Tennessee Turfgrass - December/January 2020 by leadingedgepubs

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020

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

WATER: FUNCTIONS, FLOW AND FORMS

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FOR THE 54TH ANNUAL TTA CONFERENCE AND TRADESHOW JANUARY 6-8, 2020

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26 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 2020

20 26 36 40 44

Cover Story — Get Ready for the 54th Annual TTA Conference & Trade Show January 6 – 8, 2020

Feature Story — Water—Functions, Flow and Forms Business Development — 3 Leadership Styles for Leaders Who Want to Grow More Leaders at their Organization Feature Story — TifTuf at the Swamp: Laying the Foundation for Excellence

Member Spotlight — TTA Board Member Bart Cash

DEPARTMENTS From the TTA President News from TTA Calendar of Events From the TVSTMA President The Turfgrass Team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville From the MAGCSA President From the ETGCSA President Tennessee GSCAA Update Index of Advertisers 4

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020

6 8 9 10 11 12 14 16 35

FROM TH E TTA PRE S I D E NT

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 A RIDE T

his is my last article for the Tennessee Turfgrass Association magazine as your President. I have learned so much over the last two years. I was fortunate to work with such a great board and all of our members. Seven years ago when I was asked by Bob McCurdy to be on the TTA board, I was a little leery, but now I’m so glad I did. I have been able to work with so many professionals in my field. It has been a very positive experience. So thank you to all the past and present board members for making this opportunity so surreal. Our board is in great hands with Doug Ward and Chris Sykes taking the helm going forward. I would like to give a big thanks to Jim Brosnan and all the UT staff for their professionalism and putting together such a great conference each year. They bring such great knowledge to our association. Also a special thanks to our Executive Director Melissa Martin for keeping me in a straight line. I owe her big and everyone above great appreciation. I am very much honored to have worked such a great group of people. With all that said I hope to see everyone at the 54th Annual Conference and Tradeshow on January 6. I encourage every member to register. We have a great show planned, so please come out and support all the vendors. They work hard and do so much for our association. Be sure to attend our business meeting, bring ideas, and maybe even sign up to be on the board. We always need new and fresh ideas brought to the table. Again, thank you for the ride! It has been an honor to serve you. It will be something I never forget, I’m so excited to see how the association grows more and more every year. Thank you!! Sincerely,

Jason Pooler 2018 – 2019 TTA President

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 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 2019 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

NEWS FROM TTA

CONGRATULATIONS!

ongratulations to Jacob Pooler for being named the 2019 National Proficiency Winner in Turfgrass Management at the 92nd National FFA Convention! Jacob, son of TTA President Jason Pooler, is very involved with the family business, TriTurf Sod. He was one of nearly 200 finalists for this award, which is a testament to his hard work and commitment to the family business and turfgrass management.

The requirements for this award were: Member owns the enterprise or works for a business that involves the planting and maintaining of turf for outdoor beautification, providing a lawn mowing service that does not include installation or maintenance of additional landscaping, sod produced for sale and sport field or golf course management.

TTA would like to congratulate Jacob for a job well done!

Finalists were judged by the following criteria: • Skills and competencies learned that relate to an agricultural career field. • Financial achievements, including growth in scope. • Personal growth and development through FFA activities.

• Evidence of student accomplishments based on available resources and opportunities. • Communication skills as demonstrated in the written portions of applications and clear, concise answers given during interviews

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

C A LEN DA R OF EVENTS January 13 –16, 2020 Sports Turf Managers Conference West Palm Beach, FL

January 25 – 30

Golf Industry Show Orlando, FL

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

2020 TGCSA Social Gathering at GIS

February 17 – 20, 2020 TPI International Education Conference & Field Day Orlando, FL

Daily Regional DeliveRy Tennessee Kentucky

Please join the Tennessee GCSA and the MiGCSA from 7:00 – 11:00 PM for complimentary appetizers, served from 8:00 – 10:00 PM, at the Rodizio Grill. Rodizio Grill Pointe Orlando • 9101 International Drive #1220 • Orlando, FL 32819 Please note: There is no fee to attend this event; however, registration is encouraged to ensure accurate food counts. For more information, contact Melissa Martin at info@tgcsa.net or 615-928-7001.

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FROM THE TVSTMA PRESIDENT

Ben Hutton

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now you should have received information about future meetings and Commercial Sponsorship opportunities. I hope that this forward planning by your TVSTMA board members has encouraged many of you to take advantage of the sponsorship capabilities and attend as many meetings as possible. Before we get into the slower pace of winter don’t forget about the TVSTMA West Tennessee Meeting at the WEST Tennessee Healthcare Sportsplex on Wednesday, November 6th. The meeting will begin with registration opening at 9:00 a.m. CST and conclude at 2:00 p.m. CST. During this meeting we will find out what turf varieties are most available for sports fields and what is to come. I hope to see many of you there! Another great event coming soon is the annual TTA Conference in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The event will begin on January 6th and end on January 8th. If you have not attended in the past I strongly encourage you to do so. This event is a great way to hear phenomenal speakers, see new equipment and products and support your local vendors. Do not delay — register today for this great event held by the TTA. Hopefully all of you that overseeded were blessed with an abundance of healthy ryegrass or bluegrass by now. As we all know winter is right around the corner! Make sure you have taken the proper steps in preparing your fields for the possibility of harsh weather. If you are responsible for snow preparations/removal now is the time to make sure all of your equipment is ready to go. Don’t forget to be mindful of your salt distribution as it can have an impact on your plant health! Lastly, it is never too early to start formulating a plan for next year. There are always new technologies available to Turf Managers. Make sure you are up to date with the new products that can improve your facility.

Ben Hutton TVSTMA President

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

THE TUR FG R A S S T EA M A T T HE UN IV ERS IT Y OF T EN N ES S EE, KNO XVILLE 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

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

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

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

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

Kyley Dickson, Ph.D. Associate Director, Center for Athletic Field Safety Turfgrass Management & Physiology (865) 974-6730 kdickso1@utk.edu Twitter: @DicksonTurf

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

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

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FROM THE MAGCSA PRESIDENT

David L. Johnson

AN EVENTFUL SEASON F

or those of you who love summertime, 2019 in the Memphis area has been a great year for you. I have a bad habit of thinking that when dove season starts on Labor Day weekend, our job is about to slow down and coast into the fall. As we all know, that was just the start of a record breaking hot and dry month. It seemed to be one of the longest months that I have worked through ever. I guess Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just getting old and weak! I hope that

everyone survived and made it through without too many areas of weak turf going into the fall and winter. We actually did get one day that the weather cooperated in the month of September. On the 23rd, we had our annual Bushwood Classic tournament which was held at Memphis Country Club. A cool front and slight rain moved through the city that morning that allowed everyone to enjoy a nice day to play golf. The golf

