HOLE NOTES
HOLE NOTES The Official Publication of the MGCSA V. 60, #2 April 2025
4 20 26
PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE
NIKK DICKERSON
AARON CABANAW 8
EM COMMITTEE INTROS
EQUIPMENT MANAGERS
FROM THE SECOND CHAIR
CHLOROTHALONIL CHANGES
ERIC BURKNESS, MDA
ROLL IT FORWARD
MATT MOSSO
GET TO KNOW ‘EM JIM SNELL FROM THE HIGH GRASS CHRIS AUMOCK
UMN: HACKING WINTERTURF WATKINS & RUNCK
Cover: Bearpath GCC
Above: Manitou Ridge #17
Board of Directors
President: Nikk Dickerson
Vice President: John Cameron
Sec/Treas: Jason Scharfencamp
Ex-Officio: Mike Sonnek
Director: Wade Huesman
Director: Kyle Stirn
Director: James Westendorf
Affiliate Director: Adam Lesmeister
Affiliate Director: Jay Yonak
Executive Director: Chris Aumock
MGCSA
PO Box 2028
Maple Grove, MN 55311
Hole Notes (ISSN 108-27994) is digitally published bi-monthly, 6 issues per year, by the Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents’ Association, PO Box 2028, Maple Grove, MN 55311. Chris Aumock Publisher. Please send any address changes, articles for submission, advertising and concerns to chris@mgcsa.
Here We Go Again!
Another season is upon us, and we’ll be up to top speed before we know it. Spring is one of my favorite times of the year— not just because I make my own maple syrup, but because it marks the return of things growing on the course.
Every spring, we start the year by burning all of our native areas—or at least we try to. In recent years, I
haven’t always been able to complete all of these burns because things have been too wet as the snow melts.
But this year, we caught a bit of a dry spell right after the snow cleared, which allowed us to successfully burn all of these areas. It always amazes me how quickly things green up after a burn. With the new season comes new beginnings—not just for the course, but for our
teams and the fresh ideas we’re all ready to try out.
I mentioned in the last issue of Hole Notes that one of the reasons I enjoy winter is the chance it gives us for networking and continuing education. After 20+ springs on the course, you realize every season has its similarities— but they’re never the same. Each one brings its own set of unique challenges.
Faribault Golf Club
Another aspect of the start of every season is the return of the long hours that we all know too well. Sometimes being a good spouse or parent can take a back seat to the grind of the season—I know it has for me at times in my career. I encourage all of you to know your limitations and carve out
time for the much-needed R&R. I haven’t always been great at this myself, but I’ve come to learn how important it is—not just for us, but for the people who support us.
Many of us probably haven’t been open long enough or cutting enough grass yet to know what
this year’s challenges will be—but they’re out there, looming, just waiting to strike. All we can do is sit back, enjoy the ride, and be ready for whatever comes our way.
Here’s to a great spring. I’m looking forward to seeing what this season brings.
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MEET THE MGCSA EQUIPMENT MANAGER COMMITTEE
AUSTIN WRIGHT, CTEM
DID YOU ATTEND ANY SECONDARY SCHOOL?
• Certified Turf Equipment Manager in 2022 through GCSAA
• Automotive Technology at Washburn Institute of Technology
• Golf Course Management at Kansas State University
WHERE DO YOU WORK?
Hazeltine National Golf Club
Private Golf Club
18 hole – Championship Golf Course
10 hole – Short Course w/Putting Course
Maintenance Facility Built in 2004
WHAT GOLF COURSES HAVE YOU WORKED AT?
• Hazeltine National Golf Club
- Equipment Manager
• Sand Valley Golf Resort
- Grounds Complex & Equipment Manager
• Bellerive Country Club
- 100th PGA Championship
Equipment Volunteer
• Country Club of Leawood
- Equipment Manager
Primarily Toro Equipment
- Mowing Equipment, Utility Carts, Specialty Machines
Other Equipment
- Massey Tractors, Salsco Roller
- Small Tools: Toro 60v Electric, Stihl 2-cycle Equipment
• Professional Turf Products (Toro)
- Service Technician
• Lawrence Country Club
- Assistant Superintendent & Intern
• Baltusrol Golf Club
- Turfgrass Intern
• Torrey Pines Golf Course
- 108th US Open Turfgrass Volunteer
• Colbert Hills Golf Course
- Turfgrass Intern & Crew Member
HOW
MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE GOLF/TURF INDUSTRY?
18 years in the golf industry.
WHY DO YOU ENJOY BEING AN EQUIPMENT MANAGER?
I love being able to see every sunrise and being part of an elite team. I strive to perform my role to the best of my ability. There is no better feeling than being able to see all your hard work come to fruition. Every day is different in the world of an Equipment Manager, so it keeps me on my toes.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR JOB?
Keeping up with continued education and staying up to date with the new technology within the golf industry. As the Equipment Manager, it is up to me to know and understand the equipment, so I am able to set up the machines and train the employees at the highest level.
WHAT TOOL DO YOU WISH YOU HAD IN YOUR SHOP?
I would like to have a MIG welder, please.
WHAT
ARE YOUR HOBBIES?
Being a dad of two girls (5-years-old & 4-month-old), keeps me pretty busy at the moment. I also enjoy golfing when I am able and watching racing of all types. If it is loud and fast, count me in!
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE EM COMMITTEE?
I want to continue to lift the Equipment Manager position within the golf industry. I am grateful for the amazing mentors I’ve had throughout my career that always kept me involved with GCSAA. I feel it is my responsibility to help build up the next generation of leaders, just as others did for me early in my career.
WHAT
IS YOUR ONE “MUST HAVE TOOL”?
Personally – Leatherman Wave & Flashlight Professionally – Prism & Macroscope
MEET THE MGCSA EQUIPMENT MANAGER COMMITTEE
TANNER KNUDSEN
DID YOU ATTEND ANY SECONDARY SCHOOL?
• Marine and Small Engine Repair at Alexandria Tech and Community College
WHERE DO YOU WORK?
North Oaks Golf Course
18 Hole, private golf club
New maintenance facility in 2025
Majority Toro fleet for Mowers
• Fairway, Triplexes, Rough mowers, Sprayer
WHAT GOLF COURSES HAVE YOU WORKED AT?
