Golf Course Management - November 2015 by Golf Course Management

INSIDE: Is propane golf’s fuel of the future?

GCM PAGE 52

Offcial Publication of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

Protecting the past 38 GCSAA Golf Championships 64 Bee basics 72

Capitol

achievements

It’s all about the members as GCSAA boosts its Washington, D.C., presence PAGE 44 Golf Course Management Magazine www.gcsaa.org • November 2015

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CONTENTS11.15

Cause and affect

GCSAA is steadfast, tireless in taking on members’ challenges. The addition of a full-time presence in the nation’s capital exemplifies that commitment. Howard Richman

Power play Is propane the fuel of the future for golf course maintenance? A test program at Stone Mountain Golf Club and seven other properties is hoping to answer that question. Scott Hollister

On the cover: © Shutterstock/Orhan Cam

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

Tree-mendous teamwork

Sahalee Country Club uses communication, coordination and collaboration to maintain major championship conditions throughout the year. Roger Graves

Home game A longtime participant in the GCSAA Golf Championships, Kevin Kienast, CGCS, relishes his opportunity to play host when the event comes to San Diego in February. Bill Newton

INSIGHTS

Turf

The final adventure Teresa Carson

Shop

Gratitude for the modern stuff Scott R. Nesbitt

RESEARCH

Advocacy A presidential election primer Kaelyn Seymour

36 Environment 38 Protecting the past st Pamela C. Smith, CGCS

Career

Professionalism: Small steps equal big results Carol D. Rau, PHR

Cutting Edge Ed

Bee basics and pollinator protection

Teresa Carson

Changes in traditional land management practices can help pollinators coexist with current land uses, including golf courses. Faith B. Kuehn, Ph.D.

ETCETERA11.15 16 Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message 18 CEO Message 20 Front Nine 30 Photo Quiz 70 Up to Speed

80 Verdure 82 Product News 86 Industry News 92 Climbing the Ladder 92 On Course

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

92 Coming Up 94 In the Field 95 On the Move 97 Newly Certified 97 New Members

100 In Memoriam 104 Final Shot

Golf Course Management Magazine Offcial Publication of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

GCM MISSION

Golf Course Management magazine is dedicated to advancing the golf course superintendent profession and helping GCSAA members achieve career success. To that end, GCM provides authoritative “how-to,” career-oriented, technical and trend information by industry experts, researchers and golf course superintendents. By advancing the profession and members’ careers, the magazine contributes to the enhancement, growth and vitality of the game of golf. GCSAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Aerating yields multiple agronomic benefts to all the playable surfaces of the golf course, including improving water infltration, relieving compaction and increasing oxygen to the root zone. The downside of this critical cultural practice is the disruption of play and the necessary time needed to return the golf course surfaces back to optimal playing condition. The best way to encourage rapid turf recovery is by using Country Club MD and Roots endoRoots before and after aeration.

President Vice President Secretary/Treasurer Immediate Past President Directors

Chief Executive Offcer Chief Operating Offcer

JOHN JOH J. O’KEEFE, CGCS PETER PET J. GRASS, CGCS BILL H. MAYNARD, CGCS KEITH KEIT A. IHMS, CGCS RAFAEL BARAJAS, CGCS RAF KEVIN KEV P. BREEN, CGCS DARREN DAR J. DAVIS, CGCS JOHN JOH R. FULLING JR., CGCS MARK MAR F. JORDAN, CGCS J. RHETT R EVANS J.D. DOCKSTADER

GCM STAFF Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sr. Science Editor Associate Editor Sr. Manager, Creative Services Manager, Creative Services Traffc Coordinator

SCOTT SCO HOLLISTER sho shollister@gcsaa.org MEG MEGAN HIRT mhirt@gcsaa.org mhi TERESA TER CARSON tcar tcarson@gcsaa.org HOWARD HOW RICHMAN hric hrichman@gcsaa.org ROGER ROG BILLINGS rbillings@gcsaa.org rbill KELLY KEL NEIS kneis@gcsaa.org kne BRETT BRE LEONARD bleo bleonard@gcsaa.org

GCSAA This Week/Turf Weekly

One week before aerifcation, apply: Country Club MD 16-0-8 Ammoniacal 1% Fe 1% Mg .5% Mn @ .5# N / M After aerifcation has been completed and while the holes are still open, apply: Roots endoRoots 3-3-4 Granular Mycorrhizal @ 8 lbs / M If cores are being removed, apply Roots endoRoots AFTER they have been removed and drag into open holes. If cores are not being removed, apply Roots endoRoots BEFORE breaking up the cores, as it can be dragged into the holes at the same time as the cores are broken up.

Editor

ADVERTISING 800-472-7878 Director, Corporate Sales Sr. Manager, Business Development Sr. Manager, International Development Account Development Manager Account Managers

ANGELA ANG HARTMANN aha ahartmann@gcsaa.org

MATT MAT BROWN mbr mbrown@gcsaa.org JIM CUMMINS jcum jcummins@gcsaa.org ERIC BOEDEKER eboedeker@gcsaa.org ebo BRETT ILIFF BRE biliff@gcsaa.org bilif SHELLY SHE URISH surish@gcsaa.org suri KARIN KAR CANDRL kca kcandrl@gcsaa.org

Topdress and irrigate as you normally would after aerifcation.

The articles, discussions, research and other information in this publication are advisory only and are not intended as a substitute for specifc manufacturer instructions or training for the processes discussed, or in the use, application, storage and handling of the products mentioned. Use of this information is voluntary and within the control and discretion of the reader. ©2015 by GCSAA Communications Inc., all rights reserved.

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We understand how demanding and ever-changing each day is at the golf course. That’s why we developed golf course agronomic programs featuring both Country Club MD and Emerald Isle Solutions products to assist superintendents in maximizing their turf’s performance; whether with a complete seasonal fertility program or with specifc situations like a tournament prep, quick divot repair or aerifcation. Visit www.countryclubmd.com and click on the “Downloads” tab to view all the agronomic programs, or contact your LebanonTurf distributor.

Core Fertility - Cool Season Putting Greens Core Fertility - Warm Season Putting Greens Tournament Prep / Quick Divot Repair / Growth Regulator Tank Mix Aerifcation / Overseeding Program

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(president’s message)

Helping hands John J. O’Keefe, CGCS turfjok@aol.com

As long as we continue to work together, to trust in others and to support those looking to make their way in this business, I remain confdent that the future of golf course management is in great hands.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

I have been fortunate in my career to work with many young, aspiring golf course superintendents — professionals who have crossed my path as students, interns, recent college graduates, and even assistant superintendents looking to take the next step in their careers. I won’t be so bold as to call myself a mentor, but I’ve always tried to share as much knowledge and wisdom with these young turfgrass managers as I can, to pass along the lessons that I learned from those who guided me in my own career. We talk agronomics, business, personnel management, member relations — anything they might have an interest in learning about. But if there is a particular message that I try to impart to them during our time together, it is one that has been made very clear to me during my service as a GCSAA board member, and most notably during the past nine months as your association president: We can’t do this alone. As most of you know, service on GCSAA’s national board of directors can require signifcant time away from home and work. Traveling to our quarterly board meetings, meeting with chapters and members from coast to coast, and representing GCSAA at various golf industry events are simply part of the commitment that one makes when taking on a role with the board. The ability to do that without disrupting life at home or at work requires a tremendous amount of team support. And I have been blessed to receive exactly that from my family as well as the management team and my greens staff at Preakness Hills Country Club during my years serving GCSAA. Frankly, my journey as a GCSAA board member would not have been possible without them. At work, for example, I know that when I’m away, my assistants — senior assistant Anthony Espe, Steven Aspinall and Anthony Rogic — will keep our day-to-day operations and projects on track. That allows me to focus on GCSAA business without worrying (at least not much!) about what is happening back on the course. These gentlemen have proved themselves more than capable of handling the responsibilities placed upon them. As a result of all of these experiences, I’ve also developed a healthy sense of optimism

about the future of our profession and the abilities of those students, interns and assistants who will carry our business forward. It is evident among my assistants, and I see it regularly in the efforts that your national association directs toward the training and support of these up-and-coming superintendents. Take the educational offerings at the 2016 Golf Industry Show in San Diego, for example. The list of programs, services and classes that will be available there for those just beginning their climb up the golf course management ladder is extensive. It stands as stark evidence of just how important these young professionals are to GCSAA and the kinds of resources that the association dedicates to helping them along their career paths. For more information about the spread of events available in San Diego and to register to attend, go to www.golfndustryshow.com. You can also look to the committees and task groups that the association has for both assistants and students as proof of GCSAA’s commitment to these efforts. On a regular basis, the national association is engaging these groups to identify their most pressing needs, the areas they feel most passionate about, and the ways we can work with them to ensure not only their personal success moving forward, but also the collective success of our industry. Expressing optimism about the future of our business isn’t something you hear a lot of these days, but it’s something I feel very passionate about, and something that I do without reservation. I’ve seen it frsthand, both at my club through the work of my staff and my assistants, and through GCSAA and its efforts to engage and educate those who will serve as the future leaders in the industry. And as long as we continue to work together, to trust in others and to support those looking to make their way in this business, I remain confdent that the future of golf course management is in great hands.

John J. O’Keefe, CGCS, is the director of golf course management at Preakness Hills Country Club in Wayne, N.J., and a 35-year member of GCSAA.

THE POWER TO MAKE THINGS GROW

Cover more ground. Use less fertilizer.

YOU CAN DO BOTH.

XCU® slow-release fertilizer has the highest nitrogen content (43%) and lowest sulfur content (4%) of any polymer-coated sulfur-coated urea product, and is also available in a 150 SGN (41-0-0). This dual-coated enhanced efﬁciency fertilizer delivers a turf response for up to 10 weeks per application. And by using less to treat more area, you save time, fuel and optimize labor. Apply XCU® fertilizer to efﬁciently enhance both your course and your bottom line. Consult with your distributor for more applied advantages, or visit KochTurf.com.

(from the CEO)

See you in San Diego

J. Rhett Evans revans@gcsaa.org Twitter: @GCSAACEO

All of these moving parts — the education conference, the trade show, the golf events, the networking — come together on a level that can’t be found anywhere else throughout the year.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

In February, our attention will be on the Golf Industry Show, scheduled for Feb. 6 through 11 in San Diego, one of our most popular destinations for the biggest annual event in the golf course management business. The Golf Industry Show is one of my favorite weeks of the year. It provides me, and our entire GCSAA team, the invaluable interaction with members and industry friends that gives us insight into the challenges you are facing, and helps us shape how we can best serve you. We’re headed to sunny San Diego for the third time in seven years, and I am particularly fond of San Diego because the 2010 Golf Industry Show there was my frst as part of the GCSAA staff. I had attended GIS before in a prior role, but it wasn’t until I was part of GCSAA that I really got a feel for the breadth of the show and was able to appreciate everything that was going on. The atmosphere was electric, with so many different facets coming together under one roof. All of these moving parts — the education conference, the trade show, the golf events, the networking — come together on a level that can’t be found anywhere else throughout the year. I know I speak for all of our staff members when I say that we feel a special responsibility in putting together this annual event, where each attendee hopefully learns and also feels it was a good use of his or her time and money. “I’ve been coming to the show for 16 or 17 years in a row, and this is going to end up being my best show ever,” said Robert Thorn, general manager of Inject-O-Meter, at the conclusion of the 2015 GIS in San Antonio. “It was so busy that I was still working and talking to people until at least a half-hour after the show closed.” And the superintendents I spoke with expressed the same sentiment. “I am sorry I waited so long to attend,” said Jeff Wilson, superintendent at Bandon Dunes Golf Course in Bandon, Ore., who has been a GCSAA member for 18 years but was attending his frst GIS. “There are always new things to see in equipment,” said Brian Roth, CGCS at Oquirrh Hills Golf Course in Tooele, Utah, an 18-year GCSAA member who was attending his sixth GIS. “In education, I took a lot of general sessions. It was nice to have so many sessions to choose from.”

Our event offers opportunities for members, and it is a chance to get together with our generous industry partners. GIS continues to be strong, with more than 14,000 attendees, more than 500 exhibitors and more than 380 hours of education. The Show will start Feb. 6 through 8 with a mix of fun and competition at the GCSAA Golf Championships. Then we’ll move indoors for the educational seminars and trade show Feb. 8 through 11. Among the highlights in Southern California will be: • The GCSAA Golf Championships, presented in partnership with the Toro Co., played on fve fantastic golf courses in the San Diego area (see “Home game” on Page 64 for more information). • The Opening Session, presented in partnership with Syngenta, on Tuesday afternoon, at which we will honor our award winners, including our Old Tom Morris Award recipient, Herb Kohler. • Individual educational tracks that feature focused sessions and seminars for assistant superintendents and equipment managers, and for those seeking specifc training in business or environmental management. • The increasing role of GCSAA in advocacy for the golf industry will be evident in the educational offerings and our Grassroots Ambassador Boot Camp. And before we bring the curtain down on San Diego, we’ll spend time with friends and laugh together at the Closing Celebration, presented in partnership with John Deere Golf, where talented comedian and impersonator Frank Caliendo will perform. We bookend our week with informative and entertaining events, but throughout each day, GIS will offer you the latest information, products and connections to help you succeed in your career. Registration for the 2016 GIS begins Nov. 3, so please go to www.golfndustryshow.com to fnd more information and to sign up for your trip to San Diego. I look forward to seeing each of you there.

J. Rhett Evans is GCSAA’s chief executive offcer.

Wall of fame Mark Soto plans to keep a close eye on the presidential election one year from now. So why, you ask, does the election have special meaning to a golf course superintendent such as Soto? Well, if Donald Trump just happens to get elected next November and moves into the Oval Offce soon thereafter, Soto’s golf course could be affected. How? Max A. Mandel Municipal Golf Course in Laredo, Texas, is so close to Mexico that you can see it. In fact, golfers at the public facility have been known to hit an errant shot across the bordering Rio Grande, landing in Mexico. “It is only about a 130-, 140-yard shot across,” Soto says. “I don’t know if you could play that shot, though — not without alerting a whole bunch of different people.” In case you have not heard his message, Trump has mentioned more than a time or two that he wants to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border as part of his get-tough stance on immigration. The U.S.-Mexican border from Texas to California is approximately 2,000 miles. Certain sections demand a wall, Trump says. Photos by Monica Hurtado

By the NUMBERS R Getting to know millennial golfers

6.4 million Number of millennial golfers (18- to 34-year-olds) in the U.S. Compare with 6.8 million Gen X golfers and 5.4 million baby boomer golfers.

Max A. Mandel GC in Laredo, Texas, is 7,069 yards from the tips.

90 million Rounds played annually by millennials.

$5 billion Millennial spending on golf annually. Millennials account for 21 percent of total spending on golf rounds and equipment.

44 percent Millennial golfers surveyed who perceive golf as elitist and exclusionary.

79 percent Millennial golfers surveyed who think golf is great for socializing.

Compared with older golfers, millennials are … 15 percent less likely to keep score regularly.

14 percent less likely to maintain an offcial handicap.

12 percent less likely to seek help from a golf professional.

15 percent more likely to check their cell phones on the course.

10 percent more likely to drink alcohol on the course.

8 percent more likely to take two drives off the frst tee.

Source: “Golf and the Millennial Generation,” National Golf Foundation. The complete report is available free for National Golf Foundation members at www.ngf.org.

Currently, with no Trump-type wall, Max A. Mandel GC and Mexico are separated only by the Rio Grande. Soto says that portions of the Rio Grande bordering the golf course are only inches deep. No wonder, then, that illegal immigrants have on occasion used the golf course property to enter the country. “They know where to cross. Some spots will take you onto the golf course itself,” says Soto, noting that holes No. 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 and even 10 are areas of entry. Soto, who is 39, married to Ana and has a 5-yearold son named Mateo, earned a degree in plant sciences from the University of Arizona. He recalls how an illegal immigrant looking for a drink of water made a stop at the maintenance facility. Those who are not supposed to be on the course rarely leave it by themselves. “The golf course is well patrolled with motion sensors, cameras. They (illegal immigrants) tend not to get very far,” says Soto, whose career has included helping build and grow in a course in Honduras. “There is a big presence of border patrol around here — helicopters, foot traffc. It’s nonstop.” Max A. Mandel GC, a Robert Trent Jones II Signature Design, opened in 2012. It averages roughly 19,000 rounds annually, according to Soto, whose main challenge is dealing with three different soil types and areas that previously had been stripped of topsoil and nutrients. Laredo is not totally different from Soto’s upbringing. He knows a little something about border towns, having grown up with three brothers in Nogales, Ariz., which hugs the Mexican border. Whether the border will contain a wall someday, well, Soto is uncertain. If a wall ever does become part of Max A. Mandel GC, Soto imagines one particular scenario playing out time and time again. “I’m sure we’d get a lot of golf balls that would ricochet off of it,” he says. Trump actually might fnd it interesting that Max A. Mandel GC already does have a fence to keep out something other than humans. “There is a feral hog fence around the entire perimeter of the golf course,” Soto says. — Howard Richman, GCM associate editor

Caliendo to entertain at Golf Industry Show Frank Caliendo has a golf course management background. He’ll tell us all about it in San Diego. Caliendo, a stand-up comedian and impressionist, will be the entertainer Feb. 11 for the Closing Celebration sponsored by John Deere Golf on the fnal day of the 2016 Golf Industry Show in San Diego. Perhaps best known for comedic impersonation of sports personalities, such as former NFL coach John Madden and NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, Caliendo launched his stand-up comedy act in local clubs throughout his hometown of Milwaukee. Yet he has experience working on the golf course there, too. “Most people know me from comedy, but I worked on the golf course grounds crew at Westmoor Country Club in Brookfeld, Wis., during high school and college,” Caliendo says. “Now I’ll get to combine those two things. It’s been a while since I’ve been on a fairway mower, but I still remember how much better that was than taking care of bathrooms and moving tee markers on tee boxes. “How about (former football coach) Jon Gruden on a triplex mower, or Al Pacino rolling a green? I’m pretty sure some of that will happen during the show. Maybe even (Donald) Trump building a wall between a bunker and a green. Who knows?”

Enjoyment of the Game

Alternative hobbies

Work commitments

26.2%

Time needed to play

11.5%

1% Diffculty

0.8% Cost of equipment

Cost of play

Source: “Pace of Play Global Survey, 2015,” The R&A. Stats are for North American golfers.

Percentage of golfers who rank the factors below as important to their enjoyment of the game 75% Source: The USGA, 2014

Tee-to-green length of course

How well I play

53% 53% 53% Water availability at tee box/cart

54% Directional signage on course

Physical beauty and aesthetics of course

68% 67%

Cost/value

Being able to play with people of my choosing

74% 72%

Pace of play

The people I play with

76%

Caliendo, 41, covers a wide range of impersonations that includes former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. He has performed at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and been a special guest on many national sports shows and late-night talk shows, including “Fox NFL Sunday” and “The Late Show with David Letterman.” Currently, Caliendo is in the midst of a 13-state tour titled the “Live Frank Tour,” and his performance at the Golf Industry Show in San Diego will be between shows in his home state of Wisconsin.

Help: Pest Management Survey due this month

19%

Family commitments

82%

The conditioning of the golf course

28.8%

12.7%

Accessibility and tee time availability

Factors preventing greater golf play

A snapshot h t off what h matters most to golfers, as well as some of the obstacles that keep them from more time on course.

4 411

The

GCSAA needs your help to determine nationwide pest management practices through the Pest Management Practices Survey. No pesticide records are required, and this information will provide much-needed data for GCSAA to advocate on behalf of the golf course industry and superintendent profession. Without it, GCSAA and its allies won’t have data to support facts showing that golf courses are professionally managed green spaces. The Golf Course Environmental Profle (GCEP) is sponsored by the USGA in conjunction with the Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG), GCSAA’s philanthropic organization. The National Golf Foundation (NGF) is providing its services to conduct the survey, analyze the data, and report the results. Pace Turf scientists Larry Stowell, Ph.D., and Wendy Gelernter, Ph.D., are the professional scientists who are providing their services with the survey, data analysis, reporting and publishing responsibilities. Individual survey results are not used or shared. GCSAA will report all results in aggregate for the U.S. and its seven agronomic regions. The closing date is Nov. 19, pending a suffcient number of responses. All superintendents can participate, but data will be reported for the U.S. only. Go to www.gcsaa. org/environment/environmental-profle/golf-course-envi ronmental-profle-second-phase for information.

Court order places hold on Clean Water Rule A federal court ruled Oct. 9 that President Obama’s regulation to protect small waterways from pollution cannot be enforced nationwide. In a 2-1 ruling, the Cincinnati-based Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit delivered a defeat to Obama’s most ambitious effort to keep streams and wetlands clean, according to The Hill, saying it looks likely that the rule, dubbed “Waters of the United States (WOTUS),” is illegal.

“We conclude the petitioners have demonstrated a substantial possibility of success on the merits of their claims,” the judges wrote in their decision, explaining that the Environmental Protection Agency’s new guidelines for determining whether water is subject to federal control, based mostly on the water’s distance and connection to larger bodies of water, is “at odds” with a key Supreme Court ruling. The decision expands a stay that a North Dakota judge imposed in August — the day before the rule took effect — that only applied to 13 states. The stay is not the fnal word on the regulation; the court still needs to go through the process of making a full ruling on it. GCSAA is continuing to monitor the situation.

Steve Kealy, CGCS, is being honored for his industry service. Photo courtesy of David Phipps materials to help golf course superintendents and course offcials complete successful construction and renovation projects. Moore, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and turfgrass management. The Don A. Rossi Award will be presented Feb. 9 at the 2016 Golf Industry Show in San Diego, during the GCBAA Opening Reception at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel.

Moore receives Rossi Award James “Jim” Moore is the recipient of the Don A. Rossi Award, presented annually by the Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA). For the last three decades, Moore has worked for the USGA in a variety of roles aimed at refning and improving golf course construction practices and standards. “Jim is an advocate for the highest level of golf course construction and renovation standards for the industry, and he has dedicated his career to moving the industry forward through education and training,” says Justin Apel, GCBAA executive director. The Rossi Award honors individuals who have made signifcant contributions to the game of golf and its growth, and who have inspired others by example. It is named for Don A. Rossi, who served as executive director of the National Golf Foundation from 1970 to 1983, and was instrumental in forming the National Golf Course Owners Association. Rossi served as executive director of the GCBAA from 1984 to 1990. Currently, Moore is the director of the USGA Green Section’s Education Program, where he provides top-quality golf course management-related information to multiple segments of the golf industry. Previously, Moore served as director for USGA’s Construction Education Program for 16 years, where he worked closely with golf course architects, builders and soil-testing laboratories to refne construction practices and standards. He developed a wide variety of

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

Treasure Coast GCSA makes donation The Treasure Coast GCSA donated $5,000 to support the Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG). The money for the gift to EIFG was raised through a longstanding annual charity golf tournament that also supports local and state programs. “We want to support our profession and the important work that is being done right now, and we know that the money will be put to good use,” says Matthew Boyd, president of the Treasure Coast GCSA and superintendent at Orchid Island Golf and Beach Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. “If we can help pay for even one scholarship or support advocacy efforts, it is for a good cause.” With this and other previous donations, Treasure Coast GCSA becomes a member of the EIFG Platinum Tee Club for annual giving of $5,000 or more, and the Statesman’s Club for cumulative giving between $10,000 and $25,000 since 1987. Treasure Coast GCSA has about 225 member superintendents, and it is one of 98 state and regional chapters that carry an affliation with GCSAA.

member of GCSAA, started his career as a caddie at Seattle’s Broadmoor Golf Club in 1972. In 1987, he earned his bachelor’s degree in agronomy from Washington State University, and has been employed at Glendale CC for more than 25 years. Currently, Kealy is serving on several golf industry boards, including the Northwest Turfgrass Association, Western Washington Golf Course Superintendents Association and The First Green Foundation. Since 2000, Kealy has hosted more than 100 feld trips to his golf course to teach students hands-on environmental education through The First Green program, and serves as a mentor to superintendents and clubs in establishing their First Green trips. Kealy and other honorees were recognized Oct. 8 at a luncheon at Tacoma Country & Golf Club in Lakewood, Wash.

