Golf Course Management - August 2015 by Golf Course Management

INSIDE: Picking the perfect bunker sand

GCM PAGE 56

Offcial Publication of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

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engagement

2015 MVT winner 34 Grassroots growth 64 Seeding success 89

Whistling Straits readies for another major championship turn PAGE 44

Golf Course Management Magazine www.gcsaa.org â&#x20AC;˘ August 2015

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CONTENTS08.15

Repeat business

With its dramatic lakefront vistas and 967 (!) bunkers, the Straits Course at Whistling Straits is ready for yet another turn in the major championship spotlight. Scott Hollister

Growing a grassroots influence GCSAA’s Grassroots Ambassador program gives golf a voice in the halls of Congress by cultivating relationships with policymakers at the local level. Here’s how and why to lend your voice to the chorus. Kaelyn Seymour

A state of flux Experts agree on the benefits of ultradwarf berumdagrasses, but are also paying heed to emerging challenges facing those who manage these warm-season turfgrasses. Sam Williams

On the cover: The third hole on the Straits Course at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis., the host of this month’s PGA Championship. Photo by Montana Pritchard/The PGA of America

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

INSIGHTS

Turf

Grazin’ in the grass Teresa Carson

Shop

Curiosity fuels an MVT winner Scott Hollister

Advocacy WOTUS: Defined, but not done Chava McKeel

36 Environment 38 Lighten up Megan Hirt

RESEARCH

Snow mold fungicide persistence How long do snow mold fungicides persist in variable winter conditions, and how does persistence affect disease control? P.L. Koch, Ph.D. J.C. Stier, Ph.D. J.P. Kerns, Ph.D.

Improving turfgrass establishment with multiple-depth seeding Planting turfgrass seed at more than one depth may increase the odds of establishment in non-irrigated fields. John Grande, Ph.D. Robert Shortell, Ph.D.

Technology

On course with thee Apple Watch Bob Vaughey, CGCS

95 Cutting Edge Ed Teresa Carson

ETCETERA08.15 16 President’s Message 18 Inside GCM 20 Front Nine 30 Photo Quiz 82 Through the Green

94 Verdure 96 Product News 100 Industry News 106 Climbing the Ladder

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

106 On Course 107 Coming Up 107 On the Move 108 In the Field

110 New Members 110 Newly Certified 110 In Memoriam 112 Final Shot

Golf Course Management Magazine Offcial Publication of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

GCM MISSION

Golf Course Management magazine is dedicated to advancing the golf course superintendent profession and helping GCSAA members achieve career success. To that end, GCM provides authoritative “how-to,” career-oriented, technical and trend information by industry experts, researchers and golf course superintendents. By advancing the profession and members’ careers, the magazine contributes to the enhancement, growth and vitality of the game of golf. GCSAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Vice President Secretary/Treasurer Immediate Past President Directors

• Magnesium (Mg) is a component of chlorophyll production and critical in metabolic functions, including cell respiration. • Manganese (Mn) is a critical element in photosynthesis. • Contains seaplant extract which provides vitamins, amino acids, cytokinins and other proprietary biostimulants.

Chief Executive Offcer Chief Operating Offcer

JOHN JOH J. O’KEEFE, CGCS PETER PET J. GRASS, CGCS BILL H. MAYNARD, CGCS KEITH KEIT A. IHMS, CGCS RAFAEL BARAJAS, CGCS RAF KEVIN KEV P. BREEN, CGCS DARREN DAR J. DAVIS, CGCS JOHN JOH R. FULLING JR., CGCS MARK MAR F. JORDAN, CGCS J. RHETT R EVANS J.D. DOCKSTADER

GCM STAFF Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sr. Science Editor Associate Editor Sr. Manager, Creative Services Manager, Creative Services Traffc Coordinator

SCOTT SCO HOLLISTER sho shollister@gcsaa.org MEG MEGAN HIRT mhirt@gcsaa.org mhi TERESA TER CARSON tcar tcarson@gcsaa.org HOWARD HOW RICHMAN hric hrichman@gcsaa.org ROGER ROG BILLINGS rbillings@gcsaa.org rbill KELLY KEL NEIS kneis@gcsaa.org kne BRETT BRE LEONARD bleo bleonard@gcsaa.org

GCSAA This Week/Turf Weekly Editor

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GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

ADVERTISING 800-472-7878 Director, Corporate Sales Sr. Manager, Business Development Sr. Manager, International Development Account Development Manager Account Managers

ANGELA ANG HARTMANN aha ahartmann@gcsaa.org

MATT MAT BROWN mbr mbrown@gcsaa.org JIM CUMMINS jcum jcummins@gcsaa.org ERIC BOEDEKER eboedeker@gcsaa.org ebo BRETT ILIFF BRE biliff@gcsaa.org bilif SHELLY SHE URISH surish@gcsaa.org suri KARIN KAR CANDRL kca kcandrl@gcsaa.org

The articles, discussions, research and other information in this publication are advisory only and are not intended as a substitute for specifc manufacturer instructions or training for the processes discussed, or in the use, application, storage and handling of the products mentioned. Use of this information is voluntary and within the control and discretion of the reader. ©2015 by GCSAA Communications Inc., all rights reserved.

We understand how demanding and ever-changing each day is at the golf course. That’s why we developed golf course agronomic programs featuring both Country Club MD and Emerald Isle Solutions products to assist superintendents in maximizing their turf’s performance; whether with a complete seasonal fertility program or with specifc situations like a tournament prep, quick divot repair or aerifcation. Visit www.countryclubmd.com and click on the “Downloads” tab to view all the agronomic programs, or contact your LebanonTurf distributor.

Core Fertility - Cool Season Putting Greens Core Fertility - Warm Season Putting Greens Tournament Prep / Quick Divot Repair / Growth Regulator Tank Mix Aerifcation / Overseeding Program

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(president’s message)

Making membership work for you

John J. O’Keefe, CGCS turfjok@aol.com

Another example of an underappreciated member beneft is the GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador program, which celebrated its frst anniversary last month.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

During my time on the GCSAA Board of Directors, and most notably during my term this year as association president, I have had the opportunity to travel far and wide, to meet golf course superintendents from nearly every corner of the country. And inevitably during those interactions, the conversation turns to the value of membership in GCSAA. I’m gratifed that most know exactly what they get out of being a member of our association, and that they routinely communicate those benefts to their employers. But for some, those benefts aren’t as clear. They ask me earnestly what GCSAA membership delivers to them aside from a subscription to this magazine and the annual Golf Industry Show. Fortunately, recent months have presented plenty of excellent examples of the benefts of GCSAA membership, examples that go far beyond a magazine and an educational conference. They highlight programs and services that support not only individual superintendents, but also the industry as a whole — true membership benefts if ever there were any. The frst of those examples is Rounds 4 Research, which completed its 2015 online auction of donated rounds of golf in June and raised more than $112,500 for turfgrass research and educational efforts. Since launching nationally in 2012, Rounds 4 Research has brought in more than $400,000. While most are likely aware of this program and its purpose, what might not be as well known is just how impactful Rounds 4 Research can be on individual superintendents. This is a national program that delivers a decidedly local beneft. Because funds that are raised through these auctions are funneled back to the chapters and local turfgrass organizations who helped obtain the rounds of golf that were put up for auction, the research efforts those funds help are ones that are most important to turfgrass managers in those areas. For example, the Carolinas GCSA raised more than $22,000 through this year’s auction, more than any of the program’s other 50plus fundraising partners. That money will stay local, powering research work that seeks to solve turfgrass challenges specifc to the Carolinas. So, even if you’re a superintendent who has never heard of Rounds 4 Research before now, the fruits of that project’s labors will one day beneft both you and your facility.

Another example of an underappreciated member beneft is the GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador program, which celebrated its frst anniversary last month. The program was designed to pair a GCSAA member with every member of Congress — all 535 of them — as a means to create a more visible, proactive government relations mechanism, one that will beneft both the association and the golf industry as a whole. As of that one-year anniversary, the program had 174 participants representing 45 states. So how does something like that beneft rank-and-fle members of GCSAA? In countless ways, actually. Having a strong, regular presence on Capitol Hill and ongoing conversations with lawmakers ensures that they know about golf and about golf course superintendents. They know the many benefts the game contributes to our society. They also know the issues that are important to us and the challenges we face. That work builds a foundation of trust, one that pays off when legislation or regulations arise that could potentially affect our business. That was certainly evident during this year’s debates over the EPA’s “Waters of the United States” regulations. While work on this issue remains ongoing, it was clear throughout that the efforts of programs such as the Grassroots Ambassador program had paid dividends. There are far more allies of golf in Washington than detractors now, which is good news for all superintendents, regardless of whether you’ve met your own senators and representatives. You can read more about the Grassroots Ambassador program on Page 64 of this issue of GCM. As these two initiatives illustrate — along with numerous others just like them — the benefts of GCSAA membership come in many forms. They might not all be as visible as this magazine or the annual GIS, but trust that all of them have been created with an eye toward member service, advancing our shared profession and enhancing all aspects of the great game of golf.

John J. O’Keefe, CGCS, is the director of golf course management at Preakness Hills Country Club in Wayne, N.J., and a 35-year member of GCSAA.

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Defending their turf Howard Richman hrichman@gcsaa.org Twitter: @GCM_Magazine

Jordan Spieth, U.S. Open champion, with the grounds maintenance team, headed by director of agronomy Eric Johnson and superintendent Josh Lewis. Photo courtesy of David Phipps

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

The cone of silence on the hill at Chambers Bay said it all. If you expected to hear rebuttals from director of agronomy Eric Johnson and superintendent Josh Lewis about some of the sentiments of professional golfers who took exception to certain aspects of Chambers Bay, well, you were out of luck. Up there on that hill, where the maintenance facility is located, it was all about taking care of business amid the noise from down below before, during and after the U.S. Open. Whether it was this golfer calling the fne fescue greens broccoli or that golfer comparing them to caulifower, Johnson and Lewis mostly refrained from publicly voicing their responses. For me, a graduate of Kansas State University, it brought to mind the phrase that Wildcats’ legendary football coach Bill Snyder often uses. Keep sawing wood. That is exactly the approach that Johnson and Lewis chose to take. “It’s not like we were going to change the world in two days. We were trying to be proactive, not reactive,” Johnson recently told me. “We just had to roll along, stick to the plan, achieve the goals of the USGA.” Darin Bevard, the USGA’s director of championship agronomy, applauded their efforts. “Eric, Josh, their team and our team, kept doing what we do on a daily basis. They did a great job adapting to whatever came along,” Bevard says. “Some of the background noise ... they were confdent in what they were doing. It didn’t affect them one way or another.” Record heat in the state of Washington didn’t help their cause. It began long before players arrived. “May was effectively August for us,” Johnson says. “It already was in the 80s in May.” “It’s an outdoor game,” Bevard says. “Sometimes the weather can throw us a curveball. The stress on the golf course leading up to it (U.S. Open) was less than ideal for us.” The USGA hoped to have frm greens, but controlling them wasn’t simple. Greens were watered in the morning of championship week, yet the annual bluegrass perked up, creating cause for concern. “The poa defnitely didn’t cooperate for us all the time,” Johnson says. “The goal was to

make sure frmness didn’t get away from us. I thought we did pretty well.” As for some of the bounces on greens, Johnson says, “They could have been other things than just annual bluegrass. They could be ball marks, rocks out of bunkers, small pebbles. That might’ve been part of it.” Ken Nice worked for Johnson and Lewis as a volunteer, but he is no newcomer when it comes to fne fescue. As director of agronomy at Bandon Dunes, Nice understands how much Poa annua is an issue. “It’s a different animal,” he says. Still, Nice was impressed by how those in charge accepted the challenge. “It was a seamless effort by Eric and the whole staff. Look at the defnition of ‘professionals’ — that’s how they handled it,” Nice says. Reaction from the general public to Chambers Bay was mixed, says Matt Allen, general manager of KemperSports, which operates the facility. “I was a little surprised by how many people just still aren’t prepared to tolerate brown turf, this assumption that brown is ‘dead.’ And certainly, in the case of fescue, brown is not ‘dead,’ ” Allen says. Allen gave high marks to Johnson and Lewis, including their ability to ignore the negative chatter. “I think they did a great job shaking it off,” Allen says. “It would have to be hard because you invest so much of yourself in that outcome, and to be judged as they were by a small number of people so harshly ... but that’s life.” Will Chambers Bay hold another U.S. Open? Allen says, “Personally, I believe it’s a matter of when rather than if.” If he’s right, will fne fescue still cover Chambers Bay? Johnson expects it will. “A positive characteristic of this golf course grass is it plays frm, fast, with minimal inputs,” Johnson says. “I don’t think we’d change a whole lot.” If Johnson and Lewis are still there when that happens, Allen would be pleased. “I’ve had few, if any, sleepless nights thanks to my confdence in them,” Allen says. Howard Richman is GCM’s associate editor.

Northern exposure His offce is a mere 125 miles south of the Arctic Circle. Prospective employees where he works are heavily vetted for obvious reasons. Hours for golfers who play on what he creates mimic those of Waffe House at certain times of the year. You know — open 24 hours. George Howe, CGCS, gets it that his situation at Chena Bend Golf Course falls into the “unique” category, but not solely because he is the lone certifed golf course superintendent in the state of Alaska. Dig this: “You could mow at 1 in the morning — if your neighbors don’t get mad at you,” Howe says. Sunlight is abundant from May to July at Chena Bend, located on a military installment known as Fort Wainwright, a U.S. Army post near Fairbanks. In that time frame, the sun sets shortly after midnight but returns at 3 a.m. In between, Howe says, there is bright twilight. That is why some golfers enjoy a rare opportunity to play a round in the wee hours of the morning. “We actually have a group that comes every year. Their goal is to see

Photo by Alex Holam

2015

PGA Championship

1.8

million

By the NUMBERS Amount in dollars that Rory McIlroy took home for winning the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla GC in Louisville, Ky.

Total number of volunteers who will be on-site to assist in golf course maintenance efforts at Whistling Straits

Number of temporary structures that will be constructed to support this year’s PGA Championship at Whistling Straits

13,126

Total truckloads of sand (approximately 80,000 cubic yards) that were transported to the site during the construction of Whistling Straits

peratures (which can rise into the 90s in summer) can drop to below freezing by early October. That won’t be as chilly, though, as it can get. “I’ve seen it 61 below. Kids can stay on the playgrounds up to 20 below. When it gets to 60 below, the schools close,” Howe says. “At least we don’t get a lot of wind.” Chena Bend, though, does have its share of fox, marmot, and one particular species that ends up on the dinner table. “The moose really is pretty good,” Howe says. So is the opportunity to work at Chena Bend. “I feel lucky to have the opportunity to provide a quality course to the men and women that are stationed here and that serve our country, and to the members of the greater Fairbanks community that also enjoy playing at Chena Bend Golf Course,” Howe says. — Howard Richman, GCM associate editor

Weight in pounds of the Wanamaker Trophy

Height in inches of the Wanamaker Trophy

190

how many holes they can play,” he says. Howe, who is 66 and a 34-year member of GCSAA, is a Vermont native who landed in his wife Coral's home state of Alaska. There, he helped manage the dentistry business of his father-in-law, whose health was failing. Eventually, he returned to turf management. Today, Howe is responsible for 125 acres of turf, including bentgrass greens and a bluegrass mix on the tees and in the fairways. The dense summer sunlight keeps Howe busy at a facility that can be played by three-star generals or any member of the public. Chena Bend, which is 18 holes, averages nearly 14,000 rounds per year. “It’s easy to grow (grass). You can overseed a green and see it pop in four days,” says Howe, who has an assistant, an equipment manager and usually 10 seasonal employees. “The grass grows like crazy. For leagues that start at 5 (in the afternoon), we should probably mow again.” Sunlight begins diminishing this month at Chena Bend. By late September, play will be reduced. Howe says tem-

Feet above sea level of the 518-yard, par-5 15th hole on the Straits Course

Attendees had an opportunity to test-drive John Deere’s new A Series fairway, rough and trim mowers during a customer event at Farm Links GC in Sylacauga, Ala., in May. Photo by Scott Hollister

A John Deere show-and-tell at Farm Links Sometimes, it’s the little things that matter most. For Bill Keene, the golf course superintendent at Blacksburg (Va.) Country Club, one of those little things is the way wet grass clippings have a tendency to collect on the lip of the catch buckets on his John Deere triplex greens mowers. When those clippings pile high enough, they block other clippings from reaching the bucket, sending them back into the reels and, ultimately, back onto the surface of his Poa annua greens. It’s a minor issue, to be sure, but one that requires a bit of extra cleanup time on those damp, cool mornings when it occurs. When he mentioned this in passing to one of the John Deere sales representatives on hand for a customer rideand-drive event that Keene took part in at Pursell Farms and Farm Links Golf Club in Sylacauga, Ala., in May, Keene discovered the solution to his problem was almost as simple as the problem itself. The company offers a small ex-

tender for those buckets, which moves the lip closer to the reels and makes it easier for even the wettest of clippings to fnd the bottom of the bucket instead of settling on the lip. For Keene, that one little bit of information made the trip to Alabama worth it, and highlighted in his mind the value of such events for working superintendents. “It’s always good to get hands-on … and having their guys here to answer questions is a big plus,” says Keene, a 13-year GCSAA member. “Being able to throw stuff at them about the machines we operate, the things we like about them and the things we don’t, is defnitely valuable to me as a working superintendent.” At this particular event, which brought in groups of superintendents and sports turf managers from Virginia and Kansas, John Deere featured its recently launched A Series fairway, rough and trim mowers, which all include

We do Bunkers... Better.

www.betterbillybunker.com @Billy_Bunker

411 Art of the bunker Golf course bunkers come in all shapes and sizes, but some of those shapes and sizes are more unique than others. This month, we feature some of the more distinct and, in some cases, colorful bunkers we’ve come across. If you have a bunker that you think is a worthy member of this club, let us know about it on Twitter. Share your photo with the hashtag #artofthebunker, and don’t forget to tag @GCM_Magazine.

Ship’s anchor. The nautical motif touches several aspects of the 36-hole Harborside International Golf Center in Chicago, so named for its proximity to Lake Michigan. The 216-yard, par-3 15th hole on the Port Course features an anchor-shaped island of turf set afoat in the middle of this fairway bunker. Ryan Tully, a 14-year GCSAA member, is the GCSAA Class A superintendent at Harborside. Photo courtesy of Harborside International Golf Center

Apple. Apples are aplenty — as both a theme and the fruits themselves — at Apple Tree Golf Course, situated amid a century-old apple orchard in Yakima, Wash. This bunker forms the leaf on the 17th-hole island green, with players accessing the green via the fruit’s “stem” walkway. John W. Hull, a 20-year member of GCSAA, heads maintenance at Apple Tree.

the TechControl display system, a function that allows turf managers to preprogram things such as mowing, turning and transport speeds. For most attendees, the event at Farm Links was their frst opportunity to put these new machines through their paces. And Farm Links proved to be the perfect venue for this event. The frst “research and demonstration” golf course in the U.S. has hosted more than 10,000 golf course professionals since it opened in 2001, with its greens, tees and fairways serving as a showcase for, frst, Pursell Technologies’ Polyon fertilizer products (the company was sold to Agrium in 2006, before that company was subsequently acquired by Koch Agronomic Services in 2014), and, later, for unique and innovative products from a host of other industry partners. Even though the pace of visitors to Farm Links has slowed some in recent years, the facility’s director of agronomy, Mark Langner, says events such as the one hosted by John Deere will likely always be a part of the experience at Farm Links. “This is still in our DNA. It’s who we are. And we don’t ever want this to go away,” the 22-year GCSAA member says. “It may be smaller now than it was, but it’s starting to pick back up, and this is an example of that. It’s still very invigorating for us.” — Scott Hollister, GCM editor-in-chief

Photo courtesy of Apple Tree Golf Course

“Old Crabby.” Pincers primed, the Dungeness crab guards the third hole at The Cedars at Dungeness in Sequim, Wash., where three-year GCSAA member Ken Chace serves as superintendent. A flling of red volcanic cinders from Bend, Ore., enhances the resident crustacean’s realistic look. Photo courtesy of The Cedars at Dungeness

Marsh Benson

Snoopy. The beloved beagle on Highland National Golf Course’s 15th hole is an homage to “Peanuts” creator Charles M. Schulz, who learned how to play golf at the course in St. Paul, Minn., in the 1930s. Denise Kispert, a 20-year member of GCSAA, serves as the GCSAA Class A superintendent at Highland National. Photo by Google Earth

Wildcat’s paw. The mascot of Kansas State University has left its mark on the ffth hole of Colbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan, Kan., where Matt Gourlay, CGCS, leads maintenance. Even the bunker’s sand sports school spirit, imbued with KSU’s signature purple. Photo by Roger Hammerschmidt

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

Life beyond Augusta National for Benson The forefather of SubAir Systems will soon be a grandfather. But if you think that Marsh Benson — who retired April 30 following 26 years at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., most recently as its senior director of golf course and grounds — is riding off into the sunset, think again. Oh, Benson and his wife, Becky, certainly are excited to become frst-time grandparents in October. His retirement provides the opportunity to spend time with their daughter Casey, who will give birth this fall. The rest of the time, though, Benson plans to remain active in the golf course industry as a project consultant and perhaps even inventor, if the opportunity arises. “There’s some unique projects I’m working on,” Benson, 60, tells GCM, projects he prefers to keep under wraps for the moment.

As Benson begins a new chapter in his life, he wants to shine a light on some of those who helped pave his way. Among them is his father, Bill, who raised him to be respectful and work hard. Legend Joseph M. Duich, Ph.D., who died in 2013, was a steady guide for Benson, who participated in the two-year program at Penn State. Duich, Old Tom Morris Award recipient in 2006, was a pioneer in Penncross bentgrass. “The things he taught us certainly changed my life,” Benson says. Benson mentioned Ron Sinnock, inducted last year into the Georgia GCSA Hall of Fame, as an individual who was instrumental in his professional growth, as was Billy Fuller, former superintendent at Augusta National when Benson interned there in 1981. Jim Armstrong, former general manager and executive director at Augusta National, and current chairman Billy Payne also shaped Benson. “These were all people who always thought big and pushed to make a difference,” Benson says. “I’ve been blessed with great mentors and great life experiences.” As superintendent at Augusta National, Benson wondered whether there was a way to improve air/water ratios and manage their control in the profle without disrupting the surface. Benson produced SubAir Systems, which was frst installed in 1994 under the No. 13 green at Augusta National. By 2001, all 18 greens featured SubAir Systems. Today, numerous golf courses, such as Gleneagles in Scotland, have it, as do a wide variety of professional sports teams. “I’m very proud of it, mostly because it has become a tool of the industry. You want as many tools as you can in order to have the best success,” says Benson, who in 1997 was promoted to the title he possessed until his retirement. Benson will forever be grateful to Augusta National for allowing him to be an achiever. “I love the place so much. I enjoyed every day so much,” says Benson, whose frst superintendent job in Augusta was years earlier at Gordon Lakes Golf Club at Fort Gordon. “Because of Augusta National’s desire to get better every year, the attention to detail, the drive for quality, it attracts people there, top to bottom, who give 150 percent. For me, that was a great thrill. It absolutely was the best job in the world. Period.” And to think, decades ago Benson thought he would become a golf course architect. Well, somebody in the family took that path. His son, Scott, is a golf course architect associate for Beau Welling Design. As for the industry, Benson feels it is headed in the right direction. “The people we have in the industry are brighter and brighter every year,” Benson says. With Benson still part of its fabric, how comforting is that? — Howard Richman, GCM associate editor

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

Club in Bernardsville, N.J., a famed A.W. Tillinghast course and host of the 1990 Curtis Cup. “Playing at Bandon Dunes was on my bucket list, but the most gratifying result of the auction for me is knowing that the funds will go toward a better golf experience for all of us,” said Dr. Robert Stout, who submitted the winning bid for Bandon Dunes. The Rounds 4 Research campaign is supported by a $50,000 donation from The Toro Co. The program has raised more than $400,000 since being launched in 2012.