• Brookview Golf Course
• North Oaks Golf Club
Other Equipment
• Ventrac w/finish cut mower and rough cut attachments
• 1 - 7500-D zero turn articulator
• 1 - Frost Kubota sprayer
• 2 - Turfco torrent blowers and 2 Turfco top dressers
• 2 - Tru-Turf Rollers
• Foley 673 and 653 Grinders
• I occasionally help out on weekends in Red Wing at their golf courses, Mississippi National Golf Links and Red Wing GC.
HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE GOLF/TURF INDUSTRY?
8 years in the golf industry.
WHY DO YOU ENJOY BEING AN EQUIPMENT MANAGER?
I love being a tech, because it is never the same thing every day. Being on a golf course so that you’re able to enjoy the labor of your work by watching people enjoy their free time is amazing.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR JOB?
My biggest struggle is the turnover for part time employees. Getting people trained in on how you want them operating equipment. Having them get the hang of it, just to have them leave after 4 months to most likely not come back it hard.
WHAT TOOL DO YOU WISH YOU HAD IN YOUR SHOP?
I would like to have a lathe and mill in a shop to be able to create bushings and other parts.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?
I have three kids under the age of 8, running around with them is my main hobby. When my wife is nice enough to let me go off on my own, I play golf and hunt as well.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE EM COMMITTEE?
I joined with the goal of building the EM community around the state. This career is very niche to what we work on and to what we are doing daily. We can all work together to build this up and to help our neighbors, some of which don’t know that you’re there.
WHAT IS YOUR ONE “MUST HAVE TOOL”?
A ratcheting 5/8ths wrench. Having a majority of Toro for a fleet, having the ratcheting 5/8ths wrench is a life saver.
MEET THE MGCSA EQUIPMENT MANAGER COMMITTEE
CHAD BRAUN
DID YOU ATTEND ANY SECONDARY SCHOOL?
• Diesel and Truck Technician, Dakota County Technical College
WHERE DO YOU WORK?
Town and Country Club
18 hole, Private Golf Club
Established in 1888
Maintenance Facility Built in 2009
Primarily Toro Equipment, with Yamaha utility vehicles, Deere Tractors, and
WHAT GOLF COURSES HAVE YOU WORKED AT?
• Town and Country Club
- Equipment Manager
• Prestwick Golf Club
-Equipment and Facilities Manager
• Erin Hills Golf Course
-117th US Open Equipment
Technician Volunteer
Turfco specialty machines.
- Foley 653 and 673 grinders
Other Equipment
- Echo 2-stroke equipment
- CAT tracked skidsteer and excavator
• Hazeltine National Golf Club
-41st Ryder Cup Equipment Technician Volunteer
• 8 years in the Commercial Lawn and Landscape equipment industry before coming to Golf.
HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE GOLF/TURF INDUSTRY?
28 years in the golf industry.
WHY DO YOU ENJOY BEING AN EQUIPMENT MANAGER?
I enjoy the variety of work we do as EM’s, seeing the results of our work displayed on the golf course, and being part of a team of passionate co-workers.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR JOB?
Balancing the demands of properly maintaining the equipment fleet and addressing unexpected issues that arise.
WHAT TOOL DO YOU WISH YOU HAD IN YOUR SHOP?
Air Conditioning
WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?
I enjoy spending time at my lake property in Northern Minnesota, ATV riding, and snowmobiling.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE EM COMMITTEE?
It’s been a longtime goal of mine to build our EM community to expand educational opportunities and create methods of networking to help share knowledge amongst EM’s and technicians across our organization.
WHAT IS YOUR ONE “MUST HAVE TOOL”?
Pocket flashlight and screwdriver
MEET THE MGCSA EQUIPMENT MANAGER COMMITTEE
TYLER LEWELLYN
DID YOU ATTEND ANY SECONDARY SCHOOL?
• Hennepin Technical College, Eden Prairie. MMST Program; Marine, Motorsports and Outdoor Power Equipment
WHERE DO YOU WORK?
Spring Hill Golf Club,
Private Limited Membership Club
Maintenance Facility Built in 1998
Mixed Fleet
Toro Walk Mowers, Rough Units, Sprayers
Jacobsen Fairway Units
E-Z-Go Utility Carts
WHAT GOLF COURSES HAVE YOU WORKED AT?
• Bluff Creek Golf Course
• Deer Run Golf Club
• Spring Hill Golf Club
• Halla Greens Executive Golf Course
Smithco, Turfco, Hahn Specialty Equipment
Foley 653 Reel Grinder, 673 Bedknife Grinder
Echo Handheld Equipment, Stihl Chainsaws
John Deere Tractors
• The Links at Northfork
• Cedar Creek Golf Course
• Ashland Golf Club
HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE GOLF/TURF INDUSTRY?
12 years in the golf industry.
Learn more about Tyler in the February 2025 issue of Hole Notes“Roll it Forward.”
WHY DO YOU ENJOY BEING AN EQUIPMENT MANAGER?
I enjoy the equipment. I enjoy troubleshooting, repairing, and watching the quality on the course it provides. The equipment is very specialized and there is such variety. The industry sees anything from a string trimmer to a dozer. From sharpening sod knives to Reels, it is something new nearly every day.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR JOB?
Finding the work-life balance. There is always something to do at the course but the kids don’t stay young forever.
WHAT TOOL DO YOU WISH YOU HAD IN YOUR SHOP?
A TIG welder would be phenomenal.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?
When I am not fixing other equipment outside the golf course or operating for Midwest Deep Tine. I enjoy everything outdoors with my 3 kiddos (4, 6 and 8 Year Olds). Camping, Hunting, Fishing and Bonfires.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE EM COMMITTEE?
I got involved because I see a need to grow an EM Community and help educate technicians. My time as a service technician I got around to a lot of courses and met a lot of Equipment Managers. It just feels natural to bring them all together.
WHAT IS YOUR ONE “MUST HAVE TOOL”?
Pocket Flashlight, Streamlight Stylus Pro USB
WATCH FOR MORE E.M. CONTENT IN FUTURE ISSUES OF HOLE NOTES
Equipment Manager Shop Talk
Thank you to our host Equipment Manager, Tyler Lewellyn, our MGCSA EM Committee members, and all of our attendees for helping us to expand our EM support efforts!
