which would see him claim two more Webex titles – Victoria and Sydney – in the following weeks. In winning the Victoria event, just eight tournaments into his professional career, Kobori became the first player since Adam Scott in 2013 to complete back-to-back wins on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. He would extend his impressive streak with a win at Castle Hill Country Club in Sydney a few weeks later, picking up a total of $135,000 in prizemoney in less than a month.

22

stars ATM looks back on the Webex Players Series Murray River tournament which proved to be quite the week for course superintendent Terry Vogel.

Since its debut Webex event in late February 2022, Cobram Barooga has become a popular stop on the Tour. The Webex series features both men and women playing alongside each other for the same title and prizemoney. In its inaugural instalment, Hannah Green created history when she became the first woman to win a full fourround, mixed gender tournament of that level by a commanding four strokes. Sarah Jane

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

Smith would repeat the feat the following year, this time by five shots. The women also featured strongly on this year’s leaderboard, with Kobori finishing just two shots ahead of Singapore’s Shannon Tan (second) and his sister Momoka Kobori (third).

Preparation for the latest instalment of the tournament, held for the first time in midJanuary after previous starts in February, started as far back as last August when Cobram Barooga completed the installation of irrigation infrastructure on the Old Course. The previous two events had been prepped with five holes of QCVs throughout which added to the tournament workload. All of the installation work was completed in-house by Vogel’s crew, with a mixture of turfing, topdressing and robust growth due to a period of high humidity ensuring that the trenches had covered over in time for the tournament. During that time the crew also managed to hollow-tine all 36 holes.

Left: Cobram Barooga Golf Club superintendent Terry Vogel (middle) with John Deere Women in Turf Program volunteers (from left) Bella Browne, Sophie Warren, Susie Rawlings, Tegan Lewis, Holly Ross and Shana Stopp during this year’s Webex Players Series Murray River tournament

Following a nutrition plan from Living Turf over the past three years utilising their Matchplay liquids range, Vogel has been able to push the greens a little harder when required to achieve some extra pace without needing to restrict water too drastically. In addition, the greens were also dethatched, brushed and dusted regularly, with fortnightly liquid fertiliser and Primo applications.

In late November the fairways were dethatched at 3mm and circle cut at 8mm.

Although Vogel was initially worried about recovery, once the humidity arrived the growth rate accelerated and enabled the fairways to present at their best come the tournament.

The only hiccup Vogel did have was with the tees which didn’t have quite enough time to fully recover after being renovated close to Christmas.

“The pressure is always high trying to deliver a PGA-standard tournament in the middle of summer in the Murray River region heat and this year was no exception,” reflects Vogel, who has worked at Cobram Barooga for nearly four decades, including two stints as superintendent. “With weeks of high humidity, we were waiting for the inevitable disease outbreak. The greens are treated preventatively with fungicide monthly, but we also put out an additional fortnightly pythium application as a top up.

“Despite all this, after a few heavy showers on Pro-Am morning, anthracnose was identified on a few greens which meant a spray in the evening was required. Thankfully,

Glenelg Golf Club’s Sophie Warren was one of six female greenkeepers chosen to be part of John Deere’s Women in Turf Program at Cobram Barooga Golf Club

the outbreak was contained and had no effect on the quality of the turf. I have to thank Matt McLeod and Tim Bilston from Living Turf who noticed the issue while playing in the Pro-Am and recommended that some action be taken.”

EXTRA HANDS For the tournament, Vogel’s crew expanded from 14 full- and part-timers to 21. As part of a reciprocal arrangement with Moonah Links, Damian Park joined the team for the week after Cobram foreman Cameron Isedale had travelled to the Mornington Peninsula course to work during last November’s Victorian PGA Championship. For the second year running, Vogel was also fortunate to have a strong contingent of six female sports turf managers organised through John Deere’s Women in Turf Program.

Cobram Barooga signed a partnership with local John Deere distributor Hutcheon & Pearce last year to exclusively use John Deere equipment on the course. Through that, Vogel has had access to the Women in Turf Program, with the first intake working at last year’s tournament. John Deere’s golf and sports turf key account manager Corey Clark and Hutcheon & Pearce’s Stephen Foster made the arrangements for this year’s group, who gained some valuable insight into tournament preparation and networked with fellow turf managers. This year’s participants included; l Susie Rawlings (Toronto GC, NSW); l Tegan Lewis (Hartfield CC, WA); l Shana Stopp (Green Options, Qld); l Holly Ross (Bayview GC, NSW); l Sophie Warren (Glenelg GC, SA); and l Bella Browne (Thurgoona GC, NSW).

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

23

TOURNAMENTS

Kazuma Kobori’s two-shot Murray River win kick-started a stunning month where he would win three Webex Players Series events and a total of $135,000 in prizemoney

“It was incredibly successful last year, so we were ecstatic when John Deere asked us if they could run the program again this year,” says Vogel. “It’s a win-win because we get the help and the volunteers get to hone their skills in preparing for a tournament, which some of them had never done before. The extra hands on the ground makes a huge difference for a tournament of this size and all the women bring their own diverse range of skills and experiences into the team. The attitude and professionalism they showed throughout the week was infectious for the rest of the team.”

Warren, a fourth-year apprentice at Adelaide’s Glenelg Golf Club where her father Tim is the course superintendent, says that volunteering at the Webex event gave her invaluable experience which she has taken back to her home course: “I was doing a lot of things I wouldn’t normally do day-to-day, like changing holes and measuring moisture levels on greens. It was a great opportunity to learn new skills, both from the club staff and the other volunteers.”

At just 17, Thurgoona apprentice Browne was the youngest volunteer in the program

but says she was made to feel like one of the team: “I was a bit nervous coming into it, but all the staff and the other girls were so welcoming and helped me settle into the week.

It’s all male staff where I work, so it was cool to see there are other women in this industry and to hear where they’ve come from in their careers.”

Rawlings, who is relatively new to the industry having only started at Toronto Golf Club in Newcastle a year ago after 20 years in the telecommunications industry, says the program was a great stepping stone: “I’m used to working in male-dominated industries, so this was a unique experience for me. You can do a lot of different things in this industry and the Women in Turf Program is a great way to experience different sides of the role. It was great to hear the views of the other volunteers and learn about how they approach things at their own clubs.”

During tournament week all of Cobram Barooga’s turf surfaces were cut daily, with moisture levels meticulously monitored using a Pogo device before and after each round to attend to any hot spots. Holes were changed daily, while bunkers were broomed and hand-raked daily as well. Vogel says the tournament itself went smoothly and despite 5mm of rain impacting the Wednesday ProAm, the remainder of the week went to plan.

Webex Players Series Murray River volunteer Holly Ross on the 11th hole at Cobram Barooga GC

24

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

Green speeds rose from 10.5 on Pro-Am day up to 12 by Sunday, with Vogel in constant communication with tournament organisers as to the desired speed.

“Our blended crew did an outstanding job of gelling together and producing a firstclass product,” says Vogel. “The energy and enthusiasm among the team was a pleasure to supervise. All participants should be immensely proud of themselves as I know I am proud of all of them and the results we produced.”

A FAMILY AFFAIR As well as the satisfaction of preparing the course for a Tour event and assisting with the Women in Turf Program, the tournament was also special on a much more personal level for Vogel and his family. A long-time member of the club, Vogel is, impressively, a 20-time Cobram Barooga club champion (his last coming in 2012) and he represented the club in Pennant for many years back in the day.

His skill with club in hand and love for the game has been passed down to daughter Steffi who is a trainee professional at the club.

Over the past two years she has contested a number of WPGA Tour of Australasia events, including all three Webex Players Series events at her home club. After missing the cut in 2022, she finished in a tie for 54th in 2023, but this past January would notch up a performance which had the whole club buzzing.

Shooting four consecutive rounds in the 60s – 65, 69, 66 and 68 – the 25-year-old finished the tournament in outright 6th at 16-under, five shots off winner Kobori and pocketing a tidy $8600 for her efforts. That result would provide a nice springboard and she would go on to finish tied for 29th in the Vic Open a few weeks later.

Cobram Barooga Golf Club trainee professional Steffi Vogel, the daughter of course superintendent Terry Vogel, recorded a breakout performance at the Murray River tournament, finishing 6th

“It was quite an emotional week for the family,” says Vogel. “Steffi was up the top of the leaderboard all week and played very well.

We were ecstatic, as were all of the members here. It was her best tournament result by far and the first time she had shot four rounds in the 60s at an event of that calibre. It was a huge boost for her.”

And it wasn’t just the progeny that took to the fairways for the tournament. Vogel too, with the blessing of the club, dusted off the irons and teed it up for the opening two rounds.

Despite a bit of a blowout in the opening round, the host superintendent carded a 1-under 70 in his second round.

“It was a bit of a rollercoaster, but I finished well and it made me feel like my decision to

play was vindicated,” says Vogel. “I had been asked if I’d like to compete in the previous two tournaments, but I felt like I would be abandoning the ship if I did. In the first year I didn’t have an assistant and then last year was the first year of the Women in Turf Program. This year my assistant Kane Kerr, who volunteered at the Australian Open a few weeks earlier, had everything humming so I felt comfortable in stepping away and the PGA and club were also very supportive.

“It was interesting to play the course during tournament week and it gave me some good feedback from a player’s point of view.

Looking ahead, I will definitely play some holes in the lead up next time to get a feel on how the course is playing.”

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

25

TOURNAMENTS The new waste area on the 3rd hole of the North Course at Rosebud Country Club which was constructed in between the 2023 and 2024 Webex Players Series events

Renaissance continues T

he week following the Murray River instalment of the Webex Players Series (see previous article), the PGA Challenger Tour of Australasia headed south to the Mornington and Bellarine peninsulas for a two-week swing, with Rosebud Country Club holding the Webex Victoria event for a fourth consecutive time and 13th Beach the Vic Open for the 11th time.

The Rosebud crew, led by experienced course superintendent Ian Todd and assistant Damien Winsor, have become well-versed in preparing the course for the tournament and continue to raise the bar in terms of the course environs and conditioning each year. A raft of course improvement works implemented since Todd’s arrival at the club from the Melbourne Sandbelt in August 2017 has helped to transform the course and has paid dividends on a number of fronts.

Just a week before hosting this year’s Webex event, it was announced that the North Course, across which the tournament is primarily played, had climbed to 50 in Golf Australia Magazine’s Top 100 Australian Golf 26

ATM looks back on the successful hosting of the Webex Players Series Victoria and Vic Open tournaments held in late January and early February.

Courses list for 2024. It was the biggest jump of any course inside the top 100, moving up 19 places from its ranking of 69 in 2022.

That has been in no small part due to the course enhancement and masterplan works currently ongoing and also its conditioning for the tournament which has cast it in a new spotlight.

In his comments on the North Course, one of Golf Australia Magazine’s top 100 judges Brian Walshe noted: “Not too often does such a good golf course sneak under the radar but that’s what has happened with the North Course at Rosebud. It has been overshadowed

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

by some of the big-name courses around it, but the continual improvements to the architecture, conditioning (which is superb) and vegetation management really makes the North Course a must play.”

All that was on display as the Webex event descended, with planning and preparations for the tournament beginning months beforehand and carefully culminating to peak across the Australia Day long weekend. Last winter Rosebud staff completed a couple of significant projects as part of the club’s ongoing course improvement works, while OCM Golf were also on site carrying out some masterplan works to 9 North (tournament 7).

Improving course aesthetics and playability has been a key focus of the ongoing works.

As part of that, Winsor, who has been at the club for more than 30 years, designed and constructed (along with course staff) a new waste area on 3 North. The dogleg hole rises uphill and then drops as it turns right, with the new waste area tucked in that corner of the dogleg providing a spectacular look from the top of the hill (see photo above). Another

Continual course improvement works along with excellent conditioning saw Rosebud’s North Course make the biggest jump (19 places) in Golf Australia Magazine’s recently released Top 100 courses rankings list

waste area was expanded on 15 North with a significant amount of tree weed species removed prior to construction and a number of dead gums left to add visual interest.

Rosebud staff also constructed two new tournament tees on the 9th and 16th holes.

For the tournament, two holes on the South Course are used as part of the routing, with 1 South becoming tournament 8 and 18 South becoming tournament 9. The new tee on tournament 9 was constructed on the carry of 2 South which added about 30m to the tournament hole. The new tee on 16 was constructed about 60m behind the normal tee to take the hole up to 530m in length.

Unfortunately due to strong southwesterly winds, the new tee wasn’t used across the first three rounds.

The other large project undertaken last October was the removal of around 30 large poplar trees along the creek which meanders through both courses. The project was funded and undertaken by Melbourne Water which owns the waterway. Staff performed significant re-contouring and re-surfacing works following

the tree removal due to the scope of works and the influence these trees had on the surrounding areas. Todd says that for the first time in decades you can now stand on the 3rd North green and see the 14th North green at the other end of the property, continuing a major theme of the ongoing works to open up the layout and provide greater vistas across the property.

Some changeable and challenging weather in the weeks leading up to and during the tournament would keep Todd and his crew on their toes as they dialled in the course. The Rosebud greens are a mix of bentgrass and Poa annua as are many of the tees and green surrounds. Following a spell of high humidity around New Year, both the North and South courses were hit with a severe outbreak of dollar spot, with a few lingering blemishes still around come the tournament. Some of the tees were also affected by the humidity and disease, but overall they and the greens performed very well. Gusty winds would also be a factor during the tournament, which meant Todd had to tweak his preparations slightly.

“The plan was to cut the greens at 2.7mm in the afternoon and roll in the morning to maintain a consistent speed throughout the tournament,” explains Todd. “The PGA wanted the greens no quicker than 11-and-a-half which was achieved on the Thursday. However, that had to be adjusted due to forecast high winds on the Friday and Saturday, with gusts around 60kph. The directive was to slow the greens down to around 11 feet 2 inches, so irrigation was applied that night and the greens only cut in the morning to achieve the desired speed.

The same applied for Saturday, but with the winds dropping for Sunday we were able to revert to our original plan. The greens certainly performed the best regarding speed and smoothness in that final round.”

As part of their preparations, the Rosebud crew stimped greens every morning and afternoon to reach/maintain ideal speeds and used moisture meters every day to maintain ideal moisture content for both the men and women (around the 12-15 per cent mark).

Greens collars (6mm), greens surrounds, tees and fairways (8mm) were cut each morning.

“The staff performed great again and deserved all the accolades from the players,” says Todd. “Personally, it gives me a great sense of pride in all the staff and much of the kudos should go to Damien who leads the team wonderfully well. We also had two staff come across from Moonah Links – Kyle Flanagan worked Friday/Sunday and Damian Park Thursday/Saturday – and they were welcome additions. Many thanks to them and to superintendent Kyle Wilson for offering help.

“The field for this year’s event was stronger on the women’s side than in previous years and arguably added to the excitement coming into the final day. The course presented really well and looked good on TV, although the commentators probably should have done a little more homework on the course and the improvement works!

“We now look forward to the event returning again next year and I’m sure there will be some more little tweaks to the course so the players can see something different each time they come.”

SUCCESSFUL AND SATISFYING Course improvements over the past 12 months had also been a focus for the crew at 13th Beach which would host the Vic Open a week after the Rosebud tournament. Over the past three winters, architect Darius Oliver has been guiding the club through a program to rationalise bunkers and make relevant design changes, with the Vic Open field again noticing and appreciating the gradual transformation.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

27

TOURNAMENTS

The 13th Beach tournament crew prepared the Beach and Creek courses for an 11th successive Vic Open

Successfully hosting the tournament at the 36-hole Bellarine Peninsula complex is very much a balancing act for long-serving course superintendent Steven Hewitt. Thankfully this year a mild summer took away some of the usual challenges, however, it’s popularity as a holiday destination still meant it hosted up to 1300 golfers across both the Beach and Creek courses in the three days leading up to tournament week. Despite the traffic and the logistical challenges it provided in scheduling maintenance activities, Hewitt and his team had the playing surfaces sitting where they needed to be at come the start of the week.

“Most of the summer had been kind with all scheduled applications and cultural practices achieved, particularly those centred around greens conditioning,” says Hewitt.

“Having the right weather conditions to allow dusting on greens and preventative fungicide applications to be performed does not always come to pass when planning well in advance.

“Our dusting program is vitally important for our greens conditioning. With two courses we are fortunate that even in the busy period we were able to delay golf for two hours in order to groom and dust greens. Performing this task in the same week is important in order

to have the greens on both courses performing the same in terms of speed. Only having the quieter Tuesday and Thursday to do this meant we were reliant on the weather as the tasks were locked into these days.”

The week prior to the Open, Hewitt and his senior management team, comprising Beach Course assistant James Widdowson and Creek Course assistant Ash Hobson, were able to coordinate final applications such as fungicides on greens, growth retardants on the couch fairways and insecticide to control ants on greens and aprons.

Due to the unseasonal mild summer and rain events which persisted, Hewitt had not stopped cutting rough each fortnight. The crew were able to cut all 36 holes of rough in the four days prior to the tournament week, only for the ground to then dry out and the roughs slow down. There was not the usual definition of the browned-off roughs and green fairways this year, but Hewitt says they were fortunate that the fairways were uniform in their presentation, which is not always the case with the windy conditions that the site experiences.

On the Sunday before the tournament all greens were rolled and then cut each morning with triplex mowers at 3mm. Rolling on the

Sunday was later than in previous years, with greens normally rolled on the Thursday or Friday before and then green speed managed with irrigation to achieve 11 feet.

“In the past we have had issues keeping them at 11,” explains Hewitt. “They tend to get quicker with the daily mowing which with the coastal winds can be concerning for myself and officials. Green speed was at 11 for the tournament and we were very pleased with their pace and smoothness of ball roll.

The condition of the greens peaked at the right time for the tournament and it was very satisfying to have it all fall in line with our proposed plan.”

According to Hewitt, one area of significant improvement from previous years was the control of common couch in the course’s fescue aprons. 13th Beach has had fescue up to the green edges for a number of years now, with the team controlling couch in the one-metre buffer around the green edges. The fescue was implemented at the same time as eradicating all couch encroachment from the bentgrass greens.

“Controlling couch in fescue is relatively easy, but to get the right conditions where there is no wind, no dew and no golfers is difficult,” says Hewitt. “We had an opportunity in November to spray out the couch in the broader apron areas and the difference it made was extremely noticeable. Couch is starting to come back in areas, as expected, but we will reapply to further control it. It has always been the plan to push the couch further away from the greens surface and to improve the fine fescue approaches and aprons but this can be a difficult process.”

Taking a leaf out of their previous tournament playbooks, Hewitt instituted a similar staffing and preparation regime.

Thursday and Friday saw a four tee start from 7.30am across both courses, with the main men’s and women’s fields fighting out the final two rounds on the Beach Course. On the Saturday and Sunday, the All Abilities field played on the Creek Course, while there was also an Australian Golf Foundation junior girls event on the Short Course on the Saturday.

“It is always a huge week for the crew and compliments must go to all the staff for their commitment to producing good surfaces for the tournament and their dedication to 13th Beach,” says Hewitt. “Ash and James manage all staff and job allocations under the broad guidance of myself who provides the priority tasks that need to be carried out. As the senior management team roles have changed in recent years to give more day-to-day

The 13th Beach greens were on point for the Vic Open, with summer conditions enabling Hewitt and his crew to perform all scheduled applications and cultural practices to achieve their desired result

28

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

13th Beach crew member Harry Tregenza cuts greens during the Vic Open

management to Ash and James, which allows me to manage other areas of the business, it has given them and foremen Tom Aylmer and Mark Donnely more ownership in their roles.

“All machinery performed exceptionally well and compliments to Fraser Haggerty and Matt Lowday for their roles in having all aspects of machinery maintenance. I have confidence in all staff to the point that on the Saturday morning I went out to help prep the Short Course for the junior girls event.

Departmental ownership empowers the staff and the rewards are noticeable.”

Hewitt’s crew was bolstered by additional staff in Will Savickas and Brett Irvine (Barwon Heads GC), Alex Thomson (The Sands, Torquay) and former Barwon Heads employee Lochie Clifford. These extra staff were paid and blended in seamlessly with the 13th Beach crew, taking the total tournament team to 26.

The club was again thankful for the support of Toro (Dean Hill loaned three mowers), GTS (Andrew Boyle supplied tournament shirts) and Barwon Heads superintendent Craig Molloy who also loaned a fairway mower. 13th Beach member Phil Draper cooked breakfasts.

“It was a very successful and satisfying tournament,” concludes Hewitt. “One of the pleasing aspects was that many of the golfers noticed and were complimentary of the course improvements. The biggest changes from last year to this year included the removal of a rocky wasteland on the right-hand side of the 9th hole on the Beach Course (tournament 14) and installing two bunkers in its place. On the 17th hole of the Creek Course we also removed a small pond and replaced it with four bunkers as well as filling in two others.

