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Director of Field Operations - Columbus Clingstones
Every comeback starts from the ground up.
TTA is Prepared for a Busy Season
Ihope everyone is enjoying the spring transition period as we all prepare for the season ahead. Every year spring brings with it the chaos of changing schedules and staffing changes as we all move into our summer routine. Whether you are in the golf industry, sports turf, sod production, or even just mowing your home lawn, everyone in the industry is busy this time of year.
Before we moved into the busy summer season, the Board of Directors held our annual planning day in Murfreesboro as we continued to look at ways to improve the conference and our educational offerings. Our association is committee driven and at this meeting every year we finalize our committee chairs and discuss the direction of the TTA. I am very excited at the work that has already been done over the last few months by our education committee and the direction we are headed.
If there is anything we can do as board, please reach out and let me know, and always if you find yourself in the Knoxville area feel free to stop by and say hello. Getting out and seeing others is the best way to build relationships and grow our association.
Ryan Blair, CGCS
The Tennessee Turfgrass Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Tennessee Turfgrass Magazine, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or Turfgrass Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright © 2026 by the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. Tennessee Turfgrass is published bi-monthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. Third-class postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Tennessee Turfgrass allows reprinting of material. Permission requests should be directed to the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.
The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, the Tennessee Valley Sports Field Management Association and the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association
Tennessee Turfgrass is the official publication of The Tennessee Turfgrass Association
400 Franklin Road
Franklin, Tennessee 37069 (615) 928-7001
info@ttaonline.org www.ttaonline.org
PUBLISHED BY
Leading Edge Communications, LLC
206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 info@leadingedgecommunications.com
EDITOR
Dr. James Brosnan
TTA OFFICERS
President Ryan Storey Line to Line LLC
Vice President
Ryan Blair, CGCS
Holston Hills Country Club
Secretary / Treasurer
Bart Cash
Crossroads Sod Farm
Past President
Chris Sykes
PGA Golf Club
Executive Director
Melissa Martin
Tennessee Turfgrass Association
TTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Adam Adkins
Jason Bradley
Ben Dodd
Dan Johnson
Cal Hill
Jeff Huber
Bill Marbet
Wells McClure
Bob McLean
William Newsom
Kevin Noble
Mark Stovall
John Wagnon
Jeff Wyatt
TTA ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
Bill Blackburn
Dr. Jim Brosnan
Joe Hill
Dr. Brandon Horvath
Lynn Ray
Jeff Rumph
Dr. Tom Samples
Dr. Dennis Shepard
Dr. John Sorochan
Dr. Wes Totten
José Javier Vargas Almodóvar Research Associate II Turf & Ornamental Weed Science
The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg. Knoxville, TN 37996 (865) 974-7379 jvargas@utk.edu tnturfgrassweeds.org @UTweedwhisperer
Greg Breeden Extension Specialist, The University of Tennessee 2431 Center Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg. Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7208 gbreeden@utk.edu tnturfgrassweeds.org @gbreeden1
Jim Brosnan, Ph.D. Professor, The University of Tennessee Director – UT Weed Diagnostics Center 112 Plant Biotechnology Bldg. 2505 EJ Chapman Drive. Knoxville, TN 37996 Office: (865) 974-8603 tnturfgrassweeds.org weeddiagnostics.org mobileweedmanual.com @UTturfweeds
Kyley Dickson, Ph.D. Associate Director, Center for Athletic Field Safety Turfgrass Management & Physiology (865) 974-6730 kdickso1@utk.edu @DicksonTurf
Midhula Gireesh, Ph.D. Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
The University of Tennessee UT Soil, Plant and Pest Center 5201 Marchant Drive Nashville, TN 37211 mgireesh@utk.edu (615) 835-4571
Becky Bowling, Ph.D. Assistant Professor and Turfgrass Extension Specialist The University of Tennessee 112 Plant Biotechnology Bldg. 2505 E.J. Chapman Dr. Knoxville, TN 37919 (865) 974-2595 Rgrubbs5@utk.edu @TNTurfWoman
John Stier, Ph.D. Associate Dean
The University of Tennessee 2621 Morgan Circle 126 Morgan Hall Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7493
jstier1@utk.edu turf.utk.edu @Drjohnstier
Brandon Horvath, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Turfgrass Science
The University of Tennessee 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg. 2431 Joe Johnson Drive Knoxville, TN 37996 (865) 974-2975 bhorvath@utk.edu turf.utk.edu @UTturfpath
Harrisburg, Arkansas 870-578-2391 www.poinsettturfgrass.com
John Sorochan, Ph.D. Professor, Turfgrass Science The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 363 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg. Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7324 sorochan@utk.edu turf.utk.edu @sorochan
Nar B. Ranabhat, Ph.D. Assistant Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
University of Tennessee UT Soil, Plant and Pest Center 5201 Marchant Drive, Nashville, TN, 37211 (615) 835-4572 nranabhat@utk.edu @UTplantPathoDoc