Pacifc Northwest superintendent honored

High school teacher applauds superintendent

Steve Kealy, CGCS, was recognized for his service in the Pacifc Northwest. Kealy, superintendent at Glendale Country Club in Bellevue, Wash., received the Northwest Golf Media Association (NWGMA) Local Legend award. Kealy, a 29-year

Justin Ruiz, CGCS, made quite an impression on a biology teacher. Biology teacher Dick O’Connor from Pope John Paul II High School in Lacey, Wash., singled out Ruiz for his efforts at a First Green event earlier this year. Ruiz, a 16-year

Tweets

RETWEETS Steve Rintoul @SteveRintoul @GCSAA and #PGA Tour Agronomy invaluable on days like today. @pgatour #fedexcup

Ron Read @golfdinosaurrr Aerifcation is a must. #FramMan had it right: “Pay me now or pay me later.” Pays dividends later @GCSAA Sean McCue @SKMQU Never a good time for the loader to go down, especially when you have 600 tons of sand to move during aerifcation

member of GCSAA, held the First Green event, which is an environmental education outreach program that uses golf courses as learning labs. This event occurred at Indian Summer Country Club in Olympia, Wash. “I am so very impressed with Justin’s hard work and follow-up,” O’Connor wrote. “I had my sophomore biology students each send him a short thank-you note, which mentioned one of the things they learned about grasses and root systems. Justin read all 21 notes, and handwrote 21 replies, in each case incorporating the aspect each student mentioned in their original note. “When they arrived in my classroom in a large envelope, we were shocked. Lesson learned? That there are still people out there who believe in communicating with students and rewarding them for showing good manners.”

Keiser terminates Bandon Links project Bandon Dunes owner/developer Mike Keiser announced on Sept. 30 that he was terminating the proposed Bandon Links project in southern Oregon. Keiser hired golf course architect Gil Hanse seven years ago to plan a destination golf course near Bandon, Ore., to be called Bandon Links. Keiser had hoped that residents of Coos and Curry counties would play for as little as $10 a round. He added that up to 200 high school students annually would earn money by caddying, and that they would be able to apply for college scholarships in association with the Western Golf Association, whose mission is to fund scholarships for young caddies. The project also called for the removal of gorse along the south coast. Most important, Keiser noted, those programs would

be made possible only by charging out-of-state tourists $200 to $250 per round. In his prepared statement regarding his decision to terminate the project, Keiser said: “The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the federal agency with jurisdiction over a portion of the lands which would be devoted to the project, has just advised that in keeping with federal regulations, the fees charged must be commensurate with other golf courses on BLM lands, and that revenues would have to be devoted to use on the property. “That eliminates the funding source for subsidizing the low local rates, for the scholarship program, and for the off-site gorse control. Additionally, recent well testing has met with disappointing results, and that, in turn, creates diffculties for meeting certain Oregon land use requirements which protect lands designated as farmland. “As a result of these problems, I am abandoning the Bandon Links project and will seek a site where the same programs would be viable.” Keiser says the termination of the project will have no effect on anything regarding Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

August rounds increase Year-over-year golf rounds played at U.S. golf courses increased 2.2 percent for the month of August, according to PGA PerformanceTrak. Thirty-two states reported growth in rounds played in August 2015 compared with August 2014. The Upper Midwest, Northern Rockies and Plains reported the largest rounds-play increases. Also, golf facilities reported their second-largest year-over-year increase in monthly golf fee revenue, with a 4.4 percent increase.

In the

NEWS Got their goats Trevor Anderson, AGS @tanderson_ GCS Mother Nature is being very nice to us for this year’s fairway aeration, 2nd straight week of beautiful weather. Total Turf Golf @TotalTurfGS Beautiful morning to be out on the course. Work continues on the Par 3 11th green at Castle Pines GC, CO.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

Superintendents in Massachusetts are fnding that goats can be valuable assets to their maintenance objectives, Golfweek reports. www.golfweek.com/news/2015/oct/01/goats-golfcourse-maintenance-boston-mass-club

Revival in progress in Connecticut More than $1 million has been spent to renovate Goodwin Park Golf Course in Hartford, where previously neglected greens are now making quite the comeback, according to the Hartford Courant. www.courant.com/sports/golf/hc-goodwin-golfcourse-renovation-1012-20151012-story.html

Homes springing up near Tiger’s course Homebuilding is nearing completion on some of the lots adjacent to Tiger Woods’ frst championshipdesign golf course at Bluejack National north of Houston, the Houston Business Journal reports. www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_ call/2015/10/frst-homes-nearing-completion-intiger-woods-golf.html

Preservation act Some golf courses in California, The Huffngton Post reports, are solid layouts that know how to conserve water. www.huffngtonpost.com/anne-phillips/golf-coursesthat-play-we_b_8235132.html

By John Mascaro President of Turf-Tec International

(photo quiz)

Turfgrass area: Target green on driving range

Location: Sylacauga, Ala.

Grass variety: Bermudagrass

(a) PROBLEM

Soil exposed and turf lifted

Turfgrass area: Fairways

Location: Sanibel, Fla.

Grass variety: Sea Isle I seashore paspalum

(b) PROBLEM Presented in partnership with Jacobsen

Deep indentions in turf Answers on Page 90

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

The All-New Jacobsen Truckster XD

What new heavy-duty utility vehicle offers class-leading payload capacity, power and comfort? Turn to page 91 for the answer.

Teresa Carson tcarson@gcsaa.org Twitter: @GCM_Magazine

(turf)

The fnal adventure

Arden Baltensperger, Ph.D., at a New Mexico State University research site in 2014. Photo by Bernd Leinauer

Presented in partnership with Barenbrug

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

Scholar, soldier, farmer, teacher, mentor and turfgrass breeder Arden Baltensperger left this life and, as his family said, “went on to the next adventure,” on Oct. 6, 2015. He was probably best known as the developer of two seeded bermudagrass varieties, NuMex Sahara and Princess-77, but those who knew him remember his kindness and generosity. My own adventure with Dr. B, as he was known to many, began in 2014 at the Golf Industry Show in Orlando, Fla., when he approached me about a paper — the last paper he would ever write, he said, — that he wanted to publish in GCM. After I’d agreed to work with him, he told me he was getting on in years and he thought it would be nice if I would write the paper while he supplied the basic information. Ultimately, the paper (and it was his last paper), “A century of seeded bermudagrass production — and more to come,” was published in the November 2014 issue of GCM, with every word written by Dr. B. I suppose that, just for a moment, he thought that writing the paper would be too much work for him, but once he started the process, there was no stopping him. Over the several months we worked together, he told me bits and pieces of his life story, never mentioning honors he had received or making any claim to greatness, but exulting in the “fun” (his word) he had experienced working with his colleagues in turfgrass breeding. My conversations with those colleagues and correspondence with his family members confrmed what I already knew — Dr. B was unfailingly gracious, humble, encouraging and helpful, with a sharp, and sometimes self-deprecating, sense of humor. The Christmas baby born in Kimball, Neb., in 1922, was encouraged to attend college — even though his choice to major in agronomy was not considered the wisest decision — and he attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) from 1940 until World War II interrupted his studies in 1943. After serving in the Philippines, he returned to college in 1946, and on graduation day in 1947, he skipped the commencement ceremonies to marry Elsie Schlosser, a student at Texas Women’s University (and sometime USO hostess) whom he had met while stationed in the Army near Denton, Texas.

After fnishing his master’s at UNL, Baltensperger and his family returned to Texas, where he spent four years running his father-in-law’s sheep farm and working at the Texas A&M agricultural substation in Denton. Tiring of farm life but still nurturing an interest in corn breeding and genetics, Baltensperger continued his education at Iowa State University, where he changed his area of interest and earned a Ph.D. in 1958 for work in forage grass breeding. It wasn’t until he moved to the University of Arizona that he met his fate. He’d intended to take a job as a sorghum breeder, but an opening in bermudagrass caught his eye, and his destiny was sealed. In 2014, Baltensperger recalled the fve years he spent at the University of Arizona as “a fun go-go time.” “We were under good leadership, we started new courses and improved our graduate program,” Baltensperger said. By the time he left to become head of the Agronomy Department at New Mexico State University (NMSU) in 1963, he was a full professor. Twelve years after his arrival at NMSU, Dr. B was able to immerse himself in the search for a seeded bermudagrass cultivar, and in 1988, he retired from the university to work at Pennington Seed/Seeds West, where he was director of research and, later, a consultant. His greatest success was in developing seeded bermudagrasses for golf course use. In 1987, NuMex Sahara, the frst of these improved bermudagrasses, was released, and by 2006, that cultivar alone had earned more than $1 million in royalties for NMSU. Dr. B’s research also led to the development of Princess-77, the frst fne-textured, seeded hybrid bermudagrass, which provided the playing feld for the Super Bowl in both 2004 and 2005. These and other bermudagrasses Dr. B developed have been used in 22 states and 65 countries. In 2014, as he refected on his life, Dr. B said, “I’ve been such a fortunate person. My work has been something I’ve enjoyed. I’ve had pretty good health. Life’s been so good to me.” Teresa Carson is GCM’s science editor.

Scott R. Nesbitt ORPguy@windstream.net

(shop)

Gratitude for the modern stuff As the holidays approach, the time seems right to give thanks for some of the technologies that have made shop life so much better since I frst started working on machinery back in 1956. There’s no particular ranking of these items — just a collection of things that came to mind while fxing, tinkering and puttering as the growing season winds down. For the youngsters, try these as conversation starters for a bull session with some of the senior grease-stained wretches as winter approaches. Electronic ignition/digital engine controls. Setting ignition points was always iffy, especially on small engines where you had to yank the fywheel and reinstall it just to fnd out whether the darn thing had sparked. Tuneups were more than just changing spark plugs. Even diesels have brains. Zip ties (aka cable straps). Conceived in 1958 as two-piece gizmos for bundling aircraft wires, these beauties took their modern one-piece form in 1968, and have saved countless hours since. Velcro and its spawn. Plastic body panels. Durable, rust-proof, easy to live with. Japanese engines. “Made in Japan” was a punchline when I was a kid. Then, tiny two-cycles showed up on string trimmers. Then the four-cycles came along. They changed the world. They killed off (or forced mergers for) Wisconsin, Clinton, Tecumseh and many other small-engine makers. Now other Asian companies are making decent copies of Japanese power plants, all of them easy-starting, robust, reliable and easy to fx. Anti-vibration and good muffers, and engines with vibration-canceling innards. There was a time when a chainsaw left you deaf and with numb hands. String trimmers weren’t much better. Unleaded gasoline. When was the last time you did a valve job or de-carboned a cylinder head? Those were routine maintenance in the bad old days. Now if only ethanol would disappear. The website www.pure-gas.

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Inexpensive digital meters measure electricity, engine speed, tire pressure, dimensions and temperatures with accuracy unheard of in the old days. Photos by Scott R. Nesbitt

Electronic engine controls have taken over the world, helping engines run better and longer than ever. The downside: The robot makes all the decisions.

Zip ties in various widths and lengths have replaced tape, wire and all manner of fasteners. The accompanying tools draw them tight and snip the excess, making things quick and tidy.

org will guide you to local non-ethanol gasoline sources. Digital test equipment, including easyto-read multimeters, non-contact tachometers and thermometers, and scales accurate to 0.01 pound. Push a button to switch from metric to SAE measurements. These gadgets are low-cost, dependable, convenient and, most importantly, accurate. I’ve forgotten how to read a vernier caliper — not sure I ever really knew how. Ditto for slide rules. Smartphones and digital cameras. To record what the machine looked like before you tore it apart. Computerized parts and service manuals. Online forums. Internet shopping for parts and machines. FedEx, UPS and U.S. Postal Service online package-tracking. Parts that arrive from Canada in two days and from Taiwan in three days, crossing the Pacifc and almost the entire width of North America. Oy! Such a wonderful era. Radial tires.

Paper air flters. Sealed bearings that actually stay sealed. Education beyond high school shop class. Excellent schools for technicians, both those who work in the shop and those who use or direct the equipment in the feld. Certifcation for knowledge and skill. Ratcheting box-end wrenches. Lock them away for a week, and you’ll understand how tough it was in the old days. Oh, how we suffered. Non-fammable parts cleaners. Biodegradable hydraulic fuid. Synthetic lubricants. Teflon. Silicon and its many variants, from heat-resistant parts to instant gasket goop. Nitrile gloves to protect the hands. All of these are miracles of chemistry. Here’s hoping this mélange stirs memories for some, curiosity for others, and a bit of thanks that, despite what “they” may say, things really weren’t better back in the old days.

Scott R. Nesbitt is a freelance writer and former GCSAA staff member. He lives in Cleveland, Ga.

Kaelyn Seymour kseymour@gcsaa.org Twitter: @GCSAA

(advocacy)

A presidential election primer Nov. 8, 2016, will be the the 99 counties in Iowa. The caucuses are run by the respective day of the 58th quadrennial presidential election. parties, and they are the No incumbent will be frst step in determining on the ballot, making the delegates who will for a very competitive represent the states at primary season for the Democratic and both the Democratic Republican National and Republican parConventions. The Iowa ties. One year before caucuses are open to any the election, GCSAA person who is eligible to is keeping an eye on the vote in the state of Iowa presidential election proand will be at least 18 years cess and the developments old on Election Day. You must Illustration © Shutterstock/ that will unfold over the next be registered with whatever party Dwi Susilo 12 months. Regardless of who wins the you wish to caucus with, and you can register White House, we anticipate 2017 will have a with a party on caucus night. great impact on the golf industry. GCSAA is following the Iowa caucuses, There are several steps that will get us from and one question we get often is how the Iowa the 14 Republicans and three Democrats cur- caucuses work. In essence, eligible caucus-goers rently running to the one-on-one race that will divide to form presidential preference groups. take place this time next year. The frst are the If a preference group for a candidate does not primary debates. Republicans are set to have 11 have enough people to be considered “viable” primary debates, three of which have already (based on a threshold established at the begintaken place more than a year away from Elec- ning of the night), attendees have the opportution Day. Democrats are slated to have six de- nity to join another preference group or acquire bates, with only one of those happening more people in their group in order to become viable. than a year away from the election. As the Delegates are then awarded to the preference Republican debates have taught us up to this groups based on their size. The winner of the point, debate performance can make or break a Iowa caucuses will be the candidate who accandidate. Primary debates will go on through crues the most delegates that evening. Those March, and candidates will continue to drop delegates then factor into the national calculations for who will be the ultimate candidate out of the race as polling numbers come in. The frst presidential selection contest will from the party. New Hampshire will host the next presibe the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1. The caucus process is a grassroots way for activists and par- dential selection contest, with the frst-in-theties to elect their candidates, though caucus nation primary. The difference between Iowa rules differ from state to state. Iowa has been and New Hampshire is that New Hampshire’s chosen by both parties to be the frst in the primary election is run by the New Hampshire nation in the selection process. The Iowa cau- secretary of state, with input on the date from cuses are held in the roughly 1,700 precincts of the political parties. This year, the New Hamp-

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

shire primary will be held Feb. 9. Rounding out the four early contests will be the South Carolina primary and the Nevada caucuses. In addition, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) has a fling deadline of Jan. 31. Those four presidential selection contests along with the FEC fling deadline will separate viable candidates from those who aren’t viable, and we will see a large number of candidates drop out of the race afterward. After all 50 states have held their caucuses or primaries, the parties will each have their nominating conventions. While it may seem like caucuses and primaries are to select the presidential candidates, they are actually to choose the delegates who will represent the states at the nominating conventions. In fact, the presidential candidate from each party isn’t “offcially” selected until the summer nominating convention, after all delegates have had the opportunity to cast their ballots. The portion of presidential elections most Americans are familiar with is the general election process. The Commission on Presidential Debates has scheduled four debates during fall 2016, with three of those being presidential debates and one being a vice presidential debate. Around the time of those debates, we will see the two candidates campaigning in large states in order to win the 270 electoral votes necessary to secure the presidency. The stakes are high: Control of the presidency includes the ability to set the regulatory agenda for the agencies that make up the executive branch. It also comes with the power to infuence the legislative debate in Congress. This could mean a new direction for the regulatory agencies that impact golf course management, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers. It may also mean a break in the gridlock Congress has faced over a number of hot button issues that affect our courses, such as immigration. Expect whoever wins the White House to claim a mandate to accomplish a lot in his or her frst term.

Kaelyn Seymour is GCSAA’s government affairs specialist.

Pamela C. Smith, CGCS greenskeeper99@yahoo.com

(environment)

Protecting the past While it may be unusual, it is not unheard of for construction and maintenance activities to unearth Native American artifacts. Items such as pottery, clothing, funerary artifacts and ancient human remains are a fnite resource, and once mishandled, are forever lost. Before beginning any excavation, I think about the regulations and permits in place to ensure the protection of natural resources such as water and wildlife. I always wonder whether Native American artifacts might be present within the site, and what legal protections are in place to ensure the proper handling of these items. While I have never unearthed anything culturally signifcant, I have discovered that the laws that govern Native American artifacts are not as forthright as the protections for endangered species. In this column, I’ll explore some of the legal and ethical concerns involved in uncovering these historical resources. The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) is a federal law enacted in 1990 for the repatriation of Native American remains and cultural items that were removed from federal or tribal land. NAGPRA requires federally funded institutions such as museums and schools to repatriate Native American human remains and funerary items. Federally recognized Native American tribes that are lineal descendants or that are culturally affliated with the items are eligible to claim these items. It is no small accomplishment that 50,518 individual remains have been repatriated to their tribes as of Sept. 30, 2014, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior. Under NAGPRA, it is a crime to sell, display or possess Native American remains or artifacts that were obtained illegally. NAGPRA governs the discovery of remains and cultural items if your property is on tribal or federal land. It might be obvious if you are working on tribal land, but perhaps not always as clear whether you are on federal land. Many

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privately operated ski resorts and golf courses are located on leased federal land. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) applies to undertakings that the federal government carries out, assists with, funds, permits, licenses or approves. This law requires that interested parties such as Native American tribes be consulted and participate in the identifcation of historic sites, and provide input on how to balance the project with the need to preserve history. Golf courses that require federal permits or other federal involvement can trigger the consultation processes required by NHPA. State and local laws govern artifacts found on private land, and these laws are varied, but there are some recurring principles in many of them. In general, human remains, funerary items and other sacred objects do not belong to the landowner and may not be disturbed, sold or displayed. Doing so could result in civil and criminal sanctions. Other artifacts can be the legal property of the landowner, such as arrowheads found on the surface. The landowner may give permission for others to collect arrowheads, or may allow archaeological exploration. For more information on laws specifc to your location, check out resources such as your state’s offce of state archaeology or local historical preservation offces. What if you suspect there might be an archaeological site on your property? The answer depends on the type of property and what types of artifacts are found. An archaeological assessment can be conducted to determine whether artifacts are present, and to help determine a course of action if they are found. Human remains should never be disturbed, and, if they are discovered, local authorities should be contacted immediately. Items found on federal, tribal or state land should be left undisturbed and reported to the agency responsible for that land. Artifacts found on private property are not as clearly regulated as those on federal, tribal or state land. This is an area where the laws vary from state to state and can leave the fate of artifacts to the discretion of the landowner. Private ownership and control of Native American artifacts that are not protected by laws and

As golf course superintendents, we have the opportunity to become stewards of the past just as we are for the present and the future. regulations rely on the landowner’s ethics and personal values to govern these resources. Do we need another burial site excavated, sifted, studied and displayed in the quest for a greater understanding of indigenous people? Or, could we simply set aside this land undisturbed and consult with tribes who might have an interest in the site? Sell the artifacts, or set them as a display in the clubhouse? Whatever the course of action, these items and sites should be treated with respect and reverence for indigenous peoples’ cultures, beliefs and histories. In many instances, these cultural resources are vulnerable to irreparable damage and mishandling. As golf course superintendents, we have the opportunity to become stewards of the past just as we are for the present and the future. Disclaimer: T is article is intended for informational purposes only and s ould not be construed as legal advice.

Pamela C. Smith, CGCS, is an attorney and the director of agronomy for a large city. She is a 25-year member of GCSAA.

Carol D. Rau, PHR careeradvantage@sunfower.com Twitter: @CareerGolf

The next time you set out on a job search, remember that even though employers may not be able to clearly defne professionalism, it will play a key role in candidate selection.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

(career)

Professionalism: Small steps equal big results If you were to ask any employer in the golf industry whether professionalism is important, he or she would surely respond with a resounding “yes!” But if you were to ask that employer to defne professionalism? Pause. Cricket irping. How does professionalism impact hiring decisions? Is it one of those factors that’s diffcult to pinpoint, but infuential in tipping the scales toward selecting the winning candidate? Yes! In this month’s column, we’ll take a closer look at the meaning of professionalism, and how you can exhibit this trait to advance your career. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, professionalism is “the skill, good judgment, and polite behavior that is expected from a person who is trained to do a job well.” So, it’s a combination of know-how and actions, all packaged together. Unlike typical qualifcations that job candidates can merely list on a résumé, professionalism must be demonstrated. How? Here are three strategies for showing professionalism that you can keep in mind for your next job search. Appropriateness. Is the nature of your résumé, cover letter and other correspondence suitable to the situation? Have you double-checked that there are no typos or grammatical errors in your documents? The tone and format of your documents and communication should be formal and respectful of the employer’s time, perspective and role as decision-maker. You should also ensure your communication is clear and geared to your audience and their interest in and understanding of turf management. For example, if you are applying at a private club that has a board of directors, communicate in a manner that makes the complex business and science of managing turf understandable and relevant to them as club members. Finally, good old-fashioned etiquette can go a long way. Use “please” and “thank you,” and carry a respectful tone in all correspondence, phone interactions and in-person encounters. Appearance. First impressions are paramount. Regardless of your credentials and experience, image and attire will often override facts and fgures in the interview process. According to the 2013 National Professionalism Survey, a poll of more than 400 employers conducted by York College of Pennsylvania, 80.6

percent of respondents rated attire and appearance as either a 4 or 5 (on a scale of 1 to 5), indicating this factor has a “great impact” on whether an applicant will be hired. When preparing to meet face to face with a potential employer, ask yourself whether your appearance conveys that you are a professional in the golf industry and merit the employer’s trust as part of the leadership team for the facility. Are your clothing, shoes, hair and accessories appropriate and in good order to demonstrate this? If you are unsure of your answer, seek help from a mentor or trusted friend so your appearance will substantiate, not hinder, your display of professionalism. Attitude. Another look at Merriam-Webster can help us better understand the concept of “attitude,” which is defned as “a feeling or way of thinking that affects a person’s behavior.” Picture a person who has a professional attitude. Think of the person’s posture, facial expressions and approach to situations. How would a letter from this person read? What types of words would demonstrate the person’s thinking and outlook, in writing and in person? Attitude is not simply appearing happy or upbeat. Employers often interpret attitude from the standpoint of how you’ll respond in situations, from tough, challenging circumstances to big successes. Before you hit the send button on an email to a prospective employer or fnalize your interview phrasing, consider it again through the lens of attitude. Choose language as well as stories and examples from your career that shed a positive light on your thinking, outlook and approach as a professional. The next time you set out on a job search, remember that even though employers may not be able to clearly defne professionalism, it will play a key role in candidate selection. Get the results you want by taking advantage of opportunities to show this important quality.

Carol D. Rau, PHR, is a career consultant with GCSAA and is the owner of Career Advantage, a career consulting frm in Lawrence, Kan., specializing in golf and turf industry careers. GCSAA members receive complimentary résumé critiques by Rau and her team; résumé, cover letter and LinkedIn creation for a reduced member rate; and interview preparation and portfolio consultation.

