Turfgrass Matters Spring 2019

SPRING 2019

INSIDE

President’s Report First Cut Frenzy 5-Minute Fix Videos Dean Graves Retirement Creative Staffing Solutions Cross-disciplinary Education Stimulates Ideas GCSAA Government Relations Update

Superintendent/Assistant Challenge Remembering Bill Emerson Best Management Practices Rounds 4 Research Rapidly Approaching Getting to Know... Josh Fuhrman MAAGCS Match Play Letter from the Editor

One Team, Many Solutions

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Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents

President’s Report – Ryan Kraushofer Well, spring is finally here and so far it’s been cold and wet. At Westminster National GC we’ve already received 1.5” more rain in 2019 compared to this time last year. Let’s hope this trend doesn’t continue to have a repeat of 2018’s rainfall numbers! With the coming of spring, I know we’re busy prepping our courses for this year’s golf season, but MAAGCS will be staying just as busy. We’ve hosted some successful events already and have several exciting things still to come!

One of our top priorities in 2019 is recruitment efforts for the industry. In the upcoming months MAAGCS will be hosting three First Green programs for Carroll County Schools at Westminster National GC. Assistance from our members at these events are what make them so successful! If you haven’t seen one yet, come join us this year! Also, on April 10th MAAGCS attended the Mid-Maryland Agriculture and Green Industry Career and College Fair held at the Frederick Fair Grounds. The career fair exposed approximately 1,000 high school students from Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, and Washington Counties to all the various jobs in the agricultural industry. MAAGCS had a booth promoting the golf course industry and turf grass management. I would also like to recognize Tyler Bloom’s outstanding efforts spearheading the development of a high school internship program. Tyler has had several meetings with the state of Maryland to accredit this internship program.

Hopefully this program will continue to grow and MAAGCS members can utilize it to recruit younger generations into the industry and expand our workforce.

Ryan Kraushofer

Westminster National Golf Course westminsternationalgc@yahoo.com @westnatgolf

Once again MAAGCS is the driving force behind the National Golf Day community service project in Washington DC on April 30th. Jon Lobenstine, Michael Bostian, Finch Inc, and I have been working with the National Park Service and GCSAA to plan this year’s project, which will be even bigger than last year. We’re expecting close to 200 golf industry professionals on the National Mall participating in various community projects such as mowing around the Lincoln memorial and renovating the Washington monument lawn, in addition to installing over 12,000 sq ft of sod and much more. Contact us to get involved!

On February 20th, MAAGCS held the Annual Education Seminar at Ten Oaks Ballroom in Clarksville, MD. Once again, Mother Nature made it a challenge for our Superintendents to find their way, but for those who were able to attend, thank you! A snow storm won’t slow us down! All of the presenters did a fantastic job. My personal favorite was Joel Weiman’s talk on Successful Drainage Practices. Joel’s talk was practical and something that each of us can work on improving throughout our courses. Also during the seminar, Dr. John Kaminski from Penn State, took a few minutes at the end of his talk and praised our association on its efforts in recruiting and establishing a successful First Green Program. I appreciated his recognition of all the hard work our chapter has put in over the last few years! Let’s keep up this momentum!

In early March, we held a Superintendent/Assistant social at Bowlero in Columbia, MD. This is the first time the association attempted a Bowling event. While it wasn’t our biggest turnout, it was still a success and everyone who attended thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We look forward to adding this event into our annual spring rotation. Congratulations to Michael Bostian and Brett Niner for winning the Superintendent/Assistant division. Michael Bostian’s trophy case is getting pretty full - he has now been on a winning team for every MAAGCS event that we’ve held. Make sure you join us the next time and see if you can beat him!

Finally, I want to encourage everyone to stop by Caddies On Cordell in Bethesda, MD on Tuesday, May 14th to attend Dean Graves Retirement Party. MAAGCS will be hosting Dean’s party from 2 -6pm. Help us say congratulations to him for an extraordinary 42 years in the golf industry!

I hope everyone has a safe and busy Spring! Let’s all wish for good weather, healthy grass, and booked tee times! Don’t forget the above events and come support your fellow Superintendents in everything MAAGCS is doing for you and the industry!

Turfgrass Matters | Spring 2019 3

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Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents

First Cut Frenzy by Antony Lewis Having several months during the Winter to refresh an Equipment Fleet is one of my favorite things about working in the Mid-Atlantic. From in depth preventative maintenance to larger projects such as splitting a tractor, relief from unexpected tasks allows Equipment Managers to be thorough and organized. Bulk parts purchases through our vendors lets us take advantage of discounts, streamlines workflow, and even cuts time on putting away tools when you’re doing the same tasks on another unit tomorrow! That being said, when equipment is used for the first-time following service/hibernation, the chance for a hiccup is always there.

To minimize any cutting unit related fluke, bringing equipment back into the shop prior to use is a standard practice. Engage the reels to check for abnormal noises, leaks from hoses, and overall function. One time a coupler was actually left out and although the reel motor turned- the reel itself did not. Height of cuts could have been disturbed while the unit was stored as well. Buckets (grass catchers) should also be gone over for cracks, missing handles, and interference with the reel or lift arm.

The traction units themselves are subject to a bug as well. This Winter I replaced a corroded ring terminal that powers the electric cooling fan on a triplex. The wire was cut back, stripped, crimped, heat shrunk, then tested when the unit reached operating temperature following service.

After the first pass the mower overheated. We checked for power going to the fan and had nothing. Knowing the terminal was replaced via service records we then checked the fan fuse for input power. Following another reading of 0 volts, we went ahead and cut the terminal off, replaced it to confirm the fix, and put the unit back in service. Our connector had no continuity between the ring surface and exiting wire. Generally speaking, a fluke is related to a serviced system and worth inspecting first. Below is an exception to that rule…

A turbine blower was serviced and since we received reports of the machine shutting off overnight before running out of gas during humid weather, I wanted the ignition coils replaced.

This was completed and during early spring clean-up we noticed the engine would crank normally and begin to start until the ignition switch was let go. Using an inline spark tester, we had signal during cranking but shortly after the switch was relaxed into the run position the signal died off and the engine shut down. The first thing I wanted to do was check the coil gap then remove the ground wire from both coils to isolate a bad or incorrectly installed part. The end result was a faulty ignition switch that lost continuity transitioning from start to run.