CALENDAR OF EVENTS ADVERTISER INDEX
JUNE 11
Green Industry Field Day
Location: Knoxville, TN
Points offered?: Yes
More Information: https://plantsciences.tennessee.edu/ green-industry-field-day/
Contact: Dr. Amy Fulcher (afulcher@mail.tennessee.edu) or Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association (931-473-3951)
JULY 7
Turf Tuesdays: Landscape Ornamental Management Update
Location: Virtual
Points offered?: Yes
More Information: https://www.tnturfgrassweeds.org/turftuesday
Contact: Dr. Jim Brosnan (jbrosnan@utk.edu)
JULY 15
Beat the Heat on The Plateau
Location: Plateau AgResearch and Education Center 320 Experiment Station Rd., Crossville, TN 38571 Points offered?: Yes
More Information: https://uthort.tennessee.edu/uthort-pros/ https://plantsciences.tennessee.edu/turfgrass/
Contact:
Dr. Becky Grubbs Bowling (rgrubbs5@utk.edu) or Mr. Gregg Upchurch (gupchurch@utk.edu)
JULY 23
Beat The Heat in West Tennessee
Location: Agricenter International 7777 Walnut Grove Rd.,Memphis, TN 38120
Points offered?: Yes
More Information: https://uthort.tennessee.edu/uthort-pros/ https://plantsciences.tennessee.edu/turfgrass/ Contact:
Dr. Becky Grubbs Bowling (rgrubbs5@utk.edu) or Mr. Joseph Seago (jseago@utk.edu)
JULY 30
Beat The Heat in Scenic City
Location: Chattanooga, TN (venue forthcoming)
Points offered?: Yes
More Information: https://uthort.tennessee.edu/uthort-pros/ https://plantsciences.tennessee.edu/turfgrass/ Contact:
Dr. Becky Grubbs Bowling (rgrubbs5@utk.edu) or Haley Treadway (haleytreadway@utk.edu)
Coosa Valley Turf Farms 16 www.coosavalleyturffarms.com
Corbin Turf & Ornamental Supply 23 www.corbinturf.com
Crossroads Sod Farm 15 www.csfsod.com Greene County Fertilizer Co. 8 www.greenecountyfert.com
Leading Edge Communications 25 www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com
McCurdy Sod Farms, LLC 17 www.mccurdysodfarms.com
Poinsett Turfgrass Company 8 www.poinsettturfgrass.com Regal Chemical Company Inside Front Cover ww.regalchem.com
WORLD FIFA READY. SET. CUP 26!
UT turfgrass research already scoring benefits on the world stage
When FIFA selected the University of Tennessee to oversee research for building and maintaining the FIFA WORLD CUP 26™ pitches, it promised to focus worldwide attention on the university’s turfgrass science and management program. With the opening games just weeks away, UT’s collaboration with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association has already brought new recognition to the acclaimed turfgrass program.
The research—led by John Sorochan, who is the Distinguished Professor of Turfgrass Science and Management in the UT Department of Plant Sciences—is also yielding information that will result in improved parks, recreation fields and sports turfs at schools and universities.
The composite layers of a natural grass playing surface are visible in this photo by S. Bridges, courtesy University of Tennessee.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, center, visits the UT turf project on February 10, 2025, in Knoxville. With him, from left, are UT AgResearch Dean Hongwei Xin; Distinguished Professor of Turfgrass Science and Management John Sorochan; UT System President Randy Boyd; and UTIA Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President Keith Carver. Photo by J. Izquierdo FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images.
“It’s been an incredibly important initiative,” says Keith Carver, UT Institute of Agriculture senior vice chancellor and senior vice president. “It takes the work of our faculty and researchers to audiences all over the world. But, in an equally important manner, our work with FIFA has ushered in new advances to turfgrass that have improved golf courses, yards and gardens all over the Volunteer State. The impact of this research reaches far and wide.”
In 2021, FIFA initiated a five-year project with UT and Michigan State University for help in producing optimum playing surfaces for the 16 stadiums and nearly 150 practice fields for FIFA WORLD CUP 26. Forty-eight national teams will play at venues in Canada, Mexico and the U.S., spanning four time zones and multiple climatic regions.
Since then, UT researchers have been growing test plots of grass, experimenting with ways of installing grass over different surfaces in varying conditions and testing surfaces for the best playing and safety conditions. FIFA funded the construction of climate-controlled test fields at the Plant Sciences Unit of the UT East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Knoxville.
Alan Ferguson, FIFA senior pitch management manager, says the university’s research was used in the inaugural Club World Cup, an international competition organized by FIFA, held last summer at a dozen stadiums across the U.S.
“The UT turf team is well known around the world for highquality research,” Ferguson says. “With so many key technologies already under research at UT, it made sense for FIFA to partner and extend this research.”
The UT turfgrass science and management program is expanding in other ways, as well. UT is establishing certificate programs for pitch managers, golf course superintendents and those who oversee other sports venues. The UT Herbert College of Agriculture is working to launch one or more certificate programs for turfgrass science, including specializations for sports turf. The program is intended to have a state, national and global audience and will be open to current college students.
