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From the TurfNet NewsDesk

  • John Reitman
    Chris Claypool, the former general manager of Jacklin Seed Co., was sentenced July 7 in federal court to three years in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud and money laundering for his role in a plot to defraud the J.R. Simplot Co., Jacklin's former owner, and the company's customers, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
    Claypool (right) was charged Feb. 24 in the fraud and money laundering scheme. He waived the indictment and pleaded guilty to all charges.
    Under the terms of the plea agreement, Claypool already paid nearly $8.3 million in restitution and has agreed to forfeit nearly $7.8 million in ill-gotten gains. He will face another three years of supervised release after serving his sentence.
    According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Oregon, Jacklin Seed contracted with independent growers for the production of proprietary grass seed varieties and fulfilled orders from a distribution facility in Albany, Oregon. But much of what Jacklin delivered, under Claypool's direction, was not what customers ordered, according to federal documents.
    Claypool, 53,oversaw the company's product sales to domestic and international distributors.
    U.S. attorney officials said Claypool's alleged schemes include packaging seed varieties with false and misleading labels, embezzling more than $12 million while posing as a foreign sales partner and conspiring with a travel agency in Spokane, Washington, to inflate costs of his international travel.
    Throughout the duration of Claypool's plot of fraud and deception, Jacklin Seed was a division of JR Simplot Co. Jacklin was acquired by Barenbrug in October 2020.
    The U.S. Attorney's Office says Claypool and other Jacklin employees, upon recognizing shortages of some lower yield turfgrass varieties, began a process of substituting different varieties of seeds and hiding the substitutions from customers with falsified labels and invoices, all to avoid paying premiums to growers that would adversely affect the company's profits and their own careers. This began in early 2015 and continued at least until 2019, according to the justice department.
    Claypool and a colleague directed Jacklin employees to invoice the customers under the original terms of their contracts, notwithstanding the unauthorized substitutions. As a result of this scheme, Simplot has refunded or credited more than $1.5 million to defrauded buyers.
    As part of the scheme, Claypool directed Simplot's payment of more than $12 million in "rebates" and "commissions" to entities that were posing as foreign sales partners but were, in fact, fronts for Claypool's co-conspirators in embezzling those funds. The co-conspirators then transmitted part of their illegally conceived windfall from accounts in Hong Kong to real estate investments in Hawaii under Claypool's control. Years later, Claypool sold the real estate and wired the proceeds to investment accounts in Spokane as part of an intricate money laundering operation.
  • Favorable weather and an increase in rounds played were linked at the hip in June. File photo by John Reiitman Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. are separated by 140 miles. Thanks to local weather in each location, they were worlds apart for golfers in June.
    Midway through the year, rounds were up slightly nationwide, less than 1 percent, in June, compared with the same month in 2020, according to the Golf Datatech Monthly Rounds Played Report. But that statistic, quite literally, tells only half the story.
    A total of 20 states showed an increase in rounds played of 2 percent or more, while rounds played were down by the same amount in 20 others. Nine states showed a push in the monthly report that routinely ignores Alaska.
    The dartboard results for June are attributed to a weather-induced reduction in golf playable hours. GPH is a function that measures the pool of hours conducive to playing the game, based on factors such as daylight, wind, temperature and precipitation.
    In Washington, where rainfall for the month of June was 1.5 inches above the historic average, rounds played were down by 7 percent, according to the National Weather Service. In Philadelphia, rainfall in June was an inch below average, and rounds played were up by 2 percent.
    For the year, rounds are up 22 percent over the first six months of 2020's record-setting rounds. The greatest monthly gains were in Hawaii (up 31 percent), which was essentially off limits to travelers throughout much of last year. Other significant gains were in New York (28 percent); Alabama, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont (all 13 percent); and Iowa and Missouri (11 percent).
    The biggest loser in June was Oklahoma. Rounds played there were off by 31 percent. Rainfall in Oklahoma City was significant, registering 7.37 inches at the airport, according to the NWS. That number is almost 3 inches and 64 percent above the historic average. Other big losers for the month were Arizona and Indiana (down 12 percent) and New Mexico (10 percent).
  • Even in retirement, Matt Shaffer finds it difficult to sit still. File photo by John Reitman After a career spent managing demanding conditions and demanding golfers, most superintendents probably would be content, upon retirement, riding off into the sunset for some R and R in a more benign environment. Matt Shaffer is not now, nor has he ever been most people.
    Although he lives in rural Pennsylvania for half the year, and spends the other half driving a bass boat around Okeechobee, Florida, Shaffer has been anything but idle following retirement from Merion Golf Club in 2016. He currently consults for several entities, including some that are in the turf maintenance business, others that are considering it and a museum owned by descendents of Christopher Columbus.
    "When I left Merion, I was worried about going from 90 to zero," said Shaffer, who calls himself a "brand ambassador" for his clients.
    "It has been a good experience. I travel the U.S. and meet superintendents, generate leads for my clients and open doors for them. And they pay me to do that."
