Tennessee Turfgrass - December/January 2019

December/January 2019

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association and the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

Developing a Golf Course Nutrient Management Program

Shade and

Implications for Turfgrass Health

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16 The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association and the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

TABLE OF CONTENTS December/January 2019

FEATURED ARTICLES

16 22 28 30 32

Cover Story — Developing a Golf Course Nutrient Management Program

22

Feature Story — Shade and Implications for Turfgrass Health TGCSA News — Paul Carter’s Bid for GCSAA Board

NALP Initiatives to Strengthen our Industry Workforce

Member Spotlight — Chris Sykes, Toqua Golf Club

DEPARTMENTS

4

From the TTA President

6

From the TVSTMA President

8

From the MAGCSA President

10

From the MTGCSA President

12

From the ETGCSA President

14

The Turfgrass Team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

27

Calendar of Events

34

Index of Advertisers

34

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS December/January 2019

32

From the TTA President

Jason Pooler The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association and the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

What an

Unpredictable Year!!!

W

hat a year! As I reflect on 2018, I am thinking how different this year was in comparison to when I started my business 27 years go. From weather to technology to employment, so much has changed. We had so much rain this spring and then went straight into a very hot summer. It reminds me of what often happened when I was a kid on the farm and we didn’t have a fall. We would go right into winter in October with the high being in the upper 20s.

There is so much new technology that has come out and of course, it is still coming. Then having to deal with labor issues that we all struggle with in pretty much every industry. My dad always said just

i The m

keep your head up, think positive, treat people how you want to be treated and hopefully it will always come out good at the end. That’s why I enjoy going to so many conferences in our industry to learn new ways and learn from my peers and the younger generations too.

With that said, I’m so excited to see what is ahead for 2019. We are already booked well into spring. I can’t wait to see a lot of you this upcoming season at conferences and out on jobs. So, everyone keep your head held high and I wish everybody a very successful 2019 season.

Jason Pooler TTA President

e Te nn essee Turf gr as s A s s o c i a ssion of th tion

To promote the turfgrass industry through education, scholarship and research.

6

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS December/January 2019 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

Tennessee Turfgrass is the official publication of The Tennessee Turfgrass Association 400 Franklin Road Franklin, Tennessee 37069 (615) 928-7001 info@ttaonline.org www.ttaonline.org Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedge communications.com Editor Dr. James Brosnan TTA OFFICERS President Jason Pooler Tri-Turf Sod Farms, Inc. (731) 642-3092 Vice President Doug Ward Belle Meade C.C. (615) 292-6752 Secretary/Treasurer Chris Sykes Tellico Village (865) 458-5408 Past President Theo Lankford Kormac, LLC (615) 519-2701 Executive Director Melissa Martin Tennessee Turfgrass Assn.

(615) 928-7001 TTA 2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ryan Blair, CGCS Bart Cash Cal Hill Joe Hill Jeff Kuhns Timothy Long Bill Marbet Jason Sanderson Darren Seybold Ryan Storey Paul Webb Scott Wicker TTA ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD Bill Blackburn Dr. Jim Brosnan Dr. Brandon Horvath Lynn Ray Jeff Rumph, CGCS Dr. Tom Samples Dr. John Sorochan Dr. Wes Totten

From the TVST MA President

Martin Kaufman

Thank you!

T

hank you for being a part of an innovative industry! 2018 is over which only means you better have plans in place for 2019 or you are behind.

I hope you had a chance November 7th to accept the hospitality of the Tennessee Smokies in Kodak, Tennessee at our fall education and networking session. It is always a pleasure to be in the Smokies during autumn months of the year.

We have just attended The Tennessee Turfgrass Association Conference, January 7th-9th at Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro, TN. This was the time of our Annual Meeting and Election of Officers.

We had open positions for the following Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association Board: At-Large (2) Secretary Treasurer

ommercial Vice President (ascends C to President elect, President, and Past President positions).

All leadership positions are one-year terms.

Also, now is the time to make TVSTMA Sponsorship Commitments: TriStar Smoky Mountain Blues and BBQ Music Row Please visit the following link for benefits to Sponsorships https://tvstma.org/catalog.php?cat=2 Later in January we will convene in Phoenix, Arizona for the Sports Turf

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS December/January 2019 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

Managers Association Conference and Exhibition January 22nd-25th. https:// www.stma.org/conference/ It is always thrilling to group as the Tennessee crowd at the National Conference. Call me when you are in Phoenix at (615) 946-8547.

February 26th The City of Franklin Parks Department will host TVSTMA for Education and Networking. Be sure to attend to hear about “Bluemuda” and how Bluegrass & Bermuda may coexist year-round in Franklin, Tennessee.

July 31st 2019 will be our Second Annual Field Day of demonstrations. The event is hosted by Pigeon Forge Parks & Recreation. Things went well in Columbia at Ridley Park, and we hope to improve on this event each year as well as the attendance. Please invite anyone that may be interested in the resources we use for sports field cultural practice.

We anticipate our 2019 Autumn Education and Networking event to take place in West Tennessee. The site has not yet been confirmed, but please keep looking at www.tvstma.org to save the date and location in West Tennessee.

Please take the time to reflect on your service to the industry. The cliché’ is true “You get out what you put in”. Make the investment into TVSTMA to meet someone, gain education, give education or perhaps forgive a perception. Keep the network working by working the network!

Marty Kaufman, CSFM

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From the M AGC SA President

David L. Johnson

Time Flies T

hey say that time flies when you’re having fun. Some of us may argue that statement when it comes to the fun part of it. Nevertheless, another year has come and gone for the season of golf

course maintenance. I know there is still work to be done, but most of us are coasting along in the new year. I hope that everyone is able to take advantage of the slow time and enjoy some of our favorite

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things. Whether its sitting in that deer stand on a cold morning or turning the back nine on a beautiful afternoon. It’s a great time of year to enjoy it.

The past year was another great year to be a part of the MAGCSA. We had a great fellowship and education at all the events.

We finished up the year with our annual skeet shoot and shrimp boil to wrap everything up. The weather was a little cooler than we would have liked, but the spicy shrimp surely kept everyone a little warmer.