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c usE f

GCSAA is steadfast, tireless in taking on members’ challenges. The addition of a full-time presence in the nation’s capital exemplifes that commitment. Howard Richman

Photo © Shutterstock/Orhan Cam

11.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

Merion Golf Club superintendent Matt Shaffer (right) spends some time with Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick Meehan. Photo by Scott Hollister

National Golf Day on April 15 included a GCSAA delegation featuring GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans. Photo by Buffalo Communications

“The USGA could not be more appreciative of the good work the GCSAA does to support the game’s long-term health.” — Mike Davis, USGA executive director

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Advocacy is a driving force in GCSAA’s big-picture mission. On a day in July, Zach Bauer was the driver. Bauer, GCSAA Class A superintendent at The Broadmoor’s West Course in Colorado Springs, Colo., embraced the opportunity to share GCSAA’s message by giving a facility tour this past summer. As Bauer settled in behind the wheel, Annie Oatman-Gardner was in the passenger seat, her presence an example of how GCSAA is frmly engaged in the advocacy cause. A chance to meet with policymakers who make and shape decisions that can affect golf is pure gold. Oatman-Gardner is the Pikes Peak regional director for Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet. Talk about a golden opportunity. This was it. “She saw our shop, equipment, weather station. I let her see some of the spots we have issues, such as fairy ring, showed her our pollination habitat areas, and parts of the course we stopped maintaining, where we use no water or fertilizers,” says Bauer, a GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador member, noting that this was Oatman-Gardner’s second visit to The Broadmoor. “I think she was like, ‘I had no clue what you all do.’ I think it’s been a positive reaction and relationship,” Bauer says. “Our offce is always interested in listening to what our constituents have to say, and to see what businesses around the state are up to,” Oatman-Gardner says. “Zach reached out to us to discuss their efforts related to conservation.” GCSAA’s advocacy endeavors — buoyed late last summer by the decision to enlarge its

footprint in the nation’s capital by hiring Robert Helland in the newly created position of director, congressional and federal affairs — are an investment in the association’s aim of being an even stronger voice for the golf industry at the state, local, regional and national levels, from Washington D.C. to Washington state. Example: GCSAA’s collaborative effort with the EPA to help superintendents on product availability issues. They worked together to secure an extension of Nemacur’s end-use date for use of existing stocks. Chalk one up for GCSAA’s 24/7 mentality to open new doors and stand frm for its nearly 18,000 members’ wants, needs and desires. And there is nothing conservative about GCSAA’s efforts to be a difference-maker. Trendsetter. Expert. Revolutionary. Observers get it. They are witnesses. “The USGA could not be more appreciative of the good work the GCSAA does to support the game’s long-term health,” says USGA executive director Mike Davis. “We have enjoyed decades of collaboration in conducting research, hosting national championships, and implementing solutions that not only make the game more enjoyable, but also more effcient and environmentally responsible. The day-to-day efforts of superintendents and broader GCSAA programs are helping change how the game is perceived, both within and beyond our industry.” Cliff Lewis, agricultural water withdrawal program manager at the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, says superintendents are forward thinking and innovative, and make his job easier. “I used to get calls (from the public) fve, six years ago about checking

on golf courses and their watering practices. I don’t get those calls anymore. People have begun to link together the environmental and economic aspects of it,” Lewis says. “I’ve spoken at their (superintendents’) meetings, attended their events. We’re adding people to our arsenal and outreach. I say ‘we’ — I feel like I’m part of their team.” Mark Peterson, executive director of the Golf Association of Philadelphia, adds that superintendents are certainly more visible than they have been in years past. “I think everybody would agree they’re more visible. The focus they put on education … we’ve all seen it for years and years. They play a huge role in the bottom line of clubs,” Peterson says. Even somebody from the second-largest city in the U.S., part of a state in which the governor has mandated water restrictions, has an opinion on GCSAA. “You guys (superintendents) are effcient, and I’m going to stand by it. We have the data to prove it,” says Rick Silva from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s Water Conservation Unit. “In Southern California, golf uses less water per square foot than you or me — and their grass looks a lot better.” A watershed moment July 21. The strategic effort to boost advocacy reached new levels that day. Because of ongoing regulatory scrutiny, GCSAA’s Board of Directors approved a fve-year strategic plan to increase its presence in Washington, D.C. That included the hiring of Helland. Helland, who previously served as GCSAA’s Washington, D.C.-based federal lobbyist from the law frm of Reed Smith LLC for the past 10 years, now provides a full-time voice in the nation’s capital, allowing GCSAA to expand even more on building relationships. Helland’s presence — along with those of director of government affairs Chava McKeel, government affairs specialist Kaelyn Seymour, and nine feld staff members that have done their part to fre up GCSAA chapters — adds more oomph to the momentum at GCSAA. GCSAA is full speed ahead in its quest to take on any challenge to protect its members, whether over the Clean Water Rule (commonly known as WOTUS), the H-2B temporary guest worker program, or any other matter. When the WOTUS rule was temporarily blocked nationwide Oct. 9 by the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, it signaled much progress for GCSAA and allied partners in their work.

“As an association that places its members frst, we have the responsibility to protect and advocate for them and their profession,” says GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans. “As we all become more engaged in this vital area, taking a proactive approach to governmental affairs, our chances of success will increase.” This determined effort already seems to be paying off. “They have taken on the government relations side. It’s very important. Very impressive,” says Justin Apel, executive director of the Golf Course Builders Association of America. “The collaboration, the ability to network with allies, specifcally you guys, has been invaluable. We’ve been able to help one another, avoid duplication, which shows the industry it is a team approach. They (superintendents) always have been important.” Engaged and active This boots-on-the-ground campaign by GCSAA to make inroads and protect its membership spreads far and wide. We’re talking Capitol Hill. Major metropolitan cities. Golf courses. Public forums. “Within all the leadership organizations, all of which are engaged in advocacy, the GCSAA is pre-eminent among them,” says Craig Kessler, director of governmental affairs for the Southern California Golf Association, who adds that GCSAA Southwest feld staff representative Jeff Jensen has made

a major impact for GCSAA members and the industry. “They are the most focused on it,” Kessler says of GCSAA. “They’ve created a culture of expectations. When it comes to advocacy efforts, they have a high priority on it, and it flters down to regions, chapters. That creates a culture that this is important.” GCSAA’s engagement in the industry is vast. It includes: • We Are Golf, a coalition of GCSAA, the PGA of America, the Club Managers Association of America, USGA, U.S. Golf Manufacturing Council and National Golf

Above: GCSAA demonstrates turf practices for Congress members. Photos by Scott Hollister

Below: GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans visits with North Carolina Congresswoman Renee Elmers.

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Penny Pew, second from right, represents Ariz. Congressman Paul Gosar at an event at Apache Sun Golf Course. Photo courtesy of Jeff Jensen

Course Owners Association, unifed to represent the economic, human and environmental benefts of the industry at federal, state and local levels of government. • National Golf Day each spring on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., now in its eighth year, is an opportunity for policymakers to meet with a coalition of golf’s leading organizations, including GCSAA, the USGA, the PGA of America, the PGA Tour and others. GCSAA totaled 30 participants this year, and had more than 80 meetings with members of Congress and their staffs. • The Grassroots Ambassador program, launched in July 2014. The goal of the program is for GCSAA members to foster positive, productive relationships with members of Congress to ensure the association has a political voice in all 50 states. To date, 45 states are represented by 193 participants. Jeff Sexton, CGCS, of Evansville (Ind.) Country Club, will tell you that being a Grassroots Ambassador is valuable. When he learned that Rep. Larry Bucshon was a club member, his gesture of contacting Bucshon had rewards. After struggling to secure a Corps of Engineers visit to the club to check a levy that had fooding issues, Sexton informed Bucshon of the problem, which paved the way for the Corps of Engineers to fnally make a visit. On the WOTUS issue, Bucshon connected Sexton with his legislative assistant Jeff Lucas, who spoke to the Tri-State chapter about it. “A lot of us go to work, do what we do. But we need more people to reach out, do more, if we want our industry to be strong,” Sexton says. “I think we help the overall health of America by doing good work, and being careful how we do it.” Whether the issue is water, pesticides, or pollinator protection, the charge for GCSAA’s Government Affairs department is to support and stand up for members.

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A tour of Bethesda CC for federal regulators showcases the course’s operations. Photo by Scott Hollister

“In my community, the experience I have had with this industry has been incredibly positive.” — Caddy McKeown, Oregon Democratic Representative

“We can’t assume we’d be looked at favorably if we’re not part of the process,” says Helland, whose policy background includes working in the U.S. Senate on environmental and transportation issues for former New Jersey senator and governor Jon Corzine. “Folks in D.C. can have as much impact on our courses as anyone who plays them. We need to be proactive, not reactive, to how Congress is affecting us. It’s a long-term fght, and we need to stay vigilant.” GCSAA has had a productive run so far this year. In May, Oregon Golf Month featured more than a dozen state legislators in attendance at an event at Illahe Hills Country Club in Salem, Ore. “In my community, the experience I have had with this industry has been incredibly positive,” says Oregon Democratic Representative Caddy McKeown, whose father, Richard Hanen, was a prominent amateur golfer (he played in the 1961 U.S. Amateur won by

Jack Nicklaus at Pebble Beach). In June, the frst-ever Pennsylvania Golf Day took place at the state capital in Harrisburg. It was an opportunity to tell golf’s story, and for superintendents to promote themselves as professional land managers and stewards. In July, GCSAA chapters in Nevada (Sierra Nevada GCSA, Southern Nevada GCSA) participated in meetings in Las Vegas for the Nevada Drought Forum (established by Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval in April). Chapter presidents discussed current and future drought concerns with an emphasis on golf’s water use, which accounts for less than 2 percent of the state’s total. In August, a town hall meeting organized by the Cactus & Pine GCSA at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., presented another opportunity to educate policymakers. Sen. John McCain’s offce sent representatives to the event, again demonstrating that GCSAA can catch the ear of those who make a difference for its members. “I have had the privilege to meet with the GCSAA and its members on many issues over the years. These folks continue to provide a valuable perspective on how the actions we take in Congress impact the industry,” says Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “I look forward to working with them in the future as they expand their advocacy efforts.” GCSAA spearheaded the work with multiple allied associations to submit detailed comments on its stance on WOTUS. On a weekly basis, Arizona-based superintendent Rory Van Poucke meets with water districts to discuss issues. Earlier this decade, Van

Poucke helped secure a two-year extension for golf courses to fnd alternative sources of water. “It (advocacy) isn’t necessarily something we learned in school,” Van Poucke says. “But it is important, as superintendents, that we are at the table, that our voices are heard.” Van Poucke’s boss, Apache Sun Golf Course owner Mike Musulin, supports Van Poucke’s advocacy contributions. “I want him to be active, because it’s very important. Having government be aware how valuable golf courses are and how we value water is crucial,” Musulin says. “Rory’s done a phenomenal job representing us, the state of Arizona, and golf courses in the U.S.” From products to BMPs Examples of how GCSAA and its members plead their case and fght for their cause are plentiful, and the efforts can make a difference. Think Nemacur. In September 2014, the EPA collaborated with GCSAA on extending the end-use date for existing stocks of fenamiphos (Nemacur) until Oct. 6, 2017. The extension amounted to a three-year reprieve for turfgrass managers, who were facing an Oct. 6, 2014, cutoff date for existing stocks. “We (superintendents) could not have done that as a group. Chava was fantastic. She got people together for a conference call. She was thorough, excellent. I was surprised we got a quick ruling — and such a favorable ruling,” says Jeff Markow, CGCS, Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, Calif. McKeel is the go-between for members, and sometimes it isn’t easy. She, however, is relentless in advocating for the cause. Recently, GCSAA partnered with the PGA of America, Club Managers Association of America, National Golf Course Owners Association and National Club Association to jointly develop public comments regarding the U.S. Department of Labor’s Notice of Proposed Rule-making regarding overtime pay. Our industry, McKeel says, is heavily dependent on golf’s seasonality to succeed, and there is a fear this new salary threshold would disproportionately impact golf entities that have shorter seasons in which to prosper. “They (superintendents) are surrounded by people who love golf. I’m around the opponents — those who say golf deserves to be penalized or that golf does not deserve to be on a level playing feld with other industries. I use data and research and stories of professional land management to help them understand our profession,” McKeel says. “We’re well posi-

tioned to inform them. We try to chip away, on a daily basis, on what some people believe about golf course management.” Golf has been criticized in some circles for contributing to the deterioration of water quality in the Chesapeake Bay. Yet work by people such as GCSAA Mid-Atlantic feld staff representative Chase Rogan and chapter members in that region has helped shed light on the association’s efforts to develop Best Management Practices (BMPs) that illustrate members’ responsible use of water and nutrients. In Virginia, superintendent Peter McDonough at the Keswick Club in Charlottesville is working with the state government to implement nutrient management plans for golf courses.

A key player in this issue sees the good that GCSAA does. “They (GCSAA) have the ability to see the big picture,” says Derik Cataldi, urban nutrient management specialist at the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. “Most times when you are working with superintendents, you are working with a highly trained individual. They show how they regulate, don’t just do things off the cuff. GCSAA is very practical, has a mission of improving the game of golf, and lets its members know about the research and the trends. They are extremely good at that.” If it takes years to determine an outcome, GCSAA has shown a willingness to stay the course for the cause. An example is the Ameri-

History lesson Gerald Faubel, CGCS Retired, landed his frst superintendent job more than 50 years ago. He cannot recall government showing much interest in the golf industry in those days. “I think they had bigger fsh to fry, quite frankly,” Faubel says. Past GCSAA president Paul McGinnis, CGCS, became a superintendent in 1974, and remembers a similar time. “There really were no regulators. We could use as much water as we wanted. No one said we couldn’t,” McGinnis says. Ultimately, that all changed — in some cases, dramatically (California water restrictions, for example). So, in 1987, GCSAA introduced its newest member service: Government Relations. As laws, rules and regulations began to impact golf courses in regard to issues such as fungicides and pesticides, GCSAA took action. Faubel served as the frst director of government relations (now known as Government Affairs). Its goal was to report vital information to the membership on issues that affected the industry, and to provide legislators and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with information they may require concerning situations and techniques that exist in the industry. “Many superintendents then wanted to stay out of the limelight, didn’t want to have

anything to do with government relations,” Faubel says. “But we had to be looked upon as stewards of the environment. We took the tact that it is better working together with agencies such as the EPA in a positive manner rather than working against one another. It was a very responsible manner in which we intended to do the right thing for the right reasons.” Those advocacy efforts continued — and they still do. In 1989, GCSAA launched its frst offcial government relations newsletter, Briefng, and in 2000, it hired Washington, D.C.-based frm Reed Smith to represent its federal interests. In 2006, GCSAA moved its annual Government Relations committee meeting to Washington, D.C. Although GCSAA’s advocacy work has blossomed enormously since 1987, Faubel says the message today is very similar to what frst emerged 28 years ago. “If people in Washington were going to make decisions that were going to affect our lives, it is better that we helped them be well informed, have the information they needed, to make good decisions,” Faubel says. “We didn’t want anyone in particular to control our own destiny. We wanted to be included in it.” — H.R.

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cans with Disabilities Act (ADA). From the early 1990s to 2012, GCSAA worked with the U.S. Access Board to develop accessibility guidelines for golf courses, which are now enforceable by the Department of Justice. The ability of superintendents to keep their eye on the ball impresses Karen Reardon, vice president of public affairs for the trade association RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment). Although a pesticides ban in Montgomery County, Maryland, exempts golf courses, she mentioned how superintendents remain committed to the issue in case the ban eventually includes their golf courses. “They’ve got an ear to the ground. They understand what can come later on issues that don’t impact them initially,” Reardon says. “They still show up, take a leadership role, for however long it lasts.” GCSAA also helped develop a BMP handbook for the state of Florida. Mike Thomas, engineer for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, recalls how two decades ago, superintendent Tim Hiers showed him how his course handled recycling and prevented contamination. It spurred Thomas to work with GCSAA members on BMPs. “This group (superintendents) has been really progressive. The superintendents are the true professionals,” Thomas says. Dean Minchillo is a believer. As conservation program manager for the Tarrant Regional Water District in Fort Worth, Texas, Minchillo has encountered superintendents, and he got quite an education from one of them, Ken Gorzycki, CGCS, of Horseshoe Bay (Texas) Resort. “He really explained a lot to me what it takes to keep grass alive, playable, what kind of things are necessary for a superintendent to provide the right playing surfaces and protect natural resources. These people do an incredible job with what they do and what they have,” says Minchillo, who is part of a task force seeking ways to recognize and offer accolades to golf courses that incorporate BMPs. “Whenever I’m dealing with a homeowner complaining about golf courses (and how they use water), I speak to them from the superintendent’s perspective.” John Genovesi, CGCS, did more than speak one day at the East Hampton Village, N.Y., Zoning Board Meeting — he testifed. Genovesi’s golf course, Maidstone Club, was planning to upgrade its irrigation system, which required a permit because of wetlands on the course. Stuart Cohen, Ph.D., president of Environmental & Turf Services, pro-

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The Nevada Drought Forum was established by Gov. Brian Sandoval. It included GCSAA chapters’ input. Photo courtesy of Jeff Jensen

vided some of the research and facts to support Genovesi’s cause. As he watched Genovesi testify, Cohen paid close attention to those who were listening. “I was watching their (the board’s) body language when John testifed. They were zoned in on what he was saying,” Cohen says. “When I testify on an issue at public hearings, I also try to get a superintendent up there (to testify). If (superintendents) have good communication skills, they can speak with authority.” By the way — Genovesi got that permit. The irrigation system upgrades were installed earlier this year. “When I told them I was certifed, educated, I think that got their ear,” Genovesi says. “Once they got the message, that we would actually have a healthier environment through this project and how we would be more in control of the operation, we really won them over.” That, in a nutshell, describes GCSAA’s advocacy role, GCSAA Florida feld staff representative Ralph Dain says. “It (advocacy) is everything we do. We’re truly the environmentalists, and we can show that in what we’re doing. It’s endless what we can do together,” Dain says. Now hear this When T.A. Barker appeared as a guest on KSL NewsRadio in Salt Lake City, it was simply another chance for the past Intermountain GCSA chapter president to spread the word. His conversation with host Mark Jackson sure hit the mark. “I’ve got to tell you — it was one of my favorite shows,” Jackson says. Jackson was impressed with how Barker informed him and his listeners of how golf courses do their part to conserve water, which,

more than ever, has become a precious commodity in so many places. “He just laid it out, made it easy to understand. He knew exactly what he was talking about,” Jackson says. “The biggest thing I learned is that a brown golf course is just the same as a green course. It doesn’t mean it’s dead; it’s just not green. It’s something I’ll never forget.” A piece of trivia: KSL (1160 on your AM dial) was the frst clear-channel radio station west of the Mississippi. There is nothing trivial about this, though: GCSAA’s pursuit of being the messenger for its constituents — from coast to coast, border to border, and even beyond — is coming in loud and clear. Bauer, who at frst wondered whether all he got out of his membership was a magazine, thinks he is being heard, and hopes others in his profession come aboard and do their part to make a difference. “I took the opportunity to get involved, and that has changed my whole perception of my membership,” Bauer says. “I have an association I can go to, be part of, and I know they are there for me. Becoming involved has been a real eye-opener. And I think we’re opening up a lot of people’s eyes about us.”

Howard Richman (hrichman@gcsaa.org) is GCM’s associate editor.

P wer w play Is propane the fuel of the future for golf course maintenance? A test program at Stone Mountain Golf Club and seven other properties is hoping to answer that question. Scott Hollister Stone Mountain, Ga., is no stranger to revolution. The granite dome that rises 1,686 feet above the surrounding landscape just 20 miles from downtown Atlanta and the small city that bears the same name both played central roles during the Civil War. The mountain itself features the world’s largest bas-relief sculpture, one that pays homage to that stormy period of history through a carving of Confederate leaders Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Granite quarried from Stone Mountain was used in the construction of the locks in the Panama Canal, the steps to the East Wing of the U.S. Capitol Building and the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. Martin Luther King Jr. even mentioned the mountain during his famed “I Have a Dream” speech. The most recent revolution to involve Stone Mountain, however, is playing out far more quietly and discreetly than the area’s previous turns in the spotlight. In fact, those closest to it — those playing 36 holes of golf at Stone Mountain Golf Club by Marriott, which sits in the shadow of the mountain itself — probably have no idea that it’s even taking place. But, depending on the fnal outcomes of an innovative program from the Propane Ed-

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ucation and Research Council (PERC) and R&R Products that is testing propane-powered golf course maintenance equipment at Stone Mountain and seven other properties across the country, revolutionary is the most apt way to describe what is taking place. It’s a program that has the potential to change the way golf courses all over the world are maintained. “I really think this is an important step in the evolution of the greening of grounds maintenance,” says Stone Mountain superintendent Anthony Williams, CGCS. “That’s what intrigued me so much about working ... on this project. It’s something that, if successful, can really have an impact on our industry in the future.” Propane positives When Walter Snelling frst identifed propane at the turn of the 20th century, he wasn’t necessarily in search of the world’s next great power source. He was a chemist doing chemist things, and he found that the gases released when gasoline evaporated could be changed back into a liquid form and stored at pressure. The resulting compound was soon powering everything from home appliances to cutting torches. In the century since its discovery,

Photo courtesy of PERC

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The Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) and R&R Products have been testing propane-powered golf course equipment on eight courses throughout the United States, including Stone Mountain (Ga.) GC by Marriott. Photos courtesy of PERC

All in all, propane is a relatively costeffective option in most commercial settings when compared with diesel or gasoline.

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propane has been adopted for use in kitchens and in laundromats, on road construction projects and on farms from coast to coast. It also, of course, has been used to power equipment of all shapes and sizes. Forklifts moving in and out of warehouses have long utilized propane as their main power source. Buses in many U.S. cities use propane as a primary fuel source. More recently, propane-powered mowers, seeders and aerators have become staples among lawn and landscape contractors. When you consider the strengths that propane brings to the table, it’s easy to see why it’s made serious inroads in these areas. • Cost. All in all, propane is a relatively costeffective option in most commercial settings when compared with diesel or gasoline. Overall savings can climb as high as 30 percent. • Environmental impact. Thanks largely to emissions reductions of up to 15 percent versus diesel, propane is considered a strong green option. • Power. Despite assumptions to the contrary, propane’s power potential is on par with other kinds of fuels. If it’s good enough to power a city bus, it’s probably good enough to power a mower. • Safety. Propane is an extremely safe and stable fuel source. With the proper training, storing canisters, installing them on equip-

ment and removing them when empty is a simple process. Part of the progress propane has made in recent years can be credited to PERC, an organization owned, operated and funded by the propane industry that focuses efforts on promoting training and safety, and expanding the adoption of propane as a viable fuel source. That latter mission frst led PERC to its work in the lawn and landscape business and, now, to its growing interest in golf. “In the last seven or eight years, propane as an industry started getting serious about commercial mowing,” says Jeremy Wishart, the deputy director of business development for PERC. “We’ve made some inroads there, had some great successes, so we started looking at where we can next take that model, where the next green pasture might be. Obviously, that led us to look at golf course and resort operations.” Test drives It didn’t take long for those initial forays into golf to reveal a natural partner for PERC in the endeavor: R&R Products, which had been offering superintendents propane-powered options on their greens and fairway mowers for several years. “Jim (Coker, R&R’s director of propane applications) and I began talking about a demonstration program where we could get

Courses participating in PERC and R&R Products’ testing program are trained thoroughly on the use of the propane-powered equipment, including the installation and removal of canisters from each unit. In the photo on the left, Stone Mountain crew member Robert Brown (left) and equipment technician Kelly Biddy work on a fairway unit.

Fueled up mowers into the hands of superintendents in real-world settings,” Wishart says. “As we built it out, expanding that to more courses and more superintendents that already had something going on in terms of environmental programs just made more and more sense.” With the fnancial backing of PERC, equipment from R&R and additional support from Audubon International — attracted by the potential environmental benefts offered by propane — the program was born. Its goals were relatively straightforward. PERC and R&R wanted to mine data from the real-world use of propane-powered golf course equipment — from fuel effciency and emissions reductions to maintenance costs — with the hopes of building a case for superintendents to consider those products as safe, clean and budget-friendly options for their golf courses. “We know we have a great fuel … but in practice, we wanted to fnd out what it’s really like for the guy using it on a day-to-day basis,” Wishart says. They ultimately identifed eight courses spread out across the United States to serve as testing grounds in what would be a yearlong program. Those courses received four pieces of equipment — two of R&R’s Reel Max 744LP4 fairway units, and a pair of the company’s Greens Max 2200LF riding greens mowers — along with assistance and instruc-

tion on everything from establishing relationships with local propane companies and safe storage practices to tips on the installation of the canisters on the mowers themselves. One of the courses selected was Stone Mountain, an obvious choice considering Williams’ past accomplishments. He’s received countless environmental accolades (GCSAA’s President’s Award for Environmental Leadership in 2010 among them), is an active force in government affairs, both locally and at the national level, and is renowned for his management of the 36-hole Stone Mountain facility with a crew of just 15 and a budget with few frills. “We felt like we were a great ft for a program like this,” Williams says. “We felt like we could represent ‘the little guy’ a little bit, and if we could do this here, then it could be done just about anywhere.” That doesn’t mean there wasn’t some initial reluctance from some of Williams’ longtime lieutenants. “If you grew up in this industry and you’ve only been on a Toro or John Deere greens mower, and all of a sudden this R&R truck shows up with equipment that has propane tanks strapped to them, you kind of have to take a moment and take that all in,” the 19year GCSAA member says. “As I told them, it’s still a horse. You’ve just never ridden a horse that looks quite like this.”

