Alabama Turf Times - Winter 2016

Winter 2016

Highlights from the

2015 Deep South Turf Expo

Plus, a Sneak Peek —

Sports Turf Field Day

The Four Biggest Challenges for Alabama Home Lawns

Winter 2016

Top Features 10

Upcoming Event — 10 Sports Turf Field Day ATA Member Spotlight — 11 Ken Mangum, CGCS Cover Story — 12 The Four Biggest Challenges for Alabama Home Lawns

Recent Events — 16 Mole Cricket Classic,

ATA Dove Hunt and the Deep South Turf Expo

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Departments 6 6 8 20 22 22

From the President’s Pen ATA Annual Sponsors News from ATA ATA Membership/Sponsorship Application Calendar of Events Advertiser Index

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www.AlTurfgrass.org 4

The Alabama Turfgrass Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Alabama Turf Times, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Alabama Turfgrass Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright ©2016 by the Alabama Turfgrass Association. Alabama Turf Times is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Alabama Turfgrass Association. Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertion please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com

From the President’s Pen >>>

Looking Ahead Jason Cooper

2016 ATA Annual Sponsors Gold • • • • • •

ayer Environmental Science B Beard Equipment Company Greenville Turf & Tractor Harrell’s, Inc. Jacobsen Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation

Silver • • • • •

BWI Companies Ewing Residex SiteOne Landscape Supply Syngenta

H

appy New Year! As we start off 2016, I would like to thank the membership for allowing me to serve as your president this year.

I have been on the board of the Alabama Turfgrass Association for more than six years, and I realize that it is a privilege and honor to hold this role. I’m excited to be a part of this great organization and industry!

At the ATA board of directors meeting in December, we planned the year’s events and looked at some future goals of the association. We have a stellar group of men serving the members of ATA, and they have our best interest at heart. We did lose a board member since Mark Langner recently took a position with AQUA-AID. Mark was serving on the board as our golf representative, so Jeremy Sutton agreed to take on this responsibility for us for 2016. Thank you, Jeremy, for your serving heart, and congratulations to Mark in your new job.

Two of our goals will become reality this year — a new logo that will give our organization a fresh image and a Legacy Scholarship (see page 9 for more details). Our calendar of events will remain with our RoadShow Seminars, Poa annua Classic Golf Tournament, Sports Turf Field Day, Mole Cricket Classic Deep Sea Fishing Tournament and, of course, the Deep South Turf Expo.

The inaugural Deep South Turf Expo was a huge success. We had more than 700 attendees, 140 tradeshow booths and great educational sessions for turf managers. ATA is committed to two additional years for the DSTE. If the Deep South Turf Expo continues to be lucrative, we will continue to reach for the stars with this regional conference. We would like to thank all of our members for supporting this endeavor; ATA was well represented at the DSTE. See page 17 for a summary of the DSTE. In closing, please know the ATA board, staff and members are here to help and assist you. If you ever need anything, please do not hesitate to contact our office. Thank you for your support and membership in the Alabama Turfgrass Association!

Jason Cooper

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Bronze • • • • • • • • •

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AGRI-AFC, LLC Agromax Aquatrols BASF Dow AgroSciences Humphries Turf Supply PBI-Gordon Southern States Turf Sur-Line Turf

2016 ATA President Sweetspire Gardens

Alabama Turf Times is the official publication of the: Alabama Turfgrass Association P.O. Box 70 Auburn, Alabama 36831 Tel: (334) 821-3000 Fax: (334) 821-3800 Email: mailbox@alaturfgrass.org www.alturfgrass.org Published by: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 Tel: (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedge communications.com Executive Director Tricia Roberts Alabama Turf Times Editor James Horton Birmingham Botanical Gardens

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President Jason Cooper Sweetspire Gardens

Vice President Paul Patterson

Univ. of Alabama Huntsville

Treasurer Tres’ Wilkinson South Dallas Turf

Past President Jeremy Sutton

Montgomery Country Club

BOARD OF DIRECTORS At–Large Kim Byram University of Alabama

David Isbell

Twelve Oaks Landscaping

Mickey Pitts

Beard Equipment Co.