    Since he left Penn State in 1974, Shaffer has spent his career swimming against the current. "That's the way we've always done it" never has been part of his vocabulary. Tell him he can't do something, and you better move over. When skeptics said Merion, at 6,950 yards, was too short and undeserving of the 2013 U.S. Open, he coaxed conditions out of the rain-softened Hugh Wilson design that resulted in Justin Rose winning the tournament at 1-over. 
    When something new and innovative hits the golf market, it's a good bet that Shaffer will be among the first to try it.
    "I'm an early adopter. I'm not a techy, but I am a Curious George," he said. "I'm  always interested in what's happening."
    Which explains him hanging out a shingle under the Minimalistic Agronomic Techniques, or M.A.T. with Matt, and working not only with established companies such as Steiner and Ryan, but also stumping for newer, lesser-known players in the turf industry, such as Aneuvia and BioBoost.
    "It's not about the money, although the money is nice," he said. "It's about helping people and having something to do."
    When he is not helping clients promote their wares and services, Shaffer can be found tending the grounds of the Boals Family Museum in his hometown of Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, fishing in Florida, or, once in a while, even relaxing with wife Renna.
    The Boals Family Museum, located just a few miles from the Penn State campus, is owned by descendents of Christopher Columbus and exhibits include pieces once owned by the explorer.
    Even when spending the winter months in Okeechobee, Shaffer does more than skim the lakes in search of bass. He takes advantage of his time there to visit with clients throughout the South.
    "In all those years of work, I never really sat down and relaxed. Even if we were at the beach, I never relaxed. I think my wife would like me to step off altogether and retire, but I'm not there yet. This way, some days I work, some days I don't. Today, I'm going to get a haircut and a new bar for the chainsaw. On Friday, I have three Zoom meetings. Some days are all my own. It's pretty euphoric."
    When Shaffer "retired" from Merion, the club retained him for a year to consult with his successor and friend, Paul B. Latshaw, who after 14 years at Muirfield Village, five years at Oak Hill and six years (1992-98) at Merion, hardly needed the help.
    "We are diametrically opposite," Shaffer said. "For us to work together, it wouldn't work. Neither of us are budging and inch, and it's only going to compromise our friendship."
    Good bye, Merion. Hello, M.A.T. with Matt.
    Shaffer says he has tendered many recruiting offers to pitch products, manage people and even run a hospital.
    "That's how desperate people are for management," he said. 
    "Every generation gets weaker. Parents want their kids to have it better than they did. To do that, they try to help them and make things easier for them. What they are doing is making them weaker. 
    "There is a reason why you see so many people with white hair managing people. Companies are throwing money at them and convincing them not to retire. I'm still going 90 miles an hour, just not 150 with my hair on fire."
  • Almost a year after Bayer agreed to drop billions to settle nearly 100,000 cases in which plaintiffs claimed the weedkiller was responsible for their cancer, another round of suits against the chemical company are set to begin.
    A California woman who used Roundup for more than 30 years is the next person to say glyphosate, the active ingredient in the popular weed killer, caused her non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The trial is set to begin July 19 in San Bernardino County Superior Court.
    In September, Bayer settled thousands of cases for a total of $11 billion. The company also sought to shelter itself against future litigation, but a judge in San Francisco denied Bayer's proposal to set aside another $2 billion to settle all future claims.
    Instead, many attorneys have rejected offers from the class action settlement as insufficient, according to published reports. With thousands of cases still pending, and Bayer's turf and ornamental segment up for sale, it appears the legal system is ready to let this play out until the company has nothing left to give. 
    Bayer bought Monsanto (and Roundup) in 2018 for $63 million and has been defending itself against cancer claims ever since. It has said it is considering removing Roundup for sale to the residential consumer market.
    The decision to divest Bayer Environmental Science includes its professional turf and ornamental business, but does not include the segment's agricultural  or commercial units, which are among its most profitable divisions. The company's Crop Science division plans to focus heavily on growing its presence in the agriculture industry. 
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released studies indicating that Roundup was safe if used according to label instructions. The courts, however, sided with those who cited World Health Organization data and a document known as the Zhang paper that state glyphosate could be a carcinogen.
  • Atticus, a manufacturer of generic pesticide products for the professional and agricultural markets, is rebranding its line of products for the turf and ornamental industry under the EcoCore badge.
    Based in Cary, North Carolina, EcoCure's philosophy is to fights pests in a sustainable manner, the company says.
    Mike Maravich brings years of experience in the turf industry to his new role as vice president of Atticus. A graduate of the turf management program at Ohio State, Maravich has previously worked at Sipcam Agro, Primera Turf and FMC Corp. His responsibilities at Atticus will include identifying needs and bringing new products to market.
     
    "This industry has been my passion for my whole career. Building off my recent experience in agriculture, I'm inspired to come back to my roots in non-crop and grow the EcoCore markets at Atticus," said Maravich. "Aligning my passion and experience with the Atticus purpose-driven attitude and a strategy that is committed to desired outcomes with an unwavering commitment to help elevate our customers' ability to serve their industries and enhance daily life."
     
    The Maravich-led EcoCore team will optimize the current portfolio and continue to develop and drive product development going forward. "With an ever-expanding portfolio of more than 60 active ingredients and 120 end-use registrations, Atticus has the depth to deliver relevant, straightforward products and the vision to meet customer priorities and challenges," Maravich said.