Elite eight for Olympia Fields William Smith (left) and Murray Calhoun

Contest winner earns trip to Whistling Straits Murray Calhoun goes out of his way to praise GCSAA Class A superintendent William Smith. Because of it, Calhoun will be going away. Calhoun, 71, won the “Thank a Superintendent” promotional sweepstakes offered by GCSAA. The prize: a trip for two to this month’s PGA Championship at Whistling Straits Golf Club in Kohler, Wis. “I can’t even remember what I wrote about him (Smith),” says Calhoun, who plays the Country Club of Columbus (Ga.) three times a week. “It isn’t hard to say nice things about William. He is a quality guy who does great work.” Smith, in his 26th year at the Country Club of Columbus, says, “I was fabbergasted that one of my members had won the trip. Mr. Calhoun is always one who is cordial and thanks me for what I do on a fairly regular basis.” GCSAA received more than 1,100 entries for the sweepstakes, which ran in April and May. The sweepstakes is part of a larger commercial campaign that includes professionals such as Jack Nicklaus and Rory McIlroy encouraging golfers, “If you love golf like I do, thank a golf course superintendent.” The “Thank a Superintendent” campaign enters its second phase this fall, when GCSAA will introduce another sweepstakes.

Rounds 4 Research raises $112,500 The 2015 Rounds 4 Research auction raised a total of $112,500. Rounds 4 Research, which is designed to support turfgrass studies, sold more than 670 rounds in a June online auction. The program is managed by the Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG), the philanthropic organization of GCSAA. The Carolinas GCSA raised more than $22,000, which made it the leader among more than 50 fundraising partners that donated rounds to support turfgrass research at the local level. The top bid was $3,435 for a two-night stay and eight rounds of golf offered by Bandon Dunes Resort in Bandon, Ore. The high bid for a tee time for four golfers was $1,720 for the chance to play Somerset Hills Country

Olympia Fields joins an exclusive club this month. When it hosts the U.S. Amateur on Aug. 17 through 23, Olympia Fields will become the eighth American course to host the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Amateur. “Bring it on,” says Sam MacKenzie, CGCS, director of grounds at Olympia Fields. It truly is a special year at the Illinois course. Olympia Fields is also celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2015. MacKenzie, a Michigan State University graduate who has been at Olympia Fields since March 2006, oversaw renovation of the North Course, site for match play at this month’s event. He says his two superintendents, Chase Bonnell (South Course) and Andrew Paxton (North Course), deserve so much credit for their efforts. “They’ve been terrifc. They want the challenge,” says MacKenzie, a 33-year GCSAA member. “We strive, as superintendents, to show our facility at its best. This is a great opportunity to show our facility.”

Troll mourned and remembered When Joseph Troll, Ph.D., died June 14 at age 95, the turfgrass industry lost a legend. Jon Jennings, CGCS, of Shinnecock Hills Golf Club lost a mentor and a friend. “ I can wholeheartedly say that Dr. Troll was one of the key individuals that provided the pathway for my career,” says Jennings, a 31-year GCSAA member. “His strength, direction, and ability to listen inspired me to do the best I could do personally and professionally.” Troll taught Jennings and so many others as a professor at UMass, where he began in 1957. Troll received GCSAA’s Distinguished Service Award in 1983 and the USGA Green Section Award in 1991. He was also honored with the Canadian GCSA Distinguished Service Award and was inducted into the Western Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame. Jennings recalls Troll’s Friday morning class at 8 a.m., a session that was a can’t-miss situation. It also sounds as if Troll ran a tight ship. “No hats, no gum, be on time in attendance and assignments, all good building blocks for future turf managers,” says Jennings, noting that one of Troll’s catchphrases was “Keep turf a little hungry.” When former Troll student Brian Chalifoux landed at Olympia Fields Country Club, Troll called on behalf of Jennings to see about an internship opening.

Tweets

RETWEETS Matt Powell @MPowell_4 The best part about turning the @GCSAA calendar to July. #mrjuly

Mel Waldron @3sticksCGCS Anyone who questions the effectiveness of the Thank a Superintendent campaign check @GCSAACEO article in @GCM_ Magazine June 2015 issue. Lubbock CC Turf @lubbockccturf Lubbock CC's frst ever Wimbledon Whites tournament setup on a nursery. @GCM_Magazine @GCSAA_SoCentral

Joseph Troll, Ph.D., (center) fanked by Jon Jennings, CGCS, (right) and Mike Chrzanowski in 2011. Photo courtesy of Jon Jennings “Brian hired me sight unseen based upon the word of Dr. Troll,” Jennings says. Yet it may have been that frst day of class with Troll in 1982 that set the tone for Jennings. “He said, ‘Take a look around you. In fve years, half the class will be doing something other than managing a golf course.’ That statement scared me to death,” Jennings says. “I wanted to be a golf course superintendent more than anything else, and I was committed to being successful through hard work.” — Howard Richman, GCM associate editor

NovaSource expands fungicide recall NovaSource announced July 1 that it was expanding its recall of two fungicides it produces, ArmorTech ALT 70 and Viceroy 70DF. The manufacturer had announced in June that it was recalling certain batches of those two off-patent fungicides, distributed by United Turf Alliance and United Phosphorous Inc., respectively, following reports of turf damage to bentgrass/Poa annua greens, collars and surrounds at

golf courses along the East Coast. The July announcement expanded that recall to cover all stocks of those two products, regardless of their production dates and batch numbers. NovaSource, a business unit of Tessenderlo Kerley (TKI), found evidence that these two products were contaminated with the herbicide sulfometuron methyl during the formulation process. Superintendents with either ALT 70 or Viceroy 70DF are asked to not apply either product and to return current inventories to the point of sale or to the product distributors for full credit, including reimbursement of costs associated with the return. Additional information and updates on this issue can be found at either www.alt70info.com or www.viceroyturfinfo.com.

Michigan tops list Michigan, with 671 facilities, is No. 1 in states with the largest supply of publicly accessible golf facilities, according to the National Golf Foundation. Florida is No. 2 (641); California is No. 3 (634); New York is No. 4 (579); and Texas is No. 5 (557).

In the

NEWS Steve Wright, CGCS @wrightsteve19 Happy retirement to our good friend Chuck Borman CAE of the Carolinas GCSA. #oneofakind @CarolinasGCSA @GCM_Magazine Don Mahaffey @grassdude Finished Univ New Mexico irrigation renovation in April, UNM reports water savings of 1.6M gals in May '14 vs May '13. #greatjobUNMstaff

Preservation act in Tennessee Local ownership acquired the Country Club of Bristol, the Kingsport Times News reports, with the hope of preserving the club, which was founded in 1894. www.timesnews.net/article/9089109/country-club-of-bristol-has-new-owner-new-golf-courseoperator

Illinois course up for discussion Neighbors adjacent to Highland Park Country Club have voiced their concerns over potential plans to disrupt the golf course, according to the Chicago

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

Tribune. Highland Park CC, by the way, is celebrating its 50-year anniversary. www.chicagotribune.com/ suburbs/highland-park/news/ct-hpn-country-clubgolf-course-tl-0709-20150701-story.html

What’s in a name? City offcials in Brush, Colo., are deliberating what to name the golf course the city acquired this year, according to the Brush News-Tribune. It previously was known as Bunker Hill Country Club. www. brushnewstribune.com/contact-us/ci_28402244/ council-taking-more-time-name-golf-course

By John Mascaro President of Turf-Tec International

(photo quiz)

Turfgrass area: Rough

Location: Sanibel Island, Fla.

Grass variety: Sea Isle I seashore paspalum

(a) PROBLEM

Depressed circular area

Turfgrass area: Putting green

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Grass variety: Poa annua/bentgrass blend

(b) PROBLEM Presented in partnership with Jacobsen

Two green rectangular areas Answers on Page 104

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Teresa Carson tcarson@gcsaa.org Twitter: @GCM_Magazine

(turf)

Grazin’ in the grass

Novak Djokovic maintained his tradition of snacking on a few blades of grass from Centre Court after defeating Roger Federer in July to win the Wimbledon championship. Photo © Stefan Wermuth/Reuters/Corbis

On Sunday, July 12, 2015, Novak Djokovic defeated Roger Federer to win the men’s championship at Wimbledon and retain his position as the No. 1 tennis player in the world. To celebrate the hard-fought victory, Djokovic knelt on Centre Court and ate a few blades of grass — just as he’d done when he defeated Federer last year at Wimbledon, and previously when he defeated Rafael Nadal at the same venue in 2011. After the 2011 match, Djokovic said the turf “tasted quite well, really.” And then after his second win at Wimbledon, Djokovic admitted, “I had a little bit of a soil, as well. But nevertheless, it tastes like the best meal that I ever had in my life probably.” As for the 2015 vintage? “It tasted very, very good this year. I don’t know what the groundspeople have done this year, but they’ve done a great job.” And he explained why he likes the taste of victory to include a bit of Centre Court: “It’s a tradition, obviously. As a kid, I was dreaming of winning Wimbledon, so, like every child, you dream of doing something crazy when you actually achieve it — if you achieve it — and that was one of the things.” Folks who are interested in turfgrass maintenance can’t help but wonder exactly what Djokovic was eating. At this year’s press con-

Presented in partnership with Barenbrug

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

ference, he said, “I was assured that it’s gluten-free, it’s not processed, completely organic and natural, and I could eat it. It was obviously nice to repeat this tradition and doing the thing I do after I win the title here in Wimbledon. ... I hope people are not annoyed by that.” According to Wimbledon’s website, the turf that Djokovic fnds so tasty is 100 percent perennial ryegrass. There are approximately 54 million grass plants on Centre Court, which has a total turfgrass area of 902 square meters (1,079 square yards). In total, there are 41 grass courts at Wimbledon — 22 practice courts and 19 Championship courts. Before 2001, the grass mix was 70 percent perennial ryegrass and 30 percent creeping red fescue. After working with the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI), Yorkshire, U.K., the decision was made to use 100 percent perennial ryegrass on all of the grass courts at Wimbledon to increase both durability and playability. With daily mowing during the Championships, the grass is maintained at 8 millimeters (0.314 inch), the optimal height for tournament play as determined by the STRI researchers. During the regular playing season, however, the turf is mowed every other day. Obviously, in tennis, ball bounce is critical, and the amount of bounce is determined more by the soil than the grass. To obtain ideal bounce for tournament play, every effort is made to keep the clay soil hard and dry, which is a tad rough on the perennial rye-

grass. In May, weekly rolling frms the surface of the courts, and in June, water restrictions set in. During the tournament itself, the grass gets “a little bit of water,” according to the offcial website, to keep it going despite the daily abuse. On Middle Sunday, the one day when play is suspended during the twoweek tournament, the turfgrass gets a breather and a drink — a carefully determined amount of water that will help it survive another week of high-level tennis. Moisture content is measured daily to make sure it does not exceed the desired level of 15 to 20 percent at root structure, which is 50 millimeters (about 2 inches) below the surface. Moisture readings are taken through pre-drilled, capped holes nearly hidden behind the baselines at Centre Court and four other grass courts. Nine tonnes (9.92 short tons) of seed are used every year for seeding and reseeding, and 6 tonnes of soil (6.61 short tons) are used to level each grass court at the end of the summer. All of this is accomplished by head groundsman Neil Stubley and a staff of 16 that is temporarily expanded to 28 during The Championships. So, is this grass good enough to eat? By nature, grass is organic (as Djokovic pointed out), and much of the grass at Wimbledon is replaced annually. A few blades of grass after each championship win is probably not going to hurt the world’s No. 1 tennis player. Teresa Carson is GCM’s science editor.

Exclusively From

Scott Hollister shollister@gcsaa.org Twitter: @GCM_Magazine

(shop)

Curiosity fuels an MVT winner Cory Phillips will be the frst to tell you that he has an inquisitive mind, an innate curiosity that is especially attuned to all things mechanical. He comes by that quality naturally, catching the bug from his father, Rickey, who worked in the family-owned logging business and was also a high-voltage electrician in the coal mining industry in central Alabama. “He taught me about electricity, about hydraulics, about how things work mechanically,” the junior Phillips says. That curiosity spurred his educational choices, as he studied to be a machinist at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Ala. It spurred his professional choices, too, as he combined his inquisitive nature with a love for the game of golf in work as a golf course equipment manager. And as anyone who has worked with Phillips will tell you, his curiosity has been a key asset as he’s progressed throughout his career, including in his current stint as the equipment manager supervising two Atlanta-area golf courses: Horseshoe Bend Country Club in Roswell, Ga., and the Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta. And when Phillips learned he had been selected as the winner of GCM’s 2015 Most Valuable Technician Award, presented in partnership with Foley United, he credited that curiosity and the lessons learned from his father with pushing him to those heights. “I just like knowing how things work,” he says. “I like knowing how they’re put together and why they’re put together the way they are. To me, it’s exciting to try and interpret what was going on in an engineer’s mind when they built something. I like fguring all that out.” Sam Welch, the GCSAA Class A director of agronomy at both Horseshoe Bend and the

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Cory Phillips has been applying his talents as an equipment manager to not just one, but two Atlanta-area golf facilities, Horseshoe Bend CC in Roswell, Ga., and the Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta. Photo by Scott Hollister Golf Club of Georgia, says he sees that quality in Phillips on an almost daily basis. It has impressed him since Phillips took on the job in July 2011, and it motivated him to nominate him for this year’s MVT honor. “When we were looking for an equipment manager … our John Deere rep at the time recommended we talk to him,” Welch says. “We interviewed him and right off knew that he was the kind of person we were looking for. We haven’t regretted that decision for a second ever since.” Phillips brings a broad range of experiences to the maintenance facility, experiences he started building in his frst job in golf at North River Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa. When he and his fancé moved to Atlanta a few years later, he found work as a mobile service technician for Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation, a Toro Co. distributor covering much of the southeastern U.S. It was a job that constantly fed Phillips’ inquisitive nature, as he moved from one mechanical challenge to another at golf courses all over that part of the country, along with his partner in the endeavor and now one of his best friends, Trent Manning, who now serves as the equipment manager at Ansley Golf Club in Atlanta. “It was great having a new, fresh problem all the time,” Phillips says. “It was almost instant gratifcation because you’d show up at a golf course that was having a problem they couldn’t

fgure out. Then you’d go in, fgure it out, and when you left, you were the hero. You got one of their machines back up and going. It was a great feeling.” Life on the road, however, wasn’t always such a great feeling, which is what led Phillips to Horseshoe Bend in 2011. Three years later, that facility’s owner purchased the Golf Club of Georgia, which has left both Phillips and Welch juggling two properties and the challenges that come with that. They do have help in those efforts, though, with individual course superintendents and equipment managers at each facility. Phillips says winning the MVT Award and all that goes with it — a $2,500 cash prize, an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2016 Golf Industry Show in San Diego — has been an overwhelming experience and one of the most gratifying of his career. “Everyone says this, but I don’t know that it has sunk in,” Phillips says. “I don’t know many guys who do what we do for any kind of outside recognition, but it is defnitely rewarding to realize that others recognize the kind of work that you do.” Scott Hollister is GCM’s editor-in-chief.

Chava McKeel cmmckeel@gcsaa.org Twitter: @GCSAA

Ponds and several other water features on golf courses may be newly subject to additional protection by the federal government starting Aug. 28. Photo by karamysh/

(advocacy)

Shutterstock

WOTUS: Defned, but not done It’s August, and the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers have offcially published a fnal rule that determines what a “water of the United States” (WOTUS) will be moving forward under the Clean Water Act (CWA). That is, unless Congress passes legislation this fall that forces the agencies to go back to the drawing board to come up with a different rule (which GCSAA is supporting), or unless one of myriad now-pending lawsuits renders the rule invalid. The fnal Clean Water rule was published in the Federal Register on June 29 and goes into effect Aug. 28. The rule interprets the CWA as covering those waters that require protection in order to restore or maintain the chemical, physical or biological integrity of traditional navigable waters (TNWs), interstate waters and the territorial seas. With the rule, the agencies have attempted to establish that certain waters are jurisdictional by rule (federally protected), as well as limit the need for case-specifc analysis to determine whether a water body is federally protected. In the fnal rule, the agencies defne WOTUS to include eight categories of jurisdictional waters. The frst four categories are jurisdictional by rule in all cases. 1. Traditional navigable waters (TNWs) 2. Interstate waters 3. Territorial seas 4. Impoundments The next two categories of water are also jurisdictional by rule in all cases because the agencies think they can have a signifcant nexus to TNWs, interstate waters or territorial seas. 5. Tributaries (defned for the frst time) 6. Adjacent waters (not just adjacent wetlands)

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Tributaries are waters characterized by the presence of physical indicators of fow — bed, banks and an ordinary high water mark (OHWM) — and that contribute fow directly or indirectly to a TNW, an interstate water or the territorial seas. The fnal WOTUS rule continues to regulate ditches that are constructed in tributaries, that are relocated tributaries, or that, in certain circumstances, drain into wetlands. “Adjacent waters” are bordering, contiguous or neighboring, including waters separated from other designated WOTUS by constructed dikes or barriers, natural river berms, or beach dunes. Wetlands, ponds, lakes, oxbows, impoundments and similar water features may be considered “adjacent.” “Neighboring” means: • Waters within 100 feet of a TNW, interstate water, territorial sea, impoundment or tributary • Waters within the 100-year foodplain of waters listed above, but no more than 1,500 feet away • Waters located within 1,500 feet of TNWs, territorial seas or Great Lakes The fnal two categories of waters are only jurisdictional if a case-specifc analysis shows they have a signifcant nexus to TNWs, interstate waters or territorial seas. 7. Prairie potholes, Carolina and Delmarva bays, pocosins, and western vernal pools in California and Texas coastal prairie wetlands 8. Waters in 100-year foodplain of TNW, interstate water or territorial seas, where the water body is beyond 1,500 feet away; or waters that lie beyond the agency limits and within 4,000 feet of a TNW, interstate water, territorial sea, impoundment or tributary The fnal WOTUS rule has many exemptions. These include, among others: • Irrigated areas that would revert to dry land if irrigation ceased • Artifcial lakes or ponds created on dry land, such as irrigation ponds • Small ornamental waters created on dry land

• Erosional features, such as gullies, rills and other ephemeral features not meeting the defnition of “tributary”; non-wetland swales; and lawfully constructed grassed waterways • Groundwater, including groundwater drained through subsurface drainage systems • Stormwater control features constructed to convey, treat or store stormwater that were created in dry land The agencies added to the fnal rule clarifying language that states that many exemptions must have been created in dry land. However, there is no agreed-upon defnition of “dry land.” The golf industry needs to pay attention to these newly defned WOTUS, as they can impact course development, renovation and management. You may need to obtain a CWA section 402 permit for chemical spraying activities from the EPA or your state, or a CWA section 404 permit for fll and dredge activities from the Corps or your state. GCSAA hosted a technical WOTUS webinar at the end of July, and the recording is available for viewing on GCSAA TV at www.gcsaa.org. The EPA and the Corps will also issue further guidance later this year on how they plan to implement the rule. As the regulations take effect this month, superintendents should start walking their golf courses to assess what is currently jurisdictional on the property and what may become jurisdictional in the future. Are any water features identifed as exemptions built in dry land? Superintendents should consult topographic maps, and may need to bring in an environmental consultant for help identifying jurisdictional waters on the property. GCSAA will continue to add compliance resources to its website as they are developed, and, as always, members should contact the GCSAA government relations department at 800-472-7878 for additional assistance.

Chava McKeel is GCSAA’s director of government relations.

They’re back for more. Prepare your turf for Labor Day with the Holiday Spray Promotion.

Get up to 8% earned credit on our most innovative fungicides until August 31.

Summer is the time to control disease and help your turf withstand summer stress and grow more efficiently. Keep your course in peak condition by applying Lexicon® Intrinsic® on your greens and Xzemplar® fungicide to control early fall dollar spot on your fairways. For details about the Holiday Spray Promotion, visit betterturf.basf.us/holidayspray. Call your distributor and save today, then enjoy worry-free, beautiful turf for the rest of the summer. Always read and follow label directions. Lexicon, Intrinsic and Xzemplar are registered trademarks of BASF. © 2015 BASF Corporation. All rights reserved.

150 years

Megan Hirt mhirt@gcsaa.org Twitter: @GCM_Magazine

(environment)

Lighten up For summer days spent inside the un-airconditioned maintenance facility of Minnesota Valley Country Club (MVCC) in Bloomington, Minn., Mike Brower describes his former stay-cool strategy with a sigh: “Lots of fans.” Before 2010, the temperature in the space where some employees log seven hours a day would regularly climb to uncomfortable heights. It wasn’t until the then-26-yearold building’s roof began to leak that Brower, the GCSAA Class A superintendent at Minnesota Valley and a 27-year association member, was able to seize upon an idea to soften the swelter: a white roof. “We needed a new roof because of the leakage, but at the same time, we wanted to be proactive about the building’s temperature by putting in a white roof that would refect the sun’s energy,” Brower says. The concept is simple: Light colors refect light, while dark colors absorb it. Many of us are mindful not to don dark attire on a hot, sunny day in order to keep as cool as possible. Similarly, for sky-facing surfaces such as roofs, a lighter hue will pass along less heat to the space below. For an AC-free building such as Brower’s, the swap from dark to light on the structure’s cap can drop the internal temperature as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit, says Heather James, a board member of the White Roof Project, a New York City-based nonproft dedicated to funding and spreading the word about white roofs. For buildings in climates with consistently hot days, James says white roofs can achieve as much as a 40 percent reduction in cooling costs. Type of climate is a huge factor in the effectiveness of any white roof, but James says

Presented in partnership with Aquatrols

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

A crew from roofng contractor All Elements Inc. installs the white roof atop Minnesota Valley Country Club’s maintenance facility. Photo courtesy of Mike Brower

the tactic does make sense in northern regions despite the seemingly logical assumption that buildings would beneft from the extra warmth come winter. “You do get some heat impact from a black roof in winter, but not as much as you’d necessarily think,” says James, who cites the less direct angle of the sun, fewer hours of sunlight and snow cover as circumstances that slash the perceived wintertime advantage of a dark roof. And while white roofs (also known as “cool roofs”) garner much interest because they lessen fnancial costs, the naturally cooler spaces they create translate to reduced environmental costs as well. “Every time you crank up fans or crank up the air conditioning, you’re using a lot of electricity,” James says. “When you cut your electricity use, you cut the carbon dioxide emissions generated by the power plant.” At MVCC, the black-tar-and-gravel “built-up” roof on the 12,000-square-foot maintenance facility was replaced with a white roof in fall 2009 by All Elements Inc., a roofing contractor in Monticello, Minn. The new system is a Duro-Last single-ply, 40-mil vinyl membrane, which is a lone sheet of specially formulated material that never gets more than 10 degrees warmer than the ambient temperature, says Dan Jernberg, an estimator and roof consultant with All Elements. In addition to their personal-comfort and planet-conscious merits, white roofs offer a few more perks. Because they don’t overheat, they’re less prone to warping and cracking, which means fewer repairs and a longer life span. Perhaps the best part? “The cost is right in line with other types of roofs,” Jernberg says. “Every time we go up against a proposal for a built-up roof,

the Duro-Last white roof typically beats that price by about 25 percent.” Brower says his almost-6-year-old white roof, which was comparable in cost to what a roof identical to the old one would have run, has held up nicely, and that a lower indoor temperature was immediately noticeable. So pleased is he that when the time rolls around to replace the roof on MVCC’s nearly 20-year-old clubhouse, another white roof is a strong possibility. “Why not do our part for the environment while at the same time getting the new roof we need? It’s a win-win,” says Brower, who is in his 14th year as superintendent at the club. Minnesota Valley is a Certifed Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, and also counts among its sustainability efforts having all food waste picked up by a local farm to be transformed into compost. “We’re committed to the environment, and that has always motivated us to think about, with anything we do, how we can be more sustainable and environmentally friendly,” says Brower, who encourages other superintendents to explore white roofs as an option for increased interior comfort and decreased ecological impact (fnd more info and a cost-savings calculator at www.energy.gov/energysaver/ articles/cool-roofs). “Roofs are something that you don’t often get up on, and if it’s out of sight, it tends to be out of mind,” Brower says. “Many people may not realize the opportunities that are right up on their roof.” Megan Hirt is GCM’s managing editor.

