GREEN LINES Green Section’s Turf Advisory Service Celebrates 50 Years years The USGA Green Section’s Turf Advisory Service (TAS) celebrates its 50th year of service in 2003, continuing to permit facilities to reap the benefits of on-site visits by highly skilled USGA agronomists located in Green Section offices throughout the country. Founded in 1953, the TAS works with courses and superintendents across the country to improve turf conditions. Each agronomist visits more than 130 courses annually and their experience helps golf course staff and officials produce the best possible golf turf for the dollars that can be spent. As concern for the environment has increased, the USGA’s focus has expanded to promote techniques and practices that require less water and fewer pesticides. Since 1991, the Tennessee Section PGA has been offering complimentary half-day TAS visits to daily fee facilities that participate in its annual PassKey golf discount book. “The Tennessee PGA has always been dedicated to giving back to the game of golf,” notes Executive Director Dick Horton, “and one way we can do this is by improving turf conditions for golfers across the state by providing our PassKey courses with a complimentary visit. We have received a tremendous amount of positive feedback over the years from courses who have gotten a TAS visit.” Over 110 Tennessee courses have had visits from USGA Agronomist Chris Hartwiger of the Southeast Regional USGA Green Section Office, who typically visits two facilities in each of the five Chapters of the TPGA annually.
More Than 100 Tennessee Golf Courses Have Benefited “Over the last twelve years, the Tennessee PGA has been the biggest supporter of the USGA Green Section by sponsoring well over 100 turfgrass advisory visits,” noted Hartwiger. “This Association should be commended for their dedication to giving back to the game by making a concerted effort to help improve turfgrass
conditions. The daily fee golfer in Tennessee is seeing better playing conditions at many of its courses due to these visits.” The half-day and full day visits by the agronomist includes a tour of the course with the course superintendent and often with the golf professional and other course officials to view conditions, discuss
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