UT Extension currently offers the non-credit, online Certified Lawn Care Professional Program on general turfgrass management. The program is tailored for working professionals who want to deepen their knowledge of regional turfgrass management and who do not need or intend to use the training for a college certificate or degree program. Participants in this program do not have to submit homework or take quizzes and exams, or develop other types of work typically associated with college programs. Participants who finish the program receive a certificate of completion from UT Extension, though no college credit or transcripts are earned.
UT also is investing in additional turf research fields, which Sorochan says could be used to test specific technologies like heating systems, vacuum ventilation and subsurface irrigation.
Learn more about these efforts, the benefits they are bringing to athletic playing surfaces throughout Tennessee, and the firstclass opportunities they are bringing to turfgrass science and management students in an article in UTIA’s Land, Life and Science magazine.
This article was originally published by The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and is reprinted with permission.
GROUND TESTING UT
turfgrass researchers have invented a device to test the playability of football fields, soccer pitches, and other surfaces— with the goal of keeping athletes safe.
In 2018, the NFL scheduled a game for a neutral site in Mexico. Though the field had passed mandatory tests like surface hardness, the league’s players association had concerns about the safety of the field. So they turned to Distinguished Professor of Turfgrass Science and Management John Sorochan to represent their interests. Sorochan advised that there were too many inconsistencies in the field and that the lack of rooting was a serious issue. He argued that an inconsistent and unstable surface is an unsafe surface. And his advocacy helped get the game moved to a safer field.
For Sorochan, the experience revealed the need across multiple sports for a better way to test the playability and compliance of natural grass surfaces. Together, he and Kyley Dickson (BS ’12, MS ’14, PhD ’17), researcher and co-director of UT’s Center for Athletic Field Safety, invented a solution that has surpassed its original goal: the fLEX Device.
This portable machine realistically simulates the motion of an athlete’s foot striking the ground, using a 3D-printed foot outfitted with a real cleat.
“There were machines out there to test artificial turf—years before, Dr. Sorochan helped AstroTurf develop one,” Dickson says. “But nothing was specific to natural grass.
“We also wanted to go beyond the static vertical load, rotational, and slide tests that existing tools used,” he continues. “We put sensors around the 3D-printed foot and ankle to measure energy that would be transferred back to the athlete. This makes fLEX unique.”
Development of the fLex Device reflects the driving force behind sports turf research at UT: the human impact of athlete–surface interactions.
“Our tool to measure what athletes would feel on natural grass has turned
John Sorochan Kyley Dickson
out to be equally applicable for synthetic turf, running tracks, even basketball courts—all surfaces but ice for hockey— to understand the effects on athletes,” Sorochan says.
A Team Effort
Producing the fLEX Device was interdisciplinary from the start. Sorochan and Dickson hired metal workers to build their device, mechanical engineers to run calculations, and a recent UT computer science graduate to develop software to collect and interpret sensor data. UT kinesiology and biomechanics experts scientifically validated the device.
“At the biomechanics lab, fLEX struck the force plate like a human athlete would,” Sorochan says. “We learned how to calibrate it to simulate foot strikes for different-sized athletes, from a 350-pound NFL athlete down to a 35-pound kid playing soccer at school.”
They partnered with UT Athletics for real-world testing. After football games at Neyland Stadium, researchers would collect data from more than 70 spots across the field to form a comprehensive picture of its condition. “Neyland is probably the most tested stadium anywhere,” Sorochan laughs.
And when the Lady Vols soccer team needed to change cleats, the fLEX Device informed that decision by measuring the load different shoes put on players’ bodies.
“Being a Vol means being part of a team,” Sorochan says. “So many Vols have helped us develop and test fLEX.”
From Concept to Commercialization
Early prototypes involved manually ratcheting and releasing gears. When Sorochan and Dickson collected feedback from field managers and student researchers who used the device, everyone agreed: there were too many components and too many data points.
Distinguished Professor John Sorochan and Research Associate Kyley Dickson work with the fLEX Device on a turfgrass research plot at UT’s East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center.
Distinguished Professor John Sorochan, center, talks with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and other attendees at the FIFA Pitch Research Field Day, where the fLEX Device was demonstrated.
“To make a real-world impact,” Sorochan says, “it had to be simpler for field managers and other turf professionals to use, understand, and benefit from our device. We also needed to scale up in terms of production and audience. UT and UT Research Foundation played important roles in accomplishing that and commercializing our invention.”
In 2024, Sorochan and Dickson received the inaugural Chancellor’s Innovation Fund award. They focused those funds on automating the device and streamlining the user experience. UT Research Foundation helped them patent their technology, connect with business advisors, and put their product on the market.
Today, users set and release the gears with the touch of a button. The screen displays three key data points: surface traction, surface hardness, and amount of energy returned to the athlete. The software automatically generates a report complete with summary, graphs, and a heat map highlighting inconsistencies across the field.
International Impact
The fLEX Device’s credibility has grown with every sporting venue the team has tested over the last five years—130-plus stadiums connected to the NFL, MLB, and other professional and college leagues in five countries.
FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, has seen the value of the fLEX Device firsthand during a five-year research collaboration with UT. Billions of FIFA World Cup 26 viewers will soon watch top athletes play on natural grass pitches developed by Sorochan’s research team. Several of the host stadiums for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 used a first-ofits-kind “shallow profile” pitch.
“It was a ‘wow’ moment when fLEX first demonstrated that the shallow construction method we were experimenting with performed the same as a standard pitch, which has 12 inches of sand underneath,” Sorochan says. “This shallow profile could enable host stadiums that typically use synthetic turf to quickly and cost effectively install safe natural grass pitches for the World Cup tournaments.”
Research Associate Kyley Dickson gives a presentation on the shallow pitch profile and the fLEX Device during the FIFA Field Day and Club World Cup Workshop.
Research Associate Kyley Dickson and Taylor Williams give a presentation on the shallow pitch profile and the fLEX Device during the FIFA Field Day and Club World Cup Workshop.
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At FIFA’s request, Sorochan’s team used the fLEX Device to gather field data before and after each Club World Cup game in summer 2025. They’ll likely use fLEX in the same way during FIFA World Cup 26: to inform real-time field management decisions that protect players and ensure uniform conditions across all 16 host stadiums.
“FIFA has incredibly high standards for these pitches,” Sorochan says. “fLEX is the right tool to make sure their expectations for consistency, safety, and performance are met.”
In May 2025, global pitch management solutions company SGL purchased the fLEX Device product rights. “SGL is an industry leader expanding its portfolio of resources and tools for improving sports fields,” Sorochan says. “They invest in quality and R&D. fLEX was a great fit.”
“fLEX represents the very best of UT—ideas that are generated and implemented locally and go on to change the world,” says Deb Crawford, vice chancellor for research, innovation, and economic development. “By leveraging the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund and partnering with private industry, Dr. Sorochan and his colleagues have expanded their impact, ensuring that UT innovations continue to have a profound impact worldwide.”
Dickson is directing product development for SGL fLEX Systems. “I’ll explore questions to make it even more user friendly, like Could it be robotic? Could we put an electric motor drive on it? Are we getting the right data for different sports?”
“This device will make all sports surfaces safer for all levels, from young kids to professional players,” Sorochan sums up. “UT’s support made this impact possible. Now, SGL is making it global.”
Delve into UT’s research to create the best and most consistent pitches for FIFA World Cup 26.
This article was originally published by The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and is reprinted with permission.
BUILDING THE TURFGRASS MANAGER PIPELINE:
A Call for Industry –Academic Partnership
By Jay McCurdy
The
larger turfgrass and landscape industry has a labor issue—mainly that there’s not a reliable pipeline for accessing young and capable employees. I have this conversation almost weekly when discussing the state of the industry and how my role in a “turfgrass program” relates. I’m now in my 12th year at Mississippi State University, so I no doubt have some ownership of the problems. But I also wanted to relay to a wider audience just what some of the solutions might be to solve this problem. Yes, higher industry pay might help, but there’s more to the story than just that.
Our landscape management industry includes a broad range of job titles, but most of us reading this magazine are either bootson-the-ground landscape managers (ex. superintendents, lawn care professionals, sports field managers, sod producers, equipment managers, etc.) or are somehow involved in the industry/ supply side (sales, accounts, research and development, chemical, equipment, etc.). We know the technical mastery and skill required to do this job. We know the rewards and challenges. Nevertheless, I find the perspective from academia is often a little different from what it was when I was a practitioner.
We are all concerned about a shrinking pipeline of new professionals entering our field. Turfgrass academic programs are often criticized for producing too few graduates, and those graduates are said to be underprepared for the demanding, multifaceted roles that await them. The same is said for students fresh out of high school. There’s always a debate about whether it’s generational or whatnot. Maybe there’s something to that, but what, pragmatically, can we do to figure all this out?
The issue is more complex than a simple academic shortfall. The challenges facing turf programs reflect deeper structural and cultural dynamics within the larger society, as well as within the green industry and our academic institutions. I think we need to embrace a new model of mutual investment between academia and industry in order to restore vitality and sustainability to the profession. Whatever the model, it must redefine recruitment, enhance the talent pool, and demonstrate that green-industry roles are both professionally rewarding and personally sustainable.
This essay outlines a vision for such a partnership, built on five key principles: shared recruitment, broader inclusion, job-quality reform, experiential learning, and a mutual commitment to longterm workforce development.
The Myth of the One-Way Pipeline
Turfgrass academic programs are too often viewed as workforce development pipelines. In this paradigm, universities are expected to “turn out” graduates who are job-ready, immediately employable, and long-term loyal to the industry. These are ambitious goals that can only be achieved through industry partnerships. Universities cannot solve structural labor shortages in isolation. For starters, the looming demographic cliff, where student enrollment drops due to fewer babies having been born ~18 years ago, is self-evident. We have to reframe the relationship as a two-way street: industry leaders and employers must engage as co-investors in the success of the next generation.