In conclusion we all aim to prepare equipment for a reliable season and in doing so, experience a hiccup or two getting into the swing of things. Double check and test everything to eliminate an obvious mishap and have your diagnostic skills ready to get over that hump!

Antony Lewis Chevy Chase Club alewis@chevychaseclub.org

5-Minute Fix Videos GCSAA.org is a valuable resource for all GCSAA members, including equipment managers.

Featured in the equipment manager resources section are multiple “5-Minute Fix” videos. This is a collection of 5-minute videos that offer quick and simple solutions to equipment-related issues. You can also submit your ideas for 5-minutes fix videos. Topics of some of the videos that are already available include Reel Measurement, Clean Carburetor, Tire Change, One-Person Brake Bleed, HOC Accuracy, Attitude Adjustment and more. Visit https:// www.gcsaa.org/resources/equipment-management to view the videos.

Turfgrass Matters | Spring 2019 5

Best Wishes for a Well-Deserved Retirement, Dean Graves!

It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly 30 years ago when I first met Dean Graves. While he was Golf Course Superintendent at Bethesda Country Club preparing for the MAZDA LPGA Championship in late March of 1991, I was hired as a part-time employee to help to work on the golf course maintenance staff while searching for a job in my original field of study. It was amazing because my idea of part-time and Dean’s idea was not quite the same. That summer I averaged about 60 hours per week, just a few more hours than anticipated, but I loved it.

I started working at Bethesda Country Club on April 1, 1991 alongside another new employee, Doug. He was a 6-foot plus tall, strong looking guy contrasting my 5-foot 8 inch, 160 pound frame. I found out a few years later that the maintenance staff started a “pool” on who would last longer, Doug or myself. I found out after Doug moved on, that most of the staff had their money on Doug, although Dean has never told me who he had bet on in that pool, I do know that he bet on me in the Golf Course Management profession, and that strong support that he gave me holds true for all of his assistants past and present, as well as the support he gives to the Golf Course Management Profession, his friends, his family, 6

and everything that he does.

Dean had one of his good ‘talks” with me shortly after my first summer with BCC convincing me to attend the Institute of Applied Agriculture to pursue a career in Golf Course Management. The decision was easy, and that’s how it all began. His support was constant through my years at the IAA, always giving me the opportunity to learn and take on new responsibilities while working full-time and attending school. Although some of the “talks” that Dean and I had weren’t as good as the first, they all were for the best, and I learned something from each. Dean’s support of my career continued throughout our working relationship at BCC, even after the time he moved on to Chevy Chase Club.

Our relationship evolved from a strictly working relationship to one that involved both our love for the game of golf and of the outdoors. Teaming up in our regular golf match against Tom Lipscomb and Scott Reeside or playing in association events with Harry Fridley, Mike Gilmore and Rick Fritz were some of the most memorable. Weekends at the “Cabin” fishing, having a few Manhattans, eating like kings and playing cards into the wee hours of the morning have been priceless. I won’t go into our canoe trip on the Rappahannock, but maybe we can convince Dean to tell everyone that story on May 14th at Caddies.

Most importantly, I would like to thank Dean for all that he has done for me, as well as, all that he has done for our local and national superintendent associations, and for the great industry that we all love. Congratulations Dean on an outstanding career!

— Mark Kingora Dean has left a marked positive contribution to the profession of golf course superintendents not just in his own back yard of the Mid Atlantic - but also on a national level based on his efforts to influence our sport and profession leveraging his proximity to Washington, DC. The occasion of Dean’s retirement from the Chevy Chase Club where he has been the Golf Course Manager for many years - caused me to reflect on what Dean has done – not just for me – but for the Golf Course

Industry as a whole.

Dean is a key figure working with Federal, State and Local government agency relations through his service to the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GSCAA) and the Mid Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents (MAAGCS). By way of example Dean represented the GCSAA with the State of Maryland on crafting water, drought and nutrient management policies that have significant and lasting impact. Most recently Dean has been actively involved in fighting attempts to pass a pesticide ban in Montgomery County, Maryland. Further, he is deeply committed to supporting and expanding Audubon Sanctuary Programs and other environmental activities through mentoring of turfgrass students, his fellow Golf Course Superintendents, Assistants, staff and golfers.

It’s also not surprising given Dean’s understanding the importance of education and communication, that he spearheaded conducting tours of local golf courses to Directors from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in order to help garner a better effective awareness of what is involved in the daily management of golf courses. Activities such as these have helped dissuade the often pervasive but unfounded negative points of view while replacing it with one of environmental responsibility, custodianship, and stewardship of Golf Course Superintendents.

Dean continues to host an annual local superintendent’s roundtable gathering. Now on its 20th year, the event fosters a deep sense of collaboration and enables sharing of new and innovative techniques, products, working practices, etc.

Dean has been a mentor, coach, and a friend to countless Superintendents, Assistants, Interns and Staff throughout the years - to both those that have worked with him but also always offering assistance when asked to all that he comes to know. I had the pleasure to work with Dean as an Assistant Golf Course Manager at Bethesda Country Club from 1996 through 1999. That time working with Dean served as a springboard to launch my own career as a private club Golf Course

Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents

“You could be anywhere else in the world today, but you chose to be here, so thank you.”

— Dean Graves

Superintendent in 1999 with an 18- hole course renovation in the initial planning stages as my first order of business.

Among the lessons I learned from working with Dean was how adeptly he empowered his Assistants to run the golf course as if it was their own. He would give each of us as much leeway as he knew we could handle - and then would step in at exactly the right moment to solidify the learning point.

Dean continues to leave a lasting positive impact on the golf industry.

— Michael D. Augustin When I reflect about Dean Graves, the first word I think of is “gentleman”. The dictionary definition of gentleman is “a civilized, sensitive, educated, well-mannered man”. This describes Dean perfectly, but I would add that he has a playful sense of humor, to go along with the seriousness of a highly distinguished career, which allows him to enjoy all that life has to offer and live it to the fullest. Dean’s contributions to the MAAGCS are well documented, but I’m confident that it’s his family accomplishes of which he is most proud.

Dean - congratulations on a great career, thank you for your support and best wishes for continued success in all that you do!

— Lance Ernst Turf Equipment and Supply Company I was “just” a new guy on the crew when Dean Graves was hired at Chevy Chase Club in 2000.

