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From the TurfNet NewsDesk

  • John Reitman

    News and people briefs

    By John Reitman, in News,

    DryJect expands management team
     
    DryJect has named Jeffrey Broadbelt and Thomas van Drumpt to its management and business development team.    A former superintendent and golf course owner, Broadbelt served as head superintendent at Chester Valley Golf Club where he was responsible for course preparation for a Senior Tour event and as president and partner at Agrostis Golf Management, where he owned and operated several golf facilities. Most recently he was general manager at Broad Run Golf Club.   Thomas van Drumpt is joining DryJect to help manage and develop the company's web and social media efforts. Van Drumpt has been working with DryJect as a machine operator periodically since 2002. He has a BS in Business Administration from The College of New Jersey, and a MS in Environmental Science from Mid Sweden University.    
     
    Profile expands portfolio with acquisition
      Profile Products recently acquired the erosion control and landfill cover business of Central Fiber.   The deal closed Oct. 20. Terms were not disclosed. The deal does, however, supplement Profile's product portfolio with Central Fiber's Second Nature and Enviro Fiber hydraulic mulches. Profile already makes Flexterra HP, ProMatrix and Base mulch hydroseeding solutions for erosion control.   Profile's product line also includes technologies for golf course construction and maintenance, sports field conditioning, vegetation establishment and landscaping.   Advanced Turf acquires Midwestern distributor
      Advanced Turf Solutions recently acquired AgroLogics, a regional green industry distributor serving Missouri and Illinois.   Founded in 2001, Advanced Turf Solutions is an independent green industry distributor offering products for the turf, ornamental and aquatics markets. The acquisition will help the company expand its reach in the Midwest. The company serves customers in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee.   Agro-Logics will continue to operate as a distinct brand through the end of the year and will be relabeled as Advanced Turf Solutions in January.
  • Even if next year's Golf Industry Show isn't in the budget, there are many regional educational opportunities coming up in the next few months to fit the needs of any professional turfgrass manager.

    We've pulled together information on some of them so you don't have to.
     

     
    Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Conference and Show
    After a change of venue last year on the shores of Lake Erie, the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Conference and Show returns to the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

    Scheduled for Dec. 7-10, this year's even includes tracks in golf turf, sports turf, business management, lawn and landscape, pest management, chemical application technology, equipment technician training, ornamentals, plant selection, fertilizer strategy, sustainability and arborist training.

    The keynote speaker at this year's event is Ohio State wrestling coach Tom Ryan, who coached the Buckeyes to the national championship last season.
    Carolinas GCSA Conference and Show

    With some 2,000 attendees annually, the Carolinas GCSA Conference and Show is the country's largest regional event and presents tremendous networking opportunities.

    This year's show is scheduled for Nov. 16-18 at its regular home, the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

    A combined effort of chapters in North and South Carolina, the show will feature nearly 30 seminars on a wide range of topics and will offer pesticide points for attendees from not only the Carolinas, but Georgia and Tennessee as well.

    Many classes are taught through a combined effort of Clemson University and North Carolina State University.
     
    Rocky Mountain Regional Turfgrass Association Conference and Trade Show

    The 62nd annual Rocky Mountain Regional Turfgrass Association Conference and Trade Show offers a mix of long and short courses for all turf, irrigation and landscape professionals from Dec. 8-10.

    Day 1 of the three-day show held at the Crowne Plaza at Denver International Airport includes a slate of half-day sessions in golf, sports turf, irrigation, landscape, service and pesticide applicator tracks.

    The second day features all one-hour seminars, as well as a trade show that runs throughout the day and a silent auction.

    The show concludes Dec. 10 with a mix of short courses ranging from 30 minutes to an hour in length.
     



    Tennessee Turfgrass Association Conference and Show

    The Tennessee Turfgrass Association Conference and Show has historically been held in Franklin, just outside Nashville. Next year's show still will be held in middle Tennessee, but this show, which is growing in popularity and size, has moved to a new location - the Embassy Suites in nearby Murfreesboro.

    Scheduled speakers include David Stone of The Honors Course, 2011 TurfNet Superintendent of the Year Paul Carter, CGCS, Chris Hartwiger of the USGA Green Section and Chris Tritabaugh of Hazeltine National Golf Club, who will discuss preparations for next year's Ryder Cup Matches.

    Former University of Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer, who coached the Vols to the first BCS National Championship in 1998, will deliver the keynote address.
     
    New York State Turfgrass Association Turf and Grounds Exposition
     
    With nearly 50 exhibitors scheduled for the trade show, the New York State Turfgrass Association Turf and Grounds Exposition is a formidable regional turf show.
     
    The event is scheduled for Nov. 17-18 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center.
     
    Speakers will include Jennifer Grant, Ph.D., and Frank S. Rossi, Ph.D., Rich Buckley, Ph.D., of Rutgers, Alex Ellram, Ph.D., of SUNY-Delhi, Geunhwa Jun, Ph.D., of UMass, Eric Lyons, Ph.D., of the University of Guelph, Adam Moeller of the USGA Green Section and more.
     
    The event includes tracks such as IPM, management of natural grass/artificial turf sports fields, disease management, weed management, invasive species, water issues in New York and Cornell research updates.
     
    The two-day event also will include a turf bowl for future superintendents and turf managers.
     
    Nebraska Turf Conference

    The 2016 Nebraska Turf Conference, scheduled for Jan. 12-14, includes pre-conference workshops, along with full conference seminars.

    Scheduled for Jan. 12-14, the conference will be held at the LaVista Conference Center in LaVista, Nebraska.

    Speakers will include Bill Kreuser, Ph.D., of the University of Nebraska, Lee Miller, Ph.D., of the University of Missouri and Michael Boettcher of the Milwaukee Brewers, to name a few.

    Pre-conference workshops will include topics on equipment management, soil and water analysis, lawn care and pesticide recertification.

    Arkansas Turfgrass Association Trade Show and Conference

    Scheduled for Jan. 13-14 at the Hot Springs Convention Center, the 2016 Arkansas Turfgrass Association Trade Show and Conference will include tracks in golf, sports turf, lawn care and pesticide recertification.

    The event typically includes sessions led by researchers from the University of Arkansas as well as other instructors from turfgrass programs throughout the country.