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course was in immaculate condition as it always is. We would like to thank Jason Bradley and his crew for hosting this tournament at such a great venue. The winner of the cash prizes that are to be used for furthering education or entry into the GCSAA qualifier was Chase Smith of Olive Branch Country Club who won the gross score division. The winner of the Net score division was Andrew Foster of Windyke Country Club. Congratulations to both of them! The month of November had two meetings for the Memphis region. The annual Scott McNeer Scholarship and Research tournament was help on November 4th. This is our primary fundraiser which was held at Spring Creek Ranch. Thanks to Stephen Cox and all the staff for hosting such a great event. This is also an event that wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be possible without our sponsors and vendors. They support us every year and I would personally like to say thanks for your support. We ended our year with a day of fun by shooting skeets and a shrimp boil. This is an event for everyone to get away from the course and enjoy some good food. We all try to get some practice in on our shooting skills before hunting season begins. Bubba Jones always shows us a good time at his farm for this event. It is a great location for us to come and relax. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of 2019. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

David Johnson MAGCSA President

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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FROM THE ETGCSA PRESIDENT

DJ Lerchen

Let’s Talk About THE WEATHER! As

we close on the year 2019, we’ve got to reflect on the weather! I think everyone that works in the green industry would say it was a tough year weather-wise. We had over 84 days in the 90’s reported in East Tennessee while the average is usually only 34 days. It was one of the hottest Septembers on record with zero inches of rain recorded and all thirty days the high temperatures were above normal! This was followed by the hottest October since 1884 in Knoxville, with four days setting a new high temperature record. I’m sure everyone has their own story to tell about the weather this year, but I’ll say this and move on, what is normal anymore? We started our record-breaking weather year in April by heading south to Windstone Golf Club with host superintendent Wes Gilbert. Bill Bergin was our speaker, and he discussed new trends and ideas for golf course design. One idea Bill spoke about that is gaining momentum is the elimination of tee markers on golf courses. I found this very interesting. What a labor savings not having to paint, move, and move again all the tee markers on our golf courses. Just think of the dollar savings on labor, especially for low budget golf courses where the maintenance staff may not be quite as big as it needs to be, or courses facing labor shortages which we are all seeing in the workforce these days. It was a good presentation that challenged us to think outside the box. Then in May we headed back to Knoxville to visit longtime superintendent Paul Hood CGCS at Willow Creek. We decided as a board we would have a group of superintendents from our chapter to have a roundtable discussion about sand bunkers including all the various types of sands used, different types of liners, and some of the design philosophies to help ease maintaining sand bunkers. A big thanks to all four of the superintendents that participated: Chris Sykes, Gary Southerland, Sean VanHoose and Wells McClure. Paul, thanks for the great Ultradwarf Greens! In June we visited The Country Club of Morristown where host superintendent Chris Lloyd introduced us to our guest speaker Anthony Cavallucci, a meteorologist with the National Weather Station in Morristown, TN. Anthony gave us some exclusive tips on how to navigate the National Weather Service website and discussed some great weather apps that we can download for our tool belt. The Country Club is always a fun course to play and, as always, in super shape!

You never know what the weather’s going to be like in July, but this year it was great and so was our turn out. Longtime superintendent Jeff Dudich at Gettysvue Country Club hosted golf and a presentation by Dr. Jim Brosnan. Dr. Brosnan gave us updates on a lot of the research pertaining to poa and weed control. It was a fantastic presentation and the golf and weather were just as good! Since it was August and the weather is usually cooler, we thought it would be a good idea to make the trip to Crossville and visit The Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain State Park and our host superintendent Tim Brock. The topic on hand that day was a presentation by Sean VanHoose who had recently completed construction on a state of the art “Turfgrass Center”! Sean did a great job and, again, it was another perfect weather day for golf! ETGCSA always puts the UT Field Day on the docket for September and it never disappoints! Attendance for UT Field Day is usually high with an estimated 500–600 turfgrass and horticulture professionals eager to see the latest and greatest research coming from the University of Tennessee Turfgrass Team. For those who haven’t been before, you NEED to make the trip to Knoxville for UT Field Day. I’m already looking forward to next year! Our season ended at the Cattails at Meadowview Golf Club in Kingsport, TN. Our gracious host, Roger Frazier, CGCS ordered us a perfect day for weather and fierce competition. Being our annual East Tennessee Scholarship and Research Tournament, we try to pull out all the stops. We had good food, good prizes, and we raised a lot of money for scholarships for our future turf professionals and money to give back to UT Turfgrass Program. Looking ahead to 2020, we have the Tennessee Turfgrass Conference scheduled for January 6th–8th in Murfreesboro. I look forward to all the topics and speakers that will kickstart a great new year. I want to give many thanks to all our industry sponsors. We couldn’t do it without all the support! Lastly, I want to extend a great thanks to my fellow board members for the work they’ve all put into this successful year and look forward to serving as your president of the ETGCSA for 2020!

DJ Lerchen ETGCSA President

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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Contact kristin@leadingedgecommunications.com or 615.790.3718 to take advantage of this offer! Cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts, offers or current advertising agreements. Limited to one single ad in one issue only. Space is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. To ensure the integrity of our publications and for the benefit of our readers and advertisers, publisher reserves the right to revise, reclassify, edit or reject any Ad Material or any portion thereof at any time. Offer good through 6/30/2020.

TENNESSEE GSCAA UPDATE

CHAPTER DELEGATES MEETING 2019 I

recently got the chance to go to freezing cold Lawrence, Kansas for the annual chapter delegates meeting. This meeting consists of hearing from all the different departments within the GCSAA, learning about issues that may be altered this year or may require a vote to be altered and changing of the guard for board seats for 2020. We should start to see a new initiative rolling out from the GCSAA very soon. This is the “Friends of the GCSAA” membership category. I am not exactly sure how they plan to hit their target audience, which are our golfers and members. This membership is not going to give access to anything agronomic. It is similar to a USGA membership which gets members a bag tag, a hat and a flier in the mail quarterly or so. I think they are giving out a sticker and a golf towel or something like that. Also, the GCSAA “Facility Membership” is rolling out. This is targeting smaller courses that do not and have not had GCSAA Members. It also has limited information but greater than the “Friends” category. The 50 states in the BMP program by 2020 seems to be on track for 50 states in 2020. Tennessee will be complete before Jan 1st and should be released at the TTA show. The reason for the BMP’s is to have a preemptive strike toward governmental regulations. Currently the EPA is thrilled with the fact that we are tailoring BMP’s to each state. The question they are asking is how many facilities are following them. So, adopting the BMP’s at facilities is probably the next step. There is a GCSAA Ethics rule that is changing due to a legal issue. There are laws that state that you cannot restrict anyone from trying to get a job. The old rule of not contacting a course to gain employment while they have a superintendent employed is out the window so to speak. I would hope that common decency prevails in this scenario though.

