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From the TurfNet NewsDesk

  • John Reitman
    Editor's note: We've heard of superintendents and golf professionals advancing their careers by becoming a general manager, but we've never heard of a golf pro earning a degree in turf management. And we've really never heard of one studying turf with hopes of one day becoming an agronomy instructor.   Until now.   William Elam, or Monty as he is known, is a golf pro at a course in southeastern Michigan and recently earned a degree in turfgrass management from the Penn State World Campus. The following is reprinted with permission from Penn State. Look for more on Elam's story at a later date.   Monty Elam has been legally blind since an operation almost a decade ago left him without sight in either eye. But that didn't stop him from earning a bachelor's degree in turfgrass science online through Penn State World Campus.   Elam, 52, is one of the almost 14,000 students who graduated during the university's spring commencement.   Elam chose World Campus for its flexibility and so that he wouldn't have to rely on other people to drive him to classes at a traditional campus. Most of his classmates aren't aware of his disability, he said, even when they do group projects together.   "All the professors have been wonderful," he said. "They've been very accommodating."   Elam completed his degree while working full time as director of golf at Whiteford Valley Golf Club in Ottawa Lake, Michigan, near his home in Toledo, Ohio.   Every spring as the weather warms up, life at the course gets hectic just as his end-of-term coursework also would ramp up, Elam said.   "Things are good until April," he said. "Then it gets tough, with finals coming up and projects due and the golf course starting to get busy."   Elam usually did his coursework at night and early in the morning.    "I'll get up at 4, 4:30 a.m. and do work then," he said. "I'm one of those people who doesn't require a lot of sleep."   Elam regained some vision in his left eye after a 2008 operation, but he compared his vision to holding "a paper towel tube over your eye, with a piece of tissue paper over it."   He uses his computer to enlarge text when he reads and has a document reader that reads to him. He also has a monitor that allows him to view enlarged paper documents.   World Campus gives Elam extra time on exams, since it takes him longer to read questions. Terry Watson, the disability services coordinator for World Campus, helps Elam get electronic versions of his course books so that he can enlarge the print or have the computer read them to him.   Elam now is working toward a master's degree in turfgrass management program through World Campus. His ultimate goal is to teach agronomy and turfgrass management after he retires.
  • For turfgrass management professionals who want to squeeze every conceivable benefit from every drop of irrigation water, Rain Bird Training Services will conduct more than 60 irrigation training events throughout the country through May. All classes are open to irrigation professionals of all experience levels, including golf course superintendents, designers, architects, contractors and distributors.    All classes are eligible for CEUs from the Irrigation Association.   "The need for highly trained, knowledgeable irrigation professionals continues to grow," said Paul Lierheimer, director of Rain Bird's contractor division. "That's why we've packed our training curriculum with a wide variety of courses. We want to help both new and experienced irrigation pros learn about the latest techniques and technology that can help homes, businesses, athletic fields, golf courses and parks use less water in the pursuit of healthy, attractive turf."   Rain Bird Training Services offers three different ways for irrigation professionals to enhance their skill sets, become better water managers and improve their career prospects: Rain Bird Factory Trained Classes, Rain Bird Academy Classes and Rain Bird Customized Training. Classes are held in almost 30 states nationwide. Click here for a schedule and more information. Due to the hands-on nature of these classes, space is limited.   Rain Bird Factory Trained classes provide comprehensive training on Rain Bird products and help attendees become experts on installing, managing and maintaining Rain Bird irrigation systems and earn the designation of factory-trained irrigation professional.   Rain Bird Services will conduct 28 Factory Trained classes during the 2017-2018 training season. These classes span a wide range of topics, including drainage, low-volume irrigation, valves, residential controllers, commercial controllers (ESP-LX, central control systems (MAXICOM and IQ v3.0) and decoders. Golf irrigation topics include Integrated Control System technician, central control operation, satellite control operation and golf course technician.    