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From the TurfNet NewsDesk

  • John Reitman
    Access to adequate supplies of water is one of the major issues facing golf courses in many parts of the country. There is little doubt that access to sufficient amounts of water will become increasingly more important from coast to coast.
    As the need to be more efficient users of water, superintendents have used far less water during the past two decades.
    According to a survey by the GCSAA and USGA, U.S. golf courses used 31 percent less water in 2024, compared with usage in 2005. The 2025 survey was conducted as part of its Golf Course Environmental Profile program, which began in 2005.
    The report states that U.S. golf facilities used 1.63 million acre-feet of water in 2024, representing a 3.2 percent reduction since 2020 and a 31 percent reduction since 2005. 

    Water use on U.S. golf courses is down by 31 percent in the past 20 years, according to a GCSAA survey. GCSAA photo The study also provides data on average water use in the seven agronomic regions, with all regions reporting lower projected applied water since 2005. From 2020 to 2024, the Southwest and Upper West/Mountain regions reported the highest reductions, using 16.9 percent and 7.8 percent less water, respectively. 
    The survey results from nearly 1,700 golf facilities were collected and independently analyzed by scientists Travis Shaddox, Ph.D., Bluegrass Art and Science LLC., and Bryan Unruh, Ph.D. University of Florida, and the National Golf Foundation. The findings were published for peer review in the HortTechnology Journal in September. The most common sources of golf course irrigation water, according to the report, were wells (32 percent), lakes and ponds (27 percent), and recycled (19 percent). 
    Much of the reduction in water use can be attributed to the focus on and implementation of BMPs nationwide. The most common water-management practices across the regions include the use of wetting agents, hand-watering and managing turf under drier conditions. 
    Golf facilities also have been incorporating more technology into watering decisions in the way of hand-held moisture sensors, irrigation scheduling, irrigation audits as well as using ET data from onsite weather stations. New irrigation system components, new nozzles, updated software and master controllers also contribute to greater water-use efficiency. 
    GCSAA will publish additional national reports related to pesticide use and nutrient management on golf courses over the next year as part of the fourth series of its Golf Course Environmental Profile program.
  • It was easy to figure out which stories on TurfNet drew the most interest from golf course superintendents in 2025. Headlines that received the most clicks throughout the year ranged from breakthroughs in autonomous mowing, memorials about two longtime turf professors who we lost during the year and legal proceedings surrounding one of the world's most recognizable golf course design brands.
    A clutch of large blue and yellow autonomous mowers from what then was a largely unknown company called FireFly Automatix spoke volumes about the future of golf course maintenance as they silently mowed fairways at the PGA Tour's 2024 Black Desert Championship in Ivins, Utah.
    The emergence of large-area autonomous mowers by FireFly Automatix was the most viewed story on TurfNet in 2025.
    Click here to read the story in its entirety.

    FireFly Automatix caught the attention of the golf world when its autonomous large-area mowers showed up at a PGA Tour event. FireFly Automatix photo FireFly Automatix was founded in 2008 when Steve Aposhian and a small group of fellow mechanical engineers began fabricating replacement parts for sod harvesters on Aposhian’s family’s turf farm in Salt Lake City. They began selling the high-quality parts to other sod farms and later began building their own harvesters.
    "We were the first to implement a lot of electric technology on a piece of mobile equipment like this," said Aposhian in a TurfNet podcast in January 2025.
    "Traditional machines used hydraulics and traditional control mechanisms. My background as a mechanical engineer is in automation, so we implemented a lot of factory-type automation on a sod harvester. Since then we've become the largest producer of automated turf harvesters in the world."
    Eventually, the company looked into expanding into mowing turf and not just harvesting it.
    Mark LeBlanc and his design team at FireFly looked at what was in the turf market at the time, which were only early prototypes.
    "Sod being an adjacent industry to golf, and knowing that a lot of our customers provide sod to golf courses, we always envisioned ourselves expanding into that market," LeBlanc said in the podcast interview. "After a couple years Steve gave me a team and a blank board and said, go design an automated fairway mower."
    Click on the headlines below to read each story that makes up the rest of the top 10 most-read stories of 2025.
    Retired superintendents share their tough times and how they overcame them
    From St. Louis in the east to Kansas City in the west, Missouri is famous for its hot and oppressively humid summers. Conditions there can be so severe that Jon Miller, the late baseball announcer, once quipped during a Royals broadcast that visiting Missouri in summer was the world's most effective way to lose weight fast.
    To that end, it did not take Joe Wachter long to recount the most challenging weather years during his long career as a golf course superintendent in the St. Louis area. Those memories are seared into his memory like a sun-baked green.
    Ash borer research focuses on trees that are naturally resistant to the invasive pest
    For more than two decades, the face of many golf courses across North America has changed thanks to an invasive pest no larger than a dime.  
    Since it was detected in southeastern Michigan in 2002 after arriving in Detroit in packing material aboard a cargo ship from China, the emerald ash borer has cut a swath of devastation across the continent, and has left a trail of millions of dead ash trees in its wake, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
    Finally, help is on the way that might prevent a virtual wipeout of ash trees across North America by the emerald ash borer, and could result in repopulating forests and other areas, including affected golf courses, with naturally resistant trees.

