Tee To Green
July/August 2021
Tee To Green The Official Publication of the South Texas Golf Course Superintendents Association
2021 Meeting Schedule (Dates & Locations Subject to Change)
October 19, 2021 Meeting/Education The Clubs of Kingwood - Marsh Course November 2021 Past Presidents Meeting/Annual Meeting TBA December 4, 2021 Scholarship Banquet/Christmas Party TBA
October 19, 2021 STGCSA Meeting & Education The Clubs of Kingwood - Marsh Course
2021 STGCSA Member/Guest/Guest/Guest 1st Place Gross: Paul Gamino Philip Stewart Robert Simmons Cullen Cooper (Results on page 5) 1
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Jason Barrington - President STGCSA It is hard to believe that September is here, but I sure am glad. We are one month closer to some cooler weather. It has been a very educating one for us here at The Golf Club at Texas A&M. We had a successful grown-in on greens, replaced our collars with TifTuf Bermuda, created our own sprigs and sprigged areas on fairways and tees, and cut our own sod to fixed several problem areas. I hope everyone's summer has been very productive as well. I want to talk about a topic that pretty much everyone of us are familiar with, stress. I have always thought I am good at dealing with stress. I do not let too much bother me and have the ability to block it out. These past 15 months have been a different story though. There have been so many different things going on both personally and at work. I was dealing with a guardianship case that was dragging out and kept getting pushed back, and then the freeze happened in February. This only increased the level of stress. It really opened my eyes to how much stress negatively affects your everyday life. I had a hard time sleeping; It was hard to think about anything other than the things causing stress, which only made things worse. During this time I put on weight and reached a number I never envisioned reaching. This also caused sleeping problems and caused me to start snoring which caused my wife to have problems sleeping. After months of trying different ways to relieve the snoring and nothing working, I realized the only way I am going to stop is if I loose some weight, so that is what I did. We closed the course on June 1st to start the renovation process and the guardianship case had just ended, so one stressful thing was over, and the other stressful thing went to a new level. I did not want to diet because so many times they fail and you regain all of the weight. I wanted to make a life style change. The first thing I decided to do was give up Dr. Pepper. I absolutely love a Dr. Pepper and peanut butter crackers in the morning. Since I gave up Dr. Pepper, I also decided to give up the crackers. This was not easy, but I had done it before, so I knew I could again. After a couple weeks of that, I decided to start jogging. I am not a runner and I hate to run long distances. I was not going to let that stop me though. So on June 1st, I got up at 5 am to run before work. I wanted to get my metabolism going first thing. I set out the first morning and my goal was one time around my subdivision and I knew that was 1.1 miles. I believe I had to stop and walk six or seven times to walk and catch my breath. I was okay with that because I knew I had to start somewhere. I also decided to start eating less each meal and cut back on the snacking. This is another thing that was and still is very difficult, but once again I was making a life style change, not just a diet. In less than two weeks I was able to jog the entire distance without stopping. Then I worked on being able to jog it faster and faster. Then I added a little distance each time. The changes and exercising helped clear my mind and were giving me more energy to get through each day. At this point we had sprigged the greens and fairways and were having to be at work daylight to dark to keep an eye on the water. Week by week I would feel less stressed and was loosing a little weight. After a month or so, my snoring had decreased enough to where it was not making it hard for my wife to sleep. That was definitely a win. Everyone knows happy wife happy life. One of the biggest things I have to emphasize though is that I decided I had to make a change. I have had to motivate myself in the morning when I absolutely did not feel like running. My wife has been amazing and very supportive through the entire process and that has helped tremendously. I am not sure how I would have made it through the summer in that physical and mental state. I refused to accept the way I was feeling and looking. I am still working on loosing weight and being in a good mental state through both exercise and reading the bible. We re-opened the course on August 19th and that has helped reduce the stress level as well. We are not finished with projects, but at least now we get to maintain the course for people to enjoy. I really encourage any of you who are struggling mentally or physically. You have it in you to make changes. Start with one small thing and build on that each week. You can do anything you set your mind too. Don't quit and never give up. As always I am here for anyone who would like to talk or needs prayer for anything. Sincerely,
Jason Barrington 2
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Member News Do you have any news to share such as: A Job Promotion? Hosting a Major Tournament? Moving Jobs? Getting Married? Birth Announcements? Etc.? Please email Carrie Cole at stgcsa@stgcsa.org so we can share the latest news and get to know our fellow members!
