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From the TurfNet NewsDesk

  • John Reitman
    Some fertilizers commonly used on golf are in the crosshairs of lawmakers around the country. More specifically, public officials are concerned about the long-term health effects of PFAS — or Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances — in fertilizers and other products.
    According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PFAS are manmade, long-lasting chemicals, the components of which break down very slowly over time, thus earning the nickname "forever chemicals". These biosolids also are found in wastewater sludge that often is used in some fertilizer products, such as Milorganite.
    On July 1, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed into law a measure that will ban the use of fertilizers containing PFAS, making the Constitution State the most recent in a short list of states prohibiting their use. A similar ban is in place in Maine and Massachusetts with partial bans in other states.
    Section 21 of Public Act 25-152 (amending C.G.S. 22a-903c) the PFAS ban in fertilizers was added to the existing ban of PFAS in soil amendments.
    The action states: "No person shall use, sell or offer for sale in this state any fertilizer intended for land application or soil amendment that contains any biosolids or wastewater sludge that contain PFAS."
    For the past 80 years, PFAS have been used in several consumer products. They are used to prevent food from sticking to packaging or cookware, make clothes and carpets resistant to stains and create firefighting foam that is more effective. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, PFAS molecules have a chain of linked carbon and fluorine atoms that is very strong and does not degrade easily in the environment.

    Because they do not break down easily, PFAS also can be found in wastewater and in sewage sludge that in many municipalities is treated and sold for use as or in fertilizer. Sludge also is used as an additive in many fertilizer blends due to its composition of micronutrients, making it a better option than other fillers like sand or gravel.
    A letter from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture to licensed sellers gives a deadline of Aug. 31 to either prove their product does not contain PFAS or cease selling it in the state: 
    "If your fertilizer or soil amendment product contains biosolids, you must provide a certificate of compliance stating that the product does not contain PFAS. This proof of compliance must be furnished by the product's manufacturer or supplier to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture at the time of product registration or renewal. Any such certificate of compliance shall be signed by an authorized official of the manufacturer or supplier. A certificate of compliance shall be kept on file by the manufacturer or supplier of the fertilizer or soil amendment. In order to comply with this new law, send a certificate of compliance to AGR.Commodities@ct.gov for your fertilizer and soil amendment products that contain biosolids by August 31, 2025, OR remove your fertilizer and soil amendment products containing biosolids from Connecticut stores by August 31, 2025. Failure to do so will result in violation notices and stop sales."
    Because of their widespread use and their persistence in the environment, many PFAS are found in the blood of people and animals around the world and are present at low levels in a variety of food products and in the environment. They are found in water, air, fish and soil and could be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals. However, there are thousands of PFAS with potentially varying effects and toxicity levels, yet most studies focus on a limited number of better known PFAS compounds, so little is actually known in that arena.
    Current peer-reviewed studies, according to the EPA, have shown that exposure to PFAS could lead to:
    Reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women. Developmental effects or delays in children, including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, or behavioral changes. Increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers. Reduced ability of the body's immune system to fight infections, including reduced vaccine response. Interference with the body's natural hormones. Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity. Maine was the first to implement a ban on the land application and distribution of biosolids (treated sludge) as a soil amendment due to PFAS contamination on April 20, 2022.
    Michigan bans the use of biosolids containing PFAS at or above 100 micrograms per kilogram.
  • Advancements in technology in equipment used to maintain finely cut turf has helped make the golf course superintendent's job easier. That same technology has resulted in some concerns, chief among them relinquishing control to the proprietary software that runs new equipment.
    John Deere recently alleviated at least some of that concern with the launch of a new digital tool designed to enhance how users operate, maintain, diagnose, repair and protect equipment. 
    Operations Center PRO Service delivers new support capabilities for both connected and non-connected machines across John Deere's equipment lineup, including mechanized golf course equipment. New options include the ability to reprogram the system by installing software when replacing electronic components.

    Operations Center PRO Service is designed to provide users with more control over how they use, maintain, diagnose, repair and protect their equipment, and will replace the John Deere Customer Service ADVISOR system that will be phased out over the next year.
    The new system is the result of customer feedback, and Denver Caldwell, Deere's vice president of aftermarket and customer support, says the company is focused on changing how consumers "repair their equipment."
    Local Deere service providers also can use Operations Center PRO Service to diagnose issues and make repairs — after being granted access by the owner/user.
    "Our message to our customers is clear," Caldwell said. "Whether you want the support of your professionally trained and trusted John Deere dealer, to work with another local service provider, or to fix your machine yourself, we've created additional capabilities for you to choose the option that best fits your needs."
    Operations Center PRO Service is based on foundational capabilities that are available at no additional cost, including:
    Operator's manuals Active and stored diagnostic trouble codes Secure software updates JDLink information Warranty information
    Designed to be intuitive and deliver support in real time, the Operations Center PRO Service delivers digital repair content by year and model, providing users with additional relevant information to help accurately and efficiently troubleshoot, diagnose and repair equipment.
    The service capabilities of Operations Center PRO Service are available through an annual license fee starting at just $195 USD per machine for customers. Specific features include:
    Machine health insights and diagnostic trouble codes PIN-specific machine content, including manuals Software reprogramming for John Deere controllers Diagnostic readings Diagnostic recordings Interactive diagnostic tests Calibrations Equipment owners can access Operations Center PRO Service through the John Deere Operations Center. Once connected to the platform, owners can add equipment into their account by serial number. Use of an electronic data link might be required for more advanced features, including software reprogramming. Additional capabilities and features will be added in subsequent updates.
     