Golf Jeremy Sutton

Montgomery Country Club

Industry Buddy Williams BWI Companies

Institution Joshua Slaven Troy University

Lawn Care Andrew Bice

Blackjack Horticulture

City of Prattville

Sod Paul Salzmann Salzmann Farms

EX OFFICIO/ EDUCATION ADVISORS Dave Han, Ph.D. Auburn University

Jim Jacobi, Ph.D.

Alabama Coop. Extension System 7

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Parks & Recreation Deven Peek

News from ATA >>>

Alabama Turfgrass Association 2016 Officers and Board of Directors

On

October 14 at the Deep South Turf Expo, a new executive committee and three new board members (Andrew Bice, Paul Salzmann and Buddy Williams) were elected to lead the Alabama Turfgrass Association for 2016.

John Carter (former president), Chad Lambert and Tom Luchner were recognized and thanked for their service on the board. Below are your new leaders.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President Jason Cooper (1 year) Sweetspire Gardens

Vice President Paul Patterson (1 year) Univ. of Alabama Huntsville

Treasurer Tres’ Wilkinson (1 year) South Dallas Turf

Past President Jeremy Sutton (1 year) Montgomery Country Club

Board of Directors Golf Jeremy Sutton (1 year) Montgomery Country Club

Industry

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Buddy Williams (2 years) BWI Companies

2016 ATA Board of Directors

Front row, left to right: Tres’ Wilkinson (Treasurer), Jeremy Sutton (Past President), Paul Patterson (Vice President) and Jason Cooper (President).

Back row, left to right: Dr. Jim Jacobi (Education Advisor), Josh Slaven (Director), Mark Langner (former Director), Kim Byram (Director), David Peek (Director), Andrew Bice (Director), Buddy Williams (Director) and Dr. David Han (Education Advisor).

Not shown: Directors David Isbell, Paul Salzman and Mickey Pitts.

Institution Joshua Slaven (2 years) Troy University

Lawn Care Andrew Bice (2 years) Blackjack Horticulture

Park & Recreation Deven Peek (1 year) City of Prattville

Sod Paul Salzmann (2 years) Salzmann Farms

At Large Kim Byram (2 years) University of Alabama David Isbell (1 year) Twelve Oaks Landscaping Mickey Pitts (1 year) Beard Equipment Co.

Outgoing ATA President Jeremy Sutton (left) was presented with a gavel in recognition of his service from incoming ATA President Jason Cooper.

Ex Officio/ Education Advisors Dave Han, Ph.D. Auburn University (334) 844-3980 handavi@auburn.edu Jim Jacobi, Ph.D. AL Coop. Extension System (205) 879-6964, ext. 19 jacobjc@auburn.edu

ATA executive Director Tricia Roberts (334) 821-3000 mailbox@alaturfgrass.org v 8

Introducing the

Continued <<< News from ata

ATA Legacy Scholarship

By Tricia Roberts, ATA Executive Director

The

Alabama Turfgrass Association has given away scholarships for many years now. We started with a $1,500 scholarship to a deserving turfgrass major back in the early 2000s.

With few applicants, the ATA board decided to award the scholarship through the Auburn University College of Agriculture. This was a great idea, since many agriculture students already know of this method to apply for scholarships. Our scholarship always kept these qualifications: turfgrass major, 2.8 GPA and financial need. We have awarded this scholarship to many deserving students over the years, and it increased in value.

Five years ago, we were approached by the College of Agriculture, asking if we could start an endowment. We were allowed to pay this over a five-year timeframe. During that time, we also gave an additional scholarship so that we would not skip a year in giving a scholarship to turf students. In 2015, the endowment obligation was officially paid in full. The endowment will start “paying out a scholarship” in 2017.

So, for 2016, we will continue to have a scholarship for a turf student at Auburn University (through the endowment at Auburn University), AND the ATA board agreed to give the money we have become accustomed to paying out for our endowment to a Legacy Scholarship.

What is a Legacy Scholarship? It is a $2,500 scholarship open to anyone who is a child or grandchild of an ATA member. There will not be any restrictions on choice of college or major — just member-relation, GPA and application, which will include an essay submission.