     
    "Atticus has been directionally consistent for years, and we are using that momentum to springboard the EcoCore business," Maravich said. "With an extensive portfolio, a well-rounded team, and a defined cultural framework, we're in a unique position to deliver on our value proposition: Relevant-Simple-Reliable."
  • The Pulpit Club near Toronto will become a training center for Toro turf and irrigation products. Photo by The Pulpit Club The history of The Pulpit Club near Toronto is linked forever to a popular board game, but a recent arrangement that will include utilizing the property for educational purposes is no laughing matter.
    Turf Care Products Canada, an Ontario-based distributor of equipment to golf courses, parks and municipalities, and The Toro Company have reached a 10-year partnership with The Pulpit Club in Caledon. The agreement includes the club's continued use of Toro equipment and irrigation systems on both the Pulpit and Paintbrush golf courses and use of the club as a Toro equipment and irrigation training center.
    The Pulpit's high profile status in Canada makes it an ideal location for professional training.
    Formerly known as the Devil's Pulpit Golf Association, The Pulpit Club was founded by Chris Haney and Scott Abbott, the creators of the game Trivial Pursuit. Both courses there were designed by the golf course architectural firm then known as Hurdzan-Fry. The Pulpit opened in 1990, the Paintbrush followed in 1992. Each was named the best new course in Canada upon opening and both are ranked among the country's top 20 golf courses.
    There also is a strong family connection at The Pulpit. Rob Wright has been superintendent at The Pulpit Club since 2015, when he succeeded his father, Ken Wright, the club's only other superintendent.
    "Our relationship with Turf Care as our distributor has been a very positive one," Rob Wright said, "and I have no doubt that it will continue to grow as we embark on this exciting journey together."
  • In response to the NCAA's updated policy on amateurism that allows college athletes to capitalize on their name, image and likeness, the USGA and The R&A announced Tuesday, July 6 that they will waive most NIL-related breaches of the Rules of Amateur Status for collegiate golfers through the end of the year - as long as that golfer retains his or her NCAA playing eligibility.
    Golf's governing bodies proposed permanent changes to the Rules of Amateur Status in February that, if adopted, will no longer restrict many NIL-related activities for collegiate golfers beginning January 1, 2022. The USGA's plan is to finalize the modernized Amateur Status rules later this year, with the goal of ensuring a smooth transition and minimal disruption for all involved.
    After learning of the NCAA's recent announcement, the USGA and The R&A have taken this interim step after considering what affect the NCAA's announcement could have on amateur golfers, event organizers, coaches and committees worldwide through this interim period.
    Immediately after the NCAA announced that college athletes could profit off their name, image and likeness, college athletes nationwide began seeking endorsement deals and other revenue-generating opportunities. Among them were several college golfers unsure of how the new rules might affect their amateur status with the USGA, including Auburn's Mychael O'Berry, who had recently qualified for this year's U.S. Women's Amateur.
    The decision by the USGA and R&A will allow O'Berry and other golfers like her to earn money off their likeness while also maintaining their amateur status with the USGA.
    Recognizing the immediate impact these decisions may have on a player's amateur status, the USGA  will actively monitor how these policies will affect the amateur game and, if necessary, will update the information provided as appropriate. These new rulings do not waive the Rules of Amateur Status in general for collegiate golfers, or Rule 6 (Use of Golf Skill or Reputation) in its entirety. This interim approach is intended to provide a short-term solution with minimal impact on the amateur game.
    "While the timing of this interim guidance doesn't match the revision cycle for the Rules of Amateur Status, as we announced during our feedback period in February on the proposed Rules of Amateur Status, all amateur golfers will likely be able to benefit from their name, image, or likeness beginning in 2022," said Craig Winter, the USGA's senior director of rules of golf and amateur status. "We do not expect either this interim guidance nor the revised Rules come January to pose any threat to any amateur golf competition, including our own amateur championships."
    The USGA still encourages collegiate golfers to discuss their specific situation with their school's compliance office before entering into any agreement, or contract.
    Collegiate golfers must be prepared prove NCAA eligibility - such as a letter from the school's compliance office - before competing in a USGA amateur event. 
    For all other amateur golfers, the current Rules of Amateur Status continue to apply. For example, amateur golfers who do not compete at the college level could lose amateur status by profiting from their name, image or likeness before the new Rules of Amateur Status are adopted in January.
  • Bryan Rhoden was arrested July 8 in Chamblee, Georgia in DeKalb County and charged with three counts of murder, three counts of aggravated assault and two counts of kidnapping for the triple homicide that occurred July 2, according to police.
    Rhoden, 23, is charged with shooting Gene Siller, 41, the golf pro at Pinetree Country Club in Kennesaw, Georgia, and two other men. Siller was found dead at the near the No. 10 green at Pinetree, when he responded to calls about a pickup truck on the golf course. Police later found the Dodge pickup on the Pinetree property with the bodies of two other men, including the truck's owner, in the truck bed.
