Chapter connect Summer 2018

Volume 26 Issue 2

Summer 2018 Environmental Excellence on the Golf Course Anthony L. Williams CGCS, CGM TPC Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Anthony details how superintendents must embrace the role of environmental steward in order to achieve environmental excellence at their facility. Page 17

Bully Cup XXII Ends In a Tie!

Chapter Championship Review

Texas Rangers Golf Club Trey Kemp, Golf Course Architect Colligan Golf Design Trey describes the much anticipated Texas Rangers Golf Club and how the design and development took shape. Page 4

Remembering Stephen Best

President’s Message It has been great to see so many members over the last three months at our events. Many thanks to the Board of Directors, Carol Cloud, and our sponsors for their hard work in making these events successful.

The Board has been meeting monthly throughout the year, working hard to plan out the year’s events, as we continue to strive to improve our association and serve our membership. Just a reminder to visit our website for news and information: NTGCSA.org.

We will begin accepting nominations for the 2018 Superintendent of the Year this fall. This year, we are hoping to have nominations in and finalized in time for our Annual Meeting in October. At that time, each Superintendent nominated will be invited to introduce themselves at this meeting. This should help everyone learn a little more about our nominees, and at least put a name with a face.

Once again this summer, the chapter will host our Family Social! We will be returning to Top Golf in The Colony on Saturday, July 21st. This event is a family friendly event at an incredibly affordable price, so take advantage of that and come socialize with your peers!

I hope everyone has a great summer! Enjoy your families, friends, golf, and being outside (even in the heat) and part of this exciting world within the golf industry.

Thank you, Kirt Phillips

Top Golf Family Social - The Colony, July 21

About Us

North Texas Golf Course

Superintendents Association

Board of Directors President: Kirt Philips kirt@dallascountryclub.org Vice President: Bryan Brown bryan.brown@lkpoa.org Secretary / Treasurer: Jorge Croda jorgec@southernoaksgolf.com Past President: Mike Epps mepps@miravistacountryclub.com

Superintendent Directors Willie Wallace CGCS-wwallace@dentoncc.org

Michael Underwood CGCS-michaelu@ppoaweb.com Jason Wiedeman-jwiedeman@crosstimersgc.com KD Davis CGCS-kdavid@roccdallas.com Anthony Williams CGCS-anthony.williams@fourseasons.com

Affiliate Directors Aaron Fox

afox@textron.com

Curt Franklin curt@gitexas.com

Chapter Executive Carol Cloud ntgcsa@gmail.com 817-368-3002 5552 Plata Ln., Benbrook, TX 76126

Network with your peers!

Join us at: Ntgcsa.org and:

Texas Rangers Golf Club By: Trey Kemp, Golf Course Architect Colligan Golf Design In January of 2013 John Colligan and myself submitted our credentials along with 8 other golf course architectural firms to provide a Master Plan for Chester W. Ditto Golf Course. Our office is currently and has been based in Arlington for 21 years and both of us have degrees from The University of Texas at Arlington. These were just a few of the reasons we really wanted to get the job, not to mention that John has lived in Arlington for over 40 years. So, after several interviews and a presentation to the city staff, we were lucky and honored to be selected as the architects for the design work at Ditto.

Chester W. Ditto originally opened back in 1982 and was starting to show the normal wear and tear that a 36-yearold course will do. Everything on-site needed to be updated from the greens and bunkers to the clubhouse and maintenance facility. The City chose to go for the home run and basically start from scratch to make the most out of the site.

The major thing people will notice is that the golf course and clubhouse have changed as much as the name of the course. Chester W. Ditto Golf Course is now Texas Rangers Golf Club. The entire golf course has been rerouted in such a way that even those most familiar with the old course would not recognize the 164-acre site as well as the 80 feet of elevation and the many vistas the site has to offer.

Per the request of the city staff, we were able to find an additional 300 yards to stretch the length from the back tees to just over 7,000 yards. On the other hand, the new course now plays 550 yards shorter from the forward tees to make it more enjoyable for the high handicap player.

There is now a good variety in hole lengths. Par-3’s range from the 135-yard 6th to the 195 yard 15th hole. The par 4’s vary their yardage from the 16th at 335 yards to the 12th at 475 yards. Lastly, the Par-5 13th is 510 yards as compared to the 600-yard 9th hole.

There are 63 bunkers on the golf course and they work well to introduce and reinforce another major element important to John and myself and that is aesthetic appeal. While the bunker edges are attractive in and of themselves, we introduced buffalograss on the faces of all the bunkers on the course. The buffalo will add to the beauty having a unique texture and color and will most importantly reduce the amount of handwork around the bunker edges.

