In an industry where golf course superintendents seek concrete solutions to recurring problems, longtime University of Nebraska professor Roch Gaussoin, Ph.D., served as a reminder for nearly 40 years that a fix is not always so black and white.
"Biology is not like physics. It's not absolute," Gaussoin said. "Biology is a 'maybe' most of the time. Trying to relate it to something like managing turf, it's not that simple, it's a complex machine.
"We're searching for new ways to do things. We used to put 8 to 10 pounds of nitrogen on greens. Who does that anymore? You adapt, and you change."
Gaussoin is five months into a retirement that was among the best-kept secrets in turfgrass.
Gaussoin, who officially retired in October after 33 years at Nebraska and retains the title of professor emeritus, has relocated to Advance, North Carolina in the Winston-Salem area so he and wife Priscilla can be closer to their two young grandchildren.
"I didn't make a big deal about it. It just sort of happened," said the 67-year-old Gaussoin.
I was pushed on a lot over that. Some people told me I should back off on that. I told them I'm not going to pull back, I was going to push back.
"I didn't have a big to-do at the university. It was just time. I'm still doing some work with the USGA and some other stuff.
"We have grandkids who are 5 and 8 in North Carolina, and my wife is retired. It was just time, and I didn't want to protract it out anymore. I have no regrets. I had a great career."
Gaussoin earned bachelor's and master's degrees from New Mexico State in 1980 and 1983, respectively, and a doctorate in crop and soil sciences in 1988 at Michigan State.
It was in East Lansing that he worked with two researchers who profoundly impacted his career - Paul Rieke, Ph.D., and Bruce Branham, Ph.D.
"I was Bruce's first graduate student at Michigan State," Gaussoin said. "We were close in age, so that was like a very good friendship. Paul Rieke had a huge influence on how I look at the world."
Much of his outlook in the world of turfgrass management was defying convention.
Gaussoin has had an ongoing relationship with the USGA for much of his career at Nebraska, which began in 1991. He eventually received a grant from the USGA for work related to modifying recommendations for greens construction.
Gaussoin decided early on that what happens after a green is built is as important, if not more, than initial construction. And he dedicated more than 20 years of his career to improving conditions below the surface.
Throughout his career, Gaussoin earned a reputation of questioning traditional methods of aerating the soil on golf courses, namely use of solid tines vs. pulling a core. And his opinions generated a great deal of friction from within the industry.
"Early on, people said 'Well, Roch says you don't have to aerate anymore.' I never said that," he said. "What I said, was it was possible to achieve similar results without pulling a core.
Biology is not like physics. It's not absolute. Biology is a 'maybe' most of the time. Trying to relate it to something like managing turf, it's not that simple, it's a complex machine.
"I was pushed on a lot over that. Some people told me I should back off on that. I told them I'm not going to pull back, I was going to push back."
His philosophy on solid tining has since been reinforced by countless scientific trials.
"Science is about discovering and reacting," he said. "It's not definitive; it's just changing the way you think about things and realize there might be something better. Being open minded is critical."
For his contributions to the industry, Gaussoin was named the 1993 recipient of the USGA Green Section Award.
"I hope that people can look back at how my career has been productive and solid," he said. "That doesn't happen without surrounding yourself with people who are better and smarter than you."