TYLER LEWELLYN
Spring Hill Golf Club
TECH TIPS
I learned this trick a while back from a fellow technician. When it comes to Golf Lifts, the tray always slides forward when loading equipment, here is a solution to that. You weld a 5/16th chain hook to the lift arm and the tray on both sides. Then you cut 5/16th chain the length of the arm fully extended. When you load equipment, you can count the links and set the proper distance without it ever moving. I also painted some links in a different color and have started a list of equipment that fits that color of link. This makes putting equipment on the lift a breeze.
Sauk Centre Winter Outreach
Thank you to our NW Outreach Host, Joel Maleska, for supporting our final winter 24/25 education event. We had another successful season of networking and education for our members. Thank you to Jon Trappe from the UMN, and Mike Busse and Ben Johnson from Van Wall Equipment for providing this winters content, along with all of our winter event sponsors: Van Wall, MTI, Par Aide, Plaisteds, Irrigation by Design, Syngenta, Frost, Clesens, Reinders, Heritage PPG, Norby Golf, and PBI Gordon.
From the Second Chair: Building a Career That Fits
By: Aaron Cabanaw Inver Wood Golf course
Not long ago, I was a finalist for a superintendent job. The interviews felt great, steady positive feedback, strong conversations, and a real sense that I was the right fit. I could already see myself stepping into the role. So, when the call came and it wasn’t an offer, it stung. It would’ve been easy to sit with that disappointment, to wonder what I could’ve done differently. But instead, it gave me a reason to pause and reflect. I realized I’d become too focused on chasing the next title and not focused enough on appreciating the path I was already on. That experience reminded me of something that’s easy to forget, you don’t need
someone else’s validation to know you’re on the right track.
In this industry, it can feel like you’re always looking sideways. You see peers land superintendent jobs, watch younger assistants move up fast, and start asking yourself whether you’re falling behind. But careers in golf course maintenance aren’t meant to follow a single path or a set timeline. Everyone’s story looks different. The key is figuring out what makes sense for you, then staying true to that.
A few years ago, I left a private club and took a position at a municipal facility.
It raised some eyebrows, after all, private clubs carry a certain reputation. But for me, it was a decision based on the bigger picture: family, work-life balance, and the kind of impact I wanted to make. The stability and long-term opportunity at a muni outweighed the “status” of the private side. And the truth is, I’ve never regretted it. Too often, we let outside voices shape our idea of what success should look like. But the only opinion that really matters is your own, and maybe a few people close to you who truly understand what you value. At 37, I’ve come to terms with being what some might consider an “older” assistant. I’ve been in the mix for superintendent roles, and I trust that the right fit will come when the timing lines up. I’ve learned there’s no perfect timeline in this profession. The best time to explore new op-
portunities is when you’re grounded, when you still have energy for the work in front of you. That’s when you make smarter, more intentional decisions, not out of urgency but out of alignment.
Some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned came from just watching how experienced superintendents handled pressure. Whether it was dealing with member expectations, budget constraints, or curveballs from Mother Nature, those moments became teaching tools. Being an assistant gives you the gift of obser-
vation, you get to see leadership in action and figure out what kind of leader you want to be.
Looking back, each step in my career has taught me something important. I’ve worked under solid leaders who showed me how to navigate challenges, manage turf through extremes, and lead teams through busy seasons. Those experiences have shaped who I am. No single job defines a career, it’s the combination of roles, relationships, and lessons that really build something lasting. We all start somewhere different,
and there’s value in every stop along the way. Still, comparison creeps in. Social media makes it tough. It seems like every other week someone’s announcing a promotion, a new course, or a career move. I’ve felt that twinge of self-doubt too. But what we don’t see are the full stories behind those updates, the setbacks, the tough transitions, the sacrifices. Like Marcus Aurelius said, “It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own.” It’s a solid re-
minder to stop chasing approval and keep our attention on what matters most. What’s helped me is focusing more on what I bring to the table. Every assistant has strengths, some are dialed into agronomy and love solving turf problems, others shine as motivators and leaders, and some thrive on logistics and planning. Sure, being well-rounded helps, but knowing your strengths, and leaning into them can really set you apart. Long-term success often comes from depth, not just breadth.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t push yourself to grow. But chasing every skill or role just to keep pace with others can burn you out. Instead, set your own targets. Learn from the people around you, but don’t measure your progress against theirs. Make career moves that fit your life and values, not just your resume. When you do that, you’ll notice a shift, you stop feeling behind and start feeling confident in your direction.
I used to think legacy was tied to job titles or course reputation. Now, I think it’s
more about how you show up every day, the relationships you build, the people you mentor, and the pride you take in the work. That’s the stuff people remember. That’s the stuff that lasts. There’s something powerful about feeling content and driven at the same time. Success isn’t always about racing to the next job title. Sometimes it’s about staying where you are, getting better every day, and building a life you’re proud of. So, keep your eyes on your own road. Stay steady. And when the right door opens, you’ll be more than ready to walk through it.
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Ventrac Mj840 contour
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POTENTIAL CHANGES TO PEST MANAGEMENT FOR TURF AND ORNAMENTALS: UPDATES ON THE CHLOROTHALONIL REGISTRATION REVIEW, POTENTIAL
ALTERNATIVES TO CHLOROTHALONIL, AND PFAS
ERIC BURKNESS, MDA RESEARCH SCIENTIST
Interim Registration Decision Update:
(Source: EPA Chlorothalonil Interim Registration Review Decision Case Number 0097)
With the recent Interim Registration Decision for chlorothalonil from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it seems
likely that significant changes to labeled use rates for turf and ornamental chlorothalonil products will occur. However, until the Interim Registration Decision becomes final, any changes to the label language or use rates could be different from what’s discussed here. Below is an update on potential use rate changes as well
as suggested alternative active ingredients to chlorothalonil that may be useful in continuing to provide effective integrated disease management for turf and ornamentals. Potential rate changes for chlorothalonil use based on the interim registration review decision for non-vulnerable soils are provided in Table 1.