The application will be posted on the ATA website (www.alturfgrass.org) and must be submitted to ATA by June 30, 2016. The scholarship committee and ATA board will review the applications at the July board meeting. We hope everyone who has a child or grandchild in college will take advantage of this great member benefit. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office. v

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upcoming Event >>>

Calling All

Sports Turf Managers

By Tricia Roberts, ATA Executive Director

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ATA

is heading to T-Town!

The 2016 Sports Turf Field day will be held at Bowers Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Thursday, March 17. All sports turf managers are encouraged to attend this informational, hands-on educational program. This full-day program will be geared specifically to sports turf managers, covering topics of interest to their daily turf-management practices.

Educational sessions and demonstrations will be conducted on the baseball fields and multi-use fields at Bowers Park. Lunch will be provided under the

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pavilion at the park, and then everyone will be bused to view a field-planing demonstration at Sokol Park. Then everyone will be on to The University of Alabamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campus to tour the sports fields, including Bryant-Denny Stadium and Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

This is sure to be an event you do not want to miss! We are excited about offering this program in Tuscaloosa this year. Registration information will be mailed out in February and will be available online on our website (www. alturfgrass.org). We look forward to seeing you in Tuscaloosa! v

<<< ATA member spotlight

ATA Member Spotlight on

Ken

Mangum, CGCS,

Former ATA President

By Tricia Roberts, ATA Executive Director

The

Alabama Turfgrass Association presented Ken Mangum, CGCS, with the organization’s highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, at the inaugural Deep

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A l ab ama Tu rf T im es >>> Wint er 2016

South Turf Expo.

Ken was president of our association in 1982. He was a huge supporter of our organization back in those days while he was the golf course superintendent at Lagoon Park in Montgomery, Alabama. He has fond memories of those days, including working with Dr. Pat Cobb, Dr. Ray Dickens and Dr. Coleman Ward from Auburn. He remembers fondly “driving down to Olympia Spa to play golf with Ken Dilliard. As soon as I walked in, my wife called from the hospital to let me know she had gone into labor. I got back in the car and drove back in time for Hayley’s birth. I never did get back to play.”

He left our fine state and moved to Georgia in 1988 when he went to work as the golf course superintendent at Idle Hour Golf Course, then later to the Atlanta Athletic Club, where he retired last year after 27 years as Director of Golf Courses and Grounds.

During his phenomenal career, Ken was a member of the USGA Green Section Committee for over two decades. He served on the board of GCSAA and was instrumental in helping the careers of numerous superintendents.

His most remarkable mentor was Palmer Maples Jr., for whom Ken worked back in the summer of 1974. “He taught me a great deal about managing the course, people and your family,” says Ken. Never one to slow down, Ken is now consulting (Ken Mangum Golf Course Consulting, LLC; klm2golfcc@gmail.com), “with new course construction and renovations that are interested in updating their grass varieties with material from Bladerunner Farms, helping clubs evaluate if changing to an ultradwarf is the right move for them and helping people improve their courses by making changes that produce sustainability.” Ken also helps clients with job searches and speaks on a wide range of topics.

Ken and his wife of 40 years, Pam, are enjoying visiting their children, Miranda, Trey and Hayley and spoiling their three grandchildren Katie (6), Evan (9) and Travis (6). We wish Ken the best and greatly appreciate his support and dedication to our industry and association. v

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Cover Story >>>

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The Four Biggest

Challenges for Alabama Home Lawns

By Dave Han, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, Turfgrass Management, Auburn University & ACES

#1. Irrigation Irrigation is a balancing act. Too little, and the lawn will wilt and go dormant.

Too much, and the homeowner wastes money and a precious natural resource, while making the lawn weak and susceptible to pests.

The ideal lawn-irrigation method is to irrigate deeply and infrequently.

Grass roots, like the roots of any other plant, seek out water. Good irrigation lets water penetrate into the entire rootzone and then lets the top of the soil dry out to encourage deeper root growth. If the soil is wet down to a depth of six to eight inches, a deep and healthy root system will develop to take advantage of the moisture down in the soil. On the other hand, wetting only the top one or two inches of the soil encourages a shallow, weak root system.

Unfortunately, many homeowners have difficulty applying the right amount of water to their lawns. There are three main reasons for this.