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Bob Vaughey, CGCS bobbyslo@me.com Twitter: @rollinghillsgcm

(technology)

On course with the Apple Watch After owning and using the Apple Watch for almost a month, I thought I could provide an early opinion on its usefulness and application for golf course superintendents. To be completely honest, my frst impressions weren’t the most positive, but, over time, I grew to see how the Apple Watch could be helpful to those in our business. Like most “smartwatches” on the market, the Apple Watch doesn’t actually do much on its own. It doesn’t offer any life-changing apps, it won’t provide hours of entertainment, and it won’t deliver an experience much different from that of your current smartphone. The frst few days I used it, I was actually quite unimpressed. It buzzed when something needed attention and occasionally told me I needed to move around a bit more, but that was about it. After about a week, though, I began to appreciate what the Apple Watch was actually doing for me. Most notably, it allowed me to keep my phone in my pocket. If I had to guess, I’d say I used to pull my phone out of my pocket 200 times a day. Every time I’d receive a text, phone call, email, weather update or score update for my favorite baseball team, my phone would buzz and, inevitably, I’d stop what I was doing to see what notice I had just received. The fact of the matter is that of those 200 times a day, maybe 10 of them actually required my immediate attention. Perhaps it was a phone call I was waiting for, a text I needed to answer or an email that had some urgency to it. All the rest was really just white noise, distracting me from my current task or, more importantly, from the people I was working with at the time. It’s not until you’re

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keeping your phone tucked away that you realize how often you’re on it, whether it’s in meetings, on the golf course or even during dinner at home. What the Apple Watch does is serve as a conduit between you and your phone. At frst, I had my watch mirror my phone exactly. Everything my phone notifed me about would appear on the watch. Slowly, I started limiting the notices I received on my watch to just texts, phone calls, emails, weather updates, updates from my home security system and my baseball scores. If it wasn’t an update on one of those things, I decided it wasn’t worth stopping what I was doing or interrupting a conversation I might be having to look at. When one of those messages does come through, all it takes is a simple tap on the wrist and a brief glance, and I get all the information I really need. In addition, when I do use the Apple Watch for its core purpose — telling time — not only do I see the time, but I also get a quick update on the weather, my next appointment and my activity level for the day. The Apple Watch has also helped me manage some perceptions around my club, which has a no-cell-phone policy. Even though that rule doesn’t apply to staff, I used to be reluctant to have members see me using my phone on the course. The watch has been benefcial to me in that situation. Another area where the Apple Watch noticeably comes in handy is while actually playing golf. I like to walk and usually play alone, listening to music on headphones while I do. Now, I can keep my phone in my golf bag

and use the watch to control the music. It also gives me yardages on the course, and I can still see the information I need in relation to my job. The activity functions measure how far I’ve walked, my heart rate and a host of other health-related stats. I can also take notes on things I see around the course, update my to-do list, and text my crew when necessary. So while the Apple Watch doesn’t do much that your current smartphone can’t do, it does very well the one thing I want it to do when I’m on the golf course, around members, in the clubhouse or in meetings: It allows me to put my phone away and avoid many of the unnecessary distractions that can come with it.

Bob Vaughey, CGCS, is the director of agronomy at Rolling Hills Country Club in Palos Verdes, Calif., and a 12-year GCSAA member.

Photos courtesy of EPIC Creative

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

The golf course maintenance leadership team at the Straits Course at Whistling Straits (clockwise, from left to right): Joe Sell, Straits Course assistant superintendent; Derek Loda, Straits Course assistant superintendent; Chris Zugel, CGCS, Straits Course superintendent; and Mike Lee, CGCS, manager of golf course operations for Destination Kohler.

The fve years between majors at Whistling Straits is the second-quickest major turnaround since 1970.

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Let’s get this out of the way at the beginning — fve years is actually a pretty long time. Presidential terms don’t last fve years. In a fve-year span, three Olympic games can be contested. The average Hollywood blockbuster takes less than three years to flm, produce and distribute. Construction of the Superdome only took four years. But if there is one area where fve years isn’t considered all that long, it’s in the world of major championship golf. In particular among U.S. facilities that host these events, fve years can go by in the blink of an eye. With the logistical and agronomic demands that accompany modern major championships and the planning required to meet them, it’s common for venues to go a decade or more between hosting duties, if only to let the dust settle on one before they begin worrying about another. As a point of fact, among U.S. facilities that have hosted multiple majors in the last 40 years, the average length of time between those big events has been just under 11 years. That’s one of the reasons that this month’s PGA Championship at Whistling Straits is so notable. For the world’s best golfers, their trip to the Straits Course in Kohler, Wis.,

Sand-sational

The 520-yard, par-5 fnishing hole on the Straits Course.

Aug. 13 through 16 will seem like old-home week, as it was just fve years ago that the same championship was contested on these links. Outside of Open Championship hosts in the U.K., which churn far faster than their U.S. counterparts, the fve years between visits to Whistling Straits is the second-quickest major turnaround since 1970, behind only Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., another PGA of America favorite that hosted PGAs four years apart, in 1996 and 2000. You’d think something like this would ratchet up the pressure ever so slightly on the men and women charged with preparing Whistling Straits for the PGA, in a too-much-to-doand-not-enough-time-to-do-it sort of way. But if you mention it to Mike Lee, CGCS, the manager of golf course maintenance for both Whistling Straits and its sister property in the Kohler Co. family, Blackwolf Run; Chris Zugel, CGCS, the Straits Course superintendent; or any of their troops inside the maintenance facility, the strongest response you’re likely to get is a shrug of the shoulders. Why the nonchalance? In short, experience and lots of it. Experience in hosting majors. Experience in managing one of golf’s most unique landscapes. And, maybe most of all, experience in working together and riding out the peaks and valleys that inevitably come with relationships that, in some cases, date back nearly two decades. Power of partnerships One is a lifelong Wisconsinite with deep roots in the state’s golf course management community. The other is a Boston native who grew up in Atlanta and has followed his turfgrass dreams from Colorado to Wisconsin to Florida and back to Wisconsin again. But even though they traveled different paths to get to where they are today, the pairing of Lee and Zugel have found plenty of common ground in their work at Whistling Straits.

So just how many bunkers are there on the Straits Course at Whistling Straits? If you ask the golf course maintenance staff, which we did in compiling information for the GCSAA Tournament Fact Sheet (www.gcsaa.org/newsroom/ tournament-fact-sheets) for the 2015 PGA Championship, you’ll get a very precise count of these hazards: “A lot.” If you’re one of those people who is hung up on “actual numbers” and “statistics,” you could ask Ron Whitten, Golf Digest’s senior editor, architecture, who may be the only person who has actually counted the bunkers there — and not just once, but twice. “967,” is his authoritative answer. Well, at least it was in 2010, the frst time he made his count. Whitten wouldn’t reveal his most recent tally before it was published in the August issue of Golf Digest (“I’m not going to scoop myself,” he says), but he did at least offer that the number was “different” this time around, although not dramatically so. Whatever that new number turns out to be, a little context will help illustrate just how out-of-the-ordinary the Straits Course is in this regard. Consider that the total number of bunkers on the last two courses to host PGAs — Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., in 2014, and Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y., in 2013 — is 65 and 84, respectively. Obviously, the sheer number of bunkers at Whistling Straits is a product of design, of Pete Dye’s work to turn a former U.S. Army antiaircraft training facility along the banks of Lake Michigan into the windswept, links-style showstopper that it is today. But that doesn’t lessen the course’s uniqueness in the world of American golf. “You just never know what’s up Pete Dye’s sleeve,” says Whitten, who worked for GCSAA and GCM before taking his talents to Golf Digest. Kerry Haigh, the PGA of America’s chief championship offcer, admits the bunkers at Whistling Straits “bring some maintenance and setup challenges, for sure.” Most notable is the fact that some of those bunkers will fall outside of the ropes during tournament play, meaning balls that fnd their way into those areas could come to rest in footprints, next to empty hot dog wrappers or up against any other manner of obstacle not normally found in a traditional bunker. Dustin Johnson learned plenty about the distinctiveness of Whistling Straits’ bunkers in the fnal round of the 2010 PGA, when he was penalized for grounding his club in an area he didn’t think was a bunker. The uniqueness of the bunker situation at Whistling Straits requires an equally unique management plan, Haigh admits, saying the bunkers will receive an added level of vigilance from both maintenance and rules offcials. “We do have protocols in place for checking the bunkers almost on a daily basis,” he says. “We’ll have two offcials on each nine doing nothing but checking bunkers inside the ropes. They are something we have to manage, but they really are what make this property so unique and what help create some really spectacular golf holes.” — S.H.

08.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

Signatures of a Pete Dye design, such as the railroad ties that rim the 17th green on the Straits Course, are plentiful at both Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run.

“One of the reasons we’re so comfortable coming back to Whistling Straits after just fve years is the quality of the staff here, and that starts with Mike and Chris.” — Kerry Haigh

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“I think if you asked someone to write down each of our characteristics and then showed them to someone else, asking them to guess which one was which, they’d have trouble fguring it out,” says Zugel, an 18-year GCSAA member. “They’d probably wonder, ‘Is this Mike or is it Chris?’” Lee is the senior statesman of maintenance operations at Destination Kohler, having joined the team in 1993 as a superintendent at Blackwolf Run. As the courses at Whistling Straits were coming online — the Straits Course in 1998, the Irish Course in 2000 — he assumed his current role overseeing maintenance on all 72 holes at the resort. “Mike will let you know where you stand,” Zugel says of his boss. “Personally, I like that. I have a pretty thick skin so if something goes wrong, he’ll let you know. But he does that because he wants you to learn from that. It’s been a good relationship.” Zugel has plenty of tenure at Whistling Straits, too — he started as an intern on Whistling Straits’ Irish Course in 2000 — but he has tested the waters elsewhere on a few occasions. After his internship, he left for a job in Florida (“My only requirements were I wanted to be an assistant and I wanted to live near a beach,” he says). After returning to Wisconsin and Destination Kohler in 2002, he left again in 2008 to become the head groundskeeper

for the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. After just one year, he was back to lead efforts on the Straits Course. “Chris is a quiet competitor,” says Lee of the former competitive cyclist. “He brings that into the workplace also, and expects a lot out of himself and his crew.” Lee has always viewed Zugel’s two stints away from Wisconsin as badges of honor as opposed to points of concern, moves that are ultimately paying off for Whistling Straits. “In both cases, he was looking to advance his career, obtain additional experience,” the 30year member of GCSAA says. “That has always impressed me, and it’s fortunate for us that he brought what he learned back here.” “There’s obviously something special here if I would leave twice and come back twice,” Zugel says. “I’ve been lucky to do the things I’ve been able to do and learn what I learned in those opportunities, and I’ve been lucky to have the opportunities to learn and grow here, too.” Kerry Haigh, the PGA of America’s chief championship offcer, who works closely with both men on matters of course conditioning and setup related to the PGA Championship, says, “One of the reasons we’re so comfortable coming back to Whistling Straits after just fve years is the quality of the staff there, and that starts with Mike and Chris. There is a

Straits Course superintendent Chris Zugel, CGCS (right), has found a home at Whistling Straits during a career that has included stints in Florida and as the head groundskeeper for the Milwaukee Brewers.

“These are dramatic landscapes. ... If you had to come in and learn all this cold, I’d think your frst two or three years would be pretty rough.” — Mike Lee, CGCS

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knowledge of the facility, its history, and what can and can’t be done there. That knowledge is invaluable to us.” Institutional knowledge The value of experience, of local knowledge in golf course management, probably isn’t lost on any working superintendent. Knowing areas that are susceptible to disease, where shade might be an issue, where fooding tends to occur during heavy rains is a huge boost to any golf facility, regardless of whether it hosts a major. At properties such as Destination Kohler, with as unique a set of course designs as any in the country, that knowledge is borderline priceless. “These are dramatic landscapes,” Lee says. “They’re all Pete Dye courses. There is a lot of detail required in terms of knowing functionally where things are on the golf course. If you had to come in and learn all this cold, I’d think your frst two or three years would be pretty rough. “Having a team as experienced as ours who knows this property the way that they do is a defnite beneft.” As much as it benefts daily golf course maintenance, it pays an even bigger dividend when it comes to preparations for major tour-

naments. And few facilities can match Whistling Straits’ experience in that regard. This month’s PGA Championship will mark the fourth major the Straits Course has hosted since 2004 (see chart on Page 52). Add in a pair of U.S. Women’s Opens on Blackwolf Run’s River Course (1998 and 2012), and you get a team of turfgrass professionals as well schooled in the art of tournament prep as any in the world. “It’s nice because there are so many people who were here in 2010, who were here in 2007 for the Senior Open, and even beyond that,” Zugel says. “They’ve seen a lot ... and I know when we need something done, that we have the staff here that can do it better than anybody anywhere.” Of course, all the experience in the world doesn’t mean much if you don’t know how to take advantage of it, and the team at Whistling Straits has that part down to a science. It’s a relatively simple science, one that focuses on the fundamentals, on making things just a little bit better every day, but it works. Lee refers to it as “doing the common in an uncommon way.” “Emily Shircel, who was here in 2010 as an assistant, used to say, ‘If you always did what you always done, you always get what

A familiarity with the property and with hosting major championships provides the maintenance team at Whistling Straits an advantage heading into this month’s PGA Championship. Shown here are the 9th and 18th greens on the Straits Course.

you always got,’” Zugel says. “It was kind of goofy and we’d always joke about it, but she had a point. “We try to keep things simple here, try not to get too complicated, but I’m an extremely competitive person, almost to a fault. I want to make things better. I like to strip things down to their basic parts and then fgure out what we can do differently so that the end product is just a little bit better than it was before.” Details matter What makes efforts like that easier, whether they’re related to daily maintenance activities or preparations for a PGA Championship, is a dedication to data collection and analysis that is unparalleled in golf course

Major destination Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run, the two 36-hole facilities at the Destination Kohler resorts near Sheboygan, Wis., have hosted six major championships since 1998, more than any other facility in the United States. Year Event Host 1998 U.S. Women’s Open Blackwolf Run, River Course 2004 PGA Championship Whistling Straits, Straits Course 2007 U.S. Senior Open Whistling Straits, Straits Course 2010 PGA Championship Whistling Straits, Straits Course 2012 U.S. Women’s Open Blackwolf Run, River Course 2015 PGA Championship Whistling Straits, Straits Course

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

management. Even as others have begun to embrace similar techniques as the concept of precision turf management takes hold in the industry, the gang at Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run seem like they’re a little ahead of their time. Most of these strategies have trickled down from the boardrooms and business practices of the Kohler Co., but Lee and his team have adapted those to ft into a golf operations environment. Each task on the golf course has its own unique number, some 60 tasks in all, with data tracking everything from labor to water and chemical usage to cutting heights to bunker maintenance, all recorded on a daily basis. “It’s institutional knowledge, but kept in a very orderly, organized way,” Zugel explains. “It gives us tools so we can easily see what is working and what isn’t. For the PGA, we don’t want to spend time on something we know didn’t work out last time around. It helps us plan and gives us a much better chance at success than if we just kind of thought, ‘Well, I think this worked last time.’ With this data, we know if it worked or not.” That level of detail has found a function in Whistling Straits’ tournament preparations with the creation of checklists that have guided work since way back in 1998 when the Women’s Open frst came to town. The checklists ensure that almost every aspect of tournament preparation — from agronomic specifcs to co-

Thanks to the previous tournaments hosted at both Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run, there is a quiet confdence surrounding the maintenance team on the Straits Course. And another major, the 2020 Ryder Cup, looms on the horizon.

ON THE AIR Live from Whistling Straits If it’s happening in golf course management at this month’s PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, GCM and GCSAA will have it covered. Beginning Sunday, Aug. 9, real-time, behind-the-scenes reports will be available in multiple forms, including on GCM’s blog, From the Desk of GCM (www.gcm.typepad.com), the Twitter accounts of both GCM (@GCM_Magazine) and GCSAA (@GCSAA), and GCSAA TV (www.gcsaa.tv).

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ordination of the nearly 70 volunteers who will be on site — is nailed down and understood before the tournament ever tees off. “In my view, it’s the most valuable document that we have related to the tournament,” Lee says, “because it evolves and is based on what we’ve learned from all the other events we’ve hosted. It drives the whole planning process and leaves us in a place that, hopefully, when the tournament starts, everything is already clear in everyone’s mind.” Another piece of the pre-tournament puzzle for Whistling Straits are annual “mockup” weeks the team stages in advance of major tournaments. These test-drives correspond as closely to the actual week of the tournament as possible — last year’s mock-up, for example, took place a week after the PGA Championship at Valhalla — and provide an opportunity for the crew to dial in details such as cutting heights and green speeds in conditions that will mirror what they’re likely to encounter during the actual event, at least as closely as Mother Nature will allow. “Things change from year to year. It might rain one year, diseases might be more or less active, the growth of the grass might not be happening like normal,” Zugel says. “But it’s just another part of the plan that prepares us for events like this, another opportunity to learn about how we can go do better once tournament week actually rolls around.” Comfortable, but not satisfied When you take all of this into account — the veteran staff, the previous tournaments, the meticulous data collection, the practice-

makes-perfect attitude — it’s hard to imagine there is a better prepared team of golf course management professionals than those who will be tending the Straits Course for this month’s PGA Championship. Others on the team certainly feel prepared. “Mike has done such a good job with having a template of what we need to do, what we can expect from a tournament … that there is a defnite comfort level with what we’ll face in August,” says Joe Sell, a 12-year GCSAA member who, along with Derek Loda (a threeyear association member), serves as assistant superintendent on the Straits Course. And even Lee admits to an increased level of comfort with each passing major. “I don’t have a sense anymore that we might be missing something major. We have all of these experiences and information to draw from. That anxiety is gone because we know what we’re going to do in so many situations.” Don’t confuse that comfort for complacency, though. Lee, Zugel and the rest of the team at Whistling Straits may be satisfed with their readiness for the PGA Championship, but there is always room for improvement, with another major turn, the 2020 Ryder Cup, looming just fve short years away. “It’s a constant in the back of my mind, and I know it’s a constant in the back of Chris’ mind, too,” Lee says. “Things might look great and run great, but there are always areas you can make better.” Scott Hollister (shollister@gcsaa.org) is GCM’s editor-inchief.

AT THE TURN Stacie Zinn Roberts

According to USGA-funded research, the right sand for bunkers “maintains frmness, drains quickly, does not easily erode from slopes,” and is similar in size to the sand used in root zones. Photo courtesy of Rain Bird Corp.

(bunkers)

The quest for the perfect sand At the heart of every great bunker is a great bunker sand. Knowing what to look for (and where to look for it) is the key to making the right choice for your golf course. With a sand wedge in hand, a golfer approaches a deep bunker on your golf course. As he walks up to the edge of the hazard, he squints and sees it. The top of his ball, barely visible, is nearly buried in the sand — the dreaded fried-egg lie. He bellows out a swear word, cursing himself for his lousy play. And he may be right. He may have hit a bad shot. Or, if the sand in that bunker was not chosen correctly by the golf course architect, the club owner, or you, the superintendent, he may be wrong. That fried egg might not be his fault. It might be yours. That’s right — sand selection can and does impact playability. It can also affect bunker maintenance, drainage and overall course aesthetics. That’s why selecting not just the prettiest sand but the right sand for your golf course is so critical. In a study published by the USGA in 2008, Cale A. Bigelow, Ph.D., and Douglas R. Smith, Ph.D., at Purdue University described the general guidelines for bunker sand selection this way: “From a golf course manager’s perspective, an appropriate sand for golf course bunkers would be one that maintains frmness, drains quickly, does not easily erode from slopes after moderate rainfall or irrigation, and is sized similar to those used for sand-based root zones so when

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

Golf course architect Jan Bel Jan says superintendents should choose the same type of sand for bunkers and topdressing. Photo courtesy of Jan Bel Jan

“The more angles it (a sand particle) has, the better it sticks. The better it sticks, the less it will wash.” — Jan Bel Jan

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

it is splashed onto the putting surface it does minimal damage to the mowing equipment when picked up during mowing and does not negatively impact the composition of the sand-based root zone over time.” Rules of thumb Golf course architect Jan Bel Jan, who is based in Jupiter, Fla., says within all of those criteria, her general rule of thumb in selecting a bunker sand is to choose the “same sand you’ll use to topdress.” But even with that rule of thumb, the USGA research cites several criteria for sand selection, including particle size and shape, which determine whether sand is too uniform or too soft and will produce washouts or friedegg lies. “You need a variety of particle sizes,” says Bel Jan, a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects and a 20-year member of GCSAA. USGA recommendations for root-zone sand mix and the research on bunker sand line up for particle size distribution. A majority (at minimum, 60 percent) of the sand

particles in the bunker-sand mix should be medium and coarse sand in the 0.25-1.0 mm range. No more than 20 percent should be fne sand (0.15-0.25 mm), and less than 10 percent should be very fne sand, silt or clay (0.002-0.15 mm). At the opposite end of the spectrum, less than 10 percent should be very coarse sand or fne gravel (1.0-3.4 mm). “Some bunkers have a crust on them. You walk through and leave holes like poking into a pie crust,” Bel Jan says. Bunkers that crust generally have too much silt or clay in the sand mix. Particle shape is also important. Bel Jan says having sand all the same “spherical shape, like marbles” is undesirable. Instead, she says, “The more angles it has, the better it stacks. The better it stacks, the less it will wash. It will be more stable and prevent the fried-egg lie.” The USGA research measures shape by examining relative sharpness of the edges (angularity) and the overall shape (sphericity or roundness). “These characteristics can have a strong infuence on surface frmness and resistance to erosion,” the USGA report says. “For example,

Bob Farren, CGCS (second from left), and his crew stand in the rough at Pinehurst No. 2, where native sand from the site is used for bunkers. Photo by John Gessner

a low-sphericity, very angular sand generally has a high surface strength and would likely stay in place in bunker faces. By contrast, a high-sphericity, rounded sand is more likely to be soft and more prone to erosion during regular maintenance or following irrigation and rainfall events.” Sand type, source and amount The material the sand particle is made of should also be evaluated. The USGA research says silica sand is “preferred since it resists weathering and retains its original shape longer.” While other materials may be suitable for bunker sand use, the USGA research warns “limestone sands are more prone to weathering” and may break down into fner particles over time, which “can affect drainage and playability.”

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

The location of the sand mine or source should also be considered. Using sand produced close to your location, as long as it falls within recommended specifcations and ranges, could have a huge impact on bunker construction budgets. “Sand is heavy. If you have to ship it from somewhere, it could run $15 to $30 per ton, which could be the cost of the sand itself, or more. The sand could be $15 to $30 per ton,” Bel Jan says. Finding local sand isn’t an issue for Bob Farren, CGCS, director of golf course and grounds management at Pinehurst Resort. The famed facility’s nine golf courses sit atop the Sandhills of North Carolina, and the use of local, native sand is part of the character and strategy of most of the resort’s courses, but especially Pinehurst No. 2. Designed by Donald Ross and restored to Ross’ original design by Ben Cren-

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shaw and Bill Coore prior to the 2014 U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open, No. 2 doesn’t just highlight the local sand — it embraces it. Before the restoration, Pinehurst No. 2 had 110 to 115 bunkers on the course, Farren says. Following the restoration, only “about 30 defnable margins of turf” frame the bunkers that meander across the layout as an integral part of the design. Most of the sand used on the course was from the site itself and falls within the guidelines recommended by the USGA. Additional sand comes from a sand pit 20 miles down the road and is of the same type and quality as Pinehurst’s native sand. “We are spoiled because it’s available to us locally,” says Farren, a 35-year GCSAA member. The amount of sand installed in a bunker, not just the type of sand, should be considered, Farren says. “Usually people put too much sand in them to begin with. Four inches is a good number. Most specs call for 4 to 6 inches. If I were to build one, I’d start at 4 inches. It’s better to have not enough sand as opposed to having too much.” A colorful choice Color is another factor to consider when selecting bunker sand. “It’s important because it’s one of the most visible aspects of the golf course. Everything else is green,” Bel Jan says. “The bunkers will be some shade of white, cream, tan, beige, or, in the case of Old Works Golf Course, they could be black.” Yes, black. Built on the site of a former copper smelting plant, the Jack Nicklaus-designed course uses black slag in the bunkers. The slag was the byproduct of the copper smelting process at the plant that operated on the site from the 1800s to the middle of last century. “It’s angular, not spherical like regular sand. If you grabbed it, it has the feel and the consistency of fne bunker sand, but it’s heavy because of the metals still in it,” says Josh Thurner, the GCSAA Class A superintendent at Old Works who has been at the Anaconda, Mont., facility for the past 16 years. The slag certainly creates a signature look to the course, but Thurner says there’s more to it than that. “You can mark me down as biased, but it doesn’t compact, doesn’t get soft, and just because of the way it lays, unless you really drive a ball, you never have a fried egg.” Though the material is not native, per se, it is locally sourced. A tremendous pile

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

“The bunkers will be some shade of white, cream, tan or beige, or, in the case of Old Works Golf Course, they could be black.” — Jan Bel Jan of the slag sits just outside of town. Thurner says the slag pile, if loaded onto railroad cars, would form a train that would stretch from San Francisco to New York City. Although the 12-year GCSAA member says he’d recommend the material for golf and landscape use, anyone wanting to buy it is out of luck. A company that uses the slag to make grinding wheels now owns that supply, and it intends to use most of the resource for itself. But don’t worry about Old Works; they have been allocated enough of the slag for use in the course’s bunkers for the next 150 years, Thurner says. The greens at Old Works are built to USGA recommendations, but Thurner says he’s not concerned about getting the slag into the soil profle. “I aerify the greens every year, and it’s very uncommon to see slag in the profle. It doesn’t travel very far, and the bunkers are not super close to the greens,” Thurner says. If there is a drawback to the black color of the bunker sand, it’s the heat it generates. In summer, turf bunker edges can get a bit crispy if not hand-watered. On the bright side, though, Thurner says, “The bunker edges don’t need to be edged as often because the heat stunts the growth. But it can be hard on my guys when they have to work in the bunkers, because it is hot.”

