RGGCSA SuperNews 1stQ 2017

The SuperNews OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE RIO GRANDE GCSA

President’s Message

March 2017 Hello to all,

President Matt Urban Vice President Jimmy Rodriguez Secretary / Treasurer Matt Hughes Board of Directors: Matt Alcala Roy Johnson Max Johnson Paul Kerr Caleb Buckley (Past Pres.)

Vendor Representative Bryan Klock Chapter Executive Carol Cloud GCSAA Field Rep Brian Cloud

Spring has crept up on us and if you are like me you are wondering where the winter has gone. The mind set has been turned from planning and organizing, to implementing those plans and getting the facility ready for the season. Across the state, golfers are dusting off their clubs and enjoying the beautiful spring weather. For superintendents, aerification is taking place, irrigation systems are being primed back up, preemergents and weed sprays are being applied, in addition to all of the other necessary early season tasks.

Thus far in 2017, the Rio Grande Superintendents Association has enjoyed a great meeting in El Paso, TX at Coronado Country Club hosted by Brandon McIntosh and an equally great event in Carlsbad, NM hosted by Kyle Boatman and Steve Hendley. Thanks to our educational speakers Jace Rivera for providing attendees with valuable information on irrigation auditing and pump station maintenance at the Coronado Event. In Carlsbad, Dr. Bernd Leinauer gave an in depth look into the effects of low water quality on turf grass and the impacts on turf selection and soil quality.

Your Board of Directors is currently working on a survey to be conducted prior to the Annual meeting to gain feedback from members. Vice President Jimmy Rodriguez and Executive Director Carol Cloud travelled to Lawrence, Kansas to attend the GCSAA National Symposium March 13th-15th. This is a great opportunity to share and receive ideas from other chapters from around the country. We are looking forward to Jimmy and Carol presenting us with their thoughts at our next meeting.

The Board also met with Brian Cloud, GCSAA field representative for a second strategic planning session prior to the March meeting in Carlsbad. The association has decided increase its efforts in recruiting new members and contacting superintendents new to our area. We will also be working on creating an all inclusive Best Management Practices handbook that will prove to be an effective tool for our members in providing information to our employers and to those who question our environmental sustainability.

All states with the help of local golf and agronomy associations, will adapt their programs to incorporate state regulations, regional agronomic practices, and pertinent environmental protection. With the goal of having this program completed by 2020, individual facilities will be able to access the BMP handbook and utilize their individual state template to produce a BMP plan for their facility.

If you haven’t attended a meeting in a while, you are missing out on some great networking and education opportunities. We have our next meeting scheduled on May 22nd at San Juan Country Club in Farmington, New Mexico. Our host will be Roy Johnson. Have a successful spring season and see you up north May 22 nd!

Matt Urban RGGSAA President

Superintendent Article Pecan Harvesting at Artesia Country Club

by Matt Urban - Superintendent As superintendents we are faced with many challenges that have nothing to do with taking care of turf. Superintendents do not get enough credit outside the industry for their creativity when it comes to problem solving. Here in Artesia, pecans are big business.

When you think about south eastern New Mexico and the Permian Basin, oil prices and pump jacks immediately come to mind. Oil and gas may dominate the economy, but if you drive through the area there are numerous orchards of geometrically laid out pecan trees. Many homeowners, including myself, have pecan trees in their yards. My wife and I pick pecans and have them shelled to give as Christmas gifts.

More than 30 years ago, a generous member donated 90 young pecan trees to Artesia Country Club to be planted on the course for shade and to frame some of the original 9 holes. Currently these trees are at peak maturity and produce a significant amount of pecans that drop from the trees from November through February. Pecan trees do not require an over abundance of water to grow and flower, and they are relatively clean with the exception of the nuts.

Some members will grab a handful of pecans, crack em open and snack on them throughout their round. Over the years, members have even stopped by on occasion to pick a 5 gallon bucket or so to take home. If you have paid $9-$12 for a pound of pecan at the store, you can see why. With 90 trees producing 100 – 175lbs of nuts, this can create quite a mess of pecans on the ground which eventually get crushed by golf carts and mowing equipment.