Rain Bird Academy classes provide general irrigation skills training on products from various manufacturers not just Rain Bird. This training track includes Rain Bird's five popular Boot Camp classes, which are designated as "IA Select" courses by the Irrigation Association (IA). Rain Bird's Irrigation Boot Camp provides attendees with the basics of irrigation in just one short week, making it ideal for individuals who are new to the profession. Boot Camps will take place in numerous cities during the next six months.    Rain Bird Academy classes also are available to prepare individuals for the IA's certification exams (Irrigation Technician, Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor, Certified Golf Irrigation Auditor, Certified Irrigation Designer and Certified Irrigation Consultant).    Rain Bird Customized Training is ideal for multi-course operations, management companies, irrigation contractors, public agencies and irrigation distributors. Rain Bird's highly trained instructors travel to your location and provide training on only the products you use.    "We realize that sending a large group offsite for irrigation training can be cost-prohibitive and logistically difficult," said John Sais, senior technical trainer for Rain Bird Services. "Our customized, on-site training can be much more affordable, and it allows larger organizations to train employees with varying skill levels on products and practices that are completely relevant to their specific needs."   Rain Bird Services also will host two Professional Irrigation Training Camps. These week-long events include both Factory Trained, Boot Camp and Golf training tracks, giving attendees the flexibility to register for those courses that best meet their needs. The first PITC will take place Dec. 11-15 in Las Vegas. The second is scheduled for Feb. 12-16 in Orlando.
  • Spend just a few minutes with Travis Shaddox, and it quickly becomes apparent that he is all about data, peer-reviewed research and the scientific proof it yields. Who can blame him? It is, after all, important for someone in his position as a turfgrass researcher and extension specialist at a satellite campus of a major university in the most densely populated area of the country's third-largest state to have reliable information when making diagnoses and handing out recommendations.
      A soil scientist by training, Shaddox has been working to bring the University of Florida's Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center into the 21st century since he arrived at the facility two years ago after a brief career in private industry.   In that time, he has been almost singularly focused on making the center the state's go-to source for all questions about turfgrass fertility with the goal of helping stakeholders in the industry on the never-ending quest of doing more with less.   And the Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association, comprised of 11 chapters and more than 1,100 courses statewide, is only too happy to help him.    "When he was new in that position, we went to him to see what he needed to make things happen," said David Dore-Smith of Copperleaf Golf Club in Bonita Springs, then the president of the FGCSA.    "We wanted to know what we could do to help him help us."   Shaddox had a big ask of the state's turfgrass stakeholders, namely two devices that analyze nutrient content in just about any medium, including turf, water and soil. One device, a Carbon/Hydrogen/Nitrogen Determinator, measures nitrogen content, the other, called an Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometer,  measures "all the other nutrients, except carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen", Shaddox said.    "The way nutrients are analyzed, nitrogen is unique and different from all other elements, in terms of analysis, and then there is everything else. Everything we do requires two steps. We have to analyze for nitrogen, and we have to analyze for everything else."   Thus two machines that eventually will help superintendents, sports turf managers, lawn care operators and others manage fertilizer applications more wisely. By knowing how much of an element already is in the soil or the turf, this information will help end users produce healthier plants with fewer inputs.   "Turf managers want to know what fertilizers do we need to apply, and what nutrients are deficient and can we alleviate that with fertilizer applications," Shaddox said. "Our goal is to better manage the application of nutrients and fertilizers and be able to tell if we have a problem, is it a nutrition problem, a nematode problem or a disease problem.   "Let's ask these questions and in so doing get better at what we do so the end use can be more environmentally conscious."   The association provided the majority of the funding, but it took some salesmanship to do it, and the process has changed the way the FGCSA does business on a day-to-day basis.  
    We wanted to know what we could do to help him help us."
     