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2021 South Texas GCSA, Inc. Scholarship Application The 2021 Scholarship Awards Ceremony will be held on December 4, 2021 (Location TBA) The Application deadline is September 1, 2021 The Transcript deadline is October 1, 2021 Send all documents by email or mail. Transcripts need to be mailed directly to: South Texas, GCSA, Inc. PO Box 2443 Cypress, TX 77410-2443
Click Here for the 2021 STGCSA Scholarship Application
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How Consistent Lake Management Helps Create More Enjoyable Properties Written by Noel Browning, Aquatic Biologist at SOLitude Lake Management Lakes, rivers, beaches, and even swimming pools have beneficial effects on the well-being of visitors that are hard to define. Water is not only essential for our survival, it has a profoundly relaxing and refreshing impact on people’s mental health and happiness. Human beings will always be inextricably connected to water physically, mentally, and spiritually. This helps explain why areas near large water systems are common vacation destinations and highly desirable places for residential communities, golf courses, and attractions. It also underscores the importance of preserving our precious aquatic resources. Maintaining balanced aquatic ecosystems is more important than ever as water scarcity, eutrophication, drought, and increasing demand continue to cause depletion and degradation of water quality worldwide. Water pollution can lead to Harmful Algal Blooms, toxicity, nuisance and invasive aquatic weed growth, bad odors, and even taste issues in drinking water reservoirs - among many other issues. These types of water quality challenges can lead to diminished property value and will undoubtedly have a negative effect on swimming, boating, fishing, wildlife watching, and overall enjoyment of nature.
In many areas, it’s common for water quality problems to shut down lakes and beaches throughout the summer, but few people are cognizant of why these problems occur and how significantly they can threaten our innate connection with the water. Assessing and addressing issues with water quality takes the experience and knowledge of experts who focus on optimizing all the benefits that balanced water can provide. Preserving and enhancing water quality requires successful proactive management with long-term results in mind. Lake and pond management is a science and taking all variables into account is the only way to address water quality issues at their root causes. Aquatic biologists pay close attention to detail and consider the entire aquatic ecosystem when collecting sound physical, chemical, and biological data. Water quality assessments are a common starting point to uncover this important information and identify potential nutrient imbalances, pollutants, watershed inputs, algal populations, or other problems. With every visit to your waterbody, aquatic biologists can learn more from each new water sample. This data creates a basis for management recommendations and informs the use of eco-friendly tools and advanced technologies. Depending on the challenges your waterbody faces, it may require a combination of solutions. Fountains and submersed aerators are excellent at increasing healthy dissolved oxygen levels in the water while circulating different areas of the water column. Likewise, new aeration solutions like Oxygen Saturation Technology are changing the game by making it possible to directly inject oxygen into the water to correct deficiencies, eliminate bottom muck, and potentially end reliance on herbicides. (continued on page 8)
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In the event that herbicides are required to achieve lasting aquatic weed control, advanced drone technology is now available to efficiently and precisely target affected areas. Drones also aid in surveillance, making it easier than ever to identify problems such as eroded shorelines, which can be rebuilt with innovative mesh technologies that integrate seamlessly into the landscape for lasting stabilization. These efforts are often paired with sediment removal strategies like hydro-raking and the application of nutrient management products that prevent future algae and aquatic weed growth. These steps can be further supported with the introduction of deep-rooted native vegetation, which form beneficial shoreline buffers that prevent undesirable nutrients and pollutants from entering the water. These solutions provide immediate benefits, but they are not permanent. Lakes and ponds require yearround care for long-term success. An annual management program comprehensively supports aquatic ecosystems with many of these solutions and others that nurture waterbody health and functionality. When an annual plan is uniquely tailored to the individual characteristics of your waterbody, you can maximize the many physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of time spent around the water. Noel Browning is an Aquatic Biologist with SOLitude Lake Management, a leading environmental firm specializing in sustainable lake, pond, wetland, and fisheries management solutions. Learn more about this topic at www.solitudelakemanagement.com/knowledge.