In addition, many non-members would wander on the course with a few friends and steal pecans from Thanksgiving through Christmas. Some of the interactions were scary and tense and in many cases the law was involved. However no one was ever prosecuted for trespassing. It was a constant battle to keep people off the course especially when they could sell them for $2.60 a pound to local buyers.

Since I joined the club in May of 2012, we have been searching to find a way to harvest the pecans and even invited local growers to harvest them and take 100% of the profits. The equipment includes a tree shaker, large tractor mounted debris blower, and a harvester. Turned out the equipment was too big, too heavy, and our gopher marked ground was too uneven to use the industrial equipment. So the problem remained until early 2017.

Crockett Trucking, a local water and oil equipment transportation company contacted me during the holiday season of 2016 to see if we would like to have our pecans picked up. They had started this business two years ago when oil prices dropped. The smaller equipment they owned was used to harvest city parks in Roswell and Artesia as well as in some smaller orchards. The owner of the company came upon this equipment when he bought a hay/pecan farm to expand storage for his trucking business during the oil boom.

Continued on Page 4

Shaking and blowing process

Pecan Harvesting at Artesia Country Club - Continued from Page 2 In the back of one of the barns sat mint condition pecan harvesting equipment the original owner used to pick his own 5 acre orchard.

So, we were all set to have our pecans harvested and even split the profits with Crockett. So we thought……

The owner of Crockett Trucking and I were taking a ride to survey the trees when he mentioned the pecan weevil was moving into the area and had been spotted in parts of Artesia. I asked what the signs of the weevil were and he told me that there was a 1/8” hole in the shell portion.

Now, my wife and I had already picked all of our pecans, and had kicked out the nuts with holes as we sorted them, because I knew that some sort of insect had crawled in there and eaten part of the nut meat. After meeting with the NMDA it was confirmed that we had the dreaded weevil in our trees. As a result the city of Artesia was quarantined from selling pecans to buyers unless an inspection was done by NMDA and approval was given. So…….

Harvesting long story short, NMDA inspectors eventually came out to Artesia Country Club with the harvesters and inspected a large number of pecans before allowing Crockett to harvest.

Harvesting took place over two days. The trees were shook, the crew used backpack blowers and rakes to move the pecans to level ground before using the harvester to collect and separate hulls and debris. In the end, our trees produced 2 tons of pecans to be sold and split between Crockett and Artesia Country Club. Even having been inspected and approved, all shaking and harvesting equipment had to be pressure washed before leaving the property to remove the weevil.

Did we solve the problem? Harvesting took place in late January. The pecans still haven’t sold. They are currently sitting in cold storage. At that time of harvesting, pecans were still at $2 per pound. With harvest complete for most growers and the quarantine on in Artesia, prices have dropped sharply.

2 Tons of Harvested Pecans

Even with all the trouble, I plan to have Crockett back this fall.

They did a great job. The farmer in me is working on a plan to increase water to select trees to increase yield. Hopefully by then the pecans have sold.

LATEST NEWS ABOUT THE PECAN WEEVIL QUARANTINE: The New Mexico Department of Agriculture will continue to monitor four cities for pecan weevil infestation following the expiration of a 60-day quarantine ordered in January. The quarantine is expected to expire on March 28.

"New Mexico Department of Agriculture will be working with the industry to determine the amount of in-shell pecans remaining in quarantined areas and the risk those nuts may pose regarding the movement of pecan weevil to un-infested areas," said Brad Lewis, assistant division director of Entomology and Nursery Industries at the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, in an emailed statement.

The quarantine began on Jan. 27 in Artesia, Hobbs, Roswell and Clovis after several cases of pecan weevil were reported on in-shell pecans in residential trees.

Pecan weevil are typically transported when the producers traveling into New Mexico are unaware that their in-shell pecans are infested with the insect, according to the Department of Agriculture. The insect will likely leave a hole in the shell about the size of a No. 2 pencil, said Eddy County Extension Office program director Woods Houghton.

Houghton said since the 60-day quarantine began, he has received about 40 calls from producers in Carlsbad who suspected pecan weevil infested their trees. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM THIS ARTICLE

January Kickoff at Coronado!

The Rio Grande GCSA visited the Lone Star State and Coronado Country Club in January and had a great turnout! Host Superintendent Brandon McIntosh and the entire staff at Coronado rolled out the red carpet for our group with great hospitality, food and terrific golf course.