    As the president of the FGCSA when the university hired Shaddox, Dore-Smith and FGCSA executive director Jennifer Bryan played key roles in rallying support for Shaddox's cause.   That included convincing others around the state of the benefits of one day knowing exactly how much of an element is in a turf or soil sample and how that knowledge could help superintendents manage nutrient applications more wisely.   "The state association went out to chapters and talked to them about how this would benefit us," Dore-Smith said. "That's how this all came about. In the past, researchers had to go to the chapters individually, and that was not helping the situation. Now we go to the members, discuss what we are doing and we publish an article in every issue of the Florida Green about the research that is taking place and what is taking place around the state.   "This is a big deal, because there are not a lot of places around the country doing testing at this level. No one is doing this. Travis is at the forefront."   Since January, Shaddox has been collecting tissue samples from around Florida to develop ranges and protocols so that that data he produces and the recommendations he one day will make have meaning.   "There are different philosophies in interpreting these numbers, and they all have weaknesses," Shaddox said. "We've developed a philosophy that we have adopted from the medical field, and it's working for us. But we have to establish these ranges first before we can provide any meaningful interpretations and recommendations for superintendents and sports turf managers.    "When you go to the doctor and he tells you that your cholesterol is high, what does that mean. What number to you is high?   "We are comparing an unknown sample to a population of turfgrass that we know is healthy,  just like doctors do in medical world. When doctors say cholesterol is high, what they are doing is comparing my values to 95 percent of healthy people. If my value falls outside that, that is what doctor considers high."   Shaddox hopes that stakeholders around the state will be able to realize a return on their investment some time next year.   "The goal is to get to a point where we can receive samples from the public, analyze them, interpret results and get recommendations back to superintendents within a week," he said. "That is a big challenge, to get that done from scratch."   One more tool that eventually will help superintendents be better stewards of the environment and give them the information they need to use their budget dollars more wisely is critical as the golf industry continues to find new players and revenue opportunities.   "It's huge. To maximize dollars that are being donated is incredibly important," Dore-Smith said. "Donation money across the nation is not easy to get.   "If we can justify what doing and publicize it, then people can see where it is going and then maybe decide to help out. It is important to showcase what we are doing and why we are doing it."  