  • A historic Detroit-area club recently celebrated a Dave Zinkand-led restoration of its century-old golf course.
    Until work began last August at Knollwood Country Club in West Bloomfield, Michigan, the course had been mostly unchanged since 1925 when it was designed by Donald Ross proteges Arthur Hamm and George McLean. 
    The club approved in May 2024 Zinkand's plan to address issues such as poor drainage, greens that have shrunk over time and bunkers that are plagued by drainage problems and contamination. The project also includes a tree-management plan to address shade issues, deteriorating turf health, safety concerns and open visitors to offer more shot variety.
    "The combination of higher green speeds and shrinking perimeters led to too few pin placements and lost strategic interest," Zinkand said when the project began. "The bunkering had reached the end of its functional lifespan, resulting in poor drainage, contaminated sand and unacceptable playing conditions. Many aging trees were narrowing the golf course, blocking vistas and damaging turf health. Trees were also often non-native species."
    Construction began last August 2024 as part of Zinkand Golf Design's proposed master plan for the golf course, short-game area and driving range. The 100-year-old course was built over a terrain of rolling hills encompassing its perimeter and gentler grading toward its center. Zinkand's plan included an all new par-3 17th hole, and shifting the tees and landing areas of the 9th and 10th holes to improve strategy and playability.
    "The existing 17th hole didn't fit the charming, Golden Age allure of Knollwood, so a new concept was devised to not only better fit the property's character, but also provide additional separation from the practice range," the architect said. "Similarly, the 9th and 10th holes were realigned to take better advantage of a subtle valley along a small creek in the middle of the property, while improving player safety by increasing the distance between the holes."
    The project also involved a great deal of bunker work, including moving some and removing others entirely. Some were removed due to poor drainage and contamination, and many others were moved or repositioned to maintain relevancy with today's game. Contamination issues were solved by rebuilding bunkers and lining them with CapillaryFlow liners.

    Dave Zinkand's restoration at Knollwood Country Club near Detroit included shifting the landing area on the No. 9 fairway. Zinkand Golf Design photo "We've added bunkers, particularly along fairways, to capitalize on and embellish the terrain," said Zinkand. "Those removed were generally greenside, in the name of improving playability and aesthetics. Their styling exhibits a classic Golden Age character with meandering lips and low leading edges for ease of entry and expanded visibility.
    "Previously, there were a lot of greenside bunkers and not many on the fairway, so we have turned that on its head to allow the running game to play a more integral role in the course. This approach has also allowed us to take advantage of the contours on fairways to carve bunkers that inform the strategy of the golf holes."
    By reclaiming the original perimeter of the putting greens and surrounds, Zinkand was able to mimic the design intent of Hamm and McLean, and recapture pin placements lost over time.
    "The expansion of fairways and greenside surrounds helps to provide more recovery options and promote the running game. There are a lot more low-mow and bailout areas around greens," Zinkand said.
    "A new par-three hole was designed to replace the old 17th. It didn't fit the charming Golden Age allure of Knollwood, and it wasn't particularly safe given its proximity to the nearby range. An improved concept was created to better fit the property's character and provide separation with the range. The ninth and 10th holes were also shifted and realigned to take better advantage of a charming, subtle valley along a creek, create improved strategy, as well as improve safety by increasing the distance between holes."
    Trees were trimmed to improve air circulation and turf health, and non-native species were removed.
    "Since opening earlier this month, Knollwood members have been raving about the incredible results that Dave and his team delivered," said Knollwood GM and chief operating officer Tracy Wilson. "(Zinkand)'s deep knowledge of Golden Age architecture, exceptional construction skills and impressive attention to detail have created a private golf experience that now promises to rank among the best in metro Detroit."
  • After decades of wishing away his summers on New York's Long Island, John Carlone is looking forward to a bit of respite.
    The 63-year-old Carlone, who has been a superintendent on Long Island for 40 years, including the last 29 at Meadow Brook Club in Jericho, will retire after the current golf season.
    Carlone (right) comes from the old school where work weeks of 60 or 70 hours or more per week are necessary to produce the conditions that members at clubs throughout the MetGCSA area have come to expect — and demand.
    "Retirement first popped into my head during Covid in 2020. That year was so difficult," Carlone said.
    "I want to have a summer weekend off. Between my internship at Westchester Country Club, three years as an assistant at Stanwich (Golf Club), and then 40 years as a superintendent, that's 44 years of wishing summer away. Everybody else looks forward to summer. It's fun. They go to the beach. I hate summer."
    His retirement is effective Oct. 15 when his replacement, Max Claassen, director of agronomy at Oakmont, takes over. Carlone will remain on to help Claassen with the transition and eventually will return to his native Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where his sister, Carol, still operates Carlone's Florist, the family business started by his parents in 1954. 
    "Part of my retirement package is to be available for him through the rest of the year," Carlone said. "I'll be here as much or as little as he wants me to."
    A graduate of the University of Rhode Island four-year turf program, Carlone studied under Drs. Conrad "Doc" Skogley and Noel Jackson and learned his trade on the university's turf plots that were first planted in 1890. 
    It was Skogley who helped Carlone get his first job as the assistant under Scott Niven at Stanwich Golf Club in Greenwich, Connecticut.
    "When I was working at the experimental turf plots in January 1983, the beginning of my last semester, Doc Skogley came to me one day and said 'Hey, I have a former URI graduate who is looking for an assistant, and I think you would be great for that position.' Scott had just gotten the job there," Carlone said.
    "That's kind of the way things worked back then with Doc Skogley. You really didn't have to apply for a job. He placed you where he thought you would fit."
    It was during his days at URI that Carlone shared a house with fellow alumnus and current Cornell University professor, Frank Rossi, Ph.D.