    The two other victims have been identified as Henry Valdez, 46, of Anaheim, California, and Paul Pierson, 76, of Topeka, Kansas, who owned the truck, according to Cobb County Sheriff's officials. The men appeared to have no connection to the country club.
    Records in DeKalb County show that Rhoden was arrested July 2, the same day of the shooting, and charged with driving under the influence and several other charges unrelated to the shooting. He was released July 6 and arrested two days later on murder charges.
    Rhoden has a history of violent crime, according to police. He was arrested in 2016 and charged with assault, attempted murder and possessing a firearm on campus when he was involved in a drug deal gone bad at Georgia State University, where he was a student at the time, police said.
    Pinetree, a Chick Adams design, opened in 1962. Georgia native Larry Nelson was an assistant pro there before embarking on a Hall of Fame PGA Tour career.
  • In support of First Tee, John Deere is honoring the 2020 and 2021 winners of the Power for Good Contest. The six winners were selected from a pool of applicants from the First Tee network who showcased exemplary service given to their local communities. The students will receive a VIP Experience at this week's John Deere Classic, in addition to a $5,000 stipend towards their college education and the ability to participate in the Wednesday Pro-Am.
    The Power for Good recognizes the efforts of volunteers in their local communities.
    This year's winners are Kate Castle from First Tee — Tennessee, Chase Gallagher from First Tee — Fresno, California, and Abi Morris from First Tee — Phoenix. Because Covid prevented recognition of last year's winners, the 2020 award recipients were also onsite. They are  Luke Boldt from First Tee — Coastal Carolinas, Vivian Guite from First Tee — Naples/Collier, Florida, and Kayla Tounalom from First Tee — Greater Seattle.
    The winners were picked from a national pool of applicants across the First Tee network based on the positive impacts made in their local communities through volunteer work, participation at their local community events, honor student activities, and activism in extra-curricular programs.
    “We are honored to have a long-standing relationship with First Tee. Each year this competition provides us with an opportunity to not only support the industry but also take a moment to celebrate these outstanding individuals for the impact they are making on their communities,” said Manny Gan, global director of golf for John Deere. “The winners from 2020 and 2021 embody what “Power for Good” stands for. Not only are they positively affecting their communities, but the golf industry as well, and we are excited to see what they will do in the future.”
    Since 2017, the Power for Good contest recognizes the efforts of young men and women in the First Tee program who have a passion for improving their local communities. Winners are selected based on their commitment to service and leadership, impact on the community, and how their work aligns with the values of First Tee. John Deere is committed to working with the First Tee to provide meaningful experiences that use golf as a platform to empower young people.
  • Editor's note: TurfNet does not endorse specific products, but we do endorse the entrepreneurial spirit of innovative superintendents.
    When Rodney Hine realized a need for an effective and easy-to-use greens-grooming brush that would help him in the day-to-day performance of his job, he did what any innovative and resourceful problem-solver would do - he made one. And he shares it with other superintendents.
    But more important to Hine than high profits since bringing his brush, known as TurfTrainer, to market at the 2018 Golf Industry Show, is his business plan. That philosophy includes members of his family playing an active role in the operation, responsible sourcing, partnering with a local non-profit for the developmentally disabled to help assemble them and pricing them at a point that makes them accessible regardless of budget.
    "The difficult thing was the pricing of it," Hine said. "I wanted any course that wanted to brush to be able to do that, so we priced it reasonably so everyone can afford it. I wanted that to be part of our business plan and philosophy."
    Hine has been the superintendent at Boston Golf Club in Hingham, Massachusetts, for the past 18 years. For much of the time, Hine has thought there must be a better way to groom finely mowed turf. Specifically, he wanted a brush that worked, was easy to attach and easy to remove to minimize disruption to daily tasks.
    "The inspiration for the TurfTrainer was that the products that brush greens, or control grain were attached to the mower itself, and that presented a problem," Hine said. "We were hampered doing what we wanted to do agronomically, and we were hampered by the challenges the mechanics had. They already had a lot on their plate, and we were just adding more."
    Rather than a bristled brush, Hine's invention, known as TurfTrainer and available through his family's HineCraft company, , is a piece of synthetic turf that attaches directly to mower buckets. A channel bracket attached to the bucket and two snap pins hold the brushes in place.
    "It all translated to be easy to have a tool that works when they wanted to use it and when the turf needed it," Hine said. 

    The Hines clan doing a little marketing and promotion for the TurfTrainer. Photos from Rodney Hine via Twitter Just as important as maintaining a profitable business venture is Hines' philosophy that includes his family, ethical sourcing of materials and assembly of components, and fair pricing and accessibility for colleagues hoping to solve a problem on their golf course. In an industry built upon a foundation of relationships, superintendents elsewhere are taking note.
    "I can buy a brush from someone else, but it's not going to be as good," said Sean Reehoorn, superintendent at Aldarra Golf Club in Sammamish, Washington. "Plus, I feel better for supporting a small business. I like to see the little guys survive, and Rodney is a little guy."
