This episode of TurfNet Renovation Report features an in-depth conversation with Ken Mangum, former director of golf courses at Atlanta Athletic Club and current vice president of strategic growth for Bladerunner Farms.
The discussion covers major trends in golf course renovations driven by increased golf ball distance, forcing courses to relocate bunkers.
Mangum shares his experience managing major championships and dealing with a catastrophic fungicide contamination that killed greens at multiple courses. The conversation explores innovative approaches like single-height-of-cut courses using zoysia grass, which reduces water usage and maintenance costs.
Mangum discusses advanced grass breeding developments including new bentgrasses, ultradwarf Bermudas, and zoysia varieties for greens, emphasizing the importance of selecting grasses that provide year-round playability while reducing inputs. He also touches on his transition from superintendent to consultant and the evolution of golf course technology from early irrigation computers with floppy disks to modern smartphone-controlled systems.