To read the full article, CLICK HERE

A Great April Day at Mira Vista We had a fantastic chapter event at the Beautiful Mira Vista Country Club. Thank you to our host Mike Epps for rolling out the red carpet and providing a great venue for the event. The day started out with a great education portion provided by Helena. Brad Shaver and Rick Blasi held a very informative and interesting talk on biostimulants and phytohormones. Although the day started off a little chilly, everyone enjoyed the great course conditions and the challenging layout at Mira Vista. Thank you Mike Epps and your crew for getting the course in such fantastic shape.

Dr. James B Beard November 24, 1935 - May 14, 2018 Dr. James B Beard passed away on May 14, 2018 in Bryan, Texas at the age of 82.

Dr. Beard was born on September 24, 1935 in Piqua, Ohio to James Hart and Margaret Bashore Beard and grew up on the family farm near Bradford, Ohio. He graduated from The Ohio State University in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy. He married the love of his life, Harriet Jean Coon, in 1955. James and wife Harriet, then decided to continue his education with a Master of Science in Crop Ecology and Ph.D. in Turfgrass Physiology from Purdue University.

Dr. Beard spent most of his career in the field of Soil and Crop Sciences where he was known as a legend. He blazed trails of critical research that would later develop into new fields of study. From the start of his career as a professor, first at Michigan State University and later at Texas A&M University, he touched the lives of every student that passed through his classes. His love of crop sciences can still be seen in his students today.

From the start of his career in 1953, his research set new standards in the world of Soil and Crop Sciences where he received numerous distinguished awards including the Veitch Honour Medal of the Royal Horticultural Society, Honorary Doctorate of Agriculture honoris causa from Purdue University, James B Beard Turfgrass Collection dedicated at Michigan State University Library, Distinguished Alumni Award from The Ohio State University, American Library Association Oberly Award which he received twice, plus numerous other industry awards.

Dr. Beard authored 9 published books, dozens of manuals, and hundreds of technical articles and research papers. Dr. Beard also sat on the Board of Directors of The Scotts Company and many other National Committees.

Click Here to read an article written about Dr. Beard in GCM Magazine.

JIM TRAVIS Cell: 469-993-3647 Office: 800-345-9387 Fax: 972-745-4315

jim.travis@target-specialty.com

James B. Beard, Ph.D. (right), with Paul Rieke, Ph.D. (far left) and Joe Vargas, Ph.D. Photo courtesy of Kevin Frank

Green Start Academy is a leadership and development program co-hosted by Bayer and John Deere. The event will be held at the Bayer and John Deere facilities in North Carolina, October 24 - 26, 2018.

Since 2006, the goal for this program has been to help assistant superintendents build a strong foundation for their careers, as well as to support the future of golf courses and the entire industry.

Attendees have the unique opportunity to network with peers and receive valuable insights from industry veterans. With topics from career development to budgeting to labor management, the Green Start Academy provides attendees with the education, networking and career insights they need to excel as superintendents and lead our industry into the next decade and beyond.

Applications for the 2018 Green Start Academy open Monday, May 21, 2018. To apply, please submit an application, résumé, cover letter, letter of recommendation and an essay describing the top three things that will drive change in the golf course maintenance industry over the next 10 years (minimum 600 words). The 2018 advisory panel will evaluate and select the 50 highest-ranked applicants to attend the October event.

The program is open to assistant superintendents in the U.S. and Canada only. Although we’d love to see Academy alumni, previous Green Start Academy participants are not eligible for future academies. Applications must be received by 5:00 pm ESDT Monday, June 25, 2018.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

For the first time ever, the Bully Cup ended in a Tie! The defending champion West will retain the cup for 2018. It was a hard fought battle with lopsided matches on both sides but in the end, the total ended up 39.5 for each side. Hurricane Creek was a fantastic venue for the event and provided a fun and challenging course for the matches. We thank our host Pat Manning and his staff for getting the course in great shape for the event and also our platinum sponsor Harrell’s for making the event possible.

Pat Manning Hurricane Creek Superintendent

Environmental Excellence on the Golf Course Anthony L. Williams CGCS, CGM The cornerstone of environmental excellence on the golf course is the golf course superintendent. They must accept this role as steward of the land that encompasses the course and became the conductor of the environmental orchestra (local environmental expert) to find sustainable environmental excellence.

However, the superintendent has many things that he is responsible for. In fact, the job description of the modern golf course superintendent is a complex ever changing mix of tasks and strategies that result in a successful golf operation. It is often said that the successful golf course superintendent must be an agronomist, horticulturist, arborist, irrigation consultant, electrician, plumber, carpenter, equipment operator, mechanic, accountant, artist, painter, rules official, architect, political activist, human resource specialist, counselor, priest, therapist, meteorologist, trainer, mentor, life coach, EMT, wildlife expert and the list goes on.