    Former University of Arkansas professor Aaron Patton, Ph.D., of Purdue University will be among this year's speakers. That list also will include Dale Bremer, Ph.D., of Kansas State University and Bruce Martin, Ph.D., of Clemson.
  • Each spring brings a similar story to The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, and other golf courses throughout the transition zone: Bermudagrass fairways that show signs of stress after a winter cold spell.   At this state park golf course a few miles north of Chattanooga, Tennessee, the areas in question are limited to the same three holes, and the challenges affecting them, said Paul Carter, CGCS, always center on drainage and shade. The solutions? They're always the same, too: add more drainage, aerify like crazy and resod.   "Our problems are on No. 1, the front of No. 5 and the landing area on No. 10," Carter said. "Those are the issues we've had, and you can pretty much mark it every year. This is where we are going to have those problems."   "This year, we kept traffic off the No. 10 fairway from Thanksgiving until the middle of March. It helped us out a good bit, but we still had a shade issue from a grove of trees. You can see where the damage follows a shade line where a shadow is cast from the trees each winter," Carter said. "We added surface drainage in the fairway, but the problem is this happens where everyone lands. Coming out of winter, if it doesn't look good, what do you do? You can't just shut it down to sod it. So, what are your options? A lot of aerifying in the summer, a lot of extra fertilizing trying to grow it in. Honestly, I don't know if we won't be doing it again next year, because we can never get a good healthy stand of Bermudagrass in the four-month growing period we have before it's back under stress again."   This year, Carter finally approached Mike Nixon, director of golf operations for the Tennessee State Parks, for a solution.   Carter pointed to a stand of about 50 trees mostly sweet gums towering more than 100 feet into the air as the cause of problems on the No. 10 fairway. When Carter said he'd sodded the area three straight years and likely would have to again every year as long as shade was an issue, Nixon gave the OK to remove the trees.   The impact was almost immediate.   "More grass has grown in since we dropped those trees, and we've also gotten some afternoon sun on 11 green," Carter said.   Jimbo Thomas also has faced some winter-related challenges at TPC Southwind in Memphis.    "It's all about the location," Thomas said. "Winterkill affects the same location because the problem that causes it doesn't get fixed. I can be caused by multiple problems. "It can be a place that gets too much morning shade, it can be a wet spot, or it can be a dry spot."   Those issues have mostly been solved since a recent fairway renovation project that included regrassing the Bermuda playing surfaces with Meyer zoysia, which is more tolerant to shade and cold.   "When we had Bermuda fairways, I could go out at 9:30 in the morning with a paint gun and draw a line where we had shade from pine trees," Thomas said. "I could guarantee you that was the area that was going to be dead."   Although eliminating the source of the shade is the preferred method for dealing with winterkill on Bermuda grass, eliminating trees isn't always possible. Carter is in talks with researchers at the University of Tennessee about the benefits of using topdressing sand and a lot of it to help protect the crown of the Bermudagrass plant throughout the winter.   He also has been raising the height of cut in the fairways this year in hopes that it produces a healthier Bermudagrass plant throughout the summer and into next spring.   "People are trying to hold onto lower cutting heights longer into the season. We're raising the heights in the fairways," he said. "We're not waiting until October to do it. We're keeping them higher in the summer. With growth regulators, we've gone from 0.500 inches to 0.600 inches.   "We get no Bermuda growth until the end of June or early July. By then, we only have 45 to 60 days where we can really push that grass. It comes down to how much cultural practices can you do. We slice without coring, we've done that a lot. It has a lot to do with what membership will allow you to do, but we weren't going to sod that area anymore."
  • When Steve Cook, CGCS, says his upcoming climb of the mountain known as Ama Dablam is part of a long journey, he's talking about much more than ascending a Himalayan peak rising more than 22,000 feet into the air.
      Throughout Cook's career, scaling geological formations have been part vacation, part physical workout and part mental escape. But the pending climb of Ama Dablam is even more significant for Cook. The 56-year-old director of agronomy at famed Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, has turned the trip to Nepal into a fundraising effort that will benefit critically ill children in Michigan.   By turning to social media, Cook has raised about $30,000 through donations. That money will help fulfill dreams for four Michigan kids through Make-A-Wish America.   Cook and his wife, Robin, don't have children of their own, but the Michigan chapter of Make-A-Wish has been near and dear to them since Robin served the nonprofit entity in a volunteer capacity a decade ago.   "I talked to my wife about how I could turn this into something bigger," Cook said. "That's how the Make-A-Wish Foundation came to the surface."   Cook is scheduled to leave for Nepal on Oct. 17 and will return Nov. 19. In between he, along with two other climbers, a coach and as many as a half-dozen sherpa, will ascend Ama Dablam, with an elevation of 22,349 feet.   Throughout the fundraising process, Cook has crossed paths with a lot of people, and he figures he will meet more throughout the trip. He has been reading up on Buddhism and Nepalese culture so he can totally immerse himself in the experience.   "I don't know who I'm going to meet on the way over there, or when I get there and how my life will change due to that,"  he said. "This is just part of the journey.   "I want to tag that summit, but if I don't, I won't be devastated. I've already reached the summit through the donations I received."   Cook wanted to raise money at the rate of $1 per foot of climb. Even the people at Make-A-Wish told him they believed that goal was as lofty as Ama Dablam's summit. He turned to social media and soon, donations poured in from friends, family, colleagues, club members, people he hadn't talked to in years and total strangers.   "I figured I'd have to have a garage sale," he said. " I received $20 here, $100 there from people I don't even know.."   Make-A-Wish, which grants wishes to children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions, already have been identified four children who will benefit from Cook's climb.   "The driving force for me has been knowing that nothing I go through compares to what these kids are facing," he said. "It puts everything in perspective.   "This experience is about more than the climb. Reaching the summit is only about 10 percent of the experience. The other 90 percent is about the rest of the experience."   An experienced climber, Cook has been to the top of places such as the Grand Tetons in Wyoming and Washington's Mount Rainier. Although Ama Dablam is somewhat dwarfed by nearby Mount Everest's 29,000-foot summit, it outshines anything else he's climbed so far. The climb will take about two weeks, while descent takes about two days. The climb up will require getting used to oxygen depletion of nearly 50 percent that occurs at such heights.    "At 22,000 feet it is going to feel like someone is standing on your chest," he said.    "My cup already is overflowing. If it's in God's plans for me to summit that mountain, I will; if not, I won't. Make no mistake, I want that summit pretty bad, but I'm trying to keep everything in perspective."
  • Editor's note: This letter on developing a philosophy and team leadership was submitted by 2014 Superintendent of the Year finalist Jorge Croda. Jorge is a Mexican national living and working in Burleson, Texas, where he is superintendent of Southern Oaks Golf Club.
     
    Developing a solid philosophy that is based on the vision, mission and values of the organization is the foundation that successful employees and teams are built upon. Vision in business requires that you clearly see where you choose to be in future and formulate the necessary steps to get your organization there. Creating and sustaining a vision for an organization calls for discipline and creativity.
     
    The vision for my department is to provide a challenging yet enjoyable course and an environment where guests of all golf levels, from casual to expert, can create memorable experiences.
     
    A leader must have the passion, strength of will and necessary knowledge to achieve long-term goals. Our vision drives our goals. A focused individual who can inspire his team to reach organizational goals is a visionary leader. To cultivate this loyalty the attitude of supervisors is of utmost importance. Growing grass is very easy; to form and grow a team is a challenge that requires vision, attitude and discipline. As a leader, I strive to make leaders out of my staff in order to encourage them to learn and grow both within and outside of their job functions and department. It is important to create a personal sense of ownership and belonging for employees.
     

     
    We also designed a mission, values and rules that my department follows to meet the expectations of our members, guests and owners. Our mission is to provide exceptional recreational and social opportunities to our members, guests and anyone interested in gaining positive experiences through maintaining high expectations of excellence. Our values include:
    Our members are our most important asset. Our staff is a critical and vitally important element in our continued success. We treat all people, fellow members, guests, staff and suppliers, as we would like to be treated. We are respectful, friendly, courteous and honest in our relations. We value friendships and enjoyable recreational and social experiences. We value teamwork and volunteerism in pursuing excellence. We value the traditions, heritage and etiquette of the game of golf. Leadership and management will be open and transparent as they strive to continuously improve our quality customer satisfaction in a fiscally responsible manner. The objective is to foster skills that will benefit employees in both their professional and personal lives. There are five core rules that establish discipline expectations and govern our department. 
    Be Safe. Be kind to others. Give each task your best. If you make a mistake, tell someone. Have fun. These rules are essential to the smooth operation of our facility and ensure that we are all operating within our philosophy each and every day. We have weekly meetings within the department to discuss important issues such as; member and guest comments, management announcements, tasks that need focus and improvement and ideas/suggestions on how it can be done, congratulations for hard work, encouragement for giving best efforts, reinforcement of our vision and rules and an opportunity for employees to voice comments, suggestions and/or questions. These meetings are an important facet of our philosophy because it is a structured reminder of the philosophy and expectations of our department.
     
    We focus on these skills:
    Interpersonal skills - proper introductions when greeting someone or meeting someone new and how to effectively communicate with others. Intrapersonal Skills - techniques for managing thoughts and emotions. Goal setting - setting attainable milestones to reach desired goals and dreams. Resiliency - strategies to adapt, manage and overcome challenges.  

     
    Our employees are offered opportunities to acquire skills beyond just their job specific duties such as classes to build and improve English skills, computer skills and cross training that can translate into other areas of their life and create employees that are more well-rounded people. A strong philosophy should focus on developing a company's greatest asset, its employees.
     