    The par-3 ninth hole at Meadow Brook Club in Jericho, New York. Photos courtesy of John Carlone Rossi recalls his former housemate as a detail-oriented professional who has consistently provided members with flawless playing conditions, often under severe circumstances, throughout the duration of his career.
    "John is a consummate pro," Rossi said. "From early days it was clear he had a singular focus: be the best superintendent in the region. No question John was that and more, as he was a leader of the many associations he participated in and a leader of men at his course."
    Years after graduation, Carlone enjoyed catching up with his former professors at regional events and the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show.
    "It was fun to see them when I was established in my career," he said. "I was one among many, and I think we all felt a sense of pride that they had students that had made it."
    After interning at Westchester under the legendary Ted Horton, CGCS, and working three years as assistant at Stanwich, Carlone spent 11 years at Middle Bay, before finally moving on to Meadow Brook in 1996.
    In that time, he has seen many changes, most notably improvements in equipment and chemicals that have allowed, or forced, superintendents to maintain heights of cut that are lower than anyone could have imagined 40 years ago, especially on Meadow Brook's bent/Poa greens that have been almost untouched since 1955 when architect Dick Wilson renovated the 1916 Devereux Emmet design.
    "I remember cutting greens at Middle Bay in 1986, '87 and '88 at 0.154, and we thought we were hot shots when we dropped them to 0.140," he said. "By the time I got here to Meadow Brook in 1996, we were at 0.120, and green speeds of 10 were expected. Now, I'm at 0.80. I don't think we can go any lower."
    He is able to maintain that HOC during the mildest of summers or the most extreme, like in July when overnight lows, according to the National Weather Service, remained in the low- to mid-70s for 13 of 31 days.
    "I don't change. I don't raise them; I don't lower them," he said. "I may switch to solid rollers, or skip a mow, but I don't raise them."
    Meeting and exceeding the expectations that are heaped upon Long Island superintendents requires exceptional managerial skills if a superintendent wants to first, keep his job and second, retain his staff in times of intense labor challenges.

    John Carlone with sons Dave (left) and Dan during a 2024 golf trip to Scotland. Carlone says he learned his unique brand of tough love from his parents, Pete and Peg.
    Carlone was a standout golfer and soccer player in high school, but he had a host of chores to complete when he came home after practice before he could have dinner.
    "I'd come home at 5 or 5:15 and my mother and father were about to sit down for dinner, and my father would say, 'Did you clean the shop yet?' I said, 'No. I thought I'd do it after dinner.' 'Go do it before dinner. You don't eat till the flower shop is clean.' " Carlone said. "So I'd go out and clean the shop. Work came first, and that's how I learned my work ethic. But on the other hand, I learned my father's compassion for people too, and tried to manage my staff that way."
    He recalled a story about the caring his father showed to a customer when Carlone was younger.
    "I grew up in the flower shop. Every Saturday morning, an older lady would come in whose husband who had passed away had been an admiral in the Navy and she had his picture on a table," he said. "She didn't have a lot of money, and she would come in every Saturday at 8 in the morning and ask my father if she could go through the garbage cans to take flowers he was throwing away so she could put them with her husband's picture in her house. I would go into work on a Saturday morning, and my father would say 'Hey, Johnny, go get that bucket of chrysanthemums and put them in the garbage can. Mrs. Spencer is going to be here at 8 o'clock.' He would put good flowers in the garbage knowing she was coming in.
    "That's how I learned both my work ethic and my compassion for people. You have to manage your staff, but you have to remember everybody's human, too."
    Meadow Brook retained Bradley Klein, Ph.D., for a 2016 renovation by architect Brian Silva that included new teeing areas, bunker work, a short-game facility and practice range, as well as reworking five greens. 
    "The newly restored Meadow Brook Club reopened in April 2017. It sported freshly honed bunkering with crinkled edges that looked classical, not laser-edged like some modernist construct," Klein said. "A big part of the new look were the expanded areas of wavy, knee-high e native grass. Carlone worked closely with the legendary fescue doctor John Seib Jr. of All Pro Horticulture Inc. to establish easier-to-maintain, more indigenous mixes."
    The result was a mix of sheep and hard fescues that are easier to maintain and easier for golfers to find their ball.
    The greens project involved completely rebuilding one putting surface, removing the sod from the others, reworking contouring and reinstalling the original turf.
    "The four old greens were 25,000 square feet," Carlone said. "The four new greens were 25,000 square feet. We only lost three or four pieces of sod in the process. I think we did pretty good."

    John and Leslie Carlone with children Dave, Emily and Dan on the course at Meadow Brook in 1997. In retirement, Carlone plans to make up for lost time with Leslie, his wife of 38 years, and their children Emily Lowney (Lucas) and their three children, as well as sons David and Daniel, and the latter's wife, Sydney. 
    Both sons are Army veterans and former officers — Daniel, a West Point graduate who played football for Army before his career was cut short by injury, rose to the rank of captain. Dave, a Hofstra graduate, was a first lieutenant in the Army when he completed his commitment. Carlone still enjoys making the short trip up the Hudson River for visits to the West Point campus and the occasional football game.
    Daughter Emily and husband Lucas have three children, Savannah (7), Cassidy (4) and 2-year-old Tyler.
    "I'm going to spend time with my grandkids," he said. 
    "I'm tired of wishing summers away."
  • Two turf management legends in South Carolina recently were awarded one of the highest accolades from the state's golf community.
    Bruce Martin, Ph.D., professor emeritus at Clemson University, and longtime superintendent Arthur "Max" Morgan Jr. of National Golf Management were named as the newest members of the Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame. They will be inducted Sept. 24 at Pine Lakes Country Club in Myrtle Beach.
    In a career that spanned more than 30 years, Martin was a voice of reason for so many superintendents throughout the Grand Strand, as well as the rest of South Carolina and beyond for disease and nematode management. 
    "Dr. Bruce Martin and Max Morgan are among the architects of Myrtle Beach golf's success," said Tracy Conner, executive director of Myrtle Beach Area Golf Courses Owners Association. "They are both pioneers in golf course agronomy and their contributions behind the scenes ensured that millions of visitors could enjoy world-class playing conditions year-round. Their expertise, leadership and mentorship have helped shape the Grand Strand's golf identity, and their legacies will live on through the countless superintendents, agronomists and courses they influenced."
    Martin is a 1976 graduate of Hendrix College, located in his hometown of Conway, Arkansas. He earned master's and doctorate degrees in plant pathology from the University of Arkansas and North Carolina State University, respectively. 
    He had been working at a research station in Connecticut when his wife was hired at Clemson's Pee Dee Research and Education Center in Florence, South Carolina, so he spent his first year in the Palmetto State working at Horry-Georgetown in Conway, South Carolina where  in 1987he established a turfgrass diagnostics lab to help superintendents along the Grand Strand.
    His work did not go unnoticed, and the next year he started his 31-year career at Clemson University, where he began work in tobacco and field crops.