  • News and people briefs

    By John Reitman, in News,

    Nufarm extends rewards deadline for fire-affected customers in California
      Nufarm has extended its rewards program until July 31, 2018, for golf courses, nurseries, greenhouses and lawn care operators in areas affected by the wildfires in northern California.     "We know that some of our customers in that area have endured tragic loss, and we want do our part to aid in their recovery," said Sean Casey, vice president of the Nufarm turf and ornamental business.    Nufarm Rewards benefits that are normally only available from mid-September through October will be extended through July 31, 2018, with no minimum purchase requirement. The offer is limited to persons and business entities in the zip codes affected in October fires; details are available by CLICKING HERE.   More than 40 Nufarm fungicides, insecticides, herbicides and plant growth regulators are eligible for distributor credit through Nufarm Rewards. Customers must register online; previous registrants are automatically registered for 2018.   Wiedenmann recognizes top sales performers
      Wiedenmann North America recognized its top performers at the company's annual sales meeting held recently in Savannah, Georgia.   Individuals and dealerships were recognized for their outstanding sales efforts in 2016: 2016 Salesman of the Year: Frank McKee, Everglades Farm Equipment, Belle Glade, Florida, 2016 West Coast Dealer of the Year: Pacific Golf & Turf, Portland, Oregon, 2016 East Coast Dealer of the Year: Greenville Turf & Tractor, Greenville,, South Carolina, 2016 Central North America Dealer of the Year: Brookside Equipment Sales, Houston.   Headquartered in Savannah, Wiedenmann North America is the North and South American distributor for Wiedenmann GmBH of Rammingen, Germany, a manufacturer of natural and artificial turf maintenance equipment.   PBI-Gordon prolongs EOP in wake of hurricanes
      PBI-Gordon is extending its early order program for customers in hurricane-affected states in the South and Southeast.   PBI-Gordon customers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas will have until November 30 to take advantage of the maximum rebate allowed for their specific purchases so they can devote attention to recovery efforts after the hurricanes.   CLICK HERE for more information.   "Weather is everything in our business, and this hurricane season has been devastating," said Doug Obermann, PBI-Gordon vice president of professional and agricultural sales. "Our distributor and end-user partners in affected areas have enough work to do without having to worry about early order pricing deadlines."
  • For golf course superintendents seeking fast, firm conditions on contoured greens, Tru-Turf has added the R50-11 lightweight roller to its lineup.
     
    Powered by a 6.5 hp Honda gas engine paired with an Eaton hydrostatic transmission, the R50-11 operates at speeds up to 9 mph and vibration is minimized by engine isolation mounts.
     
    The unit is driven by a flexible, full-width contour following drive roller and is equipped with Tru-Turfs patented triple offset smoothing rollers. It combines overlapping roller heads with a new self-cleaning smoothing roller system that results in a 50-inch wide roll on the most contoured greens without leaving gaps, grass clippings or line crease marks.
     
    Displacing just 3.8 pounds per square inch, the R50-11, comes with rubber coated, non-stick drive roller, providing the traction needed for the most challenging of course designs and help create fast, true surfaces, without compacting the soil beneath, helping result in healthier putting green turf.
     