Rounds for Research I didn’t actually catch the numbers, but I think we may have slipped a spot from last year. The top five were the Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey and Tennessee. Start signing up now to participate in the 2020 auction. Forms will be available at The Tennessee Turfgrass Association Conference. Don’t forget that rounds can be tailored however you want with whatever restriction you need to put on them. If you have not participated in the past or have not in the last couple of years, I encourage you to participate. This is a great program which benefits us all. We need one more Grassroots Ambassador for our state. It is for district 7 with Representative Mark Green. If you have any interest in politics or would like to become involved with this program, please reach out to us and let us know.

Lastly there are Board seats to vote for: President John Fulling Vice President Mark Jordan

Secretary

Kevin Breen Kevin Sunderman

Directors

Jeff White, TA Barker, Paul Carter

Open Seats (2)

Loser of the Secretary race, Zach Bauer, Doug Dykstra, Glen Matthews

First Green STEM Program If anybody is interested in hosting a First Green field trip with their local elementary or middle school, there are resources through the GCSAA that can be used to help you set up one of these visits. I am hoping to do one next season.

If anyone has any questions, please contact me 615-943-3931.

Brad Marcy TN GCSAA Chapter Delegate

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

CO VER S TORY MONDAY, JANUARY 6th TURFGRASS SCIENCE Time 8:00 a.m. – 8:05 a.m.

Front Row Tickets Thoughts on why we choose front row seats for some things and not others Chris Sykes, Toqua Golf Club

54TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE & TRADESHOW JANUARY 6 – 8, 2020 • EMBASSY SUITES MURFREESBORO, TN

8:05 a.m. – 8:50 a.m.

Everyone is a Sports Turf Manager: What You Need to Know About Safety and Performance Everyone is eventually asked for input on managing a playing surface used for sports. Learn about the latest techniques to manage sports turf that minimize pest invasion to maximize both safety and performance.

8:50 a.m.– 9:35 a.m.

Growing Turf in Low Light, Shaded Environments Compromised lighting can negatively affect turfgrass on golf courses, sports fields, and lawns. Learn the latest strategies for managing turf in low light and shaded environments to maximize quality and reduce disease, weed, and insect pests.

Dr. John Sorochan, University of Tennessee

Dr. Aaron Patton, Purdue University

KEYNOTE SPEAKER, JEFF MCMANUS The Tennessee Turfgrass Association Annual Conference and Trade Show is designed exclusively for the turf professional including golf course superintendents, sports field managers, lawn care operators, landscapers, sod producers, grounds managers and anyone involved in the turf industry.

BREAK 9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

What is Dead May Never Die? Resistance issues coupled with erratic weather has made weed management in Tennessee more challenging than ever before. Get the latest information on managing problematic weeds of turfgrass.

10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

From Goats to Triplexes: The History of Mowing Mowing is an integral cultural practice for managing pest-free turf. Learn about the evolution of mowing practices over time that affect the industry today.

Dr. Jim Brosnan, University of Tennessee

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Since 1965, the Tennessee Turfgrass Association has held strong to its core mission: To promote the turfgrass industry through education, scholarship and research. As we celebrate our 54th anniversary, we eagerly invite you to join us at this year’s Conference and Tradeshow at the beautiful Embassy Suites Murfreesboro. This year’s conference features an excellent education program, a full tradeshow floor, plus our annual awards, recognitions and a keynote address by Jeff McManus, author of “Growing Weeders into Leaders – Leadership Lessons from the Ground Level.”

Dr. Brandon Horvath, University of Tennessee 11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Conlan Burbrink & Rob Grindering, University of Tennessee PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Come Grow with Us,

Turning Weeders into Leaders This engaging and interactive session will discuss novel approaches for motivating turf and landscape maintenance crews to conduct their work with enhanced morale, professionalism, and ownership Jeff McManus, University of Mississippi ANNUAL MEETINGS

Jason Pooler

5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

2019 TTA President

University of Tennessee Student Internship Feature Undergraduate students in the University of Tennessee Turfgrass Program speak about lessons learned managing turfs on internships across the globe.

TGCSA and TVSTMA Annual Meetings

LOCATION

MORE INFORMATION

The Embassy Suites Hotel in Murfreesboro is located at 1200 Conference Center Boulevard, Murfreesboro, TN 37129. You can reach the hotel by calling 615-890-4464.

For more information, call the association office at 615-928-7001, email info@ttaonline.org or visit ttaonline.org.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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CO VER S TORY TUESDAY, JANUARY 7th BREAKOUT SESSIONS Time

Golf Turf

8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.

Time

USGA Year In Review 8:00 a.m. – Learn about the latest issues 9:30 a.m. affecting golf course superintendents in the southeastern United States this past season. Addison Barden, United States Golf Association

8:45 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Dr. Aaron Patton, Purdue University Ryan Cummings, Elcona Country Club

John Wagnon, City of Franklin Moderators: Bill Marbet and Ryan Storey BREAK 9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Renovation of Smokies Park Learn about the recent renovation of Smokies Park, home of the Tennessee Smokies Eric Taylor, Tennessee Smokies

Behind the Scenes Sports Turf Rehab 10:30 a.m. – at Troubador 11:00 a.m. Wear areas are a continual Get a behind-the-scenes challenge on sports fields at look at the construction of all levels. Learn the effective Troubador Golf and Field Club, strategies for rehabilitating a new Discovery Land worn areas on your fields. property in Arrington Dan Bergstrom, Thurston Farrar Houston Dynamo Troubador Golf & Field Club Knowledge is Power An overview of recent changes to the rules of golf that affect golf course superintendents Chad Anderson Allison Brown Tennessee Golf Association

12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Assistants Forum

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Next Level Field Testing at UT Tennessee is home to the leaders in testing the performance and safety of sports surfaces. Learn about the latest tests available and how they can benefit you! Kyley Dickson, Ph.D. University of Tennessee TRADESHOW with Lunch on the Tradeshow Floor AWARDS BANQUET

4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Cocktail Function

5:00 p.m.* – 7:00 p.m.

Award Ceremony with Keynote Speaker

Time

Assistant Superintendent 8:00 a.m. – Leadership Workshop 12:00 p.m. This is an in-depth session tailored for assistant superintendents looking to advance their careers through leadership and professional development

Dan Bergstrom, Houston Dynamo

Ralph Kepple, CGCS East Lake Golf Club 10:45 a.m. – 11: 15 a.m.

