Rockbottum CC welcomes Oscar The Yellow Lab to the TurfNet family.
Meet Oscar in this short film that also questions the credibility of internet science.
Most people are already well aware of several areas that landscaping is used for the common good. Most landscapes are interested in planting trees, shrubs and flowers in order to support their surrounding ecosystems. Landscaped areas, certainly including golf courses and sports fields, are well known for their ability to decrease pollution and other environmental benefits. The mental well-being of visitors and patrons can be much improved by exposure to the natural environment we all work in and
Andrew Hardy is one of my favorite communicators in the world of turfgrass. Drop in on a great and personal conversation with me and Andrew as we turn some stones!
Online dating for Superintendents? Check. GrassGoober Catfishing? Check. Owners causing the business grief? Check. Andrew and I get to a bunch of great conversation. If you don't know Andrew this is one of those people you need to know. Check out his Blog here or follow him on twitter @byandrewhardy
And don't forget to follow
The best minds of TurfNet have recently converged on the AGCS/Workforce problem facing golf, determined to offer a solid solution.
High-powered brains like Chris Tritabaugh, Dave Wilber, Brian Nettz, Matt Leverich, Ken Thompson, Brian Benedict and his ownself, Peter McCormick, have all stepped into the fray.
With the sharpest minds we have working hard to create a productive dialogue, it's only fair we should allow the dullest mind to weigh in . . . sort of a neural counterbalance.
A long-standing axiom that is consistently noticed by knowledgeable sports fans and beyond states that established NFL coaches have the equivalent personal skill sets as Fortune 500 Company CEOs.
Accordingly, in this hypothetical world, it is believed that proven NFL coaches are equipped to successfully manage the worlds most dynamic companies given the same preparatory educational opportunity the CEOs have had.
Informed golf industry watchers familiar with the above premise consistentl
This is going to be the second installment in a series that I meant to finish a couple of years ago (I can't actually believe that it has been that long). The irony of this delay will soon become very evident.
The second demon that we are going to deal with is a sly one indeed. Most times this behavior becomes so habitual that we don't even notice that we partake at all. It can cause untold amounts of worry and anxiety, and can tear at the fabric of our confidence. Many of us that have this
In October, the FAA announced a drone operator had been fined $1.9 million for "reckless" operations.
Drones will now be registered, so the FAA will know who to send to Gitmo when some doofus flying a drone in restricted airspace knocks down an airliner.
I know this is entirely possible, because for several years prior to the birth of the stabilized quadcopter, I experimented with various remote control (RC) aerial camera platforms. As a registered doofus, (RD) I crashed them all, into
In this episode of Frankly Speaking, I chat with Professor Scott McElroy of Auburn University about herbicide resistance concerns for golf turf management and annual bluegrass control in particular.
To download this episode, click here.
Join me and Armen Suny as we take a deep dive into the world of job searches and job interviews.
Episode 10 of The Turfgrass Zealot Project is not short on passion. Both Armen Suny and I really want you to succeed in your career goals. Handling the job search and the job interview is key to making that happen. Learn some incredible techniques and be reminded of some very simple things that could put you in the position you want to be in. There's a lot of mistakes being made out there
Released in 2007, the next film in our Ten Years of Rockbottum Film Festival won The Gardner Award, the turf equivalent of an Oscar for Best Picture.
"Stress Relief" dealt with the struggles involved in managing golf course operations while attempting to maintain health, sanity, and contact with family.
The film has a different feel than current Rockbottum films, mostly because our modern production pace calls for shorter, more frequent projects. We try hard to synchronize with the
by Greg Wojick, Playbooks for Golf
In my last guest column for TurfNet, I wrote about the role of the assistant superintendent and the need for superintendents to consider rethinking their approach to hiring and retaining these essential contributors to their operations.
When I suggested that superintendents work to retain their assistants with training to "work smarter, not harder" and that they provide greater rewards in pay and benefits for their efforts, I predictably received push
Two guests appear on this episode of The Turfgrass Zealot Project.
Chris Tritabaugh is the superintendent at Hazeltine National Golf Club, host to the 2016 Ryder Cup. Chris shares his ideas about work and life and how he handles his staff and the hours required to do his job at a very high profile place.
