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From the TurfNet NewsDesk

  • John Reitman
    As a plant pathologist who kills a lot of turf today so he can help superintendents keep it alive tomorrow, Bruce Martin, Ph.D., knows a good fungicide program when he sees one - even if it is not his own. When Clemson University's Martin stacked his own fungicide program against two developed by BASF technical specialist Kathie Kalmowitz, Ph.D., he knew he was up against pretty stiff competition.   Martin's multi-product program has become the standard by which he measures other treatment programs in his research at Clemson University, including those developed by Kalmowitz that include two new BASF fungicides that are awaiting label registration by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. All three treatments performed well throughout the summer of 2013, but the two developed by BASF exhibited higher turf quality deeper into the summer.   One BASF program included Xzemplar, while the other featured Lexicon Intrinsic fungicide. Both treatments resulted in lush, green Crenshaw bentgrass on Martin's research plots.   "Her two programs were neck and neck the whole summer," Martin said. "I was hanging around pretty good until the end here, and then I tapered off. So, you win."   Xzemplar, with the active ingredient fluxapyroxad, is a succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicide that works by blocking fungi respiration and disrupting the energy supply, which prevents further growth of fungal cells, said Renee Keese, Ph.D., research and development project leader for BASF's turf and ornamentals division.   With both preventive and curative control modes of action, Xzemplar is described by BASF researchers as representing advanced disease control for dollar spot and brown patch.   "It has faster curative activity. It's longer lasting, and it's better, new technology," said Kyle Miller, technical specialist for BASF. "It's the better mousetrap."   Lexicon Intrinsic contains both fluxapyroxad and pyraclostrobin, the ingredient common to all BASF Intrinsic products. Like it's cousin, Xzemplar, Lexicon is long-lasting. It is rainfast in two hours and because it is not a DMI, it can be used throughout the summer without threat of phytotoxicity.   EPA registration for both products for use on golf and sports turf is expected by mid-November, with state registrations expected to begin in the first quarter of 2014. Like other Intrinsic products, Lexicon will have the words "plant health" on its label.    BASF researchers recognize that on its face, the phrase plant health is an innocuous term. And to get it past the EPA as well as BASF's own legal team and onto a label means first defining the term and then proving a product meets those standards in replicated trials.   BASF officials defined plant health based on the Intrinsic line's ability to produce turf that has enhanced root development and is tolerant to disease stress, said Thavy Staal, marketing manager for the company's T&O unit.   Lexicon and Xzemplar have been run through about 150 trials through 2012, with another 50 or so conducted this year, Keese said.   Those trials have shown Lexicon to provide speedy curative control of dollar spot on bentgrass, summer patch in tall fescue and fairy ring on Kentucky bluegrass. The current label application submitted to the EPA includes 26 diseases. The fast-acting properties of Xzemplar and Lexicon Intrinsic even outperformed BASF's Emerald (boscalid) and Honor Intrinsic, a combination of boscalid and pyraclostrobin that has been on the market since 2010.   Among the diseases Xzemplar is formulated to control are dollar spot, brown patch, summer patch, pink snow mold and gray snow mold. In dollar spot trials it has provided 28 days of control with one application.   It won't control algae per se, but can help produce lush turf that is an inhospitable host to algae, Miller said.   "The bottom line," Miller said, "is that we get excellent quality turf with Xzemplar in dollar spot and brown patch trials."   Martin also tested both products on TifEagle Bermudagrass managed under putting conditions and Lexicon Intrinsic on Bermudagrass maintained at fairway height. More than six months after the trial had been completed he still was able to pick out the plots treated with Lexicon.   "Those are the results that surprised me," Martin told TurfNet in August. "Those plots were disease free all spring."
  • In response to customer feedback, especially from those managing turf on uneven surfaces, John Deere Golf recently released a direct-mounted grass catcher.   The unit, which Deere says allows for better contouring and retention of clippings, attaches easily to the 2500 riding greens mower as well as the 180 and 220 E-Cut hybrid walk mowers.   Constructed from polyethylene, the grass catcher features molded-in grooves that allow it to easily attach to the cutting unit, and is designed to slow air volume and route air out of the catcher, while retaining more clippings.     It attaches to the cutting unit, allowing it to follow contours more freely.   "We are constantly speaking with superintendents and their crews to gain a better understanding of their best practices and methods," said Tracy Lanier, product marketing manager for John Deere Golf. "We have learned many professionals have unique preferences and needs based on their course, which is why the new direct mount grass catcher and current weight transfer catcher systems are key offerings when it comes to accommodating needs of our customers."   Since the unit attaches directly to the cutting unit, that can mean added weight to the unit as the catcher fills with clippings. Therefore, Deere also now offers an easy-to-use weight-transfer system.
  • Few gave back to the turfgrass business the way Joe Duich did.   As a professor, Duich helped create Penn State's two-year turf management program, and his career in State College spanned five decades. He taught hundreds of undergraduates and mentored dozens of graduate students and doctoral candidates during his 35-year career in State College.   As a longtime plant breeder, he developed many turfgrass varieties, including Penncross creeping bentgrass, once the standard against which all bentgrass species at one time were measured He used royalties from the sales of those turf varieties to run the Penn State program before eventually establishing an endowment fund that today is worth millions.   Duich died Oct. 11. He was 85.   "His name is one that will go down in history as one of the great contributors to turfgrass science," said Al Turgeon, Ph.D., professor emeritus at Penn State. "He made tremendous contributions to education and turfgrass breeding."   Duich grew up in Farrell, Pa., and after a post-World War II stint (1946-48) in the U.S. Marines, he attended Penn State where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1952 and a doctorate in 1957.   Turgeon was a graduate student at Michigan State when he first met Duich at a Rutgers University field day. He recalled that Duich was an intimidating figure for a wide-eyed graduate student. Turgeon later served as head of Penn State's agronomy department while Duich was a professor at Penn State, and said he was equally intimidating then as well.   "He could be warm, or he could be bitter," Turgeon said.    "He marched to his own drummer. He was true to his values, and he tolerated no nonsense. But, if you were one of his students, he was totally dedicated and would do anything for you."   Along with Burt Musser in 1954, Duich helped develop Penncross creeping bentgrass, once the most widely used bentgrass on golf courses around the world. He also developed Pennlinks, Penneagle and six varieties of the Penn A and G series, as well as Pennfine perennial ryegrass and Pennstar Kentucky bluegrass.   Bill Rose of Turf-Seed Inc. said Duich stepped in to help the seed industry in the late 1960s when less-than-careful dealers were peddling substandard seed.   "Dr. Duich entered my life in 1967 at a Penn State turf conference. I sat in the audience with Dr. Musser, and when it became known an Oregon seed grower was present, at intermission I was surrounded by angry seedsmen blaming me for the inferior quality of Penncross seed that was being marketed in Pennsylvania. They threatened to pull the variety from the market," Rose said.    "From this all-night meeting a program evolved providing only certified quality would be produced and sold with no Poa annua or Poa trivialis. Joe would check our fields prior to swathing and the Penncross Bentgrass Association would have an exclusive production and marketing rights on bents bred at Penn State, to include Penneagle, Pennlinks, the A's & G's and Seaside II. This program has been successful ever since.   "In 1974, the Penncross Bentgrass Association established a scholarship program at Penn State for needy turf students, which continues today. Dr. Duich also established certification standards that far exceeded those previously set by Oregon Seed Certification."   He showed the same care with his own research plots in Pennsylvania.   "You would see him out there mowing his own plots every day," Turgeon said. "He took great pride in the level of quality of those plots. They were incomparable, and he managed them like they were his own golf course."    A member of the Penn State faculty from 1955-91, Duich was a prolific writer, authoring hundreds of academic articles. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2008 C. Reed Funk award from the Turfgrass Breeders Association, the Distinguished Alumni award from Penn State (2008), the Old Tom Morris award (2006) from the GCSAA, the USGA Green Section award (1981) and the GCSAA Distinguished Service award (1976).   Survivors include his wife Pat, daughter Katherine Brennan (Jim), son Michael (Leslie) and five grandchildren.
  • What a difference a year makes. At this time last year, many in the golf business were singing the praises of what appeared to be an industry revival. Fast forward to 2013, and for the first time this year, rounds played were ahead of 2012 figures.   Year-over-year rounds played were up 3 percent in August compared to the same month in 2012, marking the first increase in participation since November 2012. According to Golf Datatech's monthly rounds played report, rounds played were up in seven of eight geographic regions into which the Kissimmee, Fla.-based firm divides the country.    Double-digit gains occurred in Louisiana (up 21 percent); Arizona, Florida, Nebraska and Hawaii (13 percent); Oklahoma (12 percent); California and North Carolina (10 percent).   Despite the good news, play still is off by 6 percent compared with the first eight months of 2012, according to the report that survey 3,705 private and public-access facilities nationwide.    According to Jim Koppenhaver of Pellucid Corp., the bleak performance in the first seven months of the year can be attributed in part to weather.   "On the weather front, we needed a positive quarter for the health of the average operator after a brutal first half, both in the absolute (vs. the long-term averages) and relative to a very strong 2012," Koppenhaver said in his monthly newsletter.   The biggest losses were fled in Arkansas (down 13 percent) and Kansas (down 12 percent).
  • Franklin Electric adds booster pumps to portfolio 