But I quickly learned that, to this great mentor of mine, my role on this team was far more important.

One of the reasons Dean has been so successful in his career is because he GENUINELY places tremendous value on each and every one of his team members. Whether you are leading a project, or dialing in the quality of cut of reels following their postaeration battering, or putting an edge on bunkers before another successful MemberGuest, the whole package doesn’t happen without each and every team member focused on a common goal. And Dean is brilliant in bringing his team together to make it happen.

To achieve excellence, there’s not only solid agronomics, smart intraclub politicking and relationship-building, and detailed and rigorous planning of short- and long-term goals and tasks, but I think more importantly, there is dedicated time made for fellowship with the staff. I was happily stunned in one of Dean’s first days at Chevy Chase when he brought in his griddle one morning and cooked the entire team breakfast. The eggs, bacon and pancakes were made to your liking because it was really important to him to get it just right for you; the whole meal was served on the equipment manager’s bench in the shop because the standards were high enough to make this happen without a major cleaning; and most importantly, the full team was breaking bread together before another hard day’s work. Dean will tell you that nothing brings a good team together like food and comradery!

As I grew in my responsibilities over the years at Chevy Chase Club, Dean’s prowess in identifying strengths and weaknesses of his team were apparent and could even be uncomfortable at times. But in a good way.

Dean saw in me a strong work ethic and a desire to learn as I began to take on Penn State’s Advanced Turfgrass Management Certificate program. Great, that’s the easy part for every manager, when you have a gung-ho employee working hard and picking up lots of new skills. But he was also fantastic at finding things I was not comfortable with and pushing me way outside my comfort zone on many occasions. While I certainly had some moments that were pretty rough on me at the time, they were growth opportunities, and I’m a far better person and manager for having been through them.

Expectations of the crew were always high.

But expectations of Dean’s managers were even higher. Behind closed doors planning for the next day or for an upcoming project, if you were even just a little off your game or didn’t follow through on a commitment to the team, you certainly heard about it … and he made sure you remembered it. (Again, growth opportunities) Not only do we not want to waste a moment of our staff’s time doing something improperly only to have to do it again, but this

team owed their very best to the club that gave us all the opportunity and tremendous support to carry it out.

Excellence on the golf course was the norm.

Every day. As was excellence to each other in carrying out the day’s mission. But Dean’s impact to this great industry is much more far-reaching than just 175 acres of responsiblymanaged, beautiful greenspace nestled in the paved jungle of Suburbia. Over the course of decades, Dean built bridges: between superintendents during his MAAGCS Board service as well as over 2 decades of roundtable meetings he hosted. He built bridges between important players in the many allied associations of golf, and between a variety of 3- and 4-letter organizations like MDA, USDA, MDE, EPA, CBF, and the list goes on and on…

Dean proactively fostered many new relationships between our industry and legislative bodies in both Annapolis and on Capitol Hill. He inspired others to do the same, to tell our good story, and work with lawmakers to develop sensible legislation that we can live with. Case in point is the Maryland Fertilizer Use Act of 2011. Without Dean’s leadership on this to find reasonable common ground between all parties involved, simply staying in compliance with golf course nutrient management in Maryland right now would be arduous at best.

It’s difficult to succinctly capture the impact Dean has had on our profession, but eggs and bacon were a memorable beginning for me!

— Jon Lobenstine Congratulations to my good friend, colleague and mentor, Dean Graves, CGCS I’m not sure how long I’ve known Dean and I never officially worked for him but he has always been available to answer my questions weather golf course related or just giving me advice on how to advance my career in our unique industry. Dean has always been a very active member of the GCSAA and MAAGCS and received the GCSAA Excellence in Government Relations Award in 2003 and the President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship in 2011 and is a past president of the Mid-Atlantic

Turfgrass Matters | Spring 2019 7

Best Wishes, Dean Graves continued Association of Golf Course Superintendents.

I recently celebrated my 23 year anniversary at Argyle Country Club where I started as the Assistant Golf Course Superintendent in 1996.

During my climb up the organizational ladder, I have had many discussions with Dean on the phone or out at lunch at the Woodmont Grill in Bethesda on what things I needed to focus on to advance my career. When I was a young Superintendent, I was always hoping for the big job at a top level club in the area and wasn’t sure how to get there so one day I asked Dean “how do I get your job?”. I told him I felt like I was stuck at Argyle and I would never get the opportunity to work at a platinum level club making the big money or have the opportunity to host a major televised golf event. Dean gave me several recommendations including getting to know every member at my club, making sure the golf course was in outstanding condition when I knew guests from other clubs would be there and making sure they knew who I was before they left. I had always done a good job of knowing my members but over the next few years, I made sure I was around the 1st tee when our A-Team was teeing off and in the golf shop when they finished their round. I also started doing this for every tournament we hosted including USGA, Mid Atlantic PGA Section and any other event where industry representatives would be present. I made sure to meet all the tournament directors and rules staff which was great advice that helped grow my network within the industry.

Several years later, I was still hungry to advance my career so I invited Dean to lunch once again. This time we spent more time talking about our families and personal lives and getting to know each other on a personal level. Dean asked me questions about my kids and where they went to school, did my wife work and what her commute to work was like.

Did I like living in the area and enjoy my neighborhood and house and would I be willing to change all that and relocate to advance my career. These were things I really hadn’t thought much about and I wasn’t sure if I was willing to give them up for money and the big name club. Dean told me he how lucky Argyle was to have me and he felt I would make a 8

great general manager if the position became available. This had been a running joke between us as he knew Argyle seemed to hire and fire GM’s every 2 or 3 years. He also told me that Argyle was a great club with a great membership and we had a great reputation in the area that was a direct result of providing our members and guests with a great golf course which I had been responsible for. I started focusing on taking the top job at Argyle the next time it opened up and in 2012, I finally got my chance.

Dean and I continue to talk and he checks in from time to time to see how I am doing.

Things have been great for me and Argyle and I’m thankful that Dean was always there to listen to me and give me advice on how to advance my career. The last time I saw Dean, we had a great talk about life and work balance and how important they are to stay healthy and happy. I am excited for him as he starts the next chapter in his career and I will always have him on speed dial to help me out when I need it. I also look forward to coaching young superintendents in their careers if they are looking for it, I feel prepared for this as I had a great friend, colleague and mentor in Dean Graves who taught me well. Thanks for everything Dean, I’m looking forward to our next lunch!

