Most artists are quick to respond when asked to reveal the influences that shaped their work. Musicians, writers, film directors, actors and painters can normally point to someone who had a powerful effect on their style or method; early influence isn't limited to artists, as surgeons, scientists, athletes and even businessmen almost all have someone who played a role at the beginning.
The GCS is a blend of artist and scientist, and I have yet to meet a successful superintendent who cannot
Shortly after the Auntie Grizz incident, Dad packed us into the old Nash and headed for Dallas. Dad's reason for heading cross-country (remember, this was in the days before interstate highways) involved furthering his golf career by learning the secret of golf from his hero Ben Hogan, who just happened to be playing a tournament down there in Texas.
To this day, I am still convinced that rather than visiting with Ben, Dad was actually endeavoring to escape from Great Grandma Mitty and her
Ive been in golf a long time, but I still remember my first taste of golf. It tasted like persimmon and brass with a hint of fescue. It was in my backyard in Tennessee, circa 1958, and Dad was giving Auntie Grizz a golf lesson. Her real name was Griselda, but Grizz was more fitting, as she was a big, powerful bear of a woman.
I was warned, repeatedly, to beware Auntie Grizz and her vicious backswing, but as I was three years old, I had trouble paying attention to instructions. I was also
In most of my travels where water is an issue or drought is ruling or where reclaimed is the coming possibility, we have to deal with management of salts. So that can be the #1 driving force in deciding to flush to rid us of conductivity.
The second thing is that a majority of the modern courses built in the last many years have a form or another of a perched water table-oriented sand-based system. And that is it’s own animal, requiring some technique in water application to infuse air into the
In most of my travels where water is an issue or drought is ruling or where reclaimed is the coming possibility, we have to deal with management of salts. So that can be the #1 driving force in deciding to flush to rid us of conductivity.
The second thing is that a majority of the modern courses built in the last many years have a form or another of a perched water table-oriented sand-based system. And that is its own animal, requiring some technique in water application to infuse air into t
Mark Twain once said, "climate is what we expect, weather is what we get". The last two seasons are among the warmest on record nationwide. It looks like we getting more than we expect.
These warmer growing seasons demonstrate tremendous departure from the historic averages. It is not uncommon to be two to three weeks ahead of normal for growing degree days, meaning while the calendar states one date, the biological organisms (i.e., your turf) are acting as if it were much later in the seaso
This is the time of year when people find reasons to list what they are thankful for.
I’ve never been much for doing what everyone does. And I’m not real big on lists either. The creative types and Perez Hiltons of the world are apt to take the opportunity to list what they aren’t thankful for. Some of them don’t seem to be thankful for much of anything.
In further evolution of the species, a lot of people seem to be thankful for is the ability to miss the annual family show down. The option
This is the time of year when people find reasons to list what they are thankful for.
I've never been much for doing what everyone does. And I'm not real big on lists either. The creative types and Perez Hiltons of the world are apt to take the opportunity to list what they aren't thankful for. Some of them don't seem to be thankful for much of anything.
In further evolution of the species, a lot of people seem to be thankful for is the ability to miss the annual family show down. The
I’m convinced that one of the main reasons that Turfheads dont embrace the concept of application of Organic Fertilizers is pretty simple—It Stinks.
Seriously. Who really wants to offend the olfactory senses of the Tuesday 9-Hole Ladies Group after a wonderful application of decomposition on Monday? It’s a pretty easy answer, that one. We’ll get to the should you or should you not use and how to use organics later. For now, a few tips on dealing with the assault on the nose that stops people fr
Im convinced that one of the main reasons that Turfheads dont embrace the concept of application of Organic Fertilizers is pretty simpleIt Stinks.
Seriously. Who really wants to offend the olfactory senses of the Tuesday 9-Hole Ladies Group after a wonderful application of decomposition on Monday? Its a pretty easy answer, that one. Well get to the should you or should you not use and how to use organics later. For now, a few tips on dealing with the assault on the nose that stops people fro
There are times when it is just too much fun to get some credit and by goodness we don’t get enough.
When everything and everyone does what they should in event golf, then a lot of people nod their heads and say, “Yup, that’s what was supposed to happen”. That’s not true. If you’ve ever seen what goes on at a huge golf event, then you understand that really just about every decision is about keeping something from going wrong or keeping someone from jacking something up. What is supposed to hap
There are times when it is just too much fun to get some credit and by goodness we dont get enough.
When everything and everyone does what they should in event golf, then a lot of people nod their heads and say, Yup, thats what was supposed to happen. Thats not true. If youve ever seen what goes on at a huge golf event, then you understand that really just about every decision is about keeping something from going wrong or keeping someone from jacking something up. What is supposed to happen
My twitter feed started going off and then emails and then texts.
All of it about AAC and reports, big ugly reports of big ugly damage. It was this tweet that seemed to be at the heart of it all:
Now, you know you love Kelly. Everyone does because she got her job because of that great radio voice of her’s, right?
And when Kelly tweets, a lot of people listen. And the word spread. Quickly, because that’s what this new viral social monkey media does. It broadcasts all kinds of crap that peop
I’m a huge fan of rolling and it’s time, you monkey, to roll!
And I think that this time the art of doing something that a lot of us have said was good is actually going to be backed by the Science. At the Sierra Pacific Spring Symposium 2011 (where Herr Maestro Mac was the Keynote Speaker), Oregon State’s Dr. Rob Golembiewski (aka G11) talked about his work with rolling. Yes, Frank, we have Turf Schools out west with running water and indoor plumbing and everything!
You can see a presentation
Im a huge fan of rolling and its time, you monkey, to roll!
And I think that this time the art of doing something that a lot of us have said was good is actually going to be backed by the Science. At the Sierra Pacific Spring Symposium 2011 (where Herr Maestro Mac was the Keynote Speaker), Oregon States Dr. Rob Golembiewski (aka G11) talked about his work with rolling. Yes, Frank, we have Turf Schools out west with running water and indoor plumbing and everything!
You can see a presentat
For the sake of discussion spanning geography, lets just assume that in most climates, at some point, push-up or all sand greens need to be flushed. Today I’m thinking about the word Flush and what it means to different people at different times. In the field, if I ask 10 supers how much water a flush means to them, I’ll get 10 answers ranging for 10 min to 10 hours. Seriously? The math is pretty easy in the simple form so lets do it together.
Lets say we have 5,000 square feet of a 12 inch roo
For the sake of discussion spanning geography, lets just assume that in most climates, at some point, push-up or all sand greens need to be flushed. Today Im thinking about the word Flush and what it means to different people at different times. In the field, if I ask 10 supers how much water a flush means to them, Ill get 10 answers ranging for 10 min to 10 hours. Seriously? The math is pretty easy in the simple form so lets do it together.
Lets say we have 5,000 square feet of a 12 inch ro
I’ve got some definite ideas as it comes to pre-stress and early-stress conditioning of fairways.
The first of these ideas is to use a growth regulator. If you’ve never done this or fiddled with doing it, it can be some of the best money spent for a dramatic result.
Primo Maxx is my personal favorite first step. I realize that there are as many ways to use this material as there are breeds of monkeys, so for you creative monkey breeders out there, hang with me. You might see an organ ground by
I've got some definite ideas as it comes to pre-stress and early-stress conditioning of fairways.
The first of these ideas is to use a growth regulator. If you've never done this or fiddled with doing it, it can be some of the best money spent for a dramatic result.
Primo Maxx is my personal favorite first step. I realize that there are as many ways to use this material as there are breeds of monkeys, so for you creative monkey breeders out there, hang with me. You might see an organ gro