  • With November knocking on the door and temperatures throughout much of the eastern half of the country feeling more like late summer than late fall, the impact of unseasonably warm weather has created what Michigan State University turf researchers described as an "interesting challenge for fall turf management.   According to the National Weather Service, many locations throughout Michigan experienced record high temperatures during the last week of summer. In fact, throughout much of that week daily high temperatures topped 90 degrees across the state's mitten. Toss in localized droughtlike conditions, and there appears to be no end in sight for golfers or mowers.   Although temperatures should drop a bit, the NWS still is calling for warmer-than-average temperatures throughout much of the eastern half of the U.S. at least through the end of the year, and that means maybe doing things differently in regards to weed, disease and insect management as well as fertility applications, according to a release by Kevin Frank, Ph.D., Joe Vargas, Ph.D., David Smitley, Ph.D., and Aaron Hathaway.   CLICK HERE to read the article in its entirety.   For difficult-to-control broadleaf weeds that have survived through dry conditions, researchers at Michigan State recommend this year trying combination products that provide both contact and systemic modes of action.   According to that group, "the translocating active ingredients have at least a chance to move to the active site, while the contact will provide some extra burndown, which is not dependent on the growth of the weeds in unirrigated sites."   From a disease perspective, Waitea patch and rust have been frequent visitors in Michigan this fall. Vargas says fungicides that are effective in managing brown patch also should help control Waitea patch.   Fertilizer applications this year might require some new thinking because of the warm, dry conditions. Researchers at MSU say to proceed with October fertilizer applications in irrigated, growing turf, but suggest waiting for rainfall before making applications in drought-stressed dormant turf, unless the fertilizer is primarily slow release.   Quick-release sources such as urea that are applied to dry, dormant turf could result in high gaseous volatility losses. Stabilized urea fertilizers contain a urease inhibitor to suppress volatilization and would be beneficial. However, even if you plan on using these products, wait until some precipitation returns to stimulate turf growth before making an application, they say.   Japanese beetles have been increasing their range throughout Michigan in recent years, rooting damage from skunks and raccoons is widespread this year.   Researchers suggest insecticides such as Sevin or Dylox for control of late-season Japanese beetle and European chafer grubs.   Likewise, European crane fly populations have built up to damaging levels in much of the greater Detroit and Grand Rapids areas, with a big emergence of crane flies reported by many in late September. After the larvae of the crane fly are found in October, treatments can be made to prevent most of the crane fly damage expected in late October and next April and May. October treatment options include insecticides with the active ingredients bifenthrin, carbaryl, chlorantraniliprole, imidacloprid and trichlorfon.  
  • In the ongoing trend of agrichemical company acquisitions, BASF has agreed to buy parts of Bayers agricultural seed and non-selective herbicide business for $7 billion.
     
    The deal, which is the largest in BASFs 152-year history and marks its first foray into the ag seed market, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018, but a lot must happen between now and then before the deal is approved.
     
    For Bayer, the announcement comes as part of an effort to sell off assets to satisfy antitrust regulators in the wake of the companys $66 billion takeover of agricultural seed giant Monsanto in 2016. That deal still is awaiting regulatory approval, and European regulators arent expected to meet again to discuss it until January.
     
    Once the acquisition is approved, more than 1,800 commercial, R&D, breeding and production personnel, located mostly in Germany, the U.S., Belgium, Brazil and Canada, will transition from Bayer to BASF.
     
    With headquarters in Ludwigshafen, Germany, BASF also will acquire the manufacturing sites for glufosinate-ammonium production and formulation in Germany, the United States, and Canada, seed breeding facilities in North and South America and Europe as well as trait research facilities in the United States and Europe.
     
    The acquisition, which BASF board member Saori Dubourg said improves the companys top-line growth by adding a new line of business, will include Bayers row-crop division as well as its glufosinate ammonium non-selective herbicide line that includes Basta, Finale and Liberty labels.
     
    Other recent agrichemical acquisitions include Dows $130 billion acquisition of DuPont late in 2015 (which was just approved in September) and a $43 billion buyout of Syngenta by the China National Chemical Co. early in 2016.
  • Look in the dictionary, or any other reference book, and the phrase "Nicklaus ready" does not appear. But ask anyone at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, what those two words mean, and they know. 
      Actually, it's a three-word phrase, because around Muirfield, home to the PGA Tour's annual Memorial Tournament, no one calls the property's owner, Jack Nicklaus, by his last name. Here, it's always "Mr. Nicklaus" and the goal is to make sure the place is ready for a surprise visit any day of the year. Mr. Nicklaus, who lives full time in North Palm Beach, Florida, also has a home at Muirfield and pops in from time to time to entertain guests or attend an Ohio State football game.   "Muirfield is such a special place, we want this place to be perfect every day," said Chad Mark, the property's director of grounds. "Our mantra is we want to be 'Mr. Nicklaus-ready' at the drop of a hat, if he decides to come here tomorrow, you can't fake that. We have to be ready.   "If he decides to come in for a Buckeyes game and we find out two days prior, I don't want our staff to worry about Mr. Nicklaus coming here, I want the place to be ready, and I want Mr. Nicklaus to be proud of this golf course every day, whether he is here or not."   As a student at Ohio State and during the early stages of his career, Mark, 39, always viewed Muirfield as his dream job, but he never for a second entertained the idea that he might one day land a job there.   "I grew up about an hour from here and I'm right here by Ohio State," said Mark, the 2013 TurfNet Superintendent of the Year. "If you would have asked me when I was at Ohio State if I could go anywhere in the U.S. and be a superintendent, I would have said here."  
    If you would have asked me when I was at Ohio State if I could go anywhere in the U.S. and be a superintendent, I would have said here."
     