The pond was more like a puddle and we have kept the same number of bunkers on the hole but for a much better result. Those works received the most comments from the players.

“To give an idea of what we are doing, on the 1st hole of the Beach Course (tournament 15) we used to have four bunkers on the right at the driving zone and one on the left, while at the green there were four bunkers.

The changes left us with two bunkers at the drive and two at the green. It keeps the same challenge but rationalises the amount and area we have to manage. The bunkers have better access and drainage and sand quality has improved. We have two more years remaining of this program and to receive compliments on the finished product and design improvements is rewarding for all involved.”

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

29

TOURNAMENTS

Amateur

aces

ATM reviews the Master of the Amateurs and Australian Amateur tournaments held in early January.

Y

ou’d think that hosting a golf tournament in Melbourne during the height of summer would go without hassle, but that wasn’t the case in early January as Yarra Yarra and Keysborough golf clubs combined to co-host the adidas Australian Amateur. Wet weather in the week leading up to and during the tournament, strong winds and in the case of Keysborough an untimely irrigation blowout, all created plenty of management challenges for both crews led by superintendents Clint Raven (Yarra Yarra) and Nick Launer (CSTM, Keysborough).

After being played in Sydney last year, the Australian Amateur returned to Melbourne between 16-19 January. Yarra Yarra was the primary host venue with play across all four rounds, while Keysborough hosted players across the first and second rounds. It was the first time that Yarra Yarra had hosted the event since 2017, with the course undergoing a dramatic transformation in the years since by Renaissance Golf Design.

For Keysborough, it was their first time hosting the tournament in what is the club’s 125th anniversary year and also the first major 30

national tournament test for Launer who arrived in August 2021 after nearly six years as Metropolitan Golf Club assistant. It was also the first major tournament for Launer’s crew which has undergone a number of personnel changes since his arrival.

Tournament preparations are nothing new for Launer. During his time at Metro, he helped prepare the course for a number of events, none bigger than the 2018 World Cup of Golf.

That tournament would be memorable for a number of reasons, in particular the weather which impacted the course that week (75mm in five days) and the incredible teamwork of the Metropolitan crew to present the course despite that.

The weather wasn’t the only adversity that week and on the morning of the final round the front wall of the greenside bunker on the tournament 13th hole (Metropolitan’s 12th) collapsed after an irrigation leak had undermined its integrity. Launer, together with then superintendent Dave Mason and fellow assistant James Cocker, orchestrated a remarkable race against time to have the bunker repaired and back in play by the time the first groups came through.

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

It was therefore not without a sense of irony that a day out from the first groups teeing up at Keysborough for the opening round of the Australian Amateur that Launer would find himself revisiting memories of that incident.

Arriving early morning on the day of the second practice round, Launer and his crew were greeted with the delightful site of a major irrigation blowout that had occurred overnight on the 16th greenside bunker. As the photos on page 32 show, the infrastructure failure washed out a large section of the bunker face and flooded the bunker and surrounds. As he and the Metro crew had done those years earlier, Launer and the Keysborough team would work tirelessly throughout the day to repair the break and reinstate the bunker and the surrounds and have it back in play come the first round the following day.

“It was a pretty challenging week,” reflects Launer. “Six days prior to the start of the practice rounds we copped 70mm of rain and combined with the humidity that followed there was plenty of excess growth and heightened disease pressure. However, that irrigation blowout overnight on the 16th topped that and the crew did an amazing job to repair it

Hosting play across the first two days, it was the first time that Keysborough Golf Club had hosted the adidas Australian Amateur tournament

PHOTOS: NICK LAUNER, AUSTRALIAN GOLF MEDIA, JACK BESLEY

Yarra Yarra Golf Club was primary host for this year’s adidas Australian Amateur

and have it back in play. We also experienced some vandalism during the week, with bunkers and flagpoles impacted and bikes on the course, albeit causing only minor damage.”

Despite those challenges, Keysborough’s surfaces were nicely dialled in for the tournament. Preparations had begun back in mid-November when the Poa annua/ bentgrass greens were AIR2G2’d. The surfaces were also dusted every two weeks and then tined with 6mm tines to help the profiles manage the additional mowing and rolling they would experience during the tournament and maintain desirable water movement and moisture levels.

During the tournament, Launer had the greens at 2.6mm, the bent/Poa collars at 7mm and the Santa Ana couchgrass tees, surrounds and fairways at 9mm. Greens were cut and rolled every morning except on the final day where there was a cut only. Collars were also cut every morning. The couch surfaces were cut on alternate evenings, holes 1-9 followed by 10-18, while the rough was left uncut seven days prior to the first practice day. Launer was very grateful to have additional staff from Cranbourne and Spring Valley golf clubs

helping out, while David Hurst from Brandt volunteered his time during the mornings and hand-mowed greens on the back nine.

“As it was the first time we had hosted the Australian Amateur, the course crew pulled out all the stops to make sure that the turf surfaces were at their peak for the week,” says Launer.

“From a crew perspective, we timed our run nicely, in particular the conditioning of the fairways. The staff received plenty of positive feedback and appreciation of their work from the players.

“From my perspective, it was great to see our staff rising to present the course to another level, taking ownership of their work and putting in long hours with minimal fuss in the lead-up to and during the event itself.

“My comment to them was that this was two-and-a-half years in the making. We have had a lot of change with the crew in that time – myself coming on board as superintendent, a new assistant in Matthew Foenander and only one member remaining of the original crew.

That gave us an opportunity to put our stamp on the course and that being considered to co-host such a prestigious event showed the quality of our work prior to the event.”

YARRA YARRA ON SHOW Across at Yarra Yarra, it was very much an unveiling of sorts for the club. Since it last hosted the Amateur in 2017, the course had undergone significant alterations by Renaissance which have seen it climb back up to 16th in Golf Australia Magazine’s Top 100 Australian golf courses rankings for 2024.

After many alterations over the last 80 years which had seen a lot of the charm of the original 1928 Alex Russell layout lost, in 2016 Yarra Yarra embarked on an extensive search for an architect to help restore the course to its former glory. After an 18-month process, it appointed Renaissance Golf Design under the guidance of Tom Doak and Brian Slawnik.

As Slawnik noted at the time, “We just need

to lift the covers off” and that started with reducing poor stands of vegetation that were widespread throughout the golf course.

Works began in the summer of 2017-2018 on what were the 1st, 5th and 6th holes which now play as holes 1-3 following a change of routing recommended by Renaissance.

Membership feedback on the initial work was overwhelmingly positive, with further works scheduled the following summer. This included linking short grass areas from the 1st green to the 6th green into the 2nd tee, 7th tee and reshaped 8th tee. Reducing the rough and expanding the short grass areas was a clear vision Renaissance had for Yarra Yarra.

Restoration works then accelerated in September 2019 when the club made the bold decision to close half the course, leaving nine holes open for member play.

Taking a leaf from the success that Victoria Golf Club had experienced when it closed its gates to redevelop the course, over a threemonth period Yarra Yarra closed holes 8-19, undertaking around 90 per cent of the works to those holes during that time. That included four brand new greens complexes, with a full 18-hole layout back open in December 2019.

Doak and Slawnik returned in February 2020, with work on holes 4 and 5 completed just before the start of the COVID pandemic.

COVID understandably halted restoration works for the best part of two years, with Slawnik returning in August 2022 to complete greens complexes 2, 7, 17 and 18, with the last two greens (9 and 16) completed last spring in addition to finishing off the installation of a new Rain Bird IC irrigation system.

All the new works settled in well and overall turf quality improved dramatically with the reduction in trees allowing more sunlight and air movement throughout the property.

That was fully on show for the Australian Amateur, although the weather did conspire to disrupt preparations as the countdown to the tournament began.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

31

TOURNAMENTS

All in a day’s work... an irrigation blowout on the 16th greenside bunker at Keysborough Golf Club made for a huge repair job for the crew a day out from the start of the tournament

The Monday prior to tournament week, some wild weather hit Melbourne with 25mm in the rain gauge when the crew arrived for work that morning. The day had been earmarked for some major preparatory work across the course, including running an Air2G2 unit across the greens, needle-tining them followed by a possible dusting, as well as spraying growth regulator on the couch surfaces.

Pushing on with the AIR2G2 and needle-tining, by 10am those activities were put to a halt as torrential rain persisted and staff were sent home early.

32

After many phone calls to management and staff, it was decided that the best thing would be to close the course the following day which would allow the crew the chance to finish off those works. Tuesday would prove a massive day, with the Air2G2 run across all remaining greens along with needle-tining and a double roll. Greens then had a dry cut with groomers later in the afternoon. All couch surfaces (Santa Ana tees, surrounds and fairways) were spiral cut at 6mm before being sprayed with growth regulator and a foliar fertiliser mix.

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

From the wet weather earlier that week, a few bunker washouts required attention on the Wednesday and Thursday. As part of that process, all bunkers were edged, handweeded where necessary and sand moved around the faces and bases. On the Friday, the greens were sprayed with a growth regulator/ pigment/iron mix and following the last groups in the regular Saturday members comp all greens received a dry cut with triplex mowers.

The Sunday (14 January) officially kicked off the Australian Amateur with the first of two practice round days and the start of split shifts for the crew. Half the crew were in for the morning shift to roll greens and rake bunkers, with the other half came in the afternoon to brush greens and stand the grass up before they were cut with triplexes. Following that, another application of growth regulator was made on the greens as the rain earlier in the week had caused a flush of growth.

The wet weather would return the Monday of tournament week, with the crew emptying out 13mm overnight after a small storm cell swept through around midnight. They got lucky though as Moorabbin Airport, just 10 minutes down the road, recorded 43mm from the same event. More rain would fall on Wednesday (day two of the tournament), with 17mm between 8am and 11.30am. Play was called off at 9am and didn’t resume until 11.30am. After dealing with the rain, on Thursday strong winds gusting up to 60kph then buffeted the course, meaning green speeds had to be carefully monitored, with the putting surfaces not cut that morning.

Friday, the final round, would be the one day where the Yarra Yarra crew could truly present the course in its entire glory. All bunkers were back in play and all standing water had totally dispersed. The greens, which are a Poa annua/bentgrass mix (80 per cent Poa), were cut at 2.7mm, the bent/Poa collars were cut at 6mm and couch surfaces at 6mm.

“The most pleasing aspect from a club perspective was to see the crew all buy in and help put Yarra Yarra on full display to the golfing world,” says assistant superintendent Chris Allan. “For the tournament, we had Magenta Shores crew member Trevor Brown here for the week who works under superintendent James Newell. James used to work under Clint as assistant here at Yarra Yarra prior to accepting the Magenta Shores role. We were also very grateful for those members who came out in the evenings to fill in divots around the course and on the par three tees. It was also great to see two of our young members, Phoenix Campbell and Amelia Harris, in the final groups competing before finishing second behind some very deserving winners.”

Winning the men’s title was Royal Queensland’s Quinnton Croker who could

definitely appreciate the toil and effort that the tournament crews across both courses had put in during the week. Croker, who won by five shots, has been part of the Royal Queensland course maintenance team for the past two years and is one of four Pennant players to work for superintendent Adam Mills.

Croker’s Australian Amateur title was the biggest win of his career to date and came just a week after he finished runner up at the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s Heritage Classic. After an opening round 73 at Keysborough had him just inside the top 50, Croker went on to fire three consecutive rounds in the 60s at Yarra Yarra. That included back-to-back 6-under 64s in the second and third rounds, before closing the tournament out with a 3-under 67 for a 14-under winning total.

SOUTHERN TURNS A NEW PAGE The weather would also play a role in the leadup to the Australian Master of the Amateurs (AMOTA) tournament held at Southern Golf Club a week prior to the Australian Amateur. It was the second year that Southern had hosted the event but the first in charge for the new management team of superintendent Shaun Page and assistant Jack Besley who had been promoted up the ranks following the departure of former superintendent Shaun Taylor to Warragul Country Club midway through 2023.

Southern’s second year hosting the event capped off what was a productive few months for the crew. In the lead-up to the first AMOTA, they had to contend with one of the wettest springs on record. This time around, however, it was some course improvement works which would consume their focus and make for a busy winter and growing season.

As part of the club’s masterplan works, OCM Golf came in and reconstructed two holes (the 3rd and 4th). The works consisted of redoing three tees, getting rid of 15 bunkers and constructing 12 new ones, reconstructing one green, filling in a decent sized pond and transforming a large chunk of mostly out-ofplay area. By the time OCM moved the last of

A 55mm dump the day before the Australian Master of the Amateurs at Southern Golf Club wasn’t exactly ideal

their equipment off site, they had transformed roughly 30 per cent of the front nine.

Once the works were done, the crew’s attention turned to getting the sodded turf and seeded areas ready for play. Spring was fortunately kinder, with some warm weather and a few days of rain firing up the Santa Ana and helping it to knit in. The two new holes were opened for members from November.

The lead up to the tournament went relatively smoothly with warm conditions prevailing. However, a day out from the tournament’s start the heavens opened and dumped 55mm of rain in a short amount of time. Most bunkers were swimming pools and fairways resembled rivers, with Page and Besley staying at the course until 10pm the night before the opening round pumping water out of bunkers.

That effort wasn’t in vain as the forecast for the rest of the week was perfect and they were determined to have the course looking its best.

By the start of the first round not one bunker had water in it and while some were still a little damp they dried out quickly in the sun.

As a result of the rainfall and warm weather that followed, the crew kept a particularly close eye on the greens for any signs of disease.

Although covered by a thorough preventative program, there were some small signs of something brewing and it was during the third round that pythium started to flare up. That necessitated a spray following the conclusion of the third round, but with the greens in healthy condition and the outbreak caught early there was no impact on the putting surfaces for the final round.

Last year, the Southern team comprised just nine staff which meant they had to cut greens using triplex mowers. With an increase of staff to 13 this year, the crew were able to use walk-behinds to cut greens which made a big difference. Greens were cut at 2mm every morning and rolled, with one afternoon cut after play. Surrounds, tees and fairways were all kept at 8mm and mown every afternoon.

“This year, the final two days of the tournament were broadcast and for the crew it was amazing to sit back and watch how the course looked from a TV perspective,” says Besley, who is the current Southern men’s club champion. “From a personal perspective, both Shaun and I were very proud of what we were able to achieve in the six months from taking over in our new respective roles and were very proud of the crew’s efforts.”

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

33

EDUCATION

On the

right wicket Last November the ASTMA announced the establishment of a national accreditation program for cricket curators across all levels. ATM takes a look at how the new program will be structured and the standardised pathway it will provide for curator education.

The culmination of 18 months’ hard work with input from curators around the country, the Cricket Pitch Curator Accreditation Program is designed to advance education and training for Australian cricket curators

34

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

A

s the 2023-2024 cricket season got underway, the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA) announced a groundbreaking program aimed at enhancing cricket pitch management in Australia. The culmination of 18 months’ hard work, the Cricket Pitch Curator Accreditation Program has been developed by a specialist Curator Working Group (CWG) comprised of representatives from Cricket Australia, head curators and the ASTMA to develop a national strategy to address industry challenges.

The CWG, which included leading and experienced curators from across Australia, identified that a national program was required to advance education and training for cricket pitch curators, develop the next generation of talented turf professionals and standardise industry skills development. This collaboration signifies an important step forward for the sports turf management industry and for cricket pitch curating, with the accreditation program being the preferred cricket pitch curator program of Cricket Australia.

The program comprises four levels of accreditation, with structured development building from an introductory foundation level for inexperienced or volunteer curators through to in-depth training on advanced aspects of turf management and preparation of pitches for curators at venues hosting national and international fixtures. The accreditation program introduces pathways to expand learning and development, training and support opportunities for new and existing curators and increase the talent pool of skilled curators in Australia.

“This program reflects our shared commitment to the growth and development of cricket pitch curators,” says ASTMA chief executive Mark Unwin. “We know that Australia has some of the best curators in the world, and this accreditation program will help leverage these skills and experience to create a new standard of excellence within the industry, enabling curators to continue offering worldclass playing surfaces at all levels.”

Instrumental in the development of the program has been Adelaide Oval head curator and ASTMA Board member Damian Hough, who was a key part of the CWG. “The development of a national program has been a combined effort, highlighting the commitment everyone has to the continual improvement of pitch preparation at all levels within Australia.”

Adds Peter Roach, Cricket Australia’s head of cricket operations and scheduling: “The success of cricket often starts with the quality of the pitch, and we are delighted to be part

of this initiative. The accreditation program not only empowers curators but also enriches the cricketing experience for everyone.”

WHY THE NEED FOR AN ACCREDITATION PROGRAM? Sentiment expressed at a number of curator meetings and conferences in recent times has highlighted a series of key challenges presently being experienced by curators.

These include: l Widespread resourcing shortages: Cricket content has increased dramatically in recent years and staffing levels are often below suitable requirements for content being held or planned at the venue (both match day and non-match day), placing increased pressure on existing (limited) staff to prepare the volume of pitches and facilities required. l A limited volume of emerging curator talent: Limited career awareness, a shortage of qualified and experienced sports turf managers with curating experience, combined with limited learning and development opportunities, have resulted in a dearth of emerging talent across the industry. l Intensified work requirements during summer: Increased cricket content, limited staff and increased expectations from users on venue availability has resulted in existing curators and staff working excessive days/hours over peak periods.

Due to expanding fixtures of women’s, domestic and representative cricket, venue (and pitch) availability is being requested earlier each year. l Limited awareness of career opportunities: Historical tendencies toward ‘traditional trades’ coupled with limited awareness of the sports turf industry has resulted in low-level awareness of career opportunities available to students, parents and career advisors. l Mental health challenges are increasing: Curators have reported a wide range of mental health challenges in recent seasons. Curators are in very high-risk categories for mental health issues – predominantly a male demographic,

work alone or in small teams, are often disjointed from the organisations they work for, have extreme performance expectations, are under national media, stakeholder/user and public scrutiny, combating nature and the environment and restricted on time and resources. l Increased opportunities outside of cricket: Curators often work in the industry because they love what they do, however, sports turf management remains one of the lowest paid occupations for trade-qualified professionals. Significant talent leakage has occurred over the past decade to alternate industries or facilities for qualified sports turf managers, substantially depleting the future curator talent pipeline and available (experienced) staff.

Over the next few years, should the situation of increasing qualified and experienced cricket curators not be materially addressed, cricket in Australia is likely to find itself facing the prospect of a limited number of experienced curators being available, the results of which are forecasted to be: l An impact on the quality of facilities and pitches for local, domestic and elite cricket; l Limitations on the number of venues available to present cricket content; l Decreased availability and volume of practice facilities for local, junior, pathways and elite cricket; l Significantly restricted talent pipeline of curators to prepare and manage facilities nationally; and l An increase in the volume of qualified turf managers leaving the industry.

The implementation of a nationallyrecognised curator accreditation program provides an opportunity to address these challenges. It is designed to certify cricket pitch curators as skilled and knowledgeable practitioners who are committed to the consistent improvement of pitch preparation at all levels of cricket within Australia.

DEVELOPING A PATHWAY One of the key benefits of the Cricket Pitch Curator Accreditation Program is that it will open doors for aspiring curators, providing them with a structured path to develop

The new accreditation program has a four-level training pathway, with each level building on the knowledge and skills gained during the previous level

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

35

EDUCATION

The accreditation program introduces pathways to expand learning and development, training and support opportunities for new and existing curators and increase the talent pool of skilled curators in Australia

and advance their careers. By offering specialised training and resources, it provides opportunities for skills and knowledge development, supporting curators to advance in their profession.

The program ensures that curators across the country will have access to uniform and high-quality training content.

This standardisation has been developed to ensure every curator benefits from subject matter experts and leading curators to develop industry best practices, knowledge and techniques.

The program will introduce a standardised accreditation process, establishing clear benchmarks for cricket pitch curators.

Accreditation will not only signify a curator’s expertise, but also serve as a marker of excellence, increasing awareness of the profession of pitch curators.

The accreditation program has a four-level pathway for training to support and develop qualified cricket wicket curators, with each level building on the knowledge and skills gained during the level previous. The levels are:

l

l

l

Level 1 – Foundation Skills: Ideal for volunteers, new employees and refresher training, the entry level accreditation course develops awareness of what is involved in preparing and maintaining cricket surfaces in the lead-up to and during the playing season. The focus is on developing skills and knowledge awareness. Level 1 comprises six hours of learning plus online modules and accreditation assessment.

Level 2 – Expanded Learning: Ideal for experienced volunteers and professional development, the Level 2 accreditation course expands on Level 1. It introduces and explores more of the practical requirements and turf management theory involved in maintaining cricket surfaces.

Level 2 comprises 12 hours of learning plus online modules and accreditation assessment.