As we close the books on 2018, we are already planning for 2019. We started off with the TTA conference, which was another great educational and social event. The board at MAGCSA is already working toward the planning of 2019 and has some great new ideas that we believe will make this another great year to be involved. I encourage everyone to get involved with their local chapter wherever it may be. Even if you were a past member, I encourage you to find the time to get involved again. Our local chapters are a way to share information with your peers and improve our business as a whole.

As always, I would like to thank our sponsors that help the MAGCSA go forward into the next year. I hope all of you had a great holiday season.

Sincerely,

David Johnson

From the M TGCSA President

Brad Marcy

A great year of events.

I

have really enjoyed being a part of the MTGCSA Board over the last few years. I think we had a great year of events in 2018 and I think that there are more opportunities that we can take advantage of in the future. We had a bunch of events that stood out as I look back on them, but to me the biggest was the Equipment Technicians Seminar. It was so great to see the massive turnout that we got. To

be honest, when I first spoke to the presenter and he said he was going to talk for 8 hours about reel grinding, I thought there was no way that he could fill an 8 hour window. Mr. Nedin had a wealth of information and could probably still be speaking about the subject now.

I did drop the ball this year in failing to thank our host superintendents properly at our events. That being said, Thank you so

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS December/January 2019 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

much for hosting the MTGCSA at your facilities this year: Chris Markel Alex Price Tyler Ingram Doug Ward As you may already know, our own Paul Carter is running for a seat on the GCSAA Board. I have taken over for him as the Chapter Delegate for the TGCSA. In doing so, I got to attend the Chapter Delegates Meeting at Lawrence, KS recently. There was a wealth of information that we were hit with. I won’t go into all the details here, but the main reason that we were there was to meet the candidates for election Mark Jordan, Kevin Breen, Jeff White, TA Barker, Paul Carter and Doug Dykstra. Looking at it in its simplest form, there are six people running for five positions. Mark and Kevin are running for the Secretary/Treasurer position, and whichever one does not win can still be elected to the Director seat. There are 3 more director seats available with the candidates being Jeff, TA, Paul and Doug.

If anyone has any input on the vote that we should cast, please contact me and express your interests. This information will be gone over in greater depth at TTA Conference. Look forward to seeing everyone there.

Brad Marcy Indian Hills Golf Course

From the ETGCSA President

Pat Rose

A few thoughts 2019

marks the end of my service on the ETGCSA Board of Directors. With that in mind I’d like to share a few thoughts on the past several years.

In 2012, Jeff Rumph asked me to serve on the ETGCSA Board of Directors. I was a young(er) superintendent with little knowledge of ETGCSA in terms of what made it tick, how it came to be or what allowed it to perpetuate. Jeff said that’s why he wanted me on the Board… fresh meat, I suppose. I had attended some meetings and always enjoyed the opportunity to gather with others in our industry.

After 7 years or so, here are some things I’ve learned about our Association.

First and foremost, ETGCSA would not exist were it not for the service, sponsorship and generosity of our vendors.

Facilitating meetings, funding research and granting scholarships are expensive

ventures. We all have our favorites, our buddies and our confidants on the vendor side of the business. Just because your particular club doesn’t spend thousands of dollars with a company doesn’t mean they aren’t your partner in the Association. I’ve learned to get out of my comfort zone, interact with a broader network of colleagues and look at the big picture.

I’ve witnessed firsthand the tremendous amount of time your fellow superintendents donate to ETGCSA, TTA and GCSAA. They do this to protect and promote your interests at the local, state and national levels. Specifically, I want to thank Jeff Rumph and Paul Carter for their leadership and passion. Without the efforts of these two men, we would not be in a position to fund research at the University of Tennessee. Perhaps most importantly, a dozen or more local students would not have received an ETGCSA Scholarship over the past seven years.

Finally, a big thank you goes out to the Turf Team at the University of Tennessee.

As one who did not attend UT, I never really gave the program much thought.

Over the past several years, I’ve seen the dedication and tremendous work ethic of this group of men. They’ve made site visits to my club, taken numerous phone calls, responded to countless email and text messages and in the case of Dr. Samples, given more smiles and hugs than I can count. I want to personally thank Greg Breeden, Jim Brosnan, Brandon Horvath, Tom Samples and John Sorochan for their commitment to the Association. These men go above and beyond their duties and truly are the best team in the country.

I hope you are utilizing the outstanding services they provide.

For me, serving on the Board isn’t about what I was able to accomplish. The credit for any ETGCSA accomplishments go to those listed above and the countless others this format doesn’t allow me to personally thank. It’s what the Board has taught me. Over the past several years I’ve become a better person, colleague and golf course superintendent, and for that I’m very thankful. I want to encourage everyone, regardless of age or industry position, to donate a couple years of service to your Board. I promise it’ll provide a new or refreshed outlook on our industry and you’ll build relationships that’ll last forever.

Best of luck in 2019 and beyond!

Patrick P. Rose President, ETGCSA (2018)

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Cover Story

Developing a Golf Course Nutrient Management Plan

By Pete Landschoot, Ph.D., Professor of Turfgrass Science

S

uperintendents generally do a good job of monitoring the nutrient status of turfgrass and soil on their golf courses. However, keeping track of nutrient requirements and fertilizer programs on large properties with different turfgrass species, management regimes, soil types, and micro-environments can be challenging. A nutrient management plan (NMP) can help organize all or most of this information into a single document that can be shared with staff members at your facility.

It can also demonstrate to club members, neighbors, and community organizations that you are taking an environmentally responsible approach to turfgrass fertilization.

A golf course NMP is a document that helps superintendents keep track of the nutrient status of soils and turfgrasses and provides a strategy for meeting the nutrient requirements of turfgrasses through proper application timing and amounts of fertilizer. Nutrient management plans can be relatively simple or complex depending on the goals of your golf course operation.

The basic components of a NMP are: 1. A brief description of the topography, geology, and soil types on the golf course, and a map delineating soil types on the property.

2. An inventory of turfgrass species and management regimes, including maps designating greens, tees, fairways, roughs, and environmentally sensitive areas that may require different fertilization programs.

16

3. A summary of soil test procedures, results, and recommendations for the different management areas of your course, as well as a narrative of your nitrogen fertilization program, including rates, sources, and application timings.

4. A means of recording fertilizer application dates, product names, analyses, sources of nitrogen, rates, and total amounts used.