— Mike Barrett Mr. Grave’s accomplishments as a mentor have been recognized on and off the golf course. Last year at a local GCSAA chapter meeting, a board member asked me how many young assistants had Dean grown into superintendents over the years. My response: “I truly have no idea.” More importantly, Dean has lent his ear to countless superintendents far and near who have sought his help. He is never one to turn a blind shoulder to anyone who values his guidance.

After graduating from Purdue University, I was given the opportunity to join Dean’s team at the Chevy Chase Club. I have had the pleasure of spending almost 7 of those years as his lead assistant. I will be the first one to admit that 7 years ago I didn’t know what I was signing up for (and neither did he)! For

instance, Dean had given me a book in my first week and asked that we talk Dean Graves with Chris Sandels about it later. After one week, he approached me and asked if I had finished. We both knew I hadn’t finished (much less even opened it yet) and my excuse was that I had been busy. Anyone who has worked for him knows that’s not the right answer, and that would be one of many lessons on time management that I would live and grow through.

These seemingly small and extremely frequent lessons that he instills into young minds is what makes him such a great mentor. Some people have defined his career through awards and recognition but one cannot overlook his tutelage. Often when introducing myself, a common response is “Oh so you work for Dean? I can’t imagine working for him” to which “You can’t” is my reply. Much of the skills and values he has ingrained in me will be taken through many aspects of my life that are unrelated to my career and many people if asked, would say the same.

Over his 19 years at the Chevy Chase Club, Mr. Graves has always maintained not only a formidable team of young budding superintendents but an unabashedly loyal and revolving staff. He’s helped many of them with their struggles and problems along the way. In my time knowing the man, I am astounded by the number of Dean Graves “Success Stories” by which past employees have returned for a visit from a bygone era simply to show their gratitude and to show him how far they have come. Many of them have escaped addictions, poverty, and other struggles through the structured and regimented ship that he captains.

Dean’s legacy will live on through the lives that he has touched and will never be forgotten. Cheers to a great career and a new chapter in your life!

— Chris Sandels

Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents

The old man is finally retiring. The stories of night watering with roller bases on a three wheel Cushman with your future wife riding shotgun are becoming fewer and far between now. I learned plenty from Dean over three summer internships and six years as his lead assistant. The transition from intern to assistant was intense. Dean was training me to be a superintendent from day one. There was very little room for mistakes, especially for mistakes that were caused by poor planning and not being three steps ahead of the rest of the crew. Here are three of the main philosophies that I continue to build on, of which Dean helped create.

Treat your staff like real people. Care about them and ask them how they are doing at home, and at work. Treat them how they want to be treated, not how you want to treat them.

If you asked them to do a certain task and they didn’t follow those directions, that is on you.

Find a way to talk to them so they can hear and understand you.

Don’t exaggerate. Describe the issue precisely and figure out how to fix it. If something broke or you killed something, just come out with it in proper detail. Don’t dance around it, minimize it or blow it out of proportion and make people aware sooner than later.

Network with everyone. Your peers, your members, your friends, your vendors. Learn from all these people and never expect anything of them, but know someday those relationships will help you further your career and be a better person. Be a leader among your peers and don’t settle for mediocrity in any space in your career.

Thank you Dean and congratulations! I am still waiting on you to teach me how to be a decent fisherman!

— Chris Harriman Congratulations to one of the finest gentlemen I’ve had the pleasure to work with in the golf business. Dean has always taken the time to mentor not only those who have worked for him on the agonomy side of the business - but also those that have worked with him on the sales side. Dean would always take the time to ride or even better walk the property...and give little pieces of life advice along the way!

I’ve learned alot from Dean over the years and wish him the best in retirement.

— Paul Schultheis

Creative Staffing Solutions by Tyler Bloom - Sparrows Point CC If you had to identify the ideal golf course maintenance employee, what characteristics would be most pivotal? Punctual, responsible, passionate, engaged, desire to learn and belong, quick learner, coachable and thirst for being a part of a team are all things that come to mind.

The labor issues in our industry continue to push creativity, wage scales, and Superintendents, like myself, to reprogram our operations. It was at our job fair held last March, that a group of joyful and personable candidates came with a career counselor from the Arc of Baltimore, a placement firm for people with disabilities. I then realized this was an opportunity to reinvent diversity and the personnel within our golf course operations. Based out of necessity, we needed to embrace a new channel for employees.

What I didn’t know was how much the golf course would impact them.

Most importantly, I didn’t know how much they would impact me.

Our job fair was established by the management team at Sparrows Point Country Club as a creative means to interact, interview and showcase our facility. The job fair was advertised through newspaper advertisement, digital media and word of mouth. Each year it has grown and reached new targets, the Arc of Baltimore fell into our lap. They had seen our advertisement in the local newspaper.

My initial thoughts and gut feeling were that our daily operations may be too complex and physically demanding. I was a bit apprehensive about how our staff would interact. Could these employees keep up with our team’s pace? Would my core staff engage with them? Could they meet basic employment standards?

Our golf course maintenance team has evolved through the years. I would characterize our early years as a bunch of misfits with little team

camaraderie to evolving into a brotherhood and family culture. We employ up to 10 seasonal or part-time roles and 10 full-time employees. Each year we have spent a great deal of time building culture, aligning our company vision with individuals who share common traits. My approach was built out of necessity to facilitate basic operations. I am not a beneficiary of prolific course renovations and modern infrastructure. We make platinum out of dust. That is due to a highly engaged workforce and pride.

Finding and attracting labor has been my number one challenge since arriving at Sparrows Point Country Club. Without question our labor market in the greater Dundalk area has been negatively affected by the lack of industrial growth since the 1980’s due to the demise of Bethelehem Steel. We are slowly climbing our way out as redevelopment tycoon, TradePoint Atlantic, has reinvigorated over 15,000 jobs and significant investment into the region.

As I evaluated the “fit” with the Arc of Baltimore, I also knew I didn’t have candidates knocking at the door. Butts in seats was unfortunately a hiring motto, and I thought at least I would have positions filled. I couldn’t have been more wrong in my assessment.

What we found were two candidates - Ariel and Jacob - who met the criteria of our ideal candidate, while starving for a chance to build their personal and professional skills. Our platform, the golf course, could certainly benefit from those with an internal sense of ownership and drive to grow. We welcomed them into our operation with an open mind, knowing this could be the start of a key partnership in our recruitment efforts.