    The turf community lost a friend, advocate and ambassador in 2025 with the passing of Clemson professor emeritus Bruce Martin, Ph.D. Clemson photo Martin remembered for unyielding service to superintendents worldwide
    Not everyone would climb aboard a plane, fly half way around the world just to work for a few hours then head back to the airport and return home without ever checking into a hotel.
    Bruce Martin, Ph.D., not only would do that, he did do that.
    A plant pathologist and extension service specialist at Clemson University for more than 30 years, Martin's expertise in diagnosing, preventing, treating and diagnosing turf diseases built a following among golf course superintendents in the Carolinas, throughout the country and around the world.
    A native of Conway, Arkansas, Samuel Bruce Martin died Oct. 16. He was 71.
    Colo stands as a symbol of what it means to face life's challenges head-on
    Some people are equipped to handle adversity. Others are not.
    Metaphorically speaking, longtime superintendent John Colo has taken a series of gut punches that would leave many unable to get off the mat. Even real-life challenges like job loss and wife Peggy's terminal battle with cancer were not enough to count out Colo, who has been director of golf course maintenance at Frenchman's Reserve in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida for the past five years.
    The past decade has been an example of what it means to face adversity head-on and beat it. But that ability to bounce back from adversity began a long time ago, says Colo's twin brother Jim.
    Historic Nicklaus project in St. Louis edges closer to completion
    Normandie Golf Club has a history matched by few golf courses. Designed by Old Tom Morris protege Robert Foulis and opened in 1901, the course in St. Louis is one of the oldest tracks west of the Mississippi.
    Through the years, many famous athletes and Hollywood personalities have walked the fairways at Normandie. But the historic St. Louis Club is casting aside its historic past for a place in the game's future.
    Located in one of St. Louis' most underserved communities, the course is undergoing a rebirth thanks to Jack Nicklaus and members of the city's golf community.
    Contractor electrocuted while working at Connecticut golf course
    A tragedy that occurred at a Connecticut golf course serves as a sobering reminder about the importance of workplace safety.
    According to published reports, a contractor working at Yale Golf Course was electrocuted Aug. 21 after he touched a downed power line at the golf course in New Haven. The line came down when a tree had fallen at the golf course during a recent storm. The worker, whose identity has not been released, was an employee of Eastern Land Management, a commercial landscape management company in Stamford, Connecticut.
    It was unclear how the worker came into contact with the power line. Neither the Yale University Police nor the Hartford office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration returned phone calls.
    Study links threat of Parkinson's disease to golf course proximity
    The scientific community has found another arrow in its quiver to fire at golf.
    A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicates a link between increased incidence of Parkinson’s disease and living near a golf course.
    According to the study, people who live within three miles of a golf course showed a greater risk of contracting Parkinson’s disease than those outside that three-mile arc. Those living within a mile of a golf facility faced a 126 percent greater chance of getting the disease than those who lived at least six miles from a course.
    Although the study indicates a possible link between golf course management practices and the likelihood of contracting Parkinson’s disease, it does not and cannot prove a direct cause and effect.

    Kress unveiled the battery-powered KR800 40 "Cut N Go" robotic mower in 2025. Kress photo Kress unveils robotic mower with 40-inch cutting deck
    A pioneer in autonomous mowing, Kress Commercial Robotics provided a sneak peak at its latest innovation in outdoor power equipment during the company's NEXT Summit.
    Held April 3 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the summit was the site of the unveiling of the company's new battery-powered KR800 40 "Cut N Go" robotic mower. The emission-free, electric, ZTR-replacement mower helps improve operational efficiency and profitability by mowing large areas in the background as crews focus on detailed and more time-consuming tasks. Cut N Go is designed to navigate with by mapping — a simple ride-on process — multiple areas.
    With a 40-inch cutting deck, the battery-powered Cut N Go can mow as many as five acres on a single charge. The mower autonomously loads and unloads from a trailer, and can move on its own from one project to another after initial property mapping. It features a 5,000-hour operational life and fully integrates into the Kress Fleet Management System. With boundary-wirefree navigation and 360-degree obstacle avoidance Cut N Go avoids people and other objects.
    Nicklaus Cos. files for bankruptcy after golfer wins $50 million judgment
    In a year marked by litigation, the Nicklaus Companies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection a month after a Florida jury awarded the golf legend a $50 million judgment in a defamation suit against the company.
    Nicklaus filed suit against his former company, now controlled by New York banker Howard Milstein, earlier this year after it claimed he considered a $750 million offer to join the LIV Golf league, suffered from dementia and was unable to manage his affairs, according to published reports. Bloomberg News reported that, citing the Chapter 11 filing, Nicklaus Companies has estimated assets of $10 million to $50 million and liabilities of between $500 million and $1 billion.
  • As the owner of a career-development firm serving the golf industry, Erin Wolfram already is a familiar face to many superintendents.
    The GCSAA recently named Wolfram (right), owner of Career Advantage Golf, as director of First Green and workforce development. She will be responsible for increasing interest in turfgrass management careers through the GCSAA’s First Green STEAM-education program, career growth and development initiatives and developing programs to find and retain employees.
    Wolfram, who brings 15 years of experience in careers services, has supported superintendents through individualized career coaching and job-search services since 2020 as the owner of Career Advantage Golf, which offers career consulting for golf industry professionals. She takes over from Leann Cooper, who has been named the GCSAA's senior director of member programs.

    The First Green program helps introduce golf course maintenance as a potential career path for school-aged students. First Green photo "After working with hundreds of GCSAA members through Career Advantage Golf, I am excited to transition into a full-time role at GCSAA," Wolfram said. "I am looking forward to strengthening the relationships I already have with members and continuing to help them and the industry grow while applying skills and knowledge from teaching, career services and program management."
    In addition to working with superintendents through her own company, Wolfram most recently served as program director for the University of Kansas Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. With two master’s degrees from the University of Kansas in educational technology and counseling psychology, she previously held several additional positions at the University of Kansas, spanning career management, technology, online education and internships.
    Wolfram, who will begin her new position Jan. 5, will be assisted by GCSAA staff member Kera Matchett, specialist, First Green and workforce development.
  • Audubon International certified or recertified a host of properties in several categories in 2025.
    Most new certifications by Audubon International were awarded in the golf and lodging categories, while many of the almost 200 recertifications were to entities dating back to the 1990s. Programs include Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary for Golf, Green Hospitality, Signature Sanctuary and Sustainable Communities. Each program provides third-party, on-site verification of science-supported sustainable practices and benchmarks. In the case of golf, that includes Environmental Planning, Wildlife and Habitat Management, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, Water Quality Management and Outreach and Education.
    "Once again, 2025 was a strong year for new certification growth across our suite of programs," said Christine Kane, CEO. "We continue to see great interest in and pursuit of certification in our Green Lodging/Green Hospitality programs, which reflects the industry's acknowledgement of sustainable best practices as a business and market response necessity. Audubon International continues to lead the way helping golf courses, resorts, communities, and businesses of all kinds invest in a brighter future for the planet."

