
Different strokes
By John Reitman, in News,

"Oddly enough, as it relates to turf maintenance, going green can mean going brown," said John Genovesi, CGCS at the Maidstone Club on New York's Long Island. "Trying to use the minimal amounts of resources like water and fertilizer may not give you a course that's green in color but will yield a course that plays well and puts some green back into your budget." There was a time in golf, however, when there was not a thought to going green, other than keeping courses green at all costs.
"Many people, I think, think of ?green' in the turf industry as what we should be striving for from a visual or aesthetic standpoint, and that was how it was when I entered the business some 20-plus years ago," Carter said. "Everything was mowed, fertilized, and weed controlled on almost every acre on property. While that was good for the golfer who wanted to find his ball no matter where he hit it, it was not good for the environment. "From over fertilization, to overuse of water and fuel, to water contamination from soil particle runoff, chemical and fertilizer residue, and petroleum product residue, the golf course maintenance industry did not do ourselves any favors during this time. I am glad that it has changed over the past 10 to 15 years and we, as an industry, are becoming more aware of how our actions and choices affect all aspects of the environment." One thing many in the industry can agree upon is that it is incumbent on superintendents to assume the lead in the green movement, and pass along that knowledge to others, including future greenkeepers. "I believe that ensuring we are green is a huge responsibility, especially when managing a historic site like Oakmont Country Club," Zimmers said. "I believe that this role also includes teaching and training upcoming professionals in the turf industry. It is also my role to manage their safety, teach them that gravity of environmental responsibility, and teach them the financial aspect of proper environmental management." That does not happen overnight. Instead, said Maidstone's Genovesi, it involves changing the way people think and reinforcing it daily. "As manager of our grounds department," he said, "I believe my greatest role does not revolve around a specific maintenance task but rather in establishing a culture among our staff that emphasizes environmental awareness as a guiding principle when we set out to accomplish our daily tasks."
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