Table 1. Potential maximum annual application rates by use site (non-agricultural uses) for non-vulnerable soils
Use Sites Non-Ag
On vulnerable soils, labeled rates for Turf (Sod, Industrial, Athletic Fields; Golf Courses) will be an annual maximum of 6.2 lbs a.i. / ac. To address
potential groundwater contamination and drinking water risks, EPA has identified that maximum annual application rate restrictions are necessary
for all outdoor uses of chlorothalonil in areas where soil is vulnerable. Vulnerable soil is described as having all three of the following characteristics:
o The soil texture of the application area is comprised of over 50% sand, loamy sand, or sandy loam soil as defined by USDA’s soil classification system without a restrictive layer that impedes the movement of water through soil. If you need to determine soil texture, see USDA’s Web Soil Survey, which may be found here: https://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/; and
o less than 2% organic matter content; and
o the water table occurs at a depth of 30 feet or less from the surface
If the soil does not meet all three criteria, then the soil does not qualify as vulnerable soil and the vulnerable soil maximum annual application rate is not applicable. Putting greens constructed to USGA or California green specifications, or constructed as push-up greens, do not have the same vulnerability to groundwater leaching as soils considered in the EPA’s model for vulnerable soils. Therefore, the nonvulnerable soil maximum annual application rate of 45.2 lbs a.i. / ac can be used for these style greens.
While less common, some putting greens are not constructed in any of the aforementioned formats. The maximum annual application rate for vulnerable soils is necessary for any putting green that is not a California Green, USGA Green, or push-up green.
You may also see the following label language about determining organic matter content and soil texture: “Supplemental Recommendations for Determining Soil’s Organic Matter Content: If you
need to determine the organic matter content of your soil to confirm soil vulnerability, do so before applying chlorothalonil. To obtain a representative soil sample for soil testing, take a composite of several soil samples collected throughout the intended application area. Ideal soil sampling depth varies depending on use site. Consult local extension publications for additional information on recommended soil sampling procedures and soil testing methods. Annual, or more frequent, soil testing for organic
matter provides more accurate soil characteristic identification.”
“Supplemental Instructions for Determining Soil Texture: If you need to determine soil texture to confirm soil vulnerability, see USDA’s Web Soil Survey tool which may be found here: https:// websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda. gov/app/.”
Additional information related to the interim registration decision for chlorothalonil use
on turf can be found at the EPA publishes final chlorothalonil Interim Registration Review decision link from the GCSAA advocacy website.
Alternatives to chlorothalonil: (Source: EPA Chlorothalonil (PC Code 081901) Usage, Pest Management Benefits, and Impacts of Potential Mitigation for Turfgrass and Ornamentals) Potential chemical alternatives to chlorothalonil, which
display the most similar characteristics and benefits, are those with multi-site modes of action (MOA) belonging to FRAC Group M. These include mancozeb, captan, and copper-based compounds. See upper panel of Table 2. Two other multisite fungicides, thiram and ziram, are currently registered, but the EPA has proposed to cancel turf and ornamental uses (EPA, 2022a, 2022b).
The Biological and Economic Analysis Division (BEAD) identified fluazinam, pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB), fludioxonil, iprodione, thiophanate methyl, and fungicides
in the DMI, QoI, and succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) chemical groups (Table 2, lower panel) as potential singlesite MOA active ingredients that control diseases targeted by chlorothalonil in turf, ornamentals, and conifer use sites.
Table 2. Conventional Fungicide Alternatives to Chlorothalonil and Target Diseases in Turf, Ornamental, and Conifer Use Sites.
Table 2. Conventional Fungicide Alternatives to Chlorothalonil and Target Diseases in Turf, Ornamental, and Conifer Use Sites.
Fungicide Active Ingredient or Chemical Group
Diseases Key: DS = dollar spot; A = anthracnose; LSB = leaf spots & blights; RT = red thread; R = rust; SM = pink snow mold; Al = algae; FSB = flower spots & blights; PM = powdery mildew; CB = conifer needle & twig blights; NC = needlecasts.
Risk of Resistance Key: L = low; M = medium; H = high; NS = not significant. Efficacy Ratings: x = reported as effective against target disease (>80% control); LE= limited effectiveness (50-80%) or limited published data on effectiveness; blank spaces signify fungicide is reported as not effective or not used against target disease.
Sources: Clarke et al. 2019, UGA 2021, MSU 2020, Rutgers 2012, Williams-Woodward 2017.
Non-chemical methods for the control of diseases targeted by chlorothalonil include various cultural and mechanical practices which cannot be considered as true alternatives, but rather as complementary practices to chemical disease control methods which form part of IPM programs; either in the presence or absence of chlorothalonil. In turf use sites, nonchemical disease control practices include planting
genetically resistant varieties, employing good mowing practices (e.g., mowing at optimal heights, decreasing mowing frequency, not mowing with wet turf), turf rolling, maintaining good irrigation schedules and proper drainage, maintaining adequate fertilization schedules, managing thatch, topdressing, and minimize foot traffic (Clarke et al., 2019; Elliot and Harmon, 2018).
New potential active ingredient: (Source: EPA Announces Proposed Registration of New Pesticide Florylpicoxamid)
On January 16, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its proposed registration decision for three products containing the new active ingredient florylpicoxamid, a broadspectrum fungicide that can be used on food
crops and golf courses.
Florylpicoxamid targets several fungi that cause damage and financial loss, including: Cercospora leaf spot of sugar beet, anthracnose diseases, Septoria leaf blight of barley and wheat and dollar spot on turf.
Florylpicoxamid is expected to be a useful addition to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, as it can be used in rotation with other fungicides to reduce potential resistance in crops and turf. IPM provides an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest control by focusing on prevention and using pesticides only as needed. An additional consideration for florylpicoxamid: Under Minnesota law (see information below on new PFAS laws in MN), it would be considered a perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance, or “PFAS”, and is subject to additional requirements for registration in MN.
Next Steps
After considering public comments on the proposed registration and the draft effects determinations, EPA will decide whether the registration action meets the standard for registration under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. If EPA determines that the registration action can be granted, the registrant would then need to have each product registered in Minnesota before sales and use could begin.
PFAS Update:
According to Minnesota Statute, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or “PFAS,” are a diverse group of fluorinated organic chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom. These synthetic substances are known for their water- and grease-resistant properties and are widely used in both agricultural and non-agricultural
applications. PFAS are extremely stable and do not break down readily in the environment. Because of this, there are significant concerns about how the use of PFAS-containing products can contaminate the environment and affect human and animal health. Research efforts to address these concerns are underway, both nationally and within Minnesota. For more information, visit the MDA PFAS website PFAS and Agriculture in Minnesota | Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
In 2023, laws were passed in Minnesota (MINN. STAT. Chapter 18B.03 and MINN. STAT. Chapter 18B.26) regulating pesticide products that contain intentionally added PFAS. One of the new laws requires pesticide registrants to inform the MDA if a pesticide product contains intentionally added PFAS. Registration of pesticide products that contain intentionally added PFAS will be cancelled according to the deadlines
laid out in statute unless the use of PFAS in the product is determined by the commissioner of agriculture to be a “currently unavoidable use.”