    Sleepy Hollow Country Club along the Hudson River in New York was among the golf courses newly certified by Audubon International in 2025. Sleepy Hollow CC photo The ACSP for Golf continues as the organization's flagship certification path with nearly 2,000 courses worldwide. New certifications in 2025 include Old Sandwich Golf Club and the Kittansett Club in Massachusetts, Sleepy Hollow Country Club in New York, Grand Bear Golf Club in Mississippi and Victory Ranch in Utah.
    Each year, Audubon International's environmental specialists perform initial site visits at prospective certified properties as well as recertification visits across the country and around the world. They then provide point-by-point feedback based on each venue's location, resources, budgets and needs, help keep them on track through the process, and sign off on new certifications and recertifications once all criteria are met. Certification timelines can take up to a year or more.
    Audubon International certifications are designed to increase environmental awareness, encourage sustainable environmental efforts and educate both its members and their communities.
  • Editor's note: This letter, shared with TurfNet, is from SUNY-Delhi professor emeritus Dominic Morales to the New York State Turfgrass Association board of directors.
    Dear NYSTA Board, Alumni and Industry Partners
    This letter is most likely my final official correspondence with the NYSTA board members, alumni and industry partners. It has been 50 years (1975) of collaboration with SUNY-Delhi, the association and the industry. It's been a most gratifying journey, and I'm blessed with the support and collegiality the association has honored me with over the years. In the beginning it was both difficult and challenging to navigate, building a viable academic program that was compatible and satisfied the needs of an expanding Turf industry. I realized that reaching out to the industry, especially NYSTA, was a necessity. Honestly, it did not come naturally, I had to work at it. Developing contacts, cultivating lasting trusting relationships and at the same time mentoring students, developing a viable academic program with a valuable internship component, plus finding the budget dollars needed for success.
    The '90s were when SUNY-Delhi's Turf management programs entered a new level of success thanks to a new college president who saw the potential for growth. Mary Ellan Duncan was instrumental in taking the lead and enabled me to venture beyond my comfort zone. Her first mandate was to assist me and give me the chance to expand our lab facilities. We began meeting with industry leaders such as the NYSTA board, S.V. Moffett Co. (now MTE), Grassland Equipment Co. and NYSGCSAA chapters. We presented our vision and plan of action. I was on the road presenting at all industry meetings. It snowballed and our support expanded exponentially. This experience gave me confidence and most of all a sense of personal gratification.

    Dominic Morales' career in turfgrass education and research in New York began in 1975. Photo courtesy of Dominic Morales The results of the industry/academic partnership:
    1991-1993: Construction of a state of art turf education instructional lab facility. Over $150,000 in donations was secured monetary and in-kind donations from various turf-related manufactures and suppliers, NYSTA and all the NYSGCSAA chapters. 1993-1995: Expanding The college golf course from 9 holes to 18 holes. $550,000 raised, both monetary and in-kind donations from various turf related manufacturers and suppliers, NYSTA, and all the NYSGCSAA chapters. Construction costs, new irrigation system, sand-based greens and bent grass fairways, seeded with the latest varieties. This project gave students including myself the opportunity to learn golf course construction, budgeting, and construction scheduling. 1998-2000: Developed a bachelor's degree program in golf course management. The curriculum was based on industry needs that required management skills. Industry representatives from all aspects of the profession met at SUNY-Delhi for three days to develop the core skills required for managing golf courses. The bachelor's program was approved by SED and SUNY Central in 2001. NYSTA has continued to support various projects at Delhi through foundation dollars. Our partnership has contributed to the overall success of the program.
    Serving as an official board member (2012-25) was my way of paying forward for all the years of NYSTA's support. During those 12 years we developed a strategic plan, developed the ambassador program developing career awareness at the K-12 education level, initiated a career outreach program, partnered with FFA and developed the successful apprenticeship program. Your support and faith in these initiatives illustrates a commitment to the future success and viability of our industry. It gives me great satisfaction to be part of our collaborative efforts.
    In closing, you, my colleagues and friends, have afforded me the opportunity to grow and achieve things that were way beyond my expectation.
    Thank you for making my 50-year ride exhilarating and rewarding. Please consider becoming a NYSTA member
    All the best.
    Dom Morales
    Professor emeritus, SUNY-Delhi
    NYSTA board member
  • Located in one of the country's most golf-centric locations, the Philadelphia Association of Golf Course Superintendents recently celebrated its 100th anniversary.
    The event took place Oct. 30 at Union League Liberty Hill. The event marked the conclusion of the association's centennial year and honored the individuals and traditions that have shaped one of the nation's oldest superintendent organizations.
    "Inspirational is the best word I can use," said association president Pat Michener of Bidermann Golf Course in Wilmington, Delaware. "To gather so many influential people in one room to celebrate the PAGCS was a major feat, and all involved should be very proud."