Color coordinates Color should be considered not just for look, but for the appropriateness to the location. At Old Works, it’s indicative of the history of the place. At Augusta National, the bright white sand is so much of a signature that both Bel Jan and Farren alluded to something called “The Augusta National Syndrome” when it comes to white sand. After watching the Masters on television, club members will often request the same sand at their course, Bel Jan says. “They think, ‘If it’s good enough for Augusta, why isn’t it good enough for me?’ That may be the only Augusta-type thing they can afford. It inspires people to want to have the same appearance at their club, whether it’s right for them or not. Most people like the really white sand, but in some places, it’s not as good as having something with a softer edge to it. In Florida, you get into very white sand with very intense sun, and it’s blinding.” Farren agrees. “The beauty of Augusta National is the sharp edges of the bunkers, the formality of it, but that’s also the beauty of No. 2, the native area. There’s no specifc formula for success,” he says. Still, Bel Jan says, “If the membership likes the white sand, then that’s fne. The color is just a matter of preference.” So, if color is the most subjective and the least important contributor to playability and ease of maintenance, Bel Jan suggests letting members decide the color. “If the superintendent can fnd the sand that has good playability quality and good drainage quality, those should be the things that he selects, and then let the membership, the governors, pick the color. If you have three sands that are relatively equal, in three slightly different colors, let them make that choice. It’s safer,” she says.

Stacie Zinn Roberts is the president of What’s Your Avocado?, a writing and marketing frm based in Mount Vernon, Wash., and a frequent GCM contributor.

A Lot of Superintendents are Switching Back to TifEagle Bermudagrass Greens

1. 2. 3.

Since then hundreds of clubs have made the switch to TifEagle, or the switch back to TifEagle. Why?

If you want to get in touch with a superintendent near you who has recently replanted TifEagle, send us an email at tifeaglegrowers@gmail.com.

TifEagle Bermudagrass was first planted on a practice green at the Landings Club near Savannah GA in 1994. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s over 21 years ago. Pretty impressive.

Because TifEagle is the only genetically stable ultradwarf on the market. Our 21 year track record proves it. The other two ultradwards have simply not stood the test of time, and more and more clubs are beginning to realize just that.

TEAM

UGA

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www.tifeagle.com Visit Us On The Web And Find Out Why No-Till TifEagle Is Yout Best Choice For High-End Putting Greens.

AT THE TURN Kaelyn Seymour

At Stone Mountain (Ga.) Golf Club, (from left to right) former Congressman Earl Hilliard of Alabama, Robert Woolridge, Congressman Hank Johnson, grassroots ambassador Anthony Williams, CGCS, Mereda Davis-Johnson, Xeron Pledger and Eric Hubbard gather to share environmental and advocacy stories. Photo courtesy of Anthony Williams

(advocacy)

Growing a grassroots infuence GCSAA’s Grassroots Ambassador program gives golf and the golf course management profession a voice in the halls of Congress by cultivating relationships with policymakers at the local level. Here’s how and why to lend your voice to the chorus. In July 2014, GCSAA took its government relations efforts to a new level by launching the Grassroots Ambassador program. The objective was simple — to strengthen GCSAA’s ability to advocate for its interests by becoming more proactive rather than reactive. Fifty-fve GCSAA members signed up last summer to serve as ambassadors, a role designed to foster positive, productive relationships with members of Congress in order to ensure GCSAA has a political voice in all 50 states. “To be able to sit down one-on-one and be able to explain how issues impact all of our members and how they affect my specifc facility is critical to the industry,” says GCSAA President John O’Keefe, CGCS, of the ambassador program. Since the inaugural summer 2014 class, 119 more members have come on board as ambassadors, giving the program a total of 174 participants from 45 states. (The only states currently without representation are Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Rhode Island.) One year into the initiative, GCSAA has much to celebrate, and even more to look forward to from the program’s efforts in the years to come. And with all states still having openings for ambassadors, there’s plenty of space for more GCSAA members to join the cause. Get with the program The magic number for the ambassador program is two: Ambassadors are appointed for two years, and the average time commitment is two hours per month (one hour for training, and an-

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

Top: Grassroots ambassador Michael Upchurch (left) and GCSAA Southeast feld staff representative Ron Wright, CGCS (right), meet with Rep. John Fleming at Strawn’s Eat Shop in Shreveport, La. Photo courtesy of Ron Wright Bottom: Grassroots ambassador Paul McGinnis, CGCS (left), of Eagles Nest at Pebble Creek in Peoria, Ariz., with Arizona Congressman Trent Franks. Photo courtesy of Paul McGinnis

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

“When I frst heard about the Grassroots Ambassador program, I wanted to be part of it. I thought it was a terrifc opportunity to share the story of the professional golf course superintendent.” — Paul McGinnis, CGCS

other hour for taking actions and reading government relations publications). Each ambassador is also required to make two “touches” with his or her member of Congress per year. This could be at an August recess activity or a town hall event, at a meeting in the district offce or even a less-formal gathering at a local coffee shop. An ideal step would be arranging a site visit for a member of Congress or his or her staff to come out to the course to learn about golf course management. The fexible nature of the Grassroots Ambassador program’s requirements allows members to make it work around their schedules. For their service, members are recognized with .50 education point and .25 service point for each completed year of service. What’s the process for becoming a grassroots ambassador? Potential ambassadors can sign up anytime via Government Relations Online (under the Community tab of www. gcsaa.org), by contacting the government relations department at 800-472-7878, or by contacting their regional feld staff representative. (Though sign-up is always open, ambassadors are split into four classes for record-keeping purposes, with an ambassador’s offcial appointment beginning in January, April, July or October.) The government relations department also accepts nominations for potential ambassadors. Ambassadors must be a professional member A, SM or C, be a member

No one knows the value of GCSAA membership better than you.

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Receive a $50 gift certifcate for each new member* that you recruit. Certifcates can be used for GIS registration, educational opportunities, GCSAA merchandise and donations to the EIFG.

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Secondary grand prizes include four (4) Full Pack registrations to the 2016 Golf Industry Show.

* A new member is defned as someone who has not been current with their GCSAA dues for more than two years (excludes Equipment Managers). ** Grand prize includes airfare, GIS registration, and hotel accommodations for four (4) nights.

Congressman Lynn Westmoreland (center, facing the camera) speaks with Georgia GCSA members at Sunset Hills CC in Carrollton, Ga. Photo by Tenia Workman

The Grassroots Ambassador program continued its opening-year success at the Golf Industry Show, where more than 80 ambassadors turned out for the inaugural Ambassador Bootcamp.

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of a chapter, and receive endorsement from a chapter president, executive or feld staff rep. After being properly vetted, all potential ambassadors are sent a welcome email from the government relations department with a confrmation page to sign. After ambassadors sign the sheet, they have offcially been designated a grassroots ambassador. “When I frst heard about the Grassroots Ambassador program, I wanted to be part of it. I thought it was a terrifc opportunity to share the story of the professional golf course superintendent,” says Paul McGinnis, CGCS, who was the frst person to be offcially appointed a grassroots ambassador, returning his signed confrmation page just three hours after being invited to participate in the program on July 24, 2014. Education to make an impact Training is at the heart of the ambassador program. In the frst year of the program, the government relations department offered ambassadors nine Web-based educational sessions. The January 2015 event focused on enhancing ambassadors’ political savvy by breaking down how a bill becomes a law. In March 2015, ambassadors learned about the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed “Waters of the United States” rule in order to prepare them to take action on National Golf Day on April 15 by writing letters to, calling and tweeting their members of Congress. Other educational-session topics have focused

on how to set up a meeting with your member of Congress and the impact of the 2014 midterm elections on the golf industry. The ambassador program was also the catalyst for the successful #golfvotes campaign during the midterm elections, presented during the November 2014 training session in which the ambassadors learned about how to get out the vote. For the campaign, each ambassador was tasked with making sure the employees at his or her course were registered to vote. For the social media aspect of the campaign, ambassadors were asked to post a photo of themselves with their “I voted” sticker on social media with the “golf votes” hashtag. On Election Day, the campaign totaled 192 tweets and reached more than 416,000 Twitter timelines. The Grassroots Ambassador program continued its opening-year success at the Golf Industry Show this past February, where more than 80 ambassadors turned out for the inaugural Ambassador Bootcamp. Grassroots educator Amy Showalter of the Showalter Group trained the ambassadors on how to be more effective grassroots advocates. Ambassadors left better prepared to make contact with their members of Congress, and each also received a packet full of information and new Congressional leave-behinds to help them in their endeavors with meeting with members of Congress. In February 2016, the Golf Industry Show in San Diego will debut an added feature to

The GCSAA Grassroots Network In addition to the Grassroots Ambassador program, GCSAA also began its Grassroots Network in July 2014. The Network is an avenue for individuals who aren’t eligible or don’t wish to be ambassadors to still assist the association’s government relations efforts. Network members can include educators and turfgrass scientists, for instance. The Network is GCSAA’s larger grassroots army, called upon when immediate, targeted action is needed on an issue. Network members are notifed of Congressional activities before the general GCSAA membership, and they receive Greens & Grassroots, GCSAA’s government relations e-newsletter. You can sign up for the Grassroots Network the same way you’d sign up to be an ambassador: Head to Government Relations Online (under the Community tab of www.gcsaa.org), contact the government relations department at 800472-7878, or contact your regional feld staff representative.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

GCSAA’s government relations and advocacy efforts are wideranging, and the Grassroots Ambassador program plays an integral role in supporting these efforts.

ambassador training, with those ambassadors who attended bootcamp in San Antonio participating in a master class that will allow them to discuss and share tips and ideas on best practices for fulflling ambassador duties. Those ambassadors who didn’t have the opportunity to attend bootcamp in San Antonio, or those who are newly appointed since the winter of 2015, will attend the same basic bootcamp offered in 2014. Looking ahead The goal is to have 535 members participating in the program by the end of 2020. This number represents a GCSAA member matched with every member of the U.S. House and Senate. At this maximum capacity, the Grassroots Ambassador program will ensure that GCSAA’s voice is heard in all 50 states on issues that affect golf course operations, giving us a robust army of advocates for members to rely on. “I would encourage other superintendents to get involved in this program,” says McGinnis. “I have found my contact, Congressman Trent Franks, to be friendly and very receptive. He has been very supportive of issues concerning the golf industry. I was apprehensive at frst, wondering what kind of reception I would get from Rep. Franks, but after a few minutes, we were having a great conversation.” The GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador program has big plans for the future. In January 2016, ambassadors in Iowa will live-tweet the Iowa caucus process to inform members of how the presidential selection process works.

Rep. David Joyce of Ohio (left) with grassroots ambassador Jeffrey C. Austin of Quail Hollow Resort & Country Club in Lyndhurst, Ohio. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey C. Austin

An Ambassador of the Month program will be introduced to recognize ambassadors’ outstanding work. Google Hangouts will be added once a quarter to welcome new ambassadors to the program and answer any questions they may have before diving in, and the program will continue to build on the success of #golfvotes, with the entire GCSAA membership encouraged to participate in the #golfvotes campaign for the 2016 presidential election. GCSAA’s government relations and advocacy efforts are wide-ranging, and the Grassroots Ambassador program plays an integral role in supporting these efforts. The industry continues to face challenges ahead, and the association needs its members to advocate for its interests moving forward. Grassroots efforts are only as good as member involvement, so fnd some time to join GCSAA’s Grassroots Ambassador initiative today. “If we are not at the table, then we are on the menu,” says Ken Gorzycki, CGCS, director of agronomy at Horseshoe Bay (Texas) Resort and a grassroots ambassador. “We’ve got to be out front, telling people our message. Giving people the facts. We’ve got to be united and show numbers and show credibility.”

Kaelyn Seymour (kseymour@gcsaa.org) is GCSAA’s government relations specialist.

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AT THE TURN Sam Williams

This healthy TifEagle putting green shows why ultradwarf bermudagrasses have become such a popular warm-season choice. However, reports of some off-types have turfgrass managers searching for reasons why. Photos courtesy of Sam Williams

(agronomy)

A state of fux Experts agree on the benefts of ultradwarf bermudagrasses, but are also paying heed to emerging challenges facing those who manage these warm-season turfgrasses. “T ere are known knowns. T ese are t ings we know t at we know. T ere are known unknowns. T at is to say, t ere are t ings t at we know we don’t know. But t ere are also unknown unknowns. T ere are t ings we don’t know we don’t know.” — Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld This famous quotation may have been about U.S. defense policy, but Rumsfeld could have just as easily been talking about the conundrum surrounding three of the top ultradwarf bermudagrass varieties in 2015 — Champion, Mini-Verde and TifEagle. Over the course of two months last year, I interviewed 18 industry leaders about reports of off-types and possibly even mutations that had been showing up on Champion and Mini-Verde greens, especially in Florida. Most of these reports were in greens that were 10 to 12 years old, while some were appearing in greens from newer, supposedly pure, production stock. I talked with golf course superintendents, golf course builders, turfgrass breeders, producers and growers, architects and designers, agronomists, consultants, weed specialists, and, of course, representatives of the USGA Green Section to get their feedback on these reports. Among those, Patrick O’Brien, director of the USGA’s Green Section’s Southeast Region, summed it up in pretty straightforward terms. “We’re seeing what I call ‘spots’ in a fair number of ultradwarf greens, and they can originate in one of three ways,” O’Brien says. “In the frst case, the off-types actually come from the golf course itself — more specifcally, from other bermudagrass varieties in the surrounds or fairways.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

Above: Patrick O’Brien, southeast director, USGA Green Section.

Right: Off-type ultradwarf bermudagrass samples being studied at the University of Tennessee.

“The biggest challenge facing superintendents is trying to determine if this is an onsite problem or a production farm problem.” — Earl Elsner, Ph.D.

It’s what most people call ‘self-contamination,’ and it can happen with every grass — with TifEagle, Mini-Verde, Champion, Tifdwarf and the seashore paspalums. We know it’s happening, even at high-end clubs.” “The second cause of the problem usually traces to the grass you bought. Keep in mind that some ultradwarf producers are dealing with genetically unstable varieties, so they’ve got to constantly monitor to make sure they stay as pure as possible. “The third possibility is from a mutation right there on your putting green from the ultradwarf itself. I would say this is probably happening fairly infrequently, because most of these off-types have a poor survival rate at that height of cut.” Most of the other turfgrass experts I spoke with agreed with O’Brien’s assessment. There seems to be an ultradwarf off-type within Champion and Mini-Verde greens that’s subtly different — a patch that grows at a different rate and can affect how the green putts, which is always a concern. The off-type may also be present in TifEagle, but so far there have been no reports of putting problems with those greens. What follows are the insights of many of the experts I spoke with about the situation, as well as thoughts on how superintendents can monitor and deal with off-type challenges on ultradwarf greens. Pinpointing the problem I particularly wanted to get the perspective of Earl Elsner, Ph.D. The former director of the Georgia Seed Development Commission

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

has been involved with bermudagrasses since 1964 and has visited hundreds of production felds and golf courses throughout the world. Still living in Athens, Ga., Elsner began by explaining that it’s now generally accepted that Tifgreen 328 is genetically unstable. “If a plant carries the Tifgreen allele (gene) and is not true-to-type Tifgreen, it originated as a mutation of the Tifgreen DNA or from one of Tifgreen’s mutant offspring,” Elsner says. “Unfortunately, Champion and MiniVerde have parentage that leads back to Tifgreen 328.” That’s not the case with TifEagle, however, according to TifEagle breeder, Wayne Hanna, Ph.D., also from the University of Georgia. “I obtained dormant stolons of certifed Tifway II from a plot maintained by Dr. G.W. Burton at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station in Tifton, Ga., so my grass is a direct descendent of certifed Tifway II versus Tifgreen 328,” Hanna says, which may explain why TifEagle appears to be a genetically stable variety. “The biggest challenge facing superintendents is trying to determine if this is an on-site problem or a production farm problem,” Elsner continues. “In other words, did (the superintendent) buy it with the stolons or sprigs? That’s the challenge. It might not have been in the grass you bought, because contamination can occur after you establish your greens. “This same scenario can happen with the ultradwarfs. During the frst few years, you might not be able to see it or fnd it, because it’s so small. That’s because a mutation starts out as one cell and then expands into a runner and then becomes a plant.

Earl Elsner inspects a TifEagle green that has obvious encroachment.

“Not everyone agrees with me, but I think if a golf green is planted with morphologically uniform sprigs ... it’ll stay pure.” — Earl Elsner, Ph.D.

“If you plant absolutely pure material and there’s a mutation that occurs on the golf green, it will only be one plant. It won’t be multiple spots on the green. And it won’t be multiple spots on several greens. It will be one spot. You could conceivably end up with two or three spots if that mutation originated in a cupping area that you moved around. It probably started mutating from the get-go, but usually doesn’t show up until three or four years down the road. “If you have two mutations, then they’re probably different. The likelihood is that they’re different plants. And you may have a purple one on one green and a light green one on another green. If it came from the farm, you might be planting mutations that occurred 10 years ago. At the producer level, a mutation or off-type also starts out as one plant. But then we harvest and send some of those to the golf course and spread some back around in our production felds. Soon we harvest again and repeat the process, so you can see that it doesn’t take long to have an exponential increase of off-types at the farm level unless great care is taken.” A matter of genetics Elsner addressed another thorny issue: Why is it that Champion and Mini-Verde both have documented off-type problems while TifEagle is supposedly still clean? “You’ve got to assume that TifEagle would have off-types like the other ultradwarfs,” Elsner says. “But possibly when Wayne Hanna irradiated his original plant material, he may have altered the genetic structure. TifEagle may be a little bit different from that stand-

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

point. So there’s a chance that TifEagle doesn’t produce the same kind of off-type plants as Champion and Mini-Verde. Other than that, you’ve got to go back to the way TifEagle has been managed at the production farm level. The rebuilding of the plant stock every fve years has obviously had a very positive effect, as well as the certifcation program (all varieties from the University of Georgia are subject to this program, managed by the Georgia Crop Improvement Association). The certifcation program has certainly helped train growers what to look for. “Not everybody agrees with me, but I think if a golf green is planted with morphologically uniform sprigs and you’re careful to keep contamination out of it from encroachment, or from wherever, it’ll stay pure. There are lots of examples of Mini-Verde, Champion and TifEagle greens that are as pure today as the frst day they were planted — 10, 12, 15 years ago. In my opinion, issues with on-site mutations in well-managed ultradwarf greens are very, very rare.” Based on his work with both Mini-Verde and TifEagle, Elsner thinks a majority of the mutations at the production farm level never create problems on golf greens. Only a select few mutations end up being an issue — and a mutation may show up on a green in south Florida, but not on one in Atlanta. Why is that? “Almost all of the bermudagrass stays green in south Florida during the winter. It doesn’t go dormant, but it doesn’t grow very much. There are, however, some genotypes that have signifcant growth during the short days and cool temperatures of south Florida winters,” Elsner says. “So, let’s take a

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East Lake GC in Atlanta converted from bentgrass to Mini-Verde bermudagrass greens in 2008.

Champion Turf Farms principal Mike Brown.

golf green and assume that some of those mutations have more growth in the winter than any of the ultradwarfs. If that’s the case, during the wintertime, our ultradwarf is just sitting there while the mutation is growing and getting a competitive advantage. “There’s also been the suggestion that some of the mutations are less responsive to Primo. So if you use Primo year-round, you’re suppressing the ultradwarf but not the mutant. Add in the short days and cool nights, and the mutant has a huge advantage.” Elsner also points out that some recent university work will show that issues with Primo are common across the entire southeastern U.S. Production precautions Hanna, also a USDA/ARS plant breeder, was well aware of the purity issues surrounding Tifway 419 and Tifdwarf, and was determined to keep his TifEagle bermudagrass from the same fate. When the grass was frst released in 1998, a limited number of licenses were issued to growers who agreed to abide by strict management protocols designed to promote purity and stability. Hanna also required that every grower replant new material every fve years. Georgia’s TifEagle certifcation program played an important role in preserving the variety’s purity as well, according to Terry Hollifeld, the director of the Georgia Crop Improvement Association. “We require three inspections per year on every licensed production farm: one during the May-June time frame, one during July-August, and the fnal

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

during September-October,” Hollifeld says. “Experience has taught us that the best time to fnd off-types is early spring or late fall, when the grass is either greening up or reacting to colder nights. And our summer inspection is the best time to fnd troublesome weeds.” Mike Brown of Champion Turf Farms in Bay City, Texas, was happy to detail the steps the company takes to keep its production material clean. “First of all, we only utilize a nursery for sprig production for fve years, and when we start a new feld, we go back to a single sprig. It requires a tremendous amount of labor, but we can go from the greenhouse to a full 8-acre feld in just one year,” Brown says. “Another thing that works really well for us is that when we start a new Champion feld, we plant it on acreage that has historically been in St. Augustinegrass. St. Augustine is like our nursery crop, because it’s the easiest grass in the world to identify and to kill. We never have a problem with St. Augustine coming up in one of our new Champion production felds. “Bottom line: We guarantee every set of greens we put in. We lay our heads on the chopping block, because if there’s a problem, we fx it at our expense.” Fixing the problem So, what’s in the pipeline to not only identify these issues of bermudagrass off-types, but also solve them? Jim Brosnan, Ph.D., a turfgrass weed scientist with the University of Tennessee, and his graduate student, Eric Reasor, have already begun investigating. Brosnan says early reports of “weeds” or other grasses popping up in ultradwarf greens

didn’t concern him until a course visit in 2011 highlighted the problem in living color. “It was like seeing a ghost,” he says. “It had a pronounced polka-dotted appearance, which was very noticeable. As I started to see this more and more, I decided to make a commitment to fnd out what was going on, to fgure out how to help people manage this, because at the end of the day, it’s fundamentally a turfgrass weed-management problem.” Motivated to get to the bottom of the mystery and equipped with suffcient funding, he and Reasor got to work, visiting 26 golf courses in 2013 — mostly in Tennessee, but also in Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas and Mis-

nan says. “We harvested anything that was just plain different, along with the ultradwarf that was there, and took all of our samples back to Knoxville for further study.” That study revealed off-type grass in the three ultradwarf cultivars. There was little consistency among those off-types, however, with the researchers noting different colors and textures. “They were all over the ballpark in terms of their morphology,” Brosnan says. “It was even more pronounced when we took the cultivars we harvested and propagated them in greenhouse conditions from just one stolon. We saw really big differences in their morphology.

Terry Hollifeld, the director of the Georgia Crop Improvement Association.

This Champion ultradwarf bermudagrass putting green in Tennessee shows signs of an infltration of off-types and was on one of the courses studied by Jim Brosnan, Ph.D., from the University of Tennessee.

sissippi. Collectively, these courses featured all three ultradwarf cultivars — Champion, Mini-Verde and TifEagle. “Our objective was to document the history of those greens,” Brosnan says. “What were they before they were ultradwarfs? What was the renovation process? Was it a no-till conversion? Was it a fumigation? A complete rebuild?” The pair also dug into management techniques, from applications of plant growth regulators to aerifcation, vertical mowing and topdressing regimes. Next, they harvested any grass they identifed as an off-type, which they defned as “any grass that had a different visual appearance than the grass they wanted to be there.” “It might be something with a coarser or wider leaf, or a different color, or something with a bit of a different growth habit,” Bros-

Eric started measuring and recording attributes like stolon diameter, internode length, leaf length, leaf width, leaf length-to-width ratio and overall biomass production — all from that one stolon.” Additional tests conducted by Brian Schwartz, Ph.D., a plant breeder at the University of Georgia, revealed something else: None of the off-type grasses collected were related to common bermudagrass or to Tifway 419. Instead, all were related to the Tifgreen family. “And that’s a big data point for us from a management standpoint,” Brosnan says. “Because to me, that indicates that we’re likely not dealing with material that has migrated in from the roughs or collars. That being said, we need to do more work with molecular techniques to confrm this theory.”

“It was like seeing a ghost. It had a pronounced polka-dotted appearance, which was very noticeable.” — Jim Brosnan, Ph.D.