Level 3 – In-Depth Development: Geared towards experienced staff and curators at premium venues, the Level 3 accreditation course reinforces applied technical turf

management skills and knowledge by expanding on Level 2 knowledge. It explores aspects of turf culture which are applied in managing cricket pitches as well as leadership skills. Level 3 comprises 16 hours of learning plus online modules and accreditation assessment. l Level 4 – Advanced Pitch Preparation: Ideal for head curators, venue managers and experienced sports turf managers at Tier 1 facilities, Level 4 accreditation expands on technically advanced aspects of turf management and preparation of cricket pitches for Tier 1 venues hosting state, national and international fixtures.

Level 4 comprises 22 hours of learning plus online modules and accreditation assessment.

As indicated, at each level the curator will undertake a variety of training, including face-to-face practical sessions, online learning modules and course assessments. For example, those undertaking Level 1 will attend a pitch preparation training seminar after which they will complete an online training module discussing and reviewing the content covered at the seminar. The participant will then complete an online assessment demonstrating proficiency. Once they have successfully completed the assessment, the participant will receive a Statement of Attainment as a Nationally Recognised Curator – Level 1.

Curator accreditation will be valid for five years and curators are required to complete an up-to-date online learning program to retain their accreditation for Level 1 and Level 2.

Level 3 and Level 4 curators will either attend a one-day re-accreditation course to ensure skills and knowledge remain relevant to advancements in pitch preparation, technology and practices or assist in delivering a minimum number of Level 1 and/or Level 2 training courses over the period to ensure skills and knowledge remain relevant.

EXPERIENCE & PRIOR LEARNING State and national turf bodies have a long history of delivering curator training in Australia. The form and frequency of this varies from state to state, however, it is important to note that a number of curators have undertaken face-to-face practical training prior to the establishment of a national program.

Therefore, this program has established a method of qualifying this previous training in order to recognise existing curator training experiences appropriately. A ‘Prior Learning’ process establishes the recognition of previous training and contributes towards the completion of the new accreditation.

The accreditation program aims to address a number of current industry challenges, among them the increased usage demands and expectations being placed upon Australian cricketing venues

36

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

The Cricket Pitch Curator Accreditation Program will not require curators who have undertaken face-to-face pitch preparation training through a recognised state association within a defined ‘appropriate timeframe’ from having to complete a similar level of in-person training again. It will be the responsibility of each state association to determine their definition of an appropriate timeframe, however, the ASTMA recommends that: l Any curator who has attended recognised face-to-face pitch preparation training through a state association within the past 12 months be exempt from this requirement in completion of Level 1 and Level 2 training and be automatically enrolled to undertake online learning and course assessment. l State associations wanting to allow a timeframe other than the 12 months recommended will be required to obtain approval from the ASTMA. Prior learning for Levels 3 and 4 will be at the discretion of the ASTMA and the Cricket Australia Curator Working Group. Curators will be assigned a level based on their current position/experience/tenure/venue, previous curator training delivery experience, or will be asked to provide prior learning information and evidence to verify assignment.

A COMBINED EFFORT The ASTMA will manage the new accreditation program supporting Cricket Australia’s strategic objectives, including administration and reporting requirements, seminar registrations and engagement with state bodies. The ASTMA will produce and work with individual state associations to refine training guides for each accreditation level.

Training content and topics for each level are structured, however, utilising the skills and knowledge of local curators and subject matter experts, local curators and state associations will have flexibility to develop training content unique to their climate, environment and conditions. The scheduling and delivery of face-to-face training sessions will be co-ordinated by the respective state associations recognised by the ASTMA in each state. Dates, times, locations and frequency of face-to-face training will be managed by state associations to ensure suitability in scheduling within regions.

Training or registration fees associated to face-to-face training seminars will be allocated to state associations to ensure continued delivery and improvements to the accreditation program, with administration – including seminar registrations, online modules and accreditation assessments – to be managed by the ASTMA. State associations are critical in ensuring the localisation of content and localised engagement with sports turf

The accreditation program certifies cricket pitch curators as skilled and knowledgeable practitioners committed to the consistent improvement of pitch preparation at all levels of cricket within Australia

managers. The program has been developed to ensure a consistent approach to training topics and assessments, combined with a consistent frequency of training delivery.

Training under the Cricket Pitch Curator Accreditation Program will be delivered by a combination of: l Current curators at leading Australian facilities (Level 3 and Level 4 accredited); l Qualified trainers and assessors (in the Certificate III and Diploma of Sports Turf Management courses); l Leading agronomy consultants; l Experienced pitch curators; and l Sports turf managers, subject matter experts and players.

Current curators at leading Australian facilities who become involved in the program as trainers will be recognised for their involvement. Through the provision of training and accreditation to emerging curators, trainers will be not only be supporting emerging talent, but also assisting to improve curator/staff retention across the industry.

As well as increasing a future turf manager’s career opportunities, curators involved in training under the program can assist in sharing knowledge and experience, allowing them to feel an increased level of role appreciation and satisfaction. This can assist current and future curators to; l Build resilience, abilities and knowledge; l Develop and improve protective factors related to mental health; and l Provide curators with skills and confidence to understand early intervention.

Through involvement in the program, curators will be part of a strategy that will deliver tangible improvements to cricket in Australia, including: l Assisting in shaping the skills and knowledge of next generation talent; l Learning to value curating tradition and innovation; l Providing an opportunity to learn and network, as well as teach; and l Building positive relationships with administrators, players and the wider cricket community.

SUPPORTING CA The Cricket Pitch Curator Accreditation Program aligns to and assists to deliver on several of Cricket Australia’s strategic objectives as outlined in its five-year vision for the sport. The accreditation program will assist Cricket Australia in delivering on measures for success relating to a number of key pillars contained within its Strategic Plan, including: l Driving investment in venues and facilities that enhance experiences; l Championing inclusion, positive social impact and sustainability; l Attracting and retaining the best talent; and l Deepening partnerships with other purpose-driven organisations that support the vision of Australian cricket.

The establishment of an accreditation and pathway program also aligns with Cricket Australia’s existing programs in place for coaches and umpires. The curator accreditation program provides a standardised national program for Cricket Australia, supported and delivered by the ASTMA and recognised state associations.

For more information on the Cricket Pitch Curator Accreditation Program, contact the ASTMA on (03) 9548 8600 or visit www.astma. com.au and look under the ‘Education’ tab.

Accreditation not only signifies a curator’s expertise, but also serves as a marker of excellence, increasing awareness of the profession

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

37

JOHN NEYL AN

What happened to

El Niño?

Despite an El Niño event being declared in spring, the warmer and drier conditions that traditionally accompany such an event didn’t eventuate for many parts of southeast Australia

ATM columnist and expert agronomist John Neylan reflects on an interesting summer season

I

and also looks at sand testing and the importance of correct methodology.

n October 2023, I presented at a Parks and Leisure Australia seminar in Tasmania about preparing for an El Niño summer and the longer term prospects of climate change and the impacts on turf management.

In September 2023, the Bureau of Meteorology released a statement declaring that El Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) were underway. The statement read that warmer and drier conditions would be more likely over spring and summer for parts of Australia under the influence of these two climate drivers. Based on history, it was considered that warm and dry conditions were more likely to persist over eastern Australia until autumn, with El Niño events typically increasing the risk of extreme temperature shifts, like heatwaves and hotter days.

Interestingly, the Bureau of Meteorology also stated: “Although most major Australian droughts have been associated with El Niño, analysis of past El Niño events shows that widespread drought does not occur with every event, and the strength of an El Niño is not directly proportional to the rainfall impacts. For example, during the very strong El Niño that occurred in 1997-98, impacts on rainfall were generally confined to coastal southeastern 38

Australia and Tasmania, while the relatively weak event of 2002-03 saw widespread and significant drought.” This sums up everything we know about the weather in that regardless of the best predictions there can be unpredictable outcomes.

The Bureau of Meteorology has produced a useful one-page document that is available through their website (www.bom.gov.au) which highlights what we might expect as well as the variables. Some of the key points are include: l El Niño usually develops in autumn to winter and begins to decay in the summer.

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

On average they occur every 3-5 years.

Every El Niño is different. In 2002 it was drier than normal and in 2015 it was wetter than normal. Maybe the 2023-24 event is going to prove to be wetter than normal in many areas. l Seven out of the 10 hottest years on record were in an El Niño year or the following year. l Reduced rainfall for eastern Australia. l Warmer daytime temperatures in southern Australia. l Increased risk of extreme heat.

The challenges we were expecting included increased heat stress, increased evaporation, greater water demand, greater disease pressure and localised dry spot.

So, what happened to the El Niño summer we were all expecting and which didn’t eventuate? From an agronomist’s perspective it appears to have been one of the ‘off-years’, most probably for a number of complex meteorological reasons. What we did experience were several high rainfall events and high humidity along the eastern seaboard.

The impacts from my observations have been interesting and no less stressful on the turf and for the turf managers who have had to contend with them. They include: l l

An increase in disease activity. Diseases such as pythium have been actively targeted with preventative fungicides due to the high soil moisture and high humidity.

ERI fungi or patch disease has also popped up, again related to the humid and wet weather. l Where the turf was affected by disease there was also a high infestation of mites. l Increased persistence of Poa annua. In southern Australia, Poa annua was under stress in late August/early September 2023. Australia’s September total rainfall was 70.8 per cent below the 1961-1990 average for the month (www.bom. gov.au) and the national area-average mean temperature was 2.43°C warmer than the 1961-1990 average, the thirdwarmest on record (since 1910). Warm and dry, the perfect killer of Poa annua.

The dry weather persisted in all states and territories except Victoria with below average rainfall for October. The weather turned in November 2023 through until January 2024 where there was above average rainfall and it was noticeable that there were new germinations of Poa annua and recovery of plants that had previously been under stress. Given the rainfall events it is likely that the pre-emergent herbicides in the soil were broken down due to the high rainfall. l While it is difficult to quantify, there has been a lot of summergrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) germination. l New couch plantings have been, in part, compromised by increased weed germination and low temperatures early in the summer. l Damage to turf due to waterlogging. l Bunker washouts and general damage.

The climate/weather at any particular site is a major contributor to turf maintenance demands. The information around the broader topic of climate change indicates that there will be: l An increase in the stresses on turfgrass. l Change in the growth patterns. l Variations will not be uniform. This is an important consideration in that every location needs to be monitored, the risks identified and strategies implemented. l Heat and drought stress. l Increased pressure from diseases, insects and weeds. The increase in humidity has certainly favoured diseases such as pythium and most golf course superintendents are actively applying fungicides on creeping bentgrass greens. l Extreme rain events and high humidity.

This has certainly been the situation since late November through until January 2024.

The Golf Course 2030 Australia (GC2030) document released by the l

Conditions that have prevailed this summer have seen an increase in mite infestations where turf has been impacted by disease (left) as well as the increased persistence of Poa annua (right)

Australian Golf Industry Council in 2022 provides an insight into the future challenges faced by golf clubs as it relates to the environment and sustainability. The GC2030 report acknowledges the challenges and consequences of managing golf courses as the golf industry attempts to cope with the climatic stresses while sustaining high quality playing surfaces.

Having to deal with increasing temperatures, extremes in rainfall from drought to floods and increasing humidity, it is going to be impossible to manage turf without additional resources and a more flexible acceptance that there will be variations in the quality of playing surfaces. There is little doubt that the turf industry is experiencing all of these challenges. The challenge is whether we are planning far enough ahead to minimise the impacts.

The Bureau of Meteorology website is a mine of useful information when planning for the weather, irrespective of whether it is an El Niño event or the broader impact of climate change. There is a page of information as regards to risk management and El Niño and La Niña events (see references below).

To manage the risk that El Niño and La Niña present, it is important to monitor the status of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and to be aware that no two El Niño or La Niña episodes, or their impacts upon Australia, are identical.

Recommended actions that are pertinent to turf management include: l Monitoring the probabilities (chances) of an event occurring (refer to the Bureau’s ‘ENSO Wrap Up’ web pages). l During an event, keeping a regular watch on the Bureau’s seasonal climate outlooks for information on the season (three-months) ahead for both rainfall and temperature.

Watching the Bureau’s weather forecasts, such as the Water and Land rainfall, for information about the likelihood of shortterm events that may have an impact. l Watching the Bureau’s official warnings that may alert you to significant short-term events that may affect your turf facility.

All turf managers are weather watchers on a day-to-day basis but probably don’t look too far into the future. In keeping with the GC2030 plan, risk management planning into the future is still required. l

ERI FUNGI Ectotrophic root infecting (ERI) fungi have been much-talked about over the past 20 years and the concerns tend to rise and fall depending on whether there has been a significant outbreak or not. The work of Dr Percy Wong and Gary Beehag has been instrumental in having a better understanding of the pathogens involved with these patch diseases and in particular the more prevalent BF1. However, there has been no progress related to understanding its occurrence and management/control.

With the recent wet and humid weather, outbreaks of what appeared to be ERI-related diseases were observed. The challenge then was to identify it and to come up with a control strategy. The problem in Australia is that accurate identification has been mainly left to Dr Wong. While there are several labs that do some microscopic identification and can broadly suggest that it is an ERI pathogen, definitive identification is lacking. Many of the labs are also associated with product suppliers and therefore there is a chemical approach to control that may or may not work.

Through the advocacy of Gary Beehag, samples were able to be sent to the NSW Department of Primary Industries’ NSW JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 39

PHOTOS: DARREN ASHDOWN, CIVILTEST

JOHN NEYL AN

Pictured top row – dry soil before washing (left) and soil plus dispersion agent (right); Middle row – silt and clay particles in solution (left) and water clear after washing leaving the sand particles (right). Above – sand remaining following the washing process

Animal and Plant Health Laboratories. The NSW DPI has been working with Dr Wong in understanding the pathogens involved with ERI and to be able to provide a diagnostic service.

Why did we need such an accurate diagnosis?

In this situation BF1 had been previously diagnosed and the concern was that it was back. BF1 has been around for many years now and it has spread around the country in part by infected plant material and potentially via golfers. It can be the worst of the patch diseases once it gets a hold.

40

At the 2023 Australian Sports Turf Management Conference, a workshop on ERI disease management was conducted with expert plant pathologists and turf agronomists providing their insights on the topic. A key take home message from the workshop was that the turf industry had progressed a long way in identifying numerous fungal organisms that can be generally termed as ERI and cause a variety of patch-type symptoms. What was yet unanswered is how do the different species react to management treatments.

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

With any disease outbreak there are several key questions that must be answered and in the case of the aforementioned samples sent for analysis it was no different: l What is the pathogen or pathogens involved? The pathogen(s) are yet to be confirmed by DPI NSW. l With a disease complex, which is the most damaging pathogen? Again, this is still to be determined. l What are the underlying soil and thatch conditions? The agronomic factors that were likely to be contributing to the disease included soil compaction and high traffic/wear. l What were the environmental triggers?

The wet and humid weather were ideal conditions for disease to occur.

The next question was how to control it?

A general strategy was implemented focusing on soil aeration, improved soil drainage, traffic control, balanced nutrition and drenching with fungicides registered for ERI fungi. It was an educated, agronomist’s shotgun approach with no research to lean on.

So where are we at as an industry? A small industry survey undertaken by Bruce Macphee of AGCSATech (ASTMA) indicated that ERI diseases were widespread, however, there was very little accurate diagnostics undertaken. It was concluded that the available information was scattered and most turf managers were managing the symptoms or reducing the severity of the disease with a mix of strategies.

At the conference workshop there were several key strategies that were identified that needed to be undertaken as an industry including: l Improved plant pathology; l Consolidation of information from all sources; l Undertake field research; l Collect samples; and l Undertake field trials.

The next question is who is going to take on the responsibility of improving our knowledge base? A national approach would be preferrable but I suspect what may occur will be that the individual state associations will undertake their own work. While not ideal, the pragmatist in me believes that at least something will get done.

SAND TESTING Over the past 18 months I have been involved with a lot of sand testing and quality control programs on large construction projects. It has highlighted to me yet again that proper analysis and interpretations are key. I can’t believe at times that we still need to raise this subject, however, we continue to see poor results coming from some so-called soil testing laboratories. The most recent concerns have related to the way that the particle

size distribution (PSD) of sand samples is determined. In particular, it is whether a PSD is determined by washed sieving or dry sieving.

Washed sieving involves dispersing the soil sample in water with a dispersing agent (e.g. Calgon®) and then washing it through a 0.053mm sieve (see photos opposite). Only sand will be left which is dried and then sieved.

With samples that are dry sieved there is a chance that clay and silt particles will adhere to the sand particles and aren’t picked up in the <0.053mm or silt plus clay fraction. A typical result is detailed in Table 1 below where the sample actually has seven per cent silt and clay where the dry sieving failed to register any material in this fraction.

In another recent example, a sand sample was recorded as having a trace of silt and

clay and a drainage rate of <10mm/hr. It was difficult to equate on face value the result when there is no silt or clay and no drainage rate.

When a washed sieve was undertaken, the sand contained five per cent silt and clay. A dry sample of the sand had a definite crust which is an indicator of the presence of silt and clay particles and effectively ‘gluing’ the particles together. As with the sample in Table 1, these fine particles were adhering to the coarse sand fraction.

McIntyre and Jakobsen (1998) have always emphasised the importance of washed sieve analysis as opposed to dry sieving. In the USGA's 2018 recommendations for a method of putting green construction (under standard ASTM F1632-03 (2018) Standard Test Method for Particle Size Analysis and Sand Shape

TABLE 1: DRY SIEVE V WASHED SIEVE

Parameter Particle Description

2.0mm Fine gravel 1.0mm Very coarse sand 0.500mm Coarse sand 0.250mm Medium sand 0.150mm Fine sand 0.053mm Very fine sand PAN (<0.053mm) Silt plus clay

Sample 1 Dry Sieve Washed Sieve (% retained) (% retained) Trace 0 1 3 32 23 37 37 20 18 11 11 <1 7

Grading of Golf Course Putting Green and Sports Field Rootzone Mixes) they determine the silt and clay percentages by sedimentation.

This includes dispersing the sample in water and a dispersion agent so that all of the particles are separated. The bottom line is that dry sieving is not acceptable.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE l Determine the experience of the laboratory and quality systems they have in place. l Ask what test methods are used and request an outline of the methodologies used in the analysis. Make sure that they do a washed sieve. l Make sure the report includes all of the relevant information (i.e. hydraulic conductivity, bulk density, capillary porosity and aeration porosity). l If you are happy with a laboratory, stay with them. Even between laboratories using the same test methods, the results can vary.

REFERENCES BOM (2017). El Nino in Australia www. bom.gov.au/climate/enso/images/El-Nino-inAustralia.pdf.

BOM. Risk Management and El Niño and La Niña www.bom.gov.au/watl/about-weather-andclimate/risk/risk-enso.shtml.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 41

PETER McMAUGH AM

Not easy being

green Peter McMaugh AM puts on his scientific hat to examine the photosynthetic process and how it makes turf the colour that it is.

G

rasses vary in colour naturally from the section of the light spectrum that they reflect. The particular shade of green that is special to each plant variety can be clearly described by using selective colour chart systems. The one that is favoured

by Plant Breeders Rights examiners and the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants is the colour chart system developed by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in the United Kingdom.

What makes these charts particularly useful with plants is they take countenance 42

of the slight shades of grey that occur in nature. There is nothing to stop you using the most widely used colour system worldwide, Pantone, which is what just about every printed colour and paint relies on. This also rolls over into the colour of green in the various, now generally discarded, camera film types and into the digitised colours you get in electronic cameras. Take three different makes of camera, one plant and you can mostly get three different shades of green recorded.

Each swatch of green in an RHS chart has four slightly different shades of that colour labelled A, B, C and D. So with grasses you

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

might get a leaf colour description of three Buffalo grasses as being ‘146C’, ‘147A’ and ‘147C’ for your plant identification description.

This is the colour that you see and you see it because your retinal cones pick up these reflected wavelengths and transmit a message to your brain library of the colour green.

So what goes on in the plant leaf to produce that specific colour? We primarily associate the colour green with chlorophyll which is a haeme (carbon ring) protein molecule. It is activated by photons of light hitting it, displacing an electron which becomes ‘excited’ and as it falls back into its

The subtle differences in green that we see in turfgrass plants are all related to the complex photosynthetic process

natural energy orbit passes the excited energy via an electron to four individual proteins in a chain, step by step, one electron at a time.

The time taken for each step in this cascade is measured in milliseconds.

Until recently the exact process in the fourth step had been a mystery. The fourth step is where water is split to produce oxygen.

By using a tunnelling electron microscope and ultra-high speed X-rays, the secret of this fourth step has been solved. Its resolution revolves around the speed of the transfer which is now known. This still, however, doesn’t explain the subtle differences in green we see in plants.

Plants contain two forms of chlorophyll – ‘a’ and ‘b’. Chlorophyll ‘a’ shows up as blue green and chlorophyll ‘b’ shows up as yellow green. It is a very interesting phenomenon that most turfgrass scientists show a preference for grasses which have a predominance of chlorophyll ‘a’.

