The Green Section

As you may recall, ahead of the 2022 U.S. Open, Mike Whan made mention of a challenge he had for the USGA’s Green Section. Meeting the media at The Country Club in Brookline, he asked, “In the next 15 years what if we committed $30 million to reduce how much water a golf course needs by 45%?”

As outlined ahead of Earth Day in April, the USGA’s 15-year, $30 million commitment advances key actions that golf courses can use to economically reduce their use of water while continuing to deliver outstanding playing conditions. Importantly, we don’t want the initiative to be interpreted as a mandate, but as a call to action to continue (and accelerate) conserving water. This undertaking will integrate the longstanding expertise our entire USGA Green Section with university researchers, golf course owners, superintendents, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Allied Golf Associations, architects, industry allies and water agencies to deliver strategies capable of reducing golf’s median water use in the United States.

The USGA has been advancing the water conservation in golf for decades, and there is much more to come as it relates to how water and resource usage effects golf across the country. We are confident that raising our accelerated efforts to a national level will only help our game for future generations, and spur both local action and innovation on a broad scale.

More information on water and golf courses can be found at www.usga.org/greensection. We are excited about the progress we’ve made in the space, and encourage you to learn more about this initiative, as it will impact golf for years to come.

Just a week after celebrating his 65th birthday, a man wellknown in the North Carolina turfgrass industry, John Williams, retired from Oakland Plantation last month after working as the farm manager for 20 years. He started his role at the farm in May 2003 after spending the previous two decades as a golf course superintendent.

Oakland Plantation’s President, Rick Neisler reflected on his time working with Williams as his right-hand man and is thankful for all the strides and memories they’ve made together.

“John is an ambassador in the turf industry so it was good to have that kind of person on our team. It was a plus-plus with his background. Now he’s retiring with 20 years in the golf business and 20+ in the

By Cecilia Brown