The declining number of turfgrass students is not solely a turf problem—it mirrors trends across many science, technology, engineering, agriculture, and mathematics (STEAM) disciplines. Yet in turf, the impact is more acute. Fewer students are entering, and those who do are frequently drawn away by careers with higher salaries, greater mobility, and more stable work-life balance— fields like wildlife biology, ecology, food science, and agricultural engineering. If return on investment (ROI) for college interests you, I highly recommend Preston Cooper’s Is College Worth It? A Comprehensive Return on Investment Analysis article.
If the green industry wants to retain talented, committed professionals, it must work with academic programs to create clearer, more appealing, and more stable career pathways for students entering the field.
Recruitment: A Shared Responsibility
One of the most common critiques from green industry professionals and hiring managers is that turf programs are not doing enough to recruit students into the field. In truth, recruitment cannot be the sole responsibility of faculty or universities. Few high school students grow up dreaming of becoming a golf course superintendent, especially if they’ve never been exposed to the role or the science behind it. Lots of kids grow up mowing lawns, but do they view that as a stable profession? How many golf course superintendents leave the industry for better working hours or more stable family lives? The stories of our profession are not always positive. How do we improve that?
Meaningful recruitment requires visibility, storytelling, and early engagement. That means:
• Hosting and organizing Golf Course Superintendents Association of America’s (GCSAA’s) STEAM program, First Green
• Industry professionals visiting high schools, FFA programs, and 4-H events to talk about careers in turf and to give hands-on help managing facilities.
If we want to build a workforce that reflects the broader demographics of our society, the turfgrass industry must actively recruit from historically underrepresented communities, including women, students of color, and first-generation college students. Many turf programs sit within land-grant institutions with a mission to serve all citizens of their state. Partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), tribal colleges, and community colleges offer promising avenues for talent development.
Additionally, the industry must take steps to ensure that students from diverse backgrounds are not only recruited but also retained That means:
• Paid internships with real mentorship, not just summer labor. This is something our industry does well. Though pay and working conditions could always be improved, I understand the financial realities for most businesses— margins matter, and you can’t pay a 20-year-old more than your loyal long-time employees.
• Hosting youth days, career shadowing, or field trips in coordination with FFA, agricultural teachers, 4-H, and Extension educators.
• Alumni sharing their stories, not just of agronomic challenges overcome, but of career development, family stability, and lifelong learning.
Academic programs can support these efforts with marketing materials, introductory coursework, event production, and advising. Industry partners can develop their own materials, and my academic colleagues and I would be happy to collaborate. But unless the industry is willing to support or do the work, recruitment will remain a leaky pipeline. The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America has promoted its First Green program and has invested heavily in promoting the profession to kids in FFA. This is a good example of how we might target youth to entice them into our profession.
Reaching the Future of the Profession
A second issue compounding recruitment challenges is the profession’s lack of demographic diversity (this isn’t a DEI discussion!). This is not simply a turfgrass issue; it reflects broader underrepresentation across many STEAM fields. However, the profession’s visual and cultural homogeneity isn’t always inviting to those from different socioeconomic or cultural backgrounds. That’s to say very little of the lack of female representation—it’s improving. Still, it lags considerably behind many other attractive career fields for the same candidate pool we are competing for.
• Scholarships and travel support to attend GCSAA and regional turfgrass conferences. GCSAA and our regional events have done a great job supporting our students. Our state and regional associations have covered almost all the costs for our students attending events like Deep South. GCSAA allows students and academic advisors to attend the Golf Show for free. They allow students to be members for free. We just have to cover flight and meal costs—sell more hats and pullovers!
• Storytelling campaigns that highlight successful professionals in our industry. Barry Stewart hosts MSU Turf Seminar speakers, and I’m sure he’d love to hear from those of you who can share your secrets to success and happiness.
If the profession remains perceived as culturally insular or exclusionary, we will continue to miss out on a generation of bright, capable professionals who simply chose other welcoming fields.
Students attending local and national conferences benefit from the wisdom and experience of generations of turfgrass managers.
Career Quality: The Hidden Cost of Turnover
Recruitment efforts alone are not enough if the jobs themselves are perceived as undesirable. One of the most pressing challenges facing the green industry is career sustainability and burnout. Even for students who graduate from turf programs and enter the profession, the early-career reality can be discouraging.
Starting roles are often physically demanding, geographically isolating from home, and poorly compensated relative to the skill and responsibility required. I won’t disagree: early careers are hard in many professions, and ours has a history of heartiness and resilience that we pride ourselves on. And that’s great, but let’s face it, positions frequently involve long hours, especially in golf and sports fields, weekend shifts, and high turnover. Relocation is common, placing strain on young professionals with families or community ties. Burnout is not only likely, but it’s also all too often expected.
In many cases, internships play a decisive role. While some students have transformative experiences, others emerge disillusioned. Internships are often where students determine whether they see a long-term future in the profession. Unfortunately, too many internships treat students as temporary labor rather than future colleagues.