MDA Registered Product Prohibition Timeline
On January 1, 2032, sale and distribution of all products (pesticides, fertilizers, soil and plant amendments, and agricultural liming products) with intentionally added PFAS will be prohibited unless the product is statutorily exempt, or the product
meets the definition of “currently unavoidable use” by the MDA.
Criteria to Determine Products Affected (For more information visit Products with Added PFAS | Minnesota Department of Agriculture):
• The MDA is still in the process of developing criteria to determine which pesticide products will fall under the definition of “cleaning product”, “currently unavoidable use”, and “intentionally added” based on the statute definitions.
• All pesticide “currently unavoidable use” decisions will be product specific. Us ing information provided by registrants, the MDA may consider the following information when making a determination for a product.
o If the product contains intentionally added PFAS
o If the use of PFAS in a product is essential for the health, safety, or the functioning of society
o If there are reasonable available non-PFAS alternatives
o How the PFAS may prevent or minimize potential pest resistance
o Whether there are potential human health and environmental impacts of alternative products
Clarke, B.B., Vincelli, P., Koch, P., Munshaw, G. 2019. Chemical Control fo Turfgrass Diseases 2020. Available at: http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/PPA/PPA1/ PPA1.pdf. July 2022.
Elliott, M.L., and P.F. Harmon. 2018. Turfgrass Disease Management. University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Available at: https://edis.ifas.ufl. edu/ublication/?downloadOpen=true
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2022a. Thiram Proposed Interim Registration Review Decision Case Number 0122. Available in the public docket: https://www.regulations.gov/document/EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0433-0091. July 2022.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2022b. Ziram Proposed Interim Registration Review Decision Case Number 8001. Available in the public docket: https://www.regulations.gov/document/EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0568-0058. July 2022.
Michigan State University (MSU). 2020. Michigan Christmas Tree Pest Management Guide 2020. Available at: Michigan Christmas Tree Pest Management Guide 2018
Rutgers. 2012. Disease Control Recommendations for Ornamental Crops, 2012. Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. Available at: Disease Control Recommendations for Ornamental Crops, 2012 (Rutgers NJAES). November 2021.
University of Georgia (UGA). 2021. Georgia Pest Management Handbook. Available at: https://extension.uga.edu/programs-services/integrated-pest-management/ publications/handbooks.html. December 2021.
Williams-Woodward, JL. 2017. Chapter 5. Disease Control. In: Southeastern US Pest Control Guide for Nursery Crops and Landscape Plantings. Available at: https:// content.ces.ncsu.edu/southeastern-us-pest-control-guide-for-nursery-crops-andlandscape-plantings. November 2021.
Elk River, MN • 763.441.1100 www.plaistedcompanies.com
GOLF
Topdressing Sands & Mixes
Our Sands meet USGA guidelines and are available with green pigment. Custom mixes can be blended for your individual needs using our 4-bin computerized Accublender.
Bunker Sands
Our bunker sands are always washed and screened. Choose from:
•Plaisted Bunker Sand Natural Tan
•Plaisted Pro Bunker Sand Blend Natural Tan
•700 Best Signature 100% Crushed Off White
•900 Best Signature 100% Crushed White
Golf Construction Sand Mixes
Our mixes all use USGA sand and a combination of fine grade peat and screened black dirt. Chose one of our popular mixes or we can custom blend one.
•USGA Coarse Gravel - A great bridging rock used as a drainage layer.
•Construction Sand & Peat Mixes - 50/50, 60/40, 70/30, 80/20, 85/15, 90/10
•Construction Sand & Black Dirt Mixes - 50/50, 70/30, 80/20
•Construction Sand/Peat/Black Dirt Mixes - 1-1-1, 60/20/20, 70/20/10, 80/10/10
Cart Path & Road Base
•3/8” with fines river rock
•Class II buff limestone or red rock
•Class II, III, IV crushed granite
•Class 5 gravel
•Recycled concrete, crushed asphalt, conbit
Bagged Products
•Dry topdressing sand
•Dry tournament topdressing sand
•Dry green topdressing sand
•Dry early-green black topdressing sand
•Dry 70/30 green divot mix
IRRIGATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN YOUR HANDS. NOW IT LITERALLY IS.
MINNESOTA GOLF COALITION & DAY ON THE HILL
Above Left: Breakfast and instructions
Above: Rep. Danny Nadeau with Kyle Stirn, Adam Lesmeister, and Tristan Gust, MGA.
Left: The Allied Golf Community meeting recently held at Office Golf, with representatives from the MGA, PGA, CMAA, MWGCOA, MGCSA, First Tee, and the 3M Open.
The Minnesota Allied Golf Association once again spent a day at the Capitol in February, advocating for golf’s issues in Minnesota.
Over the last year, we have been working closer
together to create more meaningful collaboration and develop long-term objectives for golf in Minnesota. The result of that is the Minnesota Golf Coalition. This is a working group that began with representatives from the MGA, MN PGA, CMAA, MWGCOA, and the MGCSA. After our recent meeting, we have asked the First Tee MN and 3M Open to join our conversations.
From our discussions, we
crafted the educational tool below, the MN Golf Handbook. This document highlights the positive effects golf has in Minnesota. It is meant to be a tool for industry stakeholders, all of us, to help educate our facilities, our golfers, and our communities. This message should be consistent amongst all regions, and we believe this handbook will support positive
discussions about golf. We left these on the desk of our legislators after each meeting, leaving a greater impact behind.
So what do you do with this? Share it! Send it to anyone in your crew or club, who is a part of the broader golf industry. The message of golf should come from those inside the industry, and we want to spread the positive realities of our industry to
more Minnesotans. The long term success of golf in Minnesota is better discussed as a whole. When golf is strong, we all benefit. Both our negative perception and positives promotion will be supported through this collaborative group. The MGCSA will continue to lead as we collectively pursue objectives that will support golf and our turf practices throughout the state of Minnesota.