The following eight courses are taking part in a research program focused on propane-powered golf course maintenance equipment organized by the Propane Education and Research Council and R&R Products: • Stone Mountain (Ga.) Golf Club by Marriott; Anthony Williams, CGCS • Fernandina Beach (Fla.) Golf Club; Rip Phillips, GCSAA Class A superintendent • Marriott Desert Springs Golf Club, Palm Desert, Calif.; Matthew Hoyt, CGCS • The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg (Fla.) Resort and Golf Club; Scott Corwin, GCSAA Class A superintendent • Columbus (Ohio) Municipal Golf Courses; Bill Burns, feet operations manager • Reston (Va.) National Golf Course; Patrick Swedock, GCSAA Class A superintendent • George W. Dunne National Golf Course, Oak Forest, Ill.; Jeremy Turton, GCSAA Class A superintendent • Eagles Pride Golf Course, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; John Ford, CGCS

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Above: Stone Mountain superintendent Anthony Williams, CGCS, thinks the fnancial and environmental benefts of propane can make it a viable fuel source in golf course management. Photos by Scott Hollister

Right: Kelly Biddy pilots a propane-powered greens mower on the ffth hole of the Lakemont Course at Stone Mountain.

Overcoming that reluctance and the other myriad concerns that come along with anything new in an industry rooted in tradition fell largely to R&R’s Coker, who was responsible for delivering the equipment to each of the participating courses and leading training sessions for the operators of those machines. He acknowledges that reactions similar to the ones experienced at Stone Mountain were the rule rather than the exception. But at nearly every course, those reactions were short-lived. “When I came in and trained these guys, I tried to focus on the benefts and the safety aspects,” Coker says. “For example, there are a lot of concerns that the tanks were going to blow up like they see in the movies, which couldn’t be farther from the truth. We just had to get them comfortable with how you stored tanks, how you put them on and took them off the mowers. Once that happened, you could see the light bulb go on a little bit.” A real revolution? The early reviews from the team at Stone Mountain do hint at signifcant potential for propane in golf course management, if not as a straight replacement for traditional diesel units, then at least as a realistic alternative to them. When GCM visited Stone Mountain earlier this year, Williams was just a few months into the program and was already realizing cost savings — a year-over-year drop of more

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

“Being able to eliminate the potential for spillage and seepage, to protect wildlife and soil quality, is huge.” — Anthony Williams, CGCS than $2,000 at that point. “That’s with only a couple of months of use, none of it in our heavy mowing season, and with only four parts of our feet using propane,” he explains. He also had already come to see the real environmental benefts that propane could offer, even beyond emissions reductions. “Anyone who has ever had to close and remove an underground storage tank can tell you how expensive it is, how much hot soil is left behind,” Williams says. “Being able to eliminate the potential for spillage and seepage, to protect wildlife and soil quality, is huge. You’re just taking unwanted risk out of the equation.” For his part, Williams’ equipment manager at Stone Mountain, Jim Stuart, was also a quick study with the new machines. “There really hasn’t been any differences at all (between propane and diesel mowers),”

Stuart says. “It goes on the lift; I check it out just like I would any other piece of equipment we have. Honestly, I’m looking forward to the fact that I don’t have to change the oil half as much as I used to.” So are the takeaways from Stone Mountain and the seven other facilities participating in the program enough to signal an impending revolution in golf course management? Williams isn’t ready to make such a broad proclamation just yet. But he does think superintendents should at least give propane-powered equipment a try, and then make that judgment for themselves. “There’s been plenty of curiosity among other superintendents in our area,” Williams says. “I think right now they’re going to wait and see how it goes. “But I would just encourage anyone who is curious about it and has the fexibility to try these machines to do just that. Ask your questions, put them on your course, and see what you think. That’s really the spark of genius to this program, I think. They’re not just selling the products. They’re getting them in the feld on some diverse golf courses, and they’re seeing how they perform.” Scott Hollister (shollister@gcsaa.org) is GCM’s editor-inchief.

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AT THE TURN Roger Graves

The tree-heavy landscape of Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash., presents challenges in playability and course maintenance, but the abundant greenery also makes for a memorable, quintessentially Pacifc Northwest venue. Photos courtesy of Sahalee Country Club

(profile)

Tree-mendous teamwork Sahalee Country Club uses communication, coordination and collaboration to maintain major championship conditions throughout the year.

“If informed, all of the management team can be great ambassadors for the agronomy team.” — Jim Pike

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

Editor’s note: T is is t e nint eries of article ig lig ting t e important relations ip between GCSAA superintendents and PGA of America professionals. T ese stories are being publis ed simultaneously in bot GCM and PGA Magazine. To say that Sahalee Country Club is renowned for its trees is tantamount to saying nearby Seattle is known for the Seahawks, the Mariners or Starbucks. There are 8,000 trees towering over the 27-hole private club in Sammamish, Wash. — the majority are western red cedar, with a healthy array of Douglas fr, hemlock and big-leaf maples. It is the daily job of PGA of America general manager/director of golf Jim Pike and superintendent Tom Huesgen, CGCS, and staff to manage Sahalee’s forest-like grounds to ensure the evergreens don’t compromise the integrity, playability and strategy of one of America’s most challenging major championship venues. Sahalee, the Chinook word for “high heavenly ground,” hosted the 1998 PGA Championship and is preparing for the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June. The golf staff is also maintaining its tradition of everyday excellence for its members with a variety of facility improvement projects spearheaded by Pike, Huesgen and PGA head professional Mike Montgomery. Communication, coordination and collaboration among the golf course operations and maintenance staffs are the three C’s that carry the day at Sahalee.

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Top: Opened in 1969, Sahalee was designed by golf course architect Ted Robinson, and its 27 holes consist of three nine-hole courses. Rees Jones oversaw the redesign and renovations of the bunkers and many prominent features in 1996.

Bottom: Tom Huesgen, CGCS, had a hand in hosting two U.S. Opens during his past tenure at Pebble Beach Resorts in Pebble Beach, Calif.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

Daily communication is essential “Tom and I speak daily, as he advises me on what he and his agronomy team are doing on the golf course,” explains Pike, who has spent 28 years at Sahalee, including the past three years as general manager and director of golf. “At Sahalee, it also is critical for the head golf professional and the superintendent to establish and confrm starting sides on the golf course, since Sahalee is a 27-hole championship golf course where all nines are used and rotated daily. Tom and Mike coordinate the starting sides in a monthly meeting with daily follow-up. Mike, Tom and I meet together at least once a week to coordinate club golf events, golf course setup, course conditions and play schedules.” Pike says Huesgen provides him and his management team at Sahalee with a weekly update on the status of various projects, such as special chemical applications, turf challenges, aerifcation, topdressing, tree management, bunker maintenance and irrigation work. “If informed, all of the management team can be great ambassadors for the agronomy team and can communicate to the membership golf course conditions,” Pike says. Huesgen, a 22-year member of GCSAA who came to Sahalee after successful super-

intendent tenures at Poppy Hills and Pebble Beach — and time as project manager and superintendent at Cornerstone Golf Club in Montrose, Colo. — agrees that constant communication and coordination are paramount to a successful golf operation. “We all meet as a staff once a week. But truth be told, a day doesn’t go by that Jim and I don’t talk if we are both on-site,” says Huesgen, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University in agricultural science and a degree in psychology and business management from the University of Missouri. “Sahalee can be a complex operation, with 27 holes, a passionate golf membership, and several major events on the way,” Huesgen says. “Our meetings cover the gamut, from short-term improvement projects on the golf course to long-term capital improvements, plus everyday maintenance matters. Every meeting includes a progress report and a report on what we are planning to accomplish that day, that week and during the next month.” Practice range renovations Since arriving at Sahalee CC nearly two years ago, Huesgen has lent his expertise to a practice range tee renovation project similar to those he championed at Poppy Hills and Peb-

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ble Beach. Pike and Huesgen also have tackled a new irrigation renovation project around all the green complexes, and teamed with golf course architect Rees Jones to implement a complex tree management and treelimbing program. That effort is geared toward restoring Sahalee’s original shot-making corridors from when the course opened in 1969. During the past three-plus decades, those 8,000 trees have grown taller, thicker and have formed a canopy over some fairways that restrict normal shot-making, which curtails golfer creativity. When the 1998 PGA Championship was contested at Sahalee, the trees were a major topic of conversation. The same situation was encountered when the 2002 NEC Invitational World Golf Championship and the 2010 U.S. Senior Open were staged at Sahalee. Will the trees be an even taller topic at the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship next June? “Sahalee has always been known for its natural beauty and its trees,” says Huesgen. “We’re working on a comprehensive tree management plan that has never been in place here before. We have studied aerial photos of the original course, and our objective is to establish a plan that preserves the integrity and strategy of the original layout.” Those 8,000 large trees shadowing Sahalee’s 27 holes also impact the facility’s irrigation efforts. “From a grass-growing perspective, the tree density limits air circulation and sunlight, which can be detrimental to turfgrass health,” notes Huesgen. “If the trees block water, you get a lot of hot spots and wet spots. As we carry out our tree-trimming program, it gives us more uniformity in irrigation and eliminates those hot and wet spots.” If Sahalee was looking for a tree expert, it certainly found one in Huesgen. The Carmel, Calif., resident was entrusted with fnding a replacement for the iconic cypress tree fronting the 18th hole at Pebble Beach after the original landmark tree succumbed to lightning and disease and was taken down in 2002. A year later, Huesgen located a proper replacement and headed the transplant process. Today, a tall, healthy tree stands sentinel, guarding the right-front entry to the 18th green at Pebble Beach — just as its predecessor did for so many years.

Insignia / Trinity

Tom Huesgen (left), PGA head professional Mike Montgomery (center), and Jim Pike.

Top: The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship will be played at Sahalee CC in June.

Bottom: A Washington native, Jim Pike has been at Sahalee CC for 28 years, the past three of those as PGA of America general manager and director of golf.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

A major range upgrade The practice range tee and turf restoration project conducted at Sahalee was another top priority for Pike and Huesgen when the latter returned to the Pacifc Northwest, having spent his college days in Corvallis, Ore. Huesgen had just completed a $10 million renovation project at Poppy Hills, which included a redesign of that facility’s practice range. “Sahalee had approved and budgeted for synthetic turf on the back of the range tee to allow year-round member practice without destroying our grass tee during the winter months,” explains Pike, a PGA professional since 1986. “Tom had just completed a project at Poppy Hills and had watched Pebble Beach install a new synthetic range tee. Tom put together a whole new design for the range tee with a new company for the synthetic turf. We made the pitch to the board of directors for additional funding, and ultimately built a range tee that is frst class and available year-round.” Sahalee was awarded the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship just last June, which is a short preparation timetable for a major championship. Sahalee’s immaculate daily playing conditions were a factor in the decision, which is a testament to the working relationship among Pike, Huesgen, Montgomery and their staffs.

“In preparing for a major championship, I feel the duties and responsibilities are shared, not divided, between the superintendent and general manager,” says Pike, a native of Tacoma, Wash., and a graduate of Brigham Young University. “With all of our championships, I have enjoyed being a part of the planning of the golf course conditions and setup. For the KPMG Championship, I joined Kerry Haigh (PGA chief championships offcer) and Tom on the tour of the golf course. I want to know what is being requested of our agronomy team for the upcoming championship so I can support my superintendent.” Huesgen, who has been involved in staging two U.S. Opens at Pebble Beach and a handful of PGA Tour events, understands that most major championship venues are given fve to 10 years to prepare for a major championship. “That is typical, but fortunately we had already begun our major renovation and improvement projects, so we will be focusing on our normal maintenance programs and completion of the projects already in place,” Huesgen says. “We will spend a lot of time on infrastructure coordination that is necessary to conduct the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, building new structures to accommodate sponsors and moving specta-

Sahalee CC is known for its tight, tree-framed fairways and pristine daily playing conditions. tors seamlessly. Fortunately, we maintain a championship-caliber golf course throughout the year, so we won’t have to make a lot of modifcations for this major championship. Sahalee is ready.” Thanks to the team of Pike and Huesgen and their three C’s, the high heavenly ground

NUFaRm

ReWaRdS 2016

of Sahalee Country Club is not only ready for its next major challenge, but is also prepared to provide an impeccable golf experience 365 days a year for the club’s members.

“Fortunately, we maintain a championshipcaliber golf course throughout the year, so we won’t have to make a lot of modifcations for this major championship. Sahalee is ready.” — Tom Huesgen, CGCS

Roger Graves is the senior writer for PGA Magazine.

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AT THE TURN Bill Newton

Kevin Kienast, CGCS, a veteran player in the GCSAA Golf Championships, will take the reins in 2016 when the event comes to his home course, Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, Calif. Photos courtesy of Kevin Kienast

(tournament)

Home game “Being in the industry, and as a superintendent, it is important to play your course to see it from the golfers’ perspective.” — Kevin Kienast, CGCS

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

A longtime participant in the GCSAA Golf Championships, Kevin Kienast, CGCS, relishes his opportunity to play host when the event comes to San Diego in February. Kevin Kienast, CGCS, is used to preparing for the GCSAA Golf Championships, having taken part in the event in some capacity for nearly 20 years. But this February, it won’t be just his golf swing that he’ll be working on. Kienast will also be focused on making sure his facility, Park Hyatt Resort’s Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, Calif., is ready to go, as it will serve as one of fve facilities hosting tournament play ahead of the 2016 Golf Industry Show. Kienast has been the golf and grounds superintendent at Aviara since 2003, and he’s been through this before, hosting the GCSAA event in 2004 and 2013. But he is still excited to show off the 7,007-yard, par-72, Arnold Palmer-designed course to his peers. The course has an impressive list of accolades — it was named one of the top resort golf courses in the country by both Golf Digest and Golf magazine, and the readers of Condé Nast Traveler selected it as the top golf resort in San Diego — but hosting this tournament means just as much to Kienast as those rave reviews. “It’s a beautiful layout,” Kienast says. “It’s not a pushover either. It has some challenge to it.” Among the canyons, rolling hills, eucalyptus trees, Torrey pines, and views of the Batiquitos Lagoon nature preserve that make up Aviara’s landscape, there are also scars from the Poinsettia Wildfre in May 2014. “It was a surreal experience,” Kienast says. “It happened so fast. The whole thing was over in four hours, but it was a pretty extensive wildfre that came right through the neighborhood.

Top Left: Kienast has been the golf and grounds superintendent at Aviara Golf Club since 2013.

Bottom Left: Kienast (center) with fellow tournament participants (from left) Mark Warren, Tim Barrier, Renny Brown and Brendon Reaksecker at the 2015 GCSAA Golf Championships in San Antonio.

Right: The eighth hole at Aviara. The course’s coastal valley setting lends itself to plenty of water features.

We did what we could with the sprinklers and hoses, and knocked down some embers, but there wasn’t much we could do against the 30foot fames. The helicopters took care of those. Homes were lost, but none on our course. You can still see some burned areas on holes 13 and 14.” An annual tradition An avid golfer, Kienast has fnished in the top 10 of his fight at the GCSAA Golf Classic every year he has participated, and he won the second fight once. He has also enjoyed playing the Four Ball event that traditionally precedes the Golf Classic. “I have been playing in the Four Ball since 1998, I believe,” the 19-year GCSAA member says. “My partner for the frst several years was Dale Hahn, who hired me as an assistant superintendent at Pala Mesa Resort — my frst job in San Diego. It was fun playing with a good friend and mentor. Dale and I had some success and certainly a lot of fun. “When Dale stopped playing in the tournament, I picked up one of the best sticks in San Diego, Mark Warren, and we teamed up

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

for a few years, winning in the gross division in 2009 at Gulf Shores. And, for the last fve years, I have paired up with my good friend — and quite an accomplished golfer in his own right — Tim Barrier. I guess the key is to pick a good partner.” Kienast discovered golf at a local municipal course while growing up in Seattle. Playing sporadically throughout high school and college, Kienast started taking it more seriously when he began working in the golf industry. “Being in the industry, and as a superintendent, it is important to play your course to see it from the golfers’ perspective,” says Kienast, 48. “And it’s important to play other courses too. Plus, golf is such a great networking tool.” Kienast has played in the GCSAA Golf Championships the past 20 years and thinks it is well worth the investment. “This tournament is so benefcial for participants,” he says. “It’s amazing how much I learn there from spending time with superintendents from all over. Every year I’ve made new friends with colleagues there who I’ve kept in touch with.” Practice makes perfect Just six weeks after hosting the GCSAA Golf Championships, Kienast will turn the golf course around and have it ready to host the LPGA Tour’s Kia Classic for the fourth consecutive year in March. “I think hosting the GCSAA tournament, with your colleagues and friends playing your course, can be more stressful than the LPGA tournament we host in March,” Kienast says.

“We certainly want the course to look and play its best, and in February, it can be a challenge to peak on conditioning with the cold temperatures and sometimes wetter conditions. I do enjoy hosting the GCSAA tournament, though, and as the host resort this year, I am confdent that the participants will have a great time.” The LPGA Kia Classic is a popular event that draws a great deal of attention from both tour players and spectators. “We get all top-100 players since it’s the week before the frst major,” Kienast says. “We’ve had some great fnishes and some great champions. The LPGA is great to work with, and it has provided great exposure for the resort.” An unexpected career Fighting wildfres and hosting professional golf tournaments wasn’t exactly the career path Kienast envisioned when he graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in business management. As newlyweds, he and his wife, Amanda, moved to Arizona to housesit for relatives, and he got a job working for Mike Petty, GCSAA Class A director of agronomy at Tucson National. “I was not sure what I wanted to do after college, but I had some entrepreneurial aspirations of starting my own business,” Kienast recalls. “I certainly did not have a career as a golf course superintendent rattling around in my head at the time. I’m not sure how hand-raking bunkers in the frosty mornings at Tucson National drove me into the business, but Mike

They have a voice in the industry Through the GCSAA Superintendent Research Panel, these individuals have a voice in the industry. They are also receiving great rewards for their participation on the panel through our quarterly prize drawings.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF THE LATEST PRIZE DRAWINGS:

2015 3rd Quarter Prize Winners Scott A. Peters Baldwinsville, NY Oswego Country Club

Kevin M. Shook Elkhart, KS Point Rock Golf Club

Keith H. Lamb Riverview, FL Summerfeld Crossing Golf Club

Let your voice be heard. Learn more about becoming a member of the Superintendent Research Panel at gcsaa.org/Community

Brian C. Nettz, CGCS San Francisco, CA Presidio Golf Course

Don Naumann Cupertino, CA Blackberry Farm Golf Course

Torrey Pines

Aviara

Maderas

La Costa

The Crossings

San Diego standouts A past and future U.S. Open site and one of America’s top resort golf courses are among fve San Diego-area facilities playing host to the 2016 GCSAA Golf Championships, presented in partnership with The Toro Co. for the 22nd consecutive year. This year’s highlight is GCSAA’s return visit to Torrey Pines (www.sandiego.gov/parkand-recreation/golf/torreypines), where both the North and South courses will be in the tournament rotation. The famed South Course hosted the 2008 U.S. Open won by Tiger Woods, and will again host in 2021. GCSAA’s national tournament visited there in 2013. Paul Cushing, a 25-year member of GCSAA, serves as the GCSAA Class A golf course maintenance director at Torrey Pines. Both Golf Digest and Golf magazine have recognized Aviara Golf Club (www.golfaviara. com) as one of the best resort courses in the country. The host of the LPGA Tour’s Kia Classic, Aviara is the only coastal California course designed by Arnold Palmer. The Carlsbad, Calif., layout overlooks the Batiquitos Lagoon nature preserve and is managed by superintendent Kevin Kienast, CGCS, a 19-year GCSAA member. Maderas Golf Club (www.maderasgolf.com) is a familiar name to veteran GCSAA Golf Championship participants, having been a part of the rotation for the event’s three previous visits to San Diego. Located just north of downtown, the course is a Johnny Miller/Robert Muir Graves design that winds through cliffs, canyons and rock outcroppings that are common to this part of Southern California. Patrick Reilly is the GCSAA Class A director of agronomy at Maderas and a 13-year association member. Another facility that hosted GCSAA play in 2013 is back for this go-around: La Costa Resort & Spa (www.omnihotels.com/hotels/san-diego-la-costa/golf/legends-course) and its Legends Course. Originally designed by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee, the Legends Course was renovated in late 2013 by Damian Pascuzzo and Steve Pate, a project that included recontouring and regrassing all 18 greens, as well as changing the fairways to seashore paspalum. The GCSAA Class A superintendent at La Costa is Matt Dunmyer, a 22-year association member. The fnal facility in this year’s rotation is also the newest: The Crossings at Carlsbad (www.thecrossingsatcarlsbad.com). This Greg Nash-designed layout offers stunning views of the Pacifc Ocean to the west and the California foothills to the east. It is named after the fve bridges — or crossings — that were designed to leave existing natural areas undisturbed during construction. Brian Sandland, a 20-year GCSAA member, is the Class A superintendent at The Crossings. For more information on the GCSAA Golf Championships and to register for the event, go to www.golfndustryshow.com/gcsaa-golf-championships.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

Petty showed me the business side of managing the golf course maintenance operation, and that resonated with me. I realized that it also includes managing people, resources and a budget. It was a perfect ft for me.” Hahn, who hired Kienast as an assistant superintendent at Pala Mesa in 1995, left two years later for Morgan Run Resort in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., and Kienast was promoted to superintendent at Pala Mesa. Then, when Hahn left Morgan Run in 2002, he again recommended Kienast as his replacement. Kienast was superintendent at Morgan Run until he took the Aviara job. Kienast walked into an intriguing yet challenging situation at Aviara, which was one of the frst golf facilities in the San Diego area to use effuent water. “We’ve used effuent water on everything but the greens since opening the course in 1991,” Kienast says. “The quality of the water isn’t the best, so the amounts of sodium and nitrates have been a challenge, especially with the drought we’ve had the last few years. But the bermuda can take it better than our coolseason grasses in the rough, so those areas struggle in the late summer and require us to be more diligent.” Kienast relies on his wife, their 16-yearold son Bennett and 12-year-old daughter Madilyn for support, as well as his well-tenured staff of 25 at Aviara. “My assistant Franco De Jesus has been here since opening in 1991,” Kienast says. “He has more than a quarter-century of dedication to this resort. He’s not the only one. Four or fve of them have been here since opening.” That kind of continuity, consistency and experience allows Kienast and his staff to provide the caliber of conditions found at Aviara, despite whatever challenges may come their way while preparing the golf course for a professional tour event six weeks after hosting some of the most accomplished golf course critics around for the GCSAA Golf Championships.

Bill Newton is a freelance writer based in St. Louis and the former public/media relations manager for GCSAA.

CREATING A CULTURE OF

SUSTAINABILITY Tune in to our program Sustainable Moments to see how golf course superintendents take care of the most important aspect of the course; the environment.