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

TJ Derrick, University of Memphis

BREAK The Good and The Bad of Hosting the Tour Championship Learn about the agronomic and pest management practices used in preparation for one of the PGA Tour’s most marquee events.

Time

Baseball Field Management Panel An interactive discussion on the latest cultural and chemical trends used to manage playing surfaces used for baseball at all levels Tom Nielsen, Louisville River Bats

The Role of Performance Data in Golf Course Management Analytics of golf performance are readily available. Learn how these data can help optimize golf course management practices. Dr. Brandon Horvath University of Tennessee

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

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Workshop Equipment Managers Workshop This is a hands-on workshop designed to provide an overview of common issues faced by professionals managing equipment used for turfgrass management. Danny Ford Mountain Top Golf and Light Club

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Golf Turf Titans of Industry Panel “Longevity in the Industry” This panel discussion will feature legendary golf course superintendents in Tennessee discussing how they achieved longevity in the industry.

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David Stone, The Honors Course (retired)

Ryan Storey, Vanderbilt University

Joe Kennedy, The Grove

Eric Taylor, Tennessee Smokies

Jim Thomas, Grassroots

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

BREAK Uncovering the 9:30 a.m. – Architectural History 10:45 a.m. of Your Golf Course An entertaining and informative presentation on how to trace the history of your golf course. Resurrecting the forgotten past can foster pride in the club among members and staff. It can also aid in sympathetic restoration of the layout and assist superintendents in such agronomic practices as tree removal as well as recapturing lost green surface, fairway areas and abandoned bunkers. Anthony Pioppi, Seth Raynor Society Renovation Report Podcast The Superintendent’s Role in Planning and Executing at Successful Renovation There are no mulligans in golf course renovation. Learn about the important role golf course superintendents play in modern golf course renovation Kris Spence, Spence Golf Inc.

Time 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Pesticide Licensing Training for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Pesticide Certification Exam Learn All You Need for the Category 3 Exams Required to be a Certified Applicator in TN Dr. Darrell Hensley, University of Tennessee

Ashley Wilkinson, Horry-Georgetown Technical College

Daniel Ruggiero, Gameday Athletics

Moderator: Chris Sykes

9:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS Sports Turf Time Workshop Irrigation Workshop Growing More Than Grass – 8:00 a.m. – This is a hands-on session How to Grow Your Team 12:00 p.m. Having labor issues? Trouble covering design, install, and with your team? Leading sports maintenance of irrigation field managers in Tennestechnology used for golf courses, sports fields, and see will discuss strategies landscape to reduce chemical they have used to develop their maintenance teams inputs for pest management.

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Moderators: Bill Marbet and Darren Seybold BREAK Bridging the Gap Between Owners and Contractors Interested in constructing or renovating fields? Learn the latest information for experts in athletic field design and construction. Ron Bargatze, Hewlett Spencer, LLC Ryan Moriarity, Sports Turf Specialties Moderators: Bill Marbet and Ryan Storey

Transitioning Nissan Stadium from a Football Field to Concert Venue Stadiums have become multi-purpose venues. See how Nissan Stadium is transformed from a football field to a concert venue Ryan Moriarity Sports Turf Specialties One Field, One Season Practice and play on the same surface? Learn how staff at the University of North Carolina dealt with this situation and excelled Casey Carrick 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.

Take the Exam to Become a Certified Pesticide Applicator in TN Dr. Darrell Hensley University of Tennessee

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Water: Functions, Flow and Forms By Tom Samples, Ph.D. and John Sorochan, Ph.D., Department of Plant Sciences Alan Windham, Ph.D., Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

is estimated that water makes up about 71 percent of the Earth’s surface and that 96.5 percent of all the Earth’s water is salt water contained in the oceans. Only about an estimated 3.5 percent is freshwater, 69 percent of which occurs as ice in glaciers and ice caps. Slightly more than 0.7 percent or 8.6 million acre-feet of the Earth’s freshwater occurs as groundwater, rivers, lakes and streams. Turfgrass industry professionals are very aware that a susceptible turfgrass, a favorable environment and a pathogen with the ability to infect plants are required before a turfgrass disease will develop, and that free water on leaves and optimum temperatures for a certain number of hours are required for most fungal pathogens to cause disease. For example, pythium blight, a common disease of cool-season turfgrasses during hot, humid weather, is especially problematic when the surface of turfgrass leaves remain wet for at least 12 hours, the daytime temperature is greater than 82°F and the night temperature remains above 68°F. Cottony white mycelium is often visible in the morning when the surface of infected leaves are wet after a night of rain or heavy dew.

Pythium disease of tall fescue

This article is intended to summarize how water functions and flows in a turfgrass plant.

Functions Water is essential for seed germination and plant growth, and usually comprises 75 percent or more of the fresh weight of actively growing turfgrasses. Roots contain the least amount of water, and stems the most. Water moves by way of diffusion from the soil solution into root hairs. Once inside turfgrass plants, water helps protect them from sudden changes in temperature. Both organic and inorganic molecules including sugars and essential mineral nutrients move to plant cells in water. An estimated 1 to 3 percent of the total amount of water taken up by turfgrasses every day is required to support internal biochemical reactions in plant cells, and cell division and expansion. Although this amount appears small compared to the total amount of water turfgrasses use, it is vitally important for plant survival. Without water, turfgrasses would not be able to convert

Bermuda miniverde Pythium blight advanced

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FEATU RE STO RY sunlight into chemical energy by way of photosynthesis (6 H2O + 6 CO2 > C6H12O6 + 6 O2). Warm-season turfgrasses have a more efficient photosynthetic system than cool-season turfgrasses. Cool-season turfgrasses need about three times more water than warm-season turfgrasses to produce equal amounts of shoot and root tissue. As much as 600 pounds of water may be necessary to produce one pound of turfgrass dry matter. The uptake of water is crucial for maintaining cell turgidity and tissue turgor pressure, and the turfs’ ability to tolerate wear and recover from the compressive forces of foot and equipment traffic. Water is the source of pressure responsible for the unfolding of leaves and the movement of roots and rhizomes in soils.