This article gives an example of a NMP that was developed for a golf course in central Pennsylvania. The plan has been simplified due to space limitations, but it provides a stepwise approach to implementing the basic components of a NMP.

Developing an NMP for Lost Creek Golf Club In 2017, Penn State faculty worked with Mr. Tom Troutman, superintendent of Lost Creek Golf Club, to develop a NMP as part of a Chesapeake Bay Programfunded watershed improvement project.

The primary purpose of this project was to monitor nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer inputs and to stabilize eroding stream banks along Lost Creek. The grant also provided an opportunity to develop an example of a basic NMP for other golf courses in Pennsylvania.

Lost Creek Golf Club is located in Juniata County, just north of Rt. 35 in Oakland Mills. The property is approximately 150 acres and is surrounded by

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS December/January 2019 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

dairy farms and some wooded areas. A unique feature of the golf course is Lost Creek, a Class A trout stream, which enters the northeast corner of the course, then proceeds south through a wooded area before cutting through mostly open areas on the southern portion golf course.

Lost Creek is an important part of the golf course, creating interest, strategy, and impacting play on about a third of the holes on the course. Lost Creek floods on occasion, and, during periods of peak flow, some stream bank erosion occurs.

Step 1.

Description and mapping of topography, geology, and soils The first step in developing an NMP is to describe and map topography, geology, and soil types on your golf course. Knowledge of land and soil features can help you identify environmentally sensitive sites and delineate areas on the course that may need different types and amounts of fertilizer.

Soil survey manuals are a good source of information on topography, geology, and soil types. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service offers free internet access to soil survey information and map generation at Web Soil Survey https:// websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/ HomePage.htm. Generating a soil map of your golf course takes a little practice, but the Web Soil Survey website provides directions which are relatively easy to follow. Fig. 2 shows a soil map of Lost Creek Golf Club generated with tools on

Figure 1. Lost Creek Golf Club and surrounding landscape in early spring (left). Google Earth satellite image of Lost Creek Golf Club property (right).

Figure 2. Soil map with unit symbols for Lost Creek Golf Course. Map generated by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Online Web Soil Survey.

Table 1. Specific soil types on Lost Creek Golf Course.

Symbol

Soil map unit names

Depth to bedrock (inches)

At

Atkins silt loam

48–60

BrA

KIB

KIC

KID

Ty

Brinkerton silt loam, 0–3% slope Klinesville shaly silt loam, 3–8% slopes Klinesville shaly silt loam, 8–15% slopes Klinesville shaly silt loam, 15–25% slopes Tyler silt Loam

45–65

19

19

19

60

Permeability (inches/hour) 0.6–2.0 (moderately low) 0.6–2.0 (moderately low) 2.0–6.0 (moderately rapid) 2.0–6.0 (moderately rapid) 2.0–6.0 (moderately rapid) 0.6–2.0 (moderately low)

Available water capacity (inches water/inch soil)

Soil reaction (pH)

Very strongly to strongly acid unless limed Very strongly acid High (0.18–0.24); to medium acid water table unless limed Very strongly acid Very low to medium acid (0.08–0.12) unless limed Very strongly acid Very low to medium acid (0.08–0.12) unless limed Very strongly acid Very low to medium acid (0.08–0.12) unless limed Extremely to Moderate strongly acid (0.18–0.22) unless limed

High (0.14–0.22); high water table

Source: USDA Soil Conservation Service. Soil Survey of Juniata and Mifflin Counties Pennsylvania.

the Web Soil Survey website. Lines surrounding soil type symbols delineate the different soil types on the course. Symbols within the lines correspond to soil types described in the soil survey manual (Table 1).

According to the Soil Survey of Juniata and Mifflin Counties, Lost Creek Golf Club has six main soil types: some with high water tables and strong acidity and some with low water holding capacity that contain shale and are well-drained. Soils with high water tables along Lost Creek

are prone to flooding; thus, phosphorus and nitrogen should only be applied when the threat of flooding is low, if at all.

Timing of applications on well-drained soils at higher elevations is generally more flexible.

Step 2.

Inventory of turfgrass species and management regimes The next step in NPM development is to make a list of the different turfgrass species on the property and specify how the

turf is used and managed. At Lost Creek Golf Club, putting greens are a mixture of creeping bentgrass and annual bluegrass, whereas fairways, tees, and roughs are composed primarily of perennial ryegrass.

Nutrient requirements vary for the different species and management areas.

Putting greens are mowed daily or every other day at a height of 0.135 inches, and clippings are collected and removed from the site. Greens are aerated once per year using a core aerator equipped with hollow tines. The tees at Lost Creek Golf Club

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

17

Cover Story are mowed at a height of 0.5 inches three times per week, and fairways are mowed at 0.75 inches three times per week during the golfing season. Clippings are not collected and are returned to the turf. The divot repair soil mixture contains some phosphorus to aid in fast establishment of new seedlings. Rough areas are mowed at a height of 2.25 inches once per week with clippings returned to the turf.

Step 3.

Soil & water test results and fertilizer recommendations Perhaps the most important part of a NMP is testing soil for pH and nutrient content.

Monitoring water quality of any streams, ponds, or lakes that border or reside on the property is also important and can demonstrate that your fertilizer program is not contributing to degradation of surface waters. However, not everyone has the resources or expertise to monitor water for nutrients, so this information may not be included in some plans.

Soil Testing: Prior to 2017, the last time soils were tested at Lost Creek Golf Club was in 2011; thus, a new set of soil tests were needed to determine pH and nutrient concentrations of greens, tees, fairways, and roughs. In April of 2017, soil samples were collected from greens, tees, fairways, and selected rough areas prior to any fertilizer being applied. Twelve subsamples were collected in a grid pattern from each green, tee, and fairway using a 1-inch diameter soil sampling tube inserted 4 inches into the soil (Fig. 4). The 12 subsamples from each sampling area were placed in a bucket, broken apart, and thoroughly mixed prior to placing in the sample container.

Samples were analyzed at Penn State’s Agricultural Analytical Services Lab (AASL) for pH and nutrients.