GCSAA.TV/Sustainable Produced by

Presented by

(up to speed) Thomas A. Nikolai, Ph.D. nikolait@msu.edu

To be honest, by the end of the study, the plots maintained with the smooth roller had a visibly shaggy appearance.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

It’s hard to be humble Thirty years ago this past summer, during my internship at Oakland Hills Country Club in Birmingham, Mich., I learned how to set the mowing height for mowers and how to backlap them. When I asked why the front roller was not smooth, I was told grooved rollers (also known as Wiehle rollers) made the grass stand up, resulting in a better cut. I was also informed that smooth rollers increased the potential of tissue bruising, which could minimize stress tolerance and possibly create more disease and even compaction. That same year, several weeks after the course had hosted the 85th U.S. Open, I spent a day cleaning out the maintenance building, charged with sweeping every nook and cranny. While removing boxes and discarded equipment, I uncovered a piece of equipment I had never seen before. Given that I couldn’t move it, I swept around it, and later that day, I asked assistant superintendent Tom Gray about the machine. Tom said it was a roller. And its purpose? “Nobody knows.” That is a true story. Over the past 15 to 20 years, the results of numerous research projects have led almost everyone in our industry to acknowledge that regular rolling of the putting surface can decrease some diseases, localized dry spot, moss, etc., while increasing customer satisfaction by improving smoothness and green speed. Research has also shown that regular rolling does not detrimentally increase compaction. And, every lightweight roller is equipped with smooth rollers. By this point, I bet you know where I’m going. For nearly a decade, I’d been itching to perform a walk-behind greens mower study with identical machines ftted with different rollers: a grooved front roller and a smooth roller. It only made sense to me that if we regularly mowed greens with a smooth roller, we could further decrease disease and increase green speed. Additionally, although I found it easy to believe that grooved rollers made the grass

stand up and therefore gave a better cut 20-plus years ago, I was also certain the impact today would not be the same because of the ultra-thin bedknives, lower cutting heights, and increased grinding on modern golf courses. This past year, my friends at Toro gave in and donated two identical walk-behind mowers so I could test my hypotheses. One of the Flex mowers was ftted with Toro’s standard grooved roller, and the other with an extraheavy 50-pound front roller. “Awesome! This can’t miss,” I thought to myself. For 10 weeks, my assistant, Joe Fabbo, mowed Crenshaw creeping bentgrass putting green plots with the mowers and collected data, including turfgrass quality, green speed, clipping weights and disease counts. Results from the study show no differences in turfgrass quality or disease between plots mowed with the different forward rollers. In addition, on most occasions, there were no differences in terms of green speed. When differences did exist, however, greens mowed with the grooved roller always produced the faster green speed. Finally, every time we collected turfgrass clippings, plots mowed with the grooved roller resulted in greater yield, which indicates the grooved rollers made the grass stand up, creating a cleaner cut. To be honest, by the end of the study, the plots maintained with the smooth roller had a visibly shaggy appearance. In the end, a well-designed study proved that what I was told about grooved mower rollers 30 years ago still holds true today. As the lyrics of a Mac Davis song from that era profess, “Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in every way.” As the research has proved, I am wrong once again. I assure you I have no problem being humble.

Thomas A. Nikolai, Ph.D., is the turfgrass academic specialist at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich., and a frequent GCSAA educator.

D E E N WE YOUR

P L E H

Please take the Pest Management Practices survey to assist your industry and profession. Te Golf Course Superintendents Association of America is conducting an industry-wide Pest Management Practices Survey at golf facilities across the world. Tis is the third survey of the second phase of the Golf Course Environmental Profle. Your information will go a long way toward demonstrating a superintendentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership, environmental stewardship and agronomic expertise at the local and national levels. Go to www.gcsaa.org and show you care.

A survey link will be sent to superintendents via email. All superintendents will be able to participate, however, only U.S. data will be used. GCSAA members who complete the survey will receive 0.25 service points. Additionally, all superintendents (members and non-members) who complete the survey will be entered into a prize drawing for a $100 Visa or American Express gif card. A total of three gif cards will be awarded to each of the seven agronomic regions as identifed on the survey (21 gif cards total).

Faith B. Kuehn, Ph.D.

Bee basics and pollinator protection Changes in traditional land management practices can help pollinators coexist with current land uses, including golf courses.

Monarch (Danaus plexippus ) adult (top) and larva (bottom). The larva consumes the leaf, despite the presence of many milkweed or oleander aphids (Aphis nerii). Photo by TCDavis

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Flowering plants are an integral part of natural, landscaped and agricultural ecosystems. They require the action of bees, birds, butterfies, bats and other animal pollinators to move pollen between and among fowers. This activity ensures that the plants will set seed and fruit. Bees and fowering plants have a mutualistic relationship that has been evolving for more than 100 million years. Bees are the primary animal pollinator of fowering plants in most ecosystems, and this role makes them crucial to humans and the environment (4). Most tree species in tropical forests are bee-pollinated, as are many bushes, shrubs and wildfowers in temperate climates. Almost all the bushes and smaller trees in the desert Southwest, such as mesquite and creosote, are pollinated by bees. Mammals ranging from small voles to grizzly bears depend on insectpollinated fruits and seeds. About one-quarter of the fruits and seeds eaten by birds are pollinated by bees and other pollinators. Two-thirds of crop varieties planted and consumed by humans â&#x20AC;&#x201D; primarily fruits and vegetables â&#x20AC;&#x201D; require pollination for production. These plants have developed a variety of ways to attract bee visits, from nectar guides to fower color and fragrance. As a reward for their visit, bees have access to nectar and pollen. Nectar is composed of sugars, which provide energy. Pollen is composed of amino acids, vitamins and minerals, and is a rich food source that female bees also gather and bring back to their nests for their offspring. Honey bees, bumble bees and other generalist species must gather pollen from a variety of plants to obtain all the essential amino acids and proteins required to build and maintain strong colonies.

Pollinator conservation Approximately 4,000 species of wild bees are native to the United States. These bees have been effectively pollinating a wide variety of plants since long before the arrival of honey bees with English settlers in 1621. Simultaneous declines in wild and honey bee populations, along with diminishing overwintering populations of monarch butterfies, have raised awareness of the need for pollinator conservation. On May 19, 2015, the Pollinator Health Task Force, at the request of the White House, issued a “National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators” (6). This comprehensive strategy aims to reduce the impact of many factors — such as pests and pathogens, habitat loss and degradation, and exposure to pesticides — that are negatively impacting pollinator populations. The strategy outlines three major goals: reduce honey bee winter colony losses to no more than 15% within 10 years; increase the eastern population of the monarch butterfy; and restore or enhance 7 million acres of land for pollinators over the next fve years. In response to the strategy’s call for action, a wide array of private and government organizations have begun pollinator protection plans and programs. Land managers of many types — from farmers and departments of transportation to park managers and golf course superintendents — can examine their practices and make modifcations that will help improve the health of pollinators and suitability of their habitat for pollinators. The best way to start planning for these improvements is to begin with the basics of bees — their diversity, their habits, and what they need to maintain healthy and productive populations. Honey bees and bumble bees: physiology and behavior Bee bodies have an abundance of hairs, both simple and branched, that are uniquely suited to helping them collect and transport pollen. Honey bees and bumble bees have a pollen basket or “corbicula” on the upper part of their hind legs, surrounded by stiff hairs. The bees moisten pollen with nectar, and then pack it in these baskets during foraging. Sweat bees have scopae, or pollen brushes, which are patches of stiff hair on the back of their legs where dry pollen is stored. Bees in the family Megachilidae, which includes leaf-cutter and mason bees, have rows of curved hairs on the

The orange-belted bumble bee (or tricolored bumble bee), Bombus ternarius, has numerous hairs that allow it to collect and transport pollen. Photo by Dejen Mengis

The most widespread species of squash bee, Peponapis pruinosa, ranges from Canada to Mexico and is found wherever squash is grown. Photo by Susan Ellis

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underside of their abdomen. These stiff hairs collect dry pollen, almost like a comb, as the bee walks across the fower’s anthers. Bees are distinctively structured to accomplish their various tasks. They have strong jaws that can be used for biting, working wax and pollen, and digging. The length of a bee’s tongue determines the type of fowers it prefers. Long-tongued bees, such as honey bees, prefer fowers with a longer corolla (throat). Short-tongued bees, such as those within the genus Colletes (plasterer or polyester bees) favor fowers with shallow forets, such as sunfowers and asters. On any given foraging trip, honey bees and some other bees will repeatedly visit fowers of the same plant species. This behavior is known as “fower constancy.” Pollen-gathering and fower constancy together ensure that large quantities of pollen are transferred among fowers of the same species. These activities help foster effcient pollination. Nearly all social bees and many solitary bees, such as bumble bees and sweat bees, are generalists and visit a wide variety of fowers. Although bees gather nectar from a broad selection of fowers, some will only collect pollen from a narrow range of fower species. For example, squash bee species in the Peponapis and Xenoglossa genera pollinate squash, pumpkin and melon fowers. While many species of wild bees are effective pollinators, in the United States, honey bees are generally preferred over other bees for pollination in agricultural systems. Population-dense colonies of these bees can be easily transported between farms and across the country during the growing season. Gross revenue from using honey bees for pollination services totaled $655.6 million in 2012 (1). Almonds account for nearly half of these pollination fees, with sunfowers following at a distant second with 17% of the pollination market. In general, scientifc studies show that an abundance and diversity of wild bees assist with crop pollination even when honey bees are present in high numbers. Small-scale practices such as establishing hedgerows and forage patches adjacent to crop felds can have a major effect on the abundance of pollinators. These practices are particularly important for many species of wild bees, which have a shorter fight range than honey bees. Long term, the best way to transform landscapes into pollinator-friendly spaces is to carry out targeted use of insecticides and establish and

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maintain fower strips and hedgerows to restore semi-natural habitats near croplands and natural areas. Some bees collect other substances in addition to pollen and nectar. Leaf-cutter bees cut and collect leaves to line the walls of their nests. Mason bees search for damp clay soil, which they fashion into mud balls for their nests. Honey bees collect water to help regulate the temperature within the hive. Sweat bees collect perspiration, probably to obtain salts and water. Bees in the family Melittidae collect fower oils instead of nectar to line the walls of brood cells and mix with pollen for larval food. A few species visit the carcasses of dead animals to collect bits of tissue, probably for their nests and as food for larvae. Solitary and parasitic bees Solitary bees Most of the approximately 4,000 species of wild bees in the U.S. are solitary species. The majority of wild bees make their nests in the ground by excavating tunnels, usually in bare or sparsely vegetated, well-drained soil. Every female builds and inhabits her own nest, where she lays eggs and stores pollen provisions for the larvae that will hatch. There is no division of labor among solitary bees — no queens or workers. Some solitary bees share a nesting site area, where females will dig their individual nest in close proximity to others of the same species. Wild bees build a variety of different nests. Some use abandoned beetle burrows or other tunnels in snags (dead or dying standing trees). Others carve out the pith of stems and twigs to make a nest. To conserve moisture and protect their offspring from predators, some bees will seal off the entrance to their nest with mud or chewed-up wood.

Parasitic bees Not all bees ft the description of industrious fower foragers and selfess sisters of the hive. About one-quarter of all species of bees are parasites, laying their eggs in the nest of other bees. Females of parasitic bee species do not collect their own pollen, and don’t have special structures for collecting and holding pollen. Many of these bee species have little hair and look more like a wasp than a bee. By laying their eggs in the nest of other bees, they are allowing their offspring to feed on the pollen collected by that nest’s owner. The most common type of parasitic bee is the cleptoparasite of solitary bees, also known as a “cuckoo bee.” After cuckoo bee larvae

hatch, they kill the eggs or larvae of the nesthost bee, and then devour the pollen stores that the nest-host bee had provisioned for her young. The cuckoo bumble bee (Psit yrus species) is an example of a social parasite. These bees, which look quite similar to bumble bees, cannot build their own nests or collect pollen. Rather, they enter established colonies of bumble bees, kill the queen, and then subjugate the bumble bee workers so they will raise the parasite’s larvae. Wasps are pollinators, too Bees are believed to have evolved from wasps, and they are similar in appearance and nesting behavior. Distinct differences exist between these two close relatives, however. First, there are differences in the amount and type of hair on their bodies. Bees are much hairier than wasps, and have a fuzzy appearance because their hairs are branched. Wasp hair is sparse, and hairs are a simple flament. Bees feed their young pollen and nectar. Wasps generally don’t carry pollen to their nests, although a few species collect pollen and nectar for their young. Wasps are often found on plants with abundant pollen resources, and studies with Vespid wasps have shown that they eat this rich source of protein during their fower visits (2). Wasps’ main ecological role, for better or worse, is that they are superb insect hunters and predators. About two-thirds of the world’s described species of wasps are either predators or parasitoids of other insects. These carnivorous insects have a vital ecological role in helping to keep insect populations — including pest insect populations — in balance. Like their bee relatives, wasps are solitary or social. Solitary predatory wasps are specifc in the type of prey they hunt. For example, most species in the genus Cerceris hunt beetles, and even specifc families of beetles. Cerceris fumipennis hunts buprestids, the metallic wood-boring beetles. Social predatory wasps include yellow jackets, hornets and paper wasps. Although caterpillars and larvae are the most common prey, these hunters have been observed taking down almost any insect that moves. Solitary predatory wasps temporarily immobilize prey by stinging, and then carry the prey back to the nest, where it is fed to the offspring. Social wasps, on the other hand, use the stinger to kill or immobilize prey for colony defense. Yellow jackets (Vespula species) are among the most aggressive and most feared wasp spe-

Top left: Sphecid wasps are solitary predators. Most of them live in the ground, but they can also reside in cavities in wood or in nests they make out of mud. Photo by David Cappaert, Michigan State University/Bugwood.org Top right: The predatory wasp Cerceris fumipennis, the only buprestid-hunting wasp in North America, preys on the emerald ash borer beetle. Photo by Philip Careless/Wikimedia Commons Above: Braconid wasp parasitoids nearly cover the larva of a sphinx or hawk moth. Photo by David Cappaert, Michigan State University/Bugwood.org Left: Bee hotels, like this one in Tucson, Ariz., may actually attract more wasps than bees. Photo by Faith Kuehn

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A meadow with native plants at Flint Woods Preserve in northern New Castle County in Delaware furnishes habitat for pollinators. Photo by TCDavis

cies. They are most bothersome in autumn, when yellow jacket colonies have reached peak population size and food resources are dwindling. Compared with yellow jackets, hornets are much less aggressive. Waspsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hunting prowess can present issues for bee conservation tactics, such as the provision of bee hotels and bee nest boxes. These structures usually consist of bundled stems, paper tubes, and holes drilled in wood, and they have been promoted as a conservation tool for cavity-nesting bees. Recent research in Canada, however, showed that native and introduced wasps were signifcantly more abundant than bees in 755 of the hotels studied (3). Conservation practices The presidential memorandum of May 19, 2015, calls for expanding and coordinating public conservation and education programs to help address the loss of pollinators. Furthermore, it states that pollinator conservation is a shared national responsibility, and emphasizes

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

that the actions of one person or organization can make a difference. There are many opportunities to build on existing partnerships or create new ones â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from planting pollinator gardens and habitats with seed and materials supplied by garden and landscape companies, to partnering with one of the many federal agencies or private organizations dedicated to pollinator conservation. To maintain healthy populations, all species of bees need three things: season-long and abundant supplies of pollen and nectar, nesting and overwintering resources, and landscape management that supports their health. Populations of wild bees have been signifcantly reduced by several factors. The loss, degradation and fragmentation of their habitats have resulted in decreased availability of the weeds and fowering plants they depend on for food. Plowing and other agriculture activities, along with the construction of roadways and developed properties, have destroyed many of the sites used by ground-nesting bees.

The overuse of insecticides and herbicides is an additional factor in their decline. The judicious use of pesticides is an integral part of a number of agricultural production and land management regimes. Pollinator and predatory insect populations should be protected from the direct impact of pesticides and pesticide drift. Herbicides can effectively control invasive plants, but they can also eliminate forage and host plants for pollinators, butterfies and moths. Insecticides should not be applied to blooming plants or when bees are actively foraging, as most insecticides are toxic to bees and benefcial insects. Systemic insecticides, which circulate through a plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vascular system, are also expressed in pollen and nectar. Bees can thus ingest these toxins and feed them to their young. Bee-friendly landscapes To support colonies of honey bees and healthy populations of wild bees, abundant

supplies of pollen and nectar are required throughout the growing season. From March through the end of September, there should be a succession of suitable trees, shrubs, forbes and annual plants in bloom. Furthermore, because bees’ foraging distances range from a mile or two for bumble bees and honey bees to a few hundred feet for many wild bees, forage patches should not be spaced far apart. Suitable plants for bees will vary by region, but, in general, a diversity of native plants with differing fower forms will be suffcient. Nonnative invasive plants should be removed, as they compete with native plants that not only provide food for bees, but are also critical to the ecosystem in a variety of other ways. Lawn and grass provide nothing for pollinators, and regular grass mowing can disturb the nests of wild bees. Therefore, grass should be replaced with native perennials, or fowering native plants should be incorporated into parts of the lawn. Planting forage plants in masses creates better visual appeal and also attracts bees.

The good news is that bees are resilient animals. With awareness and planning, landscapes can be made more bee-friendly, and the health and abundance of wild bees and honey can be improved. Land managers can take a number of simple steps to help support healthy bee populations. • Inventory the fowering plants on your property, noting the percentage of native plants. Native plants are favored by wild bees, other pollinators and benefcial insects. Thus, increasing the percentage of native plants would be a positive change. • Remove invasive plants, as they will displace native plant populations. These nonnative plants can offer pollen and nectar to bees, but they are also competing with native plants for pollinator visits and for seed production. Over the long term, invasive plants contribute to habitat degradation, as they do not support the diversity of insects, birds and mammals that native plants do. • The Pollinator Conservation Resource Center, an online resource developed through

Dead trees and fallen logs are ideal locations for cavity-nesting bees at Rock Manor Golf Club in Wilmington, Del. Matthew Fauerbach is the director of agronomy at Rock Manor and a 15-year GCSAA member. Photo by Faith Kuehn

Billie, with pollinator-friendly plants and a beepod that houses a hive, at Westmoor Country Club in Brookfeld, Wis. Billie’s owner is GCSAA Class A superintendent Bryan Bergner, a 14year association member. Photo by Bryan Bergner

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Suggested reading Grissell, E. 2010. Bees, Wasps, and Ants: The Indispensable Role of Hymenoptera in Gardens. Timber Press, Portland, Ore. Holm, H.H. 2014. Pollinators of Native Plants: Attract, Observe and Identify Pollinators and Benefcial Insects with Native Plants. Pollination Press LLC, Minnetonka, Minn.

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Mader, E., M. Shepherd, M. Vaughan, S.H. Black and G. LeBuhn. 2011. The Xerces Society Guide, Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterfies. Storey Publishing, North Adams, Mass.

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The RESEARCH SAYS • About one-quarter of the fruits and seeds eaten by birds and two-thirds of crop varieties consumed by humans require pollination for production. • Severe losses of honey bees, bumble bees and other pollinators have led the U.S. government to encourage efforts to reduce bee losses, increase butterfly populations and restore or enhance habitat. • Bees can be social, solitary or parasitic and make nests in hives, in the ground or in cavities of trees or logs. • Wasps play an important ecological role as insect predators and parasitoids; wasps and bees forage on the same plants. • Steps to improve bee/pollinator habitat include replacing invasive plants with native plants; providing habitat for ground- and cavity-nesting bees; and establishing thickets and meadows for bumble bee nesting. • Changes in traditional land management practices can help pollinators coexist with current land uses.

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a government and private collaboration, provides information and recommendations specifc to U.S. geographic regions (5). Included in the website are plant lists, fact sheets and conservation guides, and information on pesticide use and native bee identifcation. The resource includes a section specifcally for parks and golf courses and suggests a three-step process to make golf courses more pollinator-friendly. Choose native plants with a variety of foral shapes and blooming times, favoring the white, blue, purple and yellow blossom colors preferred by bees. Cultivate large clumps of native plants in various areas around the property and within range of nesting sites. The scattered-clump layout is more attractive to bees than providing all the favored foliage in one location. As the majority of wild bees nest in the ground, it is important to provide sunny, well-drained areas with direct access to the soil surface for nesting. These areas should include slopes and banks. Foot and vehicle traffc can result in soil compaction and disturbance and should be kept to a minimum. Provided that they don’t represent a safety hazard, leave some standing dead trees and downed logs for cavity-nesting bees. These should be located near clumps of native, fowering plants. Plant native shrubs with pithy stems, such as raspberry and elderberry, near the foraging resources. Cut these plants back each year to allow bee access to the pithy centers. Bumble bees seek out thickets and meadows for nesting, so identify some areas that can be managed for their nests. Mow these areas once every 3 to 5 years, and only in the fall. The sites should remain untouched during the winter to allow for the survival of dormant bumble bee queens that will produce the next season’s brood of young. Explanatory signage and public outreach can provide good information for those who may consider this practice unsightly.

A new management philosophy Some of the recommended changes represent a departure from traditional methods of property management, particularly for public spaces. Signage in areas with pollinatorfriendly plantings — which may appear untidy to some — can alleviate these concerns and emphasize the importance of pollinators. Effective outreach can be achieved through several means, including educational bro-

chures, social media posts and programs that connect with target audiences. These changes can offer an opportunity to heighten awareness of the importance of pollinators and the need to shift to practices that support their conservation. We all depend on pollinators for our food and to support the ecosystems we live in. Let’s show them that they can depend on us. Acknowledgments Assistance for publication materials on bees and bee habitats was provided by Northeast SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Literature cited 1. Bond, J., K. Plattner and K. Hunt. 2014. Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook: Economic Insight, U.S. Pollination Services Market. USDA Economic Research Service, FTS-357SA. (www.ers.usda.gov/media/1679173/ special-article-september_-pollinator-service-market-4-.pdf). Accessed Oct. 1, 2015. 2. Hunt, J.H., P.A. Brown, K.M. Sago and J.A. Kerker. 1991. Vespid wasps eat pollen (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 64(2):127-130. 3. Maclvor, J.S., and L. Packer. 2015. “Bee Hotels” as tools for native pollinator conservation: a premature verdict? PLoS ONE 10(3): e0122126. doi:10.1371/ journal.pone.0122126. 4. National Research Council. 2007. Status of Pollinators in North America. Committee on the Status of Pollinators in North America. The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C. (www.nap.edu/login.php?record_ id=11761&page=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nap. edu%2Fdownload.php%3Frecord_id%3D11761). Accessed Oct. 2, 2015. 5. Pollinator Conservation Resource Center. No date. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. (www.xerces.org/pollinator-resource-center). Accessed Sept. 29, 2015. 6. Pollinator Health Task Force. 2015. National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators. (www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/ fles/microsites/ostp/Pollinator%20Health%20Strategy%202015.pdf). Accessed Sept. 23, 2015.

Faith B. Kuehn (Faith.Kuehn@state.de.us) is an environmental program administrator with the Delaware Department of Agriculture in Dover, Del., and was a seminar speaker for GCSAA at the 2015 Golf Industry Show in San Antonio.

CUTTING EDGE Teresa Carson

Photo by Cale Bigelow

Investigating turf-type tall fescue for fairways Creeping bentgrass is the dominant species in fairways throughout the cool-humid region, but in recent years, there has been an interest in alternative species that may require greatly reduced management inputs. One under-used candidate for lower-maintenance fairways is turf-type tall fescue (TF). This durable species is very drought-tolerant and, when established, can persist with minimal fertilizer inputs. Some negatives to TF use include coarse leaf texture, potential for rapid spring shoot growth, and the possibility of annual bluegrass (ABG) encroachment at low mowing heights. Applying a root-absorbed plant growth regulator (PGR) may address these potential drawbacks. Because little is known about using TF for fairways, a feld study was conducted on a turf-type TF research fairway maintained at ½ inch (12 mm). The objective was to assess the effect of three annual nitrogen (N) rates (0, 66 and 131 pounds/acre [0, 74 and 147 kilograms/hectare]/year) with and without a premixed multi-mode PGR (furprimidol + paclobutrazol + trinexapac-ethyl). The N and PGR treatments were applied as low doses on 14-day intervals throughout active growth. When the study began, the turf contained ~25% to 30% ABG; by July of the frst year, ABG was <10% in PGR-treated plots. By September, ABG rebounded to ~35% in PGR-treated turf and ~85% turf with no

PGR. The best turf quality was associated with PGR applications, and, surprisingly, N rate without a PGR had no effect on appearance or ABG populations. Based on our data, turf-type TF deserves further study as a low-maintenance fairway species, and future studies should assess TF tolerance to divoting and golf car tire traffc, and its herbicide sensitivity. — Cale A. Bigelow, Ph.D. (cbigelo1@ purdue.edu), and Gabriel Macke, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.