Does this totally explain the difference we see between yellow green and dark green grasses? Not quite because embedded in the membranes that hold the chlorophyll is a mix of other pigments including carotenoids, violaxanthins (yellowish) and oxygencontaining xanthophylls. Added to this are

the anthocyanin pigments which increase the darkness of the green, or in the case of Queensland blue couch and blue fescues gives them their purplish sheen.

The biggest difference in performance at the molecular level is that when blue pigments are excited the electrons jump to a higher energy level but also decay quicker to the red level. The energy transfer one photon at a time to the reaction centre follows the Stark-Einstein law. Trust him to have his name everywhere.

One of the mystifying things we observe is how individual plants differ in their reactions to differing light sources and differing light intensities. In the language I have used so far, I have been saying that you see green because that wavelength is what is reflected and therefore not used by plants to gain energy.

This is not strictly true. There are a number of ‘tango-like’ exercises within the photosynthetic systems which enable plants to effectively, if not completely, use the whole of the visible spectrum to capture energy.

The first of these through the Calvin Cycle (or C3 system) is the way chlorophylls ‘a’ and ‘b’ extract their maximum amount of energy at slightly different points in the spectrum.

Figure 1 (page 44) is a typical graph used to demonstrate this. These results are achieved with separated molecules in a laboratory.

You will note two things about the overall spectrum. The level of light absorbed at the blue end is higher than at the red end of the spectrum. It is the sum of the two peaks which makes the energy capture almost equal, with chlorophyll ‘a’ being slightly better.

This isn’t the whole story because the other pigments we detailed earlier have a different energy capturing spectrum, filling in the middle area of the previous graph. When you put them together you get a total action spectrum (Figure 2, page 44) which from field work has shown a consistent shape for more than 20 species studied.

In live plant leaves it is these pigments which absorb the reflected light which is bounced around the chlorophyll molecules, a bit like balls on a snooker table, until more than 50 per cent of it is absorbed. In this process the absorption spectrum of the carotenoids moves from the blue portion to the green portion. This raises the absorption of this part of the spectrum to about 56 per cent of the available energy.

One of the things that greatly influences the overall energy capturing efficiency of the Calvin Cycle is that nature realised that it wasn’t maximising its energy capture process JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

43

PETER McMAUGH AM

Figure 2. Pattern of light absorption for multiple plant species

Figure 1. Chlorophyll ‘a’ and ‘b’ absorptivity along the light spectrum. Chlorophyll ‘a’ shows up as blue green and chlorophyll ‘b’ shows up as yellow green. ‘C’ represents the ‘carotenoid’ pigments

with just one process. So it did what engineers do when a train reaches an incline that it can’t surmount with its primary power – it adds another engine.

It took quite a while for scientists studying the C3 (Calvin Cycle) photosynthetic system to realise that there were two systems capturing energy and working in tandem – Photosystem II (PSII) and Photosystem I (PSI). It is rather incongruous that PSII is actually the first bit of the activity chain and PSI is the second, but that is how dopey scientists are. When these two ‘engines’ work together, the Calvin Cycle system reaches its peak energy capture.

For the maximum efficiency of the overall photosynthetic process, each photosystem has to receive input of the same number of photons per time unit. Most scientists until 1980 believed that the two photosystems were in equal ratios in each chloroplast. But detailed work with flowering plants in shade showed ratios varied from 0.43 to 4.1. The higher ratios were found in plants growing in deep shade – the deeper the shade the higher the ratio.

At the immediate metabolic level, a redistribution of energy occurs from PSII to PSI. For this to happen, some complex movement of the pigments we have previously talked about occurs due to the proteins they are embedded in becoming mobile. Here we see shade adaption occurring at the molecular level but it also occurs anatomically in some grasses with great plasticity in leaf size, especially in Buffalo grasses which can expand leaf width by as much as four times. There are major implications for plant anatomy in this which we will address a little later.

The Calvin Cycle (C3) was the ‘gospel’ of carbon dioxide capture and energy capture in carbohydrates from the 1940s to the 1960s when an alternative system was identified in 44

some tropical grasses and crops. The initial work was done in sugar cane and two of the big players in this were Dr Hatch and Dr Slack from the Sugarcane Experimental Bureau Station in Queensland, a part of CSIRO. As an undergraduate student in the Botany School at Sydney University, for me this was an unexpected bonus of first point of contact because CSIRO had a plant physiology lab embedded in the school. This is what you dream of as a student, being right at the cutting face of science.

This groundbreaking piece of knowledge changed the way we talked and thought about turfgrasses. It put a scientific base under the way we viewed the different behaviour of C3 and C4 grasses. Suddenly a lot of things that hadn’t really made sense had a rational explanation. Among these was the work I did with the herbicide Siduron in taking warmseason grasses selectively out of cool-season ones. All the early work by DuPont in the screening of Siduron was done with barley which is a C3 plant. The PEP or C4 system obviously hadn’t entered their thinking that early on.

The discovery of the C4 system showed that its big advantage was the more efficient energy use in its capture of CO2 and adding it to an already present 4-carbon sugar to build the 6-carbon sugar glucose. The C3 system needed the capture of 3-carbon atoms and joins two C3 compounds to get the 6-carbon glucose. Once it achieved the 6-carbon molecule this was in turn processed into organic acids by the well explored part of the Calvin Cycle with which it connected.

The other part of the puzzle that made its energy capture and transport more efficient belonged to differences in the anatomy of the leaf structure. In Dr Jim Beard’s Turfgrass

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

Science and Culture (1973, p44) there are two statements which are very interesting – “The primary site of photosynthesis is in the mesophyll tissue of green leaves” and “The efficiency of photosynthetic utilisation of light is lower in plants that fix CO2 by the C4 dicarboxylic acid path than for Calvin Cycle plants”.

These two statements show that Jim did not have a good mastery of the PEP or C4 cycle at the time of publishing. The first statement is certainly true for Calvin Cycle plants, but it is not the picture for C4 plants where the chlorophyll packed in the chloroplasts is concentrated much more tightly around the vascular bundles. This tight packing means that you require high light intensity to penetrate deeply into the tissue to get light saturation of the chlorophyll.

The second statement is just plain wrong.

This was the subject of some embarrassment for me at Michigan State University when John Kaufman, one of Jim’s very bright post graduate students, put the book in front of me and asked very directly whether I thought it wrong. I had to say yes. I had only met Jim about two weeks prior. It was just the first of many things about which I crossed swords with Jim. Our friendly differences led to his wife Harriet remarking on Jim’s passing that she would miss our jousting.

One of the very sobering things that this article illustrates well is the long timelines over which much of the discovery recorded here stretches. From the late 1930s right through to the late 1980s there was a period of 50 years of constant interrogation and observation, often requiring huge refinement in scientific techniques, until 2024 where we are still unearthing new knowledge with more refined scientific tools. This makes almost a 75-year time span to get to where we are today.

There is a great deal more complex biochemistry and physiology in plants which ties much of the produce of photosynthesis to other plant reactions such as stress and stress proteins. Stress in plants is very disruptive of photosynthesis because it relies on splitting water to release the electrons and provide oxygen for a green world. It is the colour green which started this article and it is fitting that it is what brings us to an end here.

NEW

MAKING GOOD TURF

GREAT

FROM TEE TO GREEN PRIMO MAXX® II Turf growth regulator is a completely new formulation designed to meet the ever increasing regulatory hurdles and secure the long term future of this key management tool for turf managers. Users should continue to apply the rates they have always used and can be confident of achieving the same great results while applying less active ingredient.

To find out more about PRIMO MAXX® II

visit syngentaturf.com.au

Always refer to product label. Syngenta Australia Pty Ltd, Level 1, 2 Lyonpark Road, Macquarie Park NSW 2113.

ABN 33 002 933 717. ®Registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. ™Trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

All products written in uppercase are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. ©Syngenta 2023. AD 23-391.

JOHN FORREST

46

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

Compost considerations ATM columnist John Forrest looks at the considerations when using compost as an organic fertiliser and stresses the importance of knowing what you are applying.

A

s turf managers, the practice of monitoring nutrient applications is not just routine, it’s essential. Our nutrient application spreadsheet is more than just a tool; it’s a vital guide that details the products, quantities and nutrient rates applied. This spreadsheet is a critical benchmark that informs our future applications, aids in budget compilation and guides our responses. It meticulously records each nutrient application, enabling us to track and adjust our nutrient usage over time, thereby ensuring optimal plant growth.

To calculate the amount of nutrients to apply, start by identifying the fertiliser rate and the percentage of nutrients in that fertiliser.

Then apply this straightforward formula…

PHOTOS: JOHN FORREST

Application rate of fertiliser (kg/ha) x (% nutrient/100) = kg nutrient/ha.

This simple calculation will give you the exact amount of nutrients you are applying. An example would be 200kg of ammonia sulphate (21 per cent nitrogen) which would equate to 200 x 21/100 = 42kg/N/ha. This equation can be used no matter what fertiliser is applied to calculate the rate of nutrients and then a comparison between products can be made to determine the cost per kilogram of nutrients.

Of course, effectiveness is also vital as many other microenvironment factors play a role, but it is an important starting point.

The best strategy is to determine the targeted nutrient rate you wish to apply and convert it into a fertiliser rate. For example, if you’re considering a fertiliser with 15 per cent nitrogen and aim to apply 42kg of nitrogen, compare this with the previous calculation using ammonia sulphate. This process is not just about comparing different fertilisers, it’s about making an informed decision to choose A poor quality compost with a high percentage of fines can cause water to be held on or near the surface

Water squeezed from a turf profile containing compost

the most cost-effective and efficient option for your specific needs. This approach not only optimises nutrient application but also promotes environmental conservation.

In this instance the equation is: Rate of nutrient x 100/percentage of nutrient in fertiliser. So, 42kg x 100/15 = 280kg/ha of the fertiliser with 15 per cent nitrogen is needed to apply the same amount of nutrient as the ammonia sulphate that would only need to be applied at 200kg/ha.

Over-application of nutrients can lead to runoff into water bodies on heavier soil and leaching on porous or sandy profiles, causing pollution and harming aquatic life. Our goal as turf managers should always be to apply just enough to meet the plant’s growth requirements.

One of those factors is our role in understanding nutrient release. We must control this aspect as much as possible to ensure our applications meet the crop requirement. This holds true whether we’re dealing with a food crop or, in our case, turf.

With this knowledge, we are in control.

An integral part of nutrient applications is the calculations showing how much nutrient is being applied to set targets that meet the

minimum amount of nutrients to reach targeted plant growth outcomes. In Western Australia, in years gone by, there was a fertiliser register that gave the percentage of nutrients in each registered fertiliser. It is now industryregulated and we trust what is written on the bag. Obviously, there are many variations in nutrient release rates such as soil temperature, pH, moisture levels, type of soil and impact of irrigation applied or rainfall.

Nutrient applications can be organic or inorganic, but both forms are converted into those that the plant can access and utilise. Soil chemistry and microbial populations also play an essential role and understanding your turf area assists in making the right decisions.

John Neylan, in his article ‘Assessing organic amendments’ that appeared in the last edition of Australian Turfgrass Management (Volume 25.6, Nov-Dec 2023), makes the clear statement – “Test, test and test again.” It is essential to know the amount of nutrients that are applied, whether they are water soluble, controlled release or organic. Some are readily available and others are converted into plantavailable forms in the soil.

COMPOST As Neylan noted in his article, there has recently been a push to use organic fertiliser, particularly composts. Theoretically, this appears to be a sound idea. Improving microbial activity in the soil makes sense, but in looking at organic fertiliser we do not want to lose sight of the fact that they can pollute groundwater or surface waters just as any other source of the nutrient can.

Topdressing with compost is common here in Perth because of the observed response.

The question that should be asked is how much nutrient is being applied. If 10mm of compost is being spread across the surface of a 10,000m2 playing field, that equates to 100m3 – 0.01 (10mm) x 10000m2 (ha) = 100m3.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

47

JOHN FORREST

Compost that has high levels of salts, sodium and chloride can cause turf burn after application

Compost has a bulk density around 0.6, so – 100m3 x 0.6 = 60 tonnes of compost/ha or 60,000kg/ha.

Recently we tested two composts that had been used on sportsfields in Perth (see Table 1 below). One of the fields was exhibiting significant yellowing of the kikuyu turf, while the other was very drought stressed. Both were struggling to obtain sufficient turf coverage prior to the start of winter sports training.

Sample 1 contained 0.26 per cent N when mixed with sand in an 80/20 sand/ compost mix, which equates to 300.2kgN/ ha. Phosphorus was 84.5kg/ha which is high and would not be considered unless the soil had the capacity to retain the phosphorus

(information is needed on the Phosphorus Retention Index to determine the soil’s ability to retain phosphorus). If the profile is saturated with phosphorus, any applied will be easily leached, especially on sandy soils. Sodium was 79.8kg/ha and chloride 74.8kg/ha.

Sample 2 contained 1.82 per cent N calculated at 1089.5kgN/ha. Phosphorus was calculated to be 620.2kg/ha which is a very high amount. Potassium was 1265.3kg/ha and sodium 350.1kg/ha.

Using soil tissue and water analysis is vital to make informed decisions when applying nutrients. If compost is to be used for nutrients as a fertiliser, a specification sheet is needed to be able to calculate how much nutrient is

TABLE 1. COMPOST SAMPLE ANALYSIS Analyte Units

Total Nitrogen %w/w Calcium %w/w Iron %w/w Magnesium %w/w Phosphorous %w/w Potassium %w/w Sodium %w/w Total Nitrogen Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorous Potassium Sodium

%w/w %w/w %w/w %w/w %w/w %w/w %w/w

Compost Sample 1 (19/1/24) Oven-dry As-received Application Applied kg basis basis rate (kg/ha) nutrient/ha 0.28 0.26 300.2 0.95 0.88 1015.3 0.56 0.52 116,000 601.8 0.06 0.06 100m2 68.9 0.08 0.07 Bulk Density 84.5 0.16 0.14 1.16 167.2 0.07 0.07 79.8 Compost Sample 2 (15/11/23) 3.62 1.82 1089.5 3.13 1.57 941.2 0.59 0.30 60,000 177.3 1.44 0.72 100m2 433.5 2.06 1.03 Bulk Density 620.2 4.21 2.11 0.6 1265.3 1.16 0.58 350.1

TABLE 2. PSD OF COMPOST IN TURF PROFILE Sieve Size (mm) > 3.35 > 2.00 1.00 0.5 – 1.00 0.25 – 0.5 0.15 – 0.25 0.05 – 0.15 < 0.05

Description % Retained* Sub-soil profile Gravel 0% 11% Fine gravel < 3% Total particles 2% Very coarse sand < 10% 1.5% Coarse sand Total particles 17.3% Medium sand > 60% 44.9% Fine sand < 20% 11.2% Very fine sand < 5% Total particles 4.3% Silt + clay < 5% < 10% 7.9%

*USGA specification recommendations

48

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

being applied. These can be obtained from reputable suppliers. A common comment is that the turf greens up after the compost topdressing. If the equivalent nutrient rate were used in applying nutrition from other sources, it would also green up significantly.

Another concern is applying compost that has high levels of salts, sodium and chloride. Applying compost to the turf’s surface increases the moisture at the top of the profile. If there are high salts and moisture on the surface, water uptake could be impacted by salt-induced water deficit. That is where salts around the root system slow osmosis, so understanding the number of salts being applied and the water quality is essential.

Drainage from the top of the soil profile allows salts to move out of fibrous roots and during hot summer days a saturated surface can lead to wet wilt where the turf is scalded.

Undoubtedly recycling organic waste is essential to horticulture (turf management) and agriculture. The benefits are well-known and will play an essential part in the future of soils and plant growth. It is an industry that has to ensure standards are known and followed.

Looking at a turf surface with compost applied and seeing gravel and pieces of wood is not the solution. A particle size distribution (PSD) that has too many large particles (gravel) or compost standards (Australian Standard 4454 – 2012 Compost, soil conditioners and mulches) that can be met with larger pieces of wood may be okay for gardens, but clearly not for an active sports turf surface.

Compost is a pasteurised material resulting from compostable organic waste’s controlled, microbiological transformation under aerobic and thermophilic conditions for not less than six weeks (Compost Guideline 2019 EPA SA).

When purchasing compost from a reputable supplier, the expectation would be to have a specification sheet with the nutrient levels included. Informed decisions can then be made on the amount and type of nutrients that are being supplied. Other considerations when using compost include; l Wood material: One of the diseases that creates significant issues in turf is fairy ring which is caused by basidiomycetes that grow and decompose dead wood. Adding more within the thatch layer may increase the likelihood of creating a suitable environment for their development. Once again, this highlights the importance of working with a reputable supplier. l Layers in the soil profile: One of the messages in turf management is to try not to create layers in your soil profile. When topdressing, putting coarser particle size over finer has been the practice. Matching your topdressing with the existing profile can be done by testing the PSD. If fine soil is put on the top, the pore space variation

l

will mean a slight perching will occur at the interface between the finer soil and the coarser particles. Table 2 (left) shows a PSD analysis from a poor quality compost layer in a turf profile showing a higher number of fines than recommended by the USGA, in addition to an unacceptably high percentage of gravel.

Burning: If the compost applied is burning the turf, then the salt content may be too high. Salts, such as sodium and chloride, are more of a concern than potassium.

SUMMARY This article is not a criticism of composts or their use, but an overview of the importance of quality-verified products. More research is required on nutrient release rates (e.g. how much is released up front) and what the ideal temperatures are to apply compost for nutrient release. What level do temperatures need to drop to before microbial activity slows to the point where insufficient nutrients are released and how long before more is required?

A move to environmentally sustainable products is important for the future of our industry, but at the same time knowledge of what is being applied and its impact on the turf is the responsibility of all turf managers. Some key points to consider if using compost…

Wood chips and gravel in compost may be acceptable in a garden situation but is unlikely to be without consequence for an active sports turf surface and shouldn’t be applied l

l

Apply at a rate that will intermingle with the existing profile and not create layers.

Fine layers of soil can compact and hold surface water in winter.

Compost containing gravel and large wood particles should not be applied to active sports turf surfaces.

l

l

l l

Know the microenvironment and the salt levels in the soil and water.

Is the compost mature enough not to cause damage to the turf from burning?

What nutrients are required and amounts?

Use a compost with a proven track record that is backed up by verifiable data.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

49

AGC SATECH UPDATE The Air2G2 unit is highly effective at shattering compacted layers deeper within the profile of sports turf surfaces

Getting

T

raditional renovation practices are often disruptive to playing surfaces, particularly on fine turf surfaces such as putting greens.

With less time allotted for turf managers to undertake the works required to maintain optimal growing conditions throughout the year, they are always looking at other options to assist in maintaining high quality turf surfaces.

There is a wide range of equipment currently available to the turf manager to assist in maintaining turf, with the more traditional methods causing disruption for several weeks.

Increased pressure from members, impact on cash flow with fewer visitors throughout the recovery period and very busy schedules have led turf managers to look for other options.

The concept of compressed air injection is not a new one, with developments occurring simultaneously in both the turf and arboriculture industries. While slightly different, the concept is the same – fracturing the soil which allows increased aeration and percolation of water through a compacted soil profile with minimal disturbance of the surface.

Glen Black is credited with developing the technology and idea in the early 1970s where a single tine was used to inject high pressure air into troublesome areas on greens. That would lead to the development of the Air2G2 50

air

AGCSATech senior agronomist Bruce Macphee presents the findings from some recent trial work assessing the effectiveness of the Air2G2 unit. unit the industry knows today. Other similar devices have come and gone during that time, with the Air2G2 unit launched in 2011. The unit (pictured above) consists of three probes 600mm apart, providing a working width of 1.8 metres. The probes can be inserted to a maximum depth of 300mm with the ability to fire compressed air at two depths as the probes penetrate the soil profile.

As with all turf surfaces, there are various options available to complete renovation works, primarily relieving compaction or physical removal of thatch. With these methods there is often an additional consequence – disruption of the surface, extended recovery or in some cases the development of a hard pan within the profile as a result of impact from hollow coring or solid tining.

In 2022, AGCSATech, the ASTMA’s technical division, established a small trial

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

on the 5th green at Frankston Golf Club in southeast Melbourne, Victoria to assess the length of time and effects from one Air2G2 treatment at various depths throughout the green profile. The green selected was of mature age (30-plus years) with a surface consisting of a creeping bentgrass and Poa annua mix. The green was a push-up construction comprising medium fine local sands typical of those occurring within the Melbourne Sandbelt, with a thatch and sand layer about 40mm thick.

AGCSATech proposed to investigate the length of time the effects of one treatment lasted, the effect on infiltration rate, soil compaction, root growth and where changes occurred at various depths within the profile.