    Since the early days of TurfTrainer, promoting the product has been an all-Hines-on-deck affair. His family helps run the business, including wife Caroline Water-Hine, sons Wesley (15) and William (13) and daughter Alexis (18), who helps with sales when she is not working on her father's crew at Boston Golf Club. Some might recall Alexis, then 14 years old, giving demos in the TurfTrainer booth at the '18 GIS.
    "The family is very involved. We had board meetings at home to pick the name of the company. We tried to make it fun to get them involved," Hine said.
    "It was amazing watching Alexis hanging in there in our booth and explaining to these grown men how it works. She can talk to anyone."
    Said Reehoorn: "To see her when she was 14 or 15 explaining what it is and how it works, in this day and age when we are talking about inclusion and attracting women into turf, it's awesome."
    All components are manufactured and sourced in the U.S., including the matting, with specific requirements for pile depth and firmness, is custom made in Dalton, Georgia. The entire apparatus is assembled by clients of the Southbridge, Massachusetts chapter of The Arc, a 501 c3 organization that serves those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
    "They love doing it," Hine said. "And it is rewarding to have them be part of this."
    Matt Wharton, superintendent at Carolina Golf Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Hine first met at the 2015 Syngenta Business Institute, and have been friends ever since. He first saw the TurfTrainer at a presentation in a San Antonio hotel during the GIS, and took the plunge later in the year at the Carolinas GCSA Conference and Show. 
    "I'm not a big brush guy," Wharton said. "I can't say what it is about Rodney's product that works better than others, because I've never used any others. When we do light topdressing applications, we incorporate it for the next two or three mowings for minimizing sand pick up.
    "I like to support Rodney, because his business is a true family affair."
    The life of business owner has done nothing to dampen Hine's passion for greenkeeping.
    "It's stimulating and fills my need to be challenged and problem-solve," he said. "But, I also really love being an entrepreneur. I love helping people and working with them to solve their problems."
  • Aqua-Aid names new territory manager
    Aqua-Aid Solutions has named Tyler Warner as Southeastern U.S. Manager/Distributor Support.
    Warner brings sales experience from his previous positions as a territory manager with The Andersons, Grigg and Milliken & Co. Warner served as director of agronomy for several clubs in Florida when first out of school. Warner received his associate degree in turfgrass management from Ohio State. He received his bachelor’s in finance from University of Akron.
    Warner will be based in Walling, Tennessee.
    Bayer launches new insecticide
    Bayer recently launched its Tetrino insecticide for control of a wide range of turf-damaging insects. 
    With the new active tetraniliprole, Tetrino is absorbed by the plant to control many turf-feeding insects, such as including white grubs and annual bluegrass weevil.
    It also can be incorporated into other management programs for control of pests like chinch bugs, caterpillars and billbugs.
    Former GIS gets a new name
    The conference and trade show formerly known as the Golf Industry Show has been rename the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show. 
    The event, which is conducted in accord with the Golf Course Builders Association of America and the American Society of Golf Course Architects, and with participating partners, the United States Golf Association, National Golf Course Owners Association and National Golf Foundation had been operating under the name Golf Industry Show since 2005.
    The rebranded event is scheduled for Feb. 5-10 in San Diego.
  • Golf course superintendents have a reputation for being innovators who are able to find solutions to just about any problem they might encounter. In a post-pandemic world in which just about every business across the country is hanging out a "help wanted" sign, superintendents must be more innovative than ever as they face what might be their greatest challenge - staffing a crew in an industry that historically has struggled to offer a competitive hourly wage. 
    It is an issue that has only become more challenging during the past 15 months as supplemental unemployment benefits made staying home an attractive and lucrative option for a gun-shy talent pool already stung by layoffs during the pandemic.
    "Why is there a labor shortage? A lot of people are blaming wages, but it's not just wages," said Carlos Arraya, CGCS, assistant general manager at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis. "One thing the pandemic taught us as individuals is 'where I am vulnerable.' If you worked in the hospitality industry, you were one of the first ones cut. Why would you go back to that? People are out of that industry, because they are afraid you will cut them off again, so they are either still at home, or they have found other jobs."
    Alan FitzGerald says competing with other local businesses that can outspend him have made it a challenge to task a crew at LedgeRock Golf Club in Mohnton, Pennsylvania. Much has changed in the industry since he came to the United States from his native Ireland 23 years ago to work at Pine Valley.
    "I started there at $8 an hour as an AIT. Coming from Ireland, I thought I'd hit the lottery," FitzGerald said. 
    "Today, there is a factory here starting people at $17.65 an hour and guaranteed to $20 an hour after two years. McDonald's is paying $15 an hour. Golf is competing at the lower end. How do you start guys at $15 an hour when you still have people who have been here a while making less than $15? You have to bring everybody up. We've been trying to get ahead of that."
    Competing for workers is a trend FitzGerald recognized some time ago, and he has been working proactively for several years at trying to offer a competitive wage. Five years ago, his crew experienced abnormally high turnover. That, combined with the ascension of a new club president, presented a perfect opportunity to attack the wage gap that existed between LedgeRock and other local businesses.
