OGSA ONCourse June 2023

June 2023

OGSA MiGCSA CAN/AM is back!

Fungicide Programs New Insecticides

Developing Your Bench Strength CANADA POST PUBLICATIONS MAIL PUBLICATIONS AGREEMENT No. 40027105 Postmaster: Please return undeliverable copies to The OGSA, Guelph Turfgrass Institute, G.M. Frost Building, University of Guelph, 364 College Ave E. Unit 3 Guelph ON, N1G 3B9

INSIDE THIS ISSUE FEATURES 11

Editor Courtney White manager@ogsa.ca

C Highlight & Member Profile G John Lopes, Equipment Manager, The Oakville GC

15 D eveloping an Effective & Environmentally Sound Fungicide Program

Publisher Diane Davey diane@blenheim.ca

18 New Insecticides and Their Optimal Use

Advertising & Administrative Manager Diane Davey diane@blenheim.ca Tel: 289-337-4305

19 Developing Your Bench Strength REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS 24 ON Research Cultivar Trials

Production & Design Patrick Kilborn patrick@blenheim.ca

24 Looking Back Remembering an Industry Icon: Hugh Kirkpatrick 26

Turf or Consequences

ONCourse is published four times a year (November / March / June / August) by Blenheim INK for:

DEPARTMENTS 5

President’s Message

6

Editorial Committee

7 What’s New 2023 CAN/AM Recap

Ontario Golf Superintendents’ Association Tel: 519-767-3341 Toll Free: 877-824-6472 Email: admin@ogsa.ca www.ogsa.ca

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS ALMACK AGRONOMIC SERVICES INC. AQUATROLS www.can.aquatrols.com BANNERMAN www.sportsturfmagic.com

16

JOHN DEERE

22

JohnDeere.ca/Golf ONTARIO SEED COMPANY

20, 25

BELCHIM www.belchimturf.ca

14

BRAEMAR BUILDING SYSTEMS www.braemarbuildings.com

6

BRETTYOUNG www.brettyoung.ca/turf

17

GREENHORIZONS greenhorizonssod.com

27

ON THE COVER

4 13

www.oscturf.com P.D. SOLUTIONS

9

www.pdsolutions.ca TARGET SPECIALTY PRODUCTS

2

www.target-specialty.com TURF CARE PRODUCTS CANADA

8, 28

www.turfcare.ca ZANDER SOD CO. LIMITED www.zandersod.com

2023 CAN/AM participants at the Forest Lake CC. Photo taken by Kevin Collier, OGSA Director, Superintendent at RiverBend Golf Community.

25

Published by Blenheim INK Administration Office: 503-5340 Lakeshore Road Burlington, ON L7L 7A8 www.blenheim.ca

ONCOURSE 2023 Although every effort is made to check material for publication, the association is not responsible for material published on behalf of its contributors.

All rights are reserved by the publisher and any reproduction in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Although some trade names may be mentioned in articles contained in this publication, no endorsement is intended or implied by the Ontario Golf Superintendents’ Association.

OGSA is committed to serving its members, advancing their profession, and enriching the quality of golf and its environment.

JUNE 2023 | ONCourse 3

The future is electric. And cutting edge.

Introducing New John Deere Golf Course Maintenance Equipment.

There’s a quiet, new strength coming to golf courses now. Where the finish is everything. And just a beginning of what’s new. Hybrid technology is growing on the fairways and electric equipment is revolutionizing greens.

Visit JohnDeere.com/Golf to see what’s new.

John Deere Golf. Trusted by the Best.

6700A / 7700A E-Cut Hybrid Fairway Mowers TM

Gator GS Electric & Gas Golf Utility Vehicles TM

TruFinish 1220 Utility Rake TM

185/225 E-Cut Electric Walk Greens Mowers TM

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Building relationships is key to our success.

Owen Russell, OGSA President, Superintendent, Markland Wood GC.

As your association president, I am honoured to represent such a professional group of individuals. It’s incredible to think that in 1924, this association began with 11 registered members. Now 99 years later, our membership is approaching an all-time high with 866 members. Our current mission statement encompasses the founding fathers’ goals: “The OGSA is committed to serving its members, advancing their profession, and enriching the quality of golf and its environment.”

It is an exciting time for the OGSA as we approach our centennial year. In just a few months, we will celebrate our founding fathers’ achievements, and at the same time, we are planning events to educate, promote, and support our members for the future.

a member of the OGSA has allowed me to meet colleagues with whom I have built lifelong friendships throughout my career.

These friendships allow me to share challenges, laugh about unique situations, and celebrate successes. It’s essential to offer your crew the same opportunities to build professional connections and become part of this community.

OGSA members annually receive a roster that gives them quick and easy access to colleagues who share and understand the pressures of the job. When I flip through the OGSA roster, I see the names of my mentors, trusted colleagues, and the young people who have worked with me and have gone on to become very successful superintendents and industry professionals.

We are fortunate that golf continues to experience a resurgence of players entering the game. As we begin another season, we, as superintendents, strive to build a solid team to deliver excellent course conditions for our club members and golf enthusiasts.

Recruiting a great team can be a challenge for superintendents with the competition for employees from other industries and the rising costs of living.

We have a unique industry with a desire for everyone to succeed together. It started this way and continues to grow like the grass we Friendships allow me to share love to maintain. Like most superintendents, challenges, laugh about unique my team extends well beyond my shop doors. The partnerships with suppliers, situations, and celebrate distributors and contractors are essential successes. to allow us to produce excellent conditions for our golfers. The roster is another way to engage with those supporting our industry beyond the sales floor. If you reach out, engage, and attend our Our employment referral service has been a handy tool for events, you will experience some of your most valuable insights superintendents and industry professionals to find skilled coming from casual conversations with colleagues. employees to help their operations. In a recent meeting with Cam Shaw from the University of Guelph, he shared that he is seeing a We aim to reach 1000 members by 2024, and with your help, we renewed interest in the DTM program, which means an increased can get there. If you have an assistant, mechanic or team member flow of newly motivated students to the industry. The OGSA has who isn’t a member, I encourage you to sign them up and get them also seen an increase in student memberships and their interest in involved in all the OGSA offers. With a strong membership, we our referral service, opening the door for these new prospects to can continue to build resources for all of our members, support locate and fill critical positions on maintenance crews. turfgrass research and create a place where superintendents, assistants, technicians, and mechanics can share ideas, develop Engaging with the OGSA for the last 25 years has provided me professionally, and build lasting friendships. with great memories from conferences, golf tournaments and other networking opportunities that have undoubtedly helped I hope you have a wonderful summer with warm days, cool nights, me succeed in my profession. I’m genuinely thankful that being and rain every 4th night. ■ JUNE 2023 | ONCourse 5

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE A big welcome to Kevin Collier and Andrew Marsan who recently joined the ONCourse committee. We have another great issue.

Thank you to our volunteer writers for their contributions.