    Franklin Electric recently launched its VR Series stainless steel vertical multistage booster pumps for use on golf courses, athletic fields and municipal parks and recreation applications.
     
    Featuring an innovative hydraulic design, improved efficiency and an integral heavy-duty bearing designed for minimized axial thrust, the pumps utilize industry standard motors. They are designed to deliver clean water under pressure with temperatures ranging from -5 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
     
    All models are constructed from 316 stainless steel construction for corrosion resistance and ease of installation to meet or exceed municipalities' requirements for pure water. The VR Series is available in flow ratings from 8 to 60 gpm at 0.75 to 10 hp.
     

    Bernhard names new U.S. territory manager 

    Bernhard and Co., a manufacturer of blade-sharpening systems for turf-cutting machines, has named Steven Swanson manager of its Western U.S. territory.
     
    Swanson will guide sales and distribution of the Bernhard product line in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
     
    A former superintendent, Swanson previously served at Red Rock Country Club, Arroyo Golf Club and Siena Golf Club in Las Vegas.
     

    Rossi among speakers at NYSTA event

    Frank S. Rossi, Ph.D., associate professor of turfgrass science at Cornell University, will be among the speakers at this year's New York State Turfgrass Association Turf and Grounds Exposition.
     
    Scheduled for Nov. 12-14 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center in Rochester, N.Y., the event will feature six speakers, including Shawn Askew, Ph.D., of Virginia Tech, Rick Latin, Ph.D., of Purdue, Steve Keating of The Toro Co., Brad Park of Rutgers and Peggy Greenwell of the U.S. Access Board.
     
    The program is certified by the GCSAA and STMA.
     

    Syngenta closes deal on DuPont acquisition

    Syngenta has closed the acquisition of the DuPont Professional Products insecticide business.
     
    As a result of this transaction, Syngenta now owns insecticide brands Altriset, Advion, Arilon, Acelepryn, Calteryx and Provaunt. Many DuPont employees have also joined Syngenta.
     
    In addition to targeting the professional turf and pest management markets, Syngenta will pursue adjacent market opportunities in ornamental horticulture and the consumer space.
     
    The closing price for the acquisition was $125 million.
     

    Jacobsen supports education with scholarships

    Jacobsen is helping tomorrow's generation of turfgrass managers achieve their goals by helping offset the cost of their college education.
     
    The company recently awarded $500 scholarships to 18 students currently enrolled in turfgrass management programs throughout the country and Canada.
     
    Winners were selected based on essay submissions and professor recommendations.
     
    The scholarships are one of several ways Jacobsen supports industry education. Jacobsen has been hosting the Future Turf Managers' program for recent college graduates since the 1980s, and Jacobsen University provides hands-on training for 150 turf students, superintendents, technicians and sales representatives.
     
    The company also donates equipment and resources to several turfgrass programs around the country.
     

    Underhill adds new nozzle

    Underhill International recently released its Turbo Shift dual variable flow hose-end nozzle.
     
    The Turbo Shift is capable of delivering water ranging from a light fog to a low-volume jet stream pattern to high-pressure, high-volume output.
     
    Constructed to firefighter standards, Turbo Shift can be used to syringe finely manicured turf, to hand-water dry and patchy areas as well as for equipment clean up.
     
    The Turbo Shift is available in five models and features pistol and firefighter grips. A low-flow model delivers water at 7 to 12 GPM and turbo shifts from 14 to 17 GPM. The high-flow model opens with 12 to 17 GPM and turbo shifts from 20 to 43 GPM. A super high-flow model fires water at 34 to 104 GPM. All flow rates are based on 80 psi.
     
    All models are built using aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless steel with sturdy ball valves and push-pull on and off control handles and all are virtually leak-proof. 
  • From time to time, Tom Egelhoff would hear complaints about locations of pin placements on the greens at The Club at Las Campanas, a 36-hole facility in Santa Fe, N.M.
     
    Since he began using ezLocator, he doesnt hear as many complaints. 
     
    Developed by Dallas Athletic Club member Jon Schultz, ezLocator maps all pinnable locations using GPS technology and provides full archiving and reporting capabilities that allow the superintendent the ability to select a new hole location each day.
     
    This summer, ezLocator enhanced its pin placement-tracking technology when it released the ePinSheet app.
     
    Available through the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores, the ePinSheet app allows golfers as well as the golf shop staff and club administrators to get pin placements sent directly to their smartphone.
     
    The app displays all pin locations with detailed views of each green. 
     