    "We lost some staff, a mix of older and younger guys. It was a good year to reset," he said. "We gave a $2 (an hour) raise to everybody, that brought them up to about $10 to $12 an hour. We've been slowly building on that. The next year we gave a $1 raise, the next year another $1. Now, our experienced guys are over that $16 (an hour) threshold, and we're paying inexperienced guys $12 to $13 to start. I'm not going to say pay doesn't motivate people, but fair pay does matter."

    Located just 30 miles from New York City and some of the country's priciest real estate, Fairview Country Club in Connecticut relies on on-site housing to recruit and retain employees. Photo by Jim Pavonetti via Twitter Arraya also has had to get creative to keep employees at Bellerive, not just on the golf course, but throughout the rest of the operation.
    "The turning point, where we had to make some tough decisions, came when you ask how you are going to compete with Domino's, who is paying $15-plus, or Amazon at $18-plus," Arraya said. "There is something like $8 billion in construction contracts over the next few years in St. Louis. People are being paid more than $20 an hour just to pour concrete.
    "We have to sell something. How do we make this fun?"
    The answer for Arraya, and the club's members was the Bellerive "experience."
    That meant completely rethinking employee work schedules, respecting their lives outside the club, continuing education and group team-building activities, like staff cookouts and bowling outings.
    "Flex schedules became a reality. Twelve days on and two off is not a reality anymore," he said. "Working them 65 hours a week, that's gone. We can't always control the wage, so we can't go from $10.50 to $15 in a heartbeat. We have to sell the job and support what they do outside of work. We are not at the top of the wage market, so we have to sell the experience and what we can do to help them. We do more team events and more things as a group than we did before."
    Bellerive avoided staff layoffs throughout the early days of the pandemic, and the community, Arraya says, has taken notice of that. The result has been more teenagers than ever before applying for jobs since Arraya came to Bellerive in 2016. 
    "During the pandemic, we didn't cut anyone. We cut hours, but we didn't cut jobs. People here know they have a safe place to work," Arraya said. 
    "We've had more young kids apply than ever before. It's not the pay, it's parents saying this is a safe place to work. This is the youngest staff we've had since I've been here."
    Ryan Gordon has adopted a similar path by slowly increasing the hourly wage at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge (below right) in Snoqualmie, Washington, and incorporating other policies that are less tangible, but still make a difference.
    "Full-time labor has been difficult, we are doing the only thing we can - raising our starting wages each year to remain competitive with the McDonald's and Safeways around us," Gordon said. "We also try to make sure we take good care of our tenured employees by being very conscious of how we treat them, showing respect and appreciation whether it be verbal, or with simple team-building barbecues and whatnot."
    At Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, superintendent John Zimmers and his team are preparing for the Solheim Cup in late August and early September. For more than two decades, Zimmers has built a reputation for taking playing conditions to the extreme. It takes a special kind of dedication to stick on his team. 
    In the face of extremely high standards even for hourly employees, Inverness has been fortunate to have a dedicated team of young talent throughout the pandemic and beyond, said assistant superintendent Ryan Kaczor. That has been achieved through a mix of hard work, dedication and a little bit of fun. However, so those seeking a career on the fryer might want to think about applying elsewhere."
    "We have been very fortunate over the past year with our grounds staff at Inverness Club," Kaczor said. "Our staff is comprised of a core group that works the winter and a seasonal staff that consists of many high school and college students. 
    "The industry has changed in order to be able to compete with the McDonald's and Burger Kings. The standard and quality of work has to be at a very high level in conjunction with a level of responsibility to quantify the staff. 
    "In doing so, we also put a strong emphasis on making a great working environment for every employee, by being both professional and fair, while still having fun and enjoying our days. At the end of the day, it takes a certain type of person to perform the tasks of grounds maintenance employee, that you might not find at a fast food stop."
    Gordon also has a good track record of recruiting and retaining high school students. 
    "We have also had good success with seasonal labor by filling the pipeline with high school sophomores and they return every year for three to four years," Gordon said. "The challenge is that the young ones have more limitations on what they can legally do versus those that are over 18 but if you keep the pipeline full those young ones eventually become your 18 year old operators."
    One thing is certain, there are no cookie-cutter answers to finding solutions to the labor challenges facing the golf industry. 
    The cost of housing is a concern for employees at Fairview Country Club in Greenwich, Connecticut, which is 30 miles from Times Square in New York City. On-site housing at Fairview helps Pavonetti retain his crew.
    "I am able to attract and retain employees by offering housing," Pavonetti said. "If I didn't have that, I don't think I would be in such a good position that I'm in today. 
    "My entire staff is Mexican immigrants that are American citizens, or permanent residents. Fourteen out of 20 live at my facility and go back to their families in Mexico once the season ends."
    With so many golf courses boasting of increased revenue and record play, the time is right, according to Bellerive's Arraya, for golf course operations everywhere to work toward finding a long-term solution to the industry's wage gap.
    "We're all fat and happy now. If we can't fix the wage issue now during record play, we're never going to do it," Arraya said. "We're cash flush everywhere. If we can't do it now, we never will, and people don't want to hear that."