Madeleine White Associate Editor, Writer; Special Projects, OGSA

Marco China Writer & Content Development; Superintendent, Deer Ridge GC

Kevin Collier Writer & Content Development; Superintendent, Riverbend Golf Community

Chris Lecour Writer & Content Development; Sr. Turf Sales Representative, BASF

Andrew Marsan Writer & Content Development; Superintendent, Caledon Woods

Mark Wiebe Writer & Content Development; Assistant Superintendent, Oakdale GC

Al Schwemler Associate Editor, Writer, & Content Development; Fisherman Extraordinaire; Past President & Director, OGSA

Joel Johnston Writer & Content Development; Superintendent, West Haven G&CC

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WHAT’S NEW

By Courtney White, Executive Manager, OGSA and ONCourse Editor. manager@ogsa.ca

BOARD OF DIRECTOR’S MEETING: BMP’S, MEMBERSHIP, AND FIRST GREEN The Board met May 24 to discuss the upcoming season. A key focus for this year is to increase our membership to reach our goal of 1000 members by 2024 in celebration of our upcoming centennial. We’re also actively working on the best management practices document for golf courses, and expect it to publish by October 2023. Once it’s published, facilities are encouraged to adapt this provincial document to their club.

More information on how you can do that, will follow. We are also looking into a hosting the First Green program this year. If anyone is interested in participating in this program, please reach out to the office.

ONTARIO GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE AND 100TH CELEBRATION Our conference committee is actively planning the next OGSA Conference for January 16-18, 2023, at the Fallsview Casino Conference Centre. This is a special conference for our membership as we celebrate our 100th year. January 16 we will host a centennial party for all our members, and industry partners at the Niagara Falls Power Station, which has recently opened its doors to the public. This historic building is a perfect place to celebrate. Please save the date and plan to attend.

OGSA PAST PRESIDENT’S LUNCHEON On June 5, 2023, the OGSA hosted a past presidents’ luncheon at St. Georges Golf and Country Club to commemorate our near 100 years of serving the golf industry. It was a terrific day reminiscing with past presidents from as early as 1973. The event allowed us to capture critical historical information which will help in the preparation of the upcoming OGSA centennial.

UPCOMING OGSA EVENTS

August 10, 2023 Assistants Tournament St. Thomas G&CC, Union, ON

Sept 25 & 26, 2023 OGSA Championship Deerhurst Resort & Muskoka Bay Muskoka, ON

January 16 – 18, 2024 Ontario Golf Course Management Conference Niagara Falls, ON

WELCOME

OGSA STAFF CHANGE We would like to welcome Somer Swan, the new Member Services and Marketing Coordinator. Somer is a recent University of Guelph graduate with a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing Management.

Somer is passionate about marketing and has extensive experience in client services.

We look forward to leveraging Somer’s experience, knowledge, and positive attitude to ensure the OGSA continues to meet member needs.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

to Our New Members

Steve Kavanagh

Class A

Sarah Prozak

Class D

Stephen Holmes

Class A

Andrew Julie

Class D

Cory Hofferd

Class A

Mark Mastantuono

Class E

Ryan Arthur

Class A

Tim Koen

Class E

Class B Homestead Golf and Resort Ryan Edwards Class B Bay of Quinte G&CC Jordan Brown Class B Golf North/Brookfield GC

Eric Kanis

Fergus GC

Bowmanville G&CC Hollinger GC Cobble Hills GC

James Woods

Rob Wilson

Class C

Nathan Nicholls

Class C

Ashlee Lawrence

Class C

Derek Guest

Class C

Cari Gillan

Class C

Mad River GC Twenty Valley GC

Cobble Beach Golf Resort Rattlesnake Point GC

Bigwin Island GC

Blairhampton GC Brock GC

Maple Hill Tree Service Aquafor Golf Services

Class E Grower’s Choice Landscape Products Inc. Mark Hyland Class E Maynooth Natural Granite Inc. Peter Moir Class E The Sign Depot Inc. Sean Lavin Class E IrriTech Solutions Inc. Ryan Starr Class H White Squirrell GC Adam Ikamas Class E Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association Max Spolsky Class S Lambton Golf & Country Club JUNE 2023 | ONCourse 7

WHAT’S NEW REGISTRATION FOR TOURNAMENTS On May 16, the first CAN/AM since the pandemic took place at Forest Lake Country Club in Michigan. We’ve got two tournaments on the horizon! See Save the Date! Registration will open shortly! Keep an eye on Clippings for the announcements and plan to attend!

TURFGRASS SHORT COURSE AWARD A big congratulations to Mark Peters from Islington Golf Club for winning the OGSA award for the Turfgrass Short Course this year! This bursary is automatically given to a golf course turfgrass employee who earns the top marks in their class. Mark will receive $1,000 to help support further professional development and a 1-year membership to the OGSA. Well done!

#TODAYINONTARIO The Today in Ontario Contest is up and running! The contest runs between March 1 and November 30, 2022. Be sure to snap, tweet, and tag @OntarioGSA with #TodayInOntario to enter to win one of three cash prizes! Hint: Clever captions get you bonus points!

TURFGRASS EDUCATION AWARD In April, the OGSA scholarship committee had the pleasure of awarding two very deserving students with the Turfgrass Education Award.

Congratulations to Mike Banton, Assistant Superintendent at Rebel Creek Golf Club, and Luka Turkovich, Turf Maintenance at Grand Niagara Golf Club for submitting excellent essays highlighting their dedication to the turfgrass industry. Both students will work at Ontario golf courses this season and will receive $1,500.

G.C. DUKE PAUL BROWN INTERNSHIP AWARD The OGSA and G.C. Duke would like to congratulate Matty Rodrigue for being the successful candidate for the Paul Brown Internship bursary. Matty will receive a $1,500 award to help cover expenses during his internship! Congrats!

We wish all the turfgrass students the very best this season! We also encourage students to make note of these excellent funding programs and apply next year! ■

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WHAT’S NEW

Canada is Victorious AT THE CAN/AM CUP

After a four-year break, the CAN/AM Cup was competed on May 16th at the Forest Lake Country Club and hosted by Canadian, Ryan Moore. The golf course was in tremendous condition and a sincere thanks went to the entire team for their efforts to prepare the golf course for the day. The greens provided for great matches full of nail-biting putts to close out individual holes.

The Canadian team was grinding all day and had many matches turn for the country late in the round to win the Cup with a 30-25 point victory. Included in the day were two skins won by Tim Steen and Steve Hatch and a single skin from Joel Henderson and Kelly Barnet. Most importantly, it was great to get back together to reunite with friends and colleagues within Ontario and our friends south of the border. With 75 participants, there were lots of laughs, stories, and smiles as we all enjoyed the beautiful weather and course conditions.