    Low and behold, when Paul B. Latshaw, CGCS, left Muirfield in February after 14 years for the job at Merion Golf Club near Philadelphia, Mark's dream job suddenly was available. Even better, Mark had connections, serious connections, at Muirfield. He has been friends with Latshaw, and Muirfield general manager Nicholas LaRocca for years. Not to mention LaRocca's uncle, Richard LaRocca, then the general manager at The Kirtland Country Club, hired Mark at the Cleveland-area club almost 15 years ago.   "After I'd been at Kirtland about seven or eight years, a friend told me I was going to have to start making some decisions, because people would start calling me. I never thought that would happen, but it started to happen," Mark said. "I never thought I'd leave Kirtland, but once people contact you some of these offers do become attractive.   "I knew I was on Paul's list (at Muirfield) and I'd see Nicholas (LaRocca) every year at the Golf Industry Show. You never know who you're going to meet who is going to have an impact on your career."   Timing, however, was not on Mark's side. About a year before Latshaw left Muirfield for his second turn at Merion, Mark had accepted the head superintendent job at the Inverness Club in Toledo.   For many, Inverness, a 1919 Donald Ross design, would be a career destination. And under normal circumstances, Mark never would have thought about leaving, especially after only a year there. But, for Mark, Muirfield is anything but normal.   "This is the No. 1 job for me, I just never thought it would be open," he said. "Paul is a friend of mine, and I thought he would be here for a long time, and maybe retire from here. So, when it happened, it hurt me to have to leave the people at Inverness and put them through the process of hiring someone again in one year. If I knew this was going to happen like this, I never would have put my family through the move and I never would have put the people at Inverness through this after a year.   "We decided to take a leap and move. I wouldn't change anything: I'm at a place where I've always wanted to be and I'm looking forward to being here for a long time, and raise my family here. Everything worked out for a reason. I always have to believe that there is a reason for everything."   Indeed.   Of course, Inverness fared well in the process too, eventually luring John Zimmers away after 19 years at Oakmont Country Club near Pittsburgh, where he was the host superintendent of the 2007 and 2016 U.S. Open Championships.   The revival of Inverness that started under Mark is well under way now under Zimmers.   "When I first told the people at Inverness that I was leaving, they were like, "aww, I'm sorry you're leaving,' " Mark said with a chuckle. "But when they found out they were getting John, it became, now when are you leaving?' "   Oddly enough, Mark learned under Zimmers when the latter was superintendent at Sand Ridge in Chardon, Ohio. That club has since merged with classic-era Mayfield Country Club and operates under the name The Mayfield Sand Ridge Club.   When Zimmers left Sand Ridge for Oakmont, Mark stayed behind and became the assistant at Sand Ridge under Zimmers' successor, Jim Roney, who now is at Saucon Valley in Pennsylvania.   Roney became what Mark described as the most influential mentor and influencer throughout his career.   In turn, Roney said it was only a matter of time before places like Inverness and ultimately Muirfield scooped up Mark.   "Chad is most deserving of his latest appointment," Roney said. "It's a perfect fit."   So what's next for Mark and Muirfield?   "We don't have any big projects coming up any time soon," Mark said. "Frankly, we don't need to do anything major because Paul did such a great job here, and we're going to continue to manage what we have," Mark said.    "He left me a great foundation. Obviously, this place is in great shape. He's done things right for a very long time, and we're continuing a lot of the programs Paul had in place and we're going to fine tune some things to my personality, because there a few thing I do differently than Paul did."   Being the host superintendent for a regular PGA Tour stop was never on Mark's career bucket list, but now that he's been through one, he admits maybe it should have been.   "I always said 'no' that wasn't important, but now that I've done it. Now that I know what it's like, I can't imagine not doing it," Mark said. "It's so much fun to work with the Tour and Paul Vermeulen, our USGA agronomist. It's been a case of the right thing at right time throughout my career. I've worked for great people and tremendous opportunities have always presented themselves. Of course, I give this job everything I have every day."   And that hasn't hurt either.
  • When tragedies such as hurricanes and wildfires strike, golf takes a back seat while the focus shifts to real-world problems.
      After all, golf is just a game. Golf also is a business, and when golf courses are threatened by floods and fires, the loss of property and jobs is about as real-world as it gets.   There are a lot of golf courses in the crosshairs of the wildfires in California, but none more so than Mayacama Golf Club in Santa Rosa and the Silverado Resort in Napa, where Brendan Steele successfully defended his title at the PGA Tour's smoke-plagued Safeway Open held Oct. 5-8.    By Oct. 9, the resort at Silverado had been evacuated and images circulating on social media showed fires burning on the golf course early that morning.   "We all left our stuff, ran for our cars and got the hell out of there," tournament director Jeff Sanders told the San Francisco Chronicle..   It was reported on Twitter Oct. 11 that P.J. Ringenberger, director of agronomy at Silverado, lost his home to the wildfires in Santa Rosa late Sunday night. Ringenberger's sister, Corey Gines, has created a GoFundMe campaign to aid the Ringenberger family.   Gines posted: "They had to evacuate their home very fast on Sunday evening around 10:30 p.m., leaving with very few possessions. They camped out in a Home Depot parking lot in their car that evening, but they were all safe! Wednesday we found out that their house was completely gone. . . . They have a friend that has been so generous as to let them stay at their guest studio for the time being, but they left with very little."    Jeff Jensen, GCSAA Southwest Regional Representative, posted on his blog: "I spoke with Silverado Superintendent Ryan Nicholson who provided me with the following:  "We are anticipating increasingly dry winds out of the north this evening and the entire town of Napa is under an evacuation watch at this time. The entire area around Silverado and Napa valley C.C. is under mandatory evacuation. The golf course sustained moderate damage with our maintenance facilities, equipment, and clubhouse still intact. A large percentage of residence were damaged, however. Many tournament structures from the Safeway open were leveled as well. In the process Director of Agronomy PJ Ringenberger lost his house and everything in it, just narrowly escaping the fires."   