The Lake Wheeler Turfgrass Field Laboratory at North Carolina State University recently was the beneficiary of a gift from the estate of an alumnus.
Steven Womble, right, was a 1971 NC State graduate who spent 40 years as a superintendent at various courses throughout North Carolina. Womble died in 2021. Womble was active in the Carolinas GCSA and the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina and was an avid supporter of the NC State turfgrass program.
There are numerous possibilities on how this gift will benefit the program, such as an equipment service center to maintain specialized equipment and provide students with hands-on learning.
"This idea would have an ongoing impact in keeping with the spirit of Steve's gift," turfgrass professor and extension specialist Grady Miller said in a news release. "It's challenging to raise money for capital improvements and we've outgrown our current structure several fold. This would be a nice asset to add to an important university unit."
By all accounts, Womble led a very eventful life. Aside from a long career in golf maintenance, which began in 1965 when he was still a high school student in Durham. He was the construction superintendent at Croasdaile Country Club in his hometown, was a medic in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and played drums in a band.
He eventually retired from the business after a long career at Wildwood Green Golf Course in Raleigh.
Throughout his career, Womble was a lifelong NC State football fan and regularly attended Wolfpack games.
Throughout his career, Womble was a member of the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendent Association, an engaged participant with the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina and a strong proponent of the university's turfgrass program.
When he encountered challenges on the golf course he sought the assistance of researchers at his alma mater.
"Steve was a great alumnus and a big NC State fan," extension specialist Fred Yelverton said in a news release. "I remember walking the course at Wildwood Green with him several times. He was proud of our turf program and worked closely with us to improve his courses."
For six years, Womble was superintendent at the six-hole par-three course at NC State's University Club.
Chip Watson is the General Manager of the Lonnie Poole Golf Course and worked with Womble for over 15 years.
"Steve was the best I have ever seen at 'fact gathering' and studying a situation," said Chip Watson, general manager at NC State's Lonnie Poole Golf Course in the release. "He wanted to make sure he wasn't making a mistake! He took his job very seriously and was extremely dependable."
The 20-acre turfgrass research center is located on NC State's 1,500-acre suburban field research complex and plays a key role in the university's research and extension efforts. It is funded mostly through turfgrass research and from vendor-supported projects. It is home to thousands of research plots and breeding nurseries.
"NC State's turfgrass program encompasses all facets: breeding, management, pest management, soil microbiology, irrigation and more. We are unique in the intersection of cool-season and warm-season turfgrasses. Few other programs can match the diversity of NC State. And it's all at work at the Lake Wheeler Road Field Lab."