    Jay Wright, who led Villanova University to a pair of basketball national championships, spoke to the group of Philadelphia-area superintendents about leadership and team-building. PAGCS photo The association presented its highest honor, the Eberhard Steiniger Award, to John Gosselin, superintendent at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, the site of next year's PGA Championship. 
    Hall of Fame basketball coach Jay Wright, who led Villanova University to the national championship in 2016 and 2018, was the keynote speaker, and talked to attendees about the importance of leadership, preparation and workplace culture in building a championship team on the hardwood and the golf course.
    A tribute video highlighted the association's 100-year history and included reflections from former presidents and retired superintendents who focused on the importance of collaboration, education and professional development.
    Founded in 1925, the association promotes professional growth, education and industry collaboration and advancing the profession in the Philadelphia region through innovation, environmental stewardship, advocacy and leadership.
  • The Georgia GCSA recently honored one of its own and inducted its former executive into the assocaition's hall of fame.
    After a restoration at the home of the PGA Tour's season-ending event, the Georgia GCSA chapter named Charles Aubry (right), director of agronomy at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, as its Superintendent of the Year.
    The award is given to an individual "who has expressed outstanding dedication, care and commitment to the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association and to the golf course industry." Aubry was officially recognized as the recipient of the award at the association's annual meeting Dec. 9 at The King & Prince Resort and Club on St. Simons Island.
    Aubry's career at East Lake started in 2015 as a senior assistant superintendent. He was named golf course superintendent in 2018 and took over as director of agronomy in 2023 when he succeeded 2013 Georgia GCSA Superintendent of the Year Ralph Kepple, CGCS.
    Since then, Aubry helped orchestrate a $30-million renovation of the historic Donald Ross design in advance of the 2024 Tour Championship. He conducted a First Green field trip for local students the same week as the 2025 tournament.
    "I can only imagine how stressful it is to showcase your work to the world," wrote Druid Hills Golf Club superintendent Joe Hollis in his nomination of Aubry for the award. "His willingness to [host the First Green outing] during this high stressful time shows his commitment to promoting our profession to the next generation of leaders."
    Also at the annual awards banquet, the association inducted former executive director Tenia Workman to the Georgia GCSA Hall of Fame. Workman (right) ran an association from 2002 to 2024 that saw its membership nearly double to more than 700 members as it also became a model for government relations work and environmental stewardship.
    "Our chapter became known as the Atlanta chapter," Tim Busek, who succeeded Workman as the chapter's executive director, told TurfNet in 2024. "All the board members were from Atlanta, 98 percent of all of our events were held in Atlanta. It really alienated superintendents around the rest of the state.
    "She brought the association together as one." 
    In other news from the association’s three-day end-of year event:
    Chuck Moore, from The King & Prince Golf Club on St. Simons Island, received the Distinguished Service Award. Kyle Worthy, director of golf course maintenance at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, received the Environmental Leader in Golf Award, presented in partnership with the Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation. Cooper Thornton, from Savannah Golf Club in Savannah, was named Assistant Superintendent of the Year. Members elected three new directors to the board –  Kent Cantrell of Achasta Golf Club in Dahlonega; Ken Lee, CGCS at Cherokee Town & Country Club in Atlanta; and Brandon Smith, CGCS at Laurel Springs Golf Club in Suwanee were elected to the chapter's board of directors.
  • Tyler Bloom gets a little emotional when he talks about giving back to his profession.
    A former superintendent-turned consultant and recruiter and founder of Bloom Golf Partners, Bloom (right) has helped match many job-seeking superintendents with their dream position and educate would-be greenkeepers through an apprenticeship program.
    His most recent venture is the establishment of a scholarship program to help train tomorrow's golf course superintendents. The scholarship program, which will total $11,000 in three separate gifts next year, is Bloom's way of giving back to a profession that, he says, has given him so much.
    "I just think of one of my mentors who's not in this industry uses a quote all the time, 'you're best positioned to serve the person you once were,' " Bloom said.
    "And I think about that. I think I've reflected on that a lot throughout my career, but definitely where our company's at right now and think about all those different people that helped just move the needle a little bit for me."
    The scholarship is for students and emerging professionals who are committed to advancing their education, sharpening their skills and building long‑term careers in turfgrass management and awards assistance to recipients in three levels:
    Winner: $6,000 scholarship and a $2,000 stipend for the 2027 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show. Runner-up: $2,000 scholarship. 2nd Runner-up: $1,000 scholarship.
    Recipients must be working toward a certificate, two-year or four-year degree and must be employed on a golf course to be eligible. Jan. 31 is the deadline to enter for the inaugural scholarship year.
    It was Mitch Rupert, who works in recruitment and operations for Bloom Golf Partners, who initially voiced the idea of starting a scholarship program.
    "He was like 'I kinda feel bad that I'm volunteering your money or the company's money towards something . . . but I feel really passionate about this. (W)hat are your thoughts on creating a scholarship?' " Bloom said. 
    "I said, you know, it's funny you say that. I said, I've thought about this."
    Indeed, the funding of the scholarship program comes entirely out of the company's coffers. When his wife asked if he thought that was a good idea, Bloom was quick to answer.
    "I don't know. Why wouldn't I?" he said. "I mean, it is exactly what . . . we started our company on, and I think again, it pays respect to those people who really dug for me and went to bat for Tyler Bloom. I just, I don't forget that."
    The scholarship is the latest in Bloom's work to help prepare the next generation of superintendent. Recently, Bloom started an apprenticeship program and is a supporter of the Super-Scratch Foundation that raises funds to provide scholarships for aspiring superintendents.
    "And we're going to continue to support that by the way," Bloom said. "This isn't like, oh, we do this and now we can't do that. I just think that this is something that makes sense. It's the right time.
    "This is giving back to those employers that invested in me."
  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently granted label registration to LebanonTurf's Fertilizer with Acelepryn insecticide plus Barricade herbicide. The new combination product is formulated to provide season-long control of grubs and crabgrass with one fertilizer application.
    This unique combination of control products are featured in the Country Club and ProScape brands with the load level combination of .067% Acelepryn plus .67% Barricade, and are labeled for use on both cool-season and warm-season grasses.
    "Combining Acelepryn and Barricade together into one product was the next logical step in the growing market of time and labor-saving products that accomplish multiple tasks with one application," said Christopher S. Gray, Sr., director of marketing in a news release. "These products are a huge time-saver for golf course superintendents and lawn care professionals because they are incredibly effective, highly versatile and easily fit into current, established maintenance programs."