Our profession must take a hard look at its entry-level roles and ask:
• Are we investing in mentorship or extracting labor?
• Are we helping build careers or merely filling seasonal gaps?
• Are we creating a profession that values work-life balance and career advancement?
Until the industry addresses these questions honestly, retention will remain low, and turf programs will struggle to retain students who see more stable options elsewhere.
Experiential Learning and Academic Alignment
To ensure that students are prepared for professional success, universities must evolve as well. Turfgrass programs must incorporate not only plant science and weed control, but also:
• Business management and budgeting
• Communication and conflict resolution
• Human resources and leadership
• Sustainability, data analytics, and emerging technologies
Faculty must engage in continuous dialogue with industry professionals to align curricula with real-world expectations. This can happen through advisory boards, curriculum reviews, and co-developed experiential learning opportunities.
Meanwhile, the industry must treat internships and co-ops as educational experiences, not just temporary employment. Golf courses that offer structured mentorship, performance feedback, and leadership development will not only see better short-term productivity, but they’ll also help shape the long-term workforce of the profession.
The Role of Associations
The Sports Field Management Association (SFMA), GCSAA, and other professional landscape associations have a unique opportunity to lead systemic change. Many in the industry look to them for guidance, advocacy, and professional standards. But as organizations, they can:
• Develop and promote best practices for internship mentorship
• Recognize organizations that invest in student development
• Partner with academic programs on workforce development grants
• Support early-career professionals through networking and continuing education
Just as importantly, associations must continue to help shift cultural expectations within the profession. That means promoting superintendent and field manager roles as executive leadership positions, not just agronomic technicians. It means celebrating the intellectual and managerial skills required to succeed in this career, and advocating for compensation, stability, and respect commensurate with those demands.
Learning from Other Industries
Much can be learned from adjacent fields. Engineering, for example, has long faced similar challenges: rigorous academic programs, intense internships, and high attrition. Yet leading companies and associations in that field have invested heavily in university partnerships, student engagement, and earlycareer support.
Top manufacturing and technology firms fund campus recruiting, sponsor capstone projects, offer paid site visits to facilities, and offer career ladders with clear promotion timelines. These students, like our own, are not afraid of hard work. They are attracted by clear career outcomes and structured support along the way.
There is no reason the green industry cannot offer the same. But doing so requires a shift in mindset: from “you have to earn your place” to “we will invest in you as the future of our profession.”
A Vision for the Future
In many places, these goals are already occurring, but here are just a few to imagine as being widespread:
• High school students attend “turf career days” hosted by their local superintendent and Extension agent.
• Universities and employers codesign internships that develop not just technical skills, but leadership and confidence.
• Interns feel welcomed and valued from their first day on a golf course.
• Assistant superintendents are mentored, paid fairly, and see clear paths to advancement.
• Associations and turf programs work side by side to tell the story of a modern, rewarding profession.
This future is not only possible but also essential. The alternative is the status quo, or worse, decline: fewer students, fewer assistants, more burnout, and an aging workforce with no one ready to take the reins.
Conclusion: A Call to Shared Action
The challenges facing the profession are real, but they are not insurmountable. What is required is not blame, but shared responsibility. Universities must modernize curricula and deepen student support. Turfgrass managers must invest in mentorship and help reshape early-career roles. Our industry associations must lead with vision, coordination, and advocacy.
Ultimately, this is about stewardship of the profession itself. The same care, foresight, and commitment that turfgrass managers bring to managing turf must now be brought to cultivating the future of the workforce.
The author would like to thank Barry Stewart for his suggestions and edits to this article.
Advancing Precision Weed Management in Turfgrass Systems with Machine
Vision-Guided
Targeted Spraying
By Brooke Heikkila1, Navdeep Godara2 , Pawel Petelewicz3
1Graduate Research Assistant,
2Assistant Professor of Turfgrass & Forage Weed Science, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695,
3Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Weed Science, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), Agronomy Department, Gainesville, FL 32611
Turfgrass managers are facing increasing weed challenges due to evolving regulatory framework and growing incidence of herbicide-resistant weeds. The release of the first turfgrass-specific commercial machine vision-guided sprayer (ALBA™, Ecorobotix Inc.) enables automated and localized herbicide applications in turf. Although often referred to as “spot spraying” in marketing materials, “targeted spraying” is a more accurate description as it distinguishes this system from manual spot treatments and other existing precision weed management approaches. Such targeted application systems have already been successfully deployed in other crops using platforms such as the John Deere See and Spray™, Agritech America WEED-IT™, Verdant Robotics Sharp Shooter™, Ecorobotix ARA™. Using See and Spray™ technology, comparable weed control was observed between the broadcast and targeted spraying methods, but the targeted spraying reduced the treated acreage by up to two-thirds. In turfgrass, this technology not only offers significant herbicide savings but also opens the door for practitioners to combat herbicide-resistant weeds by incorporating alternative chemistries, including nonselective herbicides or herbicide tank mixtures combining multiple modes-of-action which are not typically feasible in broadcast applications.