Soil tests results and recommendations from AASL were recorded on spreadsheets for all greens, tees, fairways, and certain rough areas. Table 2 shows an example of soil test data from 17 perennial ryegrass fairways at Lost Creek golf course (hole #9 does not have a fairway). Soil test results revealed acidic soils on most fairways, with pH values ranging from 5.44 to 6.03. All fairways received lime 18

Figure 3. Map of different management areas for three holes on Lost Creek Golf Course. Areas outlined in red are greens, tees are outlined in blue, fairways are outlined yellow, and areas outside of outlined areas are rough. Map was generated using features in Google Earth.

Figure 4. Grid pattern for collecting 12 subsamples of soil from a putting green.

recommendations ranging from 50 to 90 lbs/1000 ft2. Soil-test phosphorus values in fairways range from 28 to 83 ppm Mehlich-3 P, and recommendations were for no phosphorus in 11 fairways and 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 lbs phosphate fertilizer/1000 ft2 for the remaining six fairways. Soil potassium concentrations range from 86 to 189 ppm Mehlich-3 K. Four fairways received no potash recommendation, whereas 13 fairways received recommendations of

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS December/January 2019 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

1, 2 or 3 lbs of potash fertilizer/1000 ft2.

Treating fairways individually with only the recommended amounts of lime, phosphorus, and potassium can save money and reduce the chances of applying excessive nutrients.

Soils test results and recommendations for greens, tees, and rough areas on the course are not included in this article.

In most cases, pH and concentrations of phosphorus and potassium were in the

Table 2. Lost Creek Golf Club soil test results for ryegrass fairways; April 2017.

Lime recommendation

Mehlich-3 P§

P recommendation

Mehlich-3 K

K recommendation

Fairways

pH

(lbs lime/1000 ft2)

(ppm)

(lbs P2O5/1000 ft2)

(ppm)

(lbs K2O/1000 ft2)

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 # 10 # 11 # 12 # 13 # 14 # 15 # 16 # 17 # 18

5.59 5.8 6.03 5.63 5.88 5.44 5.67 5.56 6.03 5.87 5.74 5.8 5.65 5.66 5.56 5.6 5.86

70 50 70 70 70 70 90 90 50 70 90 50 50 90 70 70 70

48 32 51 46 82 83 54 39 48 42 34 32 28 60 51 45 38

NONE 1.5 NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE 1.0 NONE NONE 1.5 1.5 2.0 NONE NONE NONE 1.0

189 139 158 131 165 176 175 150 161 114 132 120 86 183 153 149 147

NONE 1 1 1 1 NONE NONE 1 1 2 1 2 3 NONE 1 1 1

§M ehlich-3 P and Mehlich-3 K = Amount of phosphorus and potassium, respectively, extracted from a soil sample using the Mehlich-3 extraction solution. This extractant provides an estimate of phosphorus and potassium that is available to turfgrass plants.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

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Cover Story acceptable range for greens and tees. Soils in rough areas were generally acidic and low in phosphorous.

Nitrogen recommendations: Soil tests are not reliable for making nitrogen recommendations in turf; thus, general recommendations are based on the primary turfgrass species present in the stand and how the turf is used. Annual applications

of nitrogen for putting greens, tees, fairways, and rough areas can range from 2.0 to 4.0 lbs/1000 ft2 per year in Pennsylvania. This range is fairly wide because of differences in the age of turf, mowing frequency/clipping removal, soil root zone composition, rainfall and irrigation amounts, expectations of golfers, and other factors.

Given that the greens at Lost Creek Golf Club are mature and in good condition, nitrogen in the low range (2.0 to 2.5 lbs nitrogen/1000 ft2) was suggested as an annual rate. Annual nitrogen rates for fairways in poorly drained and floodprone areas should be in the low range (about 2.0 lbs nitrogen/1000 ft2 per year or less), and fertilizer should not be applied

Table 3. Fertilizer application record sheet Lost Creek Golf Club Management area: Putting greens, tees, and fairways Supervisor/applicator: Tom Troutman Application Date

Early May, 2017

Fertilizer Brand Formulation & & Product Name Particle Size (SGN) Andersons Contec DG, 100% MuTech HiVis. 40 lb bag

Daily Regional DeliveRy

Granular SGN 75

Analysis %N

13

%P2O5

0

%K2O

26

Nitrogen Source(s) & percentages 1.95% urea 6.50% WSN 4.55% WIN (K source = KSO4)

Rate: lbs/1000 ft2 N

P2O5

K2O

0.3

0

0.6

Total Product Used lbs/1000 ft2 Greens & tees treated (~7 acres); ~704 lbs of 13-0-26 applied

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during periods when the risk of flooding is high. Nitrogen rates for fairways in elevated areas can be slightly higher and should be applied during spring and late summer/early fall. Little to no nitrogen is recommended for rough areas in the poorly drained areas along Lost Creek, unless new turf is established.

At Lost Creek Golf Club, financial limitations, wet soils, and environmentally sensitive areas along Lost Creek dictate fewer nitrogen and phosphorus applications and lower rates than commonly used for most Pennsylvania golf courses.

Step 4. Record keeping Most golf course superintendents keep careful records of fertilizer applications on their golf course and these can be inserted into the NMP. Records of fertilizer applications typically include dates, product names and analyses, sources of nitrogen (slow versus quick release), rates, and total amounts used. An example of a fertilizer application spreadsheet for putting greens is provided in Table 3. Record keeping is helpful for tracking fertilizer applications to different areas of the course, and from one year to the next.

Examples of NMPs for Virginia golf courses can be found at: http://www.dcr. virginia.gov/soil-and-water/document/ nmtmsc-example-golf-npm.pdf and https://cdn.cybergolf.com/images/373/ Sample-NMP-Report.pdf

Funding for nutrient management plan development and stream bank restoration at Lost Creek Golf Club was provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Program’s Small Watershed Grants. T

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Conclusion Other aspects of golf course NMPs not included in this article are procedures for operating and calibrating fertilizer application equipment, containing and cleaning up fertilizer spills, disposal of unused and/or damaged fertilizer products, storage, and monitoring of water resources on the property.

Nutrient management plans are not required for golf courses in Pennsylvania, but they are mandatory in Virginia, Wisconsin, and some other states. Proposed legislation in Pennsylvania would allow for greater flexibility of fertilizer programs if a NMP and soil testing program is in place. For additional information on developing NMPs see: “Turfgrass nutrient planning” by D. Soldat, Univ. Wisconsin Coop. Ext., https://learningstore.uwex.edu/Assets/ pdfs/A3876.pdf.

