RGGCSA SuperNews Spring 2021

SuperNews OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE RIO GRANDE GCSA

March 2021 President Roy Johnson Vice President Glenn Denney CGCS Secretary / Treasurer Aaron Sunderlin Board of Directors: Paul Kerr Mac Blevins Mike Atkins Past President Jimmy Rodriguez Vendor Representative John King Chapter Executive Carol Cloud riograndegcsa @gmail.com

President’s Message Greetings, Happy 2021 everyone! Thank you to all the members and sponsors who have renewed so far. If you have not done so, please email Carol Cloud at riograndegcsa@gmail.com, your support and benevolence is greatly appreciated!

Hopefully, most of you had the opportunity to attend the first ever Virtual Golf Industry Show. GCSAA offered over 80 virtual education sessions along with a virtual trade show and virtual networking opportunities. If you opted for the All-Access package you were able to view all the education sessions On-Demand through March 6th, which I thought was extremely beneficial.

On February 4, GCSAA held their Annual Meeting and election virtually. GCSAA follows a dues increase process which was created in 2006 with input and approval from chapter delegates. The process is tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which had a 3.3% increase over the last two years. The board of directors opposed a dues increase for 2021. Election results are as follows: • President: Mark F. Jordan, CGCS • Vice-President: Kevin P. Breen, CGCS • Secretary/Treasurer: Kevin P. Sunderman, CGCS • Directors: Jeff L. White, CGCS T. A. Barker, CGCS Paul L. Carter, CGCS Douglas D. Dykstra, CGCS Marc E. Weston, CGCS Continued on next page

GCSAA Field Rep John Walker

Mark Jordan CGCS GCSAA President

Roy Johnson

RGGCSA President

President’s Message - continued John R. Fulling Jr., CGCS, will serve on the board for one year as immediate Past President.

Rafael Barajas, CGCS, retires from the board after serving the last year as immediate Past President.

Slowly but surely, New Mexico continues to reopen businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the past several months the State has been following a county-by-county “Red to Green” framework to lessen restrictions in counties with lower average daily test rates and test positivity percentages. Now, the NM Dept. of Health has introduced another “color”, Turquoise which will allow golf courses to operate at 75% maximum capacity (108 people) and 75% of maximum indoor & outdoor dining capacity. It is at this level, which I feel we can hold in-person meetings and golf outings as an association while following the current public health order and NM COVID Safe Practices. The board of directors is currently working on a tentative 2021 meeting schedule and host facilities.

Thank you again to everyone for your support, I look forward to being able to see everyone in person soon and tee it up! Please, do not hesitate to reach out to me any time.

Regards, Roy Johnson San Juan Country Club President, RGGCSA

Loren Dunlap

Kyler Smith

(505) 463-8280

(505) 206-8790

ldunlap@winirrigation.com

ksmith@winirrigation.com

Member Article

Gone Fishing Aaron Sunderlin

Golf Course Superintendent - Blue Mesa Golf Club I woke up one night this past week around 2am, this time it wasn’t to let the puppy out. I could hear the wind blowing and could only imagine moisture dissipating from the soil. The snow from our latest winter storm had long since melted. One thing was for sure, winter was over, and turf was yearning to come out of dormancy. That only means one thing in our industry, water. I mulled over my problem in my head for the eighth time since I got home from work, how many times was I going to need to pull my intermediate pump and motor and clean out fish that have clogged it? Should I really tell my guys to bring in their fishing poles and fly rods? How will I explain this to golfers who are looking at my crew members with their fishing poles on the shoreline of the first tee box. Surely that idea is too crazy, or was it?

As many of you have figured out, yes, I have developed an intake screen problem over the winter. I quickly discovered that a diving company is not that easy to find on demand in the desert.

So, the next day we pulled the pump and motor again and installed an 8” pipe over the flange and opened the lake intake valve. I have a flooded suction system, so I started creating Black Mesa River outside the door of my pumphouse.

One by one here came bluegill fish out of the pipe and down the man-made river that morning. The thought crossed my mind at that point, will I need to drain down my lower irrigation lake to identify the problem and remove the fish? Fortunately, after about an hour we didn’t see any more fish coming down the ‘river’. By mid-morning we had everything put back together, and we started the long process of charging the system.

Thankfully that solved the immediate problem, and we didn’t have the size or quantity of fish big enough to clog the intake pipes again. That afternoon water was flying, and the official start of a new season was underway.

If you haven’t had your intake screen inspected or are beginning to experience lake life in your irrigation heads or valves don’t let it go too far. No one wants to be pulling pumps, ever, especially if this were to happen during peak season. It will be an ongoing process to identify and clean out clogged heads and valves, until the lake screen is repaired and/ or upgraded. Constantly cleaning out heads is not something I really want to do when crew levels are at bare bones. I learned that this isn’t something to wait and react to, but to be proactive. Having your lake intake screen or filtration system inspected will most certainly create peace of mind. It might be out of sight; however, it is an integral part of any irrigation system to operate effectively.