08.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

University of Tennessee turf weed scientist Dr. Jim Brosnan (left) and graduate student Eric Reasor (right) inspect ultradwarf off-types.

Further work is underway, but Brosnan thinks he and Reasor have already accomplished much with their research to date. “Our frst goal in this research effort was to document that this problem existed and then work to build research-based strategies for managing these off-types or mutations. When you look at bentgrass greens, you commonly see segregation, but it doesn’t affect putting quality. That’s not the case with off-types of ultradwarf putting greens, based on what we’ve learned thus far,” he says.

“Programs to manage these off-types will essentially improve both ultradwarf putting green aesthetics and putting quality.” — Jim Brosnan, Ph.D.

“Programs to manage these off-types will essentially improve both ultradwarf putting green aesthetics and putting quality. That’s the real focus of this project,” Brosnan says. “Eric’s genetic work will essentially justify these grasses as being weeds of ultradwarf greens requiring specialized management. We’re also going to evaluate the response of these grasses to variable rates of nitrogen and Primo under controlled conditions, as well as under both optimal and suboptimal weather conditions for bermudagrass growth. Our hope is that these studies will help us put some building blocks together to see what a good management program might look like in the feld.” Following Brosnan and Reasor’s work as they attempt to get a handle on the “known unknowns” of this ultradwarf bermudagrass conundrum should prove very interesting.

Sam Williams runs Sam Williams Advertising, a marketing, advertising and freelance writing frm based out of his home in Sautee Nacoochee, Ga.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

(through the green)

Baa, baa, black sheep Jack Fry, Ph.D. jfry@ksu.edu

The sheep could be painted red, green or orange and have a logo pasted on their side for advertising purposes — they’re providing direct competition for mower sales.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

In June, I had the pleasure of visiting New Zealand and meeting a number of golf course superintendents who are managing courses with minimal inputs. A handful of courses in New Zealand still use sheep to mow (graze), a practice that started in Scotland hundreds of years ago. An equipment dealer at the New Zealand Fine Turf Seminar joked that the sheep could be painted red, green or orange and have a logo pasted on their side for advertising purposes — they’re providing direct competition for mower sales. One superintendent commented that the sheep are walking mowers that supply turf nutrition, sweaters for the golfers and, after they’ve served their purpose, food for the table. How many of your mowers do that? Sheep grazing the golf course could create some interesting situations regarding the Rules of Golf. The sheep themselves are “outside agencies” according to the Rules — a ball defected off one would simply have to be played where it lies. If a lamb were to inadvertently kick a golf ball, the ball could be replaced if the location on the course is known (Rule 18-1). Otherwise, the spot would be estimated, and the ball dropped (Rule 20-3). Sheep excrement would be considered a “loose impediment” and could be moved as outlined in Rule 23. Electric fences are used around greens to prevent the sheep from wandering onto the putting surface and leaving ball-roll-hindering hoof prints. The fences and the stakes supporting them would have to be treated as “immovable obstructions” (Rule 24-2). The golfer would identify the nearest point of relief where stance and swing would no longer be affected by the fence, and the ball would be dropped within one club length. Imagine striking the ball with a pitching wedge and meeting a fence carrying a few hundred volts on your followthrough. The resulting scream would likely tempt your fellow competitors to create a new local rule related to noise on the golf course. Brendan Allen, president of the New Zealand GCSA and superintendent at The Hills, an exclusive club in Queenstown, New Zealand, refected on the time he spent as an apprentice at the nine-hole Te Akau Golf Club on the North Island. Not only were sheep used on the course, but some fairways at times served

as practice areas for horse jumping. With all of those domesticated animals, the facility was beginning to resemble a farm more than a golf course. Out of a group of 150 superintendents in New Zealand, I met no fewer than four hardworking gentlemen who were the sole paid employees at their 18-hole facilities. I’m not suggesting that U.S. golf courses attempt this; the climate in New Zealand — relatively cool temperatures, periodic timely rainfall and slowgrowing turf — is better suited for operating a facility on a bare-bones budget. New Zealand is home to more than 400 golf courses, and the country is also a popular golf tourist destination. Many courses are maintaining mixtures of colonial bentgrass (browntop) and Poa annua on putting greens. In most instances, the poa is winning the battle. There are innovators in every group, however. In Wellington, New Zealand, I had the opportunity to visit Royal Wellington Golf Club, where superintendent John Spraggs is convinced that creeping bentgrass is the right choice for New Zealand greens. Royal Wellington is not a low-budget operation — it refects a quality you’d fnd at the nicest private clubs in the U.S. After a recent remodel, Spraggs led the conversion of greens to creeping bentgrass, and others have already begun to follow his lead. At the same time, John has taken a lower-maintenance approach to managing certain areas of the golf course, identifying natural spaces and other out-of-play areas where no maintenance is required. The U.S. and New Zealand are facing similar golf-related issues: too many golf courses for the number of golfers, and a need to increase participation in the game. Golf course superintendents in both countries are being asked to manage their facilities with fewer resources, and they’re rising to the challenge in clever and inventive ways.

Jack Fry, Ph.D., is a professor of turfgrass science and the director of the Rocky Ford Turfgrass Research Center at Kansas State University in Manhattan. He is an 18-year educator member of GCSAA.

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John Grande, Ph.D. Robert Shortell, Ph.D.

Improving turfgrass establishment with multiple-depth seeding Planting turfgrass seed at more than one depth may increase the odds of establishment in non-irrigated felds. Successful establishment of seeded turfgrass requires extensive inputs including soil preparation, fertilizers, lime, pesticides, and most important, adequate soil moisture. Supplemental irrigation often is unavailable or cost-prohibitive. Drought conditions are a common cause of seeding establishment failures, and these failures can pose signifcant economic and environmental consequences. In temperate climates, a limited window of opportunity is available for establishing coolseason turfgrasses, and seeding failures often are not confrmed until the primary establishment window has passed. Therefore, methodologies that improve successful seeding establishment can play an important role for turfgrass managers. Reseeding into a failed stand is frequently not feasible because of unfavorable climatic conditions such as cold temperatures or excessive heat. Without appropriate turfgrass cover, seeded areas may become eroded and require extensive work to re-establish. Soil erosion, along with fertilizers, pesticides and other inputs, represent signifcant sources of

environmental impact. In addition, reseeding cool-season grasses in the spring poses a greater risk of failure than late-summer/earlyfall establishment. Turfgrass management textbooks suggest uniform shallow seeding (2,4), but note that larger seeds, such as tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), can emerge from signifcantly deeper depths (up to 1 inch [2.5 centimeters]), whereas smaller seeds should be planted near the surface (2). However, deep seeding of turfgrass can deplete the seed’s endosperm food reserves, resulting in death of the seedling before emergence (4). Other recommended and accepted practices include uniform seed cover at the desired rate, followed by soil incorporation and compaction to provide good seed-to-soil contact. However, a signifcant percentage of turfgrass establishment uses seed mixtures of large- and small-seeded species, such as perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), which further complicates the science behind planting practices. The concept of planting turfgrass seeds

at multiple depths has not been addressed in turfgrass management textbooks (2,4). Recommendations related to forage grass species established in arid and semi-arid regions at various seeding depths has been investigated, but establishment success or failure from multiple seeding depths has not (3). For instance, a study of four grass species — perennial ryegrass, Matua prairiegrass (Bromus wildenowii Kunt .), bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) — planted at 0.4, 1.2 and 2.4 inches (1, 3 and 6 centimeters), respectively, indicated a lower percentage of seed emergence as planting depth increased (3). A study of perennial ryegrass comparing two seed weights found heavier seeds (which likely contain more food reserves in the endosperm) were able to emerge from greater planting depths even though germination rates were similar for seeds of both weights (1). The success or failure of planting is the most important issue in the dynamics of nonirrigated seeded turfgrass establishment. Variables affecting establishment can include, but

In a greenhouse study, tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass were planted at three depths. Note root depth and mesocotyl length at greater planting depths. Photos by John Grande

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

Greenhouse seeding depth 100 90

% seedling emergence

are not limited to, the amount and location of soil moisture; soil type; tilth and compaction; environmental and climatic conditions before and after seeding; seeding rate; species composition; and planting depth. Through experience, turfgrass managers address multiple factors with management inputs to improve the chances of establishment success. For example, mulching seeded sites, although costly, can improve seed germination and establishment by maintaining soil moisture in the seed zone.

80 70

0.75

60 50

Seeding depth (inches) 0.25

A B

1.0

1.25

40 B

Multiple-depth seeding insurance To examine the concept of multiple-depth seeding, a non-irrigated athletic feld site was seeded with a tall fescue/Kentucky bluegrass mixture (90%/10%, respectively, by weight) at 350 pounds/acre (64.24 kilograms/hectare). A standard cultipacker seeder placed seed from the surface to a depth of 0.3 inch (0.76 centimeter) in a silt loam soil. After seeding, a portion of the feld was rototilled to a depth of 4 inches (10 centimeters) to incorporate seed at multiple depths. A fnal pass with a cultipacker compacted the soil. Soil preparation caused the soil to be dry from the surface to a depth of approximately 2 inches (5 centimeters), but soil moisture was noted 2 inches below the surface. At 14 days after seeding, several grass seedlings per square foot emerged from the rototilled area. The area seeded with the cultipacker seeder at a depth of 0.3 inch or less had no seedling emergence, and dry soil was observed in the seeding zone. In the rototilled area, tall fescue plants emerged from seed incorporated by the rototiller to a depth of 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters). Emerged tall fescue seedlings exhibited reduced vigor likely from depleted endosperm from deep planting, but the emerging leaves were green and actively photosynthesizing. Because seedlings emerged from as deep as 2 inches, roots were developed as deep as 4 inches. In the absence of rainfall, the tall fescue seedlings continued to grow from deep roots that were able to obtain moisture. On the basis of these observations, studies were initiated to examine multiple-depth seeding of perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass.

bluegrass planted in sifted silt loam soil was compared at three seeding depths. One hundred seeds were placed on the soil surface in eight-inch (20.3-centimeter) pots and covered with the appropriate amount of soil to equal the seeding depth desired. Perennial ryegrass and tall fescue were seeded at 0.25, 1.0 and 1.75 inches (0.64, 2.5 and 4.4 centimeters), and Kentucky bluegrass was seeded at 0.25, 0.75 and 1.25 inches (0.64, 2.5 and 3.3 centimeters). As seen in Figure 1, at 21 days after seeding, with favorable soil moisture and temperatures under greenhouse conditions, 16% of the Kentucky bluegrass, 26% of the tall fescue and 44% of the perennial ryegrass emerged from the deepest planting depths for each species (1.25 inches for Kentucky bluegrass and 1.75 inches for tall fescue and perennial ryegrass). At the shallow and more traditional depths, a greater percentage of seedlings emerged. Greenhouse studies can have limited feld application, but the results of this study further reinforced the concept of using multiple seeding depths to develop adequate seedling populations.

Greenhouse studies In greenhouse trials, emergence of perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and Kentucky

Field studies The dynamics of establishing a population of turfgrass plants to produce a successful

1.75

20 10 0

Perennial ryegrass

Tall fescue

Kentucky bluegrass

Figure 1. At 21 days after seeding, with favorable soil moisture and temperatures under greenhouse conditions, 16% of the Kentucky bluegrass, 26% of the tall fescue and 44% of the perennial ryegrass emerged from the deepest planting depths for each species (1.25 inches for Kentucky bluegrass and 1.75 inches for tall fescue and perennial ryegrass). Because of its smaller seed size, Kentucky bluegrass was seeded at shallower depths. Means within the same species and marked with the same letter are not statistically different.

stand include many interacting and often uncontrollable variables. High seeding rates hold the possibility of developing very high seedling populations that could result in dense, overly competitive stands and establishment failure. Fortunately, under feld conditions, turfgrass seedlings are able to compensate for a reasonably wide range in population, producing more or less growth based on seedling density. It was hypothesized that, under feld conditions, if excessive soil moisture occurred when plants were seeded at multiple depths, the deeper-planted seeds would fail to establish because of excessive anaerobic soil conditions, whereas seeds located near the surface would establish successfully. With dry uppersoil conditions, seeds planted near the surface would have inadequate moisture to germinate, but seeds sowed at greater depths would emerge and develop into a healthy stand. Materials and me ds To reinforce the data from the greenhouse study and to further investigate the concept of turfgrass seeding at multiple depths, a feld study was carried out from 2003 to 2004 on a silt loam soil at Rutgers University Snyder Research Farms in Pittstown, N.J. The study was planted on June 30, 2003, to evaluate seedling emergence during summer conditions

08.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

of high temperatures and reduced soil moisture. Seeding rates for tall fescue, perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass were 355, 349 and 113 pounds/acre (397.9, 391.2 and 126.7 kilograms/hectare), respectively. The seeding rates were approximately 25% higher than typical to take into account multipledepth seeding. Plots were 20 feet long × 5 feet wide (6.1 meters × 1.5 meters). For each species, each plot was divided into thirds, with one subplot for the control and two plots for multi-depth seeding. The control in this study is the widely accepted practice of seeding turfgrass using a cultipacker seeder (shallow/surface planting up to 0.3 inch deep). This is a two-step process of tilling the soil in preparation for seeding and then planting the seed on the surface of the tilled soil. The control treatment was compared to using a rototiller to incorporate seeds at multiple depths after surface seeding. Subplots were rototilled at depths of either 2.5 or 5 inches (6.4 or 12.7 centimeters). After rototilling, a cultipacker was used to improve seed-to-soil contact and reduce fuffy soil characteristics. Previous observations indicated rototilling incorporates the seed at multiple depths, but not as deep as the set rototiller depth, likely because the grass seed is lighter and less dense than soil particles. No rainfall occurred from eight days before seeding — during feld preparation — to seven days after seeding. On the seventh day after seeding, 0.34 inch (0.86 centimeter) of rain was recorded, and daily high temperatures averaged in the high 80s F.

Top: A common cultipacker seeder used to seed research plots. Bottom: After shallow seeding with a cultipacker, plots were rototilled at 2.5 inches or 5 inches deep to move seed deeper into the soil. Plots were then re-compacted with a cultipacker to increase seed-to-soil contact.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

Field study results Observations at 15 days after seeding indicated turfgrass was establishing with all three seeding techniques, but shallow seeding with the cultipacker seeder produced the greatest seedling emergence. Soil moisture conditions during the early phase of the study were not considered “drought conditions,” with two signifcant rainfall events occurring on days 7 and 9. The photo (Page 87, top) illustrates an important seeding concept: germination was greater in the tractor tire tracks because the tires compacted the soil, improving seed-tosoil contact. A soil cross-section of the perennial ryegrass was excavated 15 days after planting in the area rototilled 5 inches deep. The photo of the cross-section (Page 87, bottom) indicates

deeper-planted perennial ryegrass seeds were able to emerge from a soil depth of approximately 1.5 inches, with root growth up to 3 inches deep where increased soil moisture levels were observed. Deeper-germinating seeds had longer mesocotyl vertical extension, allowing leaves to emerge. At 36 days after planting, the percent groundcover data for the two larger-seeded species ranged from a minimum of 55% for tall fescue (5-inch rototilling) to 93% for perennial ryegrass (2.5-inch rototilling) (Figure 2). The 0-0.3-inch-deep seeding with a traditional cultipacker produced 80% groundcover for both perennial ryegrass and tall fescue. The smaller-seeded Kentucky bluegrass had much lower percent groundcover ratings 36 days after seeding, which would be expected as Kentucky bluegrass is much slower to establish than the larger-seeded tall fescue and perennial ryegrass. However, in both the 2.5- and 5-inch deep rototilling treatments, Kentucky bluegrass seedlings emerged at approximately one-third the rate seen with the traditional surface seeding. Visual observations of the feld study at 48 days and at one year after seeding indicated all three seeding techniques — surface seeding with a cultipacker seeder and incorporating seeds with a rototiller set at 2.5 inches or 5 inches deep — provided excellent turfgrass establishment for perennial ryegrass and tall fescue. Kentucky bluegrass did not establish well, especially with the rototilled incorporation of seeds. Summer seedings of Kentucky bluegrass would be considered high-risk, especially on non-irrigated sites. Conclusions Unpredictable soil moisture conditions during unirrigated turfgrass establishment represent a common cause of failure. Multidepth seeding may prove to be a cost-effective technique that enhances turfgrass establishment success while providing a level of insurance against a range of environmental conditions that could lead to establishment failure. The increased expense from the higher seeding rates needed for multi-depth seeding may be justifed when viewed in terms of the overall cost of establishing turfgrass. The potential risk of excessive seedling populations resulting from the higher seeding rates was not an issue in this study. Possible additional benefts from multidepth seeding also include deeper initial root-

TF PR

Top: Establishment of (left to right) tall fescue (TF), perennial ryegrass (PR) and Kentucky bluegrass (KB) at 15 days after seeding. Dark green portions of each plot are standard shallow seeding. Lighter green areas refect emergence from the rototilled portions of each subplot. Note the increased germination in tire tracks from improved seed-to-soil contact. Bottom: A soil cross-section of a perennial ryegrass plot rototilled 5 inches deep was taken 15 days after planting. Generally, seeds germinating below 2 inches indicate “suicidal germination.” Note the depth of the root system and soil moisture where the deeper-germinating seeds have emerged.

08.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

% groundcover 36 days after seeding

% ground cover rototilling 100 90

Rototiller 5-inch depth

80 B

Cultipacker (control) 0-0.3-inch depth

60 50

40 30 A

20 B

Perennial ryegrass

Tall fescue

Kentucky bluegrass

Figure 2. At 36 days after planting, groundcover for the larger-seeded species ranged from a minimum of 55% for tall fescue (5-inch rototilling) to 93% for perennial ryegrass (2.5-inch rototilling). The 0-0.3-inch-deep seeding with a traditional cultipacker produced 80% groundcover for both perennial ryegrass and tall fescue. Means within the same species and marked with the same letter are not statistically different.

ing and seedling crowns below the soil surface protected from wear traffc. A local sod farm (Leons Sod Farm, Pittstown, N.J.) seeded a sod feld with a blend of tall fescue/Kentucky bluegrass at 350 pounds of seed per acre (90%/10% by weight). The grower used a cultipacker with spring teeth set to 3 inches deep to incorporate the surface seeding. Field observations by the sod grower indicated the process was successful.

The RESEARCH SAYS • When compared to results from seeding with a cultipacker, some tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass seeds in greenhouse studies, and in field studies using a rototiller, emerged from significantly greater depths. • Particularly during dry periods, deeper-germinating seedlings initially produced deeper root systems than shallow-germinating seedlings, enhancing the amount of soil moisture available to the seedling. • In field studies, a rototiller set at 2.5 or 5 inches deep incorporated seeds throughout the soil profile but generally above the rototiller depth setting. • Field studies confirmed that seeding at multiple depths is possible and may enhance success in seeding turfgrass on non-irrigated sites; tall fescue and perennial ryegrass established more successfully than Kentucky bluegrass.

Rototiller 2.5-inch depth

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

Acknowledgments We thank Leon Sod Farms, Pittstown, N.J., for assistance in establishing our trials. Literature cited 1. Arnott, R.A. 1969. The effect of seed weight and depth of sowing on the emergence and early seedling growth of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Grass and Forage Science 24(2):104-110. 2. Christians, N.E. 2011. Fundamentals of turfgrass management. 4th edition. John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken, N.J. 3. Sanderson, M.A., and E.F. Elwinger. 2004. Emergence and seedling structure of temperate grasses at different planting depths. Agronomy Journal 96:685691. 4. Turgeon, A.J. 2011. Turfgrass management. 7th edition. Prentice Hall, Englewood, N.J.

John Grande (grande@AESOP.Rutgers.edu) is director at Rutgers University Snyder Research Farm, Pittstown, N.J., and Robert Shortell is director of technology transfer at StollerUSA, Houston, Texas.

Establishment of (left to right) tall fescue (TF), perennial ryegrass (PR) and Kentucky bluegrass (KB), 48 days after seeding. Both surface seeding with a cultipacker and incorporating seeds at 2.5 and 5 inches resulted in successful establishment for perennial ryegrass and tall fescue.

Rows of (from left to right) tall fescue (TF), perennial ryegrass(PR) and Kentucky bluegrass (KB) one year after seeding. Plots in the foreground of tall fescue and perennial ryegrass are the shallow-seeded controls followed by 2.5-inch and 5-inch rototilled seed incorporation. Note that establishment was least successful for the Kentucky bluegrass.

P.L. Koch, Ph.D. J.C. Stier, Ph.D. J.P. Kerns, Ph.D.

The Environmental Institute for Golf provided partial funding for this research through a grant to GCSAA.

Snow mold fungicide persistence How long do snow mold fungicides persist in variable winter conditions, and how does persistence affect disease control? When should you apply fungicides to control snow mold? For many superintendents in temperate regions of the world, that can be a tricky question. Gayle Worf, Ph.D., former Wisconsin turf pathologist, always said to have the sprays complete â&#x20AC;&#x153;before climbing into the tree stand.â&#x20AC;? For most, however, that would mean having the course sprayed by mid-November. Warm temperatures, rainfall and/or a lack of snow cover can persist for weeks or even months following a November application, depending on the location and the particular conditions that winter. When the snow fnally does arrive, it is unclear whether protection remains against winter diseases such as gray snow mold (Ty ula incarnata), speckled snow mold (T. is ikariensis) and Microdochium patch/pink snow mold (Microdoc ium nivale). Because little can be done to protect the turf once snow arrives, it is imperative for a superintendent to know before snow cover whether there was a signifcant loss of protection. In addition, if snow cover dissipates during a midwinter thaw, it is important to know whether fungicide protection has been depleted, leaving the turf susceptible to infection. at determines et er pesticides will last? Six primary physical and chemical processes affect the persistence of turfgrass pesticides in the environment: solubility-based movement in water; sorption and desorption to plant and soil surfaces; volatilization; plant uptake; biotic degradation through microbial metabolism; and abiotic degradation through sunlight (that is, photodegradation) or pH activity (3). Many of these processes have been studied extensively in typical spring or summer conditions (1) but remain

Top: Microdochium patch on a golf course fairway following snowmelt. Photo courtesy of Kevin Ross, CGCS, Country Club of the Rockies Bottom: The experimental area at the O.J. Noer Turfgrass Research Facility in Madison, Wis., in January 2013. The snowcovered plots are on the right and left sides, and the plots that were not covered with snow are in the middle. Photos by Paul Koch

08.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

Top: After the soil had frozen, cores were sampled using a power drill with a 4-inch hole-saw attachment. Right: Microdochium patch 28 days after inoculation with Microdochium nivale in the controlled-environment chamber. The core on the left was treated with a fungicide, and the core on the right was not.

poorly understood in a winter environment. On one hand, the presence of snow insulates the turf from the low temperatures and may provide a relatively warm, moist environment that increases the rate of fungicide depletion. On the other hand, a lack of snow may cause photodegradation, which can also lead to increased rates of fungicide depletion. A precise knowledge of winter fungicide depletion will aid turfgrass managers in suppressing winter turfgrass diseases in a more predictable and effcient manner. Study rationale This study was implemented in direct response to a series of winters in Wisconsin from 2004-2005 to 2007-2008 that had well-below-average snow cover. The primary objectives were to determine the impact of snow cover on the persistence of iprodione and chlorothalonil on creeping bentgrass, and

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

to determine the minimum concentration of both fungicides required to maintain acceptable Microdochium patch (pink snow mold) suppression in a controlled environment. We hypothesized that the absence of snow would increase fungicide depletion because of photodegradation and result in more rapid Microdochium patch development. Materials and methods The study was conducted for four consecutive winters beginning in 2009-2010 at the O.J. Noer Turfgrass Research Facility in Madison, Wis., on a stand of Penncross creeping bentgrass maintained under fairway conditions. The experimental design was a split block with four replications and an individual plot size of 6 feet Ă&#x2014; 6 feet (1.8 meters Ă&#x2014; 1.8

meters). The main plot was the presence or absence of snow, and the subplots were the fungicide treatments. The fungicide treatments consisted of a non-treated control, chlorothalonil, iprodione, and a tank mixture of both chlorothalonil and iprodione. Chlorothalonil was applied as Daconil WeatherStik (Syngenta) at 5.5 fuid ounces/1,000 square feet (1.75 milliliters/square meter), and iprodione was applied as Chipco 26GT (Bayer) at 4.0 fuid ounces/1,000 square feet (1.27 milliliters/ square meter). The tank mixture consisted of both Daconil WeatherStik and Chipco 26GT applied at 5.5 and 4.0 fuid ounces/1,000 square feet, respectively. The applications were made one day before the frst signifcant snowfall of each year: Dec. 6, 2009; Dec. 3, 2010; Dec. 28, 2011; and Dec. 19, 2012. Within 24 hours of each snow event, snow was removed from the designated non-snow plots with a shovel and placed onto the adjacent snow-covered plots to ensure a minimum snow cover of 4 inches (~10 centimeters) for the duration of each winter. Approximately one hour following the fungicide application, two 4-inch-diameter cores were extracted from the center of each plot using a power drill with a hole-saw attachment. On snow-covered plots, a small area of snow was cleared before sampling and immediately replaced following sample collection. One core from each plot was taken to the lab for fungicide analysis using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit, and the second core was taken to a growth chamber for incubation following inoculation with M. nivale. Repeat samplings were conducted every one to three weeks based on winter conditions until snowmelt in the spring. Results and discussion Because of technical problems with the fungicide assay kits, fungicide concentration of iprodione was not measured during the frst winter of the study, and chlorothalonil was only measured in the fnal two winters. Each winter of the study offered unique weather conditions that likely led to the unique patterns of fungicide depletion in each year. The winter of 2009-2010 was relatively average in terms of both snowfall and temperature for Madison. Regardless of whether the plots were sprayed with chlorothalonil or iprodione and whether they were covered in snow, pro-

tection from Microdochium patch in the controlled environment lasted approximately 30 days before a rapid increase occurred in early January (Figure 1). This increase occurred less than one week after a 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) rainfall, suggesting that this rainfall signifcantly reduced the amount of disease protection present.