Plant leaf cell

Nucleolus Nuclear envelope

Mitochondrion Nucleus Pore

Water Absorption

Vacuole

Soil

Edoplasmic reticulum

The oxygen level in soil pore spaces generally ranges from 0 to 21 percent while the level of carbon dioxide usually ranges from 0.03 to 20 percent or more. The water vapor content in soils may exceed 80 percent. A small amount of oxygen is dissolved in rain or irrigation water. Air is also drawn downward as water moves vertically through the soil profile. As turfgrasses grow, the transfer of water within and among the soil, the plant and the atmosphere is continuous. Most water absorbed from soil takes place in the root hair zone just behind the root apex. The presence of root hairs increases the absorptive surface of the plant root system. The length of the root hair zone varies among turfgrass species, and is affected by the age of the roots and environmental conditions during root development. Root hairs live for only a few weeks before being replaced as roots expand and mature. Root hair numbers decrease with increasing soil moisture. The amount of soil water absorbed by turfgrasses is influenced by root depth and number, the amount of plant-available water, the rates of root extension and transpiration, and the soil temperature. Water is first absorbed at a shallow level and then at successively greater depths as the water supply is depleted. Some water absorption and translocation can occur through a dead root system.

Golgi apparatus

Cell membrane Starch

Plasmodesmata Chloroplast Ribosome

Lipid droplet Cytoplasm Cell wall

Raindrops on tall fescue

Foliage Water in either liquid or vapor form and some foliarly applied nutrients enter aerial shoots of turfgrasses through tiny (< one nanometer in diameter) cracks or transcuticular pores. However, water absorption from leaf and stem surfaces does not generally occur by way of stomates due in part to the presence of waxes. Foliar water absorption is usually more rapid in young rather than old leaves. The size of water droplets may range from 50 (fog) to 500 (extremely coarse) microns. The amount of water absorbed by foliage under ‘normal’ growing conditions is only a minor portion of the total amount of water absorbed.

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FEATU RE STO RY Evapotranspiration Evapotranspiration, or ET, is the process by which water is transferred from turfgrass plants and their surfaces to the atmosphere. It is composed of two actions: evaporation and transpiration. Evaporation is the physical process resulting in a change of water on a plant surface from liquid to vapor. Transpiration is the plant process during which water is evaporated through a series of openings on leaf surfaces called stomates. Sunlight triggers a carbon dioxide control system causing guard cells to expand and stomates to open, while darkness causes guard cells to shrink in size and stomates to close. The amount of water lost by evaporation from the surface of plants is minimal compared to that lost due to transpiration. The conversion of liquid water to water vapor requires 570 calories per gram of water (~259,000 calories per pound). Since energy consumed as water in liquid form vaporizes, evapotranspiration produces a cooling effect. Environmental conditions including soil moisture, wind, sunlight (radiant energy), relative humidity (atmospheric vapor pressure) and temperature affect the rate at which moisture is lost from turf surfaces. The rate of ET is usually low during dark, cloudy days with high relative humidity, low air temperature and very little wind. Highest ET rates occur on hot, sunny days with low relative humidity and moderate to high winds. Fans may be installed along the perimeter of greens located on sites where air flow is restricted in an effort to improve transpirational cooling.

Transpiration Stomatal Transpiration Depending on turfgrass species, the stomatal density most often ranges from 1,000 to 6,000 per square centimeter on the lower leaf surface, and from 4,000 to 10,000 per square centimeter on the upper surface. Although stomates make up only two to three percent of the total leaf area, they are often responsible for as much as 90 percent of the total water lost to the atmosphere by transpiration. The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs through open stomates. Water evaporates from the moist surfaces of mesophyll cells and water vapor moves into intercellular spaces before diffusing along a vapor pressure gradient through the intercellular spaces into the stomatal cavity and eventually to the atmosphere. The stomatal transpiration rate is a function of the vapor pressure gradient. A portion of water being transported from root epidermal cells to mesophyll cells of the stomates is diverted from the main transpirational stream to several types of specialized tissues depending where the water potential gradient exists.

Stomate

Atmosphere Guard cells Boundary layer

Stomatal cavity

Mesophyll cells

Vascular Bundle

Xylem

Schlerinchyma

Perforations in end walls of vessel elements

Pit End walls of vessel elements have deteriorated

Tracheids

Xylem Xylem is the primary water conducting tissue in turfgrasses and is continuous from the root hair zone of the roots through the mesophyll cells of the leaves. Water enters root hairs by osmosis

Epidermal cells

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FEATU RE STO RY and moves in xylem, diffusing through cross walls that may or may not be perforated. Eventually, much of it moves from leaves to the atmosphere through stomates as water vapor. A hydrostatic gradient develops between the evaporation zone of leaves and the water absorption region of roots. Water evaporation results in a decrease in the water potential of the mesophyll cells. This causes water in xylem to move toward the mesophyll cells. This ‘siphoning’ by which water in liquid form is pulled from an area where it is most plentiful to an area where it is less plentiful is referred to as transpiration ‘pull’. Transpiration pull causes water to diffuse from adjacent root cells into the lower regions of the xylem. Both tracheids and vessel elements of xylem are made up of non-living cells.

Phloem

Schlerenchyma cell

Cuticular Transpiration

Sieve plate

Although the majority of transpirational water loss occurs through stomates, some is lost by evaporation through the cuticle of epidermal cells while stomates are closed. The cuticle is produced by epidermal cells and serves as a protective film covering. It consists of polymers of both lipids and hydrocarbons containing wax. The thickness of the cuticular layer has a major impact on the amount of cuticular transpiration.

Vascular Bundles Vascular bundles are long strands of vascular tissue containing xylem, phloem and supporting cells. Vascular bundles of the turfgrass leaf contain the same type of xylem and phloem structure as that of the stem. Most of the veins of a leaf blade are made up of a single vascular bundle, while the leaf mid-rib may contain several vascular bundles. The arrangement of xylem and phloem elements in large veins resemble those of the stem. However, only a limited number of tracheids in the xylem, and very few phloem elements occur in smaller veins.

Sieve tube element Companion cell

Phloem Some water remains in turfgrasses and transports sugar in phloem tissue both upward (acropetal) and downward (basipital). Glucose, sucrose and fructose move from ‘source’ cells into companion cells directly adjacent to phloem sieve tubes. The movement of sugars into sieve tubes reduces the water potential and water is taken up from the xylem by osmosis, raising the pressure potential in the sieve tube. The differences in internal pressure drive the phloem sap along the sieve tube to ‘sink’ cells. As sugars move into sink cells, the water potential in the sieve tube increases and water moves by osmosis back into the xylem.

Snow In addition to buffering turfgrasses from low temperature extremes and dehydration, a layer of snow also limits freezing and thawing of soils and soil heaving. Turfgrass plants may be lifted and roots exposed as soils heave.

Dew Dew forms when the turf surface cools as a result of the loss of infrared radiation to a temperature lower than the dew point of the surrounding air. The relative humidity is 100 percent when the dew point and the temperature are the same. If the temperature drops any lower, condensation will result and water droplets will form. Dragging a hose over bentgrass turf on golf greens in the morning to remove dew is a cultural practice intended to help prevent dollar spot (Lanzia spp.), but can spread the disease if fungi are active.