The hospitality team at Forest City provided great food throughout the day with breakfast, multiple comfort stations on the course, and enjoyable Hors D’oeuvres during the final trophy and awards presentation. A big thanks to all of the sponsors and industry partners for

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P.D. Solutions their support to make the CAM/AM a special day. Included was a tasty on-course station that provided a dirty bacon sandwich and a personalized Caesar to taste, compliments of Robert Plyar from Envu and Doug Jahanningsmeirer from Harrells. This event cannot happen without industry support and the combined efforts of the Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Ontario Golf Superintendents’ Association.

We are looking forward to next year when we will be hosting the matches in Canada to defend the cup and hope to see you there. ■

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Visit: www.pdsolutions.ca or call 1-877-977-6774 JUNE 2023 | ONCourse 9

10

GC HIGHLIGHT | MEMBER PROFILE

The Oakville Golf Club

Hole #6

1154 Sixth Line, Oakville, Ontario (905) 845-8321 www.oakvillegolfclub.com

Member since 2021 ABOUT THE COURSE The Oakville Golf Club is a prestigious private nine-hole golf facility established in 1921. Located on 56 acres of land at the South end of Sixth Line, running West to the banks of Sixteen Mile Creek. The original course architect was George Cumming with other architects laying out their vision over the years with Jeff Mingay as our current consulting architect on record.

Private, semi-private, public, municipal, resort? Private Architect Original: George Cumming Architect Current: Jeff Mingay Number of holes: 9 Number of rounds annually: 26,000 Practice Facility: Yes Number of staff year-round/seasonal: 6 year-round / 19 seasonal Number of mechanics & assistants: One mechanic, John Lopes.

John Lopes Equipment Manager, The Oakville Golf Club

John Lopes.

By Al Schwemler, Past President and Director, OGSA.

During my career as a golf course superintendent, I always believed that golf course equipment managers/equipment technicians/mechanics (whatever their title may be) were the unsung heroes in golf course turfgrass maintenance departments. Their expertise, dedication, craft, and attention to detail are the foundations of a great turfgrass maintenance team.

John Lopes has been practising his trade at The Oakville Golf Club since 2019. He

has been an equipment manager for over ten years and graduated college with a certificate in small engine repairs. He is a member of the club’s joint health and safety committee and has acquired certificates in chainsaw operation, safety, and CPR. John participates in GCSAA seminars, as well as seminars provided by equipment distributors to keep current with ever-changing technologies and equipment trends. He also believes the OGSA can help equipment managers by providing more networking and educational opportunities, in addition to spreading the word that one can have a very satisfying career as an EM on a golf course.

JUNE 2023 | ONCourse 11

IN THE HOT SEAT Q: Favourite sporting event?

A: Fifa World/Euro Cup big Portugal fan!

Q: Favourite Season?

A: Fall

Q: Favorite meal?

A: Lasagna

Q: Favorite piece of turf equipment?

A: Toro 4500

Q: What are some tools that you hope to have in the next 3years?

A: A Plasma Cutter and a Bedknife & Reel Grinder

Q: NASCAR or Formula 1?

A: NASCAR

Q: Favorite tool in the toolbox?

A: The Welder

Q: Favorite movie?

A: Gran Torino

Q: Favorite Band?

A: Blink 182

Q: Favorite Extreme Sport?

A: Downhill Mountain Biking

John’s passion for equipment repairs and maintenance began at the early age of 14. His first job was in a motorcycle shop disposing of used oil, cleaning tools, and overlooking the mechanics making engine repairs. He started spending endless hours in his garage tinkering with small dirt bikes, broken engines, and restoring old machines to their former glory. This fulfilling hobby helped expand his skill set and he began offering small engine services to family and friends (at a fraction of the cost of an established shop) which enabled the purchases of more toys to tinker with.

Now in his fifth year at The Oakville Golf Club, John feels his biggest accomplishment was transitioning from the automotive sector to golf course equipment manager. He stated, “While there are similarities between the two types, there are many differences that require a unique skill set such as turf quality management, irrigation systems, and

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Predominate grass type: Bent/Poa Predominant soil type: Clay Types of greens: 3 original 102 year old push-ups, 2 California sand based, 2 USGA sand based, 2 Modified soil push-ups.

Course length: 3123 Size of greens: 80,000 sq. ft.

Size of tees: 40,000 sq.

Size of fairways: 14 acres Major Challenges: Not having our own reel and bedknife grinders has been challenging in keeping our quality of cut to the highest level.

Delayed and shortage of delivery of parts and equipment and rising inflation costs.

12

John preparing mainline pipe for Z-pipe connection.

specialized machinery. Going into the golf field also requires building new relationships and a network with other golf course EMs/ mechanics.”

John’s typical day starts with checking in with the superintendent and turf staff to discuss the schedule for the day and to prioritize tasks based on course needs. John places a priority on preventative maintenance to ensure all equipment is functioning properly and to avoid breakdowns and downtime.

He emphasized that “this allows the staff to complete their work safely and efficiently”.His biggest challenges are dealing with the recent shortage of parts due to the pandemic, and working under time constraints to perform maintenance and repairs once a machine breaks down. In addition to his equipment responsibilities, John helps with winter snow clearing, clubhouse repairs, general tasks and projects on the course, and tending to the team’s Border Collie (Ivy). As with

John is perpetual motion; he is always on the go.

“Always looking to maintain, repair or organize our equipment or his shop. John will not be beaten by any challenging piece of equipment and can be quite the MacGyver when he needs to be. He is always willing to help with various tasks and projects on the course and

”

has proven to be a valued leader on our team.

– Ryan Scott, Immediate Past President, OGSA & Superintendent, Oakville GC

most EMs, John’s least favorite maintenance practice performed by his superintendent is “SAND TOPDRESSING.” When asked how equipment managers can assist in maximizing the productivity of the grounds staff, John responded with the following: 1. Communication! Communication!

Communication! “My coworkers know they can come to me with any issue that arises and by working together and keeping everyone in the loop, we can produce a solid team.”

2. Provide training and support to the grounds crew 3. Regular maintenance of all equipment to prevent breakdowns.

John expressed some excellent advice for those that are considering a career as an EM. • Learn as much as you can and take advantage of any training opportunities or resources that become available

John checking quality of cut on greens mowers.

• Build a network of golf course mechanics to help solve problems

big dog lovers and one day hope to acquire a larger property to expand their pack. To take his mind off of work, John regularly works out at the gym, seeks out quiet and uncrowded places to hike with Blue, and not surprisingly tinkers with engine-powered toys. Their favorite place to travel for vacations is Portugal/Europe.

Family time is spent with his wife and daughter hiking, exploring beaches across Ontario, jet skiing, tubing, and walking their American Bulldog named Blue. They are

John adamantly believes his strong work ethic, passion for the trade, reliability, and willingness to take on challenging projects has helped him get to where he is today. He

• Be organized and keep detailed records • Be flexible • Don’t wait for equipment breakdowns to perform inspections

stated, “The expert in anything was once a beginner. As golf course mechanics, we may face new challenges and situations that require us to learn and adapt. By staying curious and open to learning, we can continue to improve our skills and expertise.”