Endophyte effects on salinity tolerance in perennial ryegrass Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) naturally contains symbiotic fungi known as endophytes (Neoty odium lolii), which are known to confer resistance to insects that feed aboveground. The role of endophytes in salinity tolerance in turfgrasses has not been widely studied. The aim of this study was to determine the role of endophytes in salinity tolerance in four perennial ryegrass genotypes. Four perennial ryegrass clones (Brightstar SLT clone 5, Paragon GLR clone 4 [salt-susceptible], 4501-7, and 4540-9 [salt-tolerant]), with and without endophyte, were grown under control (0.5 dS/ meter) and saline water conditions (15 dS/ meter). Both water treatments were applied to 6-week-old transplanted plants in sand, using an overhead irrigation chamber in a greenhouse. Three replications of each clone

Photo by Jennifer Vaiciunas

per treatment were arranged in a randomized complete block. Plants were irrigated every other day, and ratings of percent green were taken weekly. Leaf clippings were harvested biweekly, dried and weighed. The entire experiment was repeated three times. Salinity treatments reduced shoot weights by 18% to 35% and root weights by 46% to 63% across runs. Endophyte had no effect on salinity tolerance in three of the perennial ryegrass genotypes; in Paragon GLR, plants without endophyte were signifcantly more salt-tolerant than plants with endophyte in two runs. This variability is consistent with the effects of endophyte on drought tolerance, and indicates that the role of endophytes in salinity tolerance is minimal and/or specifc to the interaction of individual genotypes and fungal isolates. — Eric D. Koch; Stacy A. Bonos, Ph.D. (bonos@aesop.rutgers.edu); Joshua Honig, Ph.D.; and Jennifer Vaiciunas, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.

Teresa Carson (tcarson@gcsaa.org) is GCM’s science editor.

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(verdure)

Sting nematodes: Microscopic and hungry!

Beth Guertal, Ph.D. guertea@auburn.edu Twitter: @AUTurfFert

If one has high populations of sting nematodes, applying increased rates of nitrogen cannot compensate for the lack of a nematicide.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

The sting nematode (Belonolaimus longicaudatus) was not identifed as a new species until 1958. Given its general level of nastiness and its ability to infict severe damage on bermudagrass, this relatively recently identifed pest has become the most damaging plant-parasitic nematode in Florida. So, how do you control this thing? In 2007, Billy Crow, Ph.D., and his colleagues at the University Florida combined nematicides and nitrogen fertilizers to determine their effects on sting nematodes. Two experiments were conducted, both on golf course fairways with 15- to 20-year-old stands of Tifway hybrid bermudagrass. Both sites had damaging levels of sting nematodes (~100/100 cubic centimeters of soil at test initiation [100 cubic centimeters = ~6 cubic inches]). The frst experiment consisted of: (1) a nematicide treatment, Curfew Soil Fumigant (1,3-dichloropropene [1,3-D], Dow AgroSciences), applied at 1.1 pounds/1,000 square feet (55 kilograms/hectare); (2) a mechanical treatment of the nematicide injector slit alone (no nematicide); and (3) an untreated control. These treatments were combined with three rates of granular potassium nitrate (KNO3) applied every two weeks at nitrogen (N) rates of 0.37, 0.75 and 1.1 pounds/1,000 square feet (18, 37 and 55 kilograms/hectare). The nematicide and injector-slit treatments were applied once in May; the N treatments were applied at two-week intervals from May through August. The second experiment also had the May nematicide treatment, but the N fertilizer was a sulfur-coated 14-14-14 product applied at N rates of 0.37, 0.75 and 1.1 pounds/1,000 square feet every two weeks. The injector-slitonly treatment was not included in experiment 2 because results from experiment 1 (and other experiments too) found no difference in quality or nematode populations between the slit-only treatment and control plots. In both experiments, data were collected on sting nematode populations (every two weeks) and turfgrass quality. Numbers of sting nematodes were signifcantly reduced in plots in which 1,3-D had been injected. Such reductions, however, were signifcant for only six weeks after application (population levels in the treated plots remained lower after six weeks, but the reductions were not statistically signifcant). In the frst study, at four weeks after treatment, sting nematode

populations in the untreated plots averaged about 70/100 cubic centimeters of soil, while populations in the treated plots had been reduced to 20/100 cubic centimeters. Similar results were observed in the second experiment as well, with reductions from 70/100 cubic centimeters (in untreated plots) to 10/100 cubic centimeters (in treated plots) at two weeks after treatment. Populations of sting nematodes declined in all the plots over the 16-week measurement period (May through August), indicating a possible natural seasonal fuctuation. Turfgrass response to increasing rates of nitrogen varied with the N source. In experiment 1, where potassium nitrate was the source, turfgrass quality was negatively affected in untreated plots (no nematicide was applied) because the irrigation system did not function correctly, and salt damage caused phytotoxicity. In experiment 2 (which used a slow-release N source), turfgrass quality improved in plots treated with both the nematicide and N (as compared with no-nematicide plots that received N); signifcant improvements in quality were observed at the two highest N rates throughout most of the study. Nematicide-treated plots that received no N or the lowest N rate had improved quality as well, but only in the frst four weeks following application of the nematicide. This research shows that, if one has high populations of sting nematodes, applying increased rates of N cannot compensate for the lack of a nematicide. The combination of a nematicide and N applied at rates of 0.75 to 1.1 pounds/1,000 square feet every two weeks produced the best turf quality. However, the positive effects of N on turf quality were somewhat inconsistent from study to study. This is an excellent reminder that accurate water and nutrient management are critical, especially in areas where nitrate leaching can be a concern. Source: Luc, J.E., W.T. Crow, J.L. Stimac, J.B. Sartain and R.M. Giblin-Davis. 2007. Effects of Belonolaimus longicaudatus management and nitrogen fertility on turf quality of golf course fairways. Journal of Nematology 39:62-66.

Beth Guertal, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences at Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., and the editor-in-chief for the American Society of Agronomy. She is a 19-year member of GCSAA.

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(product news)

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Increased

QUALITY Toro announced that Aqua-Traxx FC (Flow Control) drip tape is now available in the popular 0.13 GPH emitter fow rate, which allows even longer lengths of run and lower application rates than ever before. Growers can get the best of both worlds: improved uniformity compared with turbulent-fow devices, and superior ability to control the overall system fow rate compared to pressurecompensating devices. It helps growers achieve their objectives of increasing yield and quality while using water, fertilizers and other resources in the most effcient manner possible. Contact Toro, www. toro.com/en-us/agriculture/drip-tape-dripline/driptape/pages/model.aspx?pid=aqua-traxx-fc.

Jacobsen launched the Professional Series commercial-grade mowers and utility vehicles. Built for a wide range of turf customers, including golf parks and green spaces, the Professional Series mowers and utility vehicles include three lines of zero-turn mowers and six different models of utility vehicles. The fagship of Jacobsen’s Professional Series is the RZT line of ride-on zero-turn mowers, which provide the power and performance to handle any turf job with ease, the company says. The RZT mows up to 5.3 acres per hour. The SZT stand-on mower features a 26-horsepower Vanguard engine and two different deck sizes. The WZT features an 18-horsepower Briggs & Stratton engine and single or dual-drive drivetrain options. The utility vehicles include the gas-powered Truckster MS/MX, featuring a large capacity of 1,200 pounds and a top speed of 17 mph. The Truckster MS-E/ MX-E is powered with a 72-volt electric drivetrain and has a capacity of up to 1,000 pounds. The Truckster LS/LX offers an 800-pound capacity and polyethylene bed. Contact Jacobsen, www.jacobsen.com.

H20 Maximizer from Underhill International is a specially formulated wetting agent for golf

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

courses that penetrates dry soils and uses ultra-hydration to retain more water in the root zones for healthier turf. Available in both liquid and pellet form, H20 is a natural blend of soil surfactants and polymer resin. The surfactant ingredients stimulate initial soil wetting action while the polymer resin attaches to soil particles for better water retention. H20 remains active in the soil for four to six weeks, then biodegrades into natural materials. H20 is recommended for bunker facings, new sod and seedlings, fairways, and roughs. It can be tank-mixed for spray applications, injected directly into the irrigation fow, or spread as pellets. Contact Underhill, 866-863-3744 (www.underhill.us). PBI-Gordon Corp. and Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha (ISK) of Osaka, Japan, announced U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) federal registration of Kabuto Fungicide SC for preventive and curative dollar spot control in the U.S. professional turf management industry. Kabuto features the active ingredient isofetamid, which has proved in university research and end-user trials to effectively control dollar spot and manage resistance concerns. Contact PBI-Gordon, www.pbigordon.com. Harsco’s CrossOver G, a new gypsum formulation, was labeled for use for turf and selected crops in California by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. It is a highly refned, gypsum-enhanced calcium and magnesium silicate soil amendment that provides multiple benefts. The silicon component in CrossOver G enhances the ability of plants to better tolerate water-defcit conditions and other environmental stresses by improving the effciency of the plant’s defense response systems. Contact Harsco, 800-850-0527 (www.crossover-silicon.com).

SureCut SureCut, a set of lawn mower blades you can carry in your front pocket, was designed and built for golf course superintendents, landscapers, and parks and recreation and commercial lawn care industries. The product does not compete against existing steel blades, but is made to complement the blades used in the industry today. The replaceable steel plastic cutting blades are designed to help reduce labor costs by allowing the operator to change cutting blades on-site. Grinding wheels and balancing equipment are not needed with this product. The steel blade holders are offered in different lengths and centerhole variations. The replaceable cutting blades are available in both mulch and low-lift design. The ease and compact size of the cutting blade gives the superintendent the option to stock a set with every mower. Contact SureCut, 320-583-5504 (www.surecutllc.com).

Fame fungicides — a family of FRAC 11 group (strobilurin) products that deliver fast-acting, patented fuoxastrobin against all major patch, spot and mold diseases — are available from FMC Corp. Rainfast in 15 minutes, Fame can be used on all types of golf course turf to provide rapid foliar and root uptake. Fame fungicides offer “fuoxastrobin action,” which ensures a high degree of systemic activity to provide very rapid disease protec-

tion and stop further growth of established disease, says Naimur Rahman, strategy and fungicides marketing product manager for FMC. Contact FMC Corp., 215-299-6000 (www.fmc.com).

The FMC 2015 Early Order Program runs through Dec. 11, 2015, and allows participants to purchase products at current pricing but defer payment for select qualifying FMC products until June 24, 2016. Participants qualify for an early incentive that offers an additional rebate of up to 40 percent more than the base rebate for qualifying products. The base rate is in effect this month and December. FMC 2015 Early Order Program rebates range from 5 to 25 percent during the Early Order Program period. Participating professionals must earn a rebate minimum of $200 on FMC Early Order Program products to qualify for rebates. After purchasing, simply submit a rebate form online at www.fmceop.com no later than Jan. 16, 2016. Nufarm Americas announced that Aloft Insecticide has been added to its portfolio. Aloft provides broad-spectrum insect control on golf courses, lawns, landscapes, athletic turf and sod production. It is designed for long-lasting control of all major turfgrass insects, including white grubs and surface-feeding pests. Contact Nufarm Americas, 800-345-3330 (www.nufarm.com).

Floor

COATINGS UCoat It, a provider of do-it-yourself foor coatings for both commercial and residential uses, unveiled its golf market page. UCoat It’s commercial-grade foor coatings are resources for various golf facility applications, including maintenance facilities, cart barns, locker rooms, outdoor patios and more. Contact UCoat It, 800-826-2848 (www.ucoatit.com/golf/).

Jacklin Seed’s smartphone app has received a major upgrade of new technical information from

11.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

the entire 18-year history of the Research News Flash. Articles were compiled into easily browsable categories — no search engine required. The Jacklin app is available free for iPhone and Android devices (wireless charges may apply). Contact Jacklin Seed, 800-6887333 (www.jacklin.com).

PLATINUM PARTNERS

The Bayer Fall Solutions Program offers early-order incentives for golf course superintendents moving into 2016. The fexible program allows participants to save on individual product bundles to maximize savings per acre. Premier offers for cool-season and transition zone turf include special introductory pricing for the new Signature Xtra Stressgard fungicide, reduced prices for Bayleton FLO and Tartan Stressgard, 11 options for Bayer product PAKs, and new offers for Ronstar, Specticle G, Topchoice and Specticle Total. Fall Solutions lasts through Dec. 11, 2015. To participate, access the online portal at http://myrewards.cropscience.bayer.com. Dow AgroSciences announced the 2015-2016 Power of More rebate program for buyers of Defendor and Dimension specialty herbicides. Golf course superintendents and lawn care operators who purchase Defendor with the equivalent Dimension on Fertilizer are eligible for an $80 rebate per unit. Also, individuals who purchase products from September through December 2015 will receive an additional incentive, depending on the product. Customers earn cash back when they purchase Dow AgroSciences products and products containing Dow AgroSciences active ingredients, including formulator brands and on-fertilizer formulations. Qualifying products for the Power of More 2015-2016 program must be invoiced during the purchase period Sept. 1, 2015, through Aug. 31, 2016. Completed rebate forms and invoices must be submitted by Jan. 15, 2016, to receive a check in March, or by Sept. 30, 2016, to receive a check in December. Products, program guidelines and submission forms are available at www.mypowerofmore.com. OnGolf, a cloud-based decision platform for managing all golf course operations in one place, has helped its initial golf course customers reduce operating costs by more than $700,000 in the frst eight months of operation, the company says. Savings are seen over a variety of operational areas, including labor, water, chemicals, and nutrient-management program changes. The company says the product’s unique value is in consolidating all relevant data into a single dashboard to correlate information while gaining actionable insight into all golf course operations. OnGolf was co-founded by Walt Norley and Matt Shaffer, superintendent at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa., and was launched at the 2015 Golf Industry Show in San Antonio. Contact OnGolf, 610-285-8181 (www.ongolfusa.com). Turf Max introduced the all-new TS Dormant Advanced Green Paint. Designed and reformulated to provide the longest-lasting, most natural green color available to turf managers, TS Dormant contains the proper binder and adhesive technology to ensure turf maintains a lush, dark color, even during the most extreme winters, and won’t break down from ultraviolet radiation. Some of its benefts include improved turf quality and color; delayed dormancy; increased canopy and soil temperatures; faster, frmer playing conditions; reduced labor costs; and reduced water, fertilizer and fungicide use. Contact Turf Max, 215-307-7712 (www.turfscreen.com/products/turf-screen-dormant). Turf Max also announced that it has added a defoamer and four new dyes to its product line (Blue Tracking Dye, Green Tracking Dye, Blue Pond Dye and Black Pond Dye). Contact Turf Max, 215-307-7712 (www.turfscreen.com). Dollamur Sports Surfaces launched GymTurf 365, an indoor, portable sports turf developed in partnership with Shaw Sports Turf. GymTurf 365 takes less than 30 minutes to install and features Dollamur’s Flexi-Connect technology, a hassle-free integrated feature that connects turf sections without additional fasteners or tape. The patented system, which uses built-in hook and loop connections to join turf rolls, expedites setup and tear-down, and it ensures the turf won’t separate between seams, creating a no-slip, just-grip surface. Contact Dollamur Sports Surfaces, 800-5207647 (www.gymturf.com).

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

GOLD PARTNERS

SILVER PARTNERS

GOLD PARTNERS

GOLD PARTNER

Partner Recognition Program Grounded in the turf industry. With over 90 years of experience in the turf maintenance industry, Jacobsen has built a legacy of precision craftsmanship, legendary quality-of-cut and a history of innovation. With a singular focus on helping our customers achieve perfectly groomed, healthy turf, Jacobsen equipment maintains some of the fnest golf courses, sports felds and formal turf areas around the world. Innovations that Go Well Beyond Cut Jacobsen’s legendary quality-of-cut means more than just precisely trimmed turf. We believe in developing innovative technologies that make our machines better for the natural environment and customizable for individual course needs—all while delivering a better total cost of ownership. Our commitment to innovation can be seen in the revolutionary Jacobsen Eclipse 322 riding greens mower. Completely hydraulic free with intuitive controls and easy accessibility, this riding greens mower allows you to program your frequency-ofclip, mow speed, transport speed and other settings through a password-protected menu. Change your settings as course conditions change throughout the year. Quality that Speaks for Itself Since 1921, one thing has remained the same at Jacobsen—a focus on quality. We take a “quality comes frst” mentality with everything we do. Our engineers are focused on designs that perform and last. Our manufacturing processes have built-in quality checks. The parts and components we use must meet high standards for performance and reliability. And our products must meet rigorous testing standards. This focus on quality behind the scenes has resulted in Jacobsen’s legendary reputation for quality on the course. Guided by the Environment The environment is the cornerstone of our business, and we continue to design equipment that uses less fuel and minimizes or eliminates hazardous waste. Jacobsen developed the industry’s frst electric mower and has become the industry leader in electric and hybrid technologies. As a proud supporter of the Environmental Institute of Golf, we are squarely focused on achieving a more sustainable approach to golf facility management. A Partner in Progress As part of our commitment to the turf maintenance industry, Jacobsen is proud to be a Gold-level sponsor of the GCSAA. As we continue engineering new technologies and equipment that deliver proven results without sacrifcing the health of the environment, we applaud partners like the GCSAA who help us push the envelope and grow the industry we serve.

(industry news)

Kiva Dunes Golf Course

2015

HONOREE The Alumni Turf Group (ATG) of the University of Massachusetts has chosen William Dest, Ph.D. (right), as its 2015 honoree. Dest is a 1957 graduate of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. He received a master’s degree from the University of Connecticut and a Ph.D. from Rutgers. Dest has served as a superintendent at Cohasse Country Club and Whethersfeld Country Club. He retired in 1996 from the University of Connecticut, where he maintains the academic status of associate professor emeritus. “When I try to defne agronomist, I think of Bill Dest. He epitomizes the word,” says Scott Mackintosh, president of ATG.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

Kiva Dunes Golf Course in Gulf Shores, Ala., is scheduled to reopen this month following $3.5 million in enhancements. Houston-based Heritage Links oversaw the renovations and enhancement project, including the replacement of the Champion turfgrass on the greens with TifEagle; completely rebuilding and reshaping the white sand bunkers; and re-vegetation of native grasses and sandy dunes throughout the course.

in the agricultural sector, earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Stanford University. He later earned a master’s from Stanford’s Food Research Institute. Bowe has extensive experience in leading large organizations, with particular expertise in commodity and futures trading, acquisitions and joint ventures, process improvement, strategic sourcing, capital management, and establishing and maintaining strong customer relationships.

GCSAA Class A member Ryan Inglis from Moorhead (Minn.) Country Club was the winner of a recent Toro contest. His prize? A Toro ProCore 648 aerator. In an effort to promote the launch of the @ToroGolf Twitter handle at the 2015 Golf Industry Show in San Antonio, The Toro Co. invited attendees to register to win a ProCore 648 walk-behind aerator. Applicants were required not only to register for the giveaway, but also to follow the Twitter handle @ToroGolf. In just a few months, @ToroGolf has amassed more than 2,500 followers. MTI Distributing, a distributor of turf equipment to seven states in the Midwest and a trusted channel partner of The Toro Co., was responsible for a delivery of the ProCore unit to Inglis, who is a 14-year member of GCSAA. All employees of U.S. and Canadian golf courses were eligible to enter in the drawing.

Henry Wallmeyer was selected to serve as president and CEO at the National Club Association. He began Sept. 29. Wallmeyer succeeds Susanne Wegrzyn, who served for 22 years. Wallmeyer’s previous association work includes the American Academy of Otolaryngology and the National Lumber and Building Materials Dealers Association, as well as the Club Managers Association of America.

Patrick E. Bowe becomes the new CEO for The Andersons effective Nov. 2. Bowe previously was corporate vice president of Cargill Inc. He is succeeding Mike Anderson, who remains as the company’s chairman of the board. Bowe is also being appointed to the board of directors. Bowe, who has more than 35 years of experience

Project EverGreen announced the completion of its “Healthy Turf. Healthy Kids.” project at West End

Toro student greenkeepers Park in San Antonio. The park’s baseball and soccer felds were given a needed face-lift to provide neighborhood children and families with a safe place to play and exercise. Project EverGreen worked in partnership with the San Antonio Parks & Recreation Department, the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association, and the Texas Water Smart Foundation. Project EverGreen and industry volunteers provided the materials and labor to restore more than 34,000 square feet of the park’s playing surfaces and entryways. Green industry volunteers ValleyCrest, Billy Long Enterprises, Keller Material and New Earth Compost donated the organic materials, fertilizers, plant material, hardscape products, equipment and labor to complete the project. The initiative included soil aeration and fertilization; application of soil topdressing; excavating and grading the infeld surface of the baseball and soccer felds; and installation of two new entranceway planting beds and hardscape materials. Steve Thorne was crowned Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year 2015. Thorne, deputy course manager at Rushmore Golf Club, will receive a scholarship from Toro consisting of an all-expenses-paid, eight-week trip that includes a residential turf management study course at the University of Massachusetts in 2016. He also will visit Toro headquarters and attend the Golf Industry Show in San Diego. Runners-up Sam Sweetzer, assistant greenkeeper at West Hill Golf Club, and Susan Reeve, frst assistant greenkeeper at Castle Royle Golf & Country Club, are invited to attend the Continue to Learn program at the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition 2016. Finalists Stefan Carter, assistant greenkeeper at The Wentworth Club, Jon-Jo Pitts, deputy course manager at Royston Golf Club, and David Stewart, greenkeeper at Walmley Golf Club, are receiving BIGGA membership for one year following the expiration of their current membership. The Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation (GGEF) is giving nearly $10,000 for turfgrass research at the University of Georgia to help

fund the ongoing search for more environmentally sustainable turfgrasses for golf courses. The money is helping compensate graduate students working with Dr. Brian Schwartz from UGA Crop and Soil Sciences Department. “It seems to us to be such a sure thing to support,” says GGEF research committee chairman Kyle Marshall from Capital City Club in Woodstock. “I don’t know of any research department anywhere that has had the record of success that UGA has produced when it comes to turfgrass.” The GGEF has supported various research efforts since its establishment in 2004. Total funding of research efforts by GGEF has topped more than $150,000 over the past decade. GGEF, the philanthropic arm of the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association, also provides an annual free, day-long educational seminar for superintendents.

Sports turf

CONTRACTOR Sean Rademeyer joined the RTP Contracting team. RTP Contracting is the new

Architect Drew Rogers completed a total overhaul of the practice facility at The Club at Mirasol in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. It opened in October. The new range, putting greens and short-game area are thoroughly integrated into new traffc patterns serving the clubhouse and both 18-hole courses. Rogers, who collaborated with director of golf course maintenance Michael Thomas, took a two-tier green and made it single-tier, which increased square footage by 20 percent. He also added a second putting green to reduce stress and provide players more elbowroom. In the range area, Thomas accented the targets with faux bunkers and landforms, and fashioned target corridors by using two contrasting varieties of turf (TifGrand for target greens, TifSport for rough) that don’t require differing mowing heights. Rogers also created a

turf contracting business representing Redexim Turf Products. Rademeyer, contracting business manager, is a former assistant superintendent who has transitioned into the sports turf industry. He owned a golf and sports turf management company whose clients included the St. Louis Rams of the NFL.

11.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

seamless fow of traffc, where players can park once and use the new range, short-game area and putting greens without getting back in the cart. Integrity Golf Co. is now overseeing Tiger Point Golf Club in Gulf Breeze, Fla. Integrity Golf Co., based in Orlando, now manages 23 golf facilities in Florida. Overall, the company oversees 34 golf facilities, including ones in Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Tiger Point GC, an 18hole championship course, was designed by U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate. Harold Wilhelm was named the new Florida territory manager for Select Source. Wilhelm, a 22-year veteran of the golf industry, started raking bunkers at historic Dubsdread Golf Course in Orlando, Fla., eventually working his way up to superintendent. He worked for fve years with golf icon Arnold Palmer at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge. Most recently, Wilhelm worked for Quali-Pro as Gulf Coast area manager. The University of Georgia (UGA) has introduced an online English version of its turfgrass management course. The certifcate course, titled “Principles of Turfgrass Management,” covers warm- and

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

cool-season turfgrass establishment, growth, maintenance and troubleshooting. More than 2,050 landscape professionals have taken the course in its print format (English and Spanish). Those who complete UGA’s course become Landscape Industry Certifed by the National Association of Landscape Professionals. GCSAA, the Sports Turf Managers Association and Asociación Española de Greenkeepers also endorse UGA’s certifcate program. Barenbrug USA was awarded a 2015 Top Workplaces honor by the Oregonian Media Group. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics LLC, a research frm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. “Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to them (employees) is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together,” says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics. More than $45,000 was raised for the Wounded Warrior Project at Troon facilities during what it calls the World’s Largest Golf Outing. On Aug. 3, 11 Troon facilities joined 132 golf courses nationwide in hosting the ffth annual event that raised more than $1 million.