    Chip Lafferty, superintendent at Rye Golf Club, says the ezLocator tool helps him not only choose a new pin location daily, but it also helps him manage golfer traffic on his greens more efficiently. Moving pin locations throughout each green can help alleviate wear and stress from foot traffic.
     
    Lafferty said that golfers also have expressed interest in how pin placements are chosen since he began using the tool to choose and track hole locations.
  • It doesn't come with quite as much pomp as Masters Week, but when it comes to furthering turf managers' knowledge about intelligent water use, Water Week is just as significant as that one week in April when the golf world stops and turns its attention toward Augusta.
     
    For the fourth straight year, Aquatrols and TurfNet are presenting Water Week, a series of five free Webinars on smart water use presented daily from Oct. 14 through Oct. 18 by some of the industry's leading experts on water use and conservation.
     
    Each Webinar begins at 1 p.m. EDT and is one hour in duration. Each also is approved by the GCSAA for 0.1 CEU. That's a total of 0.5 CEUs FREE, courtesy of Aquatrols.
     
    Water Week kicks off Monday, Oct. 14 when John Cisar, Ph.D., of the University of Florida discusses practical advice on how and when to use surfactants in his presentation entitled Practical Surfactant Strategies for Improving Turfgrass Quality.
     
    Erik Ervin, Ph.D., of Virginia Tech gets things started on Day 2 when he explains how soil surfactants work to alleviate soil water repellency and allow for more uniform dehydration avoidance in Soil Surfactants and Amino Acids for Improved Creeping Bentgrass Dehydration Avoidance. 
     
    On Day 3, Larry Lennert of Aquatrols will present Bicarbonate in Irrigation Water during which he will discuss the effects on turfgrass of bicarbonate, which is one of the harshest salts found in irrigation water, as well as a review of current academic research on the topic.
     
    On Thursday, Oct. 17, Stan Kostka, Ph.D., of Aquatrols will discuss the benefits of surfactant-coated grass seed in water-repellent soils in his presentation entitled Surfactant Seed Coating Technology. Kostka will take a unique approach in this presentation, citing research and results from post-wildfire restoration efforts, and he will apply those findings to turfgrass establishment on golf courses.
     
    The week concludes on Day 5, Friday, Oct. 18 with Bryan Hopkins, Ph.D., of Brigham Young University discussion Wetting Front Impacts the Turf, Environment, Pests and Profits. This talk will focus on how solvents and water move through the soil profile and how they affect the turf, pests, surface water contamination, ground water contamination, atmospheric pollution, water conservation efforts and a turf manager's bottom line.
     
    Can't make it to Water Week? Don't worry, all five presentations will be available on our archive site and CEUs will apply through the end of the year.
  • Sometimes, it's necessary to kill a few bees to save thousands.
     
    That's the case at the University of Kentucky where former USGA Green Section Award winner Dan Potter, Ph.D., and some of his post-graduate students have been performing seminal research on protecting pollinator populations.
     
    Research performed under Potter's direction by doctoral candidate Jon Larson shows that neonicotinoids applied to flowering weeds can adversely affect pollinators such as honeybees and bumblebees.
     
    According to the research, colonies exposed to clothianidin, which is a neonicotinoid pesticide, failed to produce new queens, while colonies exposed to plots treated with chlorantraniliprole developed normally, compared with the untreated control. Both insecticides are popular options for control of white grubs, caterpillars and other non-desirable pests that forage at or near the surface.
     
    Larson's work shows that pollinators were not adversely affected when treated flowers were removed by mowing and new ones grew in their place.
     
    Honeybee and bumblebee populations have been on the decline for years, and although one cause for such a decline has not been identified by researchers, the consensus in the academic community is that a variety of issues that include chemical exposure, parasite pressure and habitat loss, are coming together at once to challenge pollinator populations says Emily Dobbs, another of Potter's students.
     
    "It's a very complicated issue, and I don't think anyone really knows what is causing colony collapse. I do know that the belief in the academic community is that several things are combining to create a perfect storm, such as habitat loss and fragmentation, pesticide use and parasitic pressure," Dobbs previously told TurfNet.
     
    "Any one of those things alone wouldn't be enough to take down a bee colony, but when they're all happening at the same time, the bees can't withstand that."
     
    Whatever the cause of colony decline, Potter says one thing researchers can agree on is that bee populations need help.
     