    A well-treated and motivated staff will develop loyalty and remain with a company for a long time. The goal is to create a culture of gratitude within your department. The role of the leader of the department is to effectively role-model the ways to show gratitude at all possible times. Here are three strong examples of ways you can establish a culture of gratitude within your organization or department. The first example is to encourage employees to celebrate each other This could be done by some type of structured recognition program where people can praise co-workers for specific behaviors or attitudes or another option would be a more anonymous recognition program where employees are encouraged to leave notes of gratitude for other employees in a designated location.
     
    The second example is to show your appreciation for the entire team by hosting special events or activities. I do this in my department by having a monthly luncheon to show appreciation for my staff and their hard work. Another major event was a scramble tournament for employees that we planned. This allowed the employees to play golf on the course and increase team building skills while experiencing the importance of etiquette and safety, seeing things from the perspective of a member or guest on the course and recognizing what guest/member needs are. The main guideline for the scramble tournament was be positive, enjoy what you do, have fun, be happy and you will be successful. Last, but not least, make "thank you" a phrase heard daily. These two simple words have a significant impact on making employees, and people in general, feel valued and appreciated. By establishing a culture of gratitude, you will not only have happier employees, but employees who are more engaged, motivated, and loyal.

    My philosophy focuses on teaching and demonstrating to my employees the values for life, teamwork, etiquette, communication, leadership and motivation and then most importantly, having the expectation that they put these skills to use every day on the job. Richard Branson once said: "Train people well enough so they can leave; treat them well enough so they don't want to."
     
  • More than a dozen greenkeepers and golf industry professionals teamed up to help Team Ireland retain the TurfNet Emerald Isle Challenge golf tournament.
     
    Contested Oct. 13 over the 121-year-old Portmarnock Golf Club, the biannual event was held in conjunction with this years TurfNet members trip to Ireland.
     
    Comprised of 14 greenkeepers and other golf industry associates, Team Ireland finished with 279 points, topping Team TurfNet by 13 points in the tournament scored using the Modified Stableford scoring system.
     
    Ireland also won the Emerald Isle Challenge played earlier this year at The Quarry in San Antonio during the Golf Industry Show. The next challenge will be played in February in San Diego in conjunction with the 2016 Golf Industry Show.
     
    TurfNet is in Ireland for its fourth trip to the country overall, and seventh members trip overall.
     
    Plans are being made to hold this event in San Diego in advance of the 2016 Golf Industry Show.
     

  • TurfNet has been providing Webinars for professional turf managers since January 2008, and for all but a couple of those early years, Grigg Brothers has recognized the importance of online education.
     
    Each year, Grigg Brothers not only co-sponsors about two-dozen Webinars presented by some of the golf industry's leading research professionals, the Idaho-based manufacturer of foliar fertilizers and pigments, also produces handful of seminars.
     
    This year's three-day Webinar program, scheduled for Oct. 27-29, includes productions by Elizabeth Guertal, Ph.D., of Auburn University, Gordon Kauffman III, Ph.D., of Grigg Brothers and Leah Brilman, Ph.D., of Seed Research of Oregon.
     

     
    Guertal kicks off the series with Phosphorus Fertilization Strategies The Times They Are A-Changin' during which she will discuss phosphorus fertilization strategies that allow for the plant to get the most these nutrients.
     
    A soil fertility specialist, Guertal also will discuss how phosphorous responds differently in different soil conditions and how to choose the correct source, rate and timing of application. She also will discuss how legislation specific to phosphorus fertilization affects turf managers' decision making, and how to develop innovative strategies that maximize control and help attendees plan for the future.
     
    On Day 2, Kauffman, technical manager for Grigg Brothers-Brandt, will present Winter Preparation Lessons Learned and Expectations to Manage. In that presentation he will discuss the most common forms of winter injury and steps that can be taken to preventively and after the fact.
     
    The presentation will include case studies and observations from previous winters that will provide insight and direction regarding specific cultural practices that can improve turf performance leading into, and during the winter months. Attendees also will learn about innovative pest-management strategies, control options, and ideas for managing golfer and member expectations.
     
    The program will conclude Thursday, Oct. 29 when Brilman presents Bentgrass Improvements, Higher Performance, with Less Inputs.
     
    Brilman, the research and technical director for SRO, will discuss the most recent creeping bentgrass varieties to reach the market and innovations in performance, including traits such as increased drought tolerance.
     
