President's Message

Shared Support

MY passion for the turf industry and my desire to learn, help, and support others in our field, both professionally and personally, brought me to Maryland Turfgrass Council and the experience has been very rewarding. When I was elected to office and took the reins, I was beginning a new job at a golf course where I grew up and learned that I wanted to be part of the turfgrass industry. I took that to heart when thirteen years before I resigned my position as a laborer to try my hand in the lawn care industry and I was finally walking into the shop as the Golf Course Superintendent.

My wife and I had just returned from vacationing in Scotland and England where her eyes rolled at me every time I strayed from taking pictures of the attractions we were there for and instead took pictures of turf or looked at different maintenance practices. There may have been text message pictures of turf diseases over in England on a golf course Christmas morning that I sent to other turf professionals. My phone may have pictures of a “Stay Off Turf” sign on the Oxford campus. And I never knew how the turf around Stonehenge stayed decent with the thousands of visitors each day until I saw the moveable turf protection mats surrounding the famous stones. A lot has changed over the past two years but being a “turf nerd” will stay constant.

Being a part of the MTC opened me up to so many different aspects of the turf industry and the shared support that we have with each other. My attempt has been to learn all that I can about turf and the related fields and one way of doing that has been studying the Best Management Practices Manuals. I highly recommend everyone getting copies of the Best Management Practices for Maryland Golf Courses by the Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents and the Eastern Shore Superintendents Association, and A Professional Guide for Sports Field Management: Best Management Practices for The Sports Field Manager published earlier this year by the Mid-Atlantic Sports Turf Managers Association.

As I end my term, I want to say thank you for everyone who was able to attend and be a part of the 2021 Maryland Turfgrass Conference at Turf Valley Resort. It was great to see some familiar faces, even behind a mask, but also to meet new people who were able to come out and enjoy a fantastic program.

While I look out at a snow-covered golf course and drink my morning coffee, I think back at the past two years of serving as your Maryland Turfgrass Council President (Pandemic President as I have called myself) and can appreciate every moment. The gavel has been handed over to Brandon Sands and I wish him the best as the next Maryland Turfgrass President.

Ben Ellis

2020 – 2021 MTC President