The initial challenges we faced really were no different than any employee - proper training, consistent communication, accountability, continued on page 14

Turfgrass Matters | Spring 2019 9

Cross-disciplinary Education Stimulates Ideas Education has always been an integral part of the turfgrass management profession. Regardless of one’s formal education level, our industry prides itself on staying current with developing trends and new science by attending conferences, consuming online webinars, or simply learning through networking at chapter events. I think most of us value this characteristic about our industry, and genuinely enjoy learning new things.

In my opinion, some of the most stimulating education comes from cross-disciplinary events, such as those hosted by the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA). While we all love our agronomy and related sciences (including myself!), I believe these alternative perspectives and insights can help give us a better-rounded understanding of our industry. I had the opportunity to attend NGCOA Mid-Atlantic’s Annual Meeting at The Federal Club, and found my adrenaline ticking up a notch when listening to some of the education given throughout the day.

One of the pieces of information I always enjoy hearing about, is growing the game initiatives.

GCSAA has our own programs, such as The First Green, but I also enjoy hearing what others are working on, especially at the facility level. Lester George, a respected golf course architect and a member of ASCGA, presented a recent study by the Sports & Leisure Research Group that helped shed some light on grow-the-game initiatives. We learned that women and minorities are golf’s greatest opportunity for growth. And while that information may not be earth-shattering, we also learned what women want in their golfing experience:

Chase Rogan GCSAA Field Staff, Mid-Atlantic Region.

CRogan@gcsaa.org @GCSAA_MidAtl.

• An enjoyable social occasion • Should leave them with a sense of accomplishment • Should not be fraught with unnecessary physical or emotional stress One of the trends striking the private sector is daycare options within the club, as well as fitness facilities. In a nutshell, families want family-catered amenities within any facility they would consider joining or supporting.

Furthermore, we learned that millennials value the traditional golf experience, however, they must feel welcome at any facility. They need to feel inclusivity is part of the culture. And as you may have heard before, millennials are not shy about spending money on experiences. Which is proving true within the golf industry and the uptick in popularity for golf trips or overnight stays in on-site cottages.

While this information seemed a bit surprising to me, the proof of this exact point was fully displayed later in the meeting when Queenstown Harbor was recognized for their leadership in public golf in the Mid-Atlantic region for their recent construction of on-site cottages. John Anderes, CGCS, and General Manager at Queenstown, accepted this award and said even he has been pleasantly surprised by the high utilization of these cottages. In fact, the facility plans to add more in the near future.

And not to leave out the golf course, we learned that putting green quality is still at the top of the list for golfer satisfaction on the golf course (surprise surprise!). However, the surveys reflect a growing appetite for WiFi accessibility around the golf course, as well as increased interest in golf simulation within golf facilities.

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Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents

Government Relations This year has been a rollercoaster ride as two new bills were introduced to ban chlorpyrifos. The bill was originally introduced in the House of Delegates Environmental and Transportation Committee and then designated House Bill 275. Delegate Stein reintroduced the same bill from last year and which gained quite a lot of support.

Some new delegates this year after the elections brought additional support for the bill. Our lobbyist, Joe Miedusiewski and Matt Teffeau from the Responsible Industry for Sound Environment (RISE) group took the lead, helping us to organize a strong opposition to the bill. Golf course superintendents submitted written and oral testimony in opposing the ban on a chemical that we use responsibly to control the annual bluegrass weevil.

Unfortunately, the house committee overwhelmingly passed the bill and sent it over to the Maryland Senate, Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee to do some committee research of their own. Again, we submitted written and oral testimony in opposition of the bill. The senate was much more split on the bill, which gave us a chance to stop the legislation from reaching the senate floor. The vote out of committee came down to Senator Patterson from Prince George’s County, who was unsure of how to vote.

There was a last effort to sway his vote by the Maryland Agricultural Business, MAAGCS, nursery growers, fruit farmers, and RISE. Ultimately, we were unsuccessful in convincing him to oppose the bill, creating a 6-5 committee vote to move the bill from the committee to the senate floor.

Usually, when a committee sends something out for a floor vote, it is guaranteed to be passed.

The worst outcome for a committee chair is to pass a bill out of their committee and fail on the floor. This exact scenario happened last year causing a failure to pass after a lengthy and heated floor debate.

Since the vote was close again this year, we expected a similar situation. However, Maryland Session 2019 was overloaded with large impactful bills that had yet to be discussed. With only a week left in session, the Senate President, Mike Miller told the EHEA committee chair, Senator Paul Pinsky, there was no time to debate HB 275 on the floor and that it would have to be recommitted until next year. In 24 hours, HB 275 was sure to be passed, then sent back to wait until next year.

There is no way to predict these situations or outcomes, but a bill to ban chlorpyrifos will wait until next year.

Although we have a dedicated lobbyist, it takes individuals impacted by the bill to voice your concerns to get committee members to vote on our behalf. I would like to thank the superintendents that sent letters or reached out to lawmakers in opposition of this bill. Your phone calls and letters did make a difference. I would also like to thank Jim Weaver, Josh Fuhrman, and Chris Harriman for coming to Annapolis to provide oral testimony to the committees. The Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents must continue to be a presence in Maryland State legislative matters in order to protect our interests.

Eric David United States Naval Academy @esd327 edavid@usna.edu

Celebrating Dean Graves Retirement!

Tuesday, May 14, 2019, 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm Caddies on Cordell, Bethesda, MD

Joins us to celebrate the retirement of Dean Graves, Golf Course Manager at Chevy Chase Club.

Dean is an MAAGCS Past President and is an instrumental figure in our industry. For the past 18 years, Dean was the Golf Course Manager at the highly regarded Chevy Chase Club. Off the course he has shown dedication and leadership through his work with federal, state and local government agencies along with building relationships with allied associations. Dean is also recognized as a mentor to many in the Mid-Atlantic region and around the country. We hope to see you at the celebration!

Turfgrass Matters | Spring 2019 11

Superintendent/Assistant Challenge Bostian and Niner Take Home the Pins!

It was an exciting afternoon at Bowlero in Columbia, MD for the Superintendent/Assistant Challenge. The event had a great turnout and there were some impressive scores.

The format was for each player to bowl three games and take their two highest scores.