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Feature Story

Shade

By Casey Reynolds, Ph.D., Executive Director at Turfgrass Producers International

M

anaging turfgrasses in shade can be one of the more challenging aspects encountered by turfgrass managers everywhere. Unlike weeds, insects, or diseases you can’t simply spray something to correct it. Furthermore, who doesn’t love a good shade tree on a hot summer day? Privacy fences, homes or other structures, trees, shrubs, etc. all have the capacity to block sunlight from reaching turfgrasses and thereby create shade.

In this brief article, we’ll explore the fundamentals behind shade, its impact on turfgrass health, and recent research designed to determine exactly how much sunlight is necessary to meet the needs of various turfgrass species.

In order to understand shade, it’s important to first understand the sunlight that it’s blocking. Sunlight has properties of both particles and waves. Particles of light called photons contain energy that is delivered in various wavelengths which are defined by the distance between successive crests. The electromagnetic spectrum (Figure 1) includes the entire range of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation delivered to the Earth’s surface by the sun.

Unfortunately, not all of these wavelengths 22

are useful for plant growth. In fact, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), which is what drives growth in plants, makes up a very small amount of this spectrum. The entire 300 nanometer (nm) range of PAR from 400–700 nm, when compared to the entire electromagnetic spectrum, is equivalent to the width of a dime when compared to the distance in driving from New York, NY to Los Angeles, CA. This tiny portion of light is all that’s useful to plants.

As a result, one can imagine that it doesn’t take much additional shade from cloud cover, trees, homes, etc. to limit turfgrass growth in shade.

Turfgrasses, like all plants, require sunlight in order to supply energy to support photosynthesis, which literally means “synthesis using light”. As photosynthesis occurs, solar energy is used to drive the synthesis of carbohydrates and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water. In shaded environments, photosynthesis is reduced which can result in decreased growth rates of turfgrasses, thinning, and even death.

This is because plant survival dictates that net photosynthesis (carbon gains) exceed respiration (carbon losses) in order for the plant to continue to grow, produce new

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS December/January 2019 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

tissues, store carbon, etc. The point at which this pendulum swings in either direction is called the light compensation point, or the point at which photosynthetic CO2 uptake exactly balances CO2 release through respiration.

Generally speaking, cool-season turfgrasses reach light saturation, the point at which any additional sunlight cannot be effectively used for photosynthesis, at approximately 50% of full sunlight. By contrast, warm-season turfgrasses typically require full sunlight to reach light saturation. This introduces a series of questions such as “how much full sunlight do various turfgrass species and varieties need to grow?”, “is afternoon sun better than morning sun?”, “is 4 hours of shade/partial sun better or worse than 2 hours of full sun?”, “how do we measure it?”, and so on.

Light intensity varies by location, diurnal cycle, time of year, atmospheric conditions, cloud cover, shade, etc. Sometimes this is measured as photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) in units of μmol m-2 s-1, which provides an instantaneous value for how much PAR is reaching a leaf’s surface. However, the item of

and Implications for Turfgrass Health most interest to turfgrass researchers is how much photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) strikes a surface throughout the course of a day, season, or year.

This integrates PPFD into a term called the Daily Light Integral (DLI) and is much more useful for quantifying shade tolerance in plants. They are also useful because there are simple, inexpensive devices capable of measuring DLI that are commercially available to turfgrass managers.

Publicly available data on DLIs, such as the information in Figure 2, illustrate the amount of PAR striking the Earth’s surface at various points in the United States at different times of year. One can see from this data the substantial differences that exist based on location and season. For example, during the spring months there can be 46% more PAR in the desert southwest than the northeast United States and from January to August in Houston, TX the amount of PAR increases by 142%.

These types of baseline data are important for calculating percent reductions using light meters under various shade levels.

Much of the current turfgrass shade research with regard to determining

Figure 1

Electromagnetic Spectrum

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

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Feature Story Figure 2

Outdoor Daily Light Integral Maps for the continental United States.

Developed by Jim Faust, Clemson University

January

April

February

March

May

June

Outdoor Average daily light integral (mol • m-2 • d-1) 5 - 10 10 - 15

July

August

September

15 - 20 20 - 25 25 - 30 30 - 35 35 - 40

October

November

December

40 - 45 45 - 50 50 - 55 55 - 60

Table 1

Relative shade tolerance of turfgrasses

Tolerance

Cool-season species

Warm-season species

Highly Shade Tolerant

Annual bluegrass Fine fescue Tall fescue

None

Shade Tolerant

Roughstalk bluegrass

Centipedegrass Seashore paspalum St. Augustinegrass Zoysiagrass

Shade Intolerant

Kentucky bluegrass

Bermudagrass

Highly Shade Intolerant

Creeping bentgrass Perennial ryegrass

Bahiagrass Buffalograss Carpetgrass

Gardner and Goss, 2013. Management of Turfgrass in Shade and Turgeon, 1995.

24

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS December/January 2019 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

minimum required DLIs is focused primarily on warm-season turfgrasses. Coolseason turfgrasses are typically much more shade tolerant than warm-season turfgrass species, so generally speaking DLIs for cool-season turfgrass are much lower than those for many warm-season turfgrasses.

Within cool-season species for use on lawns, the generally accepted ranking of shade tolerance from highest to lowest is Fine fescue, Tall fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass. Reported DLIs for several warm-season species and cultivars are reported in Table 2. Bermudagrass, as expected, has the highest DLIs ranging from 13.9 – 18.6 mol m-2 d-1 in the spring/fall and 18.6 – 22.4 mol m-2 d-1 in the summer. This was followed by Centipedegrass (13.4 – 14.7), Seashore paspalum (11.1 – 13.0), St. Augustinegrass (10.6 – 11.5), and Zoysiagrass (9.7 – 11.3). Therefore, for clients dealing with substantial shade who want to use warm-season turfgrasses, zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass offer the highest shade tolerance (lowest DLI) and greatest likelihood for success. Within zoysiagrass varieties, additional research has shown that fine textured species that are often interspecific crosses of Z. japonica and Z. matrella or Z. pacifica typically have better shade tolerance than coarse textured varieties of Z. japonica. However, it is worth noting that in the northern parts of the transition zone (including Tennessee), the lack of cold tolerance in St. Augustinegrass and fine-textured zoysiagrass needs to be considered during turfgrass selection.