Guttation Fluid Under certain environmental conditions, water containing plant exudates (guttation fluid) may move through very small openings

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FEATU RE STO RY called hydrathodes located at the ends of uncut leaves. These exudates contain mineral salts, sugars, amino acids and other organic compounds. Drops of guttation fluid may also be the direct result of exudation from freshly cut leaves. Exudation usually occurs when environmental conditions cause rapid water absorption by roots and at the same time restrict transpiration. These conditions produce a rise in root pressure and an elevated turgor pressure at the leaf tip. Leaf exudation occurs most often during the night or early morning hours and is promoted by routine irrigation, high nitrogen fertility and close, frequent mowing. Warm

days followed by cool nights also favor leaf exudation. Tip burn of leaves from a high solute concentration may result when droplets of guttation water evaporate or are reabsorbed by the leaf.

References Beard, J.B. 1973. Water- Chapter 8 in Turfgrass Science and Culture. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. pp. 261â&#x20AC;&#x201C;312. Turgeon, A.J. 1999. The Turfgrass Environment- Chapter 4 in Turfgrass Management (Fifth Edition). Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, N.J. pp. 109â&#x20AC;&#x201C;153.

Dew on bermudagrass

Frozen guttation fluid on bentgrass

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AD V E RTISE R I N D EX

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RD Murphy, LLC........................................... 35 www.rdmurphy.com

Regal Chemical Company.............................. 5 www.regalchem.com

Sigma Organics, Inc..................................... 15 www.SigmaTurf.com

Smith Seed Services.................................... 33 www.smithseed.com

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Smith Turf & Irrigation................................. 21 www.smithturf.com

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Tri-Turf Sod Farms....................................... 43 www.triturfsod.com

Turf Mountain Sod, Inc................................ 12 www.turfmountain.com

Turfgrass of Tennessee............................... 33 Winstead Turf.....................Inside Front Cover www.winsteadturffarms.com

Wood Bay Turf Technologies...................... 37 www.woodbayturftech.com

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 Jefferson City, MO. 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.

TTA • TVSTMA • TGCSA

BUS INESS D EVE L O PM E NT

3 LEADERSHIP STYLES for Leaders Who Want to Grow More Leaders at their Organization By Jeff McManus

“Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and actions” – Harold S. Geenen

you’re looking to grow a leadership culture at your organization, three leadership styles can help you achieve your goal. Think about a time in your life when you really were impacted by an effective leader—someone who cultivated success, effort and productivity. What qualities did this leader possess? It’s safe to say the leader you are thinking about was more than a figurehead. He or she was more likely to be someone who took interest in you and your work. The leader most people think about is someone who knows the job because he or she has done it themselves. They not only know the trade, but also know you along with all of the other employees

in the company. They have a sincere vested interest in you, care about what you need to do your job and build upon your strengths. It is easy to lead from high above your employees, always having the last say, pointing out flaws in production constructively or assigning tasks you would never do yourself. This not only lowers morale but also lowers productivity and success. What does it take to be a good leader? What are the qualities of effective leadership and team building? There are many types of good leaders and styles a leader can practice to make a meaningful impact. Here are three leadership styles that are especially helpful for a leader who isn’t looking to only grow a strong group of team members, but to grow a

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BUS INESS D EVE L O PM E NT strong group of other leaders at their organization. These three leadership styles are motivating and lead to great change for the better. They are a stark contrast from the autocratic leaders of the past who rule by the â&#x20AC;&#x153;because I said soâ&#x20AC;? philosophy. When practiced regularly, these three styles

help build other leaders to help push your company to new heights.

Transformational Leaders Have you ever had a leader who truly inspired you to be the best you could possibly be? This person really built you up

and helped you to use your talents to succeed. If so, you might have been working with a transformational leader. Transformational leaders are often morale-boosting and inspirational. They work with employees to create a common goal that is close to the heart of the company. They have great communication skills, which help to establish core values everyone can take to heart. They work hard at establishing these core values and not only communicating them to the company but also living these values. In other words, they get their hands dirty. When a leader works alongside their employees, the leader sends the message that the core values are very important. Values are constantly instilled through positive reinforcement and building selfesteem. They truly get to know the people who are working in the company and treat them with respect, often asking questions of their employees to assess what the company and the employees want and need to attain success. They also look to everyone to think about what could be done differently. Transformational leaders provide relevant and interesting training. These trainings are often either done by in-house experts who inspire other employees every day or are hands-on and innovative transformational leaders. Finally, transformational leaders are visionaries constantly working toward building a base of strong employees to help reach the next great success. Together, these qualities make transformational leaders especially good at building other leaders.

Coaches Think back to your childhood. Many of the times you accomplished something you never thought possible, it was under the leadership of a great coach. Coaches are not only accessible to the team, but they are a member of the team. They celebrate successes and learn from mistakes. Coaches do this through observation and interactions. They ask questions and show interest to develop a relationship with each team member to build autonomy of players by finding the strengths and providing scaffolding for each person to reach the next 38

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level. Gradually, this method helps every member reach his or her highest potential. The key to this is valuing each person’s individual role in the team’s success. Coaches foster success through team building. They develop plans to train, motivate, and build morale in an adaptive way. Developing each person’s strengths and helping to build them instills great feelings of responsibility and accountability. Coaching will help move toward future goals and gradually build toward them never losing sight of them. Coaches provide the learning and support needed to naturally grow leaders from within.

Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science in Landscape and Ornamental Horticulture from Auburn University and is a PGMS Certified Grounds manager, and Certified Arborist. His message rings true for any industry leader or manager looking to GROW a high-performance and dedicated workforce. Jeff has spoken at Caterpillar Inc, the Biltmore Estates, Leadercast, SRAPPA, Trent Lott Leadership Institute as well as the SEC Ole Miss Athletics. He has also worked with Memphis University, the University of Tennessee, the University of Georgia and private firms in developing their own training programs.

Democratic Leaders In a democracy, everyone takes an active role in decision-making. A democratic leader is an expert in successfully developing ways in which all members take an active role in the direction of a company’s success. These leaders give everyone an opportunity to be heard in a productive way. Democratic leaders value, acknowledge and honor the views of their employees. They delegate responsibilities according to strengths and interest. These leaders open up communication throughout the company. Open lines of communication allow people to feel like they are heard and like they matter. Open communication helps to build creativity and success. Democratic leaders set the stage for company core values but allow for other members to have a say as well. This helps employees to develop a vested interest in the success of the company. A democratic leader listens to what employees are saying. They offer trainings and support based on their team’s specific needs. Democratic leaders create an environment in which employees are comfortable taking educated leaps in the direction of becoming great leaders.

