Winterkill and ‘WinterTurf’ BY KEVIN FRANK
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interkill has become an annual event that golf course superintendents struggle with every year across both North America and the Nordic countries in Europe. This year was no exception, numerous courses across northern Michigan suffered damage ranging from what some might deem inconsequential to so severe that greens may be delayed from opening for spring play. Anyone that follows social media has no doubt seen the level of devastation experienced by courses in the general Ottawa and Montreal region that appear all to similar to what Michigan experienced in 2013-2014. Clearly a greater understanding of winterkill issues is necessary to provide golf course superintendents with management, mitigation, and recovery strategies. Initial conversations on winterkill research began among researchers in the north central region in the summer of 2014. These initial conversations ultimately resulted in a team of professors from seven universities (Iowa State, Univ. Massachusetts, MSU, Univ. Minnesota, Rutgers, Oregon State, and Univ. Wisconsin) and one country, Norway (Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research) submitting a proposal in May to the United States Department of Agriculture Specialty Crops Research Initiative grant program. The full title of our proposal is “WinterTurf: A holistic approach to understanding the mechanisms and mitigating the effects of winter stress on turfgrasses in northern climates.” The proposal has six objectives ranging from monitoring conditions on golf greens in winter throughout North America and Nordic countries, to understanding the physiology of freezing stress, to breeding more cold tolerant grasses, to developing a winterkill warning application. One very unique aspect of our project has been to ask golf course superintendents to monitor winter conditions on 1 or 2 greens for 1 or 2 years. We had 139 golf course superintendents volunteer to assist us, including
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20 from Michigan. The power of this citizen science effort can’t be underestimated as this year the grant required a 1:1 dollar match, for every dollar we request we provide a dollar. The efforts of these superintendents will provide over $640,000 worth of matching funds that will be used to support graduate students, research technicians, and post-doctoral research associates. Without this support the grant would definitely be much smaller and the research less complete. We will find out if our grant is awarded later this summer, if funded we will begin work this fall. Thanks to all who have supported this grant either through writing a letter of support or agreeing to monitor greens during winter. Michigan superintendents who volunteered to monitor greens during the winter. Mike Morris, Crystal Downs CC Brian Schweihofer, Franklin Hills CC Doug Hoeh, TreeTops Resort Kye Barton, Tam O’Shanter CC Greg Goecker, Wequetonsing CC Scott Pulaski, Walloon Lake CC Eric Davey, Prestwick Village GC Jim Bluck, Arcadia Bluffs Keith Patterson, Kent CC Jared Milner, Meadowbrook CC Rob Steger, Saginaw CC Scott Rettman, Walnut Creek CC Steve Hammon, Traverse City CC Craig Moore, Marquette GC Drew Peddie, CC of Lansing Kris Wakeman, Sugar Loaf-Old Course Jeff Hopkins, Muskegon CC Ryan Moore, Forest Lake CC John Sabat, Plum Hollow CC Jeff Holmes, Egypt Valley CC
Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association
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