While the order in which these warmseason turfgrass species ranked with regard to shade tolerance is not groundbreaking, this type of research begins to establish known DLI values that turfgrass producers, managers, and clients can measure for success. Reliable, relatively inexpensive light meters (Figure 3) can be purchased online that will allow users to document DLIs in their lawns, stadiums, or golf courses to determine which turfgrass species and varieties are best suited for use. Future research is also currently being conducted to relate these known DLIs to hours of morning or afternoon sun such that new guidelines can be

designed to determine the hours of sunlight needed for adequate growth.

It is important to remember that most, if not all, turfgrass species will perform best in full sun. Shade tolerance varies among species and cultivar and selecting the appropriate one for use is the first line of defense in managing healthy turfgrass in moderate to dense shade. Also, next time you see your shadow on the lawn remember that the particles of sunlight hitting your back just traveled 93 million miles only to be obstructed from hitting your turfgrass in the last few feet thanks to you!

Tips for growing turfgrass in shade

1 2

elect the appropriate species and S cultivar. Fine fescue provides great shade tolerance for cool-season grasses but Tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass are moderately shade tolerant as well, and mixtures of these various coolseason species are often successful in shade. Pre-packaged “shade mixtures” often have varieties with improved shade tolerance.

Reported DLI values (mol m-2 d-1) for various warm-season turfgrass species.

Table 2

Species/Cultivar

Spring/Fall

Summer

Tifeagle bermudagrass

n/a1

32.6

Tifway bermudagrass

17.4 – 18.6

21.4 – 22.4

Celebration bermudagrass

14.2 – 15.7

19.5 – 20.2

Tifgrand bermudagrass

13.9 – 15.4

18.6 – 20.9

Tifblair centipedegrass

13.4 – 14.7

13.3 – 14.7

Seadwarf seashore paspalum

11.1

13.0

Captiva St. Augustinegrass

10.8

10.6

Floratam St. Augustinegrass

10.8

11.5

Palisades zoysiagrass

10.5 – 11.3

10.9 – 11.3

Diamond zoysiagrass

10.1 – 11.1

11.0 – 11.1

Jamur zoysiagrass

9.7

9.9

data not available Data compiled from Bunnell et al. (2005) Glenn et al. (2012) and Zhang et al. (2017)

Figure 3

Commercially Available Light Meter for determining DLI.

t. Augustinegrass and Zoysiagrass S provide the highest shade-tolerance in warm-season turfgrasses but their lack of cold tolerance often limits their use in the northern transition zone. Medium to coarse-textured zoysias typically have the highest shade tolerance among these species. hade source matters: Trees are more S likely to alter light quality (red light, blue light, red/far red ratios) than buildings or other structures which primarily reduce light quantity ree species matters: Evergreen trees T provide more shade than deciduous trees owing height: Mow turfgrasses on M the upper end of their recommended height range

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

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Feature Story ertilization: Reduce nitrogen applicaF tions. Excessive leaf growth comes at the expense of roots and other stored carbon sources.

raffic: Limit traffic when possible, T turfgrasses under shade grow less vigorously and therefore won’t recover as rapidly as in full sun

lant growth regulators: PGRs have P been shown to increase turfgrass quality in closely-mowed turf when grown under moderate shade.

Citations Bell, G.E., T.K. Danneberger, and M.J. McMahon. 2000. Spectral irradiance available for turfgrass growth in sun and shade. Crop Sci. 40:189–195.

Bunnell, B. T., L. B. McCarty, J. E. Faust, W. C. Bridges, N. C. Rajapakse, and W. C. Bridges. 2005. Quantifying a daily light integral requirement of a ‘TifEagle’ bermudagrass golf green.

Crop Sci. 45(2):p. 569-574.

Gardner, D. S. and R. M. Goss. 2013.

Management of Turfgrass in Shade.

P. 219-247. In. Stier et al. (ed.) Turfgrass: Biology, Use, and Management.

Agron. Monogr. 56. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA. Madison, WI. Glenn, B., J. Kruse, and J. B. Unruh. 2012.

Daily light integral requirements for twelve warm-season turfgrasses. Int. Ann. Meet. p. 72111.

Korczynski, P.C., J. Logan, and J.E. Faust.

Mapping Monthly Distribution of Daily Light Integrals across the Contiguous United States. HortTech. 12(1): 12-16.

Turgeon, A.J. 1995. Turfgrass Manage ment. 4th ed. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Wherley, B.G., P. Skulkaew, A. Chandra, A.D. Genovesi, and M.C. Engelke.

2011. Low-input Performance of Zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) Cultivars Maintained under Dense Tree Shade.

HortSci. 46(7):1033-1037.

Zhang, J., B. Gleen, J.B. Unruh, J. Kruse, K. Kenworthy, J. Erickson, D. Rowland, and L. Trenholm. 2017. Comparative performance and daily light integral requirements of warm-season turfgrasses in different seasons. Crop Sci. 57: 2273-2282. T 26

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS December/January 2019 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

The Turfg rass Team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Scott Boyle Communications Coordinator The University of Tennessee 2431 Center Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-6730 sboyle1@utk.edu turf.utk.edu Twitter: @Scott_CPO José Javier Vargas Almodóvar Research Associate II Turf & Ornamental Weed Science The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996 (865) 974-7379 jvargas@utk.edu tnturfgrassweeds.org Twitter: @UTweedwhisperer Greg Breeden Extension Specialist, The University of Tennessee 2431 Center Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7208 gbreeden@utk.edu tnturfgrassweeds.org Twitter: @gbreeden1

Jim Brosnan, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Turfgrass Weed Science The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-8603 jbrosnan@utk.edu tnturfgrassweeds.org Twitter: @UTturfweeds Frank Hale, Ph.D. Professor, Entomology and Plant Pathology The University of Tennessee 5201 Marchant Drive Nashville, TN 37211-5201 (615) 832-6802 fahale@utk.edu ag.tennessee.edu/spp Brandon Horvath, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Turfgrass Science The University of Tennessee 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