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 Proud of our members and their instrumental efforts to help golf flourish in many ways from growing the game to keeping environmental sustainability at the forefront and more. Happy #ThankASuper Day! 8
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GCSAA Field Staff Representative John Walker - South Central Region Before joining the GCSAA staff, John Walker was a superintendent, 30-year GCSAA member and past GCSAA board director. JWalker@gcsaa.org 713-557-0279 9
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REGISTRATION OPENS AUG. 13 FOR THE RESCHEDULED 2021 GCSAA GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS by Aug 10, 2021 | Angela Hartmann Lawrence, Kan. (August 10, 2021) – After being delayed due to the pandemic, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Golf Championships will be contested Oct. 11-12 in Palm Springs, Calif.
The championships, presented in partnership with The Toro Co., will offer three different events over two days and will draw members of all abilities. Usually held in conjunction with the annual GCSAA Conference and Trade Show, the event was moved to October after the conference was held in a virtual format in February. Registration is opens Aug. 13 at https:// www.gcsaaconference.com/gcsaa-golf-championships. The number of slots available is more limited than in previous years. The National Championship will be limited to 72 GCSAA members with a 5.0 handicap index or lower. The Golf Classic is limited to 120 players, and the three-person team scramble will be limited to the first 36 teams or 108 players.
The JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort will be the host resort, with play for the Classic and Scramble taking place on its Palm Course. The National Championship play will take place at Desert Willow Golf Resort Mountain View Course, and Indian Wells Golf Resort Celebrity Course will also host Classic and Scramble events. GCSAA Class A member Deron Zendt, superintendent at Pine Tree Golf Club in Boynton Beach, Fla., is the reigning National Champion. He is a two-time winner, having also won the contest in 2014. The Toro Co. will mark its 27th year as the presenting partner of the GCSAA Golf Championships. Toro, a GCSAA Platinum Partner, is a global leader in providing maintenance equipment and irrigation systems to golf courses. The 2022 GCSAA Golf Championships will be held in San Diego in February and will once again kick-off events for the in-person GCSAA Conference and Trade Show.
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South Texas GCSA is once again offering the: 2021 STGCSA Marian Takushi Memorial GIS Scholarship The STGCSA is sending two deserving Superintendent Members to the February 5-10, 2022 Golf Industry Show in San Diego, California. The scholarship will cover the cost of registration, round trip airfare between Houston and San Diego, 4 nights hotel stay, a $50/day stipend and registration for one ½-day seminar. The scholarship is intended to assist STGCSA Superintendent Members whose club does not normally pay for them to attend the conference, though all are welcome to apply. The applicants selected will be asked to write a short article for the March/April 2022 Tee to Green issue recapping your experience and how you benefitted from attending the conference. If you are interested in applying, please fill out the application and return to Carrie Cole at stgcsa@stgcsa.org by November 1, 2021.