    Bruce Martin, Ph.D., professor emeritus at Clemson University, here speaking at a Clemson turfgrass research field day, is one of two people who will be inducted this year into the Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame. USGA photo At NC State he studied under Leon Lucas, Ph.D., whom he credited with influencing his career in turf pathology.
    From providing diagnoses of turfgrass issues to conducting cutting-edge trials, Martin became noted for developing a host of fungicide programs to combat myriad diseases under a variety of conditions.
    Martin was the first in 2001, along with Larry Stowell, Ph.D., the founder of PACE Turf, to diagnose and name Rapid Blight (Labyrinthula terrestris), a disease in cool-season turf typically caused by irrigation water that is high in salt content.
    When it came to other types of cool-season grasses and how to help them make it through summer, Martin was on speed dial for a lot of superintendents, regardless of their location. Likewise, he was a regular speaker at regional and national educational events.
    Martin's guidance proved especially valuable as courses transitioned to ultradwarf Bermudagrasses like Champion, MiniVerde and TifEagle.
    In 2005, Martin was named one of the 10 most influential people in the South Carolina golf industry by the South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel. His accolades include the Carolinas GCSA Distinguished Service Award, the Clemson Alumni Award for Distinguished Public Service and the GCSAA Col. John Morley Award in 2014.
    A graduate of Horry-Georgetown, Morgan (right) has been VP of National Golf Management since 2012. He has helped shape the golf business and advance the superintendent profession on the Grand Strand for more than 30 years. 
    He held superintendent roles at Eagle Nest, Waterway Hills, Marsh Harbour and Myrtlewood before taking a position at Myrtle Beach National in 1999. In 2003, he took on the responsibility for the nine additional courses under the same ownership. Founders Group International purchased the company in 2015, and Morgan remained in the same role and currently oversees 21 FGI golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area. 
    He has brought technical expertise, calm leadership and a deep understanding of both turf science and golfer expectations while prioritizing playability, weathering hurricanes, floods and ice storms. He takes pride in teaching, collaborating and fostering relationships between maintenance crews and golf shop staff.
    The Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame was established in conjunction with Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday and the reopening of Pine Lakes Country Club in 2009.
  • The application deadline is rapidly approaching for this year's Syngenta Business Institute. Aug. 11 is the deadline to apply for this year's edition of SBI, a four-day education and networking event that has been helping superintendents become stronger leaders for almost two decades.
    Scheduled for Dec. 2-5 at the Graylyn International Conference Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, SBI is a conducted by the Wake Forest University Executive Education department that provides superintendents with graduate-level business instruction in the following areas:
    Leadership/decision-making Work/life balance Negotiations Leading across cultures and generations The deadline for applying for this educational and networking event is Aug. 11 Class size is limited and applicants must be a current GreenTrust 365 participant and employed in the U.S. as a golf course superintendent, director of agronomy or similar position.
    Click here to apply. Superintendents can also contact their Syngenta territory manager for more information. To be considered, candidates must fill out an application that includes a short essay on why they should be chosen to attend.
    "I would tell anybody to do it," said 2024 SBI attendee Cody Sander, superintendent at Wilmington (Delaware) Country Club. "I've done several professional-development experiences before, and this is by far the best one that I've been a part of. It really shows that Syngenta is committed to bettering us and that they put the financial side separately. It also shows their commitment to creating better superintendents and getting back to us as the end user."
    Applications must be submitted online by midnight Pacific time on Aug. 11. Selected participants will be notified in October.
  • It is not uncommon for those who kill grass for a living to have a certain fondness for turfgrass diseases.
    Nathaniel Mitkowski, Ph.D., professor of plant pathology at the University of Rhode Island, is no exception. If Mitkowski had to pick a favorite it would be gray leaf spot. And, as a model of evolution, it soon could be coming to a golf course near you.
    "Frankly, it's my favorite disease, because it's the easiest one to identify," Mitkowski said during July 24 in a TurfNet webinar on managing and preventing summer stress.
    "I said some diseases are killers and some diseases are just aesthetic. Well, this one is a killer. It moves very quickly."
    Caused by the fungal pathogen Pyricularia grisea, gray leaf spot is a foliar disease that affects perennial ryegrass and tall fescue, and also can persist in some warm-season grasses. 
    The disease, which often presents in late summer or early fall, first infects and kills leaf blades and can spread to the crown, resulting in plant death, according to Purdue University research. Severe cases can cover wide areas of turf.
    It can spread quickly under hot, humid conditions like those that have dominated this summer, Mitkowski said.
    "At this point, I have not seen any gray leaf spot in New England or the Northeast, but I am sure it is coming because we are looking at some hot weather," he said. "We are looking at some humid weather.
    "Gray leaf spot rolls through just about every summer."
    Early symptoms often resemble drought or heat stress and can manifest as small, water-soaked lesions which become necrotic, according to the University of Massachusetts.