    Both Country Club's Acelepryn plus Barricade mini-sized products and ProScape Aceleperyn plus Barricade standard-sized products will feature LebanonTurf's proprietary nutrient technologies of MESA-XP, a homogeneous granule that contains methylene urea, ammonium sulfate and sulfate of potash, and U-FORM, urea-formaldehyde nitrogen that feeds the turf for up to 26 weeks.
    "We feel that the high caliber of these unique, value-added products demands using the best, most innovative, nutrient components available in the market to deliver the highest quality of fertilizer along with the benefits of season-long insect and weed control," Gray said.
    A division of privately held Lebanon Seaboard, LebanonTurf is a provider of high-performance plant-nutrition products for the golf and landscape industries. The company offers both microbiological components and advanced controlled-release fertilizers.
  • A dozen golf course superintendents and six equipment managers will be able to attend the 2026 GCSAA Conference and Trade Show thanks to funding from the Kendrick B. Melrose Family Foundation.
    The foundation was founded by the late Ken Melrose, former CEO and chairman of Toro Co. The Melrose Leadership Academy was established in 2012 followed in 2019 by the establishment of the Melrose Equipment Management Experience. Both programs provide ongoing education, professional development, networking and educational opportunities for superintendents and equipment managers that includes sending a select few to the show scheduled for Feb. 2-5 in Orlando. 
    The members of the 2026 Melrose Leadership Academy are:
    Daryck Beetham, NorthStone Country Club, Huntersville, South Carolina Michael Benton, Uncle Remus Golf Course, Madison, Georgia Alex Blegen, Brentwood Country Club, South Pasadena, California Grant Carque, Cypress Lakes Golf Course, Lake Worth Beach, Florida Benjamin Clark, Dublin Lake Club, Harrisville, New Hampshire Roy Crow, Woodland Hills Country Club, Woodland Hills, California Andrew Kisner VI, CGCS, The Villages Florida, Ocala, Florida Jeremiah Mincey, Black Diamond Ranch, Spring Hill, Florida Jason Overmyer, Cascades Golf Course, Jackson, Michigan Jason Robert, Thanksgiving Point Golf Course, Salt Lake City, Utah Casey Sheehan, Sugarloaf Golf Course, Shavertown, Pennsylvania Brett Zembower, Kempsville Green Golf Course, Virginia Beach, Virginia The members of the 2026 Melrose Equipment Management Experience are:
    Mario Delgado, The Club at Rolling Hills, Golden, Colorado Adam Lennington, Halbert National, Granbury, Texas Ian Naus, Spring Hill Golf Club, Golden Valley, Minnesota Joshua Schaefer, Wisconsin Country Club, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Colin Smith, Prestwick Golf Club, Ayr, Scotland Andrzej Strzepek, Belmont Country Club, Belmont, Massachusetts Participants in both Melrose programs are chosen through an application process based on financial need, involvement in communities through volunteer efforts and a drive to progress in their careers. Twelve superintendents were chosen for the 2026 Melrose Leadership Academy, and six equipment managers were chosen for the Melrose Equipment Management Experience.

    The GCSAA has recently made changes that make its BMP tool easier to use for golf course superintendents. GCSAA photo In other association news, the GCSAA has improved the process to enable golf course superintendents to efficiently create a facility BMP manual.
    The enhanced BMP tool is easier to use, is mobile-friendly and has fewer steps to completion. The tool's upgrades allow superintendents to better tell their story, manage risk and get personalized support from the experts at GCSAA. More improvements to the tool will roll out in 2026.
    The creation of facility BMPs is part of GCSAA's BMP Initiative, which began in 2017. By the end of 2020, BMP guidelines had been established in all 50 states. These state guidelines provide the blueprint for facility manuals and cover key areas such as water management, integrated pest management and pollinator protection.
    BMPs open doors for discussions and input by the industry and provide proof of science-based practices and responsible course management.
  • Attaining work-life balance is a goal for many across a multitude of professions, but often feels out of reach.
    Failure to achieve the proper balance between life at work and at home might be because those seeking it have yet to properly define it, according to Julie Wayne, Ph.D., professor and the David C. Darnell Presidential Chair in Principled Leadership for the Wake Forest University School of Business in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
    One of the leading researchers in her field, Wayne's work has appeared in scientific publications such as the Journal of Organizational Behavior and the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology.
    Recently, she kicked off this year's Syngenta Business Institute with a session entitled "Maximizing satisfaction and success in all areas of life. In its 17th year, SBI is a three-and-a-half-day professional development, leadership and networking event presented by Syngenta and the Wake Forest University School of Business graduate program.
    "What does balance mean? It is an evolving process over time — at a given time," Wayne said. "There is no magic bullet that I can give you in three-and-a-half hours. I wish there was, but it's a process."
    That process, she said, is a combination of evaluating priorities and aligning them with values.