    "With honeybee populations struggling," said Potter, recipient of the 2010 Green Section Award. "We need to rely on native bees, such as bumblebees, to pick up the slack on plant pollination."
  • It was built for stroke-play tournaments, and nearly four decades after opening it's ideal for match play, too.   Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, is the House that Jack Built near his hometown of Columbus. Back in 1966, when he first walked this ground 20 miles northwest of downtown, it was farm country with many more horses and cows than people. Even when it opened in 1976 as home to PGA Tour's Memorial Tournament, spectators heading up there encountered no traffic, no lights and no real-estate development. That's all changed now, with Muirfield Village the centerpiece for expansive, upscale real estate. Though so skillfully has Nicklaus kept the homes out of view you'd never know they line these fairways.   The routing, which Nicklaus did with a Salvador Dali-esque, non-golfing landscape architect named Desmond Muirhead (1923-2002) is ingenious. For all the rolling terrain of the land, you never have an obscured view of a landing area and you barely ever play an uphill shot until the 18th approach. The trick they did was simply to route the holes so that the uphill climbs come between holes, as you go from green to next tee. So you always see your landing zone on tee shots and approaches, and crowds on a course that can easily handle 40,000 spectators also have ideal vistas.   It all sets up for what should be a very engaging Presidents Cup. Much of the credit goes to veteran superintendent Paul B. Latshaw. Imagine the pressure of perennial PGA Tour scrutiny and with Jack Nicklaus functioning as your green chairman. The conditioning is usually spotless, literally. It's likely there won't be a single white line anywhere denoting ground under repair. Par for the course is a very balanced 36-3672 of returning nines, with yardage set at 7,388. That clocks in at a 76.3 rating / 149 slope. Of course this week slope doesn't matter, since nobody's getting any shots in the matches.   Your basic opening Nicklaus hole from the 1970s and 80s, a distinct fade drive to a generous fairway, and then a short iron (when it opened it was a middle- to long-iron) in to a well-bunkered green. The putting surfaces here are not expansive on average 5,000 square feet. They demand precision, reward well-struck shots played from the fairway and don't allow you to work the ball in from the side of the green surrounds. The bentgrass greens are groomed to within about one-tenth of an inch of their life, with Stimpmeter speeds around 13. It's a matter of starting the ball on line and letting it roll out. The faster these greens are, the better the American team will do.   No. 2: Par 4, 455 yards
      The first test: a very tight feeling tee shot, thanks to a straight, unbunkered fairway with nothing visually to shape a shot with and a very large caveat running the length of the right side: Do not hit it in the creek. Three-woods off the tee will predominate here, especially Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning with alternate shot/foursomes, where the rule of thumb is simply to avoid heroics and put your teammate in good shape for the next shot.   No. 3: Par 4, 401 yards
      There's nothing duller in match play than a forced lay-up hole with no viable options. That's the case here on this par 4 with a creek that runs the left side of the fairway and expands into a pond exactly at what would be the far point of the drive zone to form a forced-carry hazard. There's no advantage at all in hitting driver and it's safe to say nobody will all week; this is strictly a lay-up off the tee because the narrow, elongated green will not hold an approach shot hit without spin. The important point is to approach from the fairway. Even with the rough cut back a little to about 3 inches a bit less than during The Memorial Tournament there's little ability to control this approach from the rough and no advantage to hitting it longer than 260-270 yards off the tee short of two fairway bunkers right and that water left. It's also unlikely that PGA Tour officials will move the tees up for better-ball play or Sunday's singles matches. That's because there's no fairway beyond the water short of the green and no safe place to miss the green that would warrant risking driver off the tee.   No. 4: Par 3, 200 yards
      A strong par-3, with a green that falls away slightly from the line of play, and one that encourages a draw off the tee (except from Phil Mickelson).   No. 5: Par 5, 527 yards
      A severe dogleg right, one that demands a very precise high fade that gets around the tree-lined corner without running through into the far rough. A creek bisects the hole, creating a fairway-bailout to the left on the second shot that only seems to come into play for players who have to chip out from rough. Otherwise, this hole can be reached in two by all the players in the field, though it really demands two well-placed shots traveling left-to-right, the second one (into the green) ideally played very high and coming down soft. With water coming up tight to the front left of the green, it's not a putting surface that plays well for a draw shot, since the elevated putting surface nudges everything left sometimes into water, or, if hit strong, over the green to a falloff at the rear. This will be an exciting hole in Sunday's singles matches. During the better ball, it would be smart if any team suffering doubts about their position plays its first approach safely short and right, leaving the second player on the team to go for broke.   No. 6: Par 4, 447 yards
      This strategy on this hole is set up by a large greenside bunker, which helps set up a divided putting green that falls away on each side from a central spine. The ideal drive will be on the side of the hole where the hole is cut, whether left or right, though in any case, the landing area off the tee is well bunkered on both sides, effectively narrowing down a 30-yard-wide fairway.   No. 7: Par 5, 563 yards
      An elegant long hole that unfolds right-to-left on the tee shot, then rolls back the other way on the second. It's also a case of an interrupted hole, with the fairway ending 40 yards short and giving way to a heavily grassed swale. The only way to get to the green is through the air, whether on the second shot or the third. A large, very deep bunker protects the entrance to the green; it's a common landing area for second shots and not a bad place from which to play. With the green tipped from right to left and one of the shallower ones on the course, it's also hard to hold with a long shot unless the ball comes in very high and soft.   No. 8: Par 3, 185 yards
      Downhill, to a green popped up slightly above its surrounds, most of which is sand. At 43 yards deep and with two distinct tiers, the green can play anywhere from a 9-iron to a 6-iron on a calm day.   No. 9: Par 4, 412 yards
      It's fascinating to see a golf course like this that presents a premium on driving the ball well, yet also offers five holes without a fairway bunker. That's because the shaping here, to a slightly crowned landing area, makes players all too aware of the impending tree canopies on both side to the point where on this slight dogleg right it's possible to get blocked out on the near side of the fairway, or at least to have to hit a heckuva cut shot to reach the green. As for spectator-friendly golf, the putting surface here occupies the stage of a vast viewing platform that makes for quite a scene. It can be especially dramatic for shots coming up just a tad short that find the pond fronting this green a hazard which induces players to overplay their approaches and wind up long, with a difficult recovery back to the green.   No. 10: Par 4, 471 yards
      Left-to-right twice here, on the tee shot from an elevated platform fronting the clubhouse grounds and then again to a green that's well bunkered short right and long left. This is one of the very few steadily uphill holes on the course, one that readily divides the field into those who can carry it 285 yards off the tee (and thus past the little upslope crown in the fairway), leaving themselves a short iron in; and those who cannot carry it that far and find themselves hitting a long iron in.   No. 11: Par 5, 567 yards
      This is wonderfully complex hole, a double-dogleg (left, then right) that engages a creek crossing such that the water is in play on the tee shot, second shot and approach in. The green is very shallow, set diagonally a perched above that creek and one very busy front central bunker. Let's just say that the only way to get here in two is hit a long draw of the tee and a very high, cut second shot in. It's the kind of hole that breeds a lot of overly cautious play short of the green leaving a wedge in. That's not a bad option, especially in alternate shot and singles matches.   No. 12: Par 3, 184 yards
      Nicklaus named the course in honor of the Scottish layout where he won his first Open Championship (in 1966), but it's evident throughout, especially on this par-3, that he was actually more inspired by the strategy and land plan of Augusta National. This downhill par 3 sets up as a version of the famed short 12th hole where they play the Masters, except there's more going on vertically here due to the more intense topography. That said, the green is angled the same way, and the genius of the hole is that if you hit it perfectly equal to mid-green and pull it you're long left and in sand; and if you hit it equal to dead center but push it you're in water. The trick here is judging the wind, no easy matter when the tee shot plays out of tree-lined chute to a massive amphitheater, where evidence of the wind above the tree line might not manifest itself in any movement on the ground. Restraint here is a virtue, especially when the hole is cut back right near the edge of doom. And risky play here can extract severe punishment. A player on Sunday coming in three-down who wants to play aggressively (i.e., desperately) is more likely to walk away four down rather than two.   No. 13: Par 4, 455 yards
      The calm before the storm. This is the simplest hole on the course, your basic dogleg left around a fairway bunker 285 yards out on the left (also the bunker that bears the scars of heavy-handed shaping). The second shot is downhill to a green that absolutely screams for a high draw and that is the site of probably more close approach shots than any other hole on the golf course.   No. 14: Par 4, 363 yards
      When this hole debuted, it single-handedly revived the art of the short par 4. It offers a split fairway-landing area and the temptation of a carry of 280 yards past a creek to a fairway opening shot of the green. That will prove a tempting target for long hitters in the better ball matches Friday and again Saturday afternoon. For long hitters in Sunday's singles matches it might also prove seductive, though the risks are considerable, thanks to a thin-waisted green that cants sharply from its well-bunkered left down to a looming creek sheer on the right side. If, as is likely, the tees are moved up to bring the front of the green within range of 325 yards off the tee during four-ball and singles matches, expect some fireworks here as well as some water works (which is why the hole tends to play over par).   No. 15: Par 5, 529 yards
      Reachable, but maddening. At 529 yards, the par-5 15th is always the easiest hole at Muirfield Village. But the hole still carries considerable risk for a player trying to force a good score on another one of the five unbunkered fairways but this is the tightest, most tree-lined fairway. The ideal landing area off the tee falls away on both sides into woods. It's common to see players lay up with a second short in front of a creek that crosses the fairway100-yards short of the green. By contrast, the bold, long approach play is a high cut, from 220-250 yards out, to an elevated green tipped away from the line of play. It's a hole that demonstrates Nicklaus' respect for the par 4 and 1/2 championed by Augusta National. And it's the kind of hole that will make Muirfield Village an ideal setting for match play.   No. 16: Par 3, 201 yards
      It's an understatement to call Muirfield Village a work in progress, Nicklaus keeps tinkering to improve things, though in the vase of his latest major renovation, at this par 3, he ended up with a hole that looks and feels way too much like the 16th at Augusta National. It's also the hole where Tiger Woods pulled off a miraculous recovery from greenside rough to make birdie in the final round of his win here in 2010. The key here is simply do not hit it left. The green plays well for a draw, and smart players use the slope.   No. 17: Par 4, 478 yards