2431 Joe Johnson Drive Knoxville, TN 37996 (865) 974-2975 bhorvath@utk.edu turf.utk.edu Twitter: @UTturfpath

Tom Samples, Ph.D. Professor, Turfgrass Extension The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-2595 tsamples@utk.edu turf.utk.edu Twitter: @tnturfman

William Dan Strunk, Ph.D. Research Associate I The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 363 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-2988 wstrunk@utk.edu turf.utk.edu Twitter: @WDanStrunk

John Sorochan, Ph.D. Professor, Turfgrass Science The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 363 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7324 sorochan@utk.edu turf.utk.edu Twitter: @sorochan

Alan Windham, Ph.D. Professor, Entomology and Plant Pathology The University of Tennessee 5201 Marchant Drive Nashville, TN 37211-5201 (615) 832-6802 https://ag.tennessee.edu/spp/ Twitter: @UTPlantDoc

John Stier, Ph.D. Associate Dean The University of Tennessee 2621 Morgan Circle 126 Morgan Hall Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7493 jstier1@utk.edu turf.utk.edu Twitter: @Drjohnstier

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TGCSA N ews

Paul Carter’s Bid for GCSAA Board

T

ennessee GCSA is proud to announce and support the candidacy of Paul L. Carter, CGCS for the position of Director on the national Board of Directors for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Paul, a longtime member of both TGCSA and TTA, has served on several committees and task groups at the local, state, and national level. Paul served as a member of the TTA Board of Directors for over 10 years including serving as president in 2014–15. He was also the 2015 recipient of the Dr. Tom Samples Professional of the Year Award. He is currently employed as the golf course superintendent at The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay in Harrison, Tennessee and also serves as the Director of Agronomy for the Tennessee Golf Trail, a collection of nine courses across the state of Tennessee.

Recognized across the nation as a leader in environmental stewardship, The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, under Paul’s guidance, has received numerous awards and recognitions for their work in protecting the environment and promoting the environmental benefits of golf courses.

The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay received the GCSAA President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship in 2015, the overall and national public GCSAA Environmental Leaders in Golf Award in 2013, the Golf Digest Green Star Award for Outstanding Environmental Practices in 2013, and Paul was awarded the TurfNet Superintendent of the Year Award in 2011.

Paul’s passion for the golf course maintenance industry took hold in the summer of 1992 when he was an intern at The Country Club of Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama, under the watchful eye of

28

Mr. Lee McLemore, CGCS. Upon graduation from Auburn University in 1993, Paul continued his path in the golf industry with stops at Valley Hill Country Club in Huntsville, Alabama, Willow Creek Golf Club in Knoxville, Tennessee and Council Fire Golf Club in Chattanooga, Tennessee before settling down at The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, his home since 2001.

“The golf industry has given me so much throughout my 25-plus year career and I have strived to give back whenever possible. Serving on committees and task groups at the local, state, and national level, as well as being president of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association in 2014– 2015 has been a great honor and allowed me to gain a greater appreciation for the

inner workings of the associations I am a part of. It would be an honor to serve our association at the national level and I believe, as a golf course superintendent at a municipal, public golf course, I can provide a unique prospective to the board to better serve all our members. I am very grateful for the nomination and support of my fellow members of the Tennessee GCSA. Without their support and encouragement throughout the years this career dream of mine to serve on the GCSAA Board of Directors would not be possible.” – Paul L . Carter, CGCS Elections for the GCSAA Board of Directors will be held at the Golf Industry Show in San Diego, CA on February 7, 2019 during the annual GCSAA business meeting. T

2015 TTA Professional of the Year

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS December/January 2019 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

NALP

NALP Initiatives to Strengthen our Industry Workforce A

ccording to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the landscape industry had 71,000 unfilled jobs in 2017 (the most recent year for which data is available). This number quantifies what most industry professionals know all too well – the workforce shortage has reached crisis proportions. The National Association of Landscape Professionals is leading efforts to address this problem through the Industry Growth Initiative (IGI), charged with growing the workforce and the industry, and committed to attracting 100,000 people to the industry by 2025.

NALP’s IGI is tackling the workforce shortage in a variety of ways including through extensive messaging to millennials, women, veterans and others to attract them to the profession. That voice to educate people about the industry has come through social media on the new WhyILandscape channels, partnering with bloggers and social influencers, media relations activities, and advertising campaigns. In fact, advertising drove more than 100,000 people the job board associated with LandscapeIndustry Careers.org over the past year. IGI has created fliers, brochures, presentations, and more than two dozen videos that showcase career opportunities in the industry and they have developed additional resources to support Landscape Career Day, a non-date-specific opportunity to connect students and job seekers with the profession. They are also working with students and educators to promote the importance of the work done by the industry.

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NALP continues to work in concert with industry stakeholders to engage in strategic discussions and solution strategies. The association has sponsored two workforce summits for state and national association leaders and they will host the first workforce summit for industry professionals February 12-13, bringing CEOs, senior executives and HR professionals together to identify what changes must be made to business models to successfully combat the employee shortage and how the industry can best compete to attract the best and brightest to the field.

Sabeena Hickman, NALP’s CEO, noted “industry professionals are realizing how important it is to work together in combatting the lack of talent needed to sustain and grow their businesses. They are recognizing the industry must stand together in presenting itself to future employees as the competition for talent is not from the landscape company down the street but from manufacturers, construction companies, retailers, etc.”

One of NALP’s newest developments in addressing workforce development is the creation of the Landscape Management Apprenticeship Program that will debut in early 2019. The DOL registered program will help attract men and women to the profession and provide extensive training for tens of thousands of people. Through the program, contractors will hire apprentice candidates, ensure they receive 2000 hours of training in 17 competency areas while they are being paid, and support their completion of 144 hours of classroom instruction in landscape maintenance, installation, and irrigation.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS December/January 2019 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

Companies that offer the apprenticeship program should enjoy a huge advantage in hiring and employee retention. Individuals who complete the program will receive a nationally recognized designation and are expected to receive college credit at more than 300 institutions. NALP hopes to use the apprenticeship program to help in training and retraining more than 150,000 people over the next five years.