    Gray leaf spot infects and kills leaf blades before moving on to the crown and killing the plant. It is found most often in perennial ryegrass and tall fescue as well as in some warm-season grasses. Affected leaves can become twisted and covered with grayish spores. Disease can develop rapidly under hot, humid conditions.
    Mitkowski said outbreaks of gray leaf spot almost routinely accompanied hurricane season in the Northeast.
    "Within three days of the first hurricane rolling through, gray leaf spot would explode, and that was usually September," he said. 
    Warmer winters have changed that, he said. According to the National Weather Service, the 10 warmest years on record in the U.S. (compared to the average temperature from 1900 to 1999) all have occurred since 1998. 
    "Because we have warmer winters, we have warmer growing seasons," Mitkowski said. "This is a disease that has taken advantage of warmer climates. It now overwinters. The winters don't usually kill it. It survives the winter, which means it's gonna start earlier."
    With turf diseases it is always better to prevent them than treat them, and because gray leaf spot is so destructive it is no exception.
    Mitkowski recommends preventive applications of DMI fungicides. However, not all DMIs are created equally.
    "I would avoid the strobilurins, because resistance is pretty much 100 percent widespread through the populations of gray leaf spot. DMIs are your best option," he said. 
    "There are a lot of DMI fungicides out there. They are not all the same though. So, if you are going to go and manage your gray leaf spot, if you are going to put out a preventative material, make sure that the DMI is labeled for it, because not all of these DMIs will work against gray leaf spot, which is unusual because we typically think a DMI is a DMI is a DMI, but that's absolutely not true. Every DMI is a little different and some work better on some things and others work better on other things."
    Researchers often suggest regrassing susceptible or affected areas with a turfgrass variety that is naturally resistant to gray leaf spot.
    "Plant resistant varieties, because they're the best way to solve the problem," he said. 
    "If you are growing ryegrass, you should be growing gray leaf spot-resistant ryegrass. There is a lot of it available, and you should never in the Northeast grow anything that is not GLS-resistant. . . . If it (is resistant), you don't have to worry about it. It works."
  • What began nearly 10 years ago as a way to help superintendents and sports field professionals manage turf growth has grown to become a tool to assist them in maintaining playing surfaces more efficiently.
    GreenKeeper App was founded in 2017 by Bill Kreuser, Ph.D., then of the University of Nebraska, and Doug Soldat, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin. Its initial use was to help superintendents and sports field managers manage plant growth regulator applications by tracking growing degree days. Since then, it has undergone numerous upgrades, enhancements and program features that have armed superintendents with more data to make better agronomic decisions. 
    Among those recent updates is the addition of remote mower-mounted sensors to help diagnose turf health and integrate the data, a weather station that collects data to be used in making agronomic decisions to maintain turf health and manage green speeds, and a new whiteboard system that integrates the "who" with the "what" and the "where."
    "People are now understanding that data are important in turf management," Kreuser said.
    The rX Turf Health sensor system uses LED light to measure radiative transfer and biophysical characteristics of the turf plant. The key, Kreuser says, is monitoring the plant after the mower has passed over it.

    The GreenKeeper App now includes a fully interactive whiteboard. Some of the factors the sensors measure are:
    nitrogen status leaf density drought symptoms biotic stress damage abiotic stress damage presence of grassy and broadleaf weeds "By mounting the sensors behind the mower, an LED light is looking at the reflection of light," Kreuser said. "As a plant gets healthier, it reflects more light energy."
    The integrated AX Datalogger system turns on when the mower starts, scans turf during the mowing process, tracks mower run time and location, and uploads data to the GreenKeeper App when the mower returns to the shop.
    The WX Weather Station measures: 
    temperature humidity pressure precipitation solar radiation wind speed wind direction The station reports weather data every 15 minutes to GreenKeeper App and begins monitoring precipitation when it starts raining. Solar radiation measurements allow for accurate hourly and daily evapotranspiration. Rain gauges can be added to collect data across the property.
    The whiteboard allows for basic tasks like managing staff and scheduling labor and can also be used to integrate agronomic practices, including spray programs and mowing schedules, and assign equipment to specific personnel and jobs. 
    Later this year, GreenKeeper is adding a reporting feature that puts all of this data into the superintendent's hands at the click of a button.
    "We are taking data the superintendent is collecting and putting it in one place to help them make better decisions," Kreuser said. "This kind of decision-support helps them be more precise and save time and money."
    Previous updates include Greenkeeper CIS that allows users to map course boundaries, log pest applications, create prescription spray maps and add drone maps and application records. Users can turn data into application maps for GPS-guided sprayers allowing them to save time and money on product and water.
  • To remain current and responsive to customer needs, DryJect has launched a newly redesigned web site.
    The updated site provides turfgrass professionals with:
    agronomic-management tools and worksheets cost-analysis calculators university and industry research data library case studies testimonials service provider locator "We are thrilled to offer this new website as a resource for sports turf managers and golf course superintendents who want to learn how they can grow stronger turf with less downtime and fewer facility closures inflicted by traditional core aerification," said DryJect owner and former superintendent John Paddock.

    DryJect recently launched a newly redesigned web site that makes it easier for users to find research and a local service provider. The site also features background information on how the DryJect system works and links to book a demonstration or an appointment.
    DryJect is a one-step process that combines aeration, soil amendments and topdressing all in one easy, simultaneous service. Following a DryJect service, playing surfaces are clean, smooth and with no cores to clean up. Its high-pressure, water-based injection system creates aeration holes through the root zone to fracture the soil while simultaneously filling holes with sand or other soil amendments.
    Incorporating  DryJect into an existing aerification schedule can enhance the benefits of deep-tine aeration, and in some cases can reduce the number of coring events.
    Because DryJect is a service provided by independent franchisees, there is no large capital equipment expense, or employee training required, leaving the staff to complete routine, daily tasks. Turfgrass is ready to play almost immediately due to DryJect's minimally disruptive process reducing the threat of lost play and revenue.
  • During a teaching and extension career that spanned nearly 40 years, Tony Koski, Ph.D., had dozens of projects reviewed by peers and published. His last project, however, did not require validation from his contemporaries.
    Koski, a professor and turfgrass extension specialist at Colorado State University for 37 years, died July 12 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. One of Koski's final acts before he died was to pen his own obituary.
    "He embraced each day with optimism, gratitude, and grace until the very end," Roch Gaussoin, Ph.D., professor emeritus at the University of Nebraska, said on Facebook. "Every card, email, text message, and hug kept him going. He believed in miracles to the end."
    A native of Lockport, Illinois in the southwestern suburbs of Chicago, Koski graduated from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois in 1979, before earning a master's degree and doctorate in agronomy both from Ohio State University in 1983 and 1986, respectively. His research interests focused on:
    water use and irrigation management evaluation of soil amendments for water conservation herbicide and fertilizer efficacy evaluation of turfgrass cultivars for drought resistance His career in the golf industry began at nearby Cog Hill Golf and Country Club where he worked during summers. After earning his doctorate degree in 1986, he stayed at Ohio State for two years serving as an extension specialist before moving on to Colorado State in 1988.
    "For 37 years, I taught, researched, and worked alongside incredible students, colleagues, and Extension professionals," Koski wrote in his own obituary. "It never felt like a job it was always fun."