Five Oaks Golf & Country Club in Lebanon, Tenn., led fundraising with $11,170. The overall total raised surpassed 2014’s total of $887,000. Honours Golf was selected to manage The Bluffs on Thompson Creek, a semi-private club located in St. Francisville, La. The Bluffs on Thompson Creek features an 18-hole Arnold Palmer Signature Design golf course. The 17th hole features a 60-foot drop from the tee to a deep green guarded by Thompson Creek on two sides. Henry Smokler was named general counsel for the PGA of America. Smokler, whose service started Oct. 5, is responsible for all legal affairs for the PGA of America. From 2004 to joining the PGA of America staff, Smokler served in several business and legal roles for the USGA. Most recently, he served as managing director, broadcast and digital media, with responsibility for developing and managing the USGA’s relationships with its broadcast and digital media partners, and overseeing the direction of the USGA’s digital platforms. Rain Bird Training Services is hosting more than 85 irrigation training events throughout the U.S. through May 2016. These classes are open to irriga-

tion professionals of all experience levels, including superintendents, contractors, distributors, designers and architects. Those who attend Rain Bird training classes are eligible to receive continuing education units from the Irrigation Association. For information, call 800-498-1942 or go to www.rainbirdservices.com/training.

the direction of the ASGCA, and the role of members and partners in furthering the organization’s goals. Since 2012, Profle Products and ASGCA have worked together to create new educational programming and tools to help ASGCA members work more effectively in golf course development and remodeling.

The 2016 BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME) is set to begin Jan. 19, 2016, in Harrogate. BIGGA announced the exhibition will cover fve halls packed with exhibitors from every corner of the turf management industry. The event also marks a momentous partnership with the Golf Business & Industry Convention presented by the UK Golf Course Owners Association and the Organization of Golf & Range Operators. Education will feature speakers John Kaminski, Ph.D., of Penn State, and Beth Guertal, Ph.D., of Auburn University.

The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) announced three additional board members joining the current board of directors. They are Tom Duncan, president and CEO, Positec USA Inc.; David Withers, president, Jacobsen; and Bjoern Fischer, incoming president, Stihl.

Profle Products golf business manager John Maeder was recognized for his contributions and commitment to the game of golf by the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA). Maeder was invited to share his expertise at the frst-ever Donald Ross Roundtable during the ASGCA’s annual meeting earlier this year. The goal of the roundtable is to have open dialogue on the state of the golf industry,

The restoration of the Kabul Golf Club will include a book project that chronicles the history of the club from its founding in 1967 through the present-day struggle in Afghanistan. Roger Bacon, through his U.S. consulting business HudsonPlatte, has embarked on a crowdsourcing effort with kickstarter.com to fund the book.

tion of new short-cut chipping areas previously occupied by rough. A key part of the renovation was the introduction of grass swales in strategic locations. Several lakes were removed entirely and replaced with drought-tolerant landscaping. Clark County, Nev., selected KemperSports to manage Desert Rose Golf Club, a municipal course in Las Vegas. The golf club recently completed a two-year renovation project, including a full redesign by Randy Heckenkemper, who most recently completed designs at The Champions Course at TPC Scottsdale and worked in collaboration with Phil Mickelson at McDowell Mountain Golf Club. Vidanta, Mexico’s largest golf course operator, chose KemperSports to manage destination courses in Nuevo Vallarta, Puerto Penasco and Riviera Maya. The portfolio of courses includes a Greg Norman Signature Design and three Nicklaus Design courses.

Quail Lodge Golf Club in Carmel, Calif., completed its renovation by Todd EckenrodeOrigins Golf Design. It includes a new bunker scheme, boasting classic forms and a natural styling. The renovation of green surrounds made way for the introduc-

11.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

(photo quiz answers) By John Mascaro President of Turf-Tec International

(a)

PROBLEM A direct lightning strike is responsible for exposing the soil and lifting the turf on one of this club’s driving range target greens. Early one morning, a severe thunderstorm rolled in, well before the golfers were on the course. Because this is a target green on the driving range, the irrigation pipe was buried directly under the green. Apparently, lightning hit the fagstick, which was located 2 feet from the irrigation line, which sent a jolt down the line in both directions, exploding the pipe and creating a 120-foot-long trench that was 2 to 3 feet deep and 6 to 8 inches wide. A total of 300 feet of pipe had to be replaced; along with three irrigation heads that were blown off their swing joints; all the wire in this area was burned up. The irrigation control boxes 300 yards away had their doors blown off, wires melted at connectors, surge protectors were destroyed, and many if not all components were damaged. After the irrigation repairs were made, the area was flled in, leveled and packed frm before resodding. I have seen quite a few lightning strikes before, and a couple have been used for Photo Quiz, but I have never seen this much damage. Photo submitted by Tim Spanjer, director of marketing at Pursell Farms in Sylacauga, Ala. Mark Langner is the director of agronomy at the facility’s golf course, FarmLinks Golf Club, and a 23-year member of GCSAA.

(b)

PROBLEM At least once a year, this club hosts an event that causes this damage — the Helicopter Ball Drop. Tournament attendees pay for a numbered ball or balls, which are then dropped from a helicopter hovering approximately 200 feet above a fairway where a cup and fag have been placed. After the balls have bounced and fnally come to rest, the person whose ball has landed closest to the pin is declared the lucky winner and winds up with a nice cash prize. What’s left behind is some pretty serious ball-mark damage, the kind not often seen in a fairway. Fortunately, the damage goes away fairly quickly without any extra inputs or repairs. The superintendent says, “They’ve been doing this for many, many years, and it’s a lot of fun for everyone. The ball marks surprised me the frst couple of times, but now it’s something we all look forward to seeing the morning after the event. I thought it would be a good one for Photo Quiz!” He adds, “At least the most recent events have used a helicopter that doesn’t blast the exhaust into the turf. You can imagine what that would look like!” Photo submitted by Kyle D. Sweet, CGCS, and Sharon Tucker, a green committee member, at The Sanctuary Golf Club in Sanibel, Fla. Sweet is a 24-year GCSAA member.

If you would like to submit a photograph for John Mascaro’s Photo Quiz, please send it to: John Mascaro, 1471 Capital Circle NW, Suite #13, Tallahassee, FL 32303, or email it to john@turf-tec.com.

Presented in partnership with Jacobsen

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

If your photograph is selected, you will receive full credit. All photos submitted will become property of GCM and GCSAA.

The All-New Jacobsen Truckster XD Answers All Your Needs.

The all-new Jacobsen Truckster XD heavy-duty utility vehicle is the new leader in every category that matters most to you: a massive, 3,550 lb. standard payload capacity; the toughest bed in the industry; and a commanding 52.7 ft.-lbs. of torque from the diesel engine (51.6 ft.-lbs of torque from the gas engine). More than just pure muscle, the Truckster XD also features 25% more cabin space than the competition. Learn more about how the Jacobsen Truckster XD makes easy work of your toughest jobs at Jacobsen.com.

MEMBERS ONLY ON COURSE Nov. 5-8 — Champions Tour, Charles Schwab Cup Championship, Desert Mountain Club (Cochise), Scottsdale, Ariz.; Jose Castillo, superintendent

(climbing the ladder)

Nov. 6-8 — LPGA, Toto Japan Classic, Kintestsu Kashi Kojima Country Club, Shima-Shi, Mie, Japan

Nov. 6-9 — PGA Tour, Sanderson

Ben Larsen Was: Is:

Assistant superintendent, Sunset Ridge Country Club, Northfeld, Ill. Superintendent, Green Bay (Wis.) Country Club

Farms Championship, Country Club of Jackson (Miss.); Stanley Reedy, CGCS

Nov. 6-9 — PGA Tour, World Golf Championship-HSBC Championship, Sheshan International Golf Club, Shanghai

Nov. 12-15 — LPGA, Lorena Ochoa Invitational presented by Banamex and JTBC, Club de Golf Mexico, Mexico City

Getting to know you He may not have known it at the time, but a teenage friendship with Joe Kroeger launched Ben Larsen’s professional journey. It all began at Alpine Hills Golf Club in Rockford, Ill. That is where Joe’s father, Rick, decided to build a golf course. Larsen, then 16, had a summer job helping make the facility a reality. “I wasn’t experienced on a skid-steer. I was barely driving then,” Larsen says. “I was told what to do, what time to fnish it. At the time, I didn’t know how big a deal it was for them and for me.”

Q: You have only been a superintendent for a short time. What are your initial thoughts about it? A: How everyone is so interested in what I actually have to say. Q: Who have been your mentors? A: Mike Sauls (Butler National). I was an assistant-in-training for him. He showed me how a top-25 golf course (Butler National is ranked among the top courses in Illinois by Golf Digest) renovation and operation ran. Greg Rounds at Sunset

Nov. 12-15 — European Tour, BMW Masters, Lake Malaren Golf Club, Shanghai

Nov. 13-16 — PGA Tour, OHL Classic at Mayakoba, El Camaleon Golf Club, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Nov. 19-22 — LPGA, CME Group Tour Championship, Tiburon Golf Club, Naples, Fla.; Kirk Richmond, director of golf course maintenance Nov. 19-22 — European Tour, DP World Championship, Dubai, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Ridge essentially got me ready to be a superintendent by putting me in every situation possible that a superintendent would come across.

Q: Who is the frst person you contacted when you got the superintendent job? A: My wife, Jen. She thought I was joking. Q: Given that you are in Wisconsin, what is your favorite type of cheese? A: American. Cheddar. Muenster is pretty good, too. Q: You grew up a Green Bay Packers fan. Who was your favorite back in the day? A: Reggie White. He made big defensive plays. Q: Will your daughter, Gwen, be a superintendent some day? A: Probably not. She’s a little bit of a girlie girl. I don’t think she’ll like the getting dirty part, or the insects. — Howard Richman, GCM associate editor

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

COMING UP Nov. 3-5 — Annual Southwest Turfgrass Association Landscape Conference & Expo, Ruidoso Convention Center, Ruidoso, N.M. Phone: 575-646-1715 Website: www.southwestturfgrass.com Nov. 5 — GCSAA Webcast: Reclaimed wastewater for turf irrigation Contact: GCSAA Education Phone: 800-472-7878 Website: www.gcsaa.org/education/ webcasts

Nov. 9-13 — 2015 Irrigation Show &

Dec. 2 — GCSAA Webcast: Factors

Education Conference, Long Beach (Calif.) Convention & Entertainment Center Phone: 703-536-7080 Website: www.irrigationshow.org

that affect pesticide fate and behavior on the golf course Contact: GCSAA Education Phone: 800-472-7878 Website: www.gcsaa.org/education/ webcasts

Nov. 10 — Pesticide Education Seminar, Wellshire Golf Course, Denver Phone: 330-255-9611 Email: info@rmgcsa.org

Nov. 12 — GCSAA Webcast: Hosting a First Green feld trip Contact: GCSAA Education Phone: 800-472-7878 Website: www.gcsaa.org/education/ webcasts

Dec. 2-3 — Wisconsin Golf Course Superintendents Association Turf Symposium, American Club, Kohler, Wis. Phone: 608-845-6895 Dec. 3 — Iowa GCSA December Seminar, Atlantic (Iowa) Country Club Phone: 515-635-0306 Website: www.iowagcsa.org

Dec. 3 — New York State Turfgrass Nov. 16-18 — Carolinas GCSA annual Conference and Trade Show, Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Convention Center Phone: 800-476-4272 Website: www.carolinasgcsa.org

Association Long Island Regional Conference, Upsky Long Island Hotel, Hauppauge, N.Y. Phone: 518-783-1229 Website: www.nysta.org

Nov. 17-18 — New York State

Dec. 7 — Duff Shaw Classic, North

Turfgrass Association Turf & Grounds Exposition, Rochester (N.Y.) Riverside Convention Center Phone: 518-783-1229 Website: www.nysta.org

Ranch Country Club, Thousand Oaks, Calif. Phone: 310-528-0723 Email: cyndy@cmnsupt.com Website: www.gcsasc.org

Nov. 18 — GCSAA Webcast: The BOLD speaker Contact: GCSAA Education Phone: 800-472-7878 Website: www.gcsaa.org/education/ webcasts

Nov. 19-20 — Green Industry Show & Conference, BMO Centre at Stampede Park, Calgary, Alberta Phone: 708-489-1991 Email: Valerie.stobbe@landscape-alberta. com

Nov. 30 — USGA Regional Seminar, PebbleCreek Resort, Goodyear, Ariz. Phone: 480-609-6778 Website: www.cactusandpine.org

Dec. 7-10 — Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Conference and Show, Greater Columbus Convention Center Phone: 614-285-4683 Website: www.ohioturfgrass.org Dec. 8-10 — Washington Turf and Landscape Show, Lynnwood (Wash.) Convention Center Phone: 253-219-8360 Website: www.wwgcsa.org

Dec. 8-10 — 62nd Annual Rocky Mountain Regional Turfgrass Association Conference & Trade Show, Crowne Plaza DIA, Denver Phone: 303-770-2220 Website: www.rmrta.org

Dec. 8-10 — 2015 New Jersey Green Dec. 1-3 — Kansas Turfgrass Conference, Topeka Phone: 785-532-6173 Website: www.kgcsa.org

Expo Turf & Landscape Conference, The Borgata Hotel, Atlantic City, N.J. Phone: 973-812-6467 Website: www.njta.wildapricot.org/event865756

11.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

(i(in the field)

Great Lakes Shane Conroy

Spreading the word about the positive impacts your golf course has on your community and the environment can be challenging. Jeff Sexton, CGCS, was recently able to do just that, however, by getting a local TV news program on site at Evansville (Ind.) Country Club to cover the course’s honey bee restoration project. Reporter Amanda Chodnicki of 44News visited the course to get a look at the setup — two bee boxes, each of which houses about 20,000 bees — and interviewed Jeff as well as John Scott Foster, Ph.D., of the Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve, and Don Neyhouse, a technical sales consultant for Bayer CropScience. Jeff, a GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador, wants to demonstrate that golf course superintendents take the surrounding environment very seriously, and that neonicotinoids can safely coexist on a golf course with honey bee colonies when the insecticides are applied properly. Indiana Congressman Larry Bucshon has taken an interest in the project, which shows the impact the Grassroots Ambassador proTwo bee boxes abuzz at Evansville (Ind.) Country gram can have in engaging politicians with golf courses. (Read more Club. Photo by Jake Holcomb about Jeff, Rep. Bucshon and the Grassroots Ambassador program on Page 44.) Evansville CC is leading the way for golf courses in southwest Indiana looking to start a beehive restoration project, and Sexton says the club hopes to add two more bee boxes next year. You can watch the 44News segment about Evansville CC’s bee initiative at www.gcsaa-great-lakes.blogspot.com/2015/09/honeybees-on-course.html.

Northwest David Phipps

In early September, Marty Baumann, superintendent at Anchorage (Alaska) Golf Course, called me to ask for a favor. He said a young man from his club, Ian Bruchhauser, had qualified for the regional Drive, Chip & Putt contest at Chambers Bay on Sept. 12, and the community and the golf club had rallied together to raise enough money for Ian to travel to University Place, Wash., to compete. Marty asked whether I could contact the golf course management staff at Chambers Bay to see whether Ian could get a round of golf while he was there. Marty explained that golf is the world to 11-year-old Ian, who is only about 4 feet tall and has already managed to score par at Anchorage Golf Ian Bruchhauser (right) placed third overall in the 12- to Course. Being able to play at the U.S. Open venue would 13-year-old division of the Drive, Chip & Putt competition at be a dream come true for Ian. I reached out, and, as I’d Chambers Bay Sept. 12. Photo courtesy of Marty Baumann expected, superintendent Josh Lewis came through. Marty called me recently to report on Ian’s trip. When Ian arrived with a set of junior golf clubs, he was the target of some teasing from some of the other contestants. A Ping representative was made aware of Ian’s need for clubs, and the rep arranged for Ian to be fit by the Ping tour fitter. To top it off, Ian caught the attention of a couple of college scouts who were there as well. The teasing turned out to have no effect on Ian’s performance, as he placed third overall in the 12- to 13-year-old division, missing second by only a stroke. What Ian may lack in size, he more than makes up for in heart and talent. Oh, and Ian finished his round at Chambers Bay at even bogey. Not too shabby.

For the latest updates from all of GCSAA’s feld staff representatives, go to www.gcsaa.org/ community/regions.

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

Dec. 14-15 — Common Ground Conference, Olathe (Kan.) Convention Center Phone: 816-561-5323 Email: kweitzel@westerneda.com Website: www.hagcsa.org Dec. 15-17 — Texas Turfgrass Annual Conference & Show, Grand Hyatt & Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio Phone: 800-830-8873 Website: www.texasturf.com Dec. 16 — GCSAA Webcast: GDDs for PGR applications and re-applications Contact: GCSAA Education Phone: 800-472-7878 Website: www.gcsaa.org/education/ webcasts Jan. 12 — Turfgrass Producers of Texas Annual Conference & Trade Show, Civic Center, Bay City Phone: 979-533-9750 Website: www.txsod.com Jan. 12-14 — Tennessee Turfgrass Association 50th Annual Conference, Embassy Suites, Murfreesboro Phone: 615-533-3925 Website: www.ttaonline.org Jan. 13 — North Carolina Sod Producers Association Annual Meeting, Greensboro Convention Center, Greensboro Phone: 919-816-9119 Website: www.greenandgrowin.com Jan. 17-21 — BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition/Golf Business & Industry Convention, Harrogate International Centre, North Yorkshire, England Email: jill@bigga.co.uk

Jan. 19-22 — Sports Turf Managers Association 27th Annual Conference, San Diego Convention Center Phone: 800-323-3875 Website: www.stma.org Jan. 25-27 — 82nd Annual Iowa Turfgrass Conference & Trade Show, Coralsville Marriott Hotel & Convention Center Phone: 515-635-0306 Website: www.iowaturfgrass.org

CALIFORNIA Michael L. Bolles, formerly (C) at ALABAMA Mark W. Patterson, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) Lakeside Golf Club, is now (C) at Trump National Golf Club-Los Angeles in Rancho at Vista Plantation Golf Course, is now Palos Verdes. (Supt. Mbr.) at Huntsville Country Club in Sean M. Duffy, formerly (I), is now (A) at Huntsville. Arbuckle Golf Club in Arbuckle. Ryan R. Hardin, formerly (C) at PasaARIZONA tiempo Golf Club, is now (C) at Mayacama Michael H. Booker, formerly (C) at Golf Club in Santa Rosa. Heritage Golf Club, is now (C) at TPC of Chris Hoyer, formerly (A) at Monterey Scottsdale in Scottsdale. Peter Ferlicca, formerly (C) at Tonto Verde Country Club, is now (A) at Bermuda Golf Club, is now (C) at Wickenburg Ranch Dunes Country Club in Indio. Jon D. Maddern, CGCS, formerly (A) at Golf and Social Club in Wickenburg. Jack Nicklaus Course at PGA West, is Mark M. Licon, formerly (A) at Links at now (A) at PGA West in La Quinta. Summerly, is now (A) at Signature Golf Daniel J. Miller, formerly (C) at Riviera Company in Fountain Hills. Charles B. Robertson IV, CGCS, formerly Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at (A) at TPC Craig Ranch, is now (A) at TPC Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point. of Scottsdale in Scottsdale. COLORADO Ryan E. Davis, formerly (AS) at The ARKANSAS Quechee Club, is now (C) at Club at Troy M. Fink, CGCS, formerly (A) at Cordillera Mountain Course in Edwards. Country Club of Virginia, is now (A) at Jeremiah S. Stumpff, formerly (C) at Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville. Somerby Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie.

ON THE MOVE

Jan. 27-28 — New York State Turfgrass Association Southeast Regional Conference, Ramada Inn, Fishkill Phone: 518-783-1229 Website: www.nysta.org ——— To fnd out whether you can receive education points for any of these upcoming programs, visit the External Education Listings in the Education section of our website at www.gcsaa.org. ——— We want to know about your event in advance. To submit an entry for “Coming Up,” please send your information fve to six months before you’d like to see it in the magazine. We run event information for three months. Send a contact name if all details are not fnal. Contact Golf Course Management, Attention: Coming Up, 1421 Research Park Drive, Lawrence, KS 660493859; 785-832-3638; fax: 785-8323665; email: hrichman@gcsaa.org.

FLORIDA Zachary R. Anderson, formerly (C) at Seven Bridges at Springtree Golf Club, is now (C) at Coral Ridge Country Club in Fort Lauderdale. Orry C. Andrews, formerly (C) at Hideaway Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Hideaway Country Club in Fort Myers. Kenneth Cascadden, formerly (I), is now (Supt. Mbr.) at ABM Golf Services in Tampa. Nicholas J. Cristaldi, formerly (C) at Club at Olde Cypress, is now (C) at Hideout Golf Club in Naples. Nelson deSierra Jr., formerly (C) at Cypress Creek Country Club, is now (A) at Bay Point Resort Golf Club in Panama City. John J. Flinchbaugh, formerly (C) at TPC at Sawgrass, is now (C) at Pablo Creek Golf Club in Jacksonville. Russell A. Geiger, CGCS, formerly (A) at Hole-In-The-Wall Golf Course, is now (A) at Plantation Golf & Country Club in Venice. William H. Kistler, formerly (A) at Rogers Park Golf Course, is now (A) at ABM Golf Services in Tampa.

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Stephen M. Macejak, formerly (C) at Laurel Oak Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at The Preserve Golf Club at Tara in Bradenton. James A. Moore, formerly (A) at Parkland Golf & Country Club, is now (A) at Jupiter Country Club in Jupiter. Corey M. Rase, formerly (S) at Brunswick Community College, is now (C) at Colonial Country Club in Fort Myers. Robert D. Sapp, formerly (A) at The Club at Kukui’Ula, is now (A) at Old Palm Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens. Thomas Trammell, CGCS, formerly (AA) at TBT Turf Consulting, is now (AA) at The Andersons Inc. Plant Nutrient Group in Maitland. John G. Yancey, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Cane Garden Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Big Cypress Golf & Country Club in Lakeland. GEORGIA Joseph F. Lee, formerly (A) at Lakeview Golf Club, is now (A) at Pine Forest Country Club in Jesup. Zachary J. Ohsann, formerly (A) at Lake Merced Golf Club, is now (C) at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta. Anthony A. Wright, formerly (C) at Capital City Club, is now (C) at Rivermont Golf & Country Club in Alpharetta. HAWAII C. Luke Bennett, formerly (A) at Fountaingrove Golf & Athletic Club, is now (A) at Kohanaiki in Kailua Kona. Joel T. Krause, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Sequoyah National Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Kona Country Club in Kailua Kona. Joseph Vittum, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Kapalua Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at The Club at Kukui’Ula in Koloa. ILLINOIS Brian J. Borah, formerly (C) at Sunset Hills Country Club, is now (C) at Tamarack Country Club in O’Fallon. Steven A. Carroll, formerly (C) at Compass Pointe Golf Courses, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at River Oaks Golf Course in Calumet City. Tyler L. Donaldson, formerly (S) at Iowa State University, is now (C) at White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville. Shane Eble, formerly (A) at Bay Point Resort Golf Club, is now (A) at Kemper Sports Management in Northbrook.