The federal government is investing tremendous resources in apprenticeship offerings, believing these earn-as-youlearn programs will help industries desperately working to recruit the employment help they need. With the re-invigoration of these decades-old programs that have historically been associated with the trades and construction, federal and state dollars are becoming readily available, creating tax credits to companies sponsoring apprentices and funding for apprentice training and related costs. For companies operating in states providing such resources, businesses will be able to train employees at little to no cost.

After the launch of the first apprenticeship program, NALP will turn its attention to the creation of similar programs including those for lawn care technicians, mechanics, etc. These programs are envisioned to be a game-changer for the industry and its ability to attract individuals to the profession.

Those wishing to learn more about NALP’s leadership to address the workforce shortage or the Landscape Management Apprenticeship Program can visit www.landscapeprofessionals.org. T

TTA Member Spotlight

Chris Sykes We

sat down with TTA’s Secretary/Treasurer Chris Sykes to learn about his path to success as a Golf Course Superintendent, his volunteer work in the community, and one unusual talent.

Title: Head Golf Course Superintendent, Toqua Golf Club at Tellico Village since 2011. Tellico Village is a retirement community with over 9,000 residents and 2,500 golfers. Tellico Village features three championship golf courses.

Background: B.S. in Crop and Soil Environmental Science, Concentration in Turf Management from Virginia Tech; The Honors Course (Ooltewah, Tennessee); Cherokee Country Club (Knoxville, Tennessee); Orange Lake Resort and Country Club (Kissimmee, Florida); John Deere Golf; Toqua Golf Club (Loudon, Tennessee) Community Involvement: Chris volunteers his expertise to maintain numerous sports fields in the Greater Knoxville area, including at Christian Academy of Knoxville, which was awarded High School Sports Field of the Year in 2016. Chris coaches golf at CAK and also created a golf program at Tate’s School of Discovery. He has volunteered for many youth sports as a coach, manager, and umpire.

Chris (Center) with two of his youth golf teams

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS December/January 2019 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

Personal: Chris and his wife, Necole, have three children: 20year-old twins Mary Grace and Lucas are both sophomores in college, and 13-year-old Palmer is a seventh grader at Webb School of Knoxville.

Chris also has a unique talent: paintgun art? He creates colorful, detailed logos on the course freehand with a simple paintgun. We’re not exactly sure how he discovered this talent, but we are very impressed!

What has been your greatest challenge as a Golf Course Superintendent?

Staffing. It’s been a struggle across the industry, but landscaping and hospitality jobs are hard to keep filled. There’s some political elements there, but the bottom line is it’s hard to compete with some of the other jobs out there that don’t require as much hard, physical work.

How do you see the industry responding to that issue?

Chris’s paintgun logo art

One change that’s coming is equipment. As the workforce gets smaller, GPS-driven, autonomous machines will become more common. The technology is out there now, it’s just too expensive to be practical for most courses. But as time passes, and hopefully those prices change, that might be the best option.

What has been the best part of your job?

I’ve been blessed to have some great Assistants. I have been able to help train and mentor seven of my former assistants and help them grow and move on to head superintendent positions, five of which have courses in the state of Tennessee. It’s been great to watch those guys develop their management skills and earn those opportunities. I’m proud to have been a positive influence in their careers as they sure made me look good.

How do you handle the rising expectations of members?

Since the 2008 recession, resources have gone down while expectations have gone up. You just have to get creative with how to do better. We work hard on Continuous Improvement (CI) Initiatives to solve those problems and use the resources we do have wisely.

What is a career lesson you’ve learned the hard way?

Mother Nature always wins… and it will humble you! I’ve experienced everything from three direct hits by major hurricanes while in Florida, a microburst, with winds over 120 miles per hour, to an electrical storm that took out everything with wires.

Of course I’ve seen record rainfall, droughts, heat and winterkill.

With things like that, you do your best to manage. You can’t control what happens, but you can influence the response.

What has surprised you in your career?

Without really meaning to, I became the guy who comes in to turn around a course that has struggled. I’ve done that three times now, and it’s rewarding when you do it right, but the process can be tough at times.

TTA thanks Chris for his work as Secretary/Treasurer and his commitment to the association. T

Waterfront view from Tellico Village’s 14th hole

Calendar of Events January 22–25

2019 STMA Conference and Exhibition Phoenix, AZ

February 2–7

Golf Industry Show San Diego, CA

February 26

TVSTMA Meeting Franklin, TN

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July 31

TVSTMA Field Day Pigeon Forge, TN

February 18–20

TPI International Education Conference Charlotte, NC

Andy Rushing

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS December/January 2019

The Tennessee 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, Tennessee Turfgrass Magazine, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or 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 © 2019 by the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. Tennessee Turfgrass is published bi-monthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Tennessee Turfgrass allows reprinting of material.

Permission requests should be directed to the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. 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 insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

Give water a break tiftuf bermudagrass is the new drought-tolerance superstar.

The newest edition in the “Tif” (Tifton) series of bermudagrasses to originate from the renowned University of Georgia turfgrass breeding program, TifTuf promises to be a true game-changer in stellar yet environmentally friendly performance. Providing unbeatable drought tolerance, it uses 38% less water than Tifway 419, and it is significantly more drought resistant than all other bermudagrasses.

In addition to its incredible drought tolerance, TifTuf provides excellent cold tolerance (equal to Latitude 36 at Kansas State University), fast spring green-up, excellent fall color retention and superior wear and traffic tolerance. In the 2015 NTEP trials, TifTuf was the highest-ranked cultivar in North Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi, and across all 17 locations overall, it was the highestranked, commercially available cultivar.

TifTuf will not only pay for itself in water savings, but more importantly, it will create eco-gentle lawns for the future. An astounding breakthrough in sustainability, it will soon become the ultimate musthave grass for home and property owners who want to take a break from water use.

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Buy Sod VarietieS: Golf Putting Greens: Bentgrass and Champion Dwarf bermudagrass

Bermudagrass: TifTuf, TifGrand, Celebration, Patriot, TifSport, Tifway and T10 St. Augustine: Raleigh • Zoysiagrass: Zeon and El Toro • Paspalum: SeaStar Centipedegrass: TifBlair and Common • Bluegrass: Tournament • Fescue/Bluegrass Mixtures

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Saving you water, saving you money, saving the environment.

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