Several other trials have been conducted in the past on the effects of the Air2G2 unit (see references). Some of the previous research focussed on the physical changes to the profile, soil porosity, soil bulk density, surface hardness, infiltration, root depth, effect on microbial populations and green speed.

METHODOLOGY The green used for this study had not been previously treated with an Air2G2 unit and was given a single treatment on 25 July 2023 which is mid-winter in Melbourne, with soil temperatures typically below 12°C and growth

is at a minimum. Prior to treatment the greens were assessed for infiltration, average thatch depth, average root depth and compaction resistance at 100mm, 175mm, 225mm and 300mm depths.

l

l

RESULTS INFILTRATION Infiltration rate was assessed using a single ring infiltrometer with the results showing the surface draining at less than 1mm/hour prior to treatment. The existing thatch layer was determined as the overriding factor affecting infiltration. Test results after treatment showed an increase in infiltration of four per cent.

Infiltration was also assessed with the thatch layer removed both pre- and post-treatment.

There was a 66 per cent increase in saturated hydraulic conductivity after treatment where the thatch layer was removed.

The development of thatch within the surface of a profile has by far the greatest influence on infiltration and the ability to produce a consistent, high quality surface.

While the Air2G2 unit does not target thatch removal, it is highly effective at reducing the issues associated with physical removal including shattering compacted layers deeper within the profile.

SURFACE HARDNESS Surface hardness was assessed in six locations using a 2.25kg Clegg Hammer with the results averaging 50 gravities. There was no significant difference after treatment, so readings were discontinued. This result may have been attributed to climatic conditions and the presence of a moist thatch layer absorbing any impact at the time of the trial. This does highlight the unit can be utilised with minimal disruption to play or surface quality.

ROOT GROWTH The development of an extensive root system is vital in maintaining high quality turf surfaces.

Many turf managers face challenges in encouraging a deep extensive root system when maintaining a fine cut turf surface. At the time the assessment was undertaken, soil temperatures were hovering between 10 and 12 degrees and not conducive to rapid root growth. The majority of roots were confined to the top 40mm of the surface (as expected for that time of the year).

New roots were observed growing within an injection hole 18 days after treatment when inspecting the profile. Observations have

There was a three per cent reduction in compaction in the top 100mm of the profile, which is to be expected with regular aeration undertaken as part of an overall maintenance program.

There was a three per cent reduction in compaction at 300mm deep.

CONCLUSION

New root growth midwinter in the tine injection site following treatment with the Air2G2 unit

shown similar results with hollow coring or Verti-drain holes where additional root growth can be observed within holes where there is minimal resistance and rapid root growth is experienced.

COMPACTION RESISTANCE Compaction resistance was measured using a soil penetrometer as the probe is forced through the soil profile. Readings were taken every 75mm from the surface to 300mm deep. There were six locations on the green assessed for compaction resistance, with the results shown in Table 1 and Figure 1. Compaction was significantly reduced immediately after treatment, particularly within the 100-225mm section of the profile. While there was some return the following week, the effects of the single treatment lasted throughout this region for the trial duration.

The following observations regarding compaction were made: l There was a significant reduction between the 100mm and 225mm sections of the profile which lasted the duration of the monitoring period. l The greatest effect was immediately after treatment with a reduction of 28 per cent in compaction in the 100mm-175mm section and a 41 per cent reduction in compaction in the 175mm-225mm section. l Over the six-week trial, the results showed an average reduction in compaction within the 100mm-175mm section of 15 per cent. l Average reduction in compaction for the 175mm-225mm section was 22 per cent.

The Air2G2 unit can effectively be used to target areas within the profile beyond that of traditional renovation equipment. Over time, regular use of hollow coring equipment can result in the development of hard pan layers deeper within the profile, which can affect water infiltration, root development and aeration. The Air2G2 unit offers the advantage of providing minimal disturbance to the surface or interruption to play after treatment. It is effective at relieving compaction deeper within the profile after one treatment and providing the benefits from increased aeration.

The Air2G2 unit is an effective implement which can be used regularly on a range of fine turf surfaces with minimal disruption. As part of an overall maintenance plan, the unit can target compaction deeper within the profile, encourage root development, assist water movement and gaseous exchange.

The unit is not designed to reduce organic matter, however, it is highly effective at shattering compacted layers deeper within the profile. While the surface infiltration rate may be governed by the accumulation of organic matter and thatch, deeper within the profile where soils can become highly compacted, the unit offers a highly effective way of improving aeration, gaseous exchange, water infiltration and reducing compaction. The unit is also effective where thatch layers are preventing oxygen reaching deeper into the profile on all sports turf surfaces and a range of different profiles.

REFERENCES Bowden, W (2019). Air2G2 field trial results.

Plague, M. (2017). The Air2G2 story, running down a dream.

Sorochan, J. and Dickinson, K (2014). GT Airinject final report, University of Tennessee.

TABLE 1. COMPACTION REDUCTION % Depth 0-100mm 100-175 175-225 225-300

1 DAT 4.0 28.0 41.0 7.0

10 DAT 4.0 16.0 19.0 9.0

18 DAT 0.0 12.0 17.0 4.0

25 DAT 4.0 10.0 16.0 0.0

32 DAT 4.0 12.0 22.0 0.0

40 DAT 4.0 12.0 20.0 0.0

Ave reduction 3% 15% 23% 3%

Figure 1. Average results and percentage reduction in compaction throughout the profile when compared to pre-treatment results

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

51

ENVIRONMENT

Sustainable enhancements

G

olf courses in Australia face a range of risks, including environmental challenges such as extreme weather events and water scarcity, economic factors affecting revenue, regulatory compliance issues, biodiversity management concerns and community relations challenges.

Additionally, infrastructure and technology risks, health and safety considerations and the impacts of climate change contribute to the overall risk landscape. To navigate these challenges, golf courses must implement strategic planning, sustainable practices and community engagement to ensure long-term resilience and success.

To reduce these risks and challenges, many courses are currently undergoing, have recently completed or are about to embark on course enhancement plans, which typically aim to improve the overall quality and appeal of the golf course. This can encompass various aspects such as enhancing playing conditions, updating facilities, improving environmental sustainability and meeting the changing needs and expectations of golfers.

52

Kate Torgersen begins a series of articles looking at how golf clubs and turf facilities can make sustainable improvements which can have a positive impact not only on the environment but their operations as well.

Clubs often invest in course enhancement plans to attract and retain members, host events and stay competitive within the golfing community. Additionally, factors like environmental considerations, resource efficiency and compliance with regulations may also drive golf clubs to implement sustainable practices through course enhancement plans.

Australian golf courses stand out from their global counterparts because of their

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

distinctive connection with the local flora and fauna, serving as more than just venues to play golf; they are integral components of our community green spaces. As custodians of these green spaces, the responsibility extends beyond fairways and bunkers to embrace a commitment to environmental sustainability.

Through a series of articles starting with this edition we will look at some examples from current course enhancements and explore particular aspects of sustainable golf course improvements in Australia, highlighting the importance of creating that harmonious balance between elevating the playing experience and safeguarding the future for generations to appreciate and enjoy.

WATER CONSERVATION – A PRECIOUS RESOURCE Water conservation on Australian golf courses is crucial due to the country’s arid climate and periodic droughts. Due to the increased pressures from climate change, budgets and local pressures, golf courses need to adopt responsible water management practices. This includes implementing efficient

Sustainable golf course improvements help to create that harmonious balance between elevating the playing experience and safeguarding the future for generations to appreciate and enjoy

Irrigation audits: Regularly checking your sprinklers can save quite an amount of water. Sprinklers could be damaged or have moved over time and are either overwatering or watering areas that do not require it. By understanding the water requirements of different areas, course managers can tailor irrigation schedules to optimise water use.

PHOTOS: MONINA GILBEY (GLENELG GC)

Upgrade irrigation pumps, systems and hardware: This can be a costly exercise, however, many turf facilities have been successful in obtaining funding from government grants to upgrade their irrigation for water conservation purposes.

irrigation systems, using drought-resistant grass varieties and embracing water-saving technologies.

Prioritising water conservation not only ensures the sustainability of these recreational spaces but also contributes to safeguarding Australia’s limited water resources. Such measures demonstrate a commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible land management in the context of ongoing climate challenges. Furthermore, the use of recycled or reclaimed water resources not only reduces consumption but also aligns with Australia’s commitment to responsible water usage, supporting local water conservation efforts.

Not all golf courses have the budget for the newest irrigation systems or have the ability to convert grass varieties. Understandably every club is different so here are a few examples of ways you can improve water saving at your facility...

Drought-tolerant grass varieties: Choose grass varieties that are well-suited to arid climates and require less water to thrive.

These drought-tolerant grasses can withstand challenging conditions while maintaining the aesthetic appeal of the course. Again, this can be costly, however, local ovals or neighbouring clubs may be undertaking oval/fairway renovations and the excess material/sprigs can be used to help introduce a better grass variety at your facility.

Soil moisture monitoring: Implement soil moisture sensors to measure the actual moisture content in the soil. This data can guide irrigation decisions, ensuring that water is applied only when and where it is truly needed. Hand-watering the areas that only require water will save your water consumption. Overwatering is very common, especially areas that do not require it.

Reuse and recycled water: Explore opportunities to reuse treated wastewater or rainwater for irrigation purposes. Installing collection systems and storage tanks can help offset the reliance on potable water sources.

Many facilities have large roof spaces from

sheds, clubhouses or stands and capturing the rainwater from these can contribute to large amounts of water. That water can then be stored or directed into a wetland system for use.

Education: Raise awareness among course staff, golfers and guests about the importance of water conservation. Encourage responsible water use, such as fixing leaks promptly and avoiding unnecessary watering. Educate golfers that green doesn’t always equal healthy turf.

Native vegetation preservation: Preserve and incorporate native vegetation into the golf course design. Native plants are adapted to local conditions and generally require less water than non-native species. Reduce the need to water garden beds and rough areas by converting to naturalised areas.

Government incentives: Explore and take advantage of government incentives or programs that promote water conservation in landscaping and agriculture. These initiatives may provide financial support or resources for implementing water-saving measures on golf courses.

CASE STUDY – GLENELG GC Glenelg Golf Club in Adelaide has been working through its Course Enhancement Project (CEP) since 2020, with the catalyst behind it being the upgrade of ageing irrigation infrastructure. Course superintendent Tim Warren has outlined some of the works they have undertaken as part of the CEP and why they were required for improved water conservation.

Warren notes that due to its age plus the design of the system, there were huge irrigation inefficiencies and associated repair costs. Hours of staff time were taken up with repairs to the system and subsequent shutdowns only exacerbated the breakages and system downtime. This all led to the following enhancements being made…

Over 2.5ha of managed turf rough has already been converted to naturalised rough a third of the way through Glenelg GC’s Course Enhancement Project

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

53

ENVIRONMENT

Glenelg’s Aquifer Storage Recovery system pumps water from nearby Brownhill Creek into the course’s purposebuilt wetland ponds which filter the water before it is injected into the underlying T1 aquifer

Irrigation system upgrade: The club installed a new Rain Bird IC system with all turf areas hard-edged so that irrigation can be applied with little to no overspray into the roughs. The goal once the project is complete is to save at least 25-30 per cent on current water use (which, depending on the season, is between 200-220ML annually), showcasing the club’s commitment to sustainability and responsible water management.

Aquifer Storage Recovery (ASR) system: At the height of the millennium drought 15 years ago, Glenelg installed an Aquifer Storage Recovery system to futureproof it’s irrigation water supply. The system pumps water from the nearby Brownhill Creek into the course’s purpose-built wetlands which filter the water through a number of ponds before it is injected into the underlying T1 aquifer via transfer pumps. The club has a yearly licence of 300ML that can be potentially harvested from the creek and injected, however, the actual average injection rate sits between 140-180ML/ year in average to above-average rainfall.

Naturalised rough: Another part of the Glenelg CEP has seen the conversion of managed turf over to naturalised rough.

Over 2.5 hectares of managed turf rough has been converted a third of the way through the project. Indigenous plants growing in the naturalised rough do not need to be watered once established. In fact, when these areas are watered, issues with weeds increase.

Pre-emergent herbicides are needed in some naturalised rough where there may be irrigation overspray, high water table issues or areas that have a history of weed pressure.

CASE STUDY – WOODEND GC Woodend Golf Club in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges has a small operating budget, however, they have been able to make some improvements due to assistance from a Community Funding Scheme Grant from the Macedon Ranges Shire Council. Woodend course superintendent Grant Davies provides the following insights into how the funding has helped improve the club’s water conservation efforts...

“We’ve been lucky to have had three successive wet summers and the course has never looked better in February,” says Davies.

“With above average rainfall, coupled with this year’s unseasonably cool temperatures, there has been less stress on our surfaces. That being said, we have implemented some capital improvements over the last two years.

“First, with the assistance of a substantial contribution from Greater Western Water, the club was able to replace its almost 20-year-old pump set with a modern upgrade. This had allowed us the flexibility to optimise the water pressure in the irrigation system which allows us to run at a reduced pressure. This puts less stress on our aging pipework, reducing the chance of leaks and pipe breaks. Also, we have noticed significant savings on power compared to the old pump set. A conscious effort to reduce the number of leaks out in the field saves large amounts of water and reduces pump cycling to maintain constant pressure.

Turning the pump set off also helps save on water loss when you know it is not required.

“Out on course, we have been able to replace all QCVs over the past 18 months and now have access to hand-watering on all 19 greens. With a couple of new hoses, we now have the ability to hand water on and around the greens. Hand-watering not only makes for more consistent greens and surrounds by better targeting dry spots, but has the added benefit of also saving large amounts of water.

“Our set-up revolves around a large storage dam from which we harvest water from the course. In a normal year this would supply something around 20ML. We also have a Class B recycled water allocation of 50ML which is vital for our water security. Our arrangement is that we pay for the rights to the recycled allocation regardless of our ability to use the 50ML, but we find it good security.”

As the above case studies show, there is always a way to conserve water. Knowing that there could be another drought around the corner, water security should be high on the list for improvements at all facilities. There are many experts out there that can assist with irrigation, designs, naturalising roughs and funding assistance and can put you on the path to a more sustainable operation.

Native plants are adapted to local conditions and generally require less water than non-native species

54

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

AUSTRALIAN SPORTS TURF MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE & TRADE EXHIBITION BRISBANE CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE 17-20 June 2024

Dr Jay McCurdy Mississippi State University

Adam Spencer Keynote Speaker & Maths Geek

REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN

www.astma.com.au/conference

Claire Madden

Social Researcher

Cameron Schwab Leadership Mentor

L EADERSHIP

Grounded and grateful

ATM columnist Ben Gibson catches up with Dennis Grounds who after more than 30 years in the industry has just embarked on another exciting chapter in his career.

Up until February 2024, Dennis Grounds, pictured playing in last year’s ASTMA Golf Championship at Royal Adelaide, was superintendent at Club Catalina on the NSW South Coast for the past 11 years

56

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

I

f you haven’t made the trip to the South Coast of New South Wales, then do yourself a favour and block out a week or two in the schedule and make the effort. It is home to a magnificent collection of golf courses dotted along the famed coastline which are managed by a tight knit group of superintendents who produce some of the best playing surfaces in the country. A more passionate and respected bunch of individuals you will not meet and among their number is one Dennis Grounds.

Ask any of his counterparts in that neck of the woods and they will all tell you that ‘Groundsy’, as he is affectionately known, is one of the most affable blokes in the industry and an all-round good nut. Boasting a rather appropriate surname given the industry he chose to pursue, Grounds has just embarked on his 32nd year in the industry. It was back in January 1992 that the then avid junior golfer was given an opportunity to cut his teeth as an apprentice at Young Golf Club in rural NSW and in the years since he has gone on to forge a rewarding career wherever he has gone.

This coming April would have seen him chalk up 11 years in charge at Club Catalina in beautiful Bateman’s Bay, however, just as this profile was being submitted for publication, Grounds (48) confirmed he was on the move after accepting the assistant superintendent role at Royal Canberra Golf Club. Ahead of his move to the nation’s capital, we caught up with Grounds to reflect on his career and management style, in particular, his successful tenure leading the team at Club Catalina…

Tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in the turf industry? I grew up in Young, NSW. I was okay at school, pretty quiet, although they must’ve seen something in me as I was elected school captain in Year 10 at Young Catholic Secondary School. I am the eldest of four children all born within four years of each other. Anthony and Traci are twins two years younger than me, while Renee is four years younger than me. We had an awesome childhood and have many fond memories of going out to dad’s family farm and going on great family holidays.

As you did in the country, I played all sports growing up. I loved my rugby league and was part of two premiership-winning teams as a junior with dad as coach which meant the world to me. Golf was also a big focus and I was twice junior champion at Young Golf Club, while I also played A-grade tennis, basketball and cricket. Mum and dad would drive us all around the region to sport on a daily basis. My sisters were very good netballers and my brother played representative rugby league and was signed by the Parramatta Eels between 1995-1997 playing U20s and Reserve Grade.

I started my journey in turf management at Young Golf Club. I played golf there as a junior as well as caddied for members with my brother to earn a bit of pocket money. I had a love of golf courses from a young age.

I recall if we were travelling on holidays that I would always ask the old man to drive past the nearest golf course so we could have a look. I remember he took us to the ESP Open at Royal Canberra in 1988; I reckon that was the exact moment I fell in love with turf and golf course architecture.

What was the biggest learning curve when you took on your first superintendent role?

It was when I was approached to take the role of superintendent at Harden Country Club after three years as the assistant at Young GC. The Harden job involved looking after 18 holes of golf solo with a band of volunteers and I learned quickly on the run – you simply had too. Members at those smaller clubs still have a standard you have to uphold and at the end of the day you are the custodian of their club and course. To this day the greens at Harden

CAREER PROFILE DENNIS GROUNDS Feb 2024 – present: Assistant superintendent, Royal Canberra GC, ACT Apr 2013 – Feb 2024: Superintendent, Club Catalina, NSW Sep 2006 – Apr 2013: Superintendent, Young GC, NSW Apr 2003 – Aug 2006: Superintendent, Harden CC, NSW Jan 2000 – Mar 2003: Assistant superintendent, Young GC, NSW Dec 1997 – Dec 1999: Greenkeeper, Garangula Polo Club, NSW Sep 1995 – Nov 1997: Greenkeeper, Yowani CC, ACT Jan 1992 – Sep 1995: Apprentice, Young GC, NSW

Top and above: Club Catalina is a 27-hole complex located in Bateman’s Bay on the NSW South Coast

have been my favourite to manage. They were a mixture of Penncross and browntop bent and the surface you could produce rivalled anything around the country. I wish I could have picked them up and taken them with me!

How is the senior leadership team at Club Catalina structured in order to look after such a diverse property to the standards you do? I am really proud of where the course senior management team is heading. The team consists of myself, assistants Wayne Gregory and Craig Shepheard, senior greenkeepers Matt Stevens and Jarrod Cottington who also fill the roles of spray technician and irrigation technician respectively. The way we communicate as a leadership group is crucial to the day-to-day operations out on the course.

I have enjoyed taking a backward step and seeing just how well the boys have taken on the extra responsibility of the daily operations at the club. In turn, this had a very positive effect with good communication throughout the whole team.

How would you describe your leadership style? I would describe myself as a compassionate, understanding and caring leader that likes to lead by example. I really like to have a close relationship with all team members. I find it so much easier to have that genuine conversation or awkward/positive chat when it is warranted. I feel it is important to have genuine interest in what team members enjoy outside of work.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 57

L EADERSHIP l

l

l l

l

PHOTOS: NEARMAP

l

Before (left) and after (right) photos of the 15th hole rebuild at Club Catalina undertaken in 2019

Describe some of the recent works you have undertaken at the club. How did you gain Board support and how did you maintain the momentum and engagement within your team through such a challenging period? Most recently, the club invested close to $2 million with the installation of a brand new irrigation system which was completed on budget and on time in late 2022. It was a huge task bringing all stakeholders together to initially receive approval from the club Board and management. I worked closely with designer Dale Stafford for a number of years to come up with a design that would be efficient and complement our 27-hole facility.

After two years of trials, we went with a Rain Bird IC system. What we have in the ground now is state-of-the-art, with all 1440 sprinklers valve-in-head. All fairways have three rows and irrigate the fine turf surfaces only.

This system was installed over a 10-month window during the highest rainfall total on record. The course was never closed during the whole install and not one competition round was interrupted by contractors Waterland. The course team was responsible for all clean and backfilling, at times in atrocious conditions. To this day I look back with pride on what the team achieved. You don’t get a result like we did without a great team and culture.