    This presentation also will address how improved turfgrasses through traditional breeding remains one of the important aspects of integrated pest and water management, thus allowing turf managers to maximize playability and performance with fewer inputs.
  • The University of Tennessee turfgrass program has come a long way during the past dozen years.
      In fact, John Sorochan, Ph.D., couldn't help but smile as he scanned the East Tennessee Agriculture Research and Education Center during this year's UT Turfgrass Research Field Day, and thought about just how much the program has progressed since he came aboard in Knoxville in 2002 after earning a doctorate degree at Michigan State.    "None of this was here then," Sorochan said of the acres of turf research projects under management at the East Tennessee research center. "Back then, it was just me and Tom Samples doing extension work."   Whether it's an increase in the amount of scientific research that is being conducted at UT, growing enrollment in the undergraduate turf program, a growing turf research field day, constant program tweaking designed to drive attendance at the annual winter conference or an innovative internship program that gives UT students an advantage over counterparts from many other schools, there is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm surrounding Tennessee's turfgrass management program in Knoxville.   "We want to make things bigger, and expand the reach of the 'T' to a wider audience," said Jim Brosnan, Ph.D., who has been at UT since 2008. "There is a lot of pride in the 'T'."    Sorochan recalled that when he came to Tennessee 13 years ago the only space he had to conduct research trials was in his office.    Back then, during the waning days of the golf course construction boom, about three-dozen students were enrolled in the program. As the golf market began to scale back, so did the number of students in the program, to the point that it hovered around 15 for several years, and even dipped to as few as nine students a just a couple of years ago.    Indeed, a lot has changed.    While enrollment at many other turf programs still is on the decline and some programs are on the verge of closing, the number of students in training to be golf course superintendents or sports turf managers is on the rise in Knoxville. This year, about 40 undergraduate students are enrolled in turf studies at the University of Tennessee. It's no coincidence that in that time, the university has become is a global leader in peer-reviewed research that influences management programs throughout the country and around the world and is growing each day.   The reasons for the growth of the UT turf program were many, including support from university administration, a young and energetic faculty that works hard to connect with younger students, embraces new technology and is always looking for ways to stay ahead of a rapidly changing market.   The university has become a leader in fields such as Bermudagrass management research, weed science, extension and education, both of students and superintendents in the field.   About half of those undergraduates are new to the program this year. A handful, about five or so, are traditional incoming freshmen, while the rest are UT undergrads who changed their major or transferred in from a community college.   "The UT turf program is a tremendous feather in the cap of Tennessee," said Paul Carter, CGCS at The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay near Chattanooga and the current president of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. "I see a lot of what they do behind the scenes, and there is nothing status quo about the UT turf program. They are always looking to see what is the next big thing and how they can be in front of it."   The department, with help from the college of agriculture, hired The Tombras Group, a market research firm based in Nashville, to help learn the issues that are important to college students when making decisions about what to study and where to attend.   "We investigated why enrollment was trending down, and we found a couple of things that were important," said Brandon Horvath, Ph.D., turfgrass pathologist at UT since coming over from Virginia Tech in 2009. "Visibility was an issue, as was the number of students. It's not that there aren't plenty of students in interested in turf, but the talent pool is what it was 30 years ago. Those students are all doing something else, which makes them harder to find. They are playing golf at a high level in high school, or they are playing soccer. And sports aren't seasonal like they used to be. Everything is a year-round sport now.   "Those students still exist. We just have to become more visible to them."  
    I see a lot of what they do behind the scenes, and there is nothing status quo about the UT turf program. They are always looking to see what is the next big thing and how they can be in front of it."
      Social media (@UTTurfgrass) has played a major role in increasing that visibility among prospective students and attracting them to the program.   "I started here in 2011, and the numbers were kind of dwindling. I thought 'great, are we even going to have a turf program?' " said Cory Yurisic, a UT turf graduate who is pursuing a master's degree at the school. "Here in the last two years the numbers have skyrocketed. A lot of that is because of social media. Jim is big on that."   The way UT approaches it internship program also has been a benefit for students.   Developed by Sorochan several years ago, the program includes a concentrated block of classes during the spring semester, in which juniors and seniors complete a full load of classes in eight weeks rather than 15. That means upperclassmen are out of school and available for internships in late February or early March, and that has been especially attractive to Major League and Minor League baseball franchises.   "When I call the Boston Red Sox and they tell me they are going to take four or five interns, but they have 35 applicants, they listen when I tell them ours will be there a full month before Opening Day," Sorochan said. "Instead of taking one of our students, they take two. It's the same with the Baltimore Orioles.   "Now, we have people calling asking for UT students."   The program also has taken a fresh look on educating turf professionals from throughout Tennessee and from surrounding states.   Brosnan, who heads UT's weed science and extension efforts, is responsible for programming both for the research field day and annual turf conference, both held in conjunction with the Tennessee Turfgrass Association.   In an effort to drive attendance at this year's field day, he brought in unique educational sessions and demonstrations with a hope of attracting north of 500 attendees.   Although the event was plagued throughout the day by heavy rain, the result was some 530 attendees who showed up to learn about topics such as aerification options that included DryJect and the Air2G2, Bermuda management tactics that included a fraze mowing demonstration by Campy Turf Care Systems utilizing the Koro Field Top Maker, managing creeping bentgrass in the transition zone, information on the southward advancement of emerald ash borer and a slew of programming specific to the lawn and landscape market.   "It's a collective group effort," Brosnan said. "We all try to get a feel for the pulse of the issues that are at the forefront of the turfgrass community in Tennessee. One of the things we are now looking at is off-type grasses in ultradwarf putting greens. That surfaced at an isolated level three years ago. Since then, we've done more research on it and promoted it, and more superintendents are finding out that it's more of an issue than they thought before. We also do work on herbicide-resistant weeds. We try to get out in front of issues like that and communicate to people that it is a problem, that they need to be aware of it and what are the best ways to manage it."   Changes are ahead for next year's field day, which will be moved off campus to The Little Course in Franklin, just outside Nashville, to cater to turf managers in parts of the state in the Central Time Zone.   "The message is that we can go to a larger metropolitan area and to a new audience and potentially grow this even more," Brosnan said. "And when we come back to Knoxville in a couple of years, maybe the numbers go up. For folks in Nashville and Memphis, to drive over here to Knoxville and lose an hour, that's a big ask. If we can demonstrate our value in those markets, it might be more likely to help continue growth."   
  • Like many golf course superintendents, Phil Shoemaker would make a good study for a cartographer, because he's lived all over the map.
      An Ohioan by birth, the 56-year-old Shoemaker also has lived in New Jersey and Florida, and has spent the bulk of his four decades in golf in Arizona, including the last 16 as head superintendent at Desert Highlands Golf Club in Scottsdale. Throughout his career, he has dedicated a great deal of time to helping promote his profession and the careers of his colleagues through eight years on the board of directors of the Cactus & Pine GCSA chapter, including a stint as president.   Earlier this year, at the chapter's annual meeting, he was named the inaugural winner of its Superintendent of the Year award.   The announcement was made May 11 at Phoenix Country Club.   "I spent a lot of time on the board. I've done it all with (Cactus & Pine)," Shoemaker said. "Right when I was going off the board one of the things they were talking about was a (member) recognition program. Those plans sat idle for a while, then were just resurrected this spring."   Criteria on which candidates are judged include involvement, support, diplomacy, commitment, mentorship and professionalism, said Shoemaker. He said he owes a great deal of his success to Jack Nicklaus. He learned the business caddying on a Nicklaus course. His first turf job was on a Nicklaus course. He went to turf school thanks to Nicklaus. And has spent all but 19 months of his 40 years in the business on a Nicklaus layout.   A native of Dublin, Ohio, Shoemaker's career started in 1975 as a caddie at Nicklaus's Muirfield Village Golf Club. After graduating from high school, he started working on the crew because "I figured I could sit on a tractor and mow grass," he said.   He quickly was promoted through the ranks to the position of assistant superintendent, a job he held for three-plus years before the club helped pay his way to a turfgrass education at Rutgers, where he graduated in 1980.   His career took him from Muirfield Village to Desert Highlands in 1982, the site of the first Skins Game in 1983. He has spent all but 19 months of his career on golf courses designed by Nicklaus. In 1986, Shoemaker moved across town to Desert Mountain, where he built the property's first three courses before moving on to The Loxahatchee Club in Jupiter, Florida, for nine years. In 1998, he went to the TPC of Scottsdale for 19 months before returning home to Desert Highlands in 1999.   It doesn't hurt that his wife, Deb, is a Phoenix native.   "Arizona is a love-it or hate-it state," he said. "And I love it." 