ROLL IT FORWARD
Matt Mosso Superintendent Manitou Ridge Golf Course
Thank you Tyler Lewellyn for Rolling it Forward to myself. Tyler has been so helpful in the last year helping us out at Manitou Ridge with equipment, grinding and anything else we may need assistance with.
I had just returned home from my first semester of college at the University of Central Oklahoma in 2010 to find my parents weren’t too happy with my financial decisions. With them
putting me in my place and telling me that I need to get a job, I started looking around. I had worked for a landscaping company in high school in which I really enjoyed. I wasn’t stuck in a building all day and I was able to enjoy the summer weather. I wanted to do something that pertained to being outside and enjoying the outdoors. The flip side is I still had a 15 hour credit load and club hockey at the university to go along with
it. It was busy but at the time, but that’s how it had to be.
When I had returned to school in late December, I applied for many jobs but one position stood out and that was with the City of Edmond. They were looking for a part-time maintenance employee for their city course, Kickingbird Golf Club. At the time I thought, “I play golf, not good just a hacker. I also
thought wow, didn’t know this could be a career for someone.” Let’s not forget about the free golf. That was another nice perk. It looked interesting so I applied and received a phone call a day later. Brad Jolliff, the Golf Course Superintendent called me in offered me the job and haven’t looked back much since. If I didn’t take that job, I don’t know what I’d be doing right now. I give Brad a lot of credit for offering me the job and giving me a chance in an industry that I didn’t know much about.
That summer of 2011 I
worked so much and loved being out on the course that my love for hockey went by the wayside only training on the ice three times that whole summer. I was eventually cut from the team in the fall of 2011 but in the end, I think it was one of the best things that happened to me. Not playing hockey also made me more available to work during the school year.
As I was looking for transfer options I was hoping to stay down in Edmond and attend turf school at OSU-OKC while working at Kickingbird but that
didn’t pan out. Instead I transferred to Saint Cloud State University to continue pursuing my Physical Education degree. Something wasn’t right. I missed working at Kickingbird and being at the course. It pretty much was my life in Oklahoma.
At the end of the fall semester, I decided to take the Spring off from school and work two jobs. Eventually I transferred again in the Fall of 2013 to Anoka Technical College. While at the tech, interned at Edinburgh USA and North Oaks Golf Club. Working for Tom Fischer at Edinburgh USA, they had Duinnick come and renovate the old bunkers to Billy bunkers. I think taking another internship at North Oaks was a great learning experience for me working
under Brian Boll and Chris Aumock. Both were excellent and I would encourage students reading this to have more than one internship under their belt. That led me to my first year-round position at the Links at Northfork working for Jay Yonak(Superior Turf) in the fall of 2015. I spent three years there working with Tyler Lewellyn(Spring Hill CC), Tyler Meyers(Links) and Jake Schubel(Golden Valley CC). I loved my time there. The card games at lunch, the fantasy football league which we have an in-person auction draft. It’s great to see people that I had worked with from years past that I might not see very often, if at all.
off the golf course for a few years until 2020 when I worked at Keller Golf Course for Paul Diegnau, Brett Wenzel and Scott Knutson. (By the way, happy retirement Paul and Scott!)
It opened up an Interim Superintendent spot at the Ponds for six months as Ramsey County planned to shut the course down indefinitely after September 12, 2021.
In 2018, I had moved on to work in Ramsey County Parks which took me
The following summer in 2021 the union bid planted me out in the northwest parks in Ramsey County until the then superintendent at The Ponds at Battle Creek, Justin Zimmerman moved to a different position within Ramsey County.
I ended up as the interim and did I get a brutal awakening to say the least. The two wire irrigation system kept me at work many times past 5pm. I was able to work out the kinks with some help from Justin and Rob Adams(former and first PBC Superintendent).
I learned a lot about myself that summer. There were stressful times but all in all it was great. I just wish golfers could enjoy the course and practice facility today. Unfortunate that it had to go.
After the 2021 season I went on to Three Rivers working under Bill Vollbrecht. It was a split position so I worked at Hyland Hills and Glen Lake Golf Course as a Greenskeeper. After a brief time there I eventually ended up as
an assistant at Chomonix Golf Course the next year for Jeff Werling. I was there for two years until I had received a phone call to possibly become the superintendent of Manitou Ridge.
I have been at Manitou now for one year and like where the direction the golf course is going. We have made some great improvements to the golf course and with the renovation in the Fall of 2025, we are excited about the
changes up ahead. Forward tees, new irrigation, new bunkers and cart path extensions/rebuilding cart paths are some of the key improvements happening in 2025. My assistant, Shaughn Erickson has been on the maintenance staff since 1982, has helped a ton as far as knowledge of the course. Our equipment manager TJ Pagani is a workhorse. He always wants to improve the course anyway he can whether it’s in the shop or out in the field. They both
have been remarkable to have.
I’m glad I looked into this industry back when looking for part-time jobs in college. Not taking that position at Kickingbird Golf Club means I probably wouldn’t be writing this today and who knows what I would be doing. Definitely would not be teaching Physical Education, that’s for sure. I’ve developed so many great relationships and have met many great people. The golf industry is
one of the best. I’m looking forward to many years ahead!
I can’t finish this article without giving a lot of credit to my wife, Lindsay. She helps out anyway she can and takes on much of the kid responsibility during the summer. Having two wonderful children, Lauren and Hudson, she has made my time in the summers stress free; being able to stay late if needed or whatever comes up at the course.
Well I think I’ve written a little too much about myself. Now it’s time to roll it forward to our next colleague. It’s funny I think I have worked more with this person on ice maintenance and ice resurfacing machines than at a golf course but he’s spent close to the last 20 years at Goodrich Golf Course, majority as an assistant. He comes over every fall to Manitou to help us punch greens. Without further ado, Scott Weik you are on clock!
ASSISTANTS PRO FORUM
WE FILLED THE ROOM AT X-GOLF WITH NEARLY 60 ASSISTANTS!
THANK YOU TO OUR VENDOR PANEL, INTERLACHEN GM, JOEL LIVINGOOD, OUR HOSTS AT X-GOLF, AND ALL OF OUR ATTENDEES AND SPONSORS FOR ANOTHER SUCCESSUL ASSISTANTS EVENT!
GCSAA Symposium Team Building Review
Jason Scharfencamp
Pebble Creek Golf Course
MGCSA
Secretary/Treasurer
How Well Do You Know Your Staff?