Scott Hess is Executive Vide President/Human Intelligence at SPARK, one of the world's leading Marketing and PR firms. Scott talks about Generational Science and the Millennial Generatio
In this episode of Frankly Speaking I chat with Professor Bruce Branham from the University of Illinois about organic and synthetic nitrogen and the role each might play in development and persistence of organic matter. How this might influence your fertilizer program and the long term impacts on soil health.
Frankly Speaking is presented by DryJect and Turfline/True-Surface.
The content of this blog message is extensive. But this might be the only time a reader will have access to a concise presentation on the subject of "How To Start A Business" - something superintendents should prepare for in case the desire/need arises later in their careers.
Superintendents should always be mentally prepared to start a business at an appropriate time in their careers for the following reasons:
Course operators are hesitant to assure superintendents employment beyond thei
A few days ago, I went deep into the quiet, heavily forested mountains* of Appalachia to escape the technological cacophony of modern life. While I was there, I made a wish . . . or two.
*Note: If you are a forest and mountains person, I wish you would read my book, Eephus The Terrible. TurfNet's own Matt Crowther reviews it on Amazon.
Following are examples of myths that have plagued golf course superintendents for a long time:
MYTH: Employers don't mind when superintendents manipulate budget data from one line item to another without notifying anyone so long as the bottom line stays the same...
Wrong! Guaranteed at least one person up the chain of command on either the committee or staff side will notice because there are "budget hawks" within every administration who like to nail superintendents with something to ad
Jim Koppenhaver, president and founder of Pellucid Golf Inc., has been bringing independent and often sobering data and data analysis to the golf business for the past 20 years. He has been among the very few voices of reason in an industry historically dominated and driven by large organizations and often unreasonable agendas and objectives.
What's wrong with the golf industry? How to fix it? How do superintendents fit and factor in? Listen as Jim lays it all out.
To download th
Episode 8 of the TZP showcases one of the industry's most unique and wonderful personalities, Jon Kiger of TurfNet.
This spirited and wonderful chat showcases Jon's enthusiasm for TurfNet and for the industry as a whole. His spirit is infectious and everyone he meets enjoys their relationship.
I spend a bit of time talking about relationships as well.
The Turfgrass Zealot Project is sponsored by Klingstone. Proven Bunker Performance for 15 years.
"You can't expect solutions from the people whose best thinking caused the problem in the first place."
Albert Einstein
In another of our tragically overlooked short films, Buddy explains Point #3 of Fixin' Golf. This film was not originally scheduled as part of the Ten Year Anniversary Rockbottum Film Festival, but circumstances* dictated we release it again.
*Note: Apparently I irritated a couple of the Alphabet Elite types with my simplistic and inexpensive solutions to golf's cur
Join Dave Wilber as he talks with Pat Sisk, CGCS, about the history and caretaking of Milwaukee Country Club.
Milwaukee Country Club is one of those places. It has history and character. Patrick Sisk commands the helm and does it well.
Learn about the selection process, bringing in Tom Doak's Renaissance Golf Design. And Pat talks about the support that the club gives in the way of a long term green chairman.
If you ever wondered how "they" do it, here is a chance to hear how.
This title might lead you to think I'll be writing about how I am filling a position that is all I ever expected out of a career. I am, but this blog is not referring to exactly that type of dream job. This post has to do with an actual dream I had recently.
In this dream I was touring a golf course as part of professional development for Drury University. During this dream trip, I heard about many interesting efforts and approaches to some grounds tasks. Once awake, I considered what struck
Following is a series of little known insights that, once adopted, can help advance superintendents careers.
It Is far easier to get hired at top-of-the-line clubs than many think: Because it is not widely known that Search Committees at the top-of-the line clubs generally limit the number of job applications they will accept to fill vacant superintendent positions to less than ten because by so doing they will be better able to focus on and identify the better candidates.
Furthermore, jo
Our Film Crew at Rockbottum Country Club operates just like our golf course crew: Skeletal.
Everyone is cross-trained in several disciplines, on both sides of the camera, in order to keep things affordable and efficient.
In this Rockbottum 10 Year Film Fest entry, we highlight Dave, our audio tech, actor, stunt coordinator and occasional writer.