2. Homeowners often put out water at a faster rate than the ground can absorb it.

This is especially true on the heavy clay-rich soils found in many parts of the state. Any water that is applied faster than the ground can absorb it simply runs off and is wasted. Homeowners must be sure that the water is actually soaking into the ground when irrigating the lawn. If water puddles up and runs off, the right thing to do is to shut down the irrigation and wait for the water to soak in before starting it again.

Today’s irrigation controllers can be very sophisticated and can program cycles to allow time for the water to soak into the soil during runs, and this is very helpful. But even the least sophistical controller has an off switch.

3. Irrigation systems can be tricky to maintain and should be checked frequently.

Make sure that all irrigation heads are

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1. They don’t know how much water they are putting on their lawn.

Do you know how many inches of water your irrigation system applies in 15 or 30 minutes? It’s easy to find out. Simply place some cans, jars or rain gauges on the lawn, and run the irrigation system. Then measure how much water is caught. Many people are surprised to find out that their irrigation system does not put out as

much water as they think it does.

To wet the entire rootzone, one-half inch of water twice a week may be needed, depending on the soil type. A good lawn is watered deeply each time, so as not to wet only the top of the soil and encourage a shallow, weak root system. However, simply dumping a large amount of water on top of the soil often does not accomplish this (see #2 below).

Cover Story >>> Continued

operating properly, that valves are not leaking, that pressure is correct and that coverage is good. Also make sure the timer/controller is working properly and that it is properly programmed.

How often should lawns be irrigated? Daily is not a good idea.

When irrigating deeply as described above, daily watering is unnecessary and a waste of money. Warm-season lawns use approximately one inch of water per week when green and growing. It is best to supply this as two or three irrigation events. Remember, that one inch of water per week includes rain! If it rains during the week, adjust the amount of irrigation downward correspondingly.

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#2. Mowing Mowing is the most commonly practiced maintenance procedure for turfgrass, yet it is often taken for granted.

Proper mowing is important in creating a good-quality lawn because it encourages a dense stand of turfgrass plants. This in turn keeps down the weed population through competition for nutrients and sunlight.

For the best appearance and quality, turfgrasses should be mowed at the optimum mowing height for the proper growth and health of the specific turfgrass species that is present in the lawn. Each turfgrass species has a range of mowing heights that are preferred for its optimum performance. Lawns under environmental stress such as drought, heat or shade should be mowed at the higher end of the mowing height range.

Make sure that the mower blade is sharp. Dull blades tear and shred the leaves instead of cutting them. This causes the tips to dry out and brown, which looks bad and is a good entry point for diseases.

Also, be sure to mow the lawn often enough. A highly fertilized bermudagrass lawn being irrigated in the middle of the summer in Alabama really should be mowed twice per week. Most homeowners mow once per week on the weekend, but this can lead to unsightly scalping, which reduces a lawnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competitiveness to weeds.

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#3. Fertilization.

The two biggest mistakes made when fertilizing lawns are fertilizing at the wrong time and using too much. Warm-season grasses, like bermudagrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass and zoysiagrass, should be fertilized in the summer. The most common mistake made with these grasses is fertilizing them too early in the spring. The lawn will be much better off if soil temperatures are high enough to support root growth when fertilizer is applied. This means that the lawn should not be fertilized until the soil temperature at four inches averages 70°F. When a lawn is fertilized very early in the growing season, it produces new, tender shoots, just the kind of growth that is most easily killed in a late frost.

Cool-season grasses, like tall fescue, should be fertilized from September through December. A small application of fertilizer in March is all right, but do not fertilize tall fescue in the late spring or summer. Tender, young shoots of tall fescue will not stand up to prolonged periods of 90°F. Applying too much fertilizer has several disadvantages. First, it can increase the chances of many diseases invading the lawn. Second, applying a large amount of soluble fertilizers can burn the turf and can also produce harmful runoff and pollution. Third, it increases the need for mowing.

However, some turfgrasses need more fertilizer than others. For example, bermudagrass (especially some of the newer varieties such as Discovery) requires four to five pounds of nitrogen per thousand square feet over the course of a summer to remain green and actively growing. St. Augustinegrass requires between three and four pounds of N per 1,000 square feet, and zoysiagrasses require two to three pounds per thousand.