Jace Rivera of Greenworks provided a great education session that talked about the techniques and importance of performing routine water audits on golf courses. Auditing is a great way to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of your irrigation system and to better use our most precious resource - water.

President Matt Urban of Artesia Country Club welcomed attendees and provided a preview of the 2017 meeting lineup and gave a good report on the state of the association. Secretary / Treasurer Matt Hughes reported on the financial status of the association and Vice President Jimmy Rodriquez provided an update on the upcoming GCSAA Annual Meeting and Board of Directors election.

Our 50/50 pot winner was Robb Jones of Simpson Norton. Thanks to all who participated in the 50/50, proceeds go straight to our scholarship fund. And THANK YOU to all who joined us in El Paso for a great meeting! The RGGCSA has the most loyal traveling members anywhere!

Golf Champions - L to R Anthony Garcia, Matt Urban, Karl Olson and David Salas coming in with a smooth 63

Runner Up Team - L to R Paul Kerr, Gilbert Contreras, and Brian Cloud.

Steve Hendley not pictured. 2 stokes back 65.

Former RGGCSA President Caleb Buckley won Third Place - L to R Jimmy Rodriguez, Laurie Meredith, Joe Landis a Closest to the Pin Award. He is all smiles but the guys in the background don’t seem to imand Jon Kimmel. Edged out of 2nd by a nose pressed. Good shootin’ Caleb. with a 66, but winners of the biggest smile award! Jimmy also took home a Closest to the Pin prize and a Long Drive. Seems fitting since they “drove” all the way from Santa Fe! Other proximity winners left to right: Matt Urban, Rob Clark and Jimmy Rodriguez.

Thanks again for a great day in El Paso!

Thank you to all our

wonderful 2017 Sponsors.

Without your support we would not have a successful association!

March at Lake Carlsbad!

Our Host Kyle Boatman gave us a beautiful day and an even better golf course when we visited Lake Carlsbad Golf Course in March. Along with Steve Hendley, the entire staff at Lake Carlsbad gave us first class hospitality and treatment. If you missed out, make sure to join us the next time we make it to Carlsbad.

Evergreen Turf was our event sponsor and made the day special with their support. Ken Wheeler and Jeff Nettleton gave us a good review of their company products and services. It is great to hear that your move in to New Mexico has been successful.

Dr. Bernd Leinauer of New Mexico State University provided the education program and spoke on Irrigation with Low Quality Water. The presentation was especially useful for turf managers in New Mexico. He provided some very practical recommendations for water treatment, management and cultural practices.

Turnout was very good.

Thanks to all the RGGCSA members who made it to Carlsbad to make it a great day.

Our golf champions were L to R - Robb Stuart, Glenn Denney, Robert Gonzalez, and Steve Hendley. Great work team!

Third in a 3 horse race L to R - Anthony Garcia, Paul Kerr, Jimmy Rodriquez, Laurie Meredith and Brian Cloud. Better luck next time.

Runner up honors went to L to R - Kyle Boatman, Matt Hughes, Dan Blaeser and Marland Singleton. Close but no cigar.

More Photos from our great days at

Carlsbad and Coronado!

National Golf Day 2017 Set for April 26 in Washington, D.C. Industry Leaders to Celebrate 10th Anniversary with National Mall Service Project (ST. AUGUSTINE, FL) – WE ARE GOLF – a coalition of the game’s leading associations and industry partners – today announces the 10th annual National Golf Day will be held Wednesday, April 26 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. National Golf Day celebrates the game’s nearly $70 billion economy, $4 billion annual charitable impact (updated data available January 25) and many environmental and fitness benefits. Industry leaders will meet with Members of Congress, the Executive Branch and federal agencies to discuss golf’s 15,200-plus diverse businesses, two million jobs impacted, tax revenue creation and tourism value.

New for 2017, golf industry leaders will arrive Monday, April 24 to participate in a community service initiative on the National Mall the morning of Tuesday, April 25. The initiative will focus on beautification, preservation and helping the National Park Service with turf deferred maintenance. More details will be available soon.