At the recent GCSAA Leadership Symposium, Scott Luan’s presentation on “Building a Stronger Team” gave me a whole new perspective on that question. His session introduced two simple ways to deepen connections with your team.
The “Inner-View” Technique
Scott shared a method he called the “Inner-view.” It is designed to help you truly get to know your team members.
As someone who’s naturally shy, I was surprised how quickly it helped me connect with another attendee—on a real, personal level.
The concept boils down to asking a series of meaningful questions. When I returned, I tried it with my assistant. Despite working together for nine years, I learned things about him I’d never known. These are the questions he presented, but you can certainly adapt them to your needs if you decide to use them:
• Where did you earn your first paycheck?
• Where did you go to school?
• What are some achievements you’re proud of?
• What are some obstacles you’ve overcome?
• Who has mentored you in your life or career?
• What is your vision for the next few years? Long-term?
• Summarize their responses to show you are listening and to help retain the info.
What Motivates Your Team?
Scott also led us through an exercise of ranking workplace motivators on a scale from 1 to 10. It was eye-opening to see how differently people ranked each one, and a great reminder that each person is driven by different needs.
Effective leaders recognize and adapt to these differences. If you’re curious about your team’s motivators, I’ve created a quick Google Form you can use: tinyurl. com/teambuildsurvey
Topics to rank:
• Appreciation for good work
• Possibility for promotions
• Feeling “in” on things
• Job security
• Help with personal problems
• Good wages
• Interesting work
• Loyalty of management to workers
• Tactful discipline
• Good working conditions
GET TO KNOW ‘EM
JIM SNELL Golf Course Superintendent Bearpath Golf & Country Club
YEARS IN THE POSITION: YEARS IN TURF INDUSTRY:
Westchester CC, Minikahda, Denver CC, and Spring Hill.
CONCERNS FOR THE TURF INDSUTRY: HOW DO WE GET STUDENTS INTO TURF?
30 - huge, wide fairway landing zones
Fairways are Penncross, Greens are 007. Tees and approaches are Dominant Extreme.
How expensive things are, and when is it going to get to a point where members, invididuals can’t afford to play golf. Budgets these days are very eye opening. Whats going to get cut or lost, with the expectation of playing conditions today.
The online flexibility, they can have a job and go to school online. Getting that experience in the field is great. Flexibility in scheduling, and giving them more responsibility. I give them a lot of responsiblity, if they think we need to do this or that, I try to put them in a position to be a couple steps ahead. Also, communication and transparency.
MASTER PLAN WANT:
The irrigation system, its the original from 1994. We have done some new pumps, which is nice. We’re getting new guts, VFD’s this week. Our heads are 30 years old, so they aren’t spinning, they break, its mostly just heads that aren’t working properly.
OTHERS?
ANYTHING DIFFERENT OR UNIQUE YOU DO THAT COULD BENEFIT
We have a team in the mens league, so every week our asisstants get paired with a group of different members, so they can have those conversations. It keeps us out in front of the member questions. We also only work every 4th weekend. It gives them that flexibility of time off in the summer. The expectations are jhigher M-F, but we are making sure the weekends are easier for each of us.
EQUIPMENT WANT:
Ventrac, for the versatility. We have a lot of wetlands to mow down, we do by hand now. Just the versatility to pull pipe, stump grinder, snowthrower, little things like that.
HAVE YOU MET A CELEBRITY?
FAVORITE VACATION SPOT?
We partner with the VIkings, so we get some tickets from them. I’ve got to have conversations wth Kevin O’Connell. Last year we were on field at the Arizona game, and him and Justin Jefferson came over and we got to talk about the golf course briefly.
Mexico, Playa Mujeres. We got married there, and we’ve taken our kids there two times now.
FAVORITE MEMORY OR FUNNY STORY STARTING YOUR TURF CAREER?
FAVORITE TASKS:
LEAST FAVORITE TASK:
HAVE YOU PLAYED ANY FAMOUS COURSE? WHO IS IN YOUR FOURSOME?
At Westchester Country Club, the first two days I didn’t know how to drive a stick shift, or spray greens. I just remember the east coast mentality, of sink or swin and figure it out. The 2nd day in we’re spray hawking greens, and I had no idea what was going on. A week in, your on the sprayer alone and you’re just going.
Mowing or rolling greens.
Digging irrigation holes.
Just played in Palm Springs and Tradition, PGA West, where they played the American Express.
For sure Tiger, Lebron, and Snoop Dogg.
WHATS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE
YOU’VE RECEIVED IN YOUR CAREER THAT STILL RESONATES WITH YOU?
Not necessarily one thing, but my time at Spring Hill and learning under Tim was so valuable, from everything about being professional, the flexibility, having that all around business professional mindset. That good husband, father figure, where now its come full circle where I do the majority of the parenting in the off season. Just overall, being professional.
Listen to the full conversation with Jim on the HOLE NOTES PODCAST! Available on many of your favorite podcast sites!
UMN RESEARCH
HACKING
AWAY AT WINTERKILL
Eric Watkins and Bryan Runck, University of Minnesota
The winter of 2024-2025 proved to be another data collection success for the WinterTurf project. Over 70 environmental sensing nodes were deployed on golf courses across the world, with 19 in Minnesota (Figure 1); these units recorded air and soil temperatures, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other environmental parameters all winter long.
As you can imagine, this ends up being a lot of data to handle. The initial challenge for our team was to design the nodes and then get them deployed on golf courses. Our next challenge was to make sure the data was getting from the golf course to our database, and then making sure the data was accurate. Now that we can check those two tasks off as complete,
we turn to making sense of all this data. How can we leverage all this data to learn about winter damage on golf greens?
Funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has allowed us to assemble a solid team of researchers, many of whom have no prior turfgrass research experience, which means we’ve spent considerable
time getting the computer scientists acclimated to the nuances of turfgrass management and the turfgrass scientists aware of what new data and machine learning methods are capable of. This process took a while but has created a collaborative environment in which a
number of questions are being investigated, some of which we hadn’t considered when the project started.
To accelerate the process of discovery from the expansive WinterTurf dataset, we had a “hackathon”. Hackathons are
common in computer science where groups of people come together to solve a specific set of problems through coding over a short one- or twoday event. In our case, we used two days of intensive interaction between computer scientists, plant physiologists, and plant
Figure 1: Locations of golf courses where superintendents have collected data for the WinterTurf project. Credit: Bryan Runck.