In the case of centipedegrass, it is critical not to fertilize too much. Centipedegrass is very sensitive to nitrogen application, and although it will turn green when fertilized, it will die the next year. Do not apply more than one pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet to centipedegrass per year.

Finally, with all warm-season turfgrasses, do not use weed-and-feed products during the spring greenup period. My recommendation is to wait until the grass is 100% green and is being mowed to use herbicides. Grasses that are otherwise tolerant to herbicides can act very differently during greenup, and it is best to wait.

#4. Shade Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to grow a lush lawn in the shade. Grass simply is not adapted to grow underneath heavy shade. Grass in shade becomes thin and weak. This provides a perfect opportunity for weeds to move in. No matter how many times the weeds are killed or sprayed, they will come back if the grass is not healthy.

In Alabama, shade is an especially big problem because the most shadetolerant grasses we have are tall fescue and St. Augustinegrass. Unfortunately, summers are too hot in most of the state for tall fescue to grow well, and winters can be too cold in other parts of the state for St. Augustinegrass. In the Tennessee valley, tall fescue is an option. In the southern two-thirds of the state, or in a protected microclimate, St. Augustinegrass may be an option.

If for some reason neither tall fescue nor St. Augustinegrass will work, a finetextured zoysiagrass is probably the best option for a grass to grow in the shade.

Plant breeders work on better shade tolerance in grasses. In 2015, we have bermudagrass varieties such as TifGrand, Discovery, Celebration and others that are not as bad in the shade as older varieties, and there is always hope that there will be varieties that do better in the shade in the future. Still, do not expect areas that receive less than 50% sun to have lush, thick grass.

Consider other options for these areas.

Dr. David Han is an associate professor and Extension specialist, turfgrass management, in the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences at Auburn University. He teaches Advanced Turfgrass Management, Turfgrass Management and Turfgrasses for Sports and Leisure. v

recent events >>>

Scott Brannam, with his 23-pound winner for the Biggest Fish award.

Fish Tales Told at Mole Cricket Classic

By Tricia Roberts, ATA Executive Director

Our

third annual deep-sea fishing tournament was another success, thanks to all the fishermen who came out to support the Mole Cricket Classic. We moved the tournament a little later than in previous years, to September 13–14.

The weather was much cooler and made for a fun day at sea!

The event started with a dinner at Fisher’s Restaurant where attendees were treated to an open menu.

Everyone enjoyed the fellowship and

opportunity to share “fish” stories! The next morning, everyone boarded their respective boat charters and sailed off to the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. After eight hours, the fishermen returned to Zeke’s Marina for weigh-in and the awards ceremony.

The big fish award went to Scott Brannan, weighing in at 23.10 lbs.

The next biggest fish award went to Simon Parkin, weighing in at 18.6 lbs. and the smallest fish went to the John Deere Landscape boat weighing in at .27 ounces.

Many thanks to our sponsors of this event that make it possible and secures a donation from the proceeds to the Alabama Turfgrass Research Foundation: Agri-AFC, LLC, Beard Equipment Company, Greenville Turf & Tractor, Harrell’s, Jacobsen, Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation and Syngenta.

Be sure to plan on participating in this fun event this year. We’re moving it to August 14–15 so members can bring their children and to give us additional time between the Mole Cricket Classic and the Deep South Turf Expo. v

Hunters Gathered from Far and Near Al ab ama Tu rf Tim e s > >> Wi nter 2016

By Tricia Roberts, ATA Executive Director

ATA

held its first-ever dove hunt on December 7, 2015, in south Montgomery County. Attended by 40+ hunters and 4 dogs (including one six-week-old puppy), the event was a hit! Everyone was treated to lunch, networking, skeet shooting and a dove hunt, followed by dinner and music by River Dan. It was a great day with perfect weather. The doves must have heard about the hunt and were scarcely represented, but fun was had by all! A big thanks to our sponsor, ColoredPineStraw.com, a division of Biotic Environmental Solutions.

Also, thanks to everyone who participated in this event. Thank you to our host, Jeremy Sutton, for not only hosting the event, but also for planning and organizing the day for everyone’s enjoyment!