Complementing the irrigation work was the Prominent dosing system, which enables us to dose three products at any one time to improve what is, at times, horrendous water quality at the club. The system is flow and rate controlled to suit watering requirements and soil problems such as sodium, bicarbonates and pH etc. Other projects and improvements we have made include;

The complete rebuild of the 15th hole in 2019 under the guidance of course architect Harley Kruse; Installation of an ESD washdown bay and all infrastructure in 2021; Tree removal programme (2018-2024); Two significant course machinery turnovers; Installation of a new maintenance compound and complete rebuild and refurbishment of maintenance team facilities (2024); and Developed a course masterplan.

Almost the day you submitted this profile you announced your resignation from Club Catalina, accepting the assistant superintendent role alongside Ryan Stores at Royal Canberra Golf Club. What a huge decision! Yes, it was a big decision and one I did not take lightly. I see it as a big progression and challenge in my turf management career. I have always had a soft spot for Royal Canberra Golf Club. It is a fantastic property and there is nothing quite like it in Australia. I am excited to be working at a club that is all about golf and the members. Club Catalina is a different beast with over 100 employees. Only 10 per cent of the staff work on the golf course, so focus and resources tend to be consumed inside the clubhouse as well as staff structure.

After so much hard work and achieving a lot with the team at Club Catalina, what prompted the move and how will you juggle family life and the new role? It was a phone call from Ryan Stores one afternoon and then a positive meeting with general manager Steve Sandilands. I’m really looking forward to assisting Ryan with day-to-day operations of the team and hopefully bringing strong leadership qualities to what is a relatively young and inexperienced crew.

The family have been nothing but supportive and are excited about the move. My daughter Brianna is in Year 10 and will finish Term 1 before she and my wife Rebecca move up to Canberra. I will be starting late February and will see the family most weekends whether it be in Bateman’s Bay or in Canberra. Brianna is looking forward to coming back to the Bay to holiday with the rest of the family.

Who has influenced your turf management career and what impact did they have?

Without question my dad was a massive influence and supporter of anything I have achieved. I remember how proud he was when I was appointed course superintendent at Club Catalina. Mum is the rock of the family and has Grounds’ senior crew at Catalina comprised (from left) Jarrod Cottington (irrigation tech), Craig Shepheard (3IC), Wayne Gregory (assistant superintendent) and Matt Stevens (spray tech)

58

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

always had my back too. Rebecca – and, no, I am not writing this just because I know she will read it – has been a huge support over the years as well. As most turf managers know, this isn’t a 9-5 lifestyle and her endless support and encouragement has allowed me to do what I love. I am a lucky man!

From a turf management perspective, Brent Hull, superintendent at Moruya Golf Club, has played a huge part in my journey. He gave me my first opportunity as an apprentice at Young Golf Club. Probably at the time I took it for granted how much practical knowledge Brent passed on to me in those early years.

Fast forward 20 years when I took on the superintendent role at Club Catalina, he was there again whenever I needed his advice, being just 15 minutes down the road. All the turf managers on the NSW South Coast, in my opinion, produce some of the best surfaces in the country. They all know who they are and have played a massive part in my turf management journey and I cannot thank them enough.

Have you done any turf travel/work experience? How did that impact you and your career? In 2019 I was fortunate to have my application accepted to work at the 119th US Open at Pebble Beach. I travelled across with three other Australian superintendents – Justin Bradbury (Camden GC), Idris Evans (Western Australian GC) and Adam Strachan (WA). We had a pre-Open tour to some great venues including Riviera Country Club, Cypress Point and the Rose Bowl to name a few. The whole week at the Open was an amazing experience and we were made to feel so welcome. The amount of trust they put in us volunteers was mind-blowing. I think this is testament to the respect Australian

Following the loss of his dad and brother-in-law in recent years, enjoying quality family time with wife Rebecca and daughter Brianna has become more important for Grounds

turf managers have all around the world. An experience like this only motivates you more to challenge yourself and others around you.

How do you balance turf, family and looking after yourself? I think as superintendents a lot of us struggle to get the right balance between work and family life and my perspective on this has changed somewhat in recent years. In 2020, the year COVID hit, we lost dad. He was my best mate and it left me shattered. More recently, my sister lost her husband Craig to cancer at the age of 46. He was also a great mate and someone who I greatly admired.

Life can be cruel and short and what those two losses taught me is that we need to really cherish the precious time we have with family and friends. I have tried to balance that out by sharing the workload through the leadership team and it seems to be working. When someone on the team requests holidays you will very rarely receive a knockback. The team knows this and all will pull together and pick up any slack.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Do you have any hobbies? I love spending time with family, whether it be boating, fishing,

going to the beach or travelling around the beautiful NSW South Coast in the car. I do love playing golf, especially travelling to other courses. I also love my rugby league and I have passed that onto my daughter who is a tragic Canberra Raiders supporter. Going back a few years, I was president of the Young Rugby League Football Club between 2003 and 2006 and I managed the club’s U18 team to a premiership in 2002.

One of my greatest moments as a family came last year when my nephew, who earlier that year had lost his dad, won his U15 rugby league grand final. They beat a team they had never beaten before, he scored two tries and was adjudged player of the match. It was a very emotional day for the family.

What advice would you give younger staff just starting out in turf management today?

Be patient and stick with it. Talk to as many turf professionals as you can and attend as many industry events as possible. Never stop learning and always back yourself.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Semi-retired mowing fairways for Ryan at Royal Canberra – summers only though!

We work with you to collect the right data and develop the turf management plan that is right for your facility.

At GTS, our analytical and diagnostic service is a cornerstone of every turf management plan.

For a FREE CONSULTATION, contact your GTS Technical Field Agent.

E sales@greenwayturfsolutions.com

www.greenwayturfsolutions.com | www.gtsanalytical.com

Right advice. Right support. Right products.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 59

AROUND THE TRADE

TORO UNVEILS POWERFUL NEW WORKMAN MDX LITHIUM

Toro Australia has released the all-new Workman MDX Lithium boasting the company’s proprietary Hypercell® battery system

T

oro’s Workman MDX utility vehicle has been a trusty companion for many superintendents, sports turf managers and their teams for over two decades. Now, ASTMA Platinum Partner Toro Australia has unveiled the all-new Workman MDX Lithium for those looking to introduce battery power to their fleet.

The Workman MDX Lithium boasts Toro’s Hypercell® battery system which has been developed specifically to meet customer needs. Ensuring exceptional continuous runtime, these batteries also offer diagnostic information for easy servicing and long life.

“Introducing battery power to your fleet is easier than ever with the new Workman MDX Lithium,” says Toro equipment product marketing manager Brian Goodridge. “You get the same strength and durability with all the benefits of lithium-ion battery technology.

“The lithium-ion battery packs are essentially maintenance-free, allowing you to spend less time checking batteries and more time completing tasks. The on-board, highefficiency 1200W smart charger can connect to any standard 240 volt power outlet anytime, anywhere, fully charging the vehicle overnight.”

The battery-powered MDX comes with the same payload capacity, comfortable ride and attachment options as its petrol or dieselpowered counterparts. The exclusive SRQ™ (Superior Ride Quality) suspension creates a smooth ride, that can reduce operator fatigue. The Workman MDX line features an automotive-grade rack-and-pinion steering system for enhanced control and reduced steering effort.

60

Operating the parking brake is easy; it activates and deactivates automatically, requiring minimal adjustments and maintenance. The all-wheel hydraulic disc brakes provide smooth and consistent stopping power. With commercial-grade durability, the Workman MDX Lithium ensures golf course superintendents can rely on its productivity for years to come.

In other Toro news, it has become the official stocking distributor for Leemco Piping Solutions in Australia. Leemco, headquartered in California, USA, is a leading manufacturer specialising in uniquely designed products for golf, commercial and municipal piping systems. It provides a comprehensive range of high strength, corrosion resistant, ductile iron fittings, joint restraints, saddles, valves, HDPE plastic products and stainless steel products.

“We look forward to working with Toro Australia to offer our cutting edge irrigation innovations, service and support,” says Nunzio DiChristopher, president of Leemco Piping Systems. Adds Laurence Bingham, senior director Toro Australia: “With offices and warehouses strategically located in every mainland state, and a sales team committed to delivering the best irrigation and equipment solutions in golf, turf and agriculture, we are proud to be able to offer and stock a high quality brand like Leemco to the marketplace.”

For more details on Toro products and Leemco, check out www.toro.com.au or www.leemco.com. For sales information regarding Leemco products, contact Toro’s national irrigation specifications manager Sheldon Simmonds on 0418 830 602.

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

REPCO COMMERCIAL STRENGTHENS TURF INDUSTRY TIES

The ASTMA is delighted to announce that Repco Commercial, Australia’s largest nationwide automotive parts and equipment supplier, has strengthened its ongoing support of the turf industry by affiliating as a Bronze Partner of the association. As part of the new arrangement, Repco has also become the new sponsor of the ASTMA Team of the Year Award which is handed out annually at the National Turf Industry Awards.

Established in 2020, the award is designed to highlight teams who have delivered exceptional performances and contributed outstanding management, operations and presentation at a sporting facility. The turf management team from the City of Boroondara in Melbourne was named as the award recipient at the 2023 ceremony held during the Adelaide conference.

Across its 420-plus stores and distribution centres in Australia and New Zealand, Repco provides customers with leading automotive, parts and workshop solutions.

Repco Australia’s broad range includes parts, consumables, workshop tooling and equipment and tailored solutions to suit the needs of turf management facilities around the country.

Repco’s commitment to the turf industry continues to be highlighted by the exclusive benefits that ASTMA members currently receive from Repco, including national member discounts, access to Repco Australia’s online ordering portal and catalogues, product and supplier training and dedicated product offers exclusive to ASTMA members.

For more information about these benefits for ASTMA members visit www.astma.com. au/repco-member-benefits.

JOHN DEERE BECOMES ASTMA GOLD PARTNER

The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA) confirmed in February that John Deere had been elevated to a Gold Partner of the association. A Silver partner for many years, John Deere has increased its involvement with the association, cementing its status as one of the leading players in the Australian sports turf management industry.

“This year John Deere is pleased to partner with ASTMA as a Gold sponsor, moving our game forward together,” says John Deere production systems manager Stephanie

ASTMA Gold Partner John Deere’s Women in Turf program was again a part of the Webex Players Series Murray River tournament held in mid-January

Gersekowski. “John Deere is deeply committed to the golf and sports turf industry, providing advanced equipment and technology to help golf course and sports grounds professionals maintain exceptional turf quality and operational efficiency. With a rich history and ongoing collaboration with industry experts, John Deere continues to prioritise customer success, education and technological innovation to support the long-term viability of golf courses worldwide.”

John Deere’s partnership encompasses its involvement in the annual conference, advertising in the ASTMA’s range of publications including Australian Turfgrass Management Journal and The Cut, as well as association membership. John Deere will again feature prominently at this year’s Australian Sports Turf Management Conference Trade Exhibition in Brisbane, taking 65 square metres of premium exhibition space to showcase their latest range of golf course and sports turf management equipment.

In recent times, John Deere has also introduced its Women in Turf program which aligns with the ASTMA’s own program to help promote women in the turf industry. For the second year running this past January, John Deere facilitated the placement of six female greenkeepers at Cobram Barooga Golf Club for the PGA Tour of Australasia’s Webex Players Series Murray River tournament (read more on the event earlier in this edition).

Gersekowski says the Women in Turf program reflects John Deere’s wider commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I): “We aim to be specific, targeted and intentional with our DE&I initiatives and the Women in Turf Program is a perfect example of that. The program not only provides invaluable professional development opportunities, but creates a sense of community among female

greenkeepers, which is important in a typically male-dominated industry. It’s also a chance for us to raise awareness of the great work women are doing in greenkeeping to encourage more female participation in the future. We really feel like we’re still at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the impact this program can make.”

For more information on John Deere and its range of equipment visit www.deere.com.au/ en/golf-sports-turf.

TOP INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR VENTRAC AUSTRALIA ASTMA Bronze Partner Ventrac Australia received two major awards at this year’s Golf Industry Show in the US, being named as the manufacturer’s international top sales performer for 2023 and also collecting its

Platinum Award. Ventrac Australia directors, siblings Chris Stig and Belinda Smith, were at the show to accept the awards on the company’s behalf, one which they formed back in 2014 along with business partner Graham Steer.

“Coming up to our 10th anniversary, these prestigious awards are a great way to celebrate that milestone,” says Stig. “The whole Ventrac Australia team were very excited about the awards and are very proud of our group achievement. Our late father Peter was a past superintendent and would marvel at the way this industry has evolved. Dad started his career at New Brighton Golf Club (now Brighton Lakes Golf Club) in 1958 and the family has never left this wonderful industry.

“It has been a very enjoyable 10 years with Ventrac and we are excited for the future. Ventrac keep moving forward with development and they really listen to their customers and that resonates with us. We are looking forward to working with the Toro Australia team in further developing Ventrac in Australia and want to thank our loyal customers. We also look forward to welcoming new customers to the Ventrac family.”

The news of the awards came at the same time as the appointment of Danny Foott (pictured) as a new sales representative. Foott joins the Ventrac Australia family after spending the last 13 years as course superintendent at Links Hope Island on the Gold Coast. Starting his turf management career at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club in 1996, Foott has worked in the industry for 27 years. He will look after Ventrac Australia sales in southeast Queensland and northern NSW and can be contacted on 0491 331 622 or by email daniel@ventracaus.com.au.

Ventrac Australia directors Belinda Smith and Chris Stig receiving their awards from Ventrac during the recent Golf Industry Show in Phoenix

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

61

AROUND THE TRADE

TORGERSEN, GILBEY TEAM UP

green spaces and turf management facilities, visit www.greengeckostudios.com. au/egs-ggs-partnership.

GREEN TURF EXPANSION

Two of the Australian turf industry’s most prominent environment and sustainability advocates are joining forces. Kate Torgersen (Environmental Golf Solutions) and Monina Gilbey (Green Gecko Studios, pictured above) are combining their individual strengths and experience to develop a diverse range of offerings to ensure that turf facilities and green spaces become more economically and environmentally sustainable.

Their packages range from site-specific species lists to whole of site vegetation management plans, as well as social media and education packages. ​These packages are available not only to turf facilities, but also to councils, schools, sporting clubs, community groups and associations.

Founder of Melbourne-based Environmental Golf Solutions, Torgersen has over 16 years of practical and academic experience in the golf course and conservation industries, working on several highly ranked Australian golf courses. Her career began with an apprenticeship in turf management where she soon discovered a passion and need to assist and showcase the good golf courses can provide to the environment and community.

Gaining extensive experience in the conservation industry, Torgersen has managed several large projects converting mown areas into native areas. Her passion to educate has been showcased in the regular environmental articles written for Australian Turfgrass Management Journal and through seminars and presentations within the industry and wider sports sustainability community.

Gilbey is a garden designer and educator and more recently took on the role of biodiversity manager at Adelaide’s Glenelg Golf Club. Passionate about Adelaide’s local flora and fauna and the contribution that golf courses make to urban biodiversity, since arriving at Glenelg Gilbey has helped to raise the club’s national environmental profile, going on to win multiple awards including the 2022 ASTMA Claude Crockford Sustainability and Environment Award. Like Torgersen, she has delivered a wide variety of presentations at local, national and international conferences.

For more information about the new partnership and to register your interest in some upcoming workshops they are conducting which will focus on sustainable practices for protecting and enhancing 62

ASTMA Bronze Partner Green Turf has announced it has acquired Lawn and Turf Maintenance. Mick Green, principal of Green Turf, is leading the transition, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a commitment to quality service. Maintenance and renovations manager Matt Dowlan will serve as Green Turf’s primary contact for sports turf managers and can be contacted on 0409 974 109. Green Turf has also confirmed that Damien McMahon will be staying on as a supervisor with the company and can be contacted on 0438 842 987.

Green Turf is a family-owned and operated sports field construction, renovation and maintenance company operating throughout Melbourne and Victoria. Beginning in 2009, Green Turf has been servicing a wide variety of construction and excavation projects across Melbourne, from sports field and turf wicket construction, cricket pitch laser grading, soil testing, turf maintenance, renovation and much more.

For more information on Green Turf and its services, visit https://greenturf.com.au.

CENTAUR, CAPILLARYFLOW SIGN ANZ DISTRIBUTION DEAL

CapillaryFlow, recognised as a global leader in golf course and sports field drainage, moisture control and irrigation solutions, has announced the appointment of ASTMA Bronze Partner Centaur Asia Pacific as the exclusive distributor for its solutions in Australia and New Zealand.

CapillaryFlow is a technology company whose patented innovations are enabling golf courses, sports grounds and other leisure spaces like city parks to build long-lasting and low maintenance greens, bunkers and grounds. Centaur Asia Pacific, a reputable supplier of turf, landscape and horticulture products and services with a strong presence in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia, is known for its commitment to excellence and a diverse portfolio of top-tier products and solutions.

“We are honoured to be appointed as the exclusive distributor for CapillaryFlow in Australia and New Zealand,” says Danny

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

Potter, founder of Centaur Asia Pacific (pictured second from left). Centaur is excited to contribute to the advancement of sustainable turf management practices in the region through CapillaryFlow’s ground-breaking innovations.

Adds CapillaryFlow’s Johan Setteryd (pictured far right): “We’re thrilled to deepen our partnership with Centaur Asia Pacific, a testament to our joint commitment to excellence, customer satisfaction, loyalty and innovation. Centaur’s enthusiasm for investing in and implementing Capillary Hydroponics, coupled with their track record and extensive knowledge of both the golf and turf industry, significantly influenced our decision.”

Capillary Hydroponics is a revolutionary subsurface irrigation system that utilises an oxygenated and fertilised moving underground water table to cultivate turfgrass in greens, tees and fairways. The proprietary system reduces water consumption by up to 85 per cent, ensuring the growth of stronger, more durable turfgrass with markedly less maintenance and environmental impact.

For more information about CapillaryFlow solutions, visit www.centaur-asiapacific. com.au.

TURFCARE AUSTRALIA BECOMES SOLE FLORATINE DISTRIBUTOR Turfcare Australia recently announced it has become the sole distributor of the Floratine range of turf products across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific region. With a legacy dating back to 1997, Turfcare Australia has been at the forefront of manufacturing, importing and distributing an extensive array of goods, including turf seed, specialist fertilisers, chemicals and providing analytical services.

Founded in 1991, Floratine is based on a commitment to solid science, with a product range that works alongside nature to achieve optimal results in every turf situation. Floratine is renowned for using the highest-grade ingredients, maximising plant uptake and minimising burn potential. Floratine’s unique formulations, incorporating plant extracts, antioxidants, amino acids and carbohydrates, contribute to superior grass growth, root development and environmental stress tolerance.

Floratine excludes non-beneficial agricultural or utility-grade nutrients, as well as synthetic chelates, ensuring optimal foliar uptake. Turf health is intricately linked to soil conditions and the Floratine range of soil conditioning products offered by Turfcare Australia addresses and enhances nutrient uptake and improves soil chemistry.

For more information about the Floratine product range, visit www.turfcareaus.com. au, contact the Turfcare Australia head office on 02 4571 6444 or email sales@ turfcareaus.com.au.

INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS JONES JOINS LIVING TURF SA Just before Christmas, ASTMA Silver Partner Living Turf announced the appointment of Daimon Jones (pictured) to its South Australian team.

With a career journey that began as an apprentice greenkeeper, Jones spent his formative years at Footy Park, Westminster College and the City of Holdfast Bay. There he marked a pivotal time in his career as irrigation technical officer and was rewarded with promotion to the role of horticultural workgroup leader.

Most recently, Jones spent seven years at Prince Alfred College where his contributions were integral to the institution’s turf management excellence. Notably, Jones has served on the committee of Turf Management South Australia (TMSA) where he took pride in helping to shape industry standards and foster collaboration.

“We are delighted to have Daimon join our team in South Australia,” says Rob Cooper, founder and executive chairman of Living Turf. “His extensive experience and commitment to excellence align with our mission to provide cutting-edge, scientific turf management solutions. I am confident he will have a positive impact on our business.”

Posting on LinkedIn following the announcement, Jones noted: “What a journey and a privilege to manage the grounds team over the last seven years at Prince Alfred College. I’m extremely proud of what I achieved on reflection. A big thanks to all that have made an impact on me over this time, you know who you are! To my team over the years, I couldn’t be more

thankful of your dedication to your craft, and I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunity to lead you all.” Jones started his new role with Living Turf on 22 January and can be contacted on 0488 900 700 or email djones@ livingturf.com.

SOEGAARD, GREEN NEW FIELD AGENTS FOR GTS ASTMA Bronze Partner Greenway Turf Solutions has appointed two new technical field agents in Phil Soegaard and Rob Green.

Soegaard is based on the Gold Coast, Queensland, while Green has taken up a similar role for the company based in Perth, Western Australia.