Those scores were added to their partner’s two highest scores to determine the team’s final score. Mike Bostian and Brett Niner took home

the Superintendent/Assistant division with a total score of 560. The Open division was won

by Bernie Hipkins and Mike Olsen with an impressive total of 802. The individual high score for the members was also Bernie Hipkins

with a single game of 199, while his partner Mike Olsen threw a whopping 243!

A special thank you goes out to all of our year-long partners and sponsors of the event.

LANE SPONSORS Helena Chemical, Noble Turf

Champions Superintendent / Assistant Division

Open Division

Member Individual High Score

Mike Bostian & Brett Niner

Bernie Hipkins & Mike Olsen

Bernie Hikpins

Ryan Kraushofer, Mike Bostian, Brett Niner, Joe Haskins

Ryan Kruashofer, Bernie Hipkins, Mike Olsen, Joe Haskins

Ryan Kruashofer, Bernie Hipkins, Joe Haskins

Save this Date – May 28, 2019 MAAGCS/ESAGCS Chesapeake Challenge Queesntown Harbor Golf Links • Queenstowwn, MD

MAAGCS AIMING TO THREE-PEAT! 12

Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents

Remembering MAAGCS Past President Bill Emerson Bill Emerson, MAAGCS President in 1977-78, died earlier this year in Phoenix, AZ. Bill was one of many great superintendents from western Massachusetts and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture to move south to the Mid-Atlantic.

He worked at Crofton, Green Spring Valley, and Towson CC before moving to Chevy Chase Club in 1977. In 1983 Bill moved west to Paradise Valley CC in Phoenix which started a trend of sorts when neighbors Tom Reagan at Bethesda CC and Virgil Robinson from Burning Tree took jobs in Arizona soon afterwards. Younger MAAGCS members might know Bill’s son Shaun the Director of Agronomy at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, AZ. Bill was elected to the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame in 2012 and later joined by his son Shaun in 2017. He is credited with revolutionizing maintenance standards and organizing turf research in Arizona. He was an outspoken proponent of golf course superintendents. Bill had an “in your face” communication style and always encouraged superintendents to be professional and to “toot your own horn.”

Best Management Practices Adopting a Facility BMP is Easier than You Might Think Recently, MAAGCS hosted a facility BMP workshop at the University of Maryland. GCSAA Environmental Programs Director, Mark Johnson, along with Dr. Joseph Roberts of UMD facilitated a hands-on session showing superintendents how to get started on developing their facility BMPs. They also discussed the importance of developing and adopting the facility BMP and how it can be a great asset to our industry. Facility BMP’s and statewide adoption will show our legislatures that we have a strong commitment to environmental sustainability and maintain our golf

courses in a responsible manner. This is an important initiative and MAAGCS encourages every golf course to develop their own facility BMP. For more information and to get started on your facility BMP you can visit https://www.gcsaa.org/environment/bmp-planning-guide

Rounds 4 Research Rapidly Approaching It’s golf season! And if you love golf (and nice weather), it’s a lovely time of year. In fact, it excites a lot of people. Like the 25 million golfers around the U.S. that we hope to target in this year’s Rounds 4 Research auction.

Rounds 4 Research is an innovative program supported through the Environmental Institute for Golf, the philanthropic arm of GCSAA. The purpose of R4R is to generate resources to fund research, advocacy, scholarships, and education to help ensure golf’s sustainability.

Essentially, R4R works by collecting donated foursomes from golf courses across the country, and then those rounds will go to a

public auction for golfers everywhere.

We NEED YOUR PARTICIPATION by asking that your club or course donate a round of golf today. Anybody can contribute! And any stipulation can be placed on the round when you donate, so please do not shy away. For example, if the winning bidder can only bring their foursome on a Monday or Tuesday, just mention that with your donation. Again, any stipulation is fine!

All courses donating rounds will be marketing their course by including a short description, photo and web link. Furthermore, GCSAA provides resources for fundraising partners at

http://www.rounds4research.com/participating-organizations/.

The auction will also be promoted by our partners, including The Golf Channel, USGA, PGA of America, and state and local golf associations. This year’s auction runs from April 29 – May 5.

To donate, visit www.rounds4research. com and click on the ‘Donate Now’ button. The entire process takes less than 10 minutes. By doing so, you are helping steward our great game moving forward.

Turfgrass Matters | Spring 2019 13

Creative Staffing Solutions continued from page 9 and generating trust. Recognizing each individual’s disability whether being intellectual or developmental is extremely important to finding the best in them. This is no different than our approach to any other employee.

Our biggest challenge was the transportation from Maryland Transportation Authority, who were clearly unhappy to bring Ariel and Jacob before the sun rise. I believe working with Arc of Baltimore and the parents to establish pick up and drop off times were imperative to meet basic employment punctuality.

Ensuring they had structure to their day was important to them.

Eliminating distractions such as cell phones, chat sessions or working in large groups would keep them focused.

Ariel and Jacob would work a four hour shift, Monday through Friday.

We found niche roles such as blowing off clippings from playing surfaces, raking bunkers, picking up debris and using back pack blowers were tasks easily within their skill set. The Arc of Baltimore provided a job coach, who could help them grow and develop, while providing our team with proper training methods.

Leveraging the job coach not only provided immediate on the job training, but also untapped another potential recruiter. As we learned and took feedback, we also were able to convey opportunities the job coach could relate back to the Arc of Baltimore. In essence, the job coach became more than a partner, but an ambassador.

While the job coach primarily focused on the needs of Ariel and Jacob, the individual provided a two way conduit for information. We gained tremendous value and insight how to communicate, lead and inspire. This transcends people with disabilities, these were tactics that became influential for all of our staff.

Repetition and familiarity with job tasks was very critical for Ariel and Jacob’s success. This was the first job where they were held accountable for outcomes and their role. Often they found themselves in roles with other companies that didn’t require standards or We found that providing them written instructions would lead to consistent results. Learning the individual’s cognitive skills requires assistance from the job coach.

As the weeks progressed, identifying areas for growth and how to address them became easier. Our staff began to recognize they were a huge part of our team, and we needed them. The individuals took pride in tasks ranging from debris cleanup, blowing off clippings from fairways and roughs, raking bunkers, and basic landscape bed maintenance. These are critical roles in just about every golf course operation.