Working with equipment managers, from all walks of life and different personalities over the past 45 years, has led me to believe that golf course superintendents may be only as good as their EM! ■

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1:09 PM JUNE 2023 | 2021-10-19 ONCourse 13

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DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE & ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND

Fungicide Program By: Lisa Marie Guilfoyle, Burlington Golf & Country Club.

STEP ONE: Identify Major Diseases & When They Typically Occur

Many of us are enjoying some well-deserved rest and rejuvenation for our physical bodies during the winter months here in Ontario.

Yet, as Turf Managers, our brains are constantly buzzing with ideas on how we can perfect our passion for the upcoming season.

During the 2023 OGSA Conference in Blue Mountain, attendees were given the opportunity to hear from one of Rutger University’s Emeritus Plant Pathologists, Dr. Bruce B. Clarke. Throughout the years, Dr. Clarke centered his research around biotic and abiotic diseases of cool-season grasses. Focusing on control, resistance, environmental factors, cultural management, disease development as well as reduction of chemical inputs. His wealth of knowledge from his dedicated findings led us to a very informative session on how we can truly be mindful of our environmental footprint while continuing to provide a high-performance product.

“There’s an approach,” Clarke says, “a systematic approach that can be utilized and integrated with your cultural management practices so that fungicides are part of the program but not the mainstay of the program.’’ This refers to biological controls along with good genetics “selecting good germplasm, good species, good cultivars.” In a nutshell, Clarke recommends that when you’re developing a program, you want to get the most out of your fungicides. Carefully selecting and positioning products that enhance performance, maintain quality, and provide excellent suppression all while not breaking the bank or impacting the environment. Recognizing that the amount of fungicide we use depends on many factors including location, weather patterns, types of grasses we are maintaining (or that are available to us), and what diseases are most threatening.

Dr. Clarke has come up with a six-step process that has been successful in wielding a fungicide program that is specifically tailored to you, your location, and budgets amidst being efficient and environmentally sound:

First and foremost, your program will never be one size fits all. While targeting, you will be tweaking these programs based on time of year - when they occur, and separating major diseases based on location where they occur. Utilize historical data if you are new to the course; take a look at application records - what have they been spraying for and where. Veteran Turf Managers - know your ‘hot spots’ along with areas of importance.

Dr. Clarke provided the audience with examples of major diseases and timing of them on cool-season grasses from a Mid-Atlantic site that is not too different from what we Southern Ontarians’ encounter: • Spring - Anthracnose, Brown ring patch, Dollar Spot, Fairy Ring, Take-all Patch • Summer - Anthracnose, Brown ring patch, Dollar Spot, Pythium Blight, Summer Patch, Yellow Turf • Fall - Dollar Spot • Winter - Snow Moulds, Yellow Patch Awareness is your first step, timing is second, and efficacy is third.

STEP TWO: Focus on the Most Important Diseases & Build a Core Fungicide Program Around Those Diseases Dr. Clarke recommends you refine your focus to three or four most important diseases on your radar and construct a core fungicide program around them. “Start by backfilling for those core diseases, then refine it based on other diseases that may be of concern or that historically, may have occurred at certain times of the year.” Going back to the example given in step one, the program would be based on Dollar Spot suppression along with Brown Patch and Anthracnose, your core diseases, then implementing control of Pythium Blight and Summer Patch as they have historically impacted turf conditions.

JUNE 2023 | ONCourse 15

BUILD A CORE FUNGICIDE PROGRAM AROUND MAJOR DISEASES (GREENS) Season

Date

Spring Summer

Fall Winter

Major Target Disease

Class

Other Diseases

Resistance Pot.

April

SDHI

BRP, TA

Mod-High

May

AN, DS, SP

DMI

BRP, TA, FR

Mod

June

AN, BP, DS, SP

QoI + DMI

PB, YT, FR

Mod

June

AN, BP, DS

Phosphonate + Nitrile

PB, YT

Low

July

AN, BP, DS, SP

DMI

Mod

July

QiI

PB, YT

Mod-High

August

AN, BP, DS

Pyridinamine + Polyoxin

Low-Mod

August

AN, BP, DS, SP

QoI + Nitrile

PB, YT

Sept.

DS

Pyridinamine

Low

Oct.

DS

SDHI

TA

Mod-High

QoI + DMI + Dicarboximide

PSM, TA

Low-Mod

Nov.

Low-Mod

AN: Anthracnose, BP: Brown Patch, BRP: Brown Ring Patch, DS: Dollar Spot, FR: Fairy Ring, GLS: Gray Leaf Spot, PSM: Pink Snow Mold, PB: Pythium Blight, SP: Summer Patch, TA: Take-all Patch, YT: Yellow Turf; 9 classes/10 diseases/11 Apps

STEP THREE: Identify Strengths of Available Fungicide for Key Diseases (Efficacy Ratings) Once you have deciphered your core diseases and timing, populate your program by selecting the most efficacious fungicides labeled for those target diseases. “Be sure to base it on efficacy ratings, not choosing fungicides unless they are a 3 or 4 on the 1-4 scale, 4 being best, from an unbiased source,” Dr. Clarke reminds us. “If the rating is giving you a 1 / 3, this indicates the product is typically scaled at a 3 when you do not have resistance issues. If you do, the rating becomes a 1, which essentially means it would not be the best product for you to use in targeting a specific pest.” This being said, he then mentioned you can add a 1 or 2 rating to a tank mix to then broaden the scope of diseases above and beyond the four core diseases. Be sure to find a couple products that target your core diseases, add them to a list and rotate these different chemistries throughout the program. This gives you lots of flexibility in rotation, decreasing the chances of resistance. Dr. Clarke’s personal approach is to always start with single active ingredients that are rated at a 3 or 4 with no premix or tank mix until he needs to as pressure rises.

“Then using broad spectrum fungicides and/or premix or tank mixes when more than one disease is expected to occur.”

“Fungicide groups have their strengths and weaknesses,” Dr. Clarke explains. “Always place these chemistries when you’re expecting to see these diseases - rely on their strengths and never otherwise.” By capitalizing on strengths such as efficacy, low risk of resistance, a low

16

Environmental Impact Quotient, and rotating different modes of action, you reduce the potential of the negatives, glorifying the strengths!

STEP FOUR: Optimize Control; Choose the Most Efficient Rates, Nozzle types, Water Volumes & Timing Utilize the latest technologies! Improve your level of control while optimizing the use of fungicides, ultimately limiting the amount of fungicide executed. Dr. Clarke discussed many ways of seeing this through that are really quite simple.

In selecting a nozzle with a medium droplet size for leaf diseases, it allows the product to thrive off its strengths, adhering to the leaf and not bouncing off.

Increase your water volume, especially for root diseases. Foliar diseases - rule of thumb, you would never want to use less than 4 liters per 100 meters squared.

Are you spraying on a calendar basis? Every 7, 14, 21 or 28 days?