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The Deep South Turf Expo: Expectation Exceeded in Our Inaugural Debut

By Melanie Bonds, Deep South Turf Expo, Executive Director

The

DSTE had a fantastic grand opening! Seven hundred turf managers and suppliers were in attendance, October 13–15, 2015, and the education program earned rave reviews from all. Thank you to our education committee — including Drs. Scott McElroy, Jay McCurdy and Bryan Unruh — for the foresight and planning they put into the program, which offered breakout sessions in Professional Development, Professional Pesticide Usage and Safety, Soil and Water Management, Golf Turf, Sports Turf and Lawn and Landscape Education. Visiting from Virginia Tech was Dr. Mike Goatley, who was our keynote speaker and presented a “standing-room only” presentation, “First and Foremost — Be an Agronomist.”

In additional to the outstanding education from guest speakers, each of the parent organizations — Alabama Turfgrass Association, Mississippi Turfgrass Association, Alabama Golf Course Superintendents Association, Gulf Coast Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Louisiana-Mississippi Golf Course Superintendents Association — conducted their annual business meetings where new officers were elected and installed.

Ken Mangum, CGCS (retired from the Atlanta Athletic Club), was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Alabama Turfgrass Association at

a dinner for 450 on the pool deck of the Beau Rivage (sponsored by Harrell’s and Bayer). Congratulations, Ken! A Past Presidents’ Breakfast networked past presidents from all the host organizations and gave everyone a chance to review and look to the future of the turfgrass industry in our region. Thank you to Beard Equipment and Greenville Turf and Tractor for hosting this event.

The Deep South Turf Expo tradeshow filled the exhibit hall and gave companies that provide services specifically for the turfgrass industry an opportunity to feature products and services.

Attendees were excited about the opportunity to view the extensive array of equipment and products. Everything — from harvesters, mowers, chemicals and irrigation parts, to consultants and contractors — was all present for one-stop shopping. Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation hosted the Grand Opening Reception of the tradeshow and debuted the company’s revolutionary new Foley United Grinder. Other talks of interest on the tradeshow floor included: “The Use of Gypsum to Improve Turfgrass” by Malcom Summer, Regents’ Professor of Environmental Soil Science Emeritus at the University of Georgia, presented by AgroMax; Sprayer Guru, Emil Miller with Smithco Turf Products, talked about GPS spraying and its advantages, presented by Ladd’s;

and Nathan Crace from Watermark Golf presented “Cutting Costs and Improving Course Conditions with Sensible Design Solutions.”

The first day of the Expo offered time for some relaxing activities. The golf tournament at the The Preserve had more than 100 registered. Jay Coalter, superintendent at Patrick Farms Golf Club, shot a hole in one to win a $500 gift card. Unfortunately, no one shot a hole in one for the $10,000 prize sponsored by Capillary Concrete, but there’s always next year. Other activities included a skeet tournament, won by Mark Cleveland (Aquatrols) and Andy Beauchamp (Greenville Turf and Tractor), a schooner cruise in the beautiful Mississippi Sound and a sports field tour, beginning with the new Biloxi Shuckers’ stadium, conducted by Ken Edwards, CSFM. The host hotel, Beau Rivage, a Four Diamond development by MGM Resorts International that sits directly on the Gulf of Mexico, earned rave reviews for the wonderful banquet dinner its staff served Wednesday night. The Beau Rivage will continue as host hotel in 2016 for the Expo scheduled for October 11–13.

Put it on your calendar now to save the date! Go to www.deepsouthturfexpo. org for information coming soon about plans for next year’s educational schedule and events! v

THANKS TO OUR DSTE SPONSORS Surf ‘n Turf Dinner Bayer Harrell’s, Inc.

Reception Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation

Past Presidents’ Breakfast

Lunch BASF

Continental Breakfast

Sporting Clay Tournament Nufarm Americas

Tradeshow Bags

Beard Equipment Company Greenville Turf & Tractor

Sod Solutions

Syngenta

THANKS TO OUR DSTE EXHIBITORS

Al ab ama Tu rf Tim e s > >> Wi nter 2016

Agri-AFC, LLC Alternative Turf Specialists Aquatrols BASF BWI Companies, Inc. Davison Fuels First Products FMC Graham Spray Equipment Greenleaf Technologies Growth Products GT Airinject, Inc. Howard Fertilizer & Chemical Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation

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John Deere Landscapes Keeling Company Ladd’s Moose River Media Net Connection, LLC Nufarm Americas Par Aide Products Pennington Seed Performance Tire & Wheel Residex SePRO Sod Solutions Southern Aggregates, LLC Southern Athletic Fields, Inc.