—

Which of these leadership styles do you see most in yourself? One important takeaway is there are many ways to effectively lead. Transformational leaders, coaches, and democratic leaders each have unique qualities, but all help build other leaders within an organization. TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION

FEATU RE STO RY

TIFTUF AT THE SWAMP: LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE By Julie Holt, Content Director, TheTurfZone.com

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

Above: Steve Spurrier-Florida Field Dressed for Game Day

The Swamp. Just the name evokes a visceral reaction from every college football fan in the south. Florida Gators beam with pride at the mention of their legendary stadium. Other SEC teams’ fans may respond with less enthusiasm, but no one can question the fact that Steve Spurrier-Florida Field is an iconic place to play college football. The statistics don’t lie — three national titles, eight conference titles, three Heisman trophies and many winning seasons attest to the Florida Gators’ dominant football program. And for every football team that plays on such a big stage, there’s always an unsung hero, a hero that endures the elements and injury, is pushed to its limits, yet expected to perform week after week, year after year — the turf. Most fans never give it a second thought. Even players and coaches seldom notice this integral part of the game unless it isn’t performing. But turfgrass managers recognize the field as the very foundation of a top-tier NCAA football program. It is this recognition of the importance of playing surface that drives sports turf managers across the country and beyond to seek the most functional and attractive turfgrass available for their sports fields.

A Surprising Find In November of 2018, when Jason Smith, Director of Sports Turf at University of Florida, saw the events calendar for Spring of 2019 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (aka The Swamp), he knew it was time to start planning a field renovation. To accommodate a concert and graduation, flooring would be covering the turf for nearly a month beginning in April. With field renovation on such a large scale looming, he began his research. After researching and narrowing the field to three varieties that might uphold the standard expected of a high-level SEC stadium, Smith made a visit to the university turfgrass program’s research site. Dr. Jason Kruse, University of Florida Assistant Professor and Turfgrass Specialist, showed Smith research plots. Nematodes are a major challenge for turfgrass managers in Florida, so when Smith saw that TifTuf had such a low incidence of nematode growth, his interest was piqued. “The one that really caught my eye was the nematode resistance plot that I saw. It looked like nematodes hadn’t even touched it,” said Smith. “It looked like a control plot. That’s what really caught my attention.” Upon learning of other features of TifTuf — staying green later in the season than other Bermuda grasses, excellent wear tolerance, increased drought tolerance — Smith was certain he’d found the right fit.

The Road to Excellence It is easy to recognize what makes a turfgrass variety a great choice for certain uses, but we rarely get a peek into how that

specific variety came to be. As new cultivars are introduced with increasing regularity, it is important to understand what goes into the making of that brand, especially when the stakes are this high. TifTuf ’s recent explosion onto the warm-season turfgrass scene is unprecedented, and while it may seem like an overnight sensation, many years of evaluation and development went into establishing this variety as a top performer. Developed by the experts in Tifton, Georgia, TifTuf was 20plus years in the making. “It’s important that we studied this in Georgia, but we had bigger plans for TifTuf,” says Dr. Brian Schwartz, associate professor at the University of Georgia and TifTuf breeder (alongside Dr. Wayne Hanna). “It’s very important to do a lot of testing to make sure you don’t release a product that gets out to the public and fails.” After a painstaking breeding and development process, it was clear that this turf would be a great success if it was brought to market properly. Enter The Turfgrass Group, a licensing and marketing company made up of turf professionals. The team at The Turfgrass Group recognized TifTuf as the superior product it is and began implementing their unique strategy to ensure that this variety would provide the exceptional performance it had shown in trials. For the high quality that is demanded at The Swamp, it is essential that the variety chosen perform consistently and predictably under intensive management strategies. That’s where singlesourcing and meticulous crop inspection come in. With its initial release, all TifTuf plant material was sent directly from Georgia Foundation fields to licensed and Certified sod farms, ensuring unprecedented consistency in sod production. A second source was later added in California, a first for any UGA variety. This source continues to follow the rigorous standard set in the eastern U.S., while allowing wider-spread distribution in the western part of the country. Every one of the 60 U.S. sod farms and 42 Australian farms that produce TifTuf get it from one of those two sources, guaranteeing purity in over 6,000 acres of TifTuf grown in the U.S., plus hundreds more in Australia. Prior to planting, a state inspector sees every field and must approve it before TifTuf is planted. The history of the field is reviewed, and if it meets standards, approval to plant is granted. But this is just the beginning of the quality assurance process. Once planted and growing, every square foot is visually inspected by The Turfgrass Group three times per year. “With our continuous inspection of TifTuf, we’re ensuring genetic purity,” says Bill Carraway, VP of Sales and Marketing at The Turfgrass Group. “We’re going to spot anything that’s not TifTuf, but our focus is on off-type Bermuda grasses. At times, it’s like looking for a needle in a stack of needles.” It is this rigorous process that has led TifTuf to success never before seen. It has been licensed to more farms in less time

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION

FEATU RE STO RY May 8 – Flooring is removed after being down for 25 days to accommodate a concert and graduation.

3 June 16 – One week post sod installation

June 10 – Sodding Begins

August 9 – Recovered from the July 26th youth camp, ready for the Gators to scrimmage and practice on.

July 17 – Post-topdressing

Day 5 Rooting

5 July 16 – Pre-topdressing

Rootzone Mix comes in (90% USGA sand / 10% Comand)

Material is taken out. The top 2” were taken out to remove all organics. Another 7–8” were removed to get to clean sand.

7 TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

than any licensed proprietary cultivar in history, and in its first three years in the marketplace has earned recognition in two sports field of the year awards.

Technical Expertise and Superior Product Choosing the right turf is only the first step of many in field renovation. After the sod was removed at The Swamp, material had to be removed to correct the field profile and drainage and to create the best possible foundation for the Gators’ new field. Smith hired Laser Turf to complete the field construction and worked with Pike Creek Turf Farm to get the sod. The looming deadline for having a usable field was the annual youth football camp hosted at The Swamp in late July. Smith and the Laser Turf team worked quickly to ensure the field was bulldozed, leveled, and sodded in plenty of time for rooting to begin and for the field to be ready for action ahead of the 2019 football schedule. Smith has been quite pleased with the performance of the new field. After hosting four home games in five weeks, recovery was excellent and Smith did not plan to rye overseed at the end of the season. “TifTuf has helped with the stadium because of the way that it’s holding up,” says Smith. “After the game, repair is minimal compared to what we were doing. I wanted something that, when you got into the fourth quarter, it didn’t even look like you’d played four quarters.” Smith continued, “I’m just super excited to have this much Bermudagrass this late as a base going into the off season. Where we’re going to be at next season — I’m very excited.” The Gators have confirmed their status as a leader in the fiercely competitive SEC, and every element of the team’s performance is under close scrutiny for the top caliber performance that is expected at this level. While the collective efforts of over 80,000 fans may be called the 12th man on game day, a solid foundation of an exceptional playing surface may just be the ultimate champion.