This is OK, but not the best model to minimize your fungicide use.

Dr. Clarke recommends, if you can, utilizing the Disease Predictive Model; this gives you the opportunity to determine when the weather conditions are conducive to developing disease. There are many of these models out there. Some based on soil temperatures, and others based on air temperatures and humidity. You can even attach these to your weather station to get property specific predictions. Like most things, some are better than others but all assist in timing an application with great accuracy, limiting your sprays to one or two as well as completely preventing targeted diseases rather than a curative application - not acquiring the same control. Dr. Clarke then states “And of course if you’re pretty comfortable and are utilizing Best Management Practices (BMPs), some earlier curative sprays based on thresholds is an option.”

There was a study done on Anthracnose that proved if you are using thresholds along with BMPs, you can actually extend the interval for control. Some of us may be uncomfortable with this… as we would rather not see the disease before we make our move. That being said, we have also learned that it is easier to prevent than to cure. Yet, with BMPs in place, like managing higher nitrogen levels, alternating modes of action, and mowing at a higher height, ultimately increases the

percentage of control, saving time and money with less applications.

GPS Mapping has done wonders for efficacy – efficiency as well as financially. In this case the saying, ‘you have to spend money to make money’ applies.

Dr. Clarke believes there is a lot to look forward to in the future like Molecular Probes.

This advancement is designed to predict the disease before symptoms develop, quantifying your populations at a localized site.

Dr. Bruce B. Clarke at the 2023 OGCMC.

STEP FIVE: Use Strategies to Reduce the Potential for Fungicide Resistance This step involves doing things above and beyond the obvious tank mixing. Adding to BMPs mentioned above, be sure to read labels and the plethora of information that they provide. This especially applies to resistance management (mainly Dollar Spot). But by alternating your modes of action and knowing the number of applications one can utilize in a year and placing them at the right time, you can limit your disease pressures drastically.

Clarke explains that the potential for developing fungicide resistance is not only dependent on the mode of action but also the pathogen. “Dollar spot has become so intelligent that it holds 90 percent of the reported cases of resistance. The genetic diversity has become so great that the potential for developing resistant strains or isolates is tremendous. So, you must be extremely careful when working with Dollar Spot and that you DO rotate chemistries, or you’re going to get into trouble.”

He also expresses never exceeding 3 to 4 SDHI applications per calendar year. Place them carefully for optimal suppression in and amongst your DMI’S, QoL’s, etc.

Use preventative applications for high-risk populations and avoid late curative applications. “At this point you’ve allowed the disease to build up to such critical levels that essentially you would have to dump a ton of fungicide down in repetitive applications to even attempt to knock it back and reduce symptoms – not ideal or environmentally sound,” Dr. Clarke comments.

STEP SIX: Evaluate & Modify the Program Based on Potential Environmental Impact (Environmental Impact Quotient) Once you think you are done, it is now time to tweak it! “The old ways of laying any and all products down is truly something of the past. Many places around North America and the world are demanding that we use less products,” Dr. Clarke expresses firmly. Take the time to evaluate the importance of your environmental impact with upstanding choices.

Narrowing in on specific criteria - Efficacy, Economics, Resistance Potential, and Health Impact.

To ensure that you have formulated educated decisions, take advantage of tools like The Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ). Developed at Cornell University and devised to determine the environmental impact of most commonly used pesticides in agriculture and horticulture. ■

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JUNE 2023 | ONCourse 17

New Insecticides

AND THEIR OPTIMAL USE WITH DR. BEN MCGRAW

By Joel Johnston, Superintendent, West Haven G&CC

Having only two insecticidal groups to treat a multitude of pests on a golf course seems daunting. Dr. Ben McGraw can always find the positive in the situation, while entertaining all in attendance. His argument was that losing some of the chemistries we are familiar with is actually a good thing, he proceeded to explain why that is.

POSITIVES The most effective of the two groups of insecticides that will be available to Superintendents in Ontario are anthranilic diamides. McGraw mentioned the following positives: 1. They are virtually non-toxic to human health.

2. They have lengthy residual activity.

He added that the success of these insecticide applications is dependent on the applicator.

Without proper scouting of lifecycles and pest locations, an application with any chemistry would be ineffective. McGraw emphasised how crucial water volumes are; these products are Xylem mobile and need to reach the root zone to be taken up.

Next, the recommendation was made to use pyrethroids are part of a rotation with the anthranilic diamides. They are highly efficacious while being relatively environmentally friendly.

With the available chemistries dwindling,

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McGraw mentioned that research is accelerating; “innovation happens when our back is against the wall,” he told the crowd.

McGraw also stated that much work is still to be done researching these products, but the main flaw is associated with producing these products consistently.

ANNUAL BLUEGRASS WEEVIL AND WHITE GRUB CONTROL The second topic McGraw presented was Annual Bluegrass Weevil (ABW) and White Grub Control. He began by discussing some of the challenges associated with ABWs. • Multiple generations in a single season provides great opportunities for adaptation.

• ABW tend to target low mow, highly important areas such as collars and putting greens.

• There is a lack of effective products for this pest.

• They have developed a resistance to pyrethroids.

• The products that do work can be highly expensive.

However, during McGraw’s research, he has developed an effective control theory.

1. Reduce emerging adults in the spring to minimalize egg laying.

2. Apply 1st generation larvicide (such as Ference) and having these products in

Dr. Ben McGraw at the 2023 OGCMC.

place before larva emerge. Tetrino was also mentioned for its beneficial curative properties.

3. Once you have overlapping generations, buckle up!

Finally, alternative control was discussed.

Products such as Civitas and wetting agents, that haven’t been designed to control insect pest do have beneficial side effects. These products affect the insect spiracles and allow water to rush in, effectively drowning the ABWs. McGraw’s session at the 2023 OGSA conference, provided entertainment, humor, and practical advice on controlling insect pests. We look forward to having him return again. ■

DEVELOPING

Your Bench Strength Written by Phillip M. Perry.

Reprinted in part, with permission. The full article is published in the February 2023 issue of GMC, the official publication of the GCSAA. Photos by Montana Pritchard.

With labor shortages still challenging many golf operations, using your best employees to supercharge your staff and support new talent can be a winning strategy.

You’ve spent good money attracting, hiring and training great employees. But what happens when your skilled workers retire or move on to other pursuits? Does all your investment go down the drain?

Maybe not. You can capture the skills and knowledge critical to your bottom line by having your top performers pass along their expertise to other members of your staff.

And you can do that through mentoring.

DEVELOPING SKILLS Two workplace trends are making mentoring programs more critical.

The first is the retirement of baby boomers.

When older people leave your workforce, they will take along their considerable expertise unless you have taken steps to capture it.

Second, more job applicants are becoming aware of their need to improve their skills to maintain a competitive edge. As a result, they are looking to join organizations that will help them do just that. And they will want to make sure you are on the same page

before they agree to work for you.