Soegaard (pictured) brings over three decades of experience in the professional turf industry to GTS, making him a seasoned expert in the field. For the past 22 years he has been an integral part of the team at Lakelands Golf Club on the Gold Coast, serving as course superintendent for the past 17 years. During that time he oversaw the club’s transformation into the recipient of Australia’s Best Conditioned Public Access Course Award an impressive seven times.

His dedication and commitment to excellence in his role did not go unnoticed as he was honoured with the GCSAQ Excellence Award in 2016, followed by the ASTMA Excellence in Golf Course Management Award and Golf Digest Superintendent of the Year in 2017. His leadership extends beyond the golf course and has played a crucial role in mentoring three ASTMA Graduate of the Year Award winners during his tenure as superintendent.

“Phil has been an industry leader for many years and we are very happy to welcome him to Greenway Turf Solutions,” says company director Chris Chapman.

“His experience, knowledge and passion for turf management make him a perfect addition to our team.” Soegaard can be contacted on 0419 024 095 or email phils@ greenwayturfsolutions.com.

Green (pictured) joins GTS’s WA team from PGG Wrightson Turf in New Zealand where he was employed as a territory manager.

During his tenure with PGG Wrightson Turf, Green serviced turf managers in the Auckland and Northland regions of New Zealand. He comes to GTS with an impressive background in the turf industry spanning over 30 years.

“Rob’s wealth of experience working with both cool- and warm-season turf will make him a great addition to our team and a valuable asset to the WA turf industry,” says GTS’s WA manager Steve Jones. “Rob’s extensive knowledge and dedication to excellence align perfectly with the values of Greenway Turf Solutions and we are excited to welcome him aboard.” Green can be contacted on 0474 877 876 or email robg@ greenwayturfsolutions.com.

TOWSE TO K&B ADAMS Melbourne-based ASTMA Bronze Partner K&B Adams announced in mid-February the appointment of Sean Towse (pictured) as its new national business manager.

Towse can be contacted on 0492 056 371 or email sean@kbadams.com.au.

Worried about Stem Weevils, Armyworms, Webworms and Cutworms over summer?

You need a strong two-pronged approach with industry leading Quali-Pro Twister!

Quali-Pro Twister – two active ingredients, strong residual, great resistance management tool.

One powerful, quick-acting contact (indoxacarb) coupled with a chitin inhibitor (novaluron) to prevent stem weevils moulting to later instars, and abnormal pupal formation in caterpillars. Excellent control of Stem Weevils and caterpillars in one bottle!

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

63

AROUND THE TRADE

ASTMA Bronze Partner Country Club International undertook one of its more challenging assignments recently as part of a major repair operation for one of Gold Coast’s leading golfing facilities.

Topgolf, which opened in 2018 and is part of the Village Roadshow Theme Parks precinct in Oxenford, was badly damaged when cyclonic winds ripped through the region on Christmas Day evening. As well as causing widespread damage to properties and infrastructure including a number of golf clubs, the extensive safety netting which fully encloses the Topgolf facility was also ripped, forcing Village to close the doors during one of its busiest periods of operation.

Throughout January and February, the team from Country Club International, including engineers and installers, worked around the clock to repair the damaged netting. Working in conjunction with LFS Sports Netting USA, which supplies netting for all Topgolf facilities worldwide and with whom Country Club International has an agreement, they were able to custom order the specialised nets and have them air-freighted to Australia in mid-January ready for installation.

Standing 52 metres high and 19m wide, the Topgolf nets on the Gold Coast rank as the largest in Australia and required specialist equipment in order to carry out the repair work. All netting panels were replaced as part of the job which took just under a month to complete. The project involved more than 1000 man hours, 300 crane hours and 700 boom hours, including the use of a 180-foot straight boom lift. In total, 22,952m2 of netting (476 lineal metres) was replaced, with the facility reopening on 23 February.

Country Club International is a major supplier to the golf industry for over 30 years and has erected many safety netting systems at golf clubs across Australia. For more information on the company’s safety netting products visit www.ccisafetyfencing.com.au.

INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS SYNGENTA APPOINTS GOULD TO NEW ZEALAND BDM ROLE ASTMA Platinum Partner Syngenta has appointed Phil Gould (pictured) as its new business development manager for Syngenta Professional Solutions New Zealand. Bringing nearly two decades of experience to the role, Gould started his career in 2004 as an apprentice greenkeeper at Royal Auckland Golf Club.

Prior to joining Syngenta, he worked at Landscape Solutions NZ where he utilised skills to ensure successful management of customers’ grounds and gardens. With a

64

PHOTOS: CCI

TOPGOLF JOB HAS CCI REACHING NEW HEIGHTS

Over January and February, Country Club International repaired the extensive safety netting system at Topgolf on the Gold Coast which was badly damaged during storms on Christmas Day evening

strong network and extensive experience in Australasia, Gould has collaborated across various turf and landscape sectors, including airports, hospitals, aged care facilities, private and public schools and golf courses.

“We are very privileged to have Phil join the Syngenta Professional Solutions team in NZ,” says Paul Jackson, Syngenta ANZ’s business manager Turf & Landscape. “Phil brings a wealth of experience across the turf and landscape industry and we believe he will be a valuable resource for our customers across Aotearoa.” Based in Auckland, Gould can be contacted on +64 27 235 1456 (mobile) or email phil.gould@syngenta.com.

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

NUTURF WELCOMES AGNEW The new year has seen ASTMA Bronze Partner Nuturf welcome Brock Agnew as a new territory manager in southeast Queensland. Agnew arrives with an extensive industry CV, having held previous roles including assistant superintendent at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club, golf course construction at Hyatt Regency Coolum and K Club in Ireland where he assisted in the preparation of the championship course for the European Open. More recently, Agnew has been working closely with turf managers across golf, sports turf, education and local government sectors.

AGCSATech

Independent, Analytical, Diagnostic and Consultancy Services

l EXPERT AGRONOMIC ADVICE l GOLF COURSE, SPORTSFIELD AND

AGCSATech

RACETRACK ASSESSMENTS

Independent, Analytical, Diagnostic and Consultancy Services

l DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS l PROJECT MANAGEMENT l SOIL, PLANT AND WATER ANALYSIS l DISEASE AND NEMATODE DIAGNOSIS l COST EFFECTIVE NUTRITION AND

MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS l WATER MANAGEMENT PLANS l DRONE DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES AND

AERIAL IMAGERY The Australian turf industry’s leading provider of independent agronomic services.

CONTACT THE AGCSATECH TEAM (03) 9548 8600 Senior agronomist - Bruce Macphee bruce@astma.com.au 0409 183 710

Agronomist - Tim Fankhauser tim@astma.com.au 0422 418 038

www.astma.com.au/agcsatech

AS SOCIATION REPORTS/NEWS

ASTMA RTO PHOTOS: ALBERT SHERRY

A

head of the 2023 Australian Sports Turf Management Conference in Adelaide, the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA) announced that it had been successful in attaining status as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). As a newly-designated provider (RTO #46011), the ASTMA is uniquely positioned to meet the growing demand for qualified sports turf managers across Australia, delivering qualifications for the Certificate III in Sports Turf Management (AHC31319) and Diploma of Sports Turf Management (AHC51019) courses, in addition to chemical user/refresher training courses.

As anyone who has started a new job will attest, the first six months are critical to the long-term success of the organisation and it has been no different since taking on the role of national training manager with the ASTMA. As with all sectors of the industry, preparation has been key. It took 12 months of planning and writing course documentation to meet independent quality and assurance standards and then pass through the stringent requirements of the Australian Skills Quality Authority before we could start taking enrolments and commence delivery.

The ASTMA delivery model is nothing I have presented in this forum before. I still profess that the bulk of training is undertaken at the worksite, not in classrooms across the country, and by enabling students to develop and enhance their skills and knowledge in the workplace both the apprentice and the employer take ownership in the training experience.

On completion of units there is, of course, the mandatory recordkeeping step of assessing that each student has been able to provide sufficient evidence to deem competence, both in written and practical

Royal Adelaide Golf Club apprentice Oliver Davis coring the driving range during the block release assessment session conducted at Glenelg Golf Club last November

skills assessments, to ensure they continue to meet and exceed the minimum benchmark standards set down by the industry. I am delighted to report that students and employers have been very supportive of our programs to date and the feedback has been very positive. They have adapted quickly to the new style of delivery, consisting of weekly, short, sharp online sessions and quarterly skills assessments.

CERTIFICATE III The Certificate III in Sports Turf Management course is for students undertaking an apprenticeship in South Australia and the Northern Territory. It is delivered in a blended format, with weekly online tutorials for 35 weeks of the year over three years, along with quarterly block release sessions to assess practical skills.

Pleasingly, numbers continue to grow, with the class now comprising 22 students, up from 14 when we first started delivery in July 2023.

Half of these students had completed part of the Certificate III in Horticulture course and required the preparation of individual training and completion plans so they could transition over to the sports turf qualification.

Across the first six months of operation we have successfully delivered and assessed nine

of the 23 units of competency to Certificate III students, five to first year students and four to students undertaking second year units. I would particularly like to thank course superintendents Rowan Daymond (The Grange GC) and Tim Warren (Glenelg GC) for hosting our first two block release classes last September and November respectively.

DIPLOMA The Diploma of Sports Turf Management is delivered online one day per week for 35 weeks a year over two years. Students in this qualification come from areas currently not serviced by existing TAFE colleges. Like the Certificate III course, Diploma numbers have also increased and from the initial 12 that enrolled we now have 21 students from across the country.

To date, three units of competency have been delivered and assessed, with students also preparing and delivering the first of four student presentations they undertake as part of the coursework in December in the ‘Develop policies and procedures for environment and sustainability’ unit (AHCWRK520). Students all did themselves and their clubs a great service and proves our industry is very well-placed for continued success as students continue to rise to more senior management positions.

The ASTMA was again grateful to Tim Warren and Glenelg Golf Club biodiversity manager Monina Gilbey for their time in supporting our Diploma students. As part of that, they presented on the dual award-winning biodiversity and sustainability programs implemented at Glenelg, providing students with their insights and lessons learned as they integrate them alongside managing one of Adelaide’s premier golfing facilities.

A BUSY YEAR AHEAD The 2024 training schedule recommenced for Certificate III students on 29 January and 1 February for the Diploma students. As we move into the next six months, we will be delivering training and assessments across Jared Charlton (The Grange GC, left) and Sam Worley (Adelaide Oval, right) examining boom height and nozzles as part of their chemical application training

66

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

TMSA

S

Adelaide Oval first year apprentice Jack Stirling scarifying the Glenelg Golf Club driving range during assessment of the Certificate III ‘Renovate sports turf’ unit

seven units in Certificate III and four units in the Diploma including: l Cert III (1st year): Prepare sports turf surfaces for play (AHCTRF306); Implement soil improvements for gardens and turf areas (AHCSOL304); Recognise plants (AHCPCM204). l Cert III (2nd year): Establish turf (AHCTRF308); Monitor turf (AHCTRF310); Operate pressurised irrigation systems (AHCIRG346); Apply environmentally sustainable work practices (AHCWRK320). l Diploma: Audit irrigation systems (AHCIRG507); Develop a soil health and plant nutrition program (AHCPCM406); Diagnose plant health problems (AHCPCM507); Manage sports turf facility assets (AHCTRF508).

One of the unique features of the ASTMA delivery model is that we offer rolling enrolments. This means that students can join the courses at any time throughout the year, commencing with the next unit scheduled.

Having such flexibility is proving invaluable for both student and workplace alike.

WOOD JOINS RTO TEAM Finally, early in the new year the ASTMA advertised for a state manager to assist with the delivery of sports turf management training to students in South Australia. In mid-February we were delighted to announce the appointment of Alex Wood (pictured) who started his new role on 26 February. Alex joins the association with more than 12 years’ experience in the sports turf management and horticulture industry, which allows him to bring a range of skills and experience to the role of teaching and assisting the next generation of turf managers in South Australia.

Most recently, Alex was employed as a senior curator at Adelaide’s Prince Alfred College (PAC), working as part of the team responsible for preparing and renovating cricket pitches as part of the school’s elite turf facilities. Over the past four years his role there saw him undertake a wide range of turf management activities across playing

surface preparation for a variety of events.

Prior to joining PAC, Alex worked as a senior groundsman and senior curator at venues including Scotch College Adelaide, University of South Australia and Urbanvirons, in addition to being a volunteer wicket curator for a number of local cricket clubs around Adelaide.

In 2022, Alex started a Degree in Education (Teaching) at University South Australia where he is undertaking his national qualifications in education, which will be further supported by obtaining his National Training & Assessment (TAE) Qualifications in the months ahead. Using the skills and abilities gained over 12-plus years in the industry, in combination with his enthusiasm for learning and development, Alex is looking forward to assisting in the training and development of apprentices undertaking their Certificate III qualifications in South Australia.

Alex brings a solid background in preparing turf surfaces for a diverse array of sports, in addition to irrigation management, repairs and scheduling, turf equipment operations and maintenance, coupled with management and training of new staff over the duration of his career.

Alex will be working with and supporting myself and the ASTMA team as we continue to expand our learning and development support for the industry. I look forward to working with Alex and trust that ASTMA students will welcome him on board.

o much for the long, hot and dry summer that was predicted! As with most of the other states, South Australia has had quite an unseasonable summer. The cooler temperatures and higher rainfall than expected will have been welcomed by facilities that may have struggled with the dry summer that was predicted.

In October we ventured down south to the McLaren Vale region to Willunga Golf Course which hosted its first Webex Players Series event from the 19th to 22nd. The course consists of 18 challenging holes, with its lush tree-lined fairways and expansive grass greens set in a picturesque location amongst historic gum trees and a meandering creek, coupled with superb views of the vines and hills. Course superintendent Sam Smith had the course presented in wonderful condition.

Adelaide Oval was again the place to be in January for the Test match with head curator Damian Hough and his team having the ground looking superb and in fine form.

The TMSA committee is looking forward to an exciting year of events and education and at this stage have the following planned: l Regional Site Tour (Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 March): Visiting Summit Sport Park (Mt Barker, walk ‘n’ talk), Bordertown Golf Club (BBQ lunch/golf/dinner) and Sunnyside Instant Lawn (BBQ breakfast/ farm guided tour/harvest demonstration). l Industry Golf Day (20 May): North Adelaide Golf Course. l Annual Turf Seminar (13 August).

Registration for the Regional Tour is now open. Visit www.turfmanagementsa.com.au for all event details and to register.

NATHAN BENNETT PRESIDENT, TMSA

ALBERT SHERRY NATIONAL TRAINING MANAGER, ASTMA ASTMA RTO INFORMATION For more information on the sports 23turfLINES management courses delivered by the ASTMA and how to enrol, please contact Albert Sherry on 0473 064 726 (if unattended please leave a short message and return contact details) or by email albert@astma.com.au. The ASTMA website also has a wealth of information on the course offerings – visit the ‘Registered Training Organisation’ section under the ‘Education’ tab at www.astma.com.au.

Willunga GC superintendent Sam Smith (left) and Gary Day at the Webex Players Series SA event last October

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

67

AS SOCIATION REPORTS/NEWS

HBF PARK DEBUTS ON WORLD RUGBY’S SEVENS CIRCUIT

PHOTOS: ALEC PENGILLY

H

BF Park in Perth is no stranger when it comes to hosting rugby union, but for the first time over the Australia Day long weekend in late January it held the Australian leg of World Rugby’s popular HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. It hosted a total of 64 matches in what was the third leg of the revamped international series which kicked off in Dubai last December.

For HBF Park site supervisor Alec Pengilly, who works for Green Options which oversees the maintenance of Perth’s premier rectangular stadium, it was a huge weekend and one that capped off a hectic six months for the crew. That began last July when it was one of six Australian venues chosen for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 tournament, hosting five pool matches over a 12-day period.

It was just before hosting those games that World Rugby, international rugby union’s governing body, announced it was overhauling its premier sevens rugby series with Perth replacing Sydney as host city of the tournament’s Australian leg. After the first two rounds were held in Dubai and Cape Town in December, Perth kicked off the 2024 schedule.

The series also heads to Vancouver, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Singapore before culminating in the final in Madrid in early June.

HBF Park’s debut into the realm of sevens couldn’t have gone better and while the Australian men’s and women’s teams were beaten in the respective finals, a sell-out Sunday crowd and carnival atmosphere across the three days ensured it was a resounding success. Sevens rugby matches are 14 minutes in duration, with the playing surface hosting 24 matches on each of the first two days followed by a further 16, including the respective finals, on the Sunday.

“It was a pretty big six months for us,” says Pengilly, who arrived at the venue in November 2021 from the WACA ground. “After our World Cup games, we sprayed the ryegrass out and renovated the Hero hybrid Wintergreen surface to get the couch back and then had the Matildas here for two Olympic qualifiers in late October/early November. Perth Glory started their A-League campaign around the same time, then we had the Foo Fighters in late November.

Perth’s HBF Park hosted the Australian leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in late January

“We started prepping for the sevens following that concert, getting the surface softer and a consistent cutting height of 24mm.

We had three A-League games between 8 December and 6 January, but then we had a 20-day gap between our last Glory fixture and the start of the sevens. Having no games during that time really helped all round.”

For the sevens tournament, Pengilly had a crew of eight each day, split into two teams of four. With such a busy schedule of matches during the day, all work to the playing surface was carried out at night, including sweeping the pitch and line marking, before being double cut on match-day morning. Similar to the Women’s World Cup, the HBF Park surface was monitored for a range of parameters pre- and post-tournament by Sports Turf Technologies and Labosports, including surface hardness, traction and moisture levels.

“Having three days of rugby across the surface was a bit of a worry, but it held up really well and all parties were very happy with the result,” says Pengilly. “The venue has hosted Rugby 9s before, but that was before my time. Much like FIFA with the Women’s World Cup, there was an overlay with the venue set up and Rugby Australia and World Rugby knew what they were doing. We had some great crowds across the weekend and overall it was a great event to be part of.”

No sooner had Argentina (men) and Ireland (women) secured their respective victories on the final day, Pengilly and his team were back in to transition the venue back

Left – Due to a hectic match-day schedule across the three days of the sevens tournament, all work to the HBF Park surface was carried out in the evening; Right – Transitioning the ground back over to hosting A-League soccer in the days after the tournament had concluded

68

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

to hosting A-League for a Perth Glory home game the following Friday. The rugby pitch was greened out along with all numbers and grass signage and goal posts swapped over.

That proved to be timely warm-up ahead of the start of the Super Rugby season in late February. HBF Park is home of the Western Force franchise, with Pengilly and his team having three weekends in February, March and April where they are hosting A-League and Super Rugby double-headers all within the space of 24 hours.

“They (double-headers) are always tough weekends and even the days leading up to them,” says Pengilly. “We generally have a crew of six come in about 30-40 minutes after the final whistle to start changing the goal posts over. The biggest job is washing out the lines. I use the Supaturf ER paint with malt which gives that clean finish after a remover is applied. Usually we are done by about midnight and then back in first thing in the morning to cut, mark up and do any other touch ups across the pitch.”

ON THE MOVE… CRAIG BROWN: From Woodlands GC, Vic to superintendent Heidelberg GC, Vic. HAMISH BUCKINGHAM (CSTM): From assistant supt. Commonwealth GC, Vic to assistant supt. Metropolitan GC, Vic. AARON FLUKE (CSTM): From assistant superintendent NSW GC, NSW to superintendent Castle Hill CC, NSW. SCOTT FULLARTON: From foreman to assistant superintendent Commonwealth GC, Vic. DENNIS GROUNDS: From superintendent Club Catalina, NSW to assistant superintendent Royal Canberra GC, ACT. DUNCAN LAMONT: Appointed superintendent Horizons GC, NSW following the departure last September of Duncan Begley.

JASON POU: Resigned as superintendent Rockingham GC, WA.

GCSAWA

I

hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year period and you all managed to get a little bit of time off to enjoy it. Perth has had a long summer already, with no rain from mid-October to mid-February and continuous strong easterlies seemingly hanging around a few extra weeks causing courses to be covered in leaves and bark every day as well as really affecting irrigation cycles and drying out the course. Warm nights have certainly tested water budgets and preventative fungicide programs.

On the evening of 12 January, in the middle of a few 40-degree days, parts of Perth received a summer storm. The coastal courses received around 12mm but the amounts were lower as it headed towards the city, with South Perth getting just the 3mm. The Bureau of Meteorology station recorded just 1.8mm!

While the rain was a welcome relief, it wasn’t all great news with some courses getting direct hits from the thousands of lightning strikes that night taking out irrigation systems. The storm also caused widespread and ongoing power outages as it crossed the Wheatbelt and into

the Goldfields region, with Kalgoorlie Golf Course shut for days due to no power across the whole town!

To give an indication of just how dry it has been, Perth’s BOM station has recorded just 2mm of rain from 1 December 2023 to 12 February, while for the 145-day period between the start of October to 12 February there has been only 15mm. The last day of January and first two days of February were brutal with temperatures in the low 40s and that was followed a week later by another threeday stretch in the 40s. For the first 12 days of February the mean temperature has been 36.