Click Here to Apply
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Top 10 Health Benefits of Golf By Health Fitness Revolution - June 13, 2021 Known as a sport of leisure and as a gentleman’s game, golf is one of the most popular, well-received sports worldwide. Played on a large outdoor course covering anywhere between 30 and 200 acres, the object of the sport is to propel a small hard ball into a series of ‘holes’ with as few strokes as possible, using a variety of wood or iron-tipped sticks called golf clubs. Here are the Top 10 from Health Fitness Revolution and author of the book ReSYNC Your Life Samir Becic: Exposure to the outdoors – The nature of playing golf on courses as large as 200 acres requires players to be outdoors. Basking in nature provides us many health benefits for our mind and body. Studies have shown that constant exposure to green areas relaxes the body, reduces stress and can aid in alleviating anxiety. Furthermore, exposure to sunlight allows the body to soak up vitamin D from the sun, promoting bone growth in youth and reducing the risk of depression, heart disease and certain cancers Fosters relationships – Golf is a very socially enjoyable sport. It can be a great way to keep in touch with friends, provide opportunities to meet new people and help connect a community. Since golf is a game that is not as highly intense or competitive as soccer or basketball, there is plenty of down time and silence for interacting with fellow golfers. Studies have even shown that a great number of business deals are closed on the golf course! Strengthens the bladder – This one is a bit surprising but it certainly deserves noting. Those frequent visits to your friendly course beer-cart girl can give your bladder a run for time. The longer you learn to hold it, the more you strengthen the capacity of your bladder. And, as noted by some women golfers, it’s also an effective way to strengthen leg muscles, especially in the quadriceps. Those crouching maneuvers used by those who can’t “hold it” are a unique way of doing leg exercises. Burns calories – Covering 30 to 200 acres means a lot of walking! Skipping out on the golf cart and walking the average course can cover a distance between five to seven kilometers. If you opt to carry your own clubs, you’ll burn even more calories, too! With all the walking, carrying and swinging involved, golfers can burn up to 1000 calories in a single game. Keeps your heart rate up – Playing golf can lead to quite a bit of exercise for your heart. As is the case with burning calories, the walking, carrying and swinging will increase your heart rate, keeping it pumping and increasing blood flow. Naturally, this will lower your risks for heart diseases and decrease levels of “bad” cholesterol. Good for your brain – As your heart rate increase, so will blood flow to the brain, which can stimulate and improve nerve cell connections. This can delay mental illnesses such as dementia. While competing against others, golfers will also compete with themselves for personal best scores. This type of challenging boosts confidence and self-esteem, while the mental alacrity involved in tallying scores, improving strategy and fostering hand-eye coordination will keep the brain active in logical functions.
Improves vision – It requires pretty good vision to zoom in on that round, little white ball that may be yards away. Golfers learn to hone in on small targets from long distances and even when the ball is on the tee, prior to their swing, golfers are presented with the opportunity to evaluate the keenness of their vision while improving hand-eye coordination. Low-risk injury sport – Golf is a leisurely sport and, compared to other sports, the overall risk of injury is low because it is not a contact sport. Though golf is primarily a sport of strategy, coordination and accuracy, there is some physical activity involved given the walking, swinging and pivoting. Golf is a low-risk injury sport but still provides just enough physical activity to keep the muscles engaged, Better sleep – Since you are getting quite a bit of exercise, your tired body will thank you at night when it’s time for some long deserved rest. Golfers will fall asleep faster and sleep more profoundly, and are able to remain in a deep sleep for longer periods of time due to the amount of energy expended. Deeper sleep is necessary for your body to regenerate cells and repair any muscles and tissues. Reduces stress – Golf helps to alleviate stress. Being in an outdoor area where you can interact with others who share your interests is a great way to forget any troubles. The pleasure of walking in an open and natural environment and spending time with friends places golfers in a good mood. This is because playing a round of golf can release endorphins – natural, mood-enhancing chemicals within our brains, making you happier and relaxed.
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GOLF FUN FACT Tiger Woods made his first hole in one at the age of 8.
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***Don’t forget to pay your 2021 Membership Dues!*** 2021 STGCSA MEMBER APPLICATION
Equipment
Looking to Buy or Sell used equipment?
2021 SPONSORSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE!
Email Carrie Cole at stgcsa@stgcsa.org and include a picture, short description, asking price, & your contact information. Please let us know once it is sold!
Thank you to our 2020 Sponsors! We sincerely appreciate you supporting our Association!
CLICK HERE FOR 2021 SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES
Click Here to see What’s for Sale 16
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Click Here for All Job Postings
Did you move jobs recently? If so, please contact Carrie Cole @ stgcsa@stgcsa.org so we can update your new contact information!
Get the latest information about upcoming events here!
Click Here for GCSAA Job Postings (Superintendent
Positions, Asst. Positions, Technician Positions, Affiliate/Sales Positions, Special Supt Positions, like ranches and sports fields are also listed on the website!) Please email stgcsa@stgcsa.org when positions have been filled
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THANK YOU TO OUR 2020 silver SPONSOR!!
THANK YOU TO OUR 2021 bronze SPONSORS!!
Thank you to our 2021 hole sponsorS!
Thank you to our 2021 DRINK sponsor! 18