    Tony Koski, Ph.D., was a professor and extension specialist at Colorado State University since 1988. The consummate educator, Koski Koski recorded an interview with KUNC radio in Greely, Colorado, and a webinar shortly before his death. He donated his remains to science so others could continue to learn.
    "In his storied career at CSU, he taught thousands of people, gave hundreds of lectures, and showed so many the importance of auricles and ligules," Gaussoin wrote.
    Survivors include wife Ronda and sons Zach, Chris and Tim.
    "My greatest pride is my family," Koski wrote in his own memorial. "My sons and their partners, Lauren and Simone have supported me through everything. I’m in awe of them."
    A memorial mass is scheduled for 2 p.m. July 18 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Fort Collins, Colorado. Koski requested all in attendance to wear golf attire.
    He closed his self-authored obit with the following: "May your lawns be green, your trees healthy, your friendships deep and never stop trying new things. In turf we trust."
  • Pests like fall armyworms, chinch bugs, grubs and annual bluegrass weevil plague golf courses north, south, east and west. Quali-Pro recently launched Contrado insecticide, which can offer long-lasting insect pest control with a single application, thus reducing environmental impact at the same time.
    With the active ingredient chlorantraniliprole, Contrado is registered for use in warm- and cool-season turf for control of many insect pests, including white grubs, turf caterpillars, billbugs, spittlebugs, annual bluegrass weevil, European crane fly and chinch bugs. 
    Chlorantraniliprole is an anthranilic diamide class (IRAC Group 28) insecticide and acts as a ryanodine receptor modulator that disrupts calcium ion regulation in insect muscle tissue. This leads to muscle paralysis and feeding cessation within hours of exposure, followed by death over several days.

    With the active ingredient chlorantraniliprole, Contrado is registered for use in warm- and cool-season turf for control of many insect pests, including white grubs. Quali-Pro photo In research, Contrado was shown to provide season-long pest control with a single, early season application of white grubs (Asiatic garden beetle, black turfgrass ataenius, European chafer, green June beetle, Japanese beetle, May/June beetles, northern masked chafer, oriental beetle and southern masked chafer), turf caterpillars (fall armyworms, sod webworms and cutworms) and billbugs.
    Contrado’s mode of action offers the following benefits:
    Target specificity for key turfgrass pests with low toxicity to mammals and birds and minimal disruption of beneficial insect populations Low water solubility allows for prolonged residual activity in the soil and plant tissue and reduces the risk of runoff and leaching Systemic activity allows it to move from the roots through the xylem for full plant protection from above and belowground pests with one application Superintendents can make targeted spring applications prior to aerifying, or before mowing and irrigation begins for the season.
    In most locations, Contrado should be applied in April or May and watered in to move the active ingredient into the root zone and allow for systemic uptake. 
    When tank mixed with the active ingredient novaluron and applied early in the season, Contrado also provides control of bermudagrass mites and chinch bugs in warm-season turf.
    Contrado is approved for use in 48 states (all except California and Alaska) and has a restricted use label in Connecticut, Hawaii, New York and Hawaii.
  • For superintendents who want control of their irrigation system anytime, anywhere, Toro recently launched its Lynx Drive irrigation software designed specifically for golf course superintendents.
    The new Lynx Drive is a renewed system that puts irrigation management directly into the hands of superintendents and allows for real-time control on the go, faster response times and connected communication for precision and productivity. Now available, the system was first field tested on a wide range of courses.
    "The new Lynx Drive system makes it possible to respond to issues in real time with nearly pinpoint accuracy while keeping the entire crew updated on needed actions," said Kyle Macdonald, superintendent at Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta.
    With Lynx Drive, superintendents can respond in real time to changing course and weather conditions and unexpected emergencies from any smartphone or tablet. The new streamlined layout focuses on the features used daily to optimize irrigation management. An intuitive display includes larger text and high-quality imagery with brighter colors for enhanced visibility and detail.

    The Lynx Drive system helps keep the crew informed, minimizes delays and eliminates guesswork. The Smart Notes feature provides immediate communication with detailed notes and photographic images. The ability to include a device name makes it possible to identify who performed each action, while time-stamped photos add valuable detail. Smart Notes maintains a full notes history for up to one year.
    Smart Notes and Flags help to pinpoint reports and match them to an exact station on the map, ensuring precise adjustments in the correct location. All alerts and a detailed course map are visible to the entire crew on both mobile and desktop platforms for fast, coordinated action. Expanded mapping enables users to include files that can be shared through mobile and desktop programs.
    "This revolutionary system will change the way courses perform preventative and reactive maintenance, improving course conditions and crew collaboration," said John Dalman, senior product marketing manager at Toro.
    Lynx Drive is compatible with two-wire Lynx Smart Module systems. Support for additional platforms will be introduced with future releases.
  • It would be an understatement, if not an injustice, to label David Frew simply as a golf course equipment manager. In fact, Frew has so many responsibilities, if the TurfNet Golden Wrench was still awarded to golf course technicians, Frew not only would be a sure bet to win it, he also might never have to relinquish the honor.
    Frew is in charge of maintaining hundreds of pieces of equipment that Tennessee McBroom, director of agronomy at the Montecito Club, and his team use to oversee the course in Santa Barbara, California, and five other properties in the area.
    The rest of that portfolio includes Sandpiper Golf Club and the grounds at San Ysidro Ranch resort, Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club, Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara and the home of billionaire Ty Warner.
    The owner of Ty Inc., Warner is the mastermind of the Beanie Babies craze and owner of all of the above properties that McBroom and Frew are charged with maintaining.