Southern Specialty Equipment, Inc. Southern States Coop Turf Division Specialty Turf Supply, Inc. Sports Turf Services Standard Golf Company Sunbelt Rentals, Inc. Sur-Line Turf Syngenta The Turfgrass Group Tebro Manufacturing Trimax Mowing Service Turf Fuel – Residex Watermark Golf

ATA Membership & Sponsorship Application Name:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Company:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ City:___________________________________________________ State:__________________________Zip:___________________________ Phone:___________________________________Cell:___________________________________Fax:_________________________________ Website:_______________________________________________ Email:________________________________________________________

Industry Category: q Golf Course Superintendent

q Lawn Care Specialist

q Industry/Supplier Representative

q Parks & Recreation/Municipality

q Student, Name of School: ____________________________

q Institution (Corporate/University)

q Sod Producer

q Other

q Landscape Services

q Sports Turf Manager

Dues: $ 100 – Individual Membership Dues $25 – Individual Student/Educator Dues $50 – Additional Members From Same Company All Annual Sponsors will receive recognition at all ATA events, publications and signage, plus discounts on advertising and tradeshow booths. Please be sure to include the name and address of each company representative that should receive ATA memberships included in your sponsorship. q Gold Sponsorship—$2,500 includes 5 memberships, tee signs at golf tournaments, one comp registration at educational seminars and 25% off advertising

q Silver Sponsorship—$1,500 includes 3 memberships, tee signs at golf tournaments, one comp registration at educational seminars and 20% off advertising

q Bronze Sponsorship—$800 includes 2 memberships, one comp registration at educational seminars and 15% off advertising

Please make checks payable to ATA and remit it with your application to the address below: Alabama Turfgrass Association Post Office Box 70 • Auburn, AL 36831 • Phone: 334-821-3000 • Fax: 334-821-3800

A l ab ama Tu rf T im es >> > Wint er 2016

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Calendar of Events >>>

February 22–25

March 17

August 14–15

TPI International Education Conference & Field Day (Turfgrass Producers Intl.)

Hyatt Regency Houston Houston, TX

Sports Turf Field Day Bowers Park Tuscaloosa, AL

Mole Cricket Classic Orange Beach, AL

May 16

Deep South Turf Expo Beau Rivage Biloxi, MS

Poa annua Classic Montgomery Country Club Montgomery, AL

October 11–13

Index of Advertisers >>>

Scan the QR code: Download your favorite QR reader to your phone and scan the code to learn more about these companies.

Digital Marketplace

Al ab ama Tu rf Tim e s > >> Wi nter 2016

Agri-AFC,LLC............................................................... 3 www.agri-afc.com

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Aquatrols Corporation of America.............................18 www.aquatrols.com Brouwer Kesmac.......................... Inside Back Cover www.kesmac.com Coosa Valley Turf Farm.......................................... 22 www.coosavalleyturffarms.com Greenville Turf & Tractor, Inc............... Back Cover www.greenvilleturf.com Gulf Coast Organic Inc............................................. 5 www.geogrows.com Humphries Turf Supply........................................... 11 www.humphriesturf.com Jacobsen....................................... Inside Front Cover www.jacobsen.com Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation....................................15 www.jerrypate.com Leading Edge Communications............................. 19 www.leadingedgecommunications.com RD Murphy, LLC......................................................... 7 www.rdmurphy.com Riebeling Farms, Inc..................................................8 Smith Seed Services................................................ 22 www.smithseed.com Southeast Turf Maintenance................................. 22 www.southeastturf.com Southern Specialty Equipment................................ 7 www.ssequip.net Sur-Line Turf, Inc......................................................21 www.surlineturf.com Syngenta Professional Products.............................21 The Andersons Technologies, Inc...........................9 www.andersonsgolfproducts.com TriEst Ag Group Inc................................................... 7 www.hendrixanddail.com