The GoFundMe campaign raised over $13,000 for the Ringenbergers in its first day.   The maintenance facility at Mayacama.  Photo courtesy of Dale Engman via Jeff Jensen's blog.   The University of California San Francisco Medical Center Celebrity Golf Classic scheduled for Oct. 8-9 at Mayacama was canceled when wildfires in Northern California threatened the property and sent celebrity athletes scrambling for safety.   The event, founded by NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, raises funds for the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco and The Michael J. Fox Foundation. Since it began in 2011, the event has raised more than $3 million for medical research. Among the celebrities scheduled to play this year were Barry Bonds, Bret Saberhagen, Dan Jansen, Grant Fuhr and Eric Gagne.   Saberhagen and Jansen told the Chronicle that when they fled The Timbers resort hotel at Mayacama on Oct. 9 they had to drive about 130 miles before finding safe haven for the night.    UFC fighter Henry Cejudo also was in Santa Rosa for the golf tournament. He evacuated the hotel at Mayacama and relocated to the Fountaingrove Inn about 10 miles away.   The Tubbs fire burning in the Santa Rosa area eventually made its way to the Fountaingrove and Cujedo, who slept through the hotel's fire alarm and had to jump to safety from a second-floor balcony when the fire entered his room. He landed in a tree that already was ablaze before finally making his way to the ground, literally with only the clothes on his back. An Olympic gold medalist in wrestling in 2008, Cujedo said he lost his medal in the fire.   The fires sweeping through Northern California have burned more than 200,000 acres and almost 4,000 buildings. So far, 31 people have died, including an elderly Napa couple, making it the deadliest fire event ever in California. In Santa Rosa alone, the Tubbs fire has destroyed 2,800 homes.
  • When it comes to developing fungicide programs to manage diseases in golf course turf, Bruce Martin, Ph.D., takes a back seat to no one.   No one.   Martin's real job is to serve stakeholders throughout South Carolina as the state's turfgrass extension specialist and pathologist at Clemson University, where he has worked since 1988. His quest for educating others does not stop at the state line, however. Each year, Martin serves hundreds of golf course superintendents as a speaker at national and regional conferences, vendor meetings, field days and even through non-traditional educational outlets, such as Webinars.   Recently, the Crop Science Society of America named Martin the recipient of its Fred V. Grau Turfgrass Science Award. The CSSA's highest honor, the Grau award is presented annually to someone who has made "significant career contributions in turfgrass science during the most recent 15 years."   "I am honored and humbled by the award particularly as the recognition is from my peers in the turf research community through the C5 Division of the Crop Science Society of America," Martin said in a news release from Clemson. "I also would like to thank Clemson for allowing me to specialize in turf pathology and make an impact for the South Carolina turfgrass industry."   Martin will receive the award during the CSSA's annual meeting, scheduled for Oct. 22-25 in Tampa, Florida.   Nominees are judged on the following criteria:    > Significance and originality of basic and/or applied research,  > Teaching ability and effectiveness, > Planning and implementation of extension programs, > Development and implementation of significant industrial programs, > Administrative ability and effectiveness, > Total impact of contributions on turfgrass science, nationally and internationally.   Martin was nominated for the award by Beth Guertal, Ph.D., professor of turfgrass and nutrient management at Auburn University. Guertal said she has known Martin for about 10 years, and nominated him "because he is incredibly deserving" and is well-respected by those in the turfgrass industry.   "Dr. Martin in an invaluable resource to the turfgrass industry," Guertal said. "Every superintendent knows exactly who is being referenced when another one says: 'Well, I don't know, what does Dr. Martin say?' Everyone trusts Dr. Martin's advice."   Previous recipients since the award's inaugural year in 1987 include in ascending order: James Watson, James Beard, James Murray, Reed Funk, Glenn Burton, Robert Shearman, Donald Waddington, Bill Meyer, Billy Johnson, Terry Rioradan, Keith Karnok, A.J. Powell, Nick Christians, Richard Schmidt, Wayne Hanna, Al Turgeon, Paul Rieke, Karl Danneberger, Doug Brede, Arden Baltensperger, Peter Dernoeden, Roch Gausson, Tom Watschke, Milt Engelke, Jack Fry, Leah Brilman, Bert McCarty and Bruce Clarke.  
  • The Toro Co. has named Edric Funk as the new director of its Center for Advanced Turf Technology.  He succeeds Dana Lonn, who retired in June of 2017 after 48 years with the company.   Focused on advancing the company's innovative leadership, Toro's Center for Advanced Turf Technology develops technologies that benefit customers and the environment. Comprised of a team of leading agronomists and product development professionals, CATT identifies emerging trends in turf care markets and, through the application of appropriate technologies, helps discover new solutions to increase productivity, conserve water, reduce fuel consumption and improve growing conditions.   In working with customers, academic institutions and researchers, CATT has been influential in the area of robotics, hydrogen fuel cells, advanced battery technologies, precision irrigation and soil moisture sensing.   In his new role, Funk will lead Toro's team of engineers, agronomists and product-development professionals to further identify emerging industry trends and develop the next generation of solutions that address the needs of customers, while bridging future technologies that drive sustainability, productivity and efficiency.    "We are excited to have Edric's leadership in furthering the work of our CATT team," said Toro president and chief executive officer Richard M. Olson. "He will be able to apply his diverse background in strategy development, product management and engineering technologies to define CATT's future focus. His leadership style, strength in building relationships and constant desire for learning will serve Toro well as we help fulfill our mission to be innovation leaders."     Before joining Toro in 1996, Funk worked as a research scientist at the University of Minnesota.  Since he joined Toro, he has held a number of positions at the company, including design engineer as well as product marketing in multiple divisions. Most recently, he served as director of worldwide product marketing in Toro's commercial business division.