    From left: Jake Gargasz of Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana; Kevin Malloy, CGCS at TPC Colorado in Berthoud, Colorado; Patrick Tuttle of Baylands Golf Links in Palo Alto, California; and Jordan Caplan, CGCS at Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix, Michigan participate in a group discussion at this year's Syngenta Business Institute at Wake Forest University. All photos by John Reitman One attendee likened work-life balance to juggling multiple balls simultaneously.
    Wayne agreed to a point, likening balls to the many tasks pulling at work life and home life.
    "Balance is like juggling balls, but some are rubber and some are glass," she said. "There are some that are too important to drop, and there are some we can drop once in a while.
    "People think if they are giving to their family, they must be taking away from work. And if they are giving to work, they must be taking away from their family. There is a notion that work-life balance is bad for business. That is not supported by research."
    The results of improved work-life balance:
    Better job, life and family satisfaction. Better mental and physical health. Reduced turnover rate. Better job performance. Better family performance. Alan FitzGerald, CGCS at Rehoboth Beach Country Club in Delaware, thought he had work-life balance figured out until he was chosen to attend this year's SBI.
    "I always thought work-life balance was there's work and then there's home and that was it," FitzGerald said. "I learned there's more to balancing both. There are a lot more components to it."
      Achieving balance requires more than being at work and at home physically. You have to be at both mentally, too. 
    That means effectively managing time, priorities and expectations at both. It means delegating authority for those who think they have to do everything.

    Julie Wayne, Ph.D., of Wake Forest University says achieving balance at work and at home can be a long process. And sometimes, it means recognizing you can't be everything to everyone all the time.
    "We invest our time in ways that are not always physically or mentally healthy," Wayne said. "We say yes to things because we don't want to lose out on that opportunity in the future. It takes courage to say no, but sometimes we have to say no because we have a bigger yes. It goes back to your value statement of who you want to be and where you want to go. Does saying yes advance that? It's not a sign of weakness to share the load at work or at home. Even Batman had Robin."
    The curriculum has been updated and tweaked since the initial program nearly 20 years ago. The three-plus day event also included sessions on "Leading Across Cultures and Generations" and "Influencing and Negotiating" led by Amy Wallis, Ph.D., and "Managing Individuals and Teams" and "Decision Making for Leaders" led by Sherry Moss, Ph.D., who has been an instructor at all 17 editions of SBI.
    "It's fun to be around these working professionals because they're in management positions, and like other working professionals they don't always get training," Moss said. "They develop the skills through trial and error over time, but I like working with them and teaching them to think about things in new ways and gain information that probably hasn't been provided to them. It happens in every field and the golf industry is no different."
    The highly interactive event held at the university's Graylyn hotel and conference center also included round-table discussions where superintendents share tips and ideas on what works for them and where they need help.
    "We all have a lot of skills and knowledge, and collectively being able to get all these people together, we are able to build on each other's knowledge and learn new things together and challenge each other to be better at what we do day-in and day-out," said Kevin Molloy, CGCS at TPC Colorado in Berthoud. "You have to understand you don't have to have all the answers, and that they're attainable by using the resources that are available to you, from colleagues to professors to educational opportunities to make yourself better."
  • For superintendents who want to dial in on plant health by finding out what is going on beneath the surface, Bernhard and Co. and Soil Scout have recently launched North American distribution of the Soil Scout underground, wireless soil-monitoring system.
    This distribution agreement brings Soil Scout's real-time underground monitoring platform – already in use by many European golf and sports turf venues – to the U.S. and Canadian markets. Soil Scout's sensors continuously measure moisture, temperature, salinity and oxygen levels beneath the playing surface, helping superintendents and sports turf managers protect their rootzone, improve turf performance, and make more informed maintenance decisions.

    "Turf professionals across the country are constantly seeking better ways to understand what is happening beneath their surfaces," Soil Scout CEO Jalmari Talola said in a news release. "With Soil Scout, they can finally see the unseen, and make more precise, data-driven decisions that improve turf quality, enhance playability, and reduce unnecessary inputs."
    Soil Scout's North American distribution is in direct response to the growing demand from golf and sports turf professionals looking to gain deeper insights into their soil profiles.
    The North American offering will include Soil Scout's Happi100 wireless in-ground oxygen sensor designed for use in the turf and agriculture markets.
    Superintendents will be able to learn more about Soil Scout at next year's GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in Orlando.
  • Sometimes, it is necessary to take a step backwards before moving forward.
    Golf course architect Brian Curley of the firm Curley-Wagner Golf Design recently finished work on The Palms Golf Club, returning the course in La Quinta, California to what he and former design partner and World Golf Hall of Famer Fred Couples intended in 1999 when they built it.
    The work by Curley to reclaim the clean, classic look at The Palms while updating it to ensure the course remains relevant for today's players.
    They reconstructed creeks, removed trees to enhance strategic options and long-range views and cleared vegetation to reveal features that had disappeared over time. Fairways were widened to improve playability and revive the doglegs that defined the original design. The result is an open, playable design that is visually connected to its desert surroundings.