“Today’s applicants are telling prospective employers they want personal development in their work life,” says Richard Avdoian, an employee development consultant in St. Louis. “It’s all part of a changing business environment. As people move more rapidly between employers, they are looking ahead to their next stop.”

“Start with a 360-degree survey, to find out where your mentoring program is now.

Then redo the survey a year down the road.”

This trend is visible as early as the job interview. “Gone are the days when interviewers would ask more questions than candidates,” Avdoian says. “Now applicants are leading the way by asking for key information such as, ‘What does your business do to enhance and develop employees’ skills? Does it offer additional education? Training?’”

THINK BUSINESS Does mentoring sound a lot like coaching?

It’s true that both initiatives attempt to improve employee performance. But they differ in their details. Confusing the two can be costly.

“Coaching is much more proactive than

mentoring,” explains Alan Weiss, president of Summit Consulting Group in East Greenwich, R.I. “Very often a coach will reach out to an individual exhibiting a specific workplace development need.”

Once that skill is improved, the coaching initiative is over.

Mentoring, in contrast, is a longer-term effort intended to help individuals engage more successfully with their workplace environment. It often serves to assist a mentee’s climb of the career ladder. As such, it tends to promote a spirit of loyalty in the business organization.

SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE What makes a great mentor? Before anything else, the individual must have expertise worth sharing. “Great mentors have something to offer because they have achieved success in their careers,” Goruk says. “They are willing to share their bad as well as their good work-life experiences, pointing out the mistakes that they and others have made.”

Such openness requires self-confidence. “A mentor must be able to trust people,” Star says. “Not everyone has that capability. Some people feel threatened by the act of sharing their talent, because they feel they might be replaced. And a mentor may also be afraid of losing their edge if the mentee should communicate the shared information with others.”

Great mentors avoid grinding a personal philosophical axe that might warp the learning process. “A good mentor is JUNE 2023 | ONCourse 19

these five characteristics:

Set goals when appropriate

1. An innate desire to learn for the sake of learning, not just because it’s required for the job.

The most successful mentoring programs center on the individual’s perceived needs.

“Rather than make your own interests the agenda, start by asking what the mentee needs,” Avdoian says. Perhaps the person needs to develop a more impressive leadership style, a more authoritative posture or a more positive attitude.

2.

The willingness to take risks and do things differently than they’ve always done them.

3.

Openness to feedback and the ability t o i nt er n a liz e it without o ver personalizing it.

4. Insight into why they act as they do and the ability to see themselves as others see them.

5. Humility or the knowledge that there’s always room to grow.

The most successful mentees lack sensitive egos that can get in the way of processing constructive criticism. And the best ones realize the dynamics of mentoring are a two-way street. “The mentee should not only be willing to learn from people who have been there before, but they should also be willing to share their own skills or talents to benefit the mentor,” Avdoian says. “I have mentored many people, and I always learn from them.” completely objective about the company and is not trying to push a personal agenda,” Weiss says. “He or she looks out for the best interests of the mentee, in a way that is consistent with the company’s strategy.”

Finally, great mentors not only are willing to perform the required work, but also have the time to do so. And they must have a genuine interest in a mentee’s success.

Are mentors born or made? “Both,” Weiss says. “While you may be able to easily find some people with native mentoring skills, there’s nothing wrong with providing some training — even just a half day’s discussion covering the ground rules.”

Bonus tip: A good mentor need not be in the mentee’s chain of command. “Although a boss can be a mentor, it’s often more effective when someone who is not in a position to judge performance or make decisions about continued employment provides feedback and guidance,” Frankel says.

LISTEN UP Now, for the other side of the selection coin: Who makes a great mentee? Frankel says the best candidates possess at least three of

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Perhaps the most important characteristic is a positive mental attitude. “The great mentoring candidate wants to grow professionally and perform at a higher level,” Goruk says. “The individual must listen well and be willing to change.”

Also, assess a mentoring candidate’s potential in the light of their previous response to guidance. “An individual who has been open to coaching will likely be a good mentee,” Star says.

Are specific goals necessary? Maybe not.

“Successful mentoring is often more about creating a safe environment to discuss career issues and explore challenges than it is about doing any one particular thing,” Frankel says.

Sometimes goals are called for. “If you have identified a weak performance area, then a specific, measurable goal will be helpful,” Goruk says. “But if you are just trying to develop your bench strength and prepare people for advancement, the goal might be simply the retention of a quality employee.

In this case, the mentor might help the person stay inspired and feel empowered.”

Keep to a schedule “Decide how frequently you will get together and how long the relationship will last,”

Seeding is Believing

ENSURING GREAT MENTORING Some mentoring relationships thrive; others wither on the vine. How can your own efforts find a home in the first group?

Experts suggest these tips for success.

Establish parameters “The mentor needs to define the scope of the mentoring relationship — what it is and what it isn’t,” Frankel says. “For example, mentoring might not be advocacy.

A mentor who can’t or won’t put in a good word for a mentee applying for a promotion might be willing to help prepare for an interview or provide insight into what a position will require.”

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Avdoian says. “It’s best to enter meeting times on a calendar. A ‘we’ll meet when we can’ approach never seems to work out, because there’s always something else to do.”

As for the venue of the meetings, establish some designated area which is relaxing and allows for uninterrupted conversation.

And respect the mentor’s work schedule.

“The mentee may think that the mentor will be available at any time for a consultation,” Goruk says. “That’s unreasonable. Map out working parameters before the process begins.”

Discuss privacy “The issue of confidentiality should be put on the table,” Frankel says. “The mentor should assure the mentee that any shared information will remain private. The mentor might want to ask the same of the mentee to facilitate candid and unguarded discussion.”

Be honest “Don’t be afraid to say you do not have the answer to a particular problem for the mentee,” Star says. “Take steps to help them find the answer, and you will both learn in the process.”

HOW ARE YOU DOING? Assess the quality of your mentoring effort by asking mentees for feedback. “Periodically seek insight into how the initiative is going,” Goruk says. “If you get a blank stare when you ask, ‘How am I helping you?’ maybe you have not been very helpful. Remember that you are engaged in a process of developing new leaders. If you are not doing that, you are wasting your time as a mentor.”

You should also assess the quality of your organization’s overall business training initiatives. “Start with a 360-degree survey, to find out where your mentoring program is now,” Goruk says. “Then redo the survey a year down the road to see how well you have advanced. Identify areas for improvement and encourage mentors to work on them.”

Says Goruk: “The further down you can take your mentoring program in your organization, the more profitable you will be.”

Phillip M. Perry is an award-winning business management writer based in New York City whose work has been syndicated in publications nationwide, including GCM. ■ JUNE 2023 | ONCourse 21

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ON RESEARCH

Cultivar Trials

KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS AND TURF-TYPE TALL FESCUE Written by and photos provided by Dr. Sara Stricker, Communications & Outreach Coordinator, GTI. Research by John Watson and Dr. Eric Lyons.