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T T A M E M BER SPO TLIG H T O N

BART CASH TERRITORY SALES MANAGER AT BUYSOD, INC. TTA BOARD MEMBER

Bart Cash

art Cash’s career in turfgrass began like many others — at a young age he knew he wanted a career that allowed him to be outdoors. As he was finishing high school he began exploring options for college majors that would prepare him for such a job. He considered landscape design, forestry, and even wildlife management. Cash played golf growing up at his small town club and found out that a member’s son had just graduated from Mississippi State’s Turfgrass Management program and was working on a golf course in Texas. Upon learning about this career opportunity, he knew he’d found his path. In 1996, Cash graduated from UT with a degree in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design. He worked at both Holston Hills Country Club and Cherokee Country Club during his time at UT and completed an internship at Colonial Country Club in Memphis. Upon graduation, he accepted the assistant position at Jackson Country Club. During his second year there, the superintendent took another job, and Cash was promoted to that role, where he stayed for eight years. He became a Certified Golf Course Superintendent during that time. Cash had been considering a move to the chemical/fertilizer sales side of the business for about a year when he finally made the jump in 2007. Over nine years, he worked with three companies — Regal Chemical, Agrium, and Helena. Working with those companies and building relationships on that side of the industry led him to the sod business. In 2016, he became a Farm Manager with BuySod, Inc. In that role, Cash oversaw the farm, which included production, harvest, sales, trucking, office staff and anything else needed to maintain the farm. As the company grew and added more managers, it became apparent that a reorganization would benefit the company and

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

Bart with wife Angela and sons Noah and Jacob

each individual farm. Cash’s assistant stepped up into the role of Farm Manager, and that’s when Cash moved into his current position as Territory Sales Manager, where he focuses on growing revenue through sales and installation. Cash says he especially enjoys the diversity of his job. “I can be in the board room of a home builder in the morning and meeting with a golf course at lunch about an upcoming project, then walking the fields with the farm managers in the afternoon all on the same day.” In reflecting on the challenges of the job, he says they mirror industry-wide challenges: labor shortages and trucking regulations. “It seems to be more difficult each passing year to find enough dependable employees to fill the positions needed in our industry.” This can especially be a challenge at BuySod’s Nashville farm, where off-season staffing is around 15, but at peak production that number can double. “It’s a hard job, and many workers are choosing positions that are indoors and less physical.” Cash says there’s one lesson he learned the hard way. “Early in my career I thought I needed to be at the course or work seven days a week to be successful. I think it is very important to stay balanced and delegate. It empowers the people you are bringing up and sets a better example as they grow in their careers.” Cash

himself says he’s had mentors along his path that he keeps in touch with and asks for advice. It’s this give and take that inspired him to serve on the TTA Board. “Being part of the association fills the gap,” he says. “There’s a lot of new information out there, and I like to say I got my second degree from TTA.” Cash says the educational events offered by TTA have been a tremendous benefit for him, and he hopes that as a board member, he can give back by being part of the growth and direction of the organization. When he’s not working or contributing to TTA plans, Cash stays plenty busy in his free time as well. “I do love playing golf, but my game is suspect at best,” he says. “I have two boys, so most of our weekends are running them around with sports, which I really enjoy.” Cash and his wife, Angela, have been married for 17 years and their sons are Noah, 14 and Jacob, 11. In closing, we asked Cash what advice he’d give people entering the turfgrass industry now. He said, “It was a gold rush of golf back in the 90s when I was in school and coming out. Turf programs were pumping out students and it wasn’t IF you would find a job, but WHERE. Assistants’ tenures were much shorter as new courses were being built and superintendents were moving around to build resumes. I would say be patient and stay persistent and take advantage of every network opportunity available.”

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION

NASHVILLE BUILDER CHOOSES TIFTUF FOR NEW NEIGHBORHOOD T

op national home builder Beazer Homes has selected TifTuf bermudagrass as the turfgrass for the Herrington neighborhood in the Nashville market. This selection comes as a result of the need for not only attractive lawns, but also exceptional drought tolerance. Current drought conditions and water restrictions in the area highlight the need for a highperforming turf. TifTuf bermudagrass was developed by the University of Georgia’s renowned turf breeding program and was released in 2016. Since then, it has been quickly adopted by turfgrass managers from sports turf to golf courses and home lawns to commercial spaces. TifTuf requires 50% less water than fescue and 38% less water than other Bermuda grasses. This will save millions of gallons of water for property owners and is a sustainable choice for the environment. Beazer Homes is the first builder in the Nashville area to make this selection for an entire neighborhood. Homeowners are sure to appreciate the fall color retention, excellent wear tolerance and reduced irrigation needs provided by TifTuf. TifTuf is a certified turfgrass variety and can only be grown by licensed sod farms to ensure consistent top-notch performance and appearance. BuySod is the licensed sod grower providing TifTuf to Beazer Homes and the Herrington neighborhood.

About Beazer Homes USA, Inc. Headquartered in Atlanta, Beazer Homes (NYSE: BZH) is one of the country’s largest homebuilders. Every Beazer home is designed and built to provide Surprising Performance, giving you more quality and more comfort from the moment you move in — saving you money every month. With Beazer’s Choice Plans™, you can personalize your primary living areas — giving you a choice of how you want to live in the home, at no additional cost. And unlike most national homebuilders, we empower our customers to shop and compare loan options. Our Mortgage Choice program gives you the resources to easily compare multiple loan offers and choose the best lender and loan offer for you, saving you thousands over the life of your loan. We build our homes in Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. For more information, visit beazer.com, or check out beazer.com on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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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UPGRADE TO FIRST CLASS 38% Less Water Greater Fall Color Retention

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Tennessee Turfgrass - December/January 2020

Articles inside

Nashville Builder Chooses TifTuf for New Neighborhood

TTA Member Spotlight on Bart Cash

TifTuf at the Swamp: Laying the Foundation for Excellence

3 Leadership Styles for Leaders Who Want to Grow More Leaders at their Organization

Water: Functions, Flow and Forms

Tennessee Turfgrass Association 54th Annual Conference & Tradeshow

Chapter Delegates Meeting 2019

Let’s Talk About the Weather!

An Eventful Season

TTA Conference will be upon us soon!

Congratulations!

What a Ride