Overall, spot spraying is not a new concept, as many turfgrass managers already employ it to control weed escapes following broadcast herbicide applications or where selective chemistries are not an option. Manual spot spraying involves individuals walking the golf course or other turfgrass areas with a sprayer loaded with herbicide to make localized applications directly to weeds. Traditional spot spraying is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and requires applicators to accurately identify weeds, necessitating additional training and expertise. It ultimately increases application costs and is also prone to human error, often resulting in overapplication and missed weeds. However, targeted spraying systems such as ALBA™, utilize artificial intelligence combined with machine vision to detect problematic weeds within turfgrass canopy in real-time to apply herbicides only to those small areas where individual weeds are present. ALBA™ is a tractor pull-behind unit that can operate at speeds up to 4.5 miles per hour and uses an enclosure to block ambient light and to create consistent lighting conditions to continuously scan the turfgrass canopy with its cameras to detect weeds (Figure 1). When a weed is spotted, an individual nozzle – one out of 108 – activates to directly target the weed with a 1.2 × 1.2-inch spray resolution per nozzle. As targeted application systems continue to advance and competing platforms emerge, it is critical to understand how to effectively integrate and leverage these sprayers within turfgrass weed management programs. Several preliminary field experiments using ALBA™ and its ARA™based predecessor research platform were conducted by the NC State Turfgrass Weed Science Program and the UF/IFAS Turfgrass Weed Science Program to understand the applications of this technology. Preliminary studies showed that machine-vision guided targeted spraying substantially reduces herbicide usage and treated acreage while maintaining weed control efficacy, offering both economic and environmental benefits while targeting wide variety of problematic weeds with high accuracy.
Figure 1. The first commercial machine-vision guided targeted sprayer (ALBA™, Ecorobotix Inc.) evaluated for targeted applications to annual bluegrass by NC State Turfgrass Weed Science Program.
2. Herbicide and spray pattern indicator blue dye applied via broadcast (left) and targeted applications (right) to bermudagrass fairway infested with false-green kyllinga.
Reduction in Herbicide Volume Used – In a study focused on controlling false-green kyllinga in bermudagrass fairways, machine vision-guided targeted spraying with ALBA™ reduced herbicide spray volume by 77% compared to broadcast treatments. False green kyllinga cover was 17% at the experimental sites during study initiation, triggering significant savings due to the weed-specific, localized targeted treatments compared to broadcast herbicide applications (Figure 2). Broadcast applications of standard kyllinga control products typically cost around $190 to $240 per acre, but targeted treatment can lower the cost by more than $145 per acre even when dealing with moderate level of weed infestation (~15% weed cover). Similarly, in another ongoing study, when annual bluegrass weed cover was 10% in bermudagrass fairways, targeted applications achieved a 66% reduction in herbicide spray volume compared to conventional broadcast treatments. Sulfonylurea herbicides for postemergence control of annual bluegrass cost around $140 to $185 per acre and targeted spraying can reduce the cost by at least $92 per acre when weed cover is 10% or less.
Practitioners can expect greater savings at turfgrass sites with lower weed infestations, which are typical of intensively managed surfaces and when applying expensive herbicides such as PoaCure or organic herbicides during winter dormancy of warm-season turfgrasses. Targeted application system was also evaluated for control of broadleaf weeds, dallisgrass, smooth crabgrass, and tropical signalgrass in studies conducted independently or in collaboration between Mississippi State University, NCSU, Virginia Tech and UF IFAS, and observed a 53% to 95% reduction in spray volume. In all the aforementioned cases, weed control levels achieved with targeted spraying were no different from broadcast applications. Thus, these studies demonstrate that, across various problematic weed species, this novel application system can substantially reduce the herbicide volume required, lowering costs without compromising weed control efficacy.
Lower Treated Acreage – During broadcast herbicide applications, substantial areas without weeds are often treated unnecessarily. Targeted applications can reduce the treated acreage, enabling practitioners to use herbicides such as MSMA, which are currently restricted to spot treatments on less than 25% of the total golf course acreage per year. Targeted spraying systems are particularly useful for herbicides with limited or no residual activity, as it allows localized treatments to weed instead of broadcast applications to turfgrass. Targeted spraying for false-green kyllinga control (17% weed cover) in bermudagrass fairways resulted in 85% reduction in treated acreage compared to broadcast spraying (Figure 3). In a similar study, an 80% reduction in treated acreage was found when only treating annual bluegrass in dormant bermudagrass at 10% weed cover.
A study conducted by UF/IFAS Turfgrass Weed Science Program using circular, non-overlapping targets of varying patch sizes (410 cm diameter) to simulate random different weed densities and dispersions within the 1-20%, 21-40%, and 41-60% coverage, indicated total spray deposition of approximately 40%, 64%, and 74%, respectively. This corresponded to estimated herbicide savings of 60%, 36%, and 26%. Spray deposition increased with rising weed pressure, while the non-sprayed area, directly reflecting herbicide savings declined accordingly. These results confirm that variation in herbicide savings with targeted applications is driven primarily by weed density, with dispersion playing a secondary role, exerting stronger effects at low weed densities but negligible influence at higher densities.