I established key leaders within our team as reference points, which empowered my core staff to take ownership of being role models. They were empowered to be “big brothers” and help coach and direct. The Arc of Baltimore genuinely appreciated this approach, and have recommended this to other employers. That has translated into the big picture of creating a mentoring succession plan for all employees, something we had been missing in our operations.

There is no question that working with the Arc of Baltimore team, who are professionally trained, to assist throughout the process made it a success. They understand in a broader spectrum how each individual’s disabilities can present, and how to coach the individuals and our team.

14

Working hand in hand through the onboarding process, then becoming less reliant as the employee integrated into the workplace, was how we worked together. It is the Arc’s goal to guide and transition their individual’s to independency.

Each day I felt we needed to ensure we hit complementary verbal and written communication. Our consistency in messaging provided the employees structure, and the written instruction would reinforce key points. We learned that by introducing both methods, the employees had the confidence to go for it with reassurance on paper.

Communicating with my staff throughout the season was just as important. Some employees, due to a lack of maturity, were slow to recognize they needed to take the initiative when working with Ariel and Jacob. I had to constantly remind my staff for feedback, and to take a leadership role. As a result, our staff became more vocal and developed their own skills to properly motivate and connect with employees. When Ariel and Jacob felt included, their production and performance improved. When they felt isolated from my staff, they seemed to forget their role within the operation. This at times was a constant battle, and it took time and nurturing my core staff to break those barriers.

How did I break those barriers? I held my core staff accountable for creating an inclusive environment. Out of necessity, I demanded that our full-time employees expect more of themselves. If I was going to invest time into their careers and development, this would be the perfect chance to practice. Regardless of disability, they had an opportunity to coach, train and motivate entry level employees.

I also engaged and integrated Ariel and Jacob into daily operations and feedback channels. They were required to watch the same safety videos, listen to morning meetings, participate in feedback reports and responsible for shop cleanup areas. Creating feedback channels engaged them into taking ownership as their concerns or suggestions would be heavily considered.

As our season winded down in November, I felt shameful for having a prejudice or felt I needed to treat them differently than a tenured employee or someone without disabilities. Stepping outside of my comfort zone allowed for our operations to grow exponentially. This was a homerun for our operations and the Club. The partnership with the Arc of Baltimore will continue in 2019, and we are better equipped on how to engage, train, and integrate our employees.

As a key manager and leader at the Club, I felt it was important to introduce new ideas and people into the workplace. It was not only life changing for our two staff members from Arc, but for me personally. I’ve been privileged to benefit from the game of golf, and sharing my passion with others provides great self gratification. However, providing a platform for people who are searching for purpose and inclusion is rewarding. It has shifted my mindset to do this for all of my employees. I have appreciated the little things within our profession and craft that that I lost sight on. Working with Mother Nature, team camaraderie, operating equipment, changing cups, edging sprinklers, instructing staff how to rake bunkers and all tasks that got me engaged into the profession. These are some aspects Ariel and Jacob loved.

Many colleagues are not comfortable embracing diversity within their

Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents

staffs, and continue to struggle keeping people engaged and their operations moving forward. There is an image problem with golf courses due to the stuffy and predominantly male populated sport. The same image scares potential employees, and good ones from coming to the door.

Looking back, I would have established a stronger connection to the job coach. Leveraging their relationship with Ariel and Jacob would’ve been helpful. I often found they were scared or afraid to interact, because of fear of other people’s opinions. Mostly, they were afraid of mine. Had I developed that trust through the coach, we would’ve streamlined their development much faster. The job coach is a trusted partner for both parties, and can relate back to me shortcomings or necessary feedback.

I would have focused on integrating our human resource and training policies over an extended period versus in the first week. No employee can remember that much information, so it is more effective to address in small chunks. I would have also required the Arc of Baltimore to understand our policies and procedures to assist Ariel and Jacob.

Many people subscribe to setting boundaries between work and personal matters. However, emotional distress from outside of work impacts all employees. My observation was that it affected Ariel and Jacob. The job coach needs to be a part of helping. Making our staff aware of these outside issues also can strengthen their relationships.

They are viewed with care and respect, not as a cog in a manufacture line.

By no stretch is it a perfectly oiled machine at Sparrows Point, but this pipeline to recruit, train and engage people in our industry is powerful. We go into the 2019 with all of our seasonal positions filled, and by far the greatest collection of talent top to bottom. We have diversity at every level - men, women, former Superintendent, a well structured high school internship program, Latino and African American ethnicities, and the partnership with the Arc of Baltimore.

It is hard to define one moment that was most rewarding, because it was culmination of daily victories and struggles for Jacob and Ariel that define this experience. Building confidence, gratitude, accomplishment, teamwork and a sense of belonging was no small task.

Listening to either one talk to their parents or job coach with enthusiasm after a successful day on the job brought me joy. As much joy as I get from member compliments and recognition for conditions, nothing compares to the happiness of my employees.

Conversely, it was heartbreaking to discipline or correct either as I knew they would hold onto that disappointment longer than other employees. At times, they couldn’t connect poor performance with progressive discipline, and wore their emotions. Nor could they look past these as minor shortcomings. Building confidence with Jacob and Ariel was my hardest task after a pitfall. I am a motivational communicator, and I fell short of my own standards with Jacob and Ariel. There’s no more humbling feeling as a leader or manager then when an employee can’t get out of their own funk.

Ariel and Jacob are not returning to us in 2019 as the Arc of Baltimore found them employment during the winter offseason. We have continued our dialogue with the Arc of Baltimore being better equipped how to serve

their needs. Vice versa, they know what skills and characteristics we need to operate efficiently and effectively. At the end of the day, we have a business to run with specific needs. We are very excited to be a key partner for the Arc of Baltimore, as I know it will continue to benefit our operation.

Diversity opens doors to challenge conventional thinking. We have developed our operational standards and how to connect with all employees in large part due to this experience. Embracing different abilities and physical limitations has strengthened our training programs, communication, onboarding and relationships with employees.

We are more focused on learning the individual, which will then connect us with how they interpret the world they live in. Often we are focused on our agenda or perception, and impose that on our employees.

Consequently, employees never live up to our standards with this mindset.

I want to know what they need and how to prepare them for what they don’t even know they need.