      The landing area off the tee here is uncommonly large, but so is the expanse of surrounding sand from four bunkers that squeeze a drive that wanders. Small wonder that many players give up distance off the tee for control, even when that leaves a tough shot to an elevated green that's deeply bunkered front and back. This is one of those holes that make you realize if you needed reminding of how good these guys are.   No. 18: Par 4, 480 yards
      Too bad so few matches tend to get to the 18th hole. The one big change at Muirfield Village from normal tournament play for The Presidents Cup will be use of a just-completed back tee on this home hole. A new way-back launch pad stretches the hole to 480 yards and will make it more likely that players will need a driver to get to a proper position in the fairway. In the past, they've steered safely left of a massive gaggle of bunkers down the entire right side, but in so doing their lay-up has kept them short of a creek that elbows in from the left. Now, with driver in hand, players will have to worry about staying short of the creek. If they lay back, they're asking for a second shot of 200-plus yards uphill to a very tightly contoured green. Odds are that at least one-third of those playing the 18th hole will be down by a hole and needing a win. That means they'll be playing aggressively, with a driver. That should make this hole exciting. And it comes down to the final day, it'll also make that tee shot nerve-wracking.   - Bradley S. Klein, Golfweek
  • The path to environmental sustainability at Cantigny Golf Course is a journey for superintendent Scott Witte, CGCS, not a destination.   Located within the 500-acre Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Ill., the golf course has been a Certified Audubon Sanctuary property since 1993. And Witte has been active ever since enhancing Cantigny's environmental profile.   Subsequent conservation efforts since Witte became superintendent in 1995 include establishing a butterfly trail, monitoring fish populations in Cantigny's pond, promoting habitat for native songbirds, as well as purple martins. For the past four years, Witte, a self-proclaimed ambassador of golf's environmental opportunities, has been keeping bees, thousands of them, on the property in manmade as well as natural hives as part of a project he calls the Cantigny Bee Barometer.   Promoting a healthy bee population doesn't make the fairways at Cantigny any faster or the greens any more receptive to approach shots. But just like providing what Witte calls "world class golfing conditions" for golfers, providing a safe and healthy environment for bees is the right thing to do for both the insects and the Cantigny complex.   "The project could provide a barometer of the overall health of our environment," Witte said. "A healthy habitat should equal healthy bees. I've made it my mission to prove that world class golf conditions can coexist with honeybees, if both are managed correctly."   Keeping bees also provides a revenue stream through the sale of honey and wax products that keep the program self-sustaining. That revenue stream also helped Witte to recently share his passion by using proceeds from his operation to provide much-needed equipment to the bee club at a high school in Africa.   "Why do there have to be boundaries on outreach?" Witte asked. "It's exciting to connect with kids from another part of the world and expand what we're doing."   Cantigny Park is located on the grounds of the former home of Chicago Tribune magnate Robert R. McCormick, who died in 1955. Prior to his death, McCormick operated an experimental farm on the grounds, and the Tribune regularly published articles on the subject. Since his death, the foundation named in McCormick's honor has operated the property as a horticultural classroom designed to provide educational and recreational opportunities for the people of Illinois.   The course achieved Audubon status in 1993 under former superintendent Tony Rzadzki. Witte began expanding those efforts, partly at the behest of others.   Shortly after he became superintendent he institute a program of installing more than 60 bluebird nesting boxes throughout the golf course and park. The boxes also have been adopted homes of other small songbirds such as wrens, chickadees and swallows. Each year, more than 250 new fledglings are hatched in those boxes.   Cantigny has since implemented a program in 2004 designed to help alleviate the plight of the purple martin. A highly social creature that lives in large colonies, purple martin populations have dwindled in recent years because of non-native predatory starlings that raid martin nests for food, as well as sparrows that overrun the martin's natural nesting areas. As a result, according to the Purple Martin Conservation Association, populations have sunken by as much as 80 percent in some areas.   Helping purple martin populations recover in the Cantigny area was the idea of Ray Feld, an enthusiast who decided while driving past the golf course that the property was perfect habitat for the plighted bird. Feld contacted Witte about establishing a colony at the golf course and volunteers his time to oversee martin populations there as well as at two other sites in Chicago's western suburbs.   As a result of Witte's efforts, Jeff Reiter, Cantigny's media relations professional, conducts monthly bird walks through the park, with each session beginning with a primer on purple martins, their plight and an up-close look inside an active nest (the social martin is not intimidated by human interaction).   Witte similarly got the idea to keep bees at the suggestion of a friend, John Bozonelos.   Like just about everything he does, Witte jumped into beekeeping head first, which requires he don a protective suit when managing the hives. The experience has proven to be a positive one not only for the bees, but for Witte as well.   "(Bozonelos) sparked a passion in me," Witte said. "The first time I set up a hive, I was overwhelmed with the calming effect of thousands of bees swarming. Truth be told, I've surpassed the skills of my mentors, because I love it so much."   Witte maintains about 10 hives on the property, including several near the main entrance to the golf course. He also oversees three natural hives on park property, which have been a source of anxiety for some golfers who sometimes approach him requesting he kills the bees and destroy the hive. Instead, he now is on a local call list to safely capture swarms and remove bee colonies from residential areas. When he does that, he reestablishes those colonies at Cantigny.   He has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on its Bee Aware campaign that records management practices with hopes of one day creating a database that will help beekeepers develop and maintain a set of best management practices just like turf management BMPs, Witte said.   With the honey he and honeycomb he gets from the bees, Witte makes lip balm, beeswax candles and honey that are sold both in the golf course pro shop and the park's gift shop He uses the proceeds to maintain the Bee Barometer project, and continue his honeybee outreach efforts.   Recently, he was approached by Susan Hagberg about expanding his outreach efforts overseas. Hagberg is president of Wild Goose Chase Inc., a migratory bird management program that counts Cantigny among its clients. Hagberg's son works for the EDP Trust which oversees the Awutu-Winton school in Africa, and when she learned of the school's bee club asked whether there was a way Witte could help the students in the quest to learn more about bees and the benefits of pollinators.    Witte was eager to help, and sent three bee suits and smokers to the bee club at Awutu-Winton Senior High School in Ghana, which is located on Africa's west-central coast. Witte has since been besieged with thank-you letters from the grateful students on the other side of the world.   "They are badly undersourced. Who knew that a few bee suits and a couple of smokers would turn into this great relationship with these gracious and ambitious students?" Witte said, who is in discussions with school officials on other ways to promote the students' interest in beekeeping.   Witte promotes environmental stewardship because he believes it is the true future of the game and the industry. He cites a Golf Digest survey in which more than 70 percent of respondents indicated that they prefer to play golf on a course the utilizes native elements rather than one surrounded by houses. His enthusiasm influences how he manages the golf course, and influences not so much what he applies, but where he applies it, being careful not to apply some insecticides near flowering plants that attract pollinators and actively seeking chemistries touted as bee-friendly.   "I want to prove that world class golf conditions and nature can be in harmony with each other," he said. "We pride ourselves on that. We have a saying here 'it's you, the golf course and Mother Nature.'    "Moving forward, I see attitudes like that shaping the future of golf."
  • The deadline to complete staff training for compliance with the Occupational Safety and Healthy Administration revised Hazard Communication Standard is quickly approaching.    OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard, which has been in place since 1983, has been revised to align with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.    The new system is designed to provide a common and coherent approach to classifying chemicals and communicating hazard information on labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS), formerly known as Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), the labor department says.   The new standards will include new labels with new product identifiers, signal words, pictograms that describe the threat with universally accepted images, hazard statements, precautionary statements and full contact information for the manufacturer, distributor or importer.   SDS training must include information on the newly formatted, 16-part SDS template. In that template format, the new SDS labels will include: Section 1 is always product identification, Section 2 hazard identification,  Section 3 composition/information on ingredients, Section 4 first aid, Section 5 fire-fighting measures, Section 6 accidental release measures, Section 7 handling and storage, Section 8 exposure controls/personal protection, Section 9 physical and chemical properties, Section 10 stability and reactivity, Section 11 toxicological information, Section 12 ecological information, Section 13 disposal considerations,  Section 15 regulatory information, Section 16 other information.   Under the OSH Act, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace. OSHA's mission is to assure safe and healthful workplaces by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance. OSHA requires all training be completed in a manner and language that employees understand, including making accommodations for those with limited or no reading skills. Training must be completed by Dec. 1, as some products already are utilizing the new system, according to OSHA.   Chemical manufacturers must be in compliance with all facets of the rule by June 1, 2015, and distributors cannot ship product with old labels after Dec. 1, 2015. Employers have until June 1, 2016 to have updated labeling posted in the workplace and complete any training for newly identified hazards.
  • Summers with above-average amounts of rainfall often result in areas of Kentucky bluegrass that turn yellowish. The cause, other than that the problem appears to be linked to too much rain, is unknown according to university researchers.   Scientists at the University of Nebraska noted the problem in late summer in 2011 and again this year. The symptoms arise in Kentucky bluegrass only, but not all cultivars, and manifest when soil temperatures are at their peak.   What researchers there are sure of is that the chlorotic conditions appear to affect only young leaves, leading them to conclude that the off color issue is not linked to nitrogen deficiencies. According to information on the Penn State such symptoms could be related to deficiencies in nitrogen or iron, and note that applications of iron sulfate or chelated iron typically result in greening of turf within a matter of a few hours.   In yellowing Kentucky bluegrass in Nebraska, researchers noted no lesions on the leaf blades, and conclude with colleagues in Pennsylvania that iron deficiencies might be to blame.   The problem appears to mostly aesthetic with no noticeable long-term effects on turf health.   Researchers suggest reducing irrigation and improving drainage, including increased aerification in affected areas and avoid use of fungicides, herbicides or insecticides on visually stressed areas until the symptoms have disappeared. 