Growth chamber: Disease severity, 2009-2010 100 90

Snow

A. Iprodione

No snow

Rain dates

Winter 2011-2012 The winter of 2011-2012 was among the warmest on record for Madison and led to depletion of both fungicides within 21 days of the initial application (data not shown). The inability to keep snow on the plots made the data diffcult to interpret in 2011-2012, and those data are not presented here. Winter 2012-2013 The winter of 2012-2013 had above-average temperatures, above-average snowfall, and several signifcant rainfall events during the month of January. For turf under snow cover, iprodione concentration fell rapidly

Microdochium patch severity (%)

Winter 2010-2011 The following winter saw below-average temperatures, above-average snowfall, and no rain events throughout the entire season. Disease protection with both fungicides was extended relative to 2009-2010, with the initial development of disease in 2010-2011 occurring in mid- to late January as opposed to the frst week of January (Figure 2). A second and more signifcant increase in disease was observed with both fungicides on both snow treatments in the second half of February. Although chlorothalonil concentration was not measured in 2010-2011, iprodione concentration was, and it dropped initially in mid-January before a second and more signifcant drop in late February. Though no signifcant rain events occurred during the winter of 2010-2011, two signifcant warming events occurred at approximately the same times that disease severity increased and iprodione concentration decreased. The frst event occurred in mid-January, with a period of three to four days of average high temperatures at about 38 F (3.3 C). The second event in late February was more dramatic, with about one week of average high temperatures reaching into the mid-40 F (~7 C) range. This indicates that, even in the absence of rain, temperatures above freezing can increase fungicide depletion regardless of snow cover.

40 30 1/23/10

12/24/09

20 10 0 12/7/09

12/21/09

1/4/10

1/18/10

2/1/10 2/15/10 3/1/10

100 90

B. Chlorothalonil

80 70 60 50 40 30

12/24/09

1/23/10

20 10 0 12/7/09

12/21/09

1/4/10

1/1810

2/1/10 2/15/10 3/1/10

Figure 1. Microdochium patch severity on creeping bentgrass in the growth chamber following treatment with iprodione (A) or chlorothalonil (B) during the winter of 2009-2010. Initial samplings occurred one hour following fungicide application on Dec. 6, 2009. Blue bars with dates indicate rainfall events in excess of 0.1 inch (2.54 millimeters). Individual points represent average disease severity values of four replications at seven- to 21-day intervals following fungicide application until fnal snowmelt in spring.

Days to 50% snow mold Snow cover

Fungicide

2009-2010

2010-2011

2012-2013

Snow

no fungicide

iprodione

chlorothalonil

tank mixture

no fungicide

iprodione

chlorothalonil

tank mixture

>115

No snow

Table 1. Approximate days to 50% snow mold on creeping bentgrass cores sampled in Madison, Wis., during the winters of 2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2012-2013. Cores were treated with either iprodione, chlorothalonil or a tank mixture of both before the frst signifcant snowfall of each winter, and were kept under snow cover or free of snow cover the entire winter.

08.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

Disease severity and iprodione concentration, 2010-2011 100 90

Snow

A. Iprodione

No snow

Above-average temps

70 60

Microdochium patch severity (%)

50 40 30 20 10 0 12/1/10

1/1/11

2/1/11

3/1/11

4/1/11

2/1/11

3/1/11

4/1/11

100 90

B. Chlorothalonil

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Iprodione concentration (Âľg/gram)

12/1/10

1/1/11

300 C. Iprodione concentration 250 200 150 100 50 0 12/1/10

1/1/11

2/1/11

3/1/11

4/1/11

Figure 2. Microdochium patch severity (A, B) and iprodione concentration (C) as affected by snow cover on creeping bentgrass treated with iprodione (A, C) or chlorothalonil (B) during the winter of 2010-2011. Initial samplings occurred one hour following fungicide application on Dec. 3, 2010, in Madison, Wis. Blue bars indicate periods of above-average temperatures.

shortly after application, but iprodione concentration remained consistent on turf without snow cover until the end of January, when it fell precipitously (Figure 3). Chlorothalonil concentration, regardless of snow cover, declined consistently throughout January and had reached nearly undetectable levels by the end of the month. Disease development mirrored the fungicide concentration results, although disease did develop more rapidly on turf treated with iprodione relative to turf treated with chlorothalonil. Three signifcant rainfalls during the month of January likely

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

infuenced the depletion of both fungicides regardless of snow cover. However, the rapid depletion of iprodione under snow cover in early January, when temperatures were warm enough to cause melting, indicated melting snow also contributed to faster depletion of iprodione. The longest duration of Microdochium patch protection provided, regardless of fungicide or snow cover, was in 2010-2011 (Table 1). This was also the only winter without any signifcant rainfall events, again indicating that rainfall during the winter months

increases fungicide depletion regardless of whether snow is on the ground. In addition, prolonged disease protection was often observed when both fungicides were applied as a tank mixture as opposed to either fungicide applied individually (Table 1). This observation is well documented in the feld, with two or three active ingredients often required for acceptable snow mold suppression in areas of high disease pressure (2). However, it is interesting to note that the increased protection provided by tank-mixing fungicides did not result in increased persistence of either fungicide, as the concentration of each fungicide decreased in a similar manner whether it was applied alone or as part of a tank mixture. Lastly, it is important to note that the disease development noted previously occurred in a controlled environment under constant conditions optimal for infection. The only year signifcant snow mold occurred in the feld plots was in 2010-2011, when signifcant gray snow mold was observed under the snow-covered treatments. What this indicates is that even though we measured rapid fungicide depletion in each year, in three of four years, the level of initial fungal inhibition and/or environmental conditions in the feld were such that disease development was minimal. This suggests that even when it is clear that fungicides have depleted to a signifcant degree, it is not clear whether a reapplication is required to maintain acceptable disease control until spring. Conclusion Fungicide persistence in a winter environment is complex and affected by a wide variety of factors. The results presented here have demonstrated that rainfall, snowmelt and temperature all potentially play signifcant roles in the depletion of snow mold fungicides during the winter months. Conversely, and contrary to our hypothesis, photodegradation did not appear to have any impact on fungicide persistence during any year of our study. These results indicate that a snow mold fungicide applied in late fall will likely deplete rapidly in the presence of melting snow or signifcant rainfall. However, fungicides applied in late fall will likely persist for months regardless of snow cover in the absence of melting snow, rainfall or prolonged periods with temperatures above 32 F (0 C). Armed with this information and weighing other factors such as additional expense, club expectations

Disease severity and fungicide concentration, 2011-2012 Microdochium patch severity (%)

100 90

Snow

A. Iprodione

No snow

Rain dates

60 50 40 30 20

Literature cited

1/29/13 1/10/13

2/10/13

0 12/17/12

12/31/12

1/14/13

1/28/13

2/11/13

2/25/13

3/11/13

100

Microdochium patch severity (%)

Acknowledgments Partial funding for this research was provided by the Environmental Institute for Golf, the Wisconsin GCSA and the Northern Great Lakes GCSA. Special thanks to Chad Grimm of Blackhawk Country Club in Madison, Wis., and Dan Dinelli, CGCS, of North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Ill., for supplying the Microdo ium nivale isolates used in the study.

B. Chlorothalonil

80 70 60 50 40 30 20

1/29/13 1/10/13

2/10/13

0 12/17/12

12/31/12

1/14/13 1/28/13

2/11/13 2/25/13

3/11/13 3/25/13 4/8/13

1. Daniels, J., and R. Latin. 2013. Residual activity of fungicides for control of brown patch on creeping bentgrass. Plant Disease 97:1414-1419. 2. Koch, P.L., and J.P. Kerns. 2012. Preventative fungicide applications for the control of snow mold on creeping bentgrass, 2010-2011. Plant Disease Management Reports 6:T010. 3. Sigler, W.V., C.P Taylor, C.S. Throssell et al. 2000. Environmental fates of fungicides in the turfgrass environment. Pages 127-149. In: J.M. Clark and M. Kenna, eds. Fate and Management of Turfgrass Chemicals. American Chemical Society, Washington D.C.

Iprodione concentration (µg/gram)

450 C. Iprodione

400

Paul L. Koch (plkoch@wisc.edu) is an assistant professor in the department of plant pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; John C. Stier is an assistant dean and professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; and James P. Kerns is an assistant professor in the department of plant pathology at North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

350 300 250 200 150 1/29/13

100 50

1/10/13

2/10/13

Chlorothalonil concentration (µg/gram)

12/17/12

12/31/12

1/14/13

1/28/13

2/11/13

2/25/13

3/11/13

4000 D. Chlorothalonil 3500 3000

The RESEARCH SAYS

2500 2000 1500 1000 1/29/13

500

1/10/13

2/10/13

0 12/17/12

12/31/12

1/14/13 1/28/13

2/11/13 2/25/13

3/11/13 3/25/13 4/8/13

Figure 3. Microdochium patch severity (A, B) and fungicide concentration (C, D) as affected by snow cover on creeping bentgrass treated with iprodione (A, C) or chlorothalonil (B, D) during the winter of 2011-2012. Initial samplings occurred one hour after fungicide application on Dec. 28, 2011, in Madison, Wis. Blue bars with dates signify rainfall in excess of 0.1 inch (2.54 millimeters).

and potential environmental exposure, the superintendent can make an informed decision about whether a fungicide reapplication during the winter months should be made. On a more general level, this research provides crucial initial information on the overall behav-

ior of certain fungicides in a winter environment. This is traditionally an area of limited research, but one that is important in developing more effcient and effective snow mold fungicide programs.

• Both iprodione and chlorothalonil depleted rapidly following winter rainfall or snowmelt events. • Both fungicides depleted rapidly during a period of abnormal warmth in the absence of rainfall or melting snow in 2010-2011, possibly as a result of increased microbial or plant metabolic activity. • Photodegradation on plots without snow cover did not affect fungicide persistence. • Tank-mixing both fungicides provided prolonged disease suppression, although not because of increased persistence of either fungicide.

08.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

(verdure)

To return, or not to return, that is the question Beth Guertal, Ph.D. guertea@auburn.edu Twitter: @AUTurfFert

Because quality was either improved or not harmed by clipping return, turfgrass managers could consider reductions of 50 percent in nitrogen fertilization if clippings are returned.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

It’s well known that grass clippings contain nutrients, and when those clippings are removed from fairways or roughs, nutrients that could be recycled back into the growing turf are lost. Even though clipping removal is a common practice in course management, there’s really not too much research on the subject — studies that examine the effect returned clippings can have on turf quality and nutrient use. So, for two years, Kelly Kopp, Ph.D., and Karl Guillard, Ph.D., performed research at the University of Connecticut to evaluate the impact of nitrogen rates and return/removal of grass clippings on turfgrass. The study was intended as “home lawn” research, but the implications for clipping management extend to any managed turfgrass. The study was conducted at two locations. Both research areas were a mix of common Kentucky bluegrass, common creeping red fescue and various perennial ryegrass cultivars, all mowed at 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) without irrigation. Treatments were nitrogen rates of 0, 88, 175 or 350 pounds nitrogen/ acre/year (0, 98, 196 or 392 kilograms nitrogen/hectare/year) applied as a mixture of urea (~60%), methylene urea (~5%) and ammonium nitrate (35%) fertilizer, with that total nitrogen applied as three split applications. The nitrogen treatments were combined with two clipping treatments: all clippings removed from the plots, and all clippings returned to the plots. If clippings were returned to the plots, they were applied to the same plots from which they had been harvested. Data collection included turfgrass quality, nitrogen content in the clippings, and nitrogen use effciency by the turfgrass. There was often an interaction between nitrogen fertilization rate and returning the clippings. When clippings were returned, there was more clipping growth (dry matter production) at lower rates of nitrogen fertilization. Across all nitrogen rates, returning the clippings boosted grass clipping production by around 64 percent. Along with producing more growth, the addition of the clippings increased nitrogen uptake. At one research location, returning the clippings doubled nitrogen

uptake across all nitrogen rates, while at the second location, nitrogen uptake increased by 70 percent. Simply put, when clippings were returned to the plots, there was more nitrogen in the turfgrass. So, the turfgrass grew more and took up more nitrogen when clippings were returned. But what about quality? At both sites, quality improved as the nitrogen rate increased. The return of clippings did not always substantially improve turfgrass quality, but it did not harm turfgrass quality either. At one site, turfgrass quality was never affected by clipping return, and at the second site, quality improved significantly on fve of 15 rating dates. Differences in turfgrass quality and nitrogen use across sites were thought to be a function of the water-holding capacity of the differing soil types, with one soil having better water-holding capacity than the other. Because the studies were not irrigated, turfgrass quality may have also been affected by soil water-holding capacity, regardless of the nitrogen source. Overall, dry matter yield and nitrogen uptake increased when clippings were returned to plots, regardless of nitrogen rate. Because quality was either improved or not harmed by clipping return, turfgrass managers could consider reductions of 50 percent in nitrogen fertilization if clippings are returned. Although the practice is not suitable for putting greens, clippings from putting surfaces could be applied to fairways or roughs. Source: Kopp, K.L., and K. Guillard. 2002. Clipping management and nitrogen fertilization of turfgrass: growth, nitrogen utilization, and quality. Crop Science 42:1225-1231.

Beth Guertal, Ph.D., is a professor in the department of crop, soil and environmental sciences at Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., and the editor-in-chief for the American Society of Agronomy. She is a 19-year member of GCSAA.

CUTTING EDGE

The research described in these summaries is funded in part by USGA.

Teresa Carson

BRUSHED

Photo by Ben Wherley

Effects of sand-capping depth and subsoil on fairway performance, irrigation and drought resistance Sand capping (also known as “plating”) of golf course areas is not necessarily a new concept in golf course construction and maintenance, but it has gained popularity in recent years, especially on fairways. The trend has been driven by the need for improved turfgrass growing and playing conditions, especially in areas where low-quality irrigation water and/or fne-textured native soils exist. Sand capping can add signifcant expense to a construction/renovation budget, and, because of that, less-than-optimal depths of sand are often used. Although no specifcations currently exist for specifc depth or particle size distribution of capping sands, the recommended depth depends on the properties of the sand and on environmental conditions such as rainfall and evaporation rates, providing a balance of water to air-flled porosity for optimal growth of grass. This threeyear project is evaluating Tifway bermudagrass performance and rooting characteristics under four capping depths (0, 2, 4 and 8 inches [~5, 10 and 20 centimeters]) atop two subsoils (clay and sandy loam). The sand

capping × subsoil treatments are being managed under two irrigation levels during the study to better understand their effects on irrigation requirements and water relations in soils. During the fnal year, a 60-day drought will be imposed on plots, and dry-down and recovery/survival characteristics will be evaluated. This study should provide valuable information for proper design and management of sand-capped fairways to achieve optimal turf quality and performance. — Wes Dyer; Ben Wherley, Ph.D. (b-wherley@tamu.edu); Kevin McInnes, Ph.D.; and Jim Thomas, Texas A&M University, College Station

Effects of brushing on bentgrass morphology and putting surface quality Putting greens are a small portion of the golf course, but they are also the most intensively managed portion. Putting greens are unique in that the golf shot is played along the turf surface — not through the air, as with the other golf shots. Because of this uniqueness, cultural practices that improve the quality of the putting surface are extremely important and, at the same time, stressful to the turf. Brushing is a practice

CONTROL Photos by Dominic Petrella

that makes the turfgrass plant stand upright before being cut. Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) is the primary turfgrass species used on greens, but it has a prostrate growth habit. Brushing promotes vertically oriented leaf tissue, which helps the plant tolerate lower mowing heights. Greater vertical growth promotes higher shoot density, which helps reduce the competitive ability of some weeds. However, the mechanical or abrasive nature of brushing can potentially cause physiological injury to the turfgrass plant. Over the past year, our research has measured MDA (malondialdehyde), photochemical effciency, and some visible changes, such as leaf texture and green speed, to evaluate the effects of brushing frequency and intensity on turf visual quality and on the potential for physiological injury. — Dominic Petrella; Chenchen Gu; Karl Danneberger, Ph.D.; and Dave Gardner, Ph.D. (gardner.254@osu.edu), Ohio State University, Columbus

Teresa Carson (tcarson@gcsaa.org) is GCM’s science editor.

08.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

Progressive

(product news)

Countour

MOWER Progressive Turf Equipment is offering the Pro-Flex 120B Contour Rough Mower in industry green. Historically, more than half of all Pro-Flex 120s sold since 1999 are connected to a John Deere tractor. Customers can choose either the traditional Progressive red paint or green. Other than the color, the features and specifcations of the green Pro-Flex 120B are exactly the same as those of a red Pro-Flex 120B contour mower. Changes in recent years to Pro-Flex include automatic belt tensioners, maintenance-free blade spindles, and 100-hour greasing interval PTO shafts that reduce maintenance time and lower overall operating costs. It also has fve independent foating decks. Contact Progressive Turf Equipment, 519-527-1080 (www.progressiveturfequip.com).

Worksaver Inc. introduced the Sweep Action Material Bucket (SAMB) for cleaning large properties and construction sites. The patentpending design allows the SAMB to collect demolition debris, brush or small rocks with one tool, offering time and cost savings. Two models are available: the SAMB-72, with an overall width of 72 inches, and the SAMB-84, with an overall width of 84 inches. The front grapple operates in a sweeping motion to pull debris or brush into the unit for effortless site cleanup. The grapple design retains the debris, allowing the operator to handle uneven-sized

Worksaver

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

material without it falling out of the bucket. Bolt-on side plates can be removed to reveal cutouts to handle loads of varying sizes. Contact Worksaver Inc., 217-324-5973 (www.worksaver.com). Efco introduced a new split-broom brush cutter for the DIY user, the DS 2400 D. The split-broom powerhead is compact and lightweight, with a no-tools coupling system for mounting the various attachments to use in all seasons. Each attachment is managed separately and can be purchased as the need

Efco

and applications. Contact Efco, 800-800-4420 (www. efcopower.com). Weed Recede is an all-in-one mulch bag made from a soil-degradable material. The packaging is safely installed in the soil and acts like a weed barrier, which the company says helps retain moisture and eliminates billions of plastic bags from being disposed of in landflls and oceans. Bob Hawkinson, co-founder of TLC-Total Lawn Care Inc., is the inventor of Weed Recede. Contact Weed Recede, 904-699-0046 (www.weedrecede.com).

Weed Recede arises. Using only one engine for all applications means simplifed maintenance and refueling of just one tank, and also reduces the space required for transport or winter storage. The 21.7-cc, 2-stroke engine delivers 1.2 horsepower, featuring generous torque output with minimal fuel consumption, according to Efco. The compact dimensions of the engine unit and balanced weight distribution of the tool assure a good level of maneuverability and control in all working conditions

Heritage Action fungicide from Syngenta is now available for sale in golf, sod and sports turf markets. Heritage Action offers hybrid technology that couples the proven disease control of Heritage fungicide with a boost of acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) for enhanced biotic and abiotic stress management. Heritage Action stimulates fve plant proteins that effectively manage biotic and abiotic stressors. The result is enhanced energy production, drought tolerance, heat tolerance, photosynthesis and pathogen defense, the company says. Heritage Action defends turf against more than 20 diseases, including anthracnose, Pythium diseases, bacterial wilt and brown patch. Contact Syngenta, 866-796-4368 (www.syngenta.com). The Cushman Hauler Pro-X golf utility vehicle features an electric 72-volt drivetrain that provides the range and performance of a gas UTV but in a silent, electric model to meet golf course needs. The 72-volt drivetrain technology offers up to 50 fully loaded miles of range on one charge, making it easier for superintendents to travel across large courses without having to stop to charge the battery. Pro-X has a max load

Weed

SOLUTION FMC released Solitaire WSL, a water-soluble liquid herbicide formulation offering increased application effciency while controlling more than 40 weeds. Solitaire contains a surfactant for faster plant penetration, and will not settle out or separate when mixed with water. Designed to combat crabgrass, sedges and broadleaf weeds in a single application, Solitaire eliminates the need to tank-mix with other herbicides. Solitaire is an optimized, dual-action formulation of sulfentrazone and quinclorac that the company says controls goosegrass, ground ivy, chickweed, closer, spurge and other troublesome weeds. It may be used on seeded, sodded or sprigged turfgrasses that are well established. Contact FMC, 215-299-6000 (www.fmc.com).

08.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

capacity of 1,000 pounds and comes standard with a 9.5-cubic-foot cargo bed. A 14.9-cubic-foot bed is also available as a factory-installed option. An optional limited-slip differential provides greatly improved traction on wet and loose turf while protecting fairways from damage caused by wheel slippage. Contact Cushman, 706-798-4311 (www.cushman. com). Toro’s GeoLink system uses GPS satellites, mapping software and individual spray-nozzle control to treat greens and fairways with precision. It is designed to achieve consistent, accurate application, which means better coverage with less water. It all translates to bottom-line savings. Also, Toro has upgraded its AquaFlow drip irrigation design software. The latest version includes a search feature that helps users identify and select the desired Toro tape or dripline model more easily and more quickly. Users now also have the ability to search for product models by fow rate. In addition, the upgrade includes an updated database with improved fow exponent X and fow coeffcient K values for Toro’s Neptune fat emitter dripline product line. AquaFlow design software is available

to all registered users online or can be downloaded to a computer from www. driptips.toro.com. Contact Toro, 800-3678676 (www.toro.com). Macro-Relief from Macro-Sorb Technologies uses a specifc amino acid complex to lower the osmotic pressure of plants, which allows plants to bring in more water. The result is designed to produce a healthier turfgrass plant, even if grown under salinity stress. Contact Macro-Sorb Technologies, 856-266-9440 (www.macrosorb.com). Otterbine released “PictureIt” with Otterbine, a new online app that allows you to imagine how any Otterbine pattern would appear on a water feature. Accessible through www.otterbine. com, there is no need to download a program to use, and the app is available anywhere with an Internet connection. Velista fungicide from Syngenta is now registered in California. Velista is a solution for controlling key turf diseases such as anthracnose, dollar spot and brown patch. Velista is among the industry’s frst succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor-class fungicides, the company

Cushman says. It is ideal for cleaning up diseases during transition times from spring to summer and fall to winter on all types of turf. The fexibility of Velista allows for application to greens, fairways, collars and the rough. Contact Syngenta, 866-

STRIKE AT THE ROOT

OF THE PROBLEM NATURALLY CONTROLS NEMATODES ON CONTACT. Nematodes wreak havoc on your turf’s roots and harm the playability of your course. Promote a healthy root system with MultiGuard Protect®. This natural liquid nematicide works to manage nematodes on contact and won’t leave harmful residue on your course. Protect your turf from nematodes by striking at the root of the problem with MultiGuard Protect®. Learn more at multiguardprotect.com or call 908-272-7070.

796-4368 (www.syngenta.com). Spot Golf LLC announced exclusive global license of FlightScope tracking technology. It is designed to power the Spot Golf game system that company

The inventor named on the Japanese patent is Matt Madsen, Ph.D., research ecologist at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and a longtime Aquatrols cooperator. “This patent is a signifcant step for us as more countries recognize the innovative nature of what we are doing to optimize seed performance using simple strategies,” Madsen says. The technology is expected to have widespread applications in the turfgrass, agricultural and native seed markets, the company says. Contact Aquatrols, 800-257-7797 (www.aquatrols.com).