  • Performance Nutrition names Rider as regional sales manager
    Performance Nutrition recently named Randy Rider as regional sales manager for its turf and ornamental product division.   A division of LidoChem Inc., Performance Nutrition is a producer of environmentally sustainable fertilizers, soil amendments, crop protection products, micronutrients and specialty products for agriculture, turf and ornamentals.   A former golf course superintendent, Rider has worked for Performance Nutrition for five years as a territory manager. In his new role, Rider will consult with turf and ornamental dealers and oversee sales efforts in the Eastern and Midwest states.    Rider is based in New Holland, Pennsylvania.   Aquatrols seed technology gets OK in Australia
    Aquatrols, a leader in soil surfactant technology, has been granted patent protection in Australia for its seed-enhancement technology.   This is the second patent issued for the technology in 2015. Aquatrols received a patent in Japan earlier this year and expects global intellectual property protection for the technology in the near future. The inventor named on the Australian patent is Matt Madsen, Ph.D., research ecologist at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service and long-time Aquatrols cooperator.   Aquatrols seed-enhancement technology has shown to improve seed establishment under deficit irrigation conditions and aid seed germination in water-repellent soils. The technology is expected to have widespread applications in the turfgrass, agricultural and native seed markets. OnGolf names VP of sales
    OnGolf, a comprehensive golf course management platform, named Manda Koss vice president of sales.   Koss, who will be responsible for all OnGolf sales initiatives, has extensive experience building inside and external sales teams with early stage technology companies. She previously served as the global vice president of inside sales at ThingWorx, a division of PTC Inc. based in Exton, Pennsylvania.   Prior to ThingWorx, Koss established instrumental marketing sales strategies for Advanceon, a leading systems integrator in Exton, and served as senior account for the Advance Healthcare Network in King of Prussia.   OnGolf was founded by Walt Norley and Matt Shaffer in 2014 to create a golf course management platform so golf course superintendents and course operators can manage the entire course in one place. The software platform provides easy-to-use data analytics programs for optimizing playing conditions while developing efficiencies in key aspects of the operation including water and labor management and best agronomic practices.    The OnGolf solution was built on the foundation of strategic partner OnFarm, a Fresno California-based software company that serves the agricultural industry.   BASF seeks Section 2(ee) recommendations for two fungicides
    BASF has issued FIFRA Section 2(ee) recommendations expanding the application profiles of two Xzemplar and Lexicon Intrinsic fungicides in California and Texas.   The FIFRA Section 2(ee) recommendations address the use of Xzemplar fungicide against fairy ring, leaf spot caused by Bipolaris spp., and Rhizoctonia leaf and sheath spot; and the use of Lexicon Intrinsic brand fungicide against spring dead spot.   Offering both preventive and curative properties, Xzemplar fungicide delivers quick knockdown and long-lasting protection against dollar spot and other tough diseases found on fairways, tees and greens.   Lexicon Intrinsic brand fungicide is one of the newest innovations from BASF, providing disease control and plant health benefits. Lexicon Intrinsic brand fungicide is a broad-spectrum fungicide registered for control of 27 diseases and has long-lasting residual of up to 28 days.    Lexicon Intrinsic brand fungicide enhances growth efficiency, resulting in deeper, denser roots and increased tolerance to mechanical or environmental stresses.    TurfMax expands product portfolio
    TurfMax has added five new products to its portfolio of turf colorants and turf protection products.   TurfMax, a maker of environmentally friendly turf enhancement and protection solutions, added a defoamer and four new dyes to its product line.   New are TurfMax Blue Tracking Dye, TurfMax Green Tracking Dye, TurfMax Blue Pond Dye, TurfMax Black Pond Dye and TurfMax Defoamer.   For more information, visit turfscreen.com.
  • Motivation to help others often can come from some pretty unlikely sources.
      Dave Renk, superintendent at Lookaway Golf Club in the Philadelphia area, and his wife, Jackie, never thought that motivation might come from one of their own children. As fate would have it, their desire to serve others stems from an eagerness to keep alive the memory of their son, Matt, who died five years ago after losing a battle with brain cancer. Since then, the foundation they established in his name has raised nearly $500,000, largely through fundraiser golf tournaments, to help other families affected by childhood brain cancer.    Although establishing and helping run the Matthew Renk Foundation and its annual fundraising events is an emotionally taxing reminder of their son's death, the need to help others runs even deeper for the family, says Dave Renk, superintendent at the private club in Buckingham since it opened in 1997.   "While we were in and out of the hospital with Matt, we discovered there were few resources to help families get through things like that," Dave said. "After Matt passed away, we thought about ways to help other families who are going through the same things we went through.   "Matt was the kindest, smartest, most compassionate kid. I know everyone says that, but he was, and because he was like that, it's made it so easy to do this."   This year's tournament, which was held Sept. 29 and included Lookaway members and their guests paying $300 per person to play their own golf course, raised $106,000, bringing the five-year total to more than $350,000. Add in donations and other fundraisers, and the 501c3 foundation has taken in almost $450,000 since 2011, said Jackie Renk, who manages the golf tournament. Some of the proceeds have come through sales of the Think Grey (as in gray matter) clothing line the foundation launched to help raise awareness of brain cancer.   Applications for funding are handled through the social work team at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, who pass along requests to the foundation. Eligible expenses might be as basic as food during hospital stays or gasoline during the many trips to and from treatment, or in extreme cases can include children's funeral expenses. The foundation also started an oncology relief fund at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia through which hospital staff can distribute vouchers to families on site for expenses such as food and parking. The foundation also donated $120,000 to help build a 14,000-square foot respite garden on a sixth-floor rooftop that serves as a retreat and a place of reflection.   "I would sit in the hospital at night and think about what I could do to give back," Jackie said. "We started thinking about starting a foundation, and during that process of not being able to sleep, I thought there has to be a place where people can go to get out of the hospital. When Matt was going through this, there was no place to go to sit and relax other than the cafeteria.   "You need to have a place to get out and get some fresh air, to regroup. They didn't have any place like that when we were going through this.   "Before Matty passed, I told him 'you have courage and a drive in you, and I am going to keep that alive.' That's a promise I made to him that I was going to keep his memory alive."   To date, the foundation has fulfilled about 70 requests for help.   "You just can't imagine the emotional impact something like this has on a family," Jackie said.   "We don't deny anyone."   Like most 15 year olds, Matt Renk grew up a pretty happy-go-lucky kid. And like many boys, he dreamed of following in the footsteps of his father.   "He loved being outdoors. All he wanted was to be a golf course superintendent," said Dave. "Since he was 5 years old, we lived on the golf course. He's been mowing greens here since he was 6 or 7. He wore khakis, a golf shirt and a radio on his belt. He had the whole superintendent uniform going and was the superintendent lookalike when I wasn't here."   While in remission at age 14, Matt volunteered with his father for the 2009 Walker Cup at Merion Golf Club and eagerly looked forward to returning to Ardmore for the 2013 U.S. Open. That return trip never materialized.   Toward the end of his seventh-grade year at Holicong Middle School in 2007, Matt began to complain of frequent headaches and exhibited signs of what his father described as overall sluggishness. Everyone dismissed the signs as stress associated with the end of the school year, but when the headaches worsened and Matt began experiencing bouts of nausea and vomiting, it was time to see a doctor.   Eventually, a CT scan conducted at Doylestown Hospital revealed a brain tumor. Doctors officially diagnosed Matt's condition as medullablastoma, a form of brain cancer characterized by a rapidly growing tumor in the rear and bottom of the skull that often metastasizes to other parts of the brain and spinal cord by spreading through spinal fluid. However, medullablastoma also has a five-year survival rate of 65 percent, according to the American Cancer Society, so there was room for cautious optimism. Doctors warned the Renks, however, that if a patient goes into remission and the cancer returns, it typically does so quite aggressively, and the chances for survival are reduced dramatically.    The most common brain cancer in children, medullablastoma accounts for about one-fifth of all childhood brain tumors, according to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, a leading provider of research and treatment of cancer in children. In the United States, as many as 500 children are diagnosed with medullablastoma each year. Children under age 16 are especially at risk, and it occurs slightly more frequently in boys than it does in girls.   The day after he was diagnosed, Matt was in surgery at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Doctors operated for four hours, but because of location of the tumor within the cerebellum were unable to remove all of it.    Soon, Matt began an intensive radiation protocol recommended by researchers at St. Jude's.