  • News and people briefs

    By John Reitman, in News,

    Profile completes plant upgrades

    Profile Products recently completed the final phase of a yearlong upgrade to processing equipment at its manufacturing facility in Blue Mountain, Miss.
     
    This investment allows for expansion of production capacity for its line of erosion control products for the sports turf, golf and agriculture markets.
     
    Earlier this year, the company launched an online video resource library at Profileevs.com that includes product demonstrations, application instruction guides and technical video segments.
     
    Deere expands distributor network

    John Deere has added two distributors to its nationwide network of suppliers for professional turfgrass managers.
     
    Potestio Brothers, already a John Deere Gold Star Dealer, will support golf courses in Colorado golf courses. The distributor has made significant investments in parts staff, as well as six mobile service vehicles.
     
    Belkorp Ag, LLC will now serve the California region with its acquisition of former John Deere dealer Mid-Cal Tractor. With the acquisition Belkorp now has eight locations throughout the Central Valley and the North Coast regions, and Mid-Cal's golf staff will now be a part of the Belkorp team. Belkorp owns Big Sky Golf Course in British Columbia.
     
    Underhill to acquire KALO 

    Underhill International has entered a partnership agreement with KALO, a supplier of adjuvants and surfactants for professional turf managers.
     
    KALO turf and ornamental products will be sold and marketed exclusively by Underhill International under the co-branding agreement.
     
    Founded in 1932 and based in Overland Park, Kan., KALO has been a pioneer in the development of water management soil wetting agents, tank mix adjuvants, water-conditioning agents, as well as other specialty products for turf and agriculture.
     
    Valent names two territory managers

    Valent Professional Products recently named Jim Crockett and Nancy Voorhees as territory managers for the company's Southeastern and Western regions, respectively.
     
    Crockett, who will be based in Auburn, Ala., will be responsible for Valent's Southeastern region, which comprises Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and the Florida Panhandle.
     
    He most recently served as a horticulturist at Auburn University and has worked in a leadership capacity at a number of major turf and ornamental companies during his career. He was vice president of operations at Color Spot Nurseries, the largest nursery in the United States, and national sales manager and director of horticultural sales for Cleary Chemical Corp.
     
    Voorhees will be based in Half Moon Bay, Calif., and cover the Western region of Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada.
    She spent the past 24 years with Target Specialty Products as a distributor sales representative and, most recently, as the company's landscape business manager.
     
    For more information about Valent products and regions, visit www.valentpro.com.
     
    Winfield buying Matrix Turf

    Winfield Solutions LLC has entered into a purchase agreement to acquire assets of Matrix Turf Solutions LLC.
     
    Winfield has a portfolio that includes fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, wetting agents, colorants and seed. Matrix Solutions, which is based in Syracuse, N.Y., offers a similar portfolio that includes aquatics management, erosion control and soil conditioning products. 
     
    WinField has 80 service centers across the country and more than 75 sales representatives in golf course management, lawn and sports turf management, pest control, aquatics, ornamental and vegetative management markets.
     
    WinField also recently announced it has entered into a purchase agreement for the acquisition of the professional products business assets and inventory of Wilco-WinField JV, which primarily services the turf and ornamental segments in the Pacific Northwest.
     