Bernhard Grinders supported Royal County Downs Golf Club at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, hosted by the Rory Foundation. Royal County Downs used Bernhard’s Express Dual 3000 and Anglemaster 3000 precision grinders to ensure greens remained in pristine condition throughout the tournament, the company says. Contact Bernhard Grinders, 888-474-6348 (www. bernhardgrinders.com).

ProGanics Biotic Soil Media from Profle Products is designed to achieve twice the vegetation cover and three times greater biomass. The topsoil alternative is eco-friendly, with completely renewable materials. It holds more moisture, and it’s sprayed like a hydraulic mulch for easy application. Contact Profle Products, 800-207-6457 (www. profleproducts.com).

Aquatrols has received signifcant patent protection in Japan for its groundbreaking Seed Enhancement Technology.

The Doctor is IN! The Latest ‘App’-lied Tool for Turf Professionals! Includes peer-reviewed… • Keys and images for disease diagnosis • Management recommendations • Links to turf extension information

4.99

Only $

Try a demo for FREE! Search ‘Plant Health from APS’ in your iTunes or Google Play™ store to get started!

The American Phytopathological Society

08.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

#M8792-4/2015

executives say will respect and preserve the appeal of traditional golf while adding fun and challenging games to Spot Golf driving range game center facilities currently being planned. Combining state-of-the-art ball and club tracking technology with exciting game software, social media engagements, and customercentric food, beverage and entertainment options, Spot Golf hopes to attract techsavvy golfers, millennials and “gamers,” which refers to the 67 percent of U.S. households that play video games. Contact Spot Golf, info@spotgolf.com.

(industry news)

Helios HR Apollo Award Science and take on global responsibility for a business that helps foster healthy environments in which we all live, work and play,” Applegate says. She began her career with Bayer in 1992 as process development chemist in Product Supply, located in Kansas City.

Backyard

SUPERHERO The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) Research and Education Foundation and Scholastic announced the winners of TurfMutt’s national “Be a Backyard Superhero” essay contest. Each of the grand-prize winners received a $5,000 grant to improve the yards and green spaces at their schools. The kindergarten-throughsecond-grade grand-prize winner was Jordan Evans of Trophy Club, Texas. Evans attends Samuel Beck Elementary School. The grades-three-throughfve grand-prize winner was Liam Ellis (pictured) of Sewickley, Pa. Ellis attends Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh. Scholastic received 790 contest entries. “These students are superheroes. It was inspiring to read the contest entries and see how many students are vocalizing a desire to take care of green spaces and be part of a community that makes a difference because of TurfMutt,” says Kris Kiser, president and CEO of OPEI. “Helping children have an appreciation now for green spaces and an understanding of how to take care of them will mean that they value them for life.”

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Applegate Jacqueline Applegate, Ph.D., was appointed head of Bayer’s Environmental Science division. Most recently, Applegate was Country Head of Australia and New Zealand. Applegate, who has also become a member of the Bayer CropScience Executive Committee, is based at the unit’s headquarters in Lyon, France. She succeeds Gunnar Riemann, Ph.D., who Bayer says left the company to pursue other career opportunities. During her 23-year career at Bayer, Applegate has held several management positions with Environmental Science, most notably as president of its North America business from 2010 to 2012. Applegate, who earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Iowa State University, frst joined Environmental Science as head of global portfolio management. “I am delighted to return to Environmental

Billy Casper Golf (BCG) won the Helios HR Apollo Award for talent development. The Apollo Awards honor organizations that focus on the future by promoting employee development and engagement practices to achieve overall business goals. BCG was recognized for innovative training programs, including its proprietary “ACE the Guest Experience,” Building Our Buffalo mentorship program, Billy Casper Golf University, and BCG Superintendent Institute. Under “ACE the Guest Experience,” the company’s 7,600-plus in-season employees at all levels learn how to work together to provide outstanding service to every golfer, every round, every day. The Golf Business and Industry Convention (GolfBIC), presented by the UK Golf Course Owners Association and the Organization of Golf & Range Operators, is being moved to run concurrently with the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) Turf Management Expo in Harrogate, U.K., in January. “This event will attract even more key decision-makers to BTME, reaffrming how important a week for the entire golf industry the third week of January is,” says BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton. The Toro Co. named Dan Winteron director of marketing for its irrigation and lighting businesses. Winteron, an 18-year veteran of Toro, replaced Peter Moeller. Moeller was promoted to managing director of business

Spring Lake

Phase

TWO Tripp Davis and Associates completed the second phase of a restoration of Spring Lake Golf Club in New Jersey. Spring Lake was originally designed by George Thomas in 1910. In 1918, A.W. Tillinghast restyled greens and bunkers. Key to the latest restoration work was moving a few bunkers and tees to make the course relevant for the modern game, Davis says.

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development. Winteron started his career as a fnancial planner, and then moved into a product management role as lead for several key new products. He later was promoted to marketing manager, overseeing the Irritrol brand and product portfolio. Most recently, as senior marketing manager, he oversaw both the Irritrol and Rain Master businesses, including the sales and marketing functions. In his new role, Winteron oversees the residential/ commercial irrigation, golf irrigation and lighting businesses. Drew Aloisi was hired as the new director of sales for Schiller Grounds Care. Aloisi is serving Bob-Cat, Ryan and Steiner brands. Aloisi came to Schiller following various sales positions at Polaris Industries and MTD Products. He most recently worked as a national accounts manager for Meyer Products. Aloisi holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from John Carroll University. Adam Garr has joined Syngenta as a territory manager for the turf business in Michigan, and Chris Threadgill is representing the company as a territory manager for the ornamental business in the Midwest. Garr, previously a superintendent at Plum Hollow Country Club in Southfeld, Mich., received a golf turf management certifcate from Michigan State University and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Michigan. Threadgill received a bachelor’s degree in agronomy, turfgrass management and a Master of Science degree in horticulture, nursery production from Oklahoma State University. Threadgill, who has more than 28 years in the industry, most recently worked with growers in a sales territory for Valent U.S.A. Corp. The state of Tennessee approved a statewide, multiyear contract for outdoor maintenance equipment and utility vehicles from The Toro Co., Club Car utility vehicles, and 1st Products/AERA-vators for use by all state agencies, local governmental entities, private nonproft institutions of higher education, and other authorized users. Also, the state awarded Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation a state contract for Toro commercial and residential landscape contractor equipment, as well as Echo power equipment. Eight students are recipients of the 2015 Georgia GCSA Legacy Scholarship. The scholarships, totaling $7,250 this year, offer educational aid to children and grandchildren of Georgia GCSA members. Karli Durden won the highest scholarship for the second year in a row. A biology major at the University of Georgia, Durden is the daughter of Joe Durden from Augusta National Golf Club and Augusta Country Club. Other recipients and their relatives are: Ryan Cunningham, son of Tim Cunningham, CGCS, Coosa Country Club; Joshua Abrams, son of Mark Abrams, Wolf Creek Golf Club; Hannah and Morgan Kepple, daughters of Ralph Kepple, CGCS, East Lake Golf Club; Alex Kicklighter, son of Hampton Kicklighter, CGCS, Dublin Country Club; Ben Murray, grandson of Buzz Howell, retired; and Preston Kell, son of Lawrence Kell, The Chimneys Golf Course. After nearly three years of inactivity, Capital Canyon Club in Prescott, Ariz., reopened for play July 1. The Tom Weiskopf-designed layout underwent extensive renovations, and a total restoration of the previously dormant golf course was completed. “We couldn’t be more excited to introduce a vastly improved golf course to our members. Tom Weiskopf visited the club last month, and we have some exciting new changes being developed,” says Paul McLoughlin, director of golf operations at Capital Canyon Club. The University of Georgia held a groundbreaking June 24 for its new turfgrass research and education facilities on its campuses in Griffn, Tifton and Athens. Besides university representatives, local, state and industry offcials met on the Griffn campus to offcially mark the university’s continued commitment to an industry that provides 87,000 full- and part-time jobs throughout the state. “Turfgrass is one of Georgia’s largest agricultural commodities, and the future of the turfgrass industry, now valued at nearly $8 billion, is very bright,” says university president Jere W. Morehead. The college has served the turfgrass industry for more than 60 years, beginning in the 1950s with a warm-season turfgrass breeding program. Brentwood Country Club in Los Angeles completed the renovation of its course by architect Todd Eckenrode and Origins Golf Design. Renovations

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included the rebuilding and shaping of four greens, plus slight adjustments on all other greens; capturing additional hole locations; rebuilding green surrounds; and reconfguring approach areas with a return to the original strategy, which is more receptive to run-up approach shots and the ground game. Bunkers now refect a more classic styling and placement. In the process, the course was lengthened to 6,948 yards. The National Club Association (NCA) welcomed Club Car into the NCA Corporate Partner Program as the newest Executive Partner. With more than 50 years’ history serving private clubs, Club Car’s new relationship with NCA refects the frm’s commitment to innovation and advancing the club industry. As an Executive Partner, Club Car is taking on many new and extended projects with NCA, including targeted editorial contributions in Club Director and NCA Connect; instructional educational webinars co-hosted with NCA; and professional advice during the “Ask the Experts” series online and at NCA-hosted educational conferences. The National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) has released a comprehensive set of guidelines for the online distribution

of tee time reservations. Endorsed by the PGA of America, the guidelines set forth a framework for third-party, online agents and golf course owners and operators to conduct business together. Key points include allowing for better control and price integrity of tee time inventory, including barter rounds; clarifying alternative payment modes for services; delineating independent and bundled services, including POS, tee sheet management and tee time distribution; and restricting online agents from purchasing course names and other keywords and terms for SEO. To assist NGCOA members in implementing the guidelines, the organization is hosting a series of webinars. “Setting Up Golf Courses for Success” is an industry-wide guidebook to course setup. It debuted in digital form in June on www.pga. org. The collaborative guide contains new industry research, and it addresses a critical factor that inhibits enjoyment of the game for many women — golf course setups that are not tailored to the customer and the customer’s ability level. The book provides research, case studies and self-assessment tools for facilities to use when considering course setup, and it’s supported by the PGA of

America, GCSAA, USGA, American Society of Golf Course Architects, Club Managers Association of America, LPGA, National Alliance for Accessible Golf, and National Golf Course Owners Association. The book was authored by Arthur D. Little, the senior trustee of the Royal Little Family Foundation, with support from the golf industry organizations.

Bernhard Grinders partnered with Ohio-based distributor Shearer Equipment. A full-line John Deere dealer, Shearer is educating golf courses and sports facilities across northeast Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia about the benefts of Bernhard’s trademark Express Dual and Anglemaster machines, as well as its other products.

Comet USA/Efco has appointed Robert Parsons as its western regional sales manager for the U.S. and Canada. Parsons has more than 20 years of experience in the outdoor power equipment industry, including working as distribution sales manager for Tanaka and territory manager for Pace Inc. Parsons is also a frefghter for the Clarendon Hills (Ill.) Fire Department.

The cities of Euclid, Ohio, and Fernandina Beach, Fla., extended partnerships with Billy Casper Golf (BCG) to manage Briardale Greens Golf Course and Fernandina Beach Golf Club, respectively.

Everris, Fuentes, Nu3, Novapeak and F&C fully united to form a global leader in specialty fertilizer solutions under the name ICL Specialty Fertilizers. The company’s focus continues to be on fulflling the needs of end users and growers. ICL Specialty Fertilizers is dedicated to meeting the needs of ornamental horticulture, specialty agriculture, and turf and amenity.

Aqua-Aid Inc. has appointed GLK Turf Solutions as the new dealer for the state of Texas. Aqua-Aid is the North American manager and importer for the Campey Imants equipment line.

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(photo quiz answers) By John Mascaro President of Turf-Tec International

(a)

PROBLEM The depressed circular area of paspalum in this course’s rough area is the result of mowing a temporary tee for a Masters-type par-3 tournament the golf club holds each year. The superintendent and a member create an 18-hole par-3 course on the existing course, and then the superintendent mows down some of the rough areas to make the temporary tees to play from. On the frst cut, the superintendent mows the turf down from 1½ inches to a half-inch, and then topdresses the turf fairly heavily. Within a couple of weeks, the scalped circular areas have become good and green and are ready for a logo and yardage to be sprayed on them for the event. It’s one of the club’s biggest member events each year, and the staff gets really creative with it. Some of the holes resemble cross-country golf, and the pins are put in very tough — almost unfair — positions. The top photo shows the circular area about two months after the initial scalping. Because paspalum is a dense turf with less vertical growth than bermudagrass, the circle remains visible. The second photo is of a tee on an existing par 3, which also shows the layout for the event. Photo submitted by Kyle D. Sweet, CGCS, who heads maintenance at The Sanctuary Golf Club in Sanibel Island, Fla., and is a 24-year GCSAA member.

(b)

PROBLEM

The two green rectangular spots on this Poa annua/bentgrass green in South Africa are areas that have not been affected by anthracnose. The blotchy areas outside the green squares have anthracnose. As with most disease issues, the exact cause is hard to nail down. However, the green, healthy squares were areas that had been resodded from this green’s surrounds, and one thing is for sure — they were not being affected by the disease. The assistant superintendent speculates that the root zones of the resodded areas prevented them from being susceptible to anthracnose, because they contained much more organic content than the rest of this green. Another possibility is that the areas differ in water-retention capabilities and have different root-zone temperature fuctuations. In addition, the height of the newly turfed sections had only just reached the equivalent height of cut as the rest of the surface (0.137 inch, or 3.5 millimeters), which also may have protected it from the anthracnose. The green was treated with a curative treatment of fungicide, and the areas eventually recovered. Photo submitted by Guy Kilu, the assistant superintendent at The Steenberg Golf Club in Cape Town, South Africa. Andre Gerber is the head superintendent there.

If you would like to submit a photograph for John Mascaro’s Photo Quiz, please send it to: John Mascaro, 1471 Capital Circle NW, Suite #13, Tallahassee, FL 32303, or email it to john@turf-tec.com. Presented in partnership with Jacobsen

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If your photograph is selected, you will receive full credit. All photos submitted will become property of GCM and GCSAA.

ON COURSE Aug. 6-9 — PGA Tour, Barracuda

MEMBERS ONLY

Championship, Montreux Golf & Country Club, Reno, Nev.; Doug Heinrichs, CGCS.

Aug. 6-9 — PGA Tour, World Golf Championship-Bridgewater Invitational, Firestone Country Club (South), Akron, Ohio; John DiMascio, CGCS.

(climbing the ladder)

Aug. 6-9 — Web.com Tour, Digital Ally Open, Nicklaus Golf Club at Lions Gate, Overland Park, Kan.; Gary Sailer, CGCS.

Nick von Wiegen Was: Is:

Student, Rutgers University Assistant superintendent at TPC of Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Aug. 7-9 — Champions Tour, Shaw Charity Classic, Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club, Calgary, Alberta; Kenneth MacKenzie, superintendent. Aug. 10-16 — USGA, U.S. Women’s Amateur, Portland Golf Club, Portland, Ore.; Jason Dorn, GCSAA Class A superintendent.

Getting to know you Between wiping down tables and hauling plates to the kitchen, Nick von Wiegen often peered out the window during his days as an 18-year-old busboy at Painted Mountain Golf Resort in Mesa, Ariz. “I saw the crew working outside. It looked pretty cool,” von Wiegen says. In time, von Wiegen joined them, which ultimately helped shape his career. “The general manager asked me to come to his offce. He told me he had an opening on the grounds crew,” von Wiegen says. “I thought it would be a good ft. The exercise, the outdoors — it grabbed me and hooked me.”

Q: What is your favorite piece of equipment? A: The (Toro) Sand Pros. I like ripping around on them. They move pretty quickly. Q:When is your birthday? A: Jan. 8. It’s the same birthday as Elvis Presley. I couldn’t be more pleased about it. I’m pretty honored that his birthday is the same day as mine (von Wiegen, by the way, is 26). Q:If you had to pinpoint your most prized possession, what would it be? A: Probably my frst brand-new car. It was a 2014 Chevy Cruze. It’s gunmetal gray. Q:What are the benefts of working for Jeff Plotts (director of golf course operations)? A: His knowledge. He has a willingness to share that knowledge, whether it’s about soil conditions or budgets. Q:What type of music is on your iPod? A: I’m into the ’60s and ’70s, classic rock. I like The Beatles. (Led) Zeppelin. Pink Floyd. Q:What is the last book you read? A: “Fundamentals of Turfgrass Management.” Q:How often is your last name misspelled? A: Quite often. Sometimes it isn’t even pronounced correctly (it sounds like von wee-gan). And it’s a lowercase “v,” with a space. — Howard Richman, GCM associate editor

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Aug. 13-16 — PGA Tour, PGA Championship, Whistling Straits, Sheboygan, Wis.; Chris Zugel, CGCS; Michael Lee, CGCS, manager, golf course maintenance.

Aug. 13-16 — LPGA, Cambia Portland Classic, Columbia Edgewater Country Club, Portland, Ore.; Gordon Kiyokawa, CGCS.

Aug. 13-16 — Web.com Tour, Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr. Pepper, Highland Springs Golf Club, Springfeld, Mo.; Derek Wilkerson, CGCS.

Aug. 14-16 — Symetra Tour, W.B. Mason Championship, Thorny Lea Golf Club, Brockton, Mass.; James Medeiros, CGCS. Aug. 17-23 — USGA, U.S. Amateur, Olympia Fields Country Club, Olympia Fields, Ill.; Samuel MacKenzie, CGCS. Aug. 20-23 — PGA Tour, Wyndham Championship, Sedgefeld Country Club, Greensboro, N.C.; Daniel Knight, superintendent. Aug. 20-23 — LPGA, Canadian Pacifc Women’s Open, Vancouver Golf Club, Vancouver, British Columbia; David Kennedy, GCSAA Class A superintendent. Aug. 20-23 — Web.com Tour, New Sentinel Open, Fox Den Country Club, Knoxville, Tenn.; Scott Severance, CGCS.

Aug. 20-23 — European Tour, Made in Denmark, Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort, Farso, Denmark.

Aug. 21-23 — Champions Tour, Boeing Classic, TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, Snoqualmie, Wash.; Ryan Gordon, GCSAA Class A superintendent.

Golf Association, North Olmsted, Ohio. Phone: 216-469-9287 Website: www.nogcsa.com

Sept. 3 — Oregon State University Aug. 27-30 — PGA Tour, The Barclays, Field Day, Corvallis, Ore. Plainfeld Country Club, Edison, N.J.; Travis Pauley, GCSAA Class A superintendent.

Phone: 541-737-3695 Website: horticulture.oregonstate.edu

Aug. 27-30 — LPGA, Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic, RTJ Golf Trail Capitol Hill-Senator Course, Prattville, Ala.; Robert Wingo, golf course maintenance director.

Sept. 10 — Chicago District Golf Association Turfgrass Field Day, Midwest Golf House, Lemont, Ill. Phone: 630-257-2088

Aug. 27-30 — Web.com Tour, WinCo

Oct. 4-5 — 69th Annual Northwest Turfgrass Association Conference, Coeur d’Alene Resort, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Phone: 406-273-0845 Website: www.idahogcsa.org

Foods Portland Open presented by Kraft, Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club-West Hollow, North Plains, Ore.; Bill Webster, CGCS.

Aug. 27-30 — European Tour, D+D Real Czech Masters, Albatross Golf Resort, Prague, Czech Republic.

Aug. 28-30 — Champions Tour, Dick’s Sporting Goods Open, En-Joie Golf Club, Endicott, N.Y.; Anthony Chapman, superintendent.

COMING UP Aug. 6 — Kansas Turfgrass Council Conference & Trade Show, Olathe, Kan. Phone: 785-532-6173 Email: cdipman@ksu.edu Aug. 11 — OTF Field Day, OTF Research & Education Facility, Columbus, Ohio. Phone: 614-285-4683 Website: www.ohioturfgrass.org

Oct. 13-15 — Deep South Turf Expo, Mississippi Coast Convention Center, Biloxi, Miss. Phone: 334-821-3000 Website: www.deepsouthexpo.org Oct. 19-20 — Inland Empire GCSA Fall Meeting & Trade Show, Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, Worley, Idaho. Phone: 406-273-0845 Website: www.idahogcsa.org

Oct. 27-29 — Peaks & Prairies GCSA Fall Meeting & Trade Show, Holiday Inn, Billings, Mont. Phone: 406-273-0845 Website: www.idahogcsa.org

ON THE MOVE Aug. 12 — North Carolina State Turfgrass Field Day, Lake Wheeler Turfgrass Research Lab, Raleigh, N.C. Phone: 919-513-1131 Website: www.turffles.ncsu.org

Aug. 12 — Industry Day, Bob-O-Link Golf Club, Avon, Ohio. Phone: 216-469-9287 Website: www.nogcsa.com Aug. 13 — 2015 Pollinator Summit: Designing for Pollinators, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska, Minn. Email: jack@mgcsa.org Website: www.mgcsa.org Aug. 25 — Mississippi State Turfgrass Field Day, Starkville, Miss. Phone: 662-325-2331 Email: jmccurdy@pss.msstate.edu

Sept. 3 — Northern Ohio GCSA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Northern Ohio

ALABAMA Andrew W. Rasch, formerly (SW) at Auburn University, is now (C) at Cambrian Ridge in Greenville. Kyle Sheheane, formerly (C) at Vestavia Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Burningtree Country Club in Decatur. Zachary M. Tolleson, formerly (C) at Lagoon Park Golf Course, is now (C) at Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club in Gulf Shores. ARIZONA Andrew O. Hitchcock, formerly (C) at Blackstone Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Blackstone Country Club in Peoria. Scott M. Jeschke, formerly (C) at The Estancia Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at The Estancia Club in Scottsdale. ARKANSAS Jacob B. Hulme, formerly (C) at Baton Rouge Country Club, is now (C) at Diamante Country Club in Hot Springs Village. 08.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

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(in the field)

Mid-Atlantic Chase Rogan

Many are well aware of the brutal conditions thee Mid Mid-Atlantic region experienced this past winter. Horror stories of devastation on greens swept through the grapevine. Undoubtedly, turf kill was widespread. Such situations require a lot of labor and patience for recovery, and often our golfer clientele doesn’t fully understand the unpredictability of winterkill, nor the time and effort needed to recoup putting surfaces. Sometimes, however, they do understand, and it’s always nice to hear positive feedback from them during trying times. That’s why we were deDead turf at Valley Country Club coming out of winter, before the restoration project led by Eric Reed, CGCS. Photo cour- lighted when we received a phone call from Valley Country Club (Sugarloaf, Pa.) member Larry Klemow, praising the hard work tesy of Eric Reed of his superintendent, Eric Reed, CGCS. Reed has been busy babying his greens back to health after a challenging winter. He had nearly 20 percent damage on his greens coming out of winter — the worst he’s ever had. With the help of a group of industry friends who volunteered, he restored approximately 8,000 to 9,000 plugs by taking live turf from the edge of greens to replace the damaged plugs. This method allowed him to complete the work as quickly as possible, as it eliminated the travel time of having to haul in plugs from another location. In working through restoration, Reed said communication with his greens committee was important for setting realistic expectations for recovery time. As is typical with winterkill, pinpointing exactly what caused the damage is difficult, but Reed thinks it was a combination of crown hydration and ice cover. In preparing for next year, he says he plans on being diligent with his potassium fertility, as well as improving surface drainage by stripping and lowering the greens’ collars. He was also quick to acknowledge those who lent a helping hand in the winterkill recovery efforts: Brian Bachman, Genesis Turfgrass; Charlie Miller, CGCS, The Springhaven Club; Patrick Knelly, Sugarloaf Golf Club; Matt Kuchta, Sugarloaf GC; Joe Horan, Sugarloaf GC; Chris Snopkowski, Wyoming Valley Country Club; Scott Kotula, Wyoming Valley CC; and Chuck Usher, Blue Ridge Trail Golf Club.

