The first day of scientific papers at the Turfgrass Science Division (C-5) is reserved for graduate student research presentations. Many of these bright folks are standing up in front of their scientific peers for the first time. I sat for over 7 hours listening to the latest in turfgrass research in 15 minute snip-its (that is the allotted time each presenter is given). It was GREAT!
Presentations ranged from bio-informatics (using molecular techniques to decipher plant responses) and herb
I'm inspired by Frank Rossi's latest TurfNet blog post today wherein he talks about being a Turf Geek.
I am. I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter to a lot of people. Certainly being very much into turfgrass has been misunderstood for as long as anyone has ever tried to grow or manage the turfgrass animal. And when I was bitten by the bug, sure has hell, no one (and I mean no one) understood me. There was a constant questioning of why I would even care from just about everyone in my life.
Tu
I am away from Cornell for the next five days in Tampa, FL at the Tri-Societies Meetings, i.e., Agronomy, Crops and Soils. This meeting will be attended by more than 5,000 scientists and professionals interested in the SCIENCE of crop production. You may wonder, what the hell are you doing at a meeting of Agronomists, aren't you in Horticulture?
I figure if I have a Ph.D., I have got to be a MAJOR turf geek!
Yes in NY, and when I was in WI, and many other states Turfgrass Science is i
I like to go places, see things and meet people. I just hate the process of getting there and back.
How much do I hate it, notably airline travel? Let me count the ways... I hate time inefficiency. I hate waiting around. I hate delays, mechanical or weather or otherwise. I REALLY hate missed connections and cancelled flights.
I hate a whole day to get somewhere, another whole day to get back, and then another day to recover from the process.
I hate being herded like cattle. It's i
I was lucky enough this past week to sit in on a wonderful discussion with a good friend and former professor of mine. Based on the title of this post you might think that we were discussing weight loss, but you could not be further from the truth. The talk itself revolved around those unexplainable moments in our lives, often referred to as 'thin moments', when the barrier between our everyday reality and a larger, more universal reality is shattered. Something cracks through the haze of our ev
Walter Hayduke, the newly elected Green Chair at Rockbottum CC, returned from the TurfNet Bandon Dunes Trip, convinced he had witnessed the future of golf.
Walter was so enthused by what he saw at Bandon, he became a Speedy Golf Evangelist and rewrote the Rules of Golf and the Rockbottum CC Employee handbook on the bus ride home.
Speedy Golf is now mandatory for all Rockbottum employees and Ludell was forced to produce the following training video explaining how golf can now be properly
I have 18 or 19 years worth of newsletter columns hanging around in my archives, so I thought I'd dust one off every once in a while, as some are timeless...
Our industry seems to have gone to the dogs in recent years. Border collies, various retrievers and even an occasional stray have become course staples for goose control, often turning into key crew members and companions in the process. Perhaps it was Greg Stent's poignant essay on his beloved canine companion Ted (Superintendent New
Before we begin, a disclaimer on resume advice: Everyone has an opinion on what should be included on a resume, and there's not necessarily a right or wrong approach. If you give your resume to someone for review, they will always come back to you with their own take on what should be highlighted or changed. My recommendations are not the only way to go, they are merely observations and thoughts specific to our industry and how it relates to resume content. It is important is to study the differ
In this week's news show, the Rockbottum CC expert news analysts have issued a warning for Ash Borers and golf management company CEOs with quirky ideas:
Stop.
Buddy returns, we put forth a Rockbottum Apology for twisting important name pronunciation and also included in this week's segment . . .
The Brilliantest TurfNet Forum Quote of the Week and another gem from SuperProblems on Twitter.
I have a sense of elation over aerification.
New technology and new thinking seems to be flowing into these efforts and the results are really good. Exceptional in fact.
Here's what I'm seeing that has me so excited.
1. Pre-invasion strategy. More than ever before conversations with turfheads have a lot to do with what they can do before an aerification event. Fertility, carbon inputs, stress reduction measures, growth regulator timing and anything you can think of to create recov
It's time for a spooky story about golf maintenance and if you are the first one to name the scariest part of the following horror video, I will personally buy you a beer at the Beer & Pretzels party.