    No. 2 at The Palms in La Quinta, California. Curley-Wagner Golf Design photo "Over the past 25-plus years, the course had seen subtle changes that were mostly imposed to cater to the elite player," Curley in a news release. "These included tighter fairway widths and added trees that took out alternative angles of play. Fred and I feel that this recent effort brought back much of the original width creating more playability for the average player, yet the course certainly remains one of the more challenging layouts in the desert."
    The Palms was conceived as a walkable, old-school golf club where there are no tee times, and fast play is central to the club's history that borrows some aesthetics from places like Augusta, Riviera and Oakmont.
    The routing offers variety and character. The opening holes unfold through a mesquite environment reminiscent of the Sandbelt, while later stretches are framed by towering palms that lend the course a timeless Coachella Valley vibe.
    The club's membership reflects that tradition. The Palms historically has been home to a collection of PGA and LPGA Tour professionals, as well as many of the region's top amateurs. Arnold Palmer was among its past members.
    The portfolio of Curley's current design firm of Curley-Wagner includes private, resort and residential projects throughout the U.S., Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Egypt, Mexico, Sweden, and elsewhere. The firm specializes in creating challenging, beautiful and enjoyable courses, often located on difficult sites, by balancing classic golf course architecture with ever-advancing technology.
  • Throughout his career, Charlie Fultz has faced many challenges. Few years, however, were as difficult as this past golf season has been at Heritage Oaks Golf Course in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he is general manager and superintendent.
    "This has been the second-hardest year of my career," Fultz said. 
    "It was a tale of two seasons. It was wet in the spring, then it was wet and hot during the summer. I shortened my spray intervals to every three weeks, and I still lost turf. I couldn't dry the place out. Even with all our drainage we got smoked. You could just watch the water run across the fairways."
    What in the world throughout his career as a superintendent could have been worse than that?
    "In 1998 I almost got fired," he said. "That was the hardest year I've faced. I questioned my existence. I went to my GM, and he told me I had just survived a board vote of 5 to 4 the night before."
    The 2025 golf season was a challenging one for many superintendents.
    Too much rain early in the season, too little rain and too much heat late in the summer were the catalysts for a variety of challenges for many superintendents.
    Kevin Moores of Oakfield Golf and Country Club in Enfield, Nova Scotia was plagued by a lack of rain through the summer.
    "A major lack of rainfall over the last 8 weeks has had us chasing wilting turf in a way that has not been seen here in years," Moores wrote in August through social media. "The average rainfall totals from June 8th (the last time we had a significant precipitation event) through August 6th is around 200mm rain. To date we have received approximately 35mm of rain, which is about 17% of the average over this timeframe."
    In Virginia, rain fell for three consecutive days in July at Heritage Oaks (right), which received 8 inches in three weeks after Independence Day. As quickly as the rain fell, it went away just as fast, as conditions turned to bone dry by August.
    "The wind was blowing every day, and I think I was curled up in my office in a fetal position," Fultz said. "I stopped PGR use to try to get fairways to heel."
    It was equally unpredictable in western Tennessee at Persimmon Hills Golf Course, a daily fee where Steven Scott is owner and superintendent.
    "This was a wild year weatherwise," Scott said. "It was a rainy spring, then a drought by summer. Then the winter weather we had at the beginning of the year. Ice, snow, hot, cold; we saw it all. Now, we've got Poa popping everywhere because the temperatures have been on a see-saw in October and November."
    Scott's corner of Tennessee received about 30 inches of rain from April through July, then none in August, according to the National Weather Service. That total was about 10 inches above the normal average, according to NWS.
    "Everybody here said this is the most rain we've ever had, then in August they said it was the driest it's ever been," he said. "If you look at the numbers, it's about average. We just got it all at one time."
    Problematic for Scott was much of that rain came on weekends, which was a drag on play — and revenue. It also was a downer for golfers. The course in Sharon, Tennessee is one of just a short list of options in that part of the state and has a core group of dedicated golfers.
    "It seemed like it rained every Saturday and Sunday, which, of course, is when most of your golf is played," he said. "That was a problem, but I think the golfers, it affected them more."
    Excessive heat was an issue up and down the East Coast in the Philadelphia area as well as in the North Carolina Piedmont.. 
    The average high temperature at Laurel Creek Country Club in Moorestown, New Jersey was 99, 96 and 92 degrees Fahrenheit in June, July and August, respectively.
    "July is already the hottest month of the year, so when you have 21 days in that month that are above average, it shouldn't come as a surprise that our cool-season grass isn't going to be happy," Laurel Creek superintendent John Slade wrote in his blog in August. "The green which has seen the most thinning turf over this stretch has been the practice green at #1 tee.
    For decades the USGA has said that building a new green without changing the environmental conditions is not a recipe for success.  In the case of the driving range putting green, not only have the growing conditions not improved, but they have actually taken a couple of steps backwards."
    Slade used a portable fan to keep air moving on the first green and closed a portion of the putting surface. 
    "In the long run we clearly need to install a dedicated fan for this green, as well as try to do some selective pruning," he wrote.
    Doug Lowe, CGCS, faced similar conditions at Greensboro Country Club in North Carolina.
    "Between May 1 and July 15, we recorded nearly 25 inches of rainfall — more than double the seasonal average," Lowe blogged in August. "This, combined with extended periods of high temperatures (mid-90s highs and mid-70s lows), has created extremely challenging growing conditions for our Bentgrass greens."
    Slightly cooler temperatures arrived in August provided a chance to stabilize conditions and prevent further damage.

    Fairy ring on the No. 10 green, among other things, was a problem this summer at Heritage Oaks in Harrisonburg, Virginia (above). Rushing water (top right) caused a lot of damage on the 15th fairway. Photos courtesy of Charlie Fultz Agronomic practices employed by Lowe to promote recovery included:
    Raising mowing heights and doing so earlier than ever before Less aggressive roller to preserve leaf tissue Small-core aerification in early July Solid tine aerification early August "While these practices help sustain the turf, they do impact green speed and smoothness," Lowe wrote. "Our priority is not peak performance in August, but optimal conditions as early as possible in September.
    Back in Virginia, Fultz also put into place a program of solid tining and dropping seed, followed by light topdressing every 10 days.
    Without that previous experience, like what he endured in 1998, Fultz says he might not have been able to stand up to the pressure of the spring and summer of 2025.
    Conditions were so poor in 1998 that he hired a USGA agronomist to conduct a site visit, and told his general manager: "I wanted to make sure it was not my fault, and if it was, I would resign."
    "I had a lot of sleepless nights then, because I wasn't sure I would be able to do this," he said of that summer 27 years ago. "But '98 got me through this year. I learned then that slow and steady wins the race. If I hadn't gone through ‘98, I wouldn't have been ready for this year, even with 20-plus years under my belt." 
     