"We look forward to celebrating the 10th anniversary of National Golf Day by educating our country's lawmakers about the game's significant impact," said Steve Mona, Chief Executive Officer of World Golf Foundation, administrator of WE ARE GOLF. "As we await a new Presidential administration this month, we are optimistic about the momentum for golf in 2017 and also pleased with the strides our industry has made on Capitol Hill in the last decade to ensure that golf's interests are effectively represented."

In May 2016, National Golf Day was the most successful to date with over 120 scheduled Congressional meetings in one day. Globally, the #NGD16 Twitter campaign eclipsed 52 million impressions and reached 17.7 million accounts, including 4.4 million users in a one-hour span.

Organizations who participated include the Club Managers Association of America, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Ladies Professional Golf Association, National Golf Course Owners Association, PGA of America, PGA TOUR, United States Golf Association, United States Golf Manufacturers Council, World Golf Foundation and others.

To join the conversation, visit the WE ARE GOLF social media hub. Use #NGD17 and @wearegolf on Twitter and Instagram to show your support for the golf industry.

About WE ARE GOLF WE ARE GOLF, created in 2010, is an industry coalition that communicates the economic, charitable and environmental impact of golf, as well the health and wellness benefits of the game and the affordability and accessibility of golf, to Members of Congress, the Executive Branch and regulatory agencies. The goal of WE ARE GOLF is to ensure that laws and regulations that impact the golf industry are fair and appropriate to an industry that generates nearly $70 billion in economic impact annually, impacts close to two million American jobs and generates nearly $4 billion in charitable giving each year.

For more information, please visit www.wearegolf.org.

MAYNARD TAKES HELM AS GCSAA PRESIDENT Members elect nine-member board of directors and approve dues increase at annual meeting.

Lawrence, Kan. (Feb. 9, 2017) – Bill H. Maynard, the director of golf course maintenance operations at the Country Club of St. Albans in St. Albans, Mo., has been elected to a one-year term as president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) at the association's annual meeting Feb. 9, held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show in Orlando.

Maynard, a certified golf course superintendent (CGCS), served as vice president of the association in 2016 and has been a member of the association’s board of directors since 2010. A 30-year member of GCSAA, Maynard also is a member and past president of the Heart of America Golf Course Superintendents Association in the greater Kansas City area, one of 98 GCSAA regional chapters. A native of Nashville, Tenn., the 54-year-old Maynard earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee in 1986. He succeeds Peter J. Grass, CGCS and golf course superintendent at Hilands Golf Club in Billings, Mont., who served as president in 2016. Grass will continue on the board as immediate past president. “A lot of my friends have said, ‘Don’t forget where you came from,’” said Maynard. “So, it’s important to me that I represent the entire membership. Our professional image has grown, and more of the golf public realizes the role we play. But, I want that recognition to continue, and I want everyone from the 9-hole guy to the multi-course guy to feel that I represent them, and that GCSAA represents them.”

Other elected officers were Darren J. Davis, CGCS and golf course superintendent at Olde Florida Golf Club in Naples, Fla., as vice president, and Rafael Barajas, CGCS and director of golf course operations at Boca Grove Plantation in Boca Raton, Fla., as secretary/treasurer.

John R. Fulling Jr., CGCS and grounds and facilities manager at Kalamazoo (Mich.) Country Club; Mark F. Jordan, CGCS and natural resource leader at Westfield Group Country Club in Westfield Center, Ohio; and John Walker, director of golf course maintenance at Bentwater Yacht and Country Club in Montgomery, Texas, were re-elected to twoyear terms. Kevin P. Sunderman, director of grounds at Isla Del Sol Yacht & Country Club in Saint Petersburg, Fla., was appointed to complete the one-year remaining on Barajas' term. Kevin P. Breen, CGCS and golf course superintendent at La Rinconada Country Club in Los Gatos, Calif., continues his service to the board with one year remaining on his two-year term; while past president John J. O’Keefe, director of golf course maintenance at Preakness Hills Country Club in Wayne, N.J., retires from board service. In addition, delegates voted to approve a $5 dues increase for 2017 and amended the definition of equipment managers in the bylaws.