Derek Weber, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Lake Erie Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Flossmoor Country Club in Flossmoor. Eric Willey, formerly (C) at Butler National Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Hinsdale Golf Club in Clarendon Hills. INDIANA John F. Thackery, formerly (C) at North Course at Otter Creek Golf Course, is now (C) at West Course at Otter Creek Golf Course in Columbus. KANSAS Kent Morgison, formerly (A) at Alvamar Public Golf Course, is now (A) at Topeka Country Club in Topeka. Shane L. Rengstorf, formerly (C) at Colbert Hills Golf Course, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Colbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan. Dalton D. Rindt, formerly (C) at Wamego Country Club, is now (C) at Wichita Country Club in Wichita. KENTUCKY Ryan E. Smith, formerly (A) at Old Silo Golf Club, is now (A) at Canewood Golf Course in Georgetown. LOUISIANA Jay R. Loudermilk, formerly (C) at Bear Creek Golf Club, is now (C) at Contraband Bayou Golf Club at L'Auberge du Lac in Lake Charles. MARYLAND Bernard L. Hipkins, formerly (C) at Blue Mash Golf Course, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at West Winds Golf Club in New Market. Jeffrey Rice, formerly (C) at Country Club at Woodmore, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Oak Creek Golf Club in Upper Marlboro. MASSACHUSETTS Daniel Seifert, formerly (C) at Duxbury Yacht Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Quail Ridge Country Club in Acton. Eric Still, formerly (C) at Charles River Country Club, is now (C) at The Cape Club in East Falmouth. MICHIGAN Adam T. Hahn, formerly (C) at Eagle Eye Golf Club, is now (C) at Woodside Golf Course in Bath. MINNESOTA Timothy M. Halvorson, formerly (S) at

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

the University of Minnesota-Crookston, is now (C) at Madden’s on Gull Lake in Brainerd. Michael D. Kettlehut, formerly (AS) at Wayzata Country Club, is now (C) at Wayzata Country Club in Wayzata. Robert J. Zbacnik, formerly (C) at Trump National Golf Club-Westchester, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Valley Country Club in East Grand Forks. MISSOURI Thomas C. Delman, formerly (C) at Palm Beach National Golf & Country Club, is now (C) at Twin Hills Golf & Country Club in Joplin. Chad J. Hoerschgen, formerly (C) at Ledgestone Country Club & Stonebridge Village, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Millwood Golf & Racquet Club in Ozark. NEVADA Jeremy Adkins, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Angel Park Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at OB Sports in Aliante. Sean P. Cracraft, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Teton Springs Resort & Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at OB Sports in Aliante. Kyle Mead, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Woodcreek Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Wolf Run Golf Club in Reno. NEW HAMPSHIRE Bryan M. Conant, formerly (C) at Sky Meadow Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua. Daniel D. Weitzel, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Bear Trap Dunes, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Manchester Country Club in Bedford. NEW JERSEY Dalton Clark, formerly (SW) at Central Community College, is now (SW) at Rutgers University/Cook College in New Brunswick. Michael S. Wenning, formerly (C) at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club, is now (C) at Picatinny Golf Club in Picatinny Arsenal. NEW MEXICO Roy Johnson, formerly (C) at El Paso Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Black Mesa Golf Club in Espanola. NEW YORK Christopher Dyroff, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Highlands Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Phillip J. Rotella Golf Course in Thiells.

Gregory J. Klem, CGCS, formerly (A) at Webster Golf Club, is now (A) at Monroe County Parks in Rochester. James Mackie, formerly (C) at Bayonne Golf Club, is now (C) at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale. NORTH CAROLINA Christopher S. Cowan, formerly (SW) at North Carolina State University, is now (C) at Highlands Falls Country Club in Highlands. Jeffrey A. Crouse, formerly (A) at Chockoyotte Country Club, is now (A) at Lincoln Country Club in Lincolnton. Logan Murphy, formerly (AS) at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, is now (C) at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club in Pinehurst. OHIO Christopher A. Brocious, formerly (EM) at Ballyneal Golf and Hunt Club, is now (EM) at Westfeld Group Country Club in Westfeld Center. Thomas R. Parker, formerly (C) at Oak Shadows Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at The Pines Golf Club in Orrville. Travis D. Russell, formerly (SW) at Ohio State University, is now (C) at Foxfre Golf Club in Lockbourne. PENNSYLVANIA Theodore A. Chapin, formerly (S) at Clemson University, is now (S) at Penn State University in University Park. Peter M. Daley, formerly (S) at Penn State University, is now (C) at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont. Matthew A. Herrmann, formerly (SW) at Penn State University, is now (C) at Philadelphia Cricket Club in Flourtown. Kory C. Kirk, formerly (S) at Penn State University-World Campus, is now (C) at Green Acres Golf Course in Bernville. Justin Lewis, formerly (S) at Penn State University-World Campus, is now (C) at Bent Creek Country Club in Lititz. Robert D. Sines, formerly (A) at Lakeview Golf Resort and Spa, is now (A) at Uniontown Country Club in Uniontown. SOUTH CAROLINA Eric G. Dusa, CGCS, formerly (A) at White Plains Country Club, is now (A) at The Traces Golf Club in Florence. Matthew Schott, formerly (C) at

Savannah Quarters Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Crescent Pointe Golf Club in Bluffton. Henry O. Taylor Jr., formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at White Plains Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Hartsville Country Club in Hartsville. TENNESSEE Colton C. Jones, formerly (C) at The Peninsula Club, is now (C) at Jackson Country Club in Jackson. Robert A. Main, CGCS, formerly (A) at Colonial Country Club, is now (AF) at Turfgrass Solutions Inc. in Germantown. Phillip Vineyard, formerly (C) at Highlands Falls Country Club, is now (C) at The Golf Club of Tennessee in Kingston Springs. TEXAS Matt Cowan, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Crenshaw Cliffside Course at Barton Creek, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Fazio Canyons Course at Barton Creek in Austin. Brody L. Dillard, formerly (C) at Delaware Springs Golf Course, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Landa Park Golf Course at Conal Springs in New Braunfels. Cody W. Fisseler, formerly (C) at Whispering Pines Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity. James F. Leonard, formerly (A) at Golf Club of Houston, is now (A) at Houston Oaks Golf & Country Club in Hockley. Timothy Phillips, formerly (C) at Golfcrest Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Golfcrest Country Club in Pearland. Alan M. Ragsdale, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Lake Park Executive Golf Course, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Riverside Golf Club in Grand Prairie. Kevin D. Whitten, formerly (C) at TPC of San Antonio, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney. VERMONT Matt Jung, formerly (C) at Taconic Golf Club, is now (C) at Stowe Country Club in Stowe. VIRGINIA Kenneth Floyd, formerly (C) at The Hamptons Golf Course, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at The Hamptons Golf Course in Hampton.

Christopher G. Keen, formerly (C) at Cedar Point Country Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Cedar Point Country Club in Suffolk. WASHINGTON Marcus A. Harness, formerly (C) at White Horse Golf Club, is now (C) at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish. WISCONSIN Jasen Bullock, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Chippewa Valley Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Pinewood Golf Course & Restaurant in Menomonie. Zac M. Houfek, formerly (C) at Fire Ridge Golf Club, is now (C) at Wisconsin Club in Milwaukee. Jason J. Lemanski, formerly (Supt. Mbr.) at Water’s Edge Golf Club, is now (Supt. Mbr.) at Sherwood Forest Country Club in Sherwood. Adam C. Wepfer, formerly (C) at University Ridge Golf Course, is now (C) at Bishops Bay Country Club in Waunakee. AUSTRIA Erich Bubnik, formerly (ISM) at Golf Club Windischgarsten, is now (ISM) at Golf Club Reiting in Trofaiach.

NEWLY CERTIFIED Jeffrey L. Seeman, CGCS, Poxabogue Golf Course, Sagaponack, N.Y.

CONNECTICUT Michael J. Boles, EM, Greenwich DELAWARE Al Denker, EM, Smyrna

NEW MEMBERS ALABAMA Stuart Adams, EM, Mobile ARIZONA Randy Kelley, EM, Prescott Craig W. Levitsky, Class C, Scottsdale Scott McLaughlin, Class C, Munds Park CALIFORNIA Saul de la Torre, EM, Davis Eric J. McAlister, Class C, San Mateo David Morales Sotelo, EM, Los Gatos Richard Navarro, EM, San Luis Obispo William Walsh, Associate, San Diego COLORADO Beryl J. Snider, EM, Fort Collins Gary S. Traphagan, Class C, Colorado Springs

FLORIDA Matthew C. Claunch, Class C, Palm City Corby Coggins, EM, Vero Beach Tim King, EM, Fort Myers Howard Kreutzfeld, EM, Bradenton Hector Perez, EM, Fort Myers Ryan M. Randolph, Class C, Naples Isaiah R. Riddell, EM, Tampa GEORGIA Eric J. Holland, EM, Stone Mountain Greg Railey, EM, Suwanee Jerod M. Stewart, Class C, Marietta Sladen D. Tant, Class C, Atlanta ILLINOIS Corey G. Wisher, Student, Normal INDIANA Brett P. Popp, Supt. Mbr., Jasper Andrew G. Small, Class C, Valparaiso

CANADA Thom V. Charters, formerly (AA), is now (ISM) at Taboo Golf Club in Gravenhurst, Ontario. Chad J. de Groot, formerly (C) at Tower Ranch Golf Club, is now (AS) at Tower Ranch Golf Club in Kelowna, British Columbia. CHINA Ming Jiang, formerly (ISM) at Qian Dao Hu Country Club, is now (ISM) at Jing Shan Hu Golf Club in Beijing. GERMANY Johannes Steiner, formerly (ISM) at Golf Club Fontana, is now (ISM) at Engelmann Golf Course Maintenance. SAUDI ARABIA Timothy L. Pratt, CGCS, formerly (A) at King Abdullah Economic City, is now (A) at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City. Editor’s note: The information in this report was pulled from GCSAA’s member database on Sept. 23, 2015.

11.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

IOWA James M. Hauser II, Student, Cedar Rapids Peter W. Lange, Student, Cedar Rapids Patrick Rux, Student, Cedar Rapids KANSAS Mitch Chalkley, Student, Manhattan Kevin P. Horigan, Student, Manhattan Jeff A. McAlister, EM, Leawood Kyle B. Moore, Student, Manhattan Chase H. Tjelmeland, Student, Manhattan LOUISIANA Thomas T. Perkins, EM, Westlake MAINE Justin A. Foss, EM, Kennebunkport Peter B. Rumery, EM, Kennebunkport MARYLAND William C. Kelso, Student, Salisbury MASSACHUSETTS Ryan M. Cullinan, Class C, Hyannis Port Kevin R. Shea, Class C, Marshfeld

MICHIGAN James C. Germain, EM, Brooklyn MINNESOTA Perry Martin, Class C, Hopkins Ryan R. Melvin, Student, Anoka MISSISSIPPI Zach D. Dulaney, Student, Mississippi State MISSOURI Nicholas J. Bergmann, Class C, St. Charles Carter DeMay, Class C, Saint Charles Vincent R. Schrum, Supt. Mbr., Farmington Zachary S. Sindelar, Student, Springfeld Christopher J. Willimann, EM, St. Louis MONTANA Eric Reed, EM, Big Sky NEBRASKA Cole R. Batenhorst, Student, Lincoln NEW HAMPSHIRE Karl Morgan, EM, Wolfeboro

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

NEW JERSEY Thomas D. Renk, Student, New Brunswick NEW MEXICO Robert Kassin, Supt. Mbr., Cannon AFB NEW YORK Kelly R. Barrell, Class C, Scarsdale Matt R. Carlascio, Class C, Rochester Tony A. Grenzy, Affliate, Ransomville Ben L. Howell, Class C, Southampton Ryan C. Jeskie, Student, Delhi Cam Loomis, Student, Cobleskill Kyle J. Shaw, Student, Cobleskill Damion M. Smith, Student, Cobleskill Mike T. Zellner, Student, Delhi Steve Zimicki, EM, Farmingdale NORTH CAROLINA Claude P. Arbogast, Supt. Mbr., Cary Jonathan W. Roy, Student, Raleigh OHIO Scott Ash, EM, Fremont Tristan L. Myers, Student, Wooster Travis Post, Supt. Mbr., Athens Todd F. Swope, Class C, Springboro

OKLAHOMA Robert J. Osborne, Class C, Oklahoma City Michael T. Roche, Supt. Mbr., Guymon OREGON Kendall Schaffer, Supt. Mbr., Portland PENNSYLVANIA Jeffrey Amand, Student, University Park Joshua G. Hampton, Supt. Mbr., Hershey Nathan Heller, Student, University Park John R. Jurich, Student, University Park John J. Keeler, Student, University Park Colin P. Murphy, Student, University Park Garrett A. Newman, Student, State College Michael A. Runkle, EM, Mount Wolf Connor E. Sisson, Student, University Park SOUTH CAROLINA Thomas P. Dunn, Student, Conway Joe Gifford, Class C, Hilton Head Island SOUTH DAKOTA Daryl C. Hunt, EM, Sioux Falls

No one knows the value of GCSAA membership better than you.

Help recruit new members. Get rewarded. GCSAA.org/member-get-a-member

Receive a $50 gift certifcate for each new member* that you recruit. Certifcates can be used for GIS registration, educational opportunities, GCSAA merchandise and donations to the EIFG.

For each new member that you recruit you will also receive one entry into the grand prize drawing for an all-expenses** paid trip to the 2016 Golf Industry Show in San Diego.

Secondary grand prizes include four (4) Full Pack registrations to the 2016 Golf Industry Show.

* A new member is defned as someone who has not been current with their GCSAA dues for more than two years (excludes Equipment Managers). ** Grand prize includes airfare, GIS registration, and hotel accommodations for four (4) nights.

TENNESSEE Ryan Erickson, EM, Brentwood TEXAS Brae A. Miner, Student, Lubbock VIRGINIA Benjamin B. Longest, Class C, Manakin Sabot WASHINGTON Kevin R. Bligh, EM, Stevenson Shane W. Hughes, Class C, Kennewick Joe A. Monteleone, EM, Lakewood Michael E. Snyder, Supt. Mbr., Sequim WISCONSIN Jerry Geiger, Affliate, Boulder Junction

INDIA Kamon Louhaudom, Affliate, Chennai, Tamil Nadu SWEDEN Henrik Noren, Educator, Danderyd THAILAND Surakij Kachai, ISM, Nakornathisima Chotvit Sungklom, ISM, Samutprakarn UNITED KINGDOM Dylan Brychta, EM, Leatherhead, Surrey Editor’s note: The information in this report was pulled from GCSAA’s member database on Sept. 23, 2015.

CANADA Robert B. Black, ISM, Warkworth, Ontario Jonathan A. McMorris, Class C, Winnipeg, Manitoba

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Hunter O. Gammon, 91, died May 3, 2015. Mr. Gammon, a 47-year member of GCSAA, was originally a pharmacist. He ultimately developed a love of golf, and attended his frst of 62 Masters in 1954 (the city of Augusta, Ga., made him an honorary citizen in 2014). Mr. Gammon, who served in the Navy in World War II, envisioned a nine-hole course on the rolling land owned by his uncle off Wolf Island Road in Reidsville, N.C. Using a design by Johnny Johnston, Arnold Palmer’s roommate at Wake Forest, Gammon built a golf course out of the trunk of a Studebaker. He and his wife, Nancy, named it Wolf Creek. She managed the golf shop, eventually becoming the head professional. Gammon also became a golf course superintendent. At the same time, he was working at Links Brothers Pharmacy. Mr. Gammon is survived by his son, Tracy (Jettaka) Gammon; daughter-in-law, Jessica Gillespie Gammon; granddaughters, Margaret Gammon (Bryan) Blythe, Courtney Elizabeth Gammon and Katharine Hunter Gammon Blythe; sisters, Dorothy Martin and Virginia Cooke; and numerous nieces and nephews. James E. “Jim” Piquette, 58, died July 3, 2015, in the comfort of his home, surrounded by family. Mr. Piquette, a 34-year member of GCSAA, earned a degree in turfgrass management from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. He grew up in Seekonk, Mass., where he was a longtime volunteer of the fre department. He was raised across the street from Firefy Golf Course, which he eventually operated for 14 years. Mr. Piquette was inducted into the Seekonk Sports Hall of Fame in appreciation for his support of and generosity toward the high school golf team. In 2001, Mr. Piquette, who had earned Certifed Golf Course Superintendent status, fulflled his lifelong dream by building Mulligan’s Island Golf and Entertainment Center in Cranston, R.I., which he continued to successfully

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IN MEMORIAM

manage until his illness. He was an avid Boston Red Sox fan and a New England Patriots fanatic. Mr. Piquette is survived by his wife of 31 years, Patricia Houle Piquette; sons, Brian J. Piquette and Benjamin J. Piquette; daughter, Christa M. Piquette; grandson, Brandon J. Piquette; brothers, Thomas Piquette and Kenneth Piquette; sister, Susan Maisano; and many nieces and nephews. Mr. Piquette’s ready smile and spirit of generosity is greatly missed by many. William G. Remy, 89, died July 8, 2015. Mr. Remy, a 38-year member of GCSAA, served the U.S. in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He had a passion for golf, and eventually studied golf course management at Lake City Community College. His frst job was at Lost Tree Golf Club in North Palm Beach, Fla. Later, Mr. Remy served as superintendent at Green Oaks Golf Club in Columbus, Miss., and eventually landed at The Breakers in Palm Beach. Remy, born in Burlington, Kan., came home again when he got a job at Rock Creek Country Club in Burlington. He also served as a consultant at Willow Lakes in Titusville, Fla. In all, Mr. Remy recorded three holes-in-one. Mr. Remy enjoyed making visits to the VFW to see friends, and he loved America. Mr. Remy is survived by his daughter, Candace A. Remy; sons, Terry Remy, Billy Remy, Kevin Remy and Mike Remy; and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

GCM (ISSN 0192-3048 [print]; ISSN 2157-3085 [online]) is published monthly by GCSAA Communications Inc., 1421 Research Park Drive, Lawrence, KS 66049-3859, 785-841-2240. Subscriptions (all amounts U.S. funds only): $60 a year. Outside the United States and Canada, write for rates. Single copy: $5 for members, $7.50 for nonmembers. Offce of publication and editorial offce is at GCSAA, 1421 Research Park Drive, Lawrence, KS 66049-3859. Periodicals postage paid at Lawrence, Kan., and at additional mailing offces. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: Golf Course Management, 1421 Research Park Drive, Lawrence, KS 66049. CANADA POST: Publications mail agreement No. 40030949. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 122, Niagara Falls, ONT L2E 6S8.

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For more information and to request a member application, call (800) 472-7878.

ADVERTISING INDEX & MARKETPLACE PLATINUM PARTNERS

ADVERTISERS

John Deere Co. ................................................4-5 (800) 257-7797 .............www.johndeere.com/Golf

AMVAC..........................................................55, 57 (888) GO-AMVAC .............www.amvac-chemical.com

The Toro Co. ..................................................IFC-1 (888) 664-7489 ..........www.toro.com/leaderboard

Aqua-Aid Inc. ...................................................37* (800) 394-1551 ....................... www.aquaaid.com BoardTronics...................................................... 6-7 (800) 782-9938 ....................www.boardtronics.com

GOLD PARTNERS Jacobsen .....................................................31, 91 (800) 232-5907 ......................www.jacobsen.com Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC ................. Cover 4 (909) 308-1633 ..................................................... ............. www.syngentaprofessionalproducts.com

Barenbrug USA ................................................33* (800) 547-4101 ......................... www.barusa.com Baroness / Kyoeisha USA ................................. 19 (707) 283-0610 .........................www.baroness.us Cushman (a.k.a. E-Z-GO) .................................. 41 (800) 774-3946 ......................www.cushman.com Foley United ...................................................... 23 (800) 225-9810 .................. www.foleyunited.com Koch Turf & Ornamental.................................... 17 (888) 547-4140 ............ http://www.kochturf.com/ Lebanon Turf ................................................14, 15 (800) 350-6650 ................www.lebanonturf.com/ Nufarm ............................................................. 63 (800) 345-3330 .................. www.nufarm.com/US Par Aide Products Co. ......................................2-3 (888) 893-2433 ........................ www.paraide.com PBI Gordon Corp......................................... 21, 37* (800) 884-3179 .................... www.pbigordon.com Quali-Pro........................................................... 39 (888) 584-6598 ......................www.quali-pro.com R & R Products Inc. ........................................... 89 (800) 528-3446 ....................www.rrproducts.com Tee-2-Green Corp. ......................................... 42-43 (800) 547-0255 .................... www.tee-2-green.com

1421 Research

800.472.7878

FAX 785.832.3643

WEB www.gcsaa.org

P.O.Park Box 219004 Drive, Kansas City, MO Lawrence, KS 64121-9004 66049

Name___________________________________Title____________________________________

East Coast Sod & Seed ................................... 103 (856) 769-9555 ............... www.eastcoastsod.com

Company/Club____________________________________________________________________ Address__________________________City____________State_____Country_______Zip _______

GCSAA Services..67, 69, 71, 81, 84, 85, 98, 99, 100 (800) 447-1840 ...............................www.gcsaa.org GCSAA TV .......................................................... 65 ..........................................................www.gcsaa.tv

Grigg Bros. ........................................................ 63 (888) 623-7285 .....................www.griggbros.com Growth Products Ltd. ........................................ 25 (800) 648-7626 ...........www.growthproducts.com Kochek ............................................................ 103 (800) 420-4673 .........................www.kochek.com Lastec ............................................................... 88 (866) 902-6454 ..........................www.lastec.com Milorganite ....................................................... 93 (800) 287-9645 .................. www.milorganite.com Neary Technologies........................................... 51 (800) 233-4973 ...................... www.nearytec.com Oregon Fine/Tall Fescue ................................... 13 (888) 246-8873 http://www.oregontallfescue.org/ Peat, Inc. .......................................................... 103 (800) 441-1880 ........................... www.peatinc.com

Phone___________________________________Fax ____________________________________

Your current job title or position (check one only): (GCS) Golf Course Superintendent (SUPT) Superintendent/Owner (GCMD) GC Maintenance Dir. (AGCS) Asst. Golf Course Super. (EMPL) GC Maintenance Staff/Emp. (OWNR) Club/Course Owner (CP) Club President (GC) Green Chairman (GCM) Other Golf Course Management (GREP) Golf Association Rep. (CONS) GC Construction Ind. Rep. (CREP) Company Representative (INST) Educator/Extension Officer (S) Turfgrass Student (RET) Retired (UNEM) Unemployed (OTHR) Others Allied in the Field (please specify)_________________________

PlanetAir Turf Products ..................................... 27 (877) 800-8845 .........................www.planetair.biz

Smithco, Inc. ............................................. Cover 3 (877) 833-7648 ........................www.smithco.com

T3 Surfacing Technology .................................. 97 (800) 893-9150 .. www.t3surfacingtechnology.com TRIMS Software International Inc. .................. 102 (800) 608-7467 ............................www.trims.com Trojan Battery Company ...................................... 29 (800) 423-6569 . www.trojanbattery.com/competition * Denotes regional advertisement Bold denotes affliate member

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 11.15

(PUBL) Daily Fee/Public Golf Course #of holes 9 18 27 (SPRV) Semiprivate Golf Course #of holes 9 18 27 (PRV) Private Golf Course #of holes 9 18 27 (REST) Resort Golf Course #of holes 9 18 27 (CSMM) City/State/Muni./Military GC #of holes 9 18 27 (CONS) Architectural/Construction Firms (MANU) Manufacturer/Distributor (OTHR) Other Facilities Allied to the Field (please specify) (OGC) Other Golf Courses

36+ 36+ 36+ 36+ 36+

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Method of payment U.S. Funds Only Check Enclosed American Express MasterCard Visa (U.S. dollars drawn on U.S. bank.) Please allow six weeks for delivery. Credit Card # _________________________________

Precision Laboratories, Inc. .............................. 35 800-323-6280...................www.precisionlab.com Sensient Industrial Colors................................. 61 (800) 325-8110 ........www.sensientindustrial.com

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DOMESTIC

Penn State University ....................................... 95 (800) 233-4973 .........www.worldcampus.psu.edu

Stevenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Water Monitoring................................ 11 215-908-0044................. www.stevenswater.com

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11.15 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT

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Photographer: Patrick Deme • Title: Head agronomist • Course: Cordova Bay Golf Course, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada • The shot: Deme captured this striking view of the sunrise and the dew patterns on the 17th green at Cordova Bay — located on Vancouver Island just northwest of Seattle — one morning this past January. Dean Pillar is the GCSAA Class A superintendent at Cordova Bay and a 28-year member of the association. • Camera: iPhone 5s

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@SyngentaTurf © 2015 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some crop protection products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. The Alliance Frame, the Purpose Icon and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective company. MW 1LGG5063-P1-GCM 10/15