    David Frew (left) lends a hand to a co-worker. Photos courtesy of Tennessee McBroom "(Frew) is remarkable," said McBroom. "He can fabricate anything. He thinks ahead and has a great inventory program. 
    "He checks all the boxes."
    While the inventory of machines under Frew's charge includes many traditional pieces of equipment for managing fine-cut turf like mowers, blowers, sprayers, seeders and aerifiers, it also comprises many unique implements not typically found on a golf course, or in few other places, for that matter. 
    That list includes electric motor boats used by members at Montecito, a bowling alley, equipment for tennis courts, as well as Tuk Tuk carts and a 1952 circa pizza wagon that are used to cater food and beverages for member events and parties.
    "They all require specialty parts to keep running. It can be a unique challenge, but it's fun," McBroom said. 
    "Mr. Warner is not from the golf industry. Everything he does is unique and special, and that makes working for him a lot of fun."
    Frew is a perfect fit for the golf business. He came to Montecito (et al) after years of owning his own mobile fabricating business.

    David Frew is responsible for keeping a lot of unique pieces of machinery running, including Tuk Tuk carts used for member events. "I put an ad out, and he was tired of not getting paid," McBroom said. "I found a good guy.
    "He's up at 3 in the morning, and works out. He comes into work bright-eyed, and I'm still slurping coffee."
      When the size of McBroom's staff and the amount of equipment used to maintain all of Warner's properties outgrew the square footage of the the maintenance facility at Montecito, Frew built overhangs to help keep machinery out of the elements.
    McBroom, who himself prepped under the late Bob Zoller at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, spoke recently at a conference addressing leadership challenges in the golf industry. A topic for discussion was a shortage of qualified future leaders in the face of shrinking college turfgrass programs around the country. That shortage extends into the shop, as well, he says. 

    A circa 1952 truck has been converted into a pizza wagon and rolling bar at the Montecito Club. "It's not just superintendents and assistants, but includes equipment managers, too. And we have millions of dollars of equipment to maintain," McBroom said. "It used to be you recruited the skill set first and the person second. Now, you have to find the right person first and the skill set second. We struck gold with David." 
    With so many properties spread across the Santa Barbara area, not all equipment is kept on site at one golf course or the other. The amount of turf maintained at the casino, for example, is so small that McBroom keeps an electric mower on site — stored in a closet.
    That diverse collection of far flung properties also means Frew's daily duties often consist of more than repairing engines and grinding reels. It can, and often does, include hopping from one property to another for clubhouse projects or searching for unique, hard-to-find items like Moroccan tile.
    "There are a lot of moving parts, a lot of one-offs, a lot of unique projects working for Mr. Warner," McBroom said. 
    "David has all systems in place to stay ahead of the job, not to mention all the obstacles."
  • Research conducted at Penn State as a masters degree project for a former golf course superintendent has shown that some of the products applied to golf course turf to control many common diseases could be damaging to cool-season fairways.
    In the study, the research team tested a total of nine demethylation inhibitor fungicides used to manage a variety of turfgrass diseases, for their effects on creeping bentgrass and annual bluegrass turf maintained at fairway height. The results of the two-year study provide superintendents with more information on which chemistries can be used effectively and without damaging turf.
    Results of the project showed that metconazole and triticonazole resulted in damage to annual bluegrass but was not injurious to creeping bentgrass. Mefentrifluconazole, another fungicide in the study, resulted in the lowest threat of injury to annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass.
    Conducted in 2020 and duplicated the following year, the study was the master's project for PSU grad student Maureen Kahiu (right), a former golf course superintendent in her native Kenya who is currently working toward a doctorate degree at the University of Tennessee. The results were published recently in the online edition of International Turfgrass Society Research Journal.
    This research was the result of a need to get a better understanding of the relationship between golf course turf and commonly used DMI fungicides, according to John Kaminski, Ph.D., professor of turfgrass science at Penn State.
    "While these products are highly effective for disease control, their potential to cause injury to different turfgrass species — especially under varying environmental and management conditions — hasn't been systematically studied," Kaminski said. "Golf course superintendents have long relied on anecdotal experience or manufacturer guidance, but there’s been no side-by-side comparison that puts all of these fungicides through the same testing protocols.""

    Maureen Kahiu organizes fungus isolates collected from various turfgrass species following the repeated application of DMI fungicides when she was a graduate student at Penn State. Her research on the effects of DMI fungicides on cool-season fairway turf recently was published in the online edition of International Turfgrass Society Research Journal. All photos by Penn State Two field trials were conducted in 2020 on research fairways at Penn State's Valentine Turfgrass Research Center. Nine fungicides — propiconazole, triadimefon, myclobutanil, mefentrifluconazole, pydiflumetofen, flutriafol, tebuconazole, metconazole and triticonazole — were applied in 14-day intervals over three summer months. The trials were replicated in 2021.
    "Our study is the first to directly compare a broad range of DMI) fungicides on both annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass," Kaminski said. "We focused on real-world application scenarios to make the findings immediately useful to superintendents. The results help clarify which products are more likely to cause phytotoxicity on specific species and under what circumstances, providing actionable guidance for choosing safer options without sacrificing disease control."
    Kahiu's research was partially funded by the Paul R. Latshaw Graduate Fellowship. In the study, she applied all the fungicides to the research fairways with a backpack hand sprayer. To determine any phytotoxicity caused by the fungicides, she examined the plots on a daily basis, looking for changes in color, texture, density and growth.
    "Anywhere you go in the world, when it comes to turfgrass management, Penn State is where you want to be," Kahiu said. "It's known as the best internationally."
  • Matt Taylor, CGCS, has been a fixture in greenkeeping in Florida for more than 30 years.
    For the past 25 years, he has been director of golf course operations at Royal Poinciana Golf Club, a 36-hole facility in Naples.
    Recently, Taylor (right) was named the recipient of the Florida GCSA's President's Award for Lifetime Service.
    Taylor, who was presented with the award at the Everglades GCSA annual Poa Annua Golf Classic in May at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, was nominated by the Florida GCSA executive committee.
    "I think it speaks to Matt’s impact that the leadership of the state association felt it was time for him to be honored, rather than wait for his name to be put forward," said Jennifer Bryan, Florida GCSA executive director.