Caleb Buckley New Mexico and El Paso Account Manager (505) 710-3477 or toll free: 800-528-4290

GCSAA APP UPDATED WITH MANY NEW FEATURES Download the latest GCSAA app for instant access to GCSAA news, resources and tools — available for iOS and Android On the heels of the newly redesigned gcsaa.org, the GCSAA app has also been updated with a new look and new features.

Updated features include an intuitive interface, new tools and calculators, member directory enabled with Geo search and text, and the ability to update your profile.

Additional features include instant access to GCSAA’s Facebook and Twitter feeds, and digital GCM Magazine.

View the latest GCSAATV segments or latest Job Board postings all via the GCSAA App. (To make the most of your experience, if you previously used the GCSAA Mobile app, delete that before downloading the new version.)

Deep Roots The Life of a Golf Course Superintendent Bravo! Check out this really great video produced by our colleagues of the Atlantic Golf Course Superintendents Association. The video does a great job of communicating the challenges and rewards of being a golf course superintendent.

Share it with your friends, families and especially the golfers who enjoy your hard work every day!

OLD TOM MORRIS ASKS GOLFERS TO “THANK A SUPERINTENDENT” Click the photo of Old Tom to watch video Legendary greenkeeper and four-time Open champion Tom Morris will join top players and celebrities in a 2017 advertising campaign to promote the work of golf course superintendents. David Joy of Scotland plays the role of Morris, who is considered the father of modern greenkeeping and cared for the historic St Andrews course for more than 40 years, until his death in 1908.

The tagline, “If you love golf like I do, then thank a golf course superintendent,” will continue to be used in these television and radio commercials, as well as 2017 print and online advertising by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

“It is rewarding to know that superintendents are held in high esteem,” said Rhett Evans, GCSAA chief executive officer. “When influential people say, ‘If you love golf like I do, thank a golf course superintendent,’ it makes our members around the world feel appreciated and proud of the role they play in providing excellent playing conditions for this great game.”

Thirty-second commercials will again air on the Golf Channel from March through September. In addition, radio, print and online advertising will run in numerous markets across the country, including at the local and regional levels where national advertising will be co-branded to support nearly 100 chapter associations.

The new commercial shows Morris at his home course of St Andrews, encouraging golfers to “doff your cap and thank a golf course superintendent.” The spot will run in tandem with an additional commercial featuring some of the best professional golfers, like Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Michelle Wie and Jack Nicklaus, also urging golfers to thank a superintendent.

“Golf course superintendents are widely recognized for skillfully managing the biggest asset of any golf facility – the golf course.

But when the top players in the game support the work we do, and we can playfully pay homage to Morris’ contributions, it makes me boastfully proud to be a golf course superintendent for the past 30 years,” said Bill H. Maynard, GCSAA president and a certified golf course superintendent at The Country Club of St. Albans in St. Albans, Mo.

Topgolf teams up with Bunkers in Baghdad to bring golf equipment to troops Topgolf-Bunkers-in-Baghdad1Topgolf is partnering with Bunkers in Baghdad, a New York-based charitable organization that ships supplies to overseas troops seeking leisure-time entertainment and/or physical rehabilitation.

In 2016, Topgolf donated 11,000 left- and right-handed golf clubs, 600 yards of turf squares and 21,000 golf balls to the charity. Topgolf will continue this equipment recycling initiative in 2017 as the company aims to open seven new venues this year.

“We are honored to partner with Bunkers in Baghdad to recycle our golf balls, clubs and turf and provide our military troops with a fun way to relax during their leisure time,” said Topgolf Entertainment Group Co-Chairman and CEO Erik Anderson. “We’ve received photos and notes from troops stationed all over the world using our equipment, and it’s a privilege to share a small piece of Topgolf with these soldiers who are bravely serving our country.”

In addition to Bunkers in Baghdad, Topgolf is partnered with Folds of Honor to raise money for educational scholarships for children and spouses of disabled or fallen service members. The company also offers a Heroes Discount to active-duty service members and veterans at all of its venues nationwide.

“The idea behind Bunkers in Baghdad is simple: we collect and ship golf equipment to our troops and vets around the world. Bunkers is busier than ever, and our partnership with Topgolf was really a blessing last year,” said Joe Hanna, founder of Bunkers in Baghdad. “Our troops truly appreciate anything we send them – especially a little slice of home. The majority of feedback we hear from our sol-

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