There are two kinds of cultivar trials in progress at the Guelph Turfgrass Institute, both with the goal of improving turf performance in Canada.

The Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance (TWCA) cultivar trials compare experimental cultivars against known drought tolerant standards to qualify drought tolerant turfgrasses for responsible use in the managed environment. This drought qualification trialing uses standardized methods across multiple years and locations to achieve a meaningful comparison of drought tolerance across a broad geographic range. The trial in Guelph, Ontario was one of nine locations across Canada and the United States of America which ran a trial on Kentucky bluegrass trials in 2018–2021.

The TWCA conducts trials using rainout shelters (see image) which limit the rainfall over the trial. The shelters are covered with clear plastic covering to allow light penetration, and they are open at the bottom and sides to allow for airflow. Data is collected using a lightbox and camera, and the photos are analyzed using Digital Image Analysis (DIA) technology developed by the University of Arkansas and NexGen. Of the 59 entered cultivars (including known standards), 10 entries qualified unanimously having clearly met or exceeded drought tolerance at all locations (see table). Note that some of these cultivars are proprietary and have not been named yet, but you can also check for the TWCA seal on the product.

The second cultivar trial run at the Guelph Turfgrass Institute is the National Turfgrass Evaluation Project (NTEP) turf-type tall fescue evaluation. Not only is this trial using a different species of grass, there is an entirely different protocol in place. The NTEP trials

do not use fungicides and only sparingly apply herbicides when needed. In addition, this trial is regularly irrigated.

genes into the newer, finer-textured cultivars?

NTEP is a non-profit program, sponsored by the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and the National Turfgrass Federation, Inc. The data from tests can be used by extension specialists and others for making

Notably the cultivars Firecracker, Teacher, PPG-TF 231, and PPG-TF267 had less snow mould in spring of 2022. For the best overall performance, which includes summer colour and density, the cultivars listed in the table below averaged out with the best performance out of 132 cultivars tested.

TOP OVERALL QUALITY IN ONTARIO (PRELIMINARY DATA)

TURFGRASS WATER CONSERVATION ALLIANCE APPROVED CULTIVARS

PPG-TF 231

K11-118

PPG-TF 267

K17-189AD

BY-TF-169

K17-196

Teacher

K15-163A T17-47

recommendations, and turf managers can access the reports on the different turf species online to compare the performance of the cultivars in their geographic region.

The NTEP tall fescue trial in Guelph collected data on density, colour, spring greenup, snow mould damage, and leaf texture.

One of the biggest issues with using tall fescue in Canada is winter survival and snow mould resistance. We noticed some severe snow mould damage on many of the cultivars – and notably the older, wider-texture cultivar (with an undesirable lime green colour) exhibited decent resistance to snow mould damage (see image). This is a challenge to the turf breeders – can you please input those disease defence

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Please note that the NTEP data is still preliminary, and we will be conducting two more years of data collection before the final report is issued.

For more information, visit the Turfgrass Water Conservation Association (TGWCA. org), the National Turfgrass Evaluation Project (NTEP.org), or the Guelph Turfgrass institute (GuelphTurfgrass.ca) website. ■ JUNE 2023 | ONCourse 23

LOOKING BACK

REMEMBERING AN INDUSTRY ICON

Hugh Kirkpatrick (1941 – 2001) in his left hand. He had passed away in the place that had given him so much joy and pleasure since October of 1978.

Written by Mike Banton, Diploma in Turfgrass Management, University of Guelph, Graduating 2024.

It was June 9th, 2001, another regular and beautiful Saturday afternoon at Westmount Golf & Country Club, or so we thought.

20-years old at the time, I was working the 2-close shift as an Assistant CPGA Professional in the proshop. That afternoon changed when the phone rang and on the other end was Rosemary Kirkpatrick, the loving wife of long time Superintendent, Hugh Kirkpatrick. “Hi Mike, it’s Rose calling. Have you seen Hughey? He’s usually home by now and I can’t seem to get ahold of him.” Hugh had played golf that morning and I remember him coming off the 18th hole headed down to his office. It was late afternoon and as I popped out of the proshop and looked down towards the maintenance shop, there was his Jeep parked in it’s regular spot like every other day. What came next was something I have never and will never forget. As I walked through his office door to find him, there he was slumped over in his office chair with a two-way radio clenched

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Hugh’s career started in the early 1960’s working for his father’s construction company building golf courses all over Canada. He had taken on the role of shaping greens and took a lot of pride in his experience and abilities at the finishing touches before they were sowed in. Up until 1966, some of the courses he shaped include Bayview, Brampton Golf Club, Rideauview (Ottawa), The Truro G.C. in Nova Scotia, Calgary’s Earl Grey G.C., John Bloomberg G.C. in Winnipeg among

Hugh’s impact was not only felt on the golf course throughout his career but off the course as well.

others. Wanting to be closer to home with his wife Rosemary and two children, Hugh was hired as Superintendent at Conestoga G.C. and would stay there from 1967 – 1973. A new golf course was built by renowned architect Robbie Robinson north of Port Hope called Dalewood G.C. in 1974 where Hugh was hired as Superintendent until 1978. All of these experiences would eventually lead him to his final destination as

Superintendent at Westmount Golf & C.C. in the fall of 1978.

Designed by Stanley Thompson, Westmount Golf & Country Club was looking for change, someone to really spruce the place up ahead of it’s 50th anniversary in 1981. Immediately he would become involved with a major leaf removal program by convincing the Board of Directors to purchase additional equipment.

Removing 80 wagons, 40 yards each of leaves annually throughout the property and moving them to compost piles that he would manage throughout his career. Although the trees at Westmount are beautiful and really the make up of the course, they are a menace to Superintendents. Lack of air flow and immense shade are key ingredients for disease and ice damage. Hugh went on to manage this over the course of his career by strategically removing trees and installing fans at specific green locations to improve air flow. This was not received well by the membership according to recently retired CPGA Head Professional Rob Strahan.

“I distinctly recall when Hugh cut down a number of trees between the 5th green and 6th tee deck. He struggled for years trying to grow grass on the 5th green and it was simply impossible with the amount of trees and shade he was dealing with. The membership was not happy initially but once they saw the improvement to the putting surface they realized it was necessary.” Rob Strahan made Westmount his home from 1981 – 2021, where he would serve as the Head Professional for 31 years and work along side

Hugh Kirkpatrick.

Hugh Kirkpatrick. “Hughey loved to play golf, and he was pretty good too. The thing that sticks out the most is that after a round you would see him back out there on a piece of equipment cutting something or cleaning an area up that he noticed while he was playing” says Rob. Hugh felt it was important to see the property not just as a Superintendent, but as a golfer as well. “That’s when he would notice the imperfections and would get right on fixing or cleaning it up.”

With Hugh’s extensive experience in golf course construction and along side course designer Thomas McBroom, they completed a tee renovation on all 18 holes expanding from a 2 tee course to 4 tee decks per hole.