    Since he was 5 years old, we lived on the golf course. He's been mowing greens here since he was 6 or 7. He wore khakis, a golf shirt and a radio on his belt. He had the whole superintendent uniform going and was the superintendent lookalike when I wasn't here."
      The program included treatment five days each week for six weeks, followed by chemotherapy sessions ranging from 18 to 25 days per month for four months. During which Matt had all the signs of a cancer patient undergoing treatment. He'd lost his hair, a great deal of weight and often was physically ill.   "It was all the things you hear about with chemotherapy," Dave said.    Treatments caused Matt to miss almost all of his eighth grade year in school, but the news of remission made it worthwhile. Soon, he was back out on the golf course, working with dad and playing golf with mom, and trying to make up for all the lost schoolwork.
    "Whatever we could do to get him back to doing the things he liked doing, that's what we were doing," Dave said.    Being there for his son in his time of need was important to Dave, who said he couldn't have done that without the support of his club and his crew.   Members and administrators at Lookaway were supportive throughout the ordeal and continue to be there through support of the annual golf tournament. A total of 80 percent of the available slots in the tournament sold out the first day. Sponsors and donors also stepped up to the tune of more than $50,000.   Renk relied heavily on his assistant Paul Passanante while spending time at the hospital with his son throughout the treatment process.   Other superintendents in the area offered help in the way of manpower assistance and equipment, including Greg Hufner, then at Jericho National Golf Club in nearby New Hope, and Rick Christian at Pine Valley.   "I was in constant touch with the club and assured them that everything would be taken care of," he said. "Paul handled everything."   "The support we received from friends, neighbors, family and other superintendents was tremendous."    Knowing the course was in good hands was a relief for Dave, since Matt still was going to CHOP every three months for an MRI to make sure the cancer had not returned. Each session would take up to three hours, leaving no stone, or cancer cell unturned. His remission lasted 15 months. Then came a day in June 2010 that Dave and Jackie probably never will forget. They were with Matt's oncologist to review the results of his latest MRI.   "I could tell by his face that the tests weren't clear," Dave said. "The cancer was back, with tumors in the front of his brain, the back of his brain and throughout his spine. Matt was freaking out, his mother and I were freaking out. We didn't know what to do."   The Renks returned to the hospital to prepare for another round of intense chemotherapy treatments, but Matt, with a vulnerable immune system, developed pneumonia before the next program could begin. Weakened and unable to breathe on his own, he soon was placed on a ventilator. On Aug. 10, 2010, six weeks after the cancer had returned, Dave and Jackie were faced with a decision no parent should have to make.     "He was on about 20 different medications and there were tubes hanging everywhere," Dave said. "They told us we could keep him on a ventilator, but that there was no way he was coming out of this.   "It was myself, my wife, Matt's twin (Tom), one nurse and one doctor. It was very dignified; as dignified as that can be. The ventilator was quietly disconnected, and he just stopped breathing, and that was that."   Five years later, the loss still weighs on the Renks: mom, dad, twin brother Tom (now 20) and younger brother Andrew, who was 10 at the time.   "We are a strong family, but it never goes away," Jackie said. "Matt kept a happy-go-lucky attitude throughout the whole thing, but nobody is the same. You don't bury your brother and just go on with your life.   "It never goes away. There is nothing like losing your child. It's the worst thing in the world."   Although Matt is gone, his memory lives on through the foundation bearing his name.    "We have to keep moving on and fighting. It's what Matt would have wanted," Jackie said.    "Matt was an old soul. He was the type of kid who would help anyone no matter what.  When he was in the hospital and was so weak and thin that he could barely walk, when he would get in the elevator, he'd still hold the door for someone when he couldn't walk. That's just the type of kid he was."   Helping others has helped the Renks heal, as well.   "If we didn't have this foundation, we would all be a lot worse off," Jackie said. "It's not easy to read these requests for help. When you read the whole story, it's tough, but it's the most rewarding experience I've ever had in my life."
  • A championship-winning football coach, a pioneering sports turf manager, a leading career development consultant and some of the game's most successful superintendents: those are just a few of the speakers who will be on hand at the 50th annual Tennessee Turfgrass Association Conference and Show, proving you don't have to live or work in the Volunteer State to get something out of the program.
      Phillip Fulmer, head football coach at the University of Tennessee for 17 seasons and who led the Volunteers to the 1998 BCS National Championship, will be the keynote speaker at the conference and show scheduled for Jan. 12-14 in Murfreesboro.   Also scheduled to speak at the three-day event are superintendents like Chris Tritabaugh of Hazeltine National Golf Club, Paul Carter, CGCS, of the Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, Rod Lingle, CGCS, of Ridgeway Country Club, David Stone of The Honors Course and more; a host of researchers from UT; sports turf manager Jerad Minnick of Growing Innovations; and professional development consultant and coach Laura Katen.   Stone will open the event by reflecting on his 40-plus years as a superintendent, including at The Honors Course in Ooltewah near Chattanooga, which is ranked No. 25 on Golfweek's List of the Top 100 Modern Courses. Tritabaugh will speak on preparing Hazeltine, No. 72 on Golfweek's modern list, for next year's Ryder Cup Matches.   Carter, recipient of the 2011 TurfNet Superintendent of the Year Award, along with Lingle, Chris Hartwiger of the USGA Green Section and Jim Brosnan, Ph.D., of the University of Tennessee, on Jan. 13 will lobby on the benefits of growing Bermudagrass in the transition zone. Brandon Horvath, Ph.D., and John Sorochan, Ph.D., both of UT, Jeff Huber of The Golf Club of Tennessee and Dan Stump of Chickasaw Country Club will argue on the benefits of growing creeping bentgrass in the transition zone.   Katen, president of New York-basked Katen Consulting, will discuss interviewing and first-impression strategies designed to "enhance your chance of success".   Minnick, a graduate of the University of Missouri turfgrass management program, has taken a page from the European way of maintaining soccer fields to become an expert on pushing natural grass sports fields. His talk will focus on budget-responsible solutions that also can improve the quality of natural grass fields.   Fulmer compiled a 152-52 record in 17 seasons as the head coach of the Vols, including consecutive Southeastern Conference championships and an undefeated national championship in 1998. He will speak at the conference on his experiences as a coach and interactions with turf managers both on the football field and the golf course.   Other speakers include Burton English, Ph.D., and Aaron Thoms, Ph.D., both of UT, Clint Waltz, Ph.D., of the University of Georgia, Jim Thomas of TPC Southwind, golf course architect Bill Bergin of Bergin Golf, Craig Current of Legacy Golf Management and many others.
  • Educating superintendents is nothing new for BASF Turf and Ornamentals.
      For years, the Research Triangle Park-based division of the German chemical manufacturer has been helping promoting education on the ground at Pinehurst Resort. This fall, BASF is bringing superintendents a pair of TurfNet University Webinars presented by some of the country's leading turf research scientists.   On Wednesday, Oct. 20, Bruce Martin, Ph.D., of Clemson University will present Diagnosis and Management of Winter Diseases in Bermudagrass Greens. The following day, Grady Miller, Ph.D., of North Carolina State University will discuss Pigment and Paint Use in Turfgrass Management.   Both Webinars are free for everyone.   Martin, who is one of the industry's leading authorities on researching and developing fungicide programs, will review Bemudagrass diseases that are active in fall, winter and spring and will include data showing relative efficacy of fungicides and possible fungicide programs. Diseases covered will include spring dead spot, leaf spot, dollar spot, and Microdochium patch.   Miller, a pre-eminent authority 's presentation will include an overview of modern pigments and paints as part of a turf management program. These products have wide-ranging use on golf courses. They can highlight areas, hide blemishes, and serve as an alternative to overseeding. The Webinar will share current research results from a variety of products and uses as well as experiences from other that have used these products for many years.