The reduction in treated acreage can potentially diminish the environmental impact of herbicides by minimizing overall pesticide load released into the environment, limiting off-target movement, reducing the risk of groundwater contamination, and lowering the risk of human exposure associated with pesticide applications. Targeted approaches permit treatment to a limited portion of turf, enabling the effective use of chemistries with area-use limitations.
Figure 3. Differences in treated area due to broadcast and targeted spraying herbicide admixtures and spray pattern indicator blue dye for false-green kyllinga control in bermudagrass fairway.
Figure
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Figure 4. Bermudagrass cover at 28 days after treatment following broadcast (left) and targeted applications (right) of Finale® XL T&O (active ingredient -glufosinate) for smooth crabgrass control.
Effective reduction in area treated with targeted spraying will become increasingly important as new regulations come into effect, particularly in the context of upcoming Endangered Species Act-imposed changes. Therefore, research projects funded by the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina will focus on investigating the agronomic and environmental benefits of targeted application systems for managing problematic weed species.
Alternative Herbicide Options for Resistance Management
– Targeted spraying also enables selectivity at the sprayer level rather than relying only on selectivity of the herbicide used. This potentially allows turf managers to use nonselective herbicides that were previously not an option for broadcast treatment due to severe injury to actively growing turfgrasses. Broad spectrum herbicides like glyphosate, glufosinate, or flumioxazin are highly effective against a wide variety of weeds, but practitioners often wait for turfgrass to go dormant before spraying nonselective herbicides, while in some geographies, such as Florida, achieving full dormancy is not even possible. However, with this new technology, practitioners will have the option to incorporate nonselective herbicides year-round with minimal collateral damage to turfgrass.
Glyphosate (Roundup Pro® Concentrate) applied via broadcast application at 12 fluid ounces per acre rate reduced bermudagrass green cover significantly, but targeted spraying had similar level of green cover as nontreated plots as documented in our recent study. Likewise, glufosinate applied at 41 fluid ounces per acre (as Finale® XL T&O) reduced bermudagrass cover drastically after broadcast application but had minimal effect on turfgrass after targeted spraying (Figure 4).
Targeted spraying technology also allows use of novel admixtures that are not currently being used during regular turfgrass maintenance. Rotating or tank mixing herbicide from different modes of action are crucial for sustainable turfgrass management, as selection pressure for herbicide resistance continues to increase. For instance, practitioners can use tank mixtures of herbicides like pyridate + sulfentrazone or bentazon + halosulfuron + sulfentrazone for targeted spraying without compromising efficacy on false-green kyllinga. These novel admixtures contain multiple modes of action in a single application that could reduce selection pressure and combat herbicide-resistant kyllinga. Similar admixtures should be explored for the management of other herbicideresistant or difficult-to-control weeds.
Limitations – Like with any new technologies, there are limitations to consider when adopting a machine vision-guided sprayer. Currently, only one commercial unit (ALBA™ by Ecorobotix Inc.) is available, providing managers with a single option for this turfgrassspecific targeted spraying technology. Additional machine visionguided sprayers need to be developed specifically for turfgrass systems, as interest in these technologies among turfgrass managers continues to grow and the needs across different turfgrass industry segments will vary. The cost of the equipment and the annual model subscription will be a major barrier for many turfgrass managers. Offering incentives, such as reduced subscription fees for the first few years, could help increase adoption of this technology. Alternatively, with ALBA™ being an example of a high-end solution maximizing performance and system sophistication, other developers may consider trade-offs to reduce equipment production and maintenance costs to improve accessibility. Although ALBA™ seems to demonstrate high detection accuracy on key problematic weeds, further research is needed to understand its year-round performance, considering changes in visual characteristics of weeds and turfgrass across growth stages and under varying environmental contexts. In our preliminary work, a few false positives occasionally led to herbicide applications to weed-free turfgrass. Also, we observed that in situations where weed presence (particularly grassy weeds) in the camera’s path exceeded that of turfgrass, the detection system became confused, effectively reversing target and background and treating turfgrass instead of the weed. However, developers are actively addressing these shortcomings and performance of targeted applications systems by continuing to improve imagery databases, training and validation across diverse geographical regions and management contexts.
There is no doubt that machine vision-guided sprayers will have a transformative impact on the turfgrass industry, however, extension efforts will be critical for adoption. Also, as this technology is still novel for turfgrass systems, ongoing research and development is critical to improve performance, reliability, and to meet industry needs. Among others, further research is needed to evaluate performance under varying travel speeds, expand applications to targeted residual treatments, and refine application thresholds to maximize herbicide savings.
Authors acknowledge the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina for sponsoring ongoing research projects focused on leveraging targeted application devices for weed management in NC turfgrass systems. The authors also thank Ecorobotix Inc. for providing a commercial unit for evaluation.