Developing trust within the community as a destination place for employment is a guiding vision we have that opens the door for unique opportunities. The State of Maryland’s Department of Disabilities recognized Sparrows Point Country for direct employee support based off the recommendation of the Arc of Baltimore in 2018. We were the only golf course who received this honor, and to our best knowledge are the only course to ever receive this honor in Maryland.

Recognition and honors were not our intent, but a nice feather in our cap that we promote in our workplace culture. As you walk into our maintenance facility, the recognition our staff has gained is on display. It is a badge of honor that was created by outside the box thinking, trust in each other and is a direct source of motivation for our employees. They have set the benchmark for inclusiveness and are champions for diversity. Excellence in workplace culture is a key pillar to our success, and reflects on the golf course.

As our club continues to evolve its identity, I often communicate the strides made from our department. This is not a feel good story, it is a story of vision, inclusion and community. The power of diversity has reshaped our thoughts, actions and efforts. The characteristics at Sparrows Point is a blend of engagement, passion, grit and teamwork.

What we may lack in glitz and glamour, we surely overcome with culture.

There are many job placement firms for people with disabilities throughout the country trying to get good, qualified people into professions, like ours, that promote advancement and community. I don’t know how I or my colleagues in the profession can look past this option.

There aren’t many left, and you will be surprised just like I have been.

A golf course has a unique way to bring people together in a spirited way. We as Golf Course Superintendents can have a direct impact on building communities in our workplace through diversity. The challenges of labor will not go away through traditional means. I’ve seen many job postings from the top 5 clubs in the country, and it is time to open your doors to unconventional methods of recruiting and non-prototype employees.

Turfgrass Matters | Spring 2019 15

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Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents

Getting to Know... Josh Fuhrman Superintendent The Golf Club at South River How did you get into the profession?

A family member was working under Mark Kuhns, CGCS and introduced me to the world of turfgrass science.

Josh Fuhrman The Golf Club at South River 410-798-5865 x 2309 jfuhrman@golfclubsr.com @jjfuhrms

Where did you go to school?

I have a B.S. from Eastern Michigan University and graduated from the 2-year program at Michigan State University.

What’s the most rewarding thing in your job?

The most rewarding aspect of the job is also the most challenging. It is creating and maintaining a positive workplace culture that empowers and excites the team members. This profession can be difficult, but having a great team makes it feel easier.

What do you look forward to with the MAAGCS this year?

I’m excited to serve with some very strong leaders on the board. I’ve wanted to give back to the chapter and continue the great programs being created by the board.

Any special education initiatives you’d like to see in 2019?

The education event starting this year had some great presenters and topics. I look forward to working with the board and bringing in some fresh, ideas.

Any new technology or practices you are going to implement in 2019?

I plan to use drone technology to help communicate several golf course improvements this season.

A major practice we are going to implement is measuring clipping yield to better manage nitrogen and MSLN.

Best advice you’ve received in the profession...

“Managing grass is easy, managing people is the challenge” – Steve Glossinger, CGCS

Turfgrass Matters | Spring 2019 19

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MAAGCS Match Play Presented by Syngenta First Round Matchups The fourth installment of the MAAGCS Match Play Championship is underway with 32 teams battling for the chance to call themselves champions. This is always a popular event making way for MAAGCS members to network with their fellow colleagues while playing some competitive golf around the region. Thank you to our presenting sponsor Syngenta and to everyone who is participating this year. Good luck!

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Turfgrass Matters | Spring 2019 21

Letter from the Editor – Tyler Bloom The offseason has finally come to an end and we’re in the midst of the 2019 golf season. Where did the winter months go? The MAAGCS provided a number of educational opportunities, and we’re excited for the slate of events to come.

As part of my continuing education this winter, I took a number of field trips to visit peers in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington D.C. at some of the most respected operations in the country. I often find more value in the field than in a classroom setting.

I was meeting with Dean Graves and Stephen Britton to discuss the evolution of the high school internship program we have established at Sparrows Point Country Club. No question a source of pride that two people, who I respect and look up to, were asking me for guidance on staff development and recruiting. I brought two of my key staff members to meet their team and observe operations. A win-win for both sides.

As we began to enjoy our breakfast in the member’s lounge, Mother Nature showed up again.

Gale force winds ripped a tarp off the 18th green and was making a beeline towards Connecticut Avenue.

Without showing much panic, Dean Graves excused himself to assist his staff. Three short months prior, Dean announced his retirement after 42 years. I assume this was another micro instance of why it was time to enjoy breakfast with his wife.

In that moment, Dean told Stephen Britton and I to sit and relax. We both had a front row seat to watch the resemblance of 42 years demonstrate once again why Dean is who he is. His actions spoke louder than words, and the urgency of other departments to help came second nature.

Stephen and I sat like two color commentators predicting over, under bets on whether chairs, trees or staff were heading over to Connecticut Avenue. The power of team persevered, and things were back to normal.

The other instance was visiting with Tim Kennelly at Baltimore Country Club for similar discussions. What I walked away with was how connected his team is to the vision and core values of the organization. I’m not talking the assistants or department managers, but every single staff member. Collectively, they all shared their passion for their craft and serving their members with excellence. The camaraderie amongst everyone appeared to be genuine and cheerful. That’s the type of team I would want to be in the trenches with.

Money surely helps provide glitz and glamour, but the culture I saw in both operations is why they both have sustained success at high levels. We talk about having a positive attitude like it is something tangible, but both operations demonstrated it authentically. Working together for collaborative success is part of their DNA. Cross department collaboration is critical in today’s club environment. The “us versus them” mentality is a fast track to mediocrity and failure. Chevy Chase Club and Baltimore Country Club provided new benchmarks for me, and something I infused with our team.

I know we are all getting ready for the 2019 season, but I would recommend setting time for field trips or cross department activities. We all can share successes and failures. Breaking bread and finding common ground is an easy method to raise service levels and camaraderie.

Despite great educational offerings regionally and at the Golf Industry Show, the best education I received this year came at the expense of my peers. As the season progresses, set time to meet with your peers for a happy hour, luncheon or breakfast.

If the season is time consuming, ensure you put events on the calendar. Looking forward to meetings and industry events can keep people motivated and on top of your game. I personally feel fresh and rejuvenated after a taxing 2018 season. Best wishes to everyone on a dry, stressless and smooth early season.

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Tyler Bloom Superintendent, Sparrows Point Country Club @tbloom_SPCC tbloom@sparrowspointcc.org

Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents

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