Maybe…I might even re-new my fishing license and get out on the waters of New Mexico this summer and catch a few of those elusive fish.

Rio Grande GCSA BMP Focus The RGGCSA published the Best Management Practices Manual in 2020.

It is a resource for Golf Course Superintendents to understand and utilize industry standard Best Management Practices in many environmental and operational aspects of the work they do to make golf courses in New Mexico sustainable.

In each 2021 issue of the Super News, we will focus on specific chapters of the document.

To read New Mexico’s “Best Management Practices” and to learn more about GCSAA’s BMP program, visit www.gcsaa.org/bmp.

The document is also available on the RGGCSA website: Click Here

Cory Armstrong Hired as New Sun Country Golf House Executive Director Sun Country is excited to welcome Cory Armstrong as the new Executive Director of the Sun Country Golf House. A graduate of West Virginia University, Summa cum Laude in Sports Management, Cory brings 19 years of golf administration experience from his time in the Michigan, Southern Ohio and Carolinas PGA Sections. Most recently he served as Assistant Executive Director in the Carolinas PGA, where he

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oversaw a robust tournament and fundraising program, among many other responsibilities.

Cory enjoys golf, collecting putters, mountain biking, and barking at the TV during WVU games.

He will join the Sun Country Golf House staff in February.

“I am extremely humbled and proud to become Sun Country Golf House’s next Executive Director,” said Cory. “Through my research and conversations with people involved with both organizations, I have been impressed and encouraged by the amount of passion and dedication to golf that exists in New Mexico and West Texas. I am told this place is unlike any other in the country, and that I will love it. I look forward to experiencing all the region has to offer.

“I have consistently stated that I am glad to continue serving PGA Professionals (as I have done for 19 years); however, I can also proudly serve my fellow amateur golfers. It is that combination that particularly excites me about this opportunity.

There are only two other PGA Sections and Amateur Golf Associations (Indiana and Kentucky) operating in concert the way Sun Country does. It is admirable, advantageous, and powerful. We can speak for and impact golf throughout the region with one voice.

“Thanks to the leadership of your Boards of Directors (previous and present) as well as the contributions of Past Executive Director Dana Lehner, our staff can maintain our current successes and focus on growth. Key areas will include Foundational development, corporate partnerships, and increasing the number of amateur golfers in the region. Each focal point goes to benefit all of our Golf House organizations. I will strive to show you impact immediately and consistently.

“I cannot do this alone. I, the staff, and the Boards of Directors will need your support along the way. We welcome your thoughts, your opinions, and your suggestions.

“I look forward to meeting and serving you in the Land of Enchantment!”

GOLF INDUSTRY SHOW ENGAGEMENT STRONG THROUGH ON-DEMAND PHASE Kate Hiebert

Virtual trade show participants took part in more than 229,400 booth visits

After welcoming attendees during the live portion of the virtual 2021 Golf Industry Show, Feb. 2-4, participation in on-demand education sessions and the 24-hour a day trade show continued through March 6.

Initial GIS statistics were released on Feb. 4 with the conclusion of the live event, but the numbers continued to rise throughout the on-demand period. Additional registrants during the on-demand phase brought the final total attendance to more than 9,500. The education component, featuring 88 sessions, saw participants engaging in 46,900 session views by the end of the on-demand portion. More than 200 exhibitors took part in the trade show, with a total of 229,434 booth visits taking place before the conclusion of the on-demand phase.

The Golf Industry Show, the largest educational conference and trade show in the turfgrass management industry, transitioned to a virtual event in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While on a virtual platform, the 2021 event continued the GIS’s long tradition of connecting attendees, exhibitors and industry experts through a progressive week of unparalleled education opportunities and access to golf facility solutions for those in the golf industry.

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“We know how busy our attendees are, and so being able to offer on-demand viewing and the extended trade show was one of the great advantages of the virtual format,” GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans said. “We are pleased to see that attendees not only enjoyed the live networking events and general sessions, but also found the education and trade show interaction so valuable that they returned throughout the month. We are definitely investigating having some element of extended access offerings as part of the GIS when we return to an in-person event next year.”

The 2022 Golf Industry Show is currently scheduled to be an in-person event and will be in San Diego Feb. 5-10, 2022, at the San Diego Convention Center.

Las Cruces Partners With NMSU For Turf Research Project The City of Las Cruces Parks and Recreation Department and New Mexico State University (NMSU) have again formed a partnership to continue to find ways to strengthen the City’s turf practices and to raise the level of service for our community. Here is a statement from the City: Dr. Leslie Beck, Extension Weed Specialist at NMSU, will be conducting a research study to monitor the germination conditions of crabgrass during the upcoming spring months. Dr. Beck will be using Veterans Park as part of this study.