Many turf managers ask us for a suggested "smart board" setup for crew training, assignments and other uses at their facility. A smart board is a digital device used to display information to your crew. Essentially, you use your office computer or tablet tied to a projector or TV in the crew room area. There are many different ways to do this, but for the purpose of this post we are going to show you one of the easiest, cheapest, and most versatile setups. For around $500, you can get set up wit
A long-time TurfNet member got 'the news' from his club last week. (I almost started off that sentence with "another" rather than "a", hopefully not a harbinger of a trend.)
He had served that club for 33 years, the last 30 as superintendent.
No recent mistakes, turf loss, malfeasance or other gruel for the axman. Quite the contrary, in fact, with a multitude of projects (including a multi-year renovation) successfully completed. He had just been awarded a larger than usual performance
Even though Buddy disappeared while on Night Waterman duty* and hasn't been seen in weeks, Rockbottum CC remains on top of the looming water issue with news and irrigation tips.
*Note: Our upcoming Halloween segment will reveal what happened to Buddy in lurid detail.
(I've had the pleasure to work with both great and awful green chairmen. This summer, I'm calling it the Summer of the Noobie. And so, in Wilber Fashion. Time to write an open letter.)
Dear Mr. Green Chairman,
Do you, sir, really understand your job as Green Committee Chairman?
How in the world did you get so little direction for this position when given it? Please tell me that you passionately accepted this position with the understanding that it may be the most important committee
If you're reading this, you know that online technology has allowed us in the turf industry to share good things like tips, tricks and maintenance practices. But it can also impact your ability to retain your existing position or get that new job. How you craft and manage your online presence can be a boon or a bust to your operation and career.
FACEBOOK A hotly debated issue of late is companies asking prospective hires for access to social media such as Facebook, or to like the company or
"My happiness grows in direct proportion to my acceptance, and in inverse proportion to my expectations." Michael J. Fox
Over the weekend I had an interesting chat with my sister-in-law. She was reflecting on the malaise of her generation (she is 28) and how it relates to job prospects and general quality of life. The conversation eventually swung around to the topic of expectations and how they are directly linked to contentment.
Her basic premise was that people who trundle through
Welcome to The Interchange, a new resource to help you keep your fingers on the pulse of the latest trends in career development and industry technology as they affect the golf course industry.
Over the past several years, a growing number of people have contacted us at Playbooks for Golf for guidance on how to best utilize communication technology to advance their careers. We thought about starting a blog on our own site but the opportunity to reach so many more on TurfNet was too good to
The annual roar or core cultivation equipment is well underway, albeit often later these days than just 5-6 years ago. This will be an especially busy year cultivation-wise as there was widespread turf loss from the "days of hell" across the country this summer. The mantra of "what you do now benefits you next season" is what drives this activity.
I contend that when we adapt IN-SEASON with regular "venting" for gas exchange (poke), brushing to alter canopy structure (brush), and light topdr
This week we have a special guest post from our own Jon Kiger...
I seem to be especially hard on deck shoes. Maybe it's the Georgia climate that lends itself to wearing them year round, but I seem to go through a pair in about a year. A few months ago I sprung for a pair from a company that has an airtight guarantee of satisfaction. Those shoes started to come apart at the seams and they had me return them 'no questions asked' for a repair that would take two to three weeks round-trip.
When I think Fall, I think Compost. Well, that and Pumpkins, but even the Pumpkins should eventually be composted. Or fed to your dog to make him more photogenic for the TurfNet Dog Calendar.
I've never really understood the ultimately non-Amish practice of turfheads allowing good carbons that just need a little transformation to leave the property. So here you come into fall and there exists this great carbon source, albeit a pain in the neck to collect, but hey, run the blowers. And think
I am fairly sure when I discussed my relationship with Peter for this year, I am confident he imagined I would contribute more than 1-2 entries per month in my "Frankly Speaking" section. Well here I am almost one-month from my last entry and if I were Peter, other than being frustrated with me, I'd be wondering where I've been.
Well here goes:
A few years ago I was asked by my department chair and senior faculty to assume the leadership of the Introduction to Horticulture class here at
