Rain Bird Training Services will conduct more than 70 irrigation training events throughout the country through May 2017. These classes are open to all irrigation professionals regardless of experience. All Rain Bird training classes count toward CEUs from the Irrigation Association.

 

Classes include three education tracks - Rain Bird Factory Trained classes, which provides training on installation, management and maintenance of all Rain Bird products; Rain Bird Academy, which provides instruction on general irrigation skills on products from various manufacturers; and Rain Bird Customized Training which provides customizable onsite training for professionals from medium-large operations.

 

Click here for the schedule.

 

 

The Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Professional of the Year Award will recognize one turf industry professionals who has made a significant difference in the turfgrass industry in Ohio.

 

Nominees for OTF's most prestigious award will be judged on willingness to assist others, leadership in developing new ideas and trends, professional and civic involvement and leadership, and service to the industry.

 

Nomination forms are available online. Nomination deadline is Oct. 15.

 

The winner will be recognized Dec. 6 during the keynote address at this year's OTF Conference and Show in Columbus.

 

 

Year-over-year rounds played were down 4.6 percent nationwide in August compared with the same month last year, according to Golf Datatech's monthly rounds played report.

 

The big losses were recorded in flood-plagued Louisiana (down 46 percent), Arkansas (26 percent) and Mississippi (23 percent). Double-digit losses also were recorded in Alabama (15 percent); Illinois, Missouri and Texas (14 percent); North Dakota and South Dakota (13 percent); Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada and Washington, D.C. (10 percent).

 

Year-to-date rounds played are up about 1 percent compared with the first eight months of 2015.

 

Rounds played in August were up in just 18 states, with the biggest increase of about 5 percent coming in Maine, New Hampshire, Utah and Vermont.