    Both acquisitions are scheduled to be complete by September 30.
  • As one of a handful of women golf course superintendents, June Blake is an outsider in what clearly remains a mans world.   Still, the 33-year-old Blake, who since July 2012 has been superintendent of nine-hole Forest Park Country Club in Adams, Mass., believes that dedication and passion for her craft should be enough to prove she belongs.   Part of me likes to think that I dont have to go out and prove myself every day. I try not to look at it that way, said Blake, 33. I like to think that hard work will pay off no matter what field you are in even if you are the minority of the group.   Results on the golf course dont hurt either.   Our greens are the best theyve ever been, said Forest Park manager Bruce Cardin. I play a lot of golf, and they are the best in the county. They dont play second fiddle to anybodys.   Blake did not grow up playing golf, but as a three-sport star in high school, she always spent a lot of time outdoors. When she sought her first part-time, summer job during her high school days, an uncle who had crewed on a local golf course told her to consider a similar vocation. Blake, who never was one to work indoors, jumped at the chance to avoid afternoons and weekends that consisted of flipping burgers and making fries.    I needed a summer job, and there werent a lot of options, said Blake, now the superintendent at Forest Park Country Club, a nine-hole facility in Adams, Mass. Most jobs were at fast-food restaurants or things like that. And that wasnt going to work for me.   And she never dreamed that those summers mowing turf and raking bunkers at Wahconah Country Club in her native Dalton, Mass., would one day become a career opportunity.   That summer job continued throughout Blakes high school years and during summers home from Western New England University in Springfield, Mass., where she was studying business management. When she realized after graduation that jobs in that field werent as fulfilling as working outside, she abandoned pursuit of an office job for a return to the golf course.   Without a formal turf career, Blake continued to learn the intricacies of turf management first at Crestview Country Club in Agawam, and during her second stint at Wahconah.    She credits folks like former Wahconah superintendent Mike Gunn who hired her the first time in 1998 and his successor, Jeremy Stachowicz who re-hired her, for her on-the-job training.   Ive learned everything there from weeding to mowing, then stepping up to bigger equipment, she said. I worked closely with Mark Reardon, who is a great mechanic and taught me a lot. Over the years, Ive gathered a lot of information there that has helped me get to where I am today.   Her lack of a turf degree didnt seem to be much of a hurdle for the committee that interviewed and hired her.   Sometimes book smart is not the only thing you need to be successful in this business, Cardin said. Every course is different, and she is doing a fantastic job.
    Its not clear how many women superintendents there are nationwide, but GCSAA counts only about 60 among its membership.   Although she acknowledges she is in the minority, Blake doesnt view herself as a pioneer.   I knew it was going to be tough because there are not a lot of women in this industry, she said. But if you love it and have a passion about it, there is no reason why women cant go out and succeed.   I just dont think a lot of women realize there is an opportunity out there because its always been men in this business.
  • Just when superintendents are getting used to their new soil moisture meter -- the FieldScout TDR 300 from Spectrum Technologies seems to be the favorite -- along comes another tool designed for turf use that combines moisture sensing with conductivity and temperature measurement along with on-board GPS and WiFi.   The new POGO® (for "Poke and Go") from Stevens Water Monitoring Systems, Inc. (formerly Leupold-Stevens) is a handheld probe that measures moisture (% volumetric water content), temperature (degrees C and F) and conductivity (EC in dS/m).     Carmen Magro, CGCS, well-known to many in the industry as a former superintendent, former director of the Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program at Penn State, musician and industry consultant, is heading up the POGO program as Vice President, Business Development / Agronomist for Stevens.   "It is widely accepted that measuring soil moisture without salts is not nearly as useful as measuring them together," Magro said. "So we combined those capabilities along with temperature measurement and GPS positioning data in POGO.  Now a superintendent can accurately and instantly measure moisture, EC and temperature together to help identify key stress on turf which moisture measurements alone can't detect."   "Using POGO, dry spots or wilt spots can be easily identified as truly dry spots, or really salt-induced stress," he continued. "With that information, one can determine and map distribution uniformity of all three variables in any particular zone or area, and then make irrigation adjustments, hand-watering applications, nutrient applications and stress-relief applications as needed, in real time."  
    "Using POGO, dry spots or wilt spots can be easily identified as truly dry spots, or really salt-induced stress..."
      The POGO interfaces via WiFi with a custom app for iPhone, iPad, iPod or Android device. A turf-specific app will be released in October.   The user inserts the probe end of the POGO into the soil, selects the correct soil type from the menu, and taps the Sample button on the screen of the Apple/Android device. The app will display soil temperature, conductivity and dielectric permittivity on-screen for immediate viewing. The user also has the option to log with time and date stamp all sensor measurements to a file with optional GPS location coordinates also recorded. Saved data can then be easily sent via email as a CSV file for further analysis.   "Putting this all together, a superintendent can now easily establish baseline values of the turf performance and conditions he or she desires," Magro continued.  "Then they can easily monitor conditions with daily measurements and quickly make decisions as needed to maintain desired conditions."   "Compared to other moisture sensing units, the difference is that the POGO does it all for you. There is no need for add-on GPS units or even software to use the POGO. Unlimited data storage, share anywhere right from the app and analyze instantly through the app. To top it off we offer a 5 year warranty. This is the superintendent coming out of me. I need to know this is going to help me and be able to withstand the wear-and-tear of daily use on the golf course," Magro said.  
    "This is the superintendent coming out of me. I need to know this is going to help me and be able to withstand the wear-and-tear of daily use on the golf course..." - Carmen Magro
      The POGO utilizes the Stevens Hydra Probe II sensing technology that has been deployed over 10 years by the USDA and is used by NASA for ground truthing of satellite-based soil imaging. Stevens is the environmental sensor supplier for NOAA, the USDA and the NRCS in the US as well as agricultural agencies and governing bodies around the globe.   The POGO has an anodized aluminum housing (available in multiple colors) that contains a rechargeable battery pack that powers the Hydra Probe. An LCD screen indicates battery voltage.   Retail price is $1995.  More information here.  