    Matt Taylor, CGCS, has been director of golf course operations at Royal Poinciana Golf Club in Naples, Florida for 25 years. Taylor is a past president of the Everglades GCSA and served as Florida GCSA president in 2007-08. He received the state association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2010. Before that, he was president of the Florida Turfgrass Association (2005-06) and was honored with that association's highest recognition, the Wreath of Grass, in 2010.
    Taylor spent three years prepping under Tim Hiers, CGCS at Collier's Reserve Country Club in Naples after graduating from the golf and landscape operations program at Lake City Community College — now Florida Gateway College. He spent four years as director of golf course operations at Bonita Bay Club in Naples from 1996 to 2000, before moving on to Royal Poinciana.
    He went back to school from 2014-17 at the University of Florida, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration.
    "Matt has devoted as much heart and soul to the well-being of our profession and the industry as anyone," said Florida GCSA president, Jason Zimmerman, CGCS at The Nest Golf Club in Bonita Springs. "He is so deserving of this honor."
  • In more than 50 years as a golf course superintendent, Frank Dobie learned a thing or two. 
    As general manager and superintendent at Sharon Golf Club near Akron, Ohio from 1964 until his retirement in 2020 he was committed to finding new solutions to old problems — and sharing what he learned with his colleagues. He developed his own bunker construction method 50 years ago to combat contamination, washouts and erosion. Three decades ago, when he was faced with moss on greens, he found the solution in a bottle of dish soap. He has been president of the Musser International Turfgrass Foundation, which recognizes excellence in turfgrass research, for 27 years, and for the past two years has been compiling the biological history of other golf course superintendents.
    Five years removed from retirement, Dobie is still looking for better ways to do things. His latest undertaking is trying to change the way people view Roundup, the non-selective herbicide developed by Monsanto more than a half-century ago that for the past seven years has been in the news for all the wrong reasons.
    By now, the potential health risks of glyphosate use should be no secret to anyone. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma has almost become a household term thanks to years of late-night commercials by attorneys looking to cash in on the lawsuit craze after more than 100,000 people claimed it caused their cancer. Whether glyphosate does or does not cause cancer remains unclear, with recognized bodies falling on both sides of the debate.
    Once the world's most popular herbicide, glyphosate was first developed in the 1950s as a chelating agent to remove mineral deposits from pipes. It was patented by Monsanto as a weedkiller in 1971 under the name Roundup. Since Bayer acquired Monsanto in 2018, Roundup has been blamed for causing cancer in thousands. Today, more than 150,000 cases against Bayer have been filed by farm workers, lawn care operators and homeowners. 
    While the amount of applicators professing to be affected by glyphosate is significant, it pales in comparison to the number of people who ingest it in their food, which according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Protection could be in the tens of millions.
    Dobie wants to do something about that, and he wants you to do so, as well. 
    As part of his effort to educate people on what he believes are the ills of glyphosate, Dobie recently sent a letter to dozens of colleagues asking them to consider finding better ways to do things, and to consider organic food options since glyphosate is so heavily use in production of dozens of row crops, from pretreating seeds, to controlling weeds during the growing process to use as a dessicant after harvesting. The letter included links to videos linking glyphosate to a variety of health problems, including malnutrition, liver disease, kidney disease and fertility issues.
    "I want people to question what is happening," Dobie said. "I want to take things that are supposed to be common knowledge and poke some holes in it."

    Frank Dobie has been giving back to the turf business for more than 60 years. Says Don Huber, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the department of botany and plant pathology at Purdue University, glyphosate persists in many food crops and strips them of much of their nutritional benefits because of its chelating characteristics. At least 8 of every 10 people are exposed to glyphosate in foods at any given time, according to the CDC.
    Glyphosate is used in golf during restoration projects and for weed control in dormant Bermudagrass. It has a half-life of about 60 days, according to the EPA.
    Whether glyphosate is or is not a carcinogen continues to be the subject of debate. The World Health Organization claims it is a "potential" cancer-causing agent. Despite the courtroom success of those blaming glyphosate for their non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it has never been proven to cause cancer. Monsanto even received a patent in 2010 for use of glyphosate as an antibiotic, a fact never mentioned in litigation.
    Bayer reached an agreement in 2016 to acquire Monsanto for $66 million. Less than two months after the deal closed in mid-2018, lawsuits claiming that its active ingredient caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma began flying. By 2022, Bayer sold its Environmental Science division to Cinven, which rebranded its new acquisition as Envu. To date, thousands of cases have been filed against Bayer, which has since set aside about $11 billion to settle such claims.
    The glyphosate-based version is still available for professional markets, but was pulled from consumer retail outlets in 2023. The active was replaced for the consumer version with a combination of fluazifop-p-butyl, triclopyr TEA salt, diquat dibromide and imazapic ammonium.
    Many of the objections to controlling or banning glyphosate are due to its efficacy for non-selective weed control. That's why Dobie also is promoting a household hack for non-selective weed control.
    Vinegar, the concentrated formula found in home-improvement stores, not the watered-down stuff found on supermarket shelves, has been touted as a viable non-selective weedkiller for many years. While much of its effectiveness was initially anecdotal, it was first proven to be a viable weedkiller by USDA scientists in 2002.
    "I want people to know there are alternatives out there," he said.
    A gallon of cleaning vinegar (at least 30 percent concentration) can be even more effective at broad spectrum weed when a few drops of Dawn dish soap per gallon of vinegar is added as an adjuvant. Salt also has been shown to enhance activity, but can also cake and clog sprayers and nozzles, according to Dobie.
    Dobie has been a pioneer in golf maintenance for decades. In 1967, he reportedly was the first person to utilize liners in bunker construction. Thirty years later, he reported that a soap drench of water and Dawn dish soap was an effective control of moss on Poa annua putting greens.

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