Northwest David Phipps

As soon as I heard the U.S. Open was coming to the Northwest, I knew I would soon be able to check off the top item on my bucket list. While golf was in the national spotlight, the USGA and the First Green Foundation decided to use the opportunity to promote a new campaign highlighting the First Green. As part of the campaign, a 30-second TV spot aired on Fox during the U.S. Open. The segment showcased the First Green’s initiatives to reimagine golf courses as educational venues for children to learn about science, technology, engineering, math and sustainability through the lens of the golf course habitat. You can view the ad online at www.gcsaa-northwest. Jeff Gullikson uses balls of tape to demonstrate at- blogspot.com/2015/06/first-green-initiatives-highlighted.html. The traction between molecules of water during a learning First Green was also invited to take part in the U.S. Open community lab for kids at the U.S. Open. Photo by David Phipps celebration event on the Sunday before the tournament began. More than 500 children participated in the five learning lab booths, exploring topics such as insects, water, soils and math. The entire First Green board participated, including Steve Kealy, Jeff Gullikson, CGCS, Karen Armstead, Cathy Relyea, Lynn McKay, Jeff and Annie Shelley, and myself. I also invited some superintendent volunteers who were in town to help the agronomy team: Scot Dey, Mission Viejo (Calif.) Country Club; Andrew McDaniel, Keya Golf Club, Itoshima, Japan; and Masaru Shimizu, Kasumigaseki Country Club, Kawagoe, Japan. Steve Kealy’s assistants, Kyle Young and Nick Magnuson, also joined in and did an outstanding job teaching the soils lab. Dey, McDaniel and Shimizu manned the hitting cage. There was nothing but smiles all around, and we couldn’t have pulled off the entire day without everyone’s help.

For the latest blog posts from all of GCSAA’s feld staff representatives, go to www.gcsaa.org/ community/regions.aspx.

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CALIFORNIA Steven M. Bump, formerly (A) at Auburn Lake Trails Golf Course, is now (A) at Lake of the Pines Country Club in Auburn. Adam Kloster, CGCS, formerly (A) at Industry Hills at Pacifc Palms Conference Resort, is now (A) at Valley Crest Golf Maintenance in Calabasas. Jon D. Maddern, CGCS, formerly (A) at PGA West Private Golf Courses, is now (A) at Jack Nicklaus Course at PGA West in La Quinta. Scott C. McLeod, formerly (A) at The Tuscan Ridge Club, is now (A) at Lake Almanor West Golf Course in Chester. Glenn A. Miller, CGCS, formerly (A) at Golf Center of Palm Desert, is now (A) at United GLI Inc. in Bermuda Dunes. Matthew D. Nowlen, formerly (C) at Laguna Lake Golf Course, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Laguna Lake Golf Course in San Luis Obispo. Julio F. Silva, formerly (C) at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon in Beaumont. COLORADO Pam S. Brown, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Keystone Ranch Golf Course, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at The River Course at Keystone in Dillon. Timothy Davies, formerly (C) at Eagle Ranch Golf Club, is now (EM) at Eagle Ranch Golf Club in Eagle. Justin Fischer, formerly (C) at Golf Club at Bear Dance, is now (C) at Plum Creek Golf & Country Club in Castle Rock. Nick Pientka, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Western Hills Golf Club, is now (C) at Cherry Creek Country Club in Denver. FLORIDA Tyler D. Casey, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Bonita Bay East, is now (A) at West Bay Golf Club in Estero. Robert L. Cook, formerly (A) at Walden on Lake Houston, is now (A) at Walt Disney World Golf Courses in Orlando. Michael D. Crawford, CGCS, formerly (A) at TPC at Sugarloaf, is now (A) at PGA TOUR in Ponte Vedra Beach. Todd B. Draffen, formerly (A) at Wilderness Country Club, is now (A) at The Old Collier Golf Club in Naples. Wes Eavey, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Falcon's Fire Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at The Villages Championship Golf in The Villages. Jeff E. Floyd, formerly (I), is now (A) at Barefoot Bay Golf Course in Sebastian. Michael Henderson, formerly (A) at Barefoot Bay Golf Course, is now (A) at Windermere Country Club in Windermere. William T. Hiers, CGCS, formerly (A) at The Old Collier Golf Club, is now (A) at The Club at Mediterra in Naples.

David T. Hults, formerly (AS) at Prestwick Golf Club, is now (C) at Prestwick Golf Club in Ormond Beach. Craig R. Ironside, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at OneSource Landscape & Golf Services Inc., is now (Supt. Mbr.) at ABM Golf Services in Tampa. Justin I. Jacobsen, formerly (C) at The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Silver Lake, is now (C) at Wildwood Country Club Inc. in Crawfordville. Matthew R. Jones, formerly (A) at King and Bear Golf Course/World Golf Village, is now (A) at Creek Course at Hammock Dunes in Palm Coast. Eric T. Oster, formerly (C) at Kensington Golf & Country Club, is now (C) at Coral Oaks Golf Course in Cape Coral. Michael P. Shields, formerly (C) at The Polo Club of Boca Raton, is now (A) at Delray Beach Golf Club in Delray Beach. Daniel T. Smokstad, formerly (C) at Royal Poinciana Golf Club Inc., is now (C) at The Club at Grandezza in Estero. Jack Stephens, formerly (C) at King and Bear Golf Course/World Golf Village, is now (C) at Slammer and Squire Golf Course/ World Golf Village in St. Augustine. Dale H. Stump, CGCS, formerly (A) at Landirr Inc., is now (A) at Rio Pinar Golf & Country Club in Orlando. Payton D. Tucker, formerly (C) at Windyke Country Club, is now (C) at The Club at Mediterra in Naples. Matthew S. Turner, formerly (AA), is now (A) at Hawks Nest Golf Club in Vero Beach.

Forbes Public Golf Course, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Lake Shawnee Golf Course in Topeka.

GEORGIA Kevin Sams, formerly (C) at The Country Club of Roswell, is now (C) at Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island.

MICHIGAN James L. Bluck, CGCS, formerly (A) at Forest Dunes Golf & Country Club, is now (A) at Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club in Arcadia. Michael Burt, formerly (C) at Knollwood Country Club, is now (EM) at Knollwood Country Club in West Bloomfeld. Jeff M. Campbell, formerly (C) at Quaker Ridge Golf Club, is now (C) at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfeld Hills. Chris Gast, formerly (A) at Martin Downs Country Club, is now (AF) at Residex in Novi. Brian Moore, formerly (C) at Chicago Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Forest Dunes Golf & Country Club in Roscommon.

ILLINOIS Craig Kight, formerly (A) at Hamlet Golf & Country Club, is now (A) at Eagle Brook Country Club in Geneva. Robert B. Lively, formerly (A) at Flossmoor Country Club, is now (A) at Edgewood Valley Country Club in La Grange. Nick Mott, formerly (C) at Pekin Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at The Oaks Golf Course Inc. in Springfeld. IOWA Keith A. Peterson, formerly (A) at Burlington Golf Club, is now (A) at Indian Hills Country Club in Wapello. Michael Phillips, formerly (C) at Saddlebrook Course at Saddlebrook Resorts Inc., is now (C) at Sioux City Country Club in Sioux City. KANSAS Kerry Golden, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at

LOUISIANA Brandon L. Reese, formerly (A) at TPC of Scottsdale, is now (A) at TPC of Louisiana in Avondale. MAINE Nicholas Lessner, formerly (C) at Sankaty Head Golf Club, is now (C) at Boothbay Country Club in Boothbay. MARYLAND Ryan B. Higgins, formerly (S) at the University of Maryland, is now (C) at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville. Paul E. Masimore, CGCS, formerly (A) at Night Hawk Golf Center, is now (A) at Marlton Golf Club in Upper Marlboro. James M. Weaver, formerly (C) at Woodmont Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Sligo Creek Golf Course in Silver Spring. MASSACHUSETTS Jess E. Hamilton, formerly (C) at The Golf Club of New England, is now (AF) at MTE Inc. in Tewksbury. Chase C. Puffer, formerly (AS) at Wilbraham Country Club, is now (C) at Wilbraham Country Club in Wilbraham. Norman W. Tessier Jr., formerly (C) at Ledgemont Country Club, is now (A) at Ledgemont Country Club in Seekonk.

MISSOURI Matthew V. Czarnecki, formerly (C) at Old Hickory Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at City of St. Peters Golf Course in St. Peters. Mike S. Daugherty, formerly (A) at Sunset Hills Country Club, is now (A) at Tower Tee Golf Course in St. Louis. John E. Morse, formerly (C) at Paradise Pointe Golf Course, is now (A) at Paradise Pointe Golf Course in Smithville.

MONTANA Natalia J. Arlint, formerly (C) at Hilands Golf Club, is now (C) at Polson Bay Golf Course in Polson.

at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania. Luis A. Pinto, formerly (ISM) at Pestana Vila Sol, is now (S) at Ohio State University in Columbus.

NEVADA Greg D. Niendorf, formerly (C) at Las Vegas Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Las Vegas Country Club in Las Vegas.

PENNSYLVANIA Randall M. Super, formerly (A) at Pine Meadows Golf Club, is now (A) at Valley Green Golf Course in Etters.

NEW JERSEY Robert J. Bailey, formerly (C) at Old Memorial Golf Club, is now (C) at Mountain Ridge Country Club in Caldwell. James R. Russo, formerly (C) at Trump National Golf Club-Bedminster, is now (C) at Metedeconk National Golf Club in Jackson.

SOUTH CAROLINA Harold G. Davis, formerly (A) at Waterway Hills Golf Club, is now (AA) at National Golf Management in Myrtle Beach. Matthew J. DiMase, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Black Diamond Ranch, is now (A) at Haig Point Club in Hilton Head Island.

NEW YORK Bryan J. Culver, formerly (A) at Westwood Country Club, is now (A) at Audubon Course at Amherst Aubudon Golf Course in Buffalo. Scott Winkelman, formerly (A) at Lakeview Golf and Country Club, is now (A) at Marcellus Golf Club in Marcellus. NORTH CAROLINA Steven R. Neuliep, CGCS, formerly (A) at Silver Fox Golf Club, is now (A) at Etowah Valley Golf Course in Etowah. Scott A. Schukraft, formerly (A) at Huntsville Golf Club, is now (AA) at Elite Sports Management Group Inc. in Kernersville. Jade Wicker, formerly (C) at Riverwood Golf Club, is now (C) at The Preserve at Jordan Lake Golf Club in Chapel Hill. Keith C. Wood, formerly (A) at Sedgefeld Country Club, is now (A) at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte. NORTH DAKOTA Jason Spitzner, CGCS, formerly (A) at Moorhead Country Club, is now (A) at Edgewood Municipal Golf Course in Fargo. OHIO Kevin Barth, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Pine Brook Golf Course, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Lake Forest Country Club in Hudson. Jason L. Cline, formerly (C) at Belmont Country Club, is now (C) at Tamaron Country Club in Toledo. John Gornall, formerly (C) at Lancaster Country Club, is now (A) at Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster. Thomas C. Judd, formerly (C) at Losantiville Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Losantiville Country Club in Cincinnati. Gregory S. Pattinson, formerly (A) at Indianwood Golf & Country Club, is now (A)

TENNESSEE Gary W. Southerland, formerly (C) at King's Creek Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Egwani Farms Golf Course in Rockford. TEXAS Tyler J. Andersen, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Atlanta Athletic Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at University of Texas Golf Club in Austin. Douglas Emch, CGCS, formerly (A) at Painted Dunes Desert Golf Course, is now (A) at Horizon Golf & Conference Center in Horizon City. Brian K. McMinn, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at The Atchafalaya at Idlewild Golf Course, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Riverside Golf Course in Victoria. Brian Tomaka, formerly (C) at Shady Oaks Country Club, is now (C) at Lakewood Country Club in Dallas. Richard D. Webster, formerly (A) at Great Southwest Golf Club, is now (A) at Thorntree Country Club in DeSoto. WASHINGTON Cory A. Fadenrecht, formerly (C) at Bermuda Dunes Country Club, is now (C) at TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge in Mercer Island. Josh Harty, formerly (C) at Downriver Golf Course, is now (C) at Indian Canyon Golf Course in Spokane. WISCONSIN Thomas R. Speltz, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Lake Arrowhead Golf Course, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Cedar Creek Country Club in Onalaska. CANADA Robert A. Clark, formerly (C) at Muskoka Lakes Golf & Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at North Bay Golf & Country Club in North Bay, Ontario.

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CHINA Roger S. Goettsch, CGCS, formerly (A) at Edgewater Golf Course, is now (A) at Citic Shanqin Bay Golf Club in Wanning City. SINGAPORE Steve Shepherdson, formerly (AF) at IMG Golf Services, is now (AF) at Asia Golf Design & Consulting. Hsien Liang Teh, formerly (ISM) at Marina Bay Golf Course, is now (ISM) at Orchid Country Club.

NEWLY CERTIFIED Jeremy Biswell, CGCS, Belmar Golf Club, Norman, Okla. Benjamin McGargill, CGCS, Wynstone Golf Club, Barrington, Ill. Andrew Sheehan, CGCS, Milltown Golf Club, Dublin, Ireland.

NEW MEMBERS ALABAMA Chad E. Eldred, EM, Birmingham ARIZONA Jason M. Fontana, EM, Buckeye ARKANSAS Gilbert D. Uribe, EM, Fayetteville

ILLINOIS Jason Smith, EM, Carbondale INDIANA Anthony P. Holman, Supt. Mbr., Wabash Trey R. Miller, EM, Montgomery David C. Vanleeuwen, Affliate, Carmel KANSAS Dan M. Ortiz, Student, Manhattan Troy Snow, Supt. Mbr., Valley Center Kel M. Walters, Student, Manhattan KENTUCKY Kevin Craig, EM, Prospect MICHIGAN Andrew D. Brandt, Student, East Lansing MINNESOTA Kameron D. Hanson, Associate, Mendota Heights Kyle Kading, Class C, Minneapolis Jim Petersen, Affliate, Rice MISSOURI Zachary J. Erb, Class C, Springfeld Kyle A. Kniesim, Class C, Springfeld William M. Mulkey, Class C, Neosho Charles F. Schawwecker, Student, Columbia Maron Towse, Supt. Mbr., Neosho

CALIFORNIA Ramon Baltazar, EM, Murrieta Mauricio Garduno, EM, Bonita Jacob M. Gleghorn, EM, Folsom Donald P. Messler, Class C, Beaumont

MONTANA Jesse Bury, EM, Billings

COLORADO Patrick D. Amann, Supt. Mbr., Golden Nathan T. Burdick, Associate, Aurora

NEW JERSEY Rich Cresci, EM, Deal

CONNECTICUT Brendan F. McDermott, Class C, Avon FLORIDA Laurence P. Cain, EM, Boca Raton Robert Finch, EM, Naples Tyler J. Gray, Class C, Boca Raton Ethan C. Spence, Student, Citra John R. Wirnsberger, Supt. Mbr., Panama City Mark M. Wonacott, EM, Boca Raton GEORGIA Timothy Colvin, Supt. Mbr., Vidalia Graham J. Coppolino, Student, Tifton Thomas B. Doles, Supt. Mbr., Macon HAWAII Randal Costales, EM, Lanai City

NEBRASKA Alex L. Dredge, Student, Lincoln

NEW MEXICO Zackary T. Baker, Student, Las Cruces NEW YORK William Fronk, EM, Clifton Park Paul F. Goon, EM, Binghamton Douglas S. Schrader, Class C, Buffalo Evan J. Vadala, Class C, Farmingdale NORTH CAROLINA Spencer Lee Blackburn, Student, Raleigh Deidra Cotton, Affliate Co. Rep., Research Triangle Park Nicholas E. Funderburk, Supt. Mbr., Wilmington Eugene J. Mckinney, EM, Southport Tylor B. Richard, Class C, Southport Creighton T. Sloan, Student, Charlotte NORTH DAKOTA Mitchell R. Ronning, Student, Fargo

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GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 08.15

PENNSYLVANIA Brad Bartlett, EM, Malvern Michael Lawrence, EM, Philadelphia Ian McKinnon, Student, State College Brandon Razo, Student, State College Chad D. Todd, Class C, State College SOUTH CAROLINA William G. Ford, Class C, Lancaster Roy R. Metzendorf, Class C, Walterboro TENNESSEE Zach R. Bilbrey, Class C, Fairfeld Glade Dakota M. Ealey, Student, Martin Tommy P. Justus, EM, Pigeon Forge Brandon H. Porch, Student, Knoxville TEXAS Ricky D. Estrada, Student, Huntsville Ryan C. Reimer, Class C, Fort Worth Mark C. Soto, Supt. Mbr., Laredo Gregg A. Wertz, Class C, San Antonio UTAH Jacob K. Jacobson, Class C, Provo VIRGINIA Robert L. Sheehan Jr., Class C, Manakin Sabot Shaun N. Terry, Class C, Richmond Clinton D. Weeks, Class C, Warrenton WISCONSIN Michael O. Stein, Supt. Mbr., Milwaukee AUSTRALIA Jarryd S. Graham, Student, Pascoe Vale Rod Mackie, Student, Murdoch CANADA Wade Borthwick, EM, Victoria, British Columbia David W. Casselman, ISM, Williamsburg, Ontario Dennis R. Casselman, ISM, Williamsburg, Ontario Cory Lloyd, Supt. Mbr., Aurora, Ontario Robert J. Mulville, ISM, Kingston, Ontario Mark J. Stoklosa, Student, Surrey, British Columbia Billy G. Terris, Affliate, Haileybury, Ontario Steve Van Bakel, Class C, Aurora, Ontario

retired as a police sergeant before pursuing work in the golf course management industry. The same year he retired from the police force in 1986, Mr. Penkwitz joined the grounds crew at Quit Qui Oc Golf Club in Elkhart Lake, Wis. He eventually became superintendent there, a position he held until he retired in 2006. Mr. Penkwitz was an avid golfer, and he was also a starter for Dodger Pines Country Club in Vero Beach, Fla. Mr. Penkwitz is survived by his wife, Lois; children, Michael (Ann Ziegler) Penkwitz, Karen (Wayne) Hogue and Jeffrey (Teresa) Penkwitz; sister, Ann DeTroye; grandchildren, Jason (Valerie) Hogue, Kellen (Jamie) Hogue, Lori (Mitchell) Adams, Marla (Clayton) Brath and Leanna Penkwitz; and greatgrandchildren, Amelia, Hanna, Molly Hogue and Wilson Adams. Randy L. Sheline, 56, died May 8, 2015. Mr. Sheline, a 33-year member of GCSAA, spent more than three decades at Tanglewood Golf Club (now Glenross Golf Club) in Delaware, Ohio. He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Kathy Sheline; stepsons, Terry Sealover and Al Sealover; siblings, Sharon (Wayne) Hendrix, Diana (Bobby) Brown, Richard (Laura) Sheline and James (Becky) Sheline; and step-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. William “Bill” Waltz, 74, died March 23, 2015. Mr. Waltz, a 46-year member of GCSAA, was co-owner of Waltz Golf Farm, which was established in 1964 at 303 W. Ridge Pike in Limerick, Pa. For years, the location was the site of a free July Fourth freworks display. In 1972, it was converted to Waltz Turf Farm, then changed over to Turtle Creek Golf Course in 1996. Mr. Waltz donated the golf course for the Limerick police association and fre company to use for their annual golf event. Mr. Waltz is survived by his wife, Barbara Waltz; daughters, Lisa Waltz (Mark) Morocco and Sandy Waltz (John) Welsh; brother, Raymond M. Waltz; and sisters, Louise Waltz Morrison and Kathryn Waltz Smith.

IN MEMORIAM Jim Penkwitz, 80, died April 2, 2015. Mr. Penkwitz, a 26-year member of GCSAA, GCM (ISSN 0192-3048 [print]; ISSN 2157-3085 [online]) is published monthly by GCSAA Communications Inc., 1421 Research Park Drive, Lawrence, KS 66049-3859, 785-841-2240. Subscriptions (all amounts U.S. funds only): $60 a year. Outside the United States and Canada, write for rates. Single copy: $5 for members, $7.50 for nonmembers. Offce of publication and editorial offce is at GCSAA, 1421 Research Park Drive, Lawrence, KS 66049-3859. Periodicals postage paid at Lawrence, Kan., and at additional mailing offces. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: Golf Course Management, 1421 Research Park Drive, Lawrence, KS 66049. CANADA POST: Publications mail agreement No. 40030949. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 122, Niagara Falls, ONT L2E 6S8.

ADVERTISING INDEX & MARKETPLACE PLATINUM PARTNERS

ADVERTISERS

John Deere Co. ................................................4-5 (800) 257-7797 .............www.johndeere.com/Golf

American Phytopathological Society, The .............. 99 ..............................................................................

The Toro Co. ..................................................IFC-1 (888) 664-7489 ..........www.toro.com/leaderboard

AMVAC .............................................................. 61 (888) GO-AMVAC ........www.amvac-chemical.com Aquatrols Corporation ....................................... 39 (800) 257-7797 ..................... www.aquatrols.com

GOLD PARTNERS Bayer Environmental Sciences ............ 41*, 55, 65 (800) 331-2867 ............ www.backedbybayer.com Jacobsen ...................................................31, 105 (800) 232-5907 ......................www.jacobsen.com Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC ................. Cover 4 (909) 308-1633 ..................................................... ............. www.syngentaprofessionalproducts.com

Better Billy Bunkers .......................................... 23 (615) 847-8877 ......... www.betterbillybunker.com BoardTronics...................................................... 6-7 (800) 782-9938 ....................www.boardtronics.com Buffalo Turbine ............................................... 102 (716) 592-2700 ..............www.buffaloturbine.com Champion Turf Farms ......................................... 8-9 (888) 290-7377 ..........www.championturffarms.com East Coast Sod & Seed ................................... 111 (856) 769-9555 ............... www.eastcoastsod.com GCSAA Services............. 41*, 67, 71, 73, 77, 79, 80, (800) 447-1840 ...............................www.gcsaa.org

SILVER PARTNERS The Andersons, Inc. .......................................... 11 (800) 253-5296 .............. www.AndersonsPro.com Barenbrug USA ................................................33* (800) 547-4101 ......................... www.barusa.com Baroness / Kyoeisha USA ................................. 19 (707) 283-0610 .........................www.baroness.us BASF ................................................................ 37 (888) 566-5506 .................www.betterturf.basf.us FMC Professional Solutions ......................... Cover (800) 235-7368 .......... www.fmcprosolutions.com Foley United ...................................................... 35 (800) 225-9810 .................. www.foleyunited.com Koch Turf & Ornamental.................................... 17 (888) 547-4140 ............ http://www.kochturf.com/ Lebanon Turf ................................................14, 15 (800) 350-6650 ................www.lebanonturf.com/ Par Aide Products Co. ......................................2-3 (888) 893-2433 ........................ www.paraide.com PBI Gordon Corp................................................ 21 (800) 884-3179 .................... www.pbigordon.com Precision Laboratories, Inc. .............................. 51 (800) 323-6280 .................www.precisionlab.com Quali-Pro........................................................... 49 (888) 584-6598 ......................www.quali-pro.com R & R Products Inc. ........................................... 99 (800) 528-3446 ....................www.rrproducts.com Tee-2-Green Corp. ................................... 42-43, 69 (800) 547-0255 .................... www.tee-2-green.com

GCSAA TV .......................................................... 75 ..........................................................www.gcsaa.tv Georgia Seed Development Commission .......... 63 (303) 431-7333 ........................ www.tifeagle.com Grigg Bros. ........................................................ 53 (888) 623-7285 .....................www.griggbros.com Growth Products Ltd. ........................................ 25 (800) 648-7626 ...........www.growthproducts.com

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Milorganite ..................................................... 107 (800) 287-9645 .................. www.milorganite.com MultiGuard ......................................................... 98 (908) 272-7070 ............www.multiguardprotect.com Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies, Inc. .......... 13 (604) 408-6697 .............................www.ostara.com Penn State University ....................................... 57 (800) 233-4973 .........www.worldcampus.psu.edu PlanetAir Turf Products ..................................... 27 (877) 800-8845 .........................www.planetair.biz Smithco, Inc. ............................................. Cover 3 (877) 833-7648 ........................www.smithco.com Stabilizer Solutions, Inc...................................... 103 800-336-2468 ..............www.stabilizersolutions.com Steven’s Water Monitoring................................ 83 215-908-0044................. www.stevenswater.com TRIMS Software International Inc. .................. 111 (800) 608-7467 ............................www.trims.com Trojan Battery Company ...................................... 29 (800) 423-6569 . www.trojanbattery.com/competition Turf Screen ....................................................... 59 (267) 246-8654 .................... www.turfmaxllc.com * Denotes regional advertisement Bold denotes affliate member

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Photographer: Darryl Glinski • Title: GCSAA Class A golf course superintendent • Course: BanBury Golf Club, Eagle, Idaho • GCSAA membership: 15 years • The shot: Following a late-season thunderstorm last October, Glinski caught this image near the 18th tee of his course, located just north of Boise, Idaho. He was overseeing the release of water from a series of irrigation lakes on the property in an attempt to avoid any overfow onto his fairways when “the sun peeked through a small opening in the clouds. The lake was amazingly calm, and the sun created a brilliant refection of the clouds and surrounding landscape,” Glinski says. • Camera: Fujiflm XP50

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