  • A story of healing

    By John Reitman, in News,

    As a superintendent who at one time or another has been declared expendable by an employer, Bart Miller knows a thing or two about bouncing around and wondering where his next paycheck might come from. That experience has helped reaffirm the knowledge that there are people out there, and a lot of them, who need a second chance; a hand up rather than a handout. He sensed just that in a homeless panhandler near the Washington, D.C. golf course where Miller is the superintendent.
      Each morning, when he stopped in for his morning coffee at a gas station near the entrance to historic Langston Golf Course, Miller would speak with one panhandler in particular whom he referred to simply as Milton. He'd offer him a buck or two, along with the occasional conversation.   There was just something about Milton that, to Miller, stood out from the other 11,000 estimated homeless people wandering the streets of the nation's capital.   "I could tell this guy had something going on," Miller said. "One day, I asked him what would it take to get you out of this? He told me no one was willing to give him a chance, but if they would, they wouldn't be sorry."   That was the day Miller pointed to nearby Langston and told Milton to stop in and fill out an application.   What ensued was the hiring of an unlikely job candidate and a story that ended in a homeless vagrant who earned back the trust of his wife and children. It's a story of courage, redemption, trust, faith and love for one's fellow man.  
    What ensued was the hiring of an unlikely job candidate and a story that ended in a homeless vagrant who earned back the trust of his wife and children. It's a story of courage, redemption, trust, faith and love for one's fellow man..."
      "Because he got back to work, he eventually got off the street," Miller said. "Now, he's back with his wife and kids, he's made amends with his father. There are a few others up (at the gas station) I'd like to hire."   To understand the relationship between Miller and Milton, it's important to know a little of the former's background as well.   Miller had been working for a large management company when he lost his job at a D.C.-area golf course in Maryland in 2008. He foundered about the industry for a few years, even taking a job as an assistant superintendent, when one of his former employees who had since taken a supervisory role for a small Washington-based management company called Miller early in 2013 asking if he was interested in a job as the superintendent at Langston.   "It's funny, you never know how things are going to come back around for you," said Miller, a 49-year-old single father.   "I once had aspirations of working at Augusta (National Golf Club). Now, I just want to spend time with my kids and be appreciated by the people I work for."   Founded as an all-black golf course, Langston was built in 1939 as a cog in Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal that put Americans back to work and helped lift the country out of the Great Depression. Located just east of Capitol Hill along the Anacostia River near old RFK Stadium, the course today remains the capital of minority golf in D.C. Past club pros at Langston include Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder, Calvin Peete and Jim Thorpe.   Today, the course is an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary property and a First Tee facility, but aspiring youth golfers from inside the Washington Beltway aren't the only ones who get a hand here.   Miller, 49, who describes himself as a liberal democrat with a bleeding heart, stops almost every day at a Shell station near Langston's entrance for coffee or a soft drink. And almost every day for two years he noticed a homeless man who just seemed different than the others. Finally, the day came when he convinced the 36-year-old Milton to apply for a temporary, seasonal job and take that first step in getting off the streets.   Miller recalls some questioning his judgment when an applicant couldn't provide an address or a phone number. But Miller was unwavering in his desire to help Milton, an out-of-work delivery truck driver who became estranged from his wife and two young daughters after his truck broke down. With no means to get the vehicle repaired, the situation spiraled downward rapidly.   When someone asked Miller why he wanted to hire someone with a spotty past and possibly no future, his reply was convincing enough: "I drive 65 miles one way every day to work. I don't do that just for me. I want to give back to the game and the community. Would it matter if he had a phone? Would that make him a better person?   "I could tell he was reluctant to be a beggar, a panhandler. I talked to him every day, and I could tell he had ambition. He just needed a chance."   Once seasonal workers from the previous year had decided one way or the other on whether they were going to return to Langston, Miller, who is able to hire just a handful of workers, extended a job offer to Milton, who eagerly accepted. He spent the summer raking and edging bunkers, changing cups and edging around sprinkler heads.   "I told the rest of the staff before I hired him," Miller said. "They took Milton under their wing and showed him the ropes. They all called him The Rookie.' "   Milton immediately became a model employee.  
    I could tell he was reluctant to be a beggar, a panhandler. I talked to him every day, and I could tell he had ambition. He just needed a chance."
      "He's always polite," Miller said.   "There are a lot of factions at a golf course. He crossed the lines and got along with everybody. He's just a great guy."   The transition of getting off the streets and on the path to a normal life didn't happen overnight for Milton. He spent the first few weeks as a golf course worker by day and a panhandler at night. He was beaten and robbed the day he cashed his first paycheck. His colleagues - the ones at the golf course, not those on the streets - rallied, giving him food during lunch breaks. Miller gave him money for food, which Milton repaid in full.   After about five weeks on the job, Milton patched up his relationship with his mother, a move that got him off the streets and into a bed at night. Eventually, he reconciled with his family, and now has a life again with his wife and daughters.   Beginning in late September, Miller begins laying off one worker every two weeks, based on seniority. Each employee receives a month's notice so they can begin making plans   On Sept. 19, Milton, being the employee with the least seniority, was the first to go. Two days before his last day on the job, he called Miller to thank him.   "It's touching," Miller said. "I've never known what it's like to go hungry. He called me last night and said I want you to know I've put on 20 pounds, and I'm not hungry anymore, boss. I love you.' "   A bunker renovation is pending at Langston, and if Golf Course Specialists Inc., the company that manages Langston as well as three other courses, secures the funding before the end of the year, Milton and other part-time seasonal workers will be brought aboard through the winter to complete the project in-house.   The experience of helping someone who can make a meaningful contribution while picking themselves up albeit with a little help and getting their life back together has left Miller fulfilled and eager to help others in a similar situation.   "Something like this just builds. He gets a job, gets a place to live, transportation. It all just snowballs, but it has to start with a chance," Miller said.   "I'm sure he won't be the last (homeless person) I hire. There are a few others (at the gas station) right now I'd like to hire.    "This has to happen more. Everyone needs to step up and make it happen, step up and try to help people out. There are a lot of people who need a lot of help."
  • -- by Bradley S. Klein, architecture editor for Golfweek.
     
    Under the care of TurfNet member Ralph Kepple for 23 years, East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, site of this week's Tour Championship, has been the home to the PGA Tour's season finale since 2004. 
     