From an association perspective, the GCSAWA opened up the opportunity for trades to sponsor the association. About a dozen companies signed up where they will receive some great benefits throughout the year as well as giving the association some stability and opportunity to host more events. Their support is greatly appreciated and we thank them for their contribution.

On 20 March, the TAFE Awards Night will be held in East Fremantle honouring the 25

or so graduating students this year. On the night there will also be presentations from Lake Karrinyup’s Fraser Brown and last year’s Apprentice of the Year Jayden Zappelli on their careers to date. Two nights later, the WA Golf Industry Awards Night will be held at The Crown Ballroom. Ticket sales are going well and we expect to push towards the 500 people we had in attendance last year again.

Around the traps it continues to be a busy time for many Perth golf courses. Lake Karrinyup recently resurfaced all nine of their short course greens, Mt Lawley continues on their masterplan with new greens and bunkers, Melville Glades has one more year of greens resurfacing to do and Cottesloe is coming to the finish of their course construction project.

Kennedy Bay’s construction is going well and is the largest of the lot. Royal Perth and Nedlands are also putting the final touches on their masterplans and will start construction later in the year.

daily operation of the facility including the management of over 40 wickets that are made up of practice wickets, centre wickets and main oval wickets. Tony also provided details on the different soil types within the practice wickets to replicate Subcontinent conditions for players, as well as overall wicket management practices to get them game-ready, including heights of cut, moisture management and rolling frequencies.

Matt Holmes from Adama presented on ERI disease control chemical application and

the importance of chemical placement, nozzle choice, application volumes, water-in timing and understanding infiltration rates. Peter Kirby from Indigo presented on the everevolving industry research and development of fungicide and cultural practices for ERI and the results of current ERI research in southeast Queensland. GCSAQ thanks all those who attended, presented and hosted the day.

SHANE BAKER PRESIDENT, GCSAWA

GCSAQ

T

he GCSAQ, in conjunction with STA Queensland, hosted an education day at Allan Border Field in Brisbane in early February with just over 50 people attending.

Allan Border Field reconstruction manager Trent Hobson (Twin View Turf) provided a tour of the facility and discussed its construction, providing an insight into the drainage profile, materials used and specifications met with the project.

Allan Border Field ground manager Tony Potter provided an insight into the

MARK HAUFF PRESIDENT, GCSAQ ON THE MOVE… MICHAEL HEDGER/DAVID WARWICK: Pennant Hills Golf Club in Sydney confirmed in late January that it was promoting Michael Hedger from assistant superintendent to superintendent following the departure of former super Liam Ash. At the same time, the club also announced that former Avondale Golf Club superintendent and 2021 ASTMA Distinguished Service Award recipient David Warwick had been engaged as a course project advisor. Warwick will work with Hedger, the maintenance team and the club’s Board to provide advice, guidance and assistance to implement the Pennant Hills course masterplan.

DARCY JONES: From assistant superintendent Victoria GC, Vic to superintendent Club Catalina, NSW.

Allan Border Field in Brisbane hosted a combined GCSAQ/STA Queensland education day in early February

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024

69

BOOK REVIEW

ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT (2023) Edited by Dr Michael Fidanza, Penn State University, USA | Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, 659 pages

T

urfgrass is required to meet a range of aesthetic, functional and environmental requirements, while also adapting to the threat of abiotic and biotic stresses which are being accentuated by climate change.

The turfgrass industry is also facing increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact and advance more sustainable maintenance practices that utilise and/or optimise fewer agronomic-related resources.

In Achieving Sustainable Turfgrass Management, edited by leading Penn State University academic Dr Michael Fidanza and released in 2023, summarises the wealth of recent research that addresses these challenges. It also identifies potential mitigation strategies to reduce the sector’s contribution to climate change, such as reduced fertiliser use and water conservation. The collection also highlights developments in breeding for improved cultivars of turfgrass with enhanced abiotic and biotic stress responses, as well as climate resilience.

In its extensive exploration of turfgrass physiology, breeding and cultivation, the book showcases how the turfgrass industry can adopt more sustainable management practices and reduce its environmental impact. Across 659 pages, the book; l Reviews the impact of climate change on the increasing threat of biotic and abiotic stresses to the turfgrass industry, as well as the challenge of treating diseased turf in the face of fungicide resistance; l Considers the development of alternative, more sustainable management practices that utilise and/or optimise fewer agricultural outputs, such as fertilisers, pesticides and fuel to power agricultural machinery; l Provides a selection of case studies that detail the establishment of good turfgrass management and maintenance in a variety of environments (golf courses, athletic fields, sports pitches, arid environments).

The book is broken down into three distinct parts and encompasses a total of 20 chapters which come complete with extensive references. Part 1 focuses on the physiology, breeding and cultivation of turfgrass species, specifically focusing on breeding techniques, soil management, phosphite utilisation and irrigation and water management. Chapters in this part also draw attention to maintenance practices of turfgrass as well as advances in using turfgrass for athletics fields, sports pitches and ornamental lawns. Chapters in Part 2 review the biotic and abiotic stresses 70

Contributing author Dr Jim Brosnan was a keynote speaker at the 2023 Adelaide conference

that affect turfgrass management, such as diseases, insect pests and weeds. Chapters also look at the importance of plant growth regulation, abiotic stress management, organic matter management and the use of biostimulants in turfgrass. Part 3 chapters provide case studies on various management practices for turfgrass, such as the use of drone technology, methods for selecting turfgrass varieties and cultivars, as well as water management and soil testing.

Editor Fidanza needs little introduction to global turfgrass managers and is a professor of plant and soil science at Penn State University and former editor-in-chief of the International

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1

Turfgrass Society Research Journal. He has drawn together more than 60 contributing authors, representing a who’s who of the turfgrass scientific and academic community, among them Dr Jim Brosnan (University of Tennessee, pictured below) who was a keynote speaker at the 2023 Australian Sports Turf Management Conference in Adelaide.

Brosnan is a co-author on the ‘Advances in Turfgrass Weed Management’ chapter in Part 1 of the book. Other notable contributors to have also made the trip Down Under over the years include Cornell University’s Dr Frank Rossi, Stan Kostka (Penn State), Dr Michael Richardson (University of Arkansas) and Brian Whitlark (United States Golf Association).

Another leading academic to feature as a contributing author is Purdue University’s Cale Bigelow who was out recently volunteering at the 2023 ISPS Handa Australian Open held at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney. Bigelow, who was advisor to the Purdue University team that won the GCSAA Turf Bowl held during the recent US conference in Phoenix, contributes to the ‘Advances in Biostimulants in Turfgrass’ chapter and provides an excellent summation of the book and its relevance for modern day turf managers.

“The three ‘E’s of sustainability – environment, economics and ethical-social impacts – in all their forms continue to underpin the values and goals of professional turf managers across the globe who strive to build and maintain health, long-term communities where parks, lawns, sportsfields and golf course turfs are the dominant vegetation. It is now more important than ever to understand how factors like species selection, edaphic conditions and cultural management decisions influence the ecology and persistence of managed turf systems. In this comprehensive book, Mike has compiled industry-leading experts who provide relevant, fact-based insights across an array of key topics to help turf managers meet their modern management goals.”

Achieving Sustainable Turfgrass Management continues a series of ‘Achieving sustainable…’ titles that Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing has produced across a variety of agricultural fields in recent years, everything from the cultivation of potatoes to the production of pig meat! The series of books aims to bring together key research on making the world’s most important crops and livestock products more sustainable and reducing their impact on the environment.

Achieving Sustainable Turfgrass Management can be purchased through the Burleigh Dodds online shop https:// shop.bdspublishing.com (£165) or Amazon (AU$374.71) – prices correct as of 13/2/24.

ASTMA CERTIFICATION PROGRAM The ASTMA congratulates the following sports turf managers who have achieved certification and can proudly use the ‘Certified Sports Turf Manager’ (CSTM) designation after their names…

Tim Allen The National Golf, Belgium Dean Bailey Rosanna GC, Vic Shane Baker Mosman Park GC, WA Brett Balloch Anglesea GC, Vic Ed Barraclough Cardinia Beaconhills GC, Vic Mark Bateman The Empire Brunei Nathan Bennett The Royal Adelaide GC, SA John Berthon St Georges Basin CC, NSW Shane Bisseker Tablelands Council, Qld Robert Bloom Fernland, Qld Andrew Boyle GTS, Vic Justin Bradbury Camden GC, NSW Nathan Bradbury Nuturf, NSW Harry Brennan Dubbo City Council, NSW Brendan Brown East Geelong GC Fraser Brown Lake Karrinyup CC, WA Hamish Buckingham Metropolitan GC, Vic Chris Burgess Yarrawonga Mulwala GC, Vic Greg Burgess K&B Adams, Vic Jason Bushell Rowes Bay GC, Qld Aaron Cachia Toronto CC, NSW Malcolm Caddies Kai Tak, Hong Kong Stuart Campbell Maroochy River GC, Qld Brad Carey Riversdale GC, Vic Patrick Casey Royal Perth GC, WA David Cassidy The Cut, WA Brian Cattell Wagga Wagga CC, NSW Peter Cawsey Eastwood GC, Vic Paul Chalmers Tamworth JC, NSW Brenton Clarke Settler’s Run G&CC, Vic Jeremy Collier Mars Stadium, Vic Dan Cook The Australian GC, NSW Lincoln Coombes RACV Royal Pines, Qld Phillip Cooper GTS, NSW Dion Cope Redland Bay GC, Qld Mick Cornish Cazaly’s Stadium, Qld Shaun Cross Byron Bay GC, NSW Joshua Cunningham All Outside, NSW Luke Diserens Roseville GC, NSW Nicholas Douglas Cranbourne GC, Vic John Downes Regional Turf and Hort, Qld Mark Doyle Hume City Council, Vic Cameron Dunn Woolooware GC, NSW Peter Dunn Federal GC, ACT Tim Fankhauser ASTMA, Vic Timothy Fewster Doncaster BC, Vic Peter Fitzgerald Belmont G&BC, NSW Aaron Fluke Castle Hill CC, NSW Matthew Foenander Keysborough GC, Vic Jason Foster Tropics GC, Qld Jason Foulis HG Turf, Vic Peter Fraser Hervey Bay G&CC, Qld Adam Fry Kooyonga GC, SA Ryan Fury Killara GC, NSW Jake Gibbs Elanora GC, NSW Charlie Giffard Pacific GC, Qld Danny Hack Wellington Shire, Vic Cameron Hall Kew GC, Vic

Gareth Hammond Terrey Hills GC, NSW Brendan Hansard Kew CC, NSW Dean Hardman Indooroopilly GC, Qld Nick Harris Wentworth Club, UK Marcus Hartup Vattanac Golf, Cambodia Mitch Hayes Living Turf, Qld Martyn Hedley Landscape Solutions, Qld Matthew Heeps Evergreen Turf, Vic Luke Helm Meadowbrook GC, Qld Tony Hemming Element Sports Turf Kirsty Herring Mackay Regional Council, Qld Tim Hoskinson Green Options, Qld Ian Howell Bonnie Doon GC, NSW Rhys Hunichen Atlas Golf Services Vic Jay Infanti Eastern GC, Vic Nick Jeffrey St Joseph’s College, Qld Mark Jennings Racing Victoria, Vic Steven Johnson Al Mouj Golf, Oman Daimon Jones Living Turf, SA Jason Kelly Royal Fremantle GC, WA Nick Kinley Hartfield CC, WA Blaine Knox Palm Meadows GC, Qld Lance Knox Busselton GC, WA Steve Lalor Townsville GC, Qld Nick Launer Keysborough GC, Vic Ben Lavender Newington College, NSW Jason Lavender Beenleigh RSL & GC, Qld Dean Lenertz K&B Adams, NSW Dean Lewis Thurgoona CC, NSW Josh Leyland Box Hill GC, Vic Nathan Lindsay Marrickville GSCC, NSW Peter Lonergan CTHGC, NSW Ben Lucas Tocumwal GC, NSW Toby Lumsden Red Sea Global, Saudi Arabia Bruce Macphee ASTMA, Vic Stephen Mallyon Never Stop Water, NSW Dave Mason Brisbane GC, Qld Garry McClymont Twin Waters GC, Qld Nick McClymont Twin Waters GC, Qld Mick McCombe Maleny GC, Qld Tony McFadyean Albany GC, WA Christopher McIvor The Grand GC, Qld Paul McLean Sanctuary Cove G&CC, Qld Michael McMahon GTS, Qld Peter McNamara Ashgrove GC, Qld Ryan McNamara Rosanna GC, Vic Brett Merrell Merrell Golf Consultancy Daniel Metcalfe Beverley Park GC, NSW Kieran Meurant North Sydney Oval, NSW Jack Micans GTS, NSW Braydan Millar Rowes Bay GC, Qld Ben Mills Hawks Nest GC, NSW Craig Molloy Barwon Heads GC, Vic Colin Morrison AIMU P/L, Vic Damien Murrell Merewether GC, NSW James Newell Magenta Shores G&CC, NSW Kelvin Nicholson Palmer Coolum Resort, Qld Matthew Oliver Suncorp Stadium, Qld

Shaun Page Southern GC, Vic Luke Partridge Nuturf, SA Mick Pascoe Noosa GC, Qld Ben Payne Peninsula-Kingswood CGC, Vic Michael Pearce RACV Torquay GC, Vic Jeff Powell Ballarat GC, Vic Keegan Powell The Sands Torquay, Vic Luke Primus Deakin University, Vic Scott Prince Manningham City Council, Vic Shaun Pritchard PEGS, Vic Shaun Probert Ryde Parramatta GC, NSW Justin Rankin Kooindah Waters GC, NSW Peter Rasmussen STRI, Hong Kong Marc Raymond Waterford Valley GC, Vic Scott Reid TasTAFE Lachlan Ridgewell Blacktown ISP, NSW Chris Rogers Portsea GC, Vic Marcus Saddington Greenlife Group, Vic Brett Saggus BRG Legend Hill, Vietnam Wesley Saunders Dreamland GC, Azerbaijan Robert Savedra Wesley College, Vic Travis Scott Brandt AU/John Deere, Vic Cameron Smith Bonnie Doon GC, NSW Gary Smith Wodonga TAFE, NSW Jacob Smith The Coast GC, NS Thomas Smith Waterford Valley, Vic Mathew Soles Roseville GC, NSW Liam Somers Whaleback GC, WA Clinton Southorn Troon International John Spraggs Royal Wellington GC, NZ Daniel Stack Windaroo Lakes GC, Qld David Sutherland The Ridge GC, NSW Lee Sutherland St Michael’s GC, NSW Shay Tasker Carnarvon GC, NSW Aaron Taylor Cronulla GC, NSW Heath Taylor Blacktown ISP, NSW Nigel Taylor Sports Turf Solutions, Malaysia Shaun Taylor Warragul CC, Vic James Thomas Bayview GC, NSW David Thomson Bermagui CC, NSW Colin Thorsborne Parkwood Village, Qld Ben Tilley Headland GC, Qld Dallas Voss Grass Up, Vic Michael Vozzo Fertool, Vic Earl Warmington Newcastle GC, NSW Tim Warren Glenelg GC, SA Trent Webber Ballina G&SC, NSW Rob Weiks Hoiana Shores GC, Vietnam Shannon White Baileys Fertilisers, WA George Widdowson Eden GC, NSW Joshua Willard Oaks Cypress Lakes, NSW Darren Wilson Wembley GC, WA Issac Wojewodka Camden GC, NSW Simon Wood Sth Metropolitan TAFE, WA Paul Wright City of Canning, WA Tim Wright K&B Adams, Vic Matthew Young Moonee Valley CC, Vic Rob Young Liverpool GC, NSW

For more information on the ASTMA Certification Program visit www.astma.com.au

OBITUARY

WILLIAM CHARLES ‘BILL’ REID – 1945-2024

T

he Victorian golf course superintendent community bid farewell to one of its cherished members in late February with the passing of Bill Reid. A VGCSA life member, Reid (pictured) was the long-serving course superintendent at Cobram Barooga Golf Club and also Lonsdale Golf Club in a turf management career that spanned 45 years.

Reid passed away just one week shy of his 79th birthday after a short battle with cancer.

He was farewelled at a funeral service held in Drysdale, Victoria on 23 February.

The Reid family name is synonymous with the Australian golf course industry, with Reid’s love for greenkeeping passed on to his sons Gavin and Mark who have gone on to forge successful careers in the industry overseas. Reid was also uncle to Steve Cole, general manager of Lilydale Instant Lawn.

Reid’s passing came just nine months after fellow former Murray River superintendent and VGCSA life member Ben Nowell passed away.

“Dad was such an influential figure in many communities and especially among the Australian golf course superintendent cohort,” says Gavin Reid, who is director of golf course development for BRG Group based in Vietnam.

“His work ethic, ability to keep it simple while embracing new trends and produce amazing standards with limited resources was second to none… We’re all very saddened at his passing, however, as a family we are also incredibly grateful to be able to reflect on his extraordinary life and legacy.”

After cutting his teeth as a groundsman at Sunshine Golf Club in Melbourne in the early 1960s, in January 1966 Reid started as the first paid greenkeeper at Cobram Barooga Golf Club on the Murray River. At the time the club had sand scrape greens and in his first two years Reid oversaw the transition to Penncross bentgrass greens which were officially opened

in April 1968. Reid would serve more than 30 years at Cobram Barooga before moving to Lonsdale Golf Club in the twilight of his career, serving as superintendent there between 1998 and 2007 when he retired from the industry.

In ‘Ferrets, Fescues and Fellowship’, the VGCSA’s history document published in 2004 which looked back over its first 75 years, Reid was acknowledged as being one of the instigators of the association’s regional trips to the Murray River. Author Russell James wrote: “No account of productive excursions to places near and far would be complete without mention of the intrastate trips to the ‘three Bs’ on the Murray River… Hosts of these visits were Ben Nowell (Yarrawonga Golf Club), Bill Reid of Cobram Barooga GC and Bruce Stranger of Corowa GC. The first Murray trip was held in 1971 and they continued to be enjoyed by many Victorian curators every second year up until the early 90s.”

In the November-December 2014 edition of Australian Turfgrass Management Journal (Volume 16.6), Gavin Reid penned an article titled ‘A chip off the old block’ which outlined his career and journey working overseas.

In it he wrote about the lasting influence his father had on him, his brother Mark and the dedication he had for the profession.

“Dad had a career-long involvement with the turf industry and it was he who ingrained the passion for turf within me. Turf and horses were the common discussion around our family

table and for me it just seemed inevitable that I would follow dad’s path to be a superintendent.

At 12 or 13 I remember summer holidays jumping on the trusty Honda postie bike with my cousin, Steve Cole, to help dad with the night watering on the course. It was the freedom of this work that struck me and planted the early seeds of my love for turf…

“I think of all the lessons that dad taught me it was his incredible work ethic. He was the hardest worker I have known and he knew how to get the best results with small budgets and limited resources and that was good oldfashioned hard work and keeping up to date with the latest industry information…

“Dad always instilled in me the importance of keeping up with industry-based education and that in this industry you always need to evolve and keep up with the latest and best practices. At a time when not a lot of formal industry education existed, dad jumped at the chance to be a part of one of the first intakes of the turf management course at Burnley in Melbourne. By this time, with a couple of kids and wife in tow, he would regularly take the eight-hour round trip to attend the course to achieve the level of expertise he [became known for]. His 45-year superintendent career has been an important influence and inspiration throughout my career.”

Members of the turf industry paid tribute to Reid following his passing, noting in particular his friendly and welcoming nature. Matt McLeod, former superintendent of Tocumwal Golf Club and now with Living Turf, posted on Facebook: “Bill was a legend, just one of the nicest humans you could meet. I thank Bill for welcoming a little bloke from the country at VGCSA meetings a long time ago. RIP Bill.”

Added long-serving Deniliquin Golf Club superintendent Terry Howe: “The first VGCSA meeting I went to was 34 years ago and I still remember Bill coming up and introducing himself with a welcoming smile. Every meeting he was the same... a great colleague and an even better role model.” And Rain Bird golf sales manager and former superintendent Steve Harris noted: “One of the world’s true gentlemen. A role model to many, a mentor to most, but to me just a bloody great mate.

Going to miss you King Billy.”

In the VGCSA’s Spring 2022 magazine, Reid reflected on his career, summing up the key to his longevity in the industry: “I just loved what I was doing and I never got up thinking I had to go to work. We had a few hiccups along the way, but my family were my rock and their support was amazing.”

Bill Reid (right) with sons Mark (left) and Gavin (centre) who followed in their father’s footsteps, forging successful careers in the golf course industry both in Australia and overseas

72

AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 26.1