He also went on to rebuild 4 of the greens to USGA specs and renovate the practice facility

to include ten irrigated bentgrass target greens and 5 new practice tee decks. When asked who did the shaping on the projects in an interview back in 1997, Hugh replied “I did, it’s like riding a bike. Without a little construction on the course, it would get a little boring.”

Another major challenge that he and his staff faced each year was the cold and bitter winters that would play havoc on the greens. In speaking with other industry experts and those facing similar challenges, Hugh decided to experiment with solid plastic covers on some of the most problematic greens that would not allow water and ice to touch the surface of the grass. This process not only improved the health of the turf as it came out of winter, but was also beneficial as the greens were dry and free of twigs and debris.

Although Hugh didn’t receive a formal education in turfgrass management, he was constantly learning and expanding his knowledge within his craft. Throughout his career he went on to teach and train several Class A superintendents and openly admitted that a two-year diploma in turfgrass management was mandatory when hiring

his Assistants. Erik Vaughn, a graduate from the University of Guelph’s Diploma in Turfgrass Management program completed his internship under the mentorship and direction of Hugh Kirkpatrick in 1997.

Current superintendent at Rebel Creek Golf Club in Baden, ON reflected on his time at Westmount. “That was an incredible experience and I really enjoyed my time learning from Hugh and his team” says Erik.

“What I recall the most was that Hugh was very organized and planning weeks in advance. I really appreciated the time he took to teach and explain the processes as I was learning.”

Hugh’s impact was not only felt on the golf course throughout his career but off the course as well. He was a dedicated professional that devoted his time to the industry. Serving on the Board of Directors for the OGSA and elected President in 1985. His illustrious and successful career would be recognized in 1997 as he was awarded with the CGSA Superintendent of the Year. On that day in June 2001, we not only lost one of the turf industry’s finest, but we lost one of the most gentle, caring and respected individuals I have ever had the privilege to know. ■

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TURF OR CONSEQUENCES SUMMER 2023

How to Win People and Influence Friends quid pro quo with the GC using packaged poa pratensis genetics”.

Written by Doug Breen, Superintendent, Golf North Properties.

In the dark ages before the internet gave us access to all the information in the world, while simultaneously creating an algorithm to ensure that we only saw the same ten things over and over again – we used to learn things from books. And if you learned something particularly interesting, you couldn’t tell people about it on Facebook, because Facebook was still being used by frat boys to rate the relative attractiveness of their classmates. For half of my life, there was no social media at all! (If a tree falls at the Masters, and no one posts a video, can the spectators nearby still sue?)

Instead, we actually told another human being that we had learned something. Often one person at a time - sometimes to their actual face! We had things called “book clubs”, which were much like an online chat group, except that everyone was in the same room, and we had to use our real names.

When I was in school, our English class (which is basically a book club where they give you a credit at the end), studied the 1930’s classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. This book could just as easily have been called, Stop Being Such a Tool to Everyone and Your Life Will be Easier. The book, which is still massively popular, could be summarized in the following three sentences: 1) Smile at people. 2) Let others talk about themselves.

3) Put people in a position where they can say “yes” to you.

What were they doing before this earthshattering work was published?

Was everyone walking around scowling, ranting exclusively about their own interests, and asking people negative questions?

These things seem self evident to me - but apparently, they’re not.

I embarked on a two week, extremely unscientific poll, where I asked relatively

26

random people the same question: “What techniques do you use to influence other people’s ideas and actions”? Most were colleagues from the world of golf or municipal government (which is where I spend 99% of my time). In both cases, the communication of ideas is integral to our existence, and I was expecting something more insightful than Dale Carnegie’s, “Don’t yell at people with your face” - I was wrong. Sadly, the most common responses were variations on the themes of intimidation and lying. What follows, is a summary of their responses: Many depend on good old-fashioned nagging.

Featuring a combination of verbal assaults, passive aggressive emails, texts, and the like.

If one says the same thing often enough, on enough platforms (IN ALL CAPS), people will eventually start to believe it. After 30 years of marriage, I have convinced my wife that she’s the luckiest woman in Canada.

Gaslighting, is just nagging with the illusion of positivity.

There are ways to make yourself seem more informed than you really are. Make references to obscure publications, and then seem shocked that others aren’t familiar with them. Using exclusive language can really elevate one’s position while simultaneously implying disdain. Buzzwords, jargon, and acronyms are extremely effective - use Latin terms whenever possible. Instead of saying, “I traded some work on the deck for a bag of grass seed”, say, “I was able to negotiate a

There is remarkable influence in pointing to one’s credentials. You can claim degrees, diplomas, or certificates from impressive sounding institutions – even if they don’t exist.

No one will ever check to see if the Rockwood Centre for Turfgrass Propagation and Research is a real thing. Holding memberships in a professional association is no less impressive to the masses - even if The International Fellowship of Reel Maintenance Technicians isn’t a real organization. Remember the power of acronyms? Call it the IBRMT and claim to be a charter member.

If you lack your own credentials, or the creativity to make them up – one can always claim the authority of someone else. President Teddy Roosevelt confessed on his deathbed, that NASA never really went to the moon.

No, he didn’t, he died 40 years before NASA was founded. See how that works? In truth, according to a Harvard University study, over 96% of facts on the internet are simply dreamed up by the Chinese Government.

Also, not true – but see how easy that was?

Apparently, none of my friends and associates have read Dale Carnegie’s book, and rather than behaving in a positive way to win friends and influence people, they primarily use the techniques listed above. Spend five minutes reading online comments, and it’s clear that they aren’t alone. Most online discourse also includes a healthy dose of insults and beratement. This makes me sad – as I remember a time when healthy disagreement, and a lively debate were seen as the engine which drove democracy.

We could learn a lot about how to influence others’ ideas and actions from Dale Carnegie’s work, in spite of the book being nearly 100 years old, but unfortunately lies and intimidation seem to be the dominant style these days. As Ghandi said, “The internet should be the single greatest venue for public debate in the history of the world, yet I fear that it is the opposite.” No, he didn’t – it was me. ■

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GreenhorizonsSod.com/golfcourses JUNE 2023 | ONCourse 27

With Canada’s largest inventory of new, demo, and pre-owned grinders, Turf Care has all your grinding needs covered!

INTRODUCING

Premium GRINDERS

Every good Superintendent and Equipment Manager knows the importance of keeping cutting reels sharp and within OEM spec for optimal turf grass maintenance.

Foley gives you the tools to accomplish this and more.

LEARN MORE

Ask us about our flexible financing solutions.

Turf Care offers a range of leasing solutions to help your course acquire the equipment and services you need now, with an affordable monthly payment.

Turf Care is now the exclusive Foley distributor for Eastern Canada.

Get in touch with your local Turf Care Sales Representative to learn more or book a free demo.

1-800-561-TURF (8873) | inquiries@turfcare.ca | turfcare.ca @Gr8estShowOnTRF

@TurfCareProdCA