    Founded in 1904 and is Atlanta's oldest golf course, with an original 18-hole layout by Tom Bendelow that subsequently was modified to varying degrees by George Adair, Donald Ross, George Cobb and Rees Jones. It ranks No. 69 on the Golfweek's Best Classic Courses list. The details of its evolution as a club and as a championship stage are entertainingly covered in a newly published book, East Lake Golf Club by Sidney Matthew and Janice McDonald (Arcadia Publishing, 2015).   East Lake, home course of Robert Tyre Bobby Jones, was the scene of the 1963 Ryder Cup and the 2001 U.S. Amateur. It's also more than a fine golf course and club, because it serves as a central element in a unique public/private venture by which the once-deteriorating neighborhood benefits from East Lake's extensive charitable efforts. The current layout is a restored version of a course that had decayed after World War II until Atlanta businessman Tom Cousins rescued the dilapidated facility in the mid-1990s and brought in architect Rees Jones to revive it. Along the way, the club's distinctive Tudor clubhouse also was restored, to the point at which today it is a gathering place for corporate and charitable activities as well as a golf museum.   East Lake is not an especially difficult course. It's devoid of blindness or maddening quirks, though its ideally rolling terrain never quite leaves a level fairway lie. Wind is not much of a factor on this treed, inland site. But the par-3 finishing hole the Greenbrier Classic's TPC Old White offers the only other one on the PGA Tour these days is annually the scene of a dramatic outcome. This year should be no different.   Hole No. 1
      Par 4, 424 yards   Straightaway, uncomplicated, into the prevailing breeze out of the west, to a fairway set perpendicular to the contour line. The hole is organized around four natural high points: tee, green and two intermediate rolls in the fairway. Most drives come to rest beyond the second rise in a swale that leaves an uphill approach of about 140 yards to a green bunkered at 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock.   Hole No. 2
      Par 3, 214 yards   A perfect medium-length par 3, downhill about 15 feet and down the prevailing wind, across an inconsequential front pond the kind that everyday golfers worry about and that Tour pros never see, much less land in. The shot plays to a modestly sloped green reminiscent in its bunkering of the 11th at St. Andrews a deep bunker front right and another deep hazard flanking the left side. The putting surface, tipped toward the tee and thus receptive of the approach, is divided by a subtle ridge that effectively splits the green. If the hole is cut on the right, the ball can be worked off the slope; if it's cut on the other side, the approach must be from the left. Wind up on the wrong side and face a testy up-and-over long putt.   Hole No. 3
      Par 4, 390 yards   With dense trees and out-of-bounds looming the length of the right side, the hole requires a long iron or fairway metal off the tee, past the first bunker at 240 yards on the right, and short of a longer hazard, a pot bunker 300 yards out on the left. With the green perched above the fairway and aligned from front-left to back-right and heavily defended on the right, the ideal line is from the left side, though frankly the approach is so short for these guys that the angles don't matter much, as long as the approach is played from the fairway. The trouble here and elsewhere is trying to play approach shots from Bermudagrass rough thick enough to make spin impossible.   Hole No. 4
      Par 4, 440 yards   This is another hole that favors the left side of the fairway, thanks to a pair of fairway bunkers 315 yards to carry along the higher right side and a dense stand of trees flanking the OB there. The elevated green tends to attract shots that fall short, thanks to front bunkers that are foreshortened and a green that tips from back to front.   Hole No. 5
      Par 4, 520 yards   Here's a members' par 5 routed at the far southeast end of the golf course that offers a modest reverse-camber effect and tips from high right to low left, while bending toward the right. The west-running hole tends to plays downwind and much shorter than its nominal distance. A low-slung swale across the entrance tends to catch a lot of golf-ball traffic, especially from approach shots played out of the rough.     Hole No. 6
      Par 3, 209 yards   This is the country's oldest island par 3 (1907, according to the club's newly published history by Sidney Matthew and Janice McDonald) and surely East Lake's most action-packed hole. The tabletop green is encircled by the club's massive lake and offers one very busy bailout bunker on the left. When the wind's in effect here (quartering, against, from the left) it has a dramatic effect here thanks to the complete exposure of the hole to the elements. A back tee, set far to the right on what is technically the wrong angle, makes the hole extremely awkward to play because the offset axis of approach lines the golfer up over the water and makes a draw difficult to control. It also ends up making players line up far left to hit a left-to-right approach that often gets overcooked and winds up wet. The flat-profile green offers a back-left hole location behind the bunker that is the most inaccessible of any at East Lake. Here's a hole that will decidedly play over par and presents the chance of a real disaster.   Hole No. 7
      Par 4, 434 yards   This uphill hole twists around a strategic bunker on the (ideal) right side, 265 yards to reach and 290 yards to fly. A small deep bunker awaits overly bold drives on the inside left of the dogleg, 315 yards to carry, and anything along that left side has a very tight approach path alongside overhanging trees. The safer, more open line to the right of the tee faces a fairway that cuts off abruptly past that right-side bunker into heavy rough and makes it hard to get to this uphill green. The uphill approach into whatever prevailing wind lingers tends to force a more aggressive shot because a very deep greenside bunker blocks the entry.   Hole No. 8
      Par 4, 405 yards   This is the only one of East Lake's holes that is not set at a rigid right angle to the holes immediately in front of or behind it. There's no need for a driver here. All that counts is getting the tee shot safely into play on an unusually contoured fairway, with rolling terrain that is a remnant of Civil War-era entrenchments. From there, the short-iron approach has to be precise and with perfect spin onto the hardest green to hold at East Lake. A deep front bunker with a raised edge cuts off incoming shots and makes golfers hit it just a little harder and firmer to make sure they carry. The consequence will be many shots that end up running out long and over. The perched green is the scene of many short-sided recovery shots. It is the most delicate and subtle of East Lake's holes.     Hole No. 9
      Par 5, 600 yards   Forget the length here; this will be easily reachable downwind, downhill in two for players who can drive the ball 300-plus yards in the air and reach the downward kick point where the fairway turbo-charges the ball forward. From there, short of the lake that cuts across the fairway at 380 yards off the tee, it's a fairway wood or long iron to a green that will hold a shot slung in on the left side around a bunker that protects the front-right entrance.   Hole No. 10
      Par 4, 469 yards   Another converted par 5, this one is heavily bunkered along the length of the fairway on the left side, close to the line best suited for approaching the small green. The putting surface is really designed for a par 5 and thus somewhat elusive to middle irons on a low trajectory. A deep front-right greenside bunker forms a deflective angle that makes approaching on that side very difficult. This forces golfers on the tee to favor the tightly bunkered left side.   Hole No. 11
      Par 3, 197 yards   This hole occupies the far northeast corner of the property and plays slightly uphill to a deep green, the rear third of which cannot be seen from the tees. It's also heavily bunkered at 4 o'clock and 7 o'clock, which means that the oncoming middle iron must be perfectly struck or it will bound over into heavy rough, leaving an awkward up-and-over chip shot back for recovery.   Hole No. 12
      Par 4, 391 yards   All of a sudden the course loses steam, thanks to the three consecutive par 4s arrayed in a parallel sausage-style. This downhill hole is the most uncomfortable drive of any par 4 at East Lake, thanks to a massive fairway bunker on the right and an overhanging hardwood on the right that cuts off the landing area. Long irons or fairway woods off the tee considerably ease the burden. The approach shot has to carry a steep front bunker that, from the fairway, looks bigger than the green.   Hole No. 13
      Par 4, 476 yards   The uphill drive has to trundle through an ominous-looking chute of trees and needs to steer wide right of two expansive fairway bunkers 280 to 330 yards out on the left. The irony here and elsewhere at East Lake is that for all the normal advice of bunker avoidance, players are better off hitting an approach out of the sand than out of the thick Bermudagrass rough.   Hole No. 14
      Par 4, 442 yards   Straightaway, slightly downhill, it's tight off the tee to a green with a second tier that makes getting an approach close to the hole difficult, especially out of the rough. From behind the green, as with much of East Lake, par-saving recoveries will go a long way toward determining the winner.   Hole No. 15
      Par 5, 525 yards   Now the course kicks into high gear with the first of four stirring and readily memorable holes. The pressure here on the 15th tee is that feeling that a birdie must be made simply to stay abreast of the field. From the low-lying tee, the land here is just crying out for a left-to-right slider played off a deep bunker on the left side such that the land steers the ball safely around two steep fairway bunkers short and right. From there, 210 to 240 yards out from the green, it's an uphill slider to a potato-chip green that's easy to hit but hard to hold if approached through the middle where the waistline is narrowest. There will be many eagles here, with the hole playing under a 4.5 average.   Hole No. 16
      Par 4, 481 yards   A dramatic downhill tumbler, with a great view of downtown Atlanta to the west and a clear sense from the tee of a need for a drive hit into the fairway. The right side falls off quickly into woods; the left side progressively narrows from 230 to 320 yards off the tee, thanks to four successive bunkers arrayed scientifically (and mathematically) down the line of play as if with a ruler and laser. Catch the speed slot right center and be left with as little as wedge into this green. Miss the fairway and struggle to keep an approach shot from racing over and down a steep embankment.   Hole No. 17
      Par 4, 455 yards   Over the years, the lake on the left side has been brought more into play. Three yawning fairway bunkers 275 to 320 yards off the tee are definitely to be avoided, though that brings water more into play. The raised green, protected up front, kicks everything to the left and toward that water again. Just ask Bill Haas, who in a 2011 playoff with Hunter Mahan made a miraculous recovery on a ball half-submerged, then went on at the next hole to win the FedEx Cup.   Hole No. 18
      Par 3, 235 yards   East Lake is one of only a handful of major-venue courses (think Greenbrier's Old White, Pasatiempo and Homestead's Cascades) to end on a par 3. This one will get the players' blood racing because it demands a long iron or rescue to a well-bunkered, small green perched 10 feet above the tee box, though it looks much higher, given the corner of the lake needed to carry. With the world's best players no longer needing to hit long irons into par 4s, the only way to make them hit long clubs into the 18th hole is make them play a stout par 3 such as this one. Unorthodox, but it works.     All East Lake Golf Club photos are by Getty Images.
  • Nicknamed the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Minnesota isn't the first place that comes to mind when one thinks about water shortages, but researchers at the state's flagship university are playing a leading role in hopefully helping golf courses to use less water, chemicals and just about anything else a superintendent can apply to turf.
      For more than 10 years, Brian Horgan, Ph.D., and Eric Watkins, Ph.D., have been working to develop a turf type fine fescue they say will use less water, less fertilizer, fewer pesticides and can go longer between mowings, the researchers say. And they hope the new turf will be considered for use on the university's Les Bolstad Golf Course after an upcoming Tom Lehman-led restoration.    The development of this new turf is part of the University of Minnesota Science of (the) Green initiative, a Bolstad-centered effort that addresses the golf industry's need for long-term agronomic, economic and environmental sustainability.   Although the new turf requires fewer inputs, there is a downside, the researchers said.   Fine fescues can be less dense than bentgrass or bluegrass, making runoff a threat. Fescue is more easily damaged by golfer traffic and is slower to recover from stress-induced damage. It also doesn't have the lush green visual appeal as some other turf varieties.   Still, Watkins said that fine fescues overall are suitable for use in Minnesota and other areas growing cool-season turf, and researchers are studying whether some of the weaknesses can be overcome by mixing fescue varieties, breeding or other strategies.   Horgan and Watkins will continue to research different properties of fescues and other grasses, and said that no decision has been made yet about whether the Les Bolstad golf course will eventually become a living laboratory for them and others across the country. It also is unclear whether different grass might be used on putting greens and tee boxes, which constitute about 4 acres on a typical golf course.   Adding interest to the potential project is the California drought and water shortages elsewhere, Watkins said. Typically those golf courses use different grasses, he said, but the historically dry conditions are helping golfers, businesses, farmers and the general public to understand the importance of conserving water everywhere.

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