  • Between them, brothers Bob and Joe Alonzi have more than a century of combined experience delivering impeccable playing conditions to some of the world's most demanding golfers.
    Both are retired certified superintendents with more than 50 years of experience in the Northeast, and both will be honored by the GCSAA for their contributions to their profession.
    Bob, the former superintendent at several clubs, including Winged Foot, and Joe, formerly of Westchester Country Club, recently were named the recipients of the GCSAA's 2026 Col. John Morley Award. They will be formally recognized on Feb. 3 during the Opening Session at the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in Orlando.
    The award, named for the GCSAA's founder, is presented annually to a current or former superintendent "who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of the golf course superintendent's profession." They  are the first brother duo to win the award.
    At Winged Foot, Bob was the host superintendent for the 1984 U.S. Open and 1997 PGA Championship. Joe hosted 17 PGA Tour events and the 2011 Senior Players Championship at Westchester. Both also are recognized for giving back to the industry and mentoring others through the years.
    Both were born in Picinisco, Italy, and their family moved to the United States when Bob was 12 years old and Joe was 6. Their introduction to golf came in their teens when each caddied at Taramack Country Club in Greenwich, Connecticut.
    After graduating from Rutgers University and serving in the U.S. Army, Bob worked as a foreman at Taramack before being named superintendent at Rye (New York) Golf Club in 1967. He had stops at Burning Tree Country Club and Fairview Country Club, both in Greenwich, before he replaced the legendary Sherwood Moore — the 1982 recipient of the Morley Award — at Winged Foot in 1984. He left Winged Foot in 1999 for Fenway Golf Club in Scarsdale, New York, where he retired in 2011.

    Brothers Bob (left) and Joe Alonzi were named co-recipients of the GCSAA's 2026 Col. John Morley Award. "Hopefully, my legacy will be that I was just a guy who had great opportunities," Bob said in a news release. "I shared everything I experienced. I tried to contribute to research. I think we're all just one big family. This is the best profession in the world, and we're all working toward a goal of perfection. It's not achievable, but you're always striving for it. I just tried to be approachable. I value the hundreds of friends I made in the industry. There's a lot of unity there, and we all share."
    Joe took a more circuitous route to becoming a superintendent. He earned a degree in electrical engineering from RCA Institute of Technology in 1971. His first job was working on radar systems for the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark fighter-bomber. 
    Wanting a job outdoors, Joe joined his brother's team at Burning Tree in 1973 and went back to school at Rutgers. A year later, he was named superintendent at the Huntington Crescent Club in Huntington, New York, before moving on, first to Fenway in 1984, and then on to Westchester in 1992 until he retired in 2015.
    Both were very active in the Metropolitan GCSA, with each serving as president and on the board of directors. Each was a recipient of the MetGCSA's Sherwood A. Moore Award, with Bob winning in 1991 and Joe in 2000 — Bob Alonzi in 1991 and Joe Alonzi nine years later. 
    The family legacy carries on through their sons. Rob Alonzi who succeeded his father, Bob, as superintendent at Fenway in 2011, and remains there today. Joe Alonzi's son, Christopher, is the superintendent at The Summit Club at Armonk (New York). Each also has mentored several former employees who have gone on to successful careers as a superintendent.
    "Way too many to count," Joe said. "I'm so proud of all those superintendents out there who worked for me at one point or another. I take that as one of my greatest contributions to the industry. That's how I've tried to give back to the industry, whether they learned from me how to do it right or how not to do it. That's great, as long as they learned something from me."
    They will officially receive the award in February at the GCSAA Conference and Show in Orlando. 
    Click here for a list of past winners.
  • Consistent with a dedication to produce fun, playable golf course designs that also can help grow the game, Zinkand Golf Design recently completed work on a short course and practice facility at the Saddle and Cycle Club in Chicago.
    With more than 25 years experience as a golf course architect, Dave Zinkand, the company's founder and principal, designed a course with a reversible routing to maximize golfer options and interest. Bisected by Lakeshore Drive, the urban layout is near Lincoln Park and adjacent to Foster Avenue Beach on Lake Michigan.
    The reversible layout consists of eight par-three holes that can be played in opposing directions with a four-hole routing in play at any given time. 
    The design maximizes use of limited space, with unused greenspace set aside for members to practice their short game and putting.
    Work entailed the demolition of the parcel's existing golf features, followed by the construction of four new greens and a 30,000-square-foot putting course. Installation of seven CapillaryFlow-lined bunkers, an artificial tee line and more than 15,000 square feet of new teeing ground were other highlights of the project. The course is expected to open next summer.

    Dave Zinkand recently completed work on a short course at the Saddle & Cycle Club in Chicago. The club, along the Lake Michigan shoreline, is bisected by Lakeshore Drive (running horizontally across the top of the image). "The decision to implement a reversible routing was driven by a desire to maximize variety and interest within the site’s limited footprint," Zinkand said. "Saddle & Cycle's gently contoured terrain gave us latitude to flex our creative muscles with the routing. Additionally, the greens have been designed with ample size to support consistent play, multiple pin placements and adequate recovery time for turf health. It's a really cool project and the type of brief we think golf will see much more of in the coming years."
    It is the second project Zinkand has completed this year in the Chicago area. Earlier this year he finished work on a multi-year restoration at the Old Elm Club in Highland Park.
    The club was founded in 1895 as a bicycle club. Now celebrating its 130th year, it has long been an oasis in the city and committed to being the finest private club in the Chicago area.
    "While we previously offered a golf amenity, Dave and team's creativity is going to take it to a level we had not anticipated and set the standard for city clubs," said Saddle & Cycle Club GM and COO Susannah Miller.
    Zinkand's design experience includes studying his craft in Great Britain and Ireland and 14 years working for Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. Some of his recent clients include Old Elm Club, Monterey Peninsula C.C. in Pebble Beach, California, Sharon (Ohio) Golf Club (OH) and Chechessee Creek Club in South Carolina.

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