  • During the 1950s and '60s, Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, was a playground to Hollywood's A-List. Aging Hollywood stars are not the only icons in Southern California that undergo cosmetic tweaks, tugs and pulls in an effort to resurrect their careers. Linked to some of the biggest names in Hollywood of yesteryear, 70-year-old Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, is getting its first facelift in 40 years as members hope to reclaim some of its past glory.
    Architect Tripp Davis has been brought aboard to restore, not reinvent, Thunderbird, which was designed in 1951 by Lawrence Hughes. Originally a mostly flat layout, Thunderbird was last was renovated - minus a few bobs and tucks here and there - in 1980 by Ted Robinson.
    The $6.5 million project, which is scheduled to be finished in fall of 2022, will include at least some work on all 18 holes, including reshaping some contouring, rebuilding several greens and bunkers and regrassing with newer Bermudagrass varieties. The idea behind the project, members told the Desert Sun newspaper, is to reclaim some of the club's past glory while also keeping an eye on the future as the club looks to grow membership.
    But there is no denying Thunderbird's past.
    The club is home to many firsts. It is the oldest 18-hole golf course in the Coachella Valley, and is the birthplace of the desert's PGA Tour event - now known as The American Express and played at PGA West. 
    The club was the site of the Thunderbird Invitational that eventually grew into the Palm Springs Classic and later the Bob Hope Desert Classic. Arnold Palmer won the last Thunderbird Invitational in 1959.  The first three editions of the Palm Springs Classic were held at Thunderbird from 1960 to 1962 before going off on a nomadic tour that includes several iterations and name changes.

    A 1950s-era postcard showing Thunderbird Country Club. In its heyday, Thunderbird's membership was a snapshot of Hollywood's A-List of the 1950s and '60s, and boasted names like Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Jack Benny, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and singer Hoagy Carmichael. Former presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Gerald Ford were members at Thunderbird, and revenue from the Bob Hope Desert Classic, which moved from the club in 1963, helped fund construction of Eisenhower Medical Center (now Eisnehower Health) in 1971 on 80 acres of land donated by Hope. Another former president, Barack Obama, is a more current member.
    Thunderbird's spectacular history has made a lasting on the game.
    According to legend, the electric golf car debuted at Thunderbird, and the club also was the inspiration for the naming of the eponymous Ford roadster that hit assembly lines in 1957 as the company's answer to the Chevrolet Corvette. As the story goes, the name Thunderbird was the idea of Ernest Breech, Ford's chairman at the time and a member at the club.
    Singer Perry Como was a member at Thunderbird and it was there that his trademark cardigan sweaters reinvented men's fashion.
    For better or worse, Thunderbird is recognized as the country's first real estate golf community, and many of its famous members owned homes there. A more valuable contribution by Thunderbird was the debut of underground residential utilities in the 1950s.
    While embracing Thunderbird's historical ties to old Hollywood, its members recognize the importance of simultaneously casting an eye on its future. Here, the two will forever go hand-in-hand.
  • Green Start Academy, a joint educational initiative by Bayer, John Deere and Rain Bird specifically for assistant superintendents, is headed to Pinehurst Resort this year.
    The three-day event is scheduled for Nov. 15-17. Applications will be accepted July 1 through August 1.
    Green Start Academy was established in 2006 to help develop aspiring leaders by bringing the best and brightest of the industry together for a career-changing experience. The agenda includes educational sessions from top industry experts and breakout sessions with industry leaders. 
     
    The move to Pinehurst will include changes other than just physical location. This year, attendees can expect additional new events and added emphasis on mentorship and networking.
     
    Green Start Academy is open to assistant superintendents from the U.S. and Canada who are looking to advance their careers and build connections within the Golf industry. The 2021 application period will be open from July 1 through August 1, and selected participants will be notified by August 16. To apply or learn more about the 2021 event, visit the Green Start Academy website.

  • Craig Kessler has established a career advocating for public golf courses in Southern California. Photo of Rancho Park Golf Course by City of Loos Angeles Golf. When it comes to defending Southern California's golf industry, no one carries a bigger stick than Craig Kessler.
    A former attorney, Kessler has spent the past 11 years as the director of government affairs for the Southern California Golf Association and before that he was the executive director of the Public Links Golf Association of Southern California. That background adds up to many years of experience working on labor issues and public affairs, including nearly a quarter century of government relations and advocacy on behalf of golf. A skilled player who loves the game, Kessler is especially passionate about defending the merits of municipal golf.
    Passion for the game is one thing, helping save it from politicians and those who view golf courses as apartment complexes in waiting is another. It takes a special kind of person not just to go into battle every day to protect the game you love, but to have the necessary tools and the skills to wield them is another matter entirely.
    "Some people are like a fish out of water. They're not comfortable in that realm," Kessler said. "I'm comfortable in that role as a strategist and all the skills that go into advocacy.
    "Years ago, if you would have told me that I would be working in the golf industry, I would have laughed you out of the room."
    The SCGA and PLGA merged in 2010. At that time, SCGA executive director Kevin Heaney stayed on in his position and Kessler, who already had considerable experience working with the media and elected officials, took over the role of director of government affairs. Today, he advocates on behalf of the SCGA's 160,000 members and golfers throughout California.