  • Calm after the storm

    By John Reitman, in News,

    When it comes to career aspirations, Ralph Kepple has one goal, and it's a big one.   "I'm hoping to be like Clem Wolfrom," he said.   Wolfrom is the former superintendent of Detroit Golf Club, and earlier this year he completed a run that by current standards is almost unbelievable, working 51 years at the same club, a run that began in 1962.   "I don't know if I'll make 50 years," Kepple said. "When you look at what he's done, it's amazing."   The 51-year-old Kepple was born about the time Wolfrom was hired at Detroit. For the past 21 years, he has been the head superintendent at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, home of the PGA Tour Championship, and although he's off to a good start at catching Wolfrom, six years ago, even Kepple might have consider he might have thought such a run was attainable.   In the days leading up to the 2007 PGA Tour event, the club's bentgrass greens were struggling under brutal summer conditions in Atlanta. Only through help from volunteers, staff and PGA Tour agronomists as well as the support of club officials was Kepple able to develop and implement a plan that eventually made the tournament a success and salvage a reputation that was taking a beating in worldwide media.    Fast forward to this year, and rather than resodding barren areas on the greens in advance of the championship, final preparations often include a late-summer aerification that would not have been possible if not for a conversion to MiniVerde ultradwarf Bermudagrass immediately after the 2007 tournament.   Although it's a simple agronomic procedure, late-summer aerification illustrates how far the event and its superintendent have come since that fateful tournament six years ago. And although getting a stressed golf course back into tournament shape while concurrently dealing with the negative press would be just about every superintendent's worst nightmare, Kepple said he came out better for the experience. In fact, he still points to PGA Tour senior VP of agronomy  Cal Roth, competitions agronomist and Jay Sporl, legions of volunteers and East Lake director of golf Rick Burton and other club officials for being there in his hour of need.    The makeup of the club's membership also worked in Kepple's favor.    East Lake is operated by the East Lake Foundation, which helps support social programs and residents of the urban neighborhoods surrounding the golf course. Its scrolls are comprised primarily of corporate members.   "It wasn't fun when it happened, but good things came of it," he said. "I'm still here, and that's a testament to the club. They stuck with me, and it would've been easy not to have done that."   If the club had individual members, "I probably wouldn't have survived what happened," he said.   Prior to 2007 the Tour Championship had been played in November, prime bentgrass-growing weather even in Atlanta. The tournament was moved to mid-September in six years as the culmination of the inaugural FedEx Cup series.   The new format instilled renewed enthusiasm for the game in the Atlanta area, and rounds played at East Lake swelled in the weeks prior to the event. Increased play coupled with a record heat wave created a perfect storm that resulted in struggling bentgrass on several greens and a maelstrom of negative press about conditions at East Lake.   Daytime highs in August 2007 in Atlanta topped 90 degrees on 26 of 31 days. The monthly average high temperature in the four weeks leading up to the tournament was 96 degrees, with the mercury in the thermometer exceeding the 100-degree mark on several dates, including a record high of 104 on Aug. 22. Soil temperatures of more than 100 degrees in the top 2 inches were recorded on more than one occasion, creating a growing medium that was inhospitable to cool-season turf.   Until this time, bentgrass was the predominant putting surface at many of Atlanta's private clubs, including East Lake. But a schedule change for the Tour Championship when it became part of the FedEx Challenge necessitated converting to Bermudagrass by 2008, and the tournament's subsequent success on MiniVerde has helped set off a cascade of similar conversions ever since.   It is widely believed around Atlanta that Berkeley Hills Country Club in Duluth was the only high end private club in the area to have Bermudagrass greens before East Lake. Since 2008, however, it is estimated that as many as 25 other facilities have since made the switch.   "You knew that once (Bermuda) had been established at a high-profile course that the dominoes would begin to fall," said Mike Crawford, who has been superintendent at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth for 18 years and who, along with several members of his crew played a key role in helping Kepple through the recovery process in 2007.   Flashback to 2007 when the event, historically played in November, was moved to mid-September as the culmination of the inaugural FedEx Cup challenge. The greens had been in great shape throughout the summer, until that combination of record heat and increased play took its toll by mid-August.   "We didn't foresee that increase in play in August," Kepple said of the increase in play.    According to the National Weather Service, 26 of 31 days in August had daytime highs in excess of 90 degrees. The monthly average high was 96, but temperatures topped 100 degrees on several occasions including a record 104 on Aug. 22. Soil temperatures at the course topped 100 degrees in the top 2 inches of the soil profile for 10 consecutive days.   "It was a perfect storm with the heat, the humidity and the duration of those conditions," said TPC Sugarloaf's Crawford. "Under those conditions, bentgrass can hang in there, but only for so long. If those conditions persist, bentgrass will eventually give up the fight, and that's what happened."   Tour officials posted warnings in players' locker room at the BMW Championship in Greensboro, N.C., informing them of the conditions that waited at East Lake. It wasn't long until the news was broadcast on television including at the Kepple house.    "My wife saw it, my kids saw it," said Kepple, a father of three. "When it upsets your family you know it's bad."   Kepple put his worries aside or at least kept them hidden from view and with help from Tour agronomists put together a plan that included resodding the edges of the affected greens with Bermudagrass, thus shrinking the contours of the bentgrass putting surfaces so the tournament could go on as scheduled. Given the short window of three to four weeks, it was the only viable solution. Growing in bentgrass in those areas was not a realistic option.   "Obviously, we had to let everyone know of the problems, and Ralph began efforts to recover the turf through cultural management practices and seed/topdressing," Roth said. "At that time of the year, bentgrass recovery was going to be difficult, especially with so little time, so plans were also made to acquire sod for repairs that ultimately were done during the week before the tournament."  
    It wasn't fun when it happened, but good things came of it. I'm still here, and that's a testament to the club. They stuck with me, and it would've been easy not to have done that."
    After seeing the damage firsthand in mid-August en route from the West Coast to Florida, Roth called Sugarloaf's Crawford for help since the club is a TPC facility. Crawford, who has known Kepple since both were assistants more than 20 years ago, was eager to comply.    Crawford solicited a dozen or so volunteers from Sugarloaf, collected some tools and headed to East Lake. Almost immediately they joined other volunteers working to resod the edges of the thinning greens. Crawford and his band of volunteers spent every day at East Lake for the next several weeks, while co-workers back at Sugarloaf prepared for the club's annual member-guest tournament.   "We didn't know what to expect," Crawford said. "Some greens had some serious issues. We expected some to have loss of turf, and that's what we saw. But most greens had no real issues at all.    "We were glad we could help. The stress Ralph was under, I don't know the word to explain it. This isn't just a job to us. It's kind of our life. It's not more important than family, but it is our identity. It's who we are. The conditions on your property are a reflection of you and what you do. When conditions don't meet expectations, you take it personally. What he was going through had to be gut-wrenching."   When players arrived, there was hardly a hint of damaged turf. And by the time Tiger Woods had posted a tournament record 265 on Sunday, there was nary a word of what had been printed on those warning notices the week before in North Carolina.   "Ralph was quick to act and put together a plan with his team to recover as much turf as possible in the remaining weeks leading up to the tournament," Roth said. "Ralph remained very positive and proactive in his efforts to accomplish what was needed in order to provide playable conditions for the Championship.  Our agronomy team worked very closely with Ralph, his team, and a team of professional turfgrass volunteers that Ralph enlisted from the Atlanta area to do everything possible to make this happen. It was a very successful effort by everyone involved and the hard work and results were greatly appreciated by the players and the PGA Tour."   Although no one involved in helping pull the event together was particularly eager about reliving the experience, Kepple says the challenge put before him during the summer of 2007 made him a better superintendent and eventually resulted in a series of events that made East Lake a better course.   "In the long haul, it was a positive thing for the club," Kepple said. "We're better for it now than we were then. We have more consistent and better playing surfaces.   "It wasn't fun when it happened, but good things came of it. I'm still here, and that's a testament to the club. They stuck with me, and it would've been easy not to have done that."

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