So how does the golf course superintendent who has so many hats to wear and things to do find the path (and time) to ensure environmental excellence on the golf course? There are three primary ways to ensure environmental excellence on the golf course. They are to identify all environmental assets, establish programs that protect and enhance these green assets (balanced with playability) and documenting the environmental work for regulatory and public relations purposes. Simply put to achieve environmental excellence the successful superintendent/steward must understand the natural assets of the property, build programs that enhance the way golf blends with these assets and document these actions/programs to better communicate the depth of care he and his team provide. Let’s take a closer look at these core steps.

To read entire article, CLICK HERE

2018 Stephen Best Memorial Tournament A great day celebrating the life and memory of our friend at the course he loved.

The NTGCSA had a special day at Sky Creek Ranch Golf Club for the Stephen Best Memorial Pro/ Superintendent Championship. Our host Bryan Tupa had the course in impeccable shape for the event and we thank him for a great day! Thank you to our speaker Eddie Clark for an interesting and informative education session. Thank you to our platinum sponsor Professional Turf Products for making this event possible.

Past President Michael Epps and Current President Kirt Phillips were honored to present a check for $2000 to Stephen’s family on behalf of the North Texas GCSA.

Meet Becky Grubbs Ph.D. Texas A&M Agrilife - College Station Ms. Grubbs is the new Turfgrass Extension Specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife in College Station. Becky grew up in the Dallas area and completed her Bachelor degree in horticulture from Texas Tech University. She then worked on her PhD in crop sciences specializing in turfgrass systems in Athens, GA where her research focused on Environmental Turfgrass Management. Becky is committed to forging a partnership with the NTGCSA and being a resource to our membership. We are happy to have her and wish her the best of luck in her research and outreach.

Robert Randquist Named GCSAA Chief Operating Officer Golf industry veteran assumed COO position May 29.

Bringing decades of influence and experience in the golf industry, Robert M. Randquist, CGCS, has been named chief operating officer for the GCSAA. Randquist comes to GCSAA after 20 years serving as director of golf course and grounds at Boca Rio Golf Club in Boca Raton, Fla., where in the last year he oversaw the renovation of its Robert von Hagge-designed course. The leadership at Boca Rio has always been highly supportive of Randquist’s involvement with GCSAA as well as his new opportunity.

Prior to Boca Rio, Randquist spent two decades as superintendent at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla., where he hosted the 1982 and 1994 PGA Championships and helped secure the 2001 U.S. Open.

No stranger to GCSAA and its members, Randquist served as the association’s president in 2011. He has been a GCSAA member for 41 years, and became a Certified Golf Course Superintendent in 1985. Randquist served on the USGA Green Section Committee for 27 years, and has been honored by the USGA with its Ike Grainger Award, which recognizes 25 years of volunteer service.

Click here to read more

Brian Honea Wins A.C. January Superintendent Championship It was a hot and windy day at Trophy Club Country Club but Brian Honea (right) was able to battle the elements and shoot a 1 over par 73 to capture the 2018 Championship. Drue Thompson (Left) wins the affiliate championship with an even par 72.

Thank you to our Title Sponsor Longhorn Inc. for helping making it a great day. And thank you to our great hosts, Trophy Club!

2019 DOG DAYS OF GOLF CALENDAR Submissions for the 2019 Dog Days of Golf Calendar will be accepted through Aug. 1, 2018.

From the submissions, 14 dogs will be selected. Owners of the selected dogs will be notified in September, and the calendar will be distributed with the November issue of GCM magazine.

Plan now to stop by the LebanonTurf booth at the Golf Industry Show in February to place your vote for the 2019 Dog of the Year. The winner's owner will receive a $500 prize and $3,000 for his or her GCSAA-affiliated chapter. A $2,000 charitable donation will also be made by GCSAA and LebanonTurf in honor of the winner.

LebanonTurf has been supporting golf course superintendents and their chapters through the Dog Days of Golf Calendar for more than a decade.

Don’t Miss TopGolf Family Social July 21, 2018

Another great article in GCM Magazine by our very own Jorge Croda CGCS. Check out his article:

Fuel Your Passion as a Golf Course Superintendent

Also, Check out Jorge’s National Golf Day Recap

TTA Summer Conference right around the corner!

Click

Click the program cover below to learn about the great agenda of topics and speakers.

Balancing Innovation and Sound Agronomics Sales, Contract Service, and Rental options available Call Today to See The Equipment Turf Professionals Trust

Jeff Kadlec (210) 413-3045 Rick Kadlec (314) 744-0379