    "What people don't see is what he does behind the scenes," said Jim Ferrin, a former superintendent in Roseville, who worked closely with Kessler on California Alliance for Golf issues. "His work is essential to the California golf industry, and he is one of the best at what he does."
    Kessler's background includes experience as a USGA committeeman, chairman of the Los Angeles Golf Advisory Commission, member of the Ventura Golf Advisory Group, member of the Los Angeles County Junior Golf Foundation Board of Directors and the First Tee of Los Angeles advisory committee.
    Through the years, he has worked closely and regularly with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, one of the country's largest utility providers, on establishing water use  regulations.
    When California was in the throes of one of the worst droughts in the state's history, which eventually resulted in state-mandated water-use restrictions, golf courses around the state came under heavy fire. No other place in California has a love-hate relationship with golf quite like the Coachella Valley. With about 120 golf courses, the Coachella Valley relies on golf for its very economic livelihood, if not its very existence. But not all residents see it that way. 
    The golf courses of the valley were squarely in the crosshairs of the local media and residents, And those golf courses were painted as water use abusers by many of the nearly 400,000 people who chose to live in a desert.
    Kessler played a key role in working with the Coachella Valley Water District, members of the local golf community and others to form the Coachella Valley Golf and Water Task Force that developed smart water use protocols for golf courses and established the cash for grass rebate program that paid golf properties for converting irrigated turf into non-irrigated.
    Mike Huck, a Southern California-based irrigation consultant as well as a former superintendent and USGA Green Section agronomist, was part of that group that helped found the task force in the Coachella Valley.
    "Craig is the clearinghouse of everything in California on how to work with these water districts and how to develop plans for your golf course," Huck said. 
    "I don't know if there is another association doing what the SCGA has going on with government affairs."
    For all of his accomplishments, Kessler has a special affinity for protecting municipal golf. Taking up for public golf also has been among some of his most challenging work. He has been a vocal detractor of AB 672, proposed legislation in California that targets municipal golf courses as potential sites for low-income housing units and open space. The bill died in committee in April, but probably will be introduced again in 2022, Kessler said.
    "The most challenging things I have worked on have been attacks on the very legitimacy of municipal golf," Kessler said. "In the state's highly populated urban areas, land is precious. Cities are park-poor, and the interests competing for land are incredible. There is a serious housing shortage here, and many people have nowhere to go, so when people drive past a golf course in an area where there is a need for affordable housing they see a solution.
    "If you ask people in this business how they got started, most would say they started in municipal golf. Now, it has reversed course. Even if a golf course is successful, people don't care about that million dollars. They want another use for that land, and golf isn't it."
    Those challenges of advocating for public golf have done little to dampen Kessler's enthusiasm for helping to save the game he loves.
    "When it comes to government affairs, Craig Kessler wields a pretty big sword," Ferrin said. "So, when he talks, people better damn well listen."
  • Ohio State entomologist Dave Shetlar, Ph.D., says that female cicadas are better in the pan because they are packed with fat-filled eggs. Photo above and on front page (of cicada fettuccine) by WCMH-TV. Below, cicadas cling to a water cooler at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. Photo by Chad Mark via Twitter. Anyone who watched this year's Memorial Tournament no doubt heard or witnessed the drama. 
    No, we're not talking about 54-hole leader Jon Rahm being jettisoned from Muirfield after testing positive for Covid-19 during the third round. We're talking about the loud noise in the background throughout the tournament. Brood X of the 17-year (or periodical) cicadas could be heard loud and clear on television as they descended on Muirfield by the millions. 
    Brood X cicadas have been out in full force this summer in parts of at least 16 states, getting into and onto everything. Totally harmless, but an incredible nuisance, they land on and stick to everything, including clothing and hair. Superintendents have posted photos of the red-eyed demons on water coolers, irrigation control boxes and even congregating in the bottoms of cups on putting greens.
    Dave Shetlar, Ph.D., retired entomologist at Ohio State University, says those grossed out by cicadas can get the last laugh on these periodic pests by, of course, eating them. 
    "My normal preference is to get rid of the wings," Shetlar said in a televised segment on WCMH, the NBC affiliate in Columbus, in which he pan-fried up a batch of cicadas with a little bacon fat, garlic, snow peas and sage and tossed the concoction together with some fettuccine. Yum!
    Shetlar, whose expertise in the field also was highlighted in a recent episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, expressed a particular affinity for egg-laden females, mostly because they are packed with carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
    If you did not hear cicadas this year, don't worry, you probably will. Maybe not this summer, maybe not next, but you will. According to the U.S. Forest Service, there are at least 15 broods of cicadas that emerge periodically. Some, like Brood X, are on a 17-year cycle, others are on a 13-year cycle. The noise they bring emits solely from the males of the species in their attempt to woo females to fulfill their sole purpose in life - to propagate the species (well, and to serve as a food source for birds and brazen entomologists).
    Although a pan of cicada fettuccine is not likely to make a dent in the population, try convincing those arthropods swimming in hot bacon grease of that. Revenge is indeed sweet, just like the cicadas on the Bug Doc's plate.

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