"Embrace the vulnerability of being human as a source of strength." -- Pema Chodron
No, it wasn't this past week. It was actually the week before. One of our members took a serious health turn on the third hole and his playing partners brought him back to the clubhouse. It was one of those emergency events that you prepare for, hope never happens, and one that both my staff and I won't soon forget. We promptly called 911 and went into action responding to the situation, all the while keepin
Back in '73, Norm assumed command of a wonderful muni outside of Atlanta; known as The Valley of Misery, it was rumored to be the last Dick Wilson course and it lived in a little village with a special golf name: Redan.
We pronounced it "Ree-dan", but newly arrived outsiders insisted it was "Ruh-dan", which sounded more like that giant Japanese moth. We stuck with the way the locals said it, mostly because you don't get along with indigenous personnel by telling them how to say their word
Why is The Open Championship of Golf required watching, listening and study for Turfheads?
Do you know that The Open was once an event set aside for greenkeepers, clubmakers and caddies? What are the key features of Royal Birkdale, host of the 146th year that this event has been played? How does the weather and the grasses play into who will win and who will lose?
This is my impassioned opinion about the Soul Surfing that is links golf. And why events played on The Links are so special.
In this episode of Frankly Speaking -- Resistance Radio, Summer Edition -- I talk New England sports and relate it to turf management with Boston sports fans Dr. Ben McGraw, entomologist at Penn State University and Dr Jim Brosnan, weed scientist at the University of Tennessee.
Topics include data-driven precision weed management, synchronicity of adult pest populations, fraise mowing for weed management via seed bank reduction, and the effect of insect control methods on pollinators.
Sm
A while back, we released a short film starring Matt Crowther and it rocketed to #2 on the all time list of Rockbottum CC films, with over 250,000 hits.
Produced in a team effort--a key factor in TurfNet's high quality production--this film began as an idea in the high speed mind of Jon Kiger while visiting Matt.
Jon provided 2nd unit camera work, Matt displayed his acting ability, Rockbottum CC Films piled on and after Claire finished editing, we knew we had a winner. *Note: Buddy
Creating the connection between these two phrases is the hallmark of a great employee. But how does a manager or organization get people that can link these on their own? Is having an inquisitive mind a strength that is in one's DNA, or does the desire to learn need to be instilled in an employee?
The mind is a muscle. Like a muscle, one must use it or lose it. In our industry, not a single day goes by that is not filled with many opportunities to exercise your mind and learn something new.
During a 30-plus-year career at Oregon State University, Tom Cook was doing more than running one of the country's top turfgrass programs. He also viewed his job as part-time matchmaker.
"Looking back now, it's pretty funny. I thought what I did was run a dating service, matching personalities with golf courses," said Cook. "You have to get to know the students and their style and match them with the right superintendents so they could progress in the industry."
Cook, 67, took ove
In this episode of Rockbottum Radio, direct from Rockbottum Country Club proshop, Momma demonstrates her proven techniques for handling sales reps; the health inspector visits; a no-cart shotgun start for the old-timers; Ludell innovates something; and in Storytime, that Demonized Cow During Construction, #337.
Presented by VinylGuard. Oh, and Buddy just finished VinylGuarding everything in sight at the driving range!
You don't know Justin Woodland. Ok, maybe you do. But you probably don't. And guess what? You need to know him. Here is your chance.
Justin is one of those people that I think should be required meeting if you are going to understand the reality of the business of golf and of Greenkeeping itself. He's got the "It" factor that I look for and yet, will probably never see what so many think is "the spotlight". Justin is doing it his way. And he's now got a fire to help others learn. A grass roo
Buddy has always been very successful at whatever he attempts, whether it's business, competitive sports, building cars from scratch or something difficult like golf course operations. His secret: If you observe Buddy carefully, it becomes obvious. Painfully obvious.
"Without persistence, you have no psychic wellspring of strength to combat what life will throw at you."
-- Ben Stein, from Bunkhouse Logic
When Buddy accepted the position of Equipment Manager at Swamp Hell Golf C
In this episode of the TurfNet Renovation Report -- presented by Jacobsen and Golf Preservations -- Jon Kiger chats with Chris Monti, senior design associate with Bobby Weed Golf Design about the recent practice facility renovation at Interlachen Country Club in Winter Park, FL.