She will be marking off four corner dots of safe turf grass paint in three separate 5-foot by 5-foot locations with the turf area at Veteran’s Park. It is important to note that this will strictly be observational research, for soil temperatures, germination counts, and other criteria, within the plot area twice a week until June 2021.

The research conducted by Dr. Beck will gather germination information for multiple different landscape weeds so that NMSU can provide the City better management suggestions and timings for the control of weeds. NMSU has again chosen City facilities because researchers are aware the City of Las Cruces does not use herbicides in City parks.

That practice makes City facilities ideal because there will not be any herbicide residue, and researchers will not have to worry about any City staff members accidentally spraying herbicide in the plots during the study.

“We are hopeful that this research will assist with a better understanding of how particular weeds grow, and how we (the City) can manage it more effectively Dr. Leslie Beck speaking and sustainability throughout our facilities,”

at a RGGCSA event.

said Sonya Delgado, City of Las Cruces Parks and Recreation Director.

Dr. Beck will follow all COVID Safe practices and guidelines while the research is being conducted. She will begin marking the areas in the next few days because daytime temperatures have begun to warm up.

Delgado has personally contacted a few members of the City’s Veterans Advisory Board (VAB) to inform them about the research and what VAB members will see on the turf. Delgado has also shared information about the turf research project in a monthly memorandum that was sent this week to the VAB. This research project, at Veterans Memorial Park, on Roadrunner Parkway, is in City Council District 6.

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GCSAA has partnered with John Deere to support the education and professional development of assistant golf course superintendents through GCSAA’s Assistant Superintendent Certificate Series (ASCS).

The ASCS program consists of four certificates that cover the key competency areas of agronomy, business, leadership and communications, and environmental stewardship. As part of its sponsorship, John Deere will award gift certificates to the first 100 assistants who complete all four competencies, and all assistants who complete the full series will be accepted into Green Start Academy, an annual education and professional development program hosted by John Deere and Bayer.

“We thank John Deere for supporting our efforts to help assistant superintendents grow their knowledge base and careers,” says GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans.

Continued on next page

“John Deere knows the vital contribution that superintendents make to golf and how helping them at every stage of their careers advances the industry and enhances the enjoyment of the game for everyone.”

Sponsorship of the ASCS program is one of several ways John Deere is providing assistance to GCSAA members in the early phases of their careers. Deere also sponsored the Assistant Superintendent Education Track at the recent 2021 Golf Industry Show, and the company is the longtime sponsor of the GCSAA Collegiate Turf Bowl, in which teams from colleges across the country test their turf knowledge in an annual competition at the Golf Industry Show. John Deere also sponsored the 2021 Golf Industry Show Closing Celebration, during which the results of this year’s Turf Bowl were announced.

In addition, John Deere has renewed its support of the GCSAA student membership program by offering complimentary GCSAA student memberships for students enrolled in or intending to enroll in an eligible turfgrass program or related field of study. GCSAA and John Deere are also collaborating to develop a new initiative that will introduce high school students to golf course equipment manager career opportunities as part of GCSAA’s First Green STEM education program.

“We are proud to support these impactful programs,” says Manny Gan, director of global golf sales and marketing for John Deere. “It is critical for manufacturers like John Deere to invest resources in developing the future leaders of our industry. As a long-standing partner of the GCSAA, we know the importance of what they do for the golf community, and we are committed to helping further their reach to current and future turfgrass professionals.”

Click Here For More Information about the First Green

United States Golf Association WEST REGIONAL UPDATE

Curtailing Cart Damage Brian Whitlark

Senior Consulting Agronomist During the pandemic, golfers have showed their appreciation for the freedom to escape to the golf course. Rounds and revenue received a substantial increase in 2020 and that trend continues early this year. While this is a welcome and needed sight for the golf industry, many courses still have four carts per foursome and the additional traffic has damaged turf. The issues are most prominent where carts leave the path to enter the fairway, near fairway bunkers and where carts reenter the path near the green. The damage is more prominent during winter in the West because turf recovery is slow. Here are a few tips to mitigate the damage:

The Gate System This system’s success is born in its simplicity. Two stakes near the tee mark where carts should leave the cart path and two stakes located about 75 yards from the green alert golfers where to leave the turf and rejoin the cart path. It seems to work well at both private and public facilities. The stakes are moved as needed to spread out turf wear.

Routine Aeration The benefits from different forms of fairway aeration typically only last four to six weeks, or even less in areas that receive concentrated traffic. Utilize slicing, solid-tine aeration, and both deep and shallow tines to combat compaction in areas with heavy cart traffic. Conduct these operations twice monthly, if possible, in localized areas. Use small-diameter tines during periods of slow growth and switch to larger-diameter tines when the turf is growing aggressively.

Spot Fertility Increase nitrogen fertility in high-traffic areas by 50%-100% or more. Focus on a combination of highly soluble and slow-release nitrogen sources such as methylene urea.

If your course is struggling to recover from cart damage, please reach out to a USGA agronomist in the West Region for more information on these strategies or any other agronomic practices.

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