Figure 2: Researchers from the U.S. and Norway gathered virtually at the WinterTurf hackathon in March 2025. Photo credit: Paige Boyle.
breeders to develop new research questions, identify the specific evidence that a turfgrass scientist would need to answer the question, and the specific computer science and statistical methods available to use given the existing WinterTurf USDA dataset (Figure 2).
The group developed a total of 36 research ques-
tions that we then ranked based on the perceived importance of the results for turfgrass managers, the data availability, and the technical complexity to answer the question. Both turfgrass specialists and computer scientists scored every research question to be sure that the highest impact and most feasible to execute research questions would
be selected.
The result was three top-priority research questions that then received the majority of the hacking time. These analyses will give us some great information about what is going on in the field.
To really dig deeper and understand how grasses
are dying in certain winter environments, we’ll need to pair these findings with results from research studies from our research facility in St. Paul or in labs and growth chambers. For example, our data set might result in a finding like “when annual bluegrass is encased in ice and carbon dioxide levels are above X part per million for more than Y days, there is a 90% chance the grass will be dead at the end of the winter.” What this isn’t able to tell us is the carbon dioxide gas exposure level (exact number of days at gas concentration X) that will kill the grass-if we knew this, we’d be able to use the sensor data to predict when the annual bluegrass is at risk, and the turfgrass manag-
er could then take some action (break up the ice, etc.).
To address this, for the past two winters, the UMN turfgrass team has been developing methodology that will allow us to take samples of annual bluegrass out of ice-encased plots at regular intervals to determine plant viability and then pair that information with continuous carbon dioxide and oxygen monitoring. This approach should give us a good idea of the ice encasement environment that puts annual bluegrass at risk.
As with any research endeavor, it is possible that our plans won’t work out like we hope. Based on progress to date, though,
we are confident that we will learn something important about winter stress damage of turfgrasses on golf greens, which will give turfgrass managers better options for reducing the chances of major winter kill events. This project is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Specialty Crop Research Initiative under award number 2021-51181-35861. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.
RETURNING OCT. 7, 2025!
Expanding the impact of Northern Green with an annual event OUTDOORS!
Visit exhibitor booths, operate equipment, and participate in interactive and hands-on events happening throughout the day. Get your in-season questions answered as you connect with colleagues and forge valuable connections.
WHAT TO KNOW NOW:
1 SAVE THE DATE! October 7, 2025
2 SAME VENUE!
Aldrich Arena + Grounds (1850 White Bear Ave, Maplewood, MN 55109)
3 FREE PARKING!
There are large parking lots onsite, and overflow parking across St. Paul Rd at Woodland Hills Church.
4 LUNCH IS PROVIDED!
MGCSA NEW MEMBERS - Mar/Apr 2025
Dominic Wehmhoff Ruttger’s Bay Golf Class A
Mark Luckhardt Turf Rehab Affiliate
David Gustafson Minikahda Club Class C
Paul Filippi Little Falls Golf Course Class C
Sam Amundsen Minneapolis Golf Club Class D
Kyle Bohm Three Tees Golf Course Class B
Barr Blubaugh Tianna Country Club Class B
Ron Rebrovich Regency Wire Affiliate
Wade Vanderlinde Chaska Town Course Class C
Ethan Verdegan The Loop at Chaska Class C
Jack Kelley Hazeltine National Student
Cayden Oltman Inver Wood Golf Course Student
Jon Sederlund Indian Hills Country Club Class C
Natalie Anderson Moorhead Country Club Class C
FROM THE HIGH GRASS
NEW MEMBER PROGRAMS AND UPDATES
Lately, you may have noticed some volatility in the markets. From the MGCSA perspective, we are still in strong standing, as we continue to adhere to our long-term investment approach. With that, we are still able to offer innovative programs and opportunities, or expand on existing ones further. That is what I want to discuss this month, the unveiling of our new and updated member value programs!
First some reminders, applications for our third year of the Stewardship Grant Program are now being accepted. Find the registration form here, and make sure you register for your chance at a few dollars for your golf course improvement projects.
Next, our Par Aide Garske and Legacy Scholarship applications are also now available. Have your child or grandchild complete the application to help support
their college efforts next year. The application can be found on the website under our About-MGCSA Scholarships page.
Ove the last few years, the MGCSA was able to expand our financial support for staff attending turf education programs. We have supported approximately $10,000 each of the last two years for turf education, above the annual Garske and Legacy awards! That has been
a mix of programs like Rutgers and UW-Madison, to the Great Lakes School of Turfgrass Science. The Board of Directors (BOD) is excited to continue this additional offering, while we still have the available funds. To further support these efforts and more membership levels, we will see this financial support opportunity expanded to now include Equipment Manager education programs and GCSAA certification. Now, your EM’s or future EM’s can get assistance from the MGCSA to further their career opportunities.
With the GCSAA certifications, MGCSA will help support members pursuing CGCS, ASCS, EMCP, and CTEM certification programs. These programs highlight the professionalism and knowledge that our industry carries, and we are excited to provide better support for member growth opportunities. As
our industry gains more knowledge, we build more credibility amongst the general populations. Every step we take to build up our industry, our profession, will be value added and well earned down the road.
The BOD has continued to find new ways to reinvest into our membership, and as a group, we are eager to promote these new initiatives, and hope that our members will want to engage with these new opportunities.
Going along with that idea, we will also be introducing a new Member Travel Support Plan for GCSAA Conference and Trade Show (CTS) and volunteering for Tournament Support. These will be limited opportunities to get members engaged with the CTS, primarily those who haven’t been there before or not in a while. The tourney support is for those who wish to pursue volunteering nationally at a golf event, but whose course may not support those efforts. There will be an application process to determine each year’s recipients.
More information on all these newer programs and updates will be shared in the coming weeks.
Over the last few years, our member and vendor support has been especially strong. So much so that we have seen steady growth, and after we wrap up our dues renewal process (hopefully in the coming days), we will see our member number well over 600! A number we have not firmly hit before.
On behalf of the BOD, I want to say thank you to all of our members, our partners, and all our advocates, for the continued support and promotion of the MGCSA! We are approaching our 100-year anniversary in 2027, and it is with great pride that we can say we are still strong, still relevant, and still growing!