The new facility features a 10,000 square-foot putting green with subtle contours, a chipping green with generous surrounds to allow for a variety of shots and a bunker green with four bunkers of varying sizes. The
By Greg Wojick
Greenkeeper /green-keep-er/ noun: Someone who solves myriad problems average golfers didn't know they had in a way they don't understand. See also Wizard, Magician.
It has always been difficult for me to accept the fact that most golfers don't understand even a small fraction of what happens behind the scenes in golf course maintenance. Maybe, much like magicians whose acts continue to mystify their audiences, the work of the golf course superintendent is just too much t
It's summertime at Rockbottum CC and that means it's time for us to lighten up.
No more serious punditry, projections, predictions or pedantic posturing.
Just fishin'.
In everyone's life they have a few core things they know in their heart of hearts to be so. I hesitate to use the word truth, because it can so often get twisted and deformed. One person's version of "truth" can be vastly different from someone else's, so for the purpose of this piece, we will leave that word alone.
In our industry there are also things that appear to be so. These things are not dogma, nor are they written in stone anywhere. They are simply things that I have noticed over th
In this episode of Frankly Speaking, I have a fascinating chat with Brian Whitlark, western regional agronomist for the USGA Green Section, about factors influencing playability of putting surfaces. On the table for discussion are green firmness, angle of approach from the fairway vs the rough, slope of the green, ball roll distance/green speed, and mower setup.
Whitlark is a certified professional soil scientist and has worked extensively with golf courses facing challenging soil and water
Recently I was asked by a teacher here at Drury University to speak to a class studying the psychology of sustainability. While considering what I would say, I began to question where I came up with my environmental perspective. Turning back the clock in my head my first environmental memory was the early 1970's "Crying Indian" campaign by the Keep America Beautiful Foundation. I can remember getting choked up by this public service announcement. The image of the American Indian broken-hearted b
In this episode of Rockbottum Radio, broadcast live from the Rockbottum Country Club proshop, I explain Momma's newest attempts at Growing the Game: 'Bottum Golf... and Archery Golf, alongside Soccer Golf and Disc Golf. The biggest benefit of 'Bottum Golf? Listen and find out.
In other matters, I ponder whether Snow Moles really exist, or whether it's just more fear-mongering by the scientists from Up North.
Also in this episode, an improved calibration for the Deathmeter: the WSRF Ind
Following up on two previous deep-dive conversations into the role and management of organic matter in fine turf, I once again host Dr. Roch Gaussoin of the University of Nebraska and Dan Dinelli, golf course superintendent at North Shore Country Club in the Chicagoland area.
Listen in we go at it for an hour, winding up with a fascinating discussion about Dan's research into biochar as a component or amendment of golf turf.
As always, smart talk from leading thinkers... presented by Dry
For much of his career in golf, Joel Jackson almost seemed more like a media type than an industry insider.
As director of communications for the Florida GCSA for almost 15 years and editor of its magazine for 25, Jackson was by default the face of the association.
Although his face and name are synonymous with trends relevant to turfgrass managers throughout Florida and the Southeast, many might forget that Jackson had a long career as a superintendent, too.
Jackson's
We are often asked if the character of "Momma" is based on a real person. The answer is yes. My grandmother on my father's side was a fearsome woman known throughout Jackson, Tennessee as "Momma Ida", a broom-swinging matriarch who raised ten kids during the depths of the Great Depression.
She did this alone, except for her broom, because her husband fell down dead from stress. They were sharecroppers in those days and apparently, operating an agricultural facility owned by someone
In this episode of Frankly Speaking, I had a great, far-ranging chat with plant pathologist extraordinaire Dr. Bruce Clarke of Rutgers University.
We kicked off with the history, creation and evolution of BMPs for managing patch diseases and anthracnose in turf and segued into programmatic approaches to control, intertwining of micronutrients and cultural practices, solid vs hollow tine aerification, self-inflicted issues, topdressing, nitrogen... and the real possibility -- with strict adhe
In this latest story on Rockbottum Radio -- broadcasting from deep in the TurfNet Zone -- private greenkeeper Willy Wilson embarks on a quest to help the missing golf pro's wife find him amidst allegations of corporate takeovers, meddling GMs, just-back-from-Augusta green chairmen, and... the new regional superintendent.
Presented by VinylGuard and their new hi-vis driving range yardage markers.