  • News and people briefs

    By John Reitman, in News,

    Nufarm has activities galore planned for GIE
      Nufarm has a full slate of activities planned for those attending this years Green Industry & Equipment Expo, including a chance to learn about and take advantage of the 2018 Nufarm Rewards program that offers expanded reward opportunities for and distributor credits for end-users, across a range of preferred Nufarm products.   Nufarm is a sponsor of GreenCare for Troops, and attendees at GIE, which is scheduled for Oct. 18-20 in Louisville, Ky., can also engage with several Nufarm-sponsored activities spotlighting GreenCare for Troops that connects green industry professionals with opportunities to volunteer lawn and landscaping services to help the families of active-duty military members post- 9/11 veterans with a service-connected disability.     Attendees also will have a chance to vote for the best GreenCare for Troops T-shirt design. Pick up a voting token at the GreenCare for Troops booth (No. 24092) and take it to vote on a favorite T-shirt design nearby at Nufarm booth (No. 22110), where attendees also can also enter to win a Toro walk-behind commercial mower, BOSS Snowplow walk-behind salt spreader and Yeti cooler and tumblers.   A happy hour will take place at the Nufarm booth from 3-5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 19, and afterward the company will give away an Apple iPad and Apple Watch.     Syngenta extends rewards program for hurricane-affected customers
      In the wake of recent hurricanes that have impacted several parts of the country, Syngenta is offering customers in affected areas an extension to earn GreenTrust Rewards points as part of the GreenTrust 365 program. This extension gives affected customers additional time to deal with any critical issues in the aftermath of the hurricanes.   Golf and sports turf customers in Florida and the greater Houston area can earn 3x the GreenTrust Rewards points on every dollar spent on qualifying purchases through Nov. 15.   For more information about the GreenTrust Rewards points extension, contact your local sales representative, or visit GreenTrust365.com.    EnP names new business manager
      Illinois-based specialty fertilizer manufacturer EnP named Jim Miller as business development manager.   Miller brings decades of industry experience in product development, promotion, sales, and distribution. He was previously a sales manager for Aqua Aid, Inc. and worked in product development on Verde-Cal enhanced calcium products.    In his new role at EnP, Miller will be responsible for growing the distribution of the Foliar-Pak product line by expanding the application of Armament technology within the marketplace.   EnP is a privately held company that focuses on inventing, synthesizing and large-scale formulating of specialty plant fertilizers.  
  • Finally, a golf tournament that "gets it."   As leaders in the golf business look for ways to attract more players, and tournament organizers seek ways to drive interest in another of a long line of fundraiser golf tournaments, maybe they all could take a cue from an industry insider golf event that offers no shortage of fun and gives back to the industry at the same time.   The fourth-annual Highlands Cup golf tournament pits eight superintendents from the Carolinas GCSA vs. their counterparts in Georgia in a Ryder Cup-style event that is long on camaraderie, and where skill level takes a back seat to "unique personalities and good-natured ribbing" says the tournament's sponsor.   Presented by Hunter Industries and Ewing Irrigation, the three-day Highlands Cup is played at Sky Valley Golf Club in Dillard, Georgia, and Highlands Falls Country Club, which is 12 miles down the road in Highlands, North Carolina. Round 1 at Sky Valley is singles matches, followed by a two-man scramble on Day 2 at Highlands Falls. The event, which was started by Hunter and Ewing as a way to reward superintendents in the area after a long, hard summer season, concludes with a two-man best-ball event back at Sky Valley.   "It has turned into a great event that I hope to continue for many years," said Sky Valley superintendent Steve Mason.   The event includes a captain's dinner and cocktail reception on Day 1 and cookouts at the Sky Valley maintenance facility after Rounds 2 and 3.   A Day 2 skills challenge back at Sky Valley raises money to support improvements to Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College's Forest Lakes Golf Club in Tifton, Georgia. More than just a closest-to-the-hole competition, the skills challenge includes putting and chipping contests, a par-3 competition and an event called the "Dinosaur Shot" which tests each player's ability to nail a 15-foot inflatable dinosaur from 75 yards away.   "The success of the Highlands Cups falls squarely on the hospitality and professionalism displayed by Sky Valley Country Club and Highlands Falls Country Club," said Kevin Johnson, east coast sales manager for Hunter Industries. "This is the key ingredient that without it would be just another golf tournament."   The selection process for each team is unique.   In Georgia, the team includes the four flight winners from the annual Georgia GCSA tournament and four at-large players selected by the sponsor.   The Carolinas team includes the first four people who are quick enough to reply to Carolinas GCSA director Tim Kreger's call for entries and four at-large participants chosen by the sponsor.   "Our unique selection process allows for a friendly competitive atmosphere much like the Phoenix Open is to the PGA," Johnson said. "Golf skills are secondary to unique personalities and good natured teasing among participants."   The Georgia team won this year's event 9-7 and received the Nichols Cup which is named for legendary superintendent Randy Nichols, CGCS, who was inducted into the Georgia GCSA Hall of Fame in 2011.   "It is a great way to create camaraderie with superintendents between both associations, to honor my mentor (Randy Nichols) in this industry through the Nichols Cup, and to support my friends at Hunter and Ewing who have supported me throughout my career," said Fred Gehrisch, CGCS at Highlands Falls. "The nice thing about the whole event is I've never heard a sales pitch. It's only been about the superintendent and creating a networking opportunity for everyone."   Players wear shirts and hats, representing their home course and their favorite college.   "It gives each participant an identity that people remember throughout the tournament," Johnson said. "Most superintendents that participate in the Highlands Cup are from very prestigious colleges that are very prideful and have a deep history in football. Because of the timing of the tournament, first week in October, we are in the middle of football season which promotes good-natured teasing among participants. Wearing your college or club's colors not only promotes turf talk but gives you an identity that people can relate to.   "What is unique is the loud and obnoxious colors that some choose to wear representing each participant's college or club, which makes it even more fun."
  • Longwood Golf Club is proof that every cloud has a silver lining. Literally.   Hurricane Harvey made landfall Aug. 25 near Corpus Christi, Texas, as a Category 4 storm packing winds of 130 mph, ripping up lives and property for hundreds of miles over several days. As the storm slowly slogged its way through Texas, it dumped as much as 40-60 inches of rain across the Houston area 200 miles to the northeast of Corpus Christi.   The storm left much of the state devastated, including 27-hole Longwood in the Houston suburb of Cypress. Longwood already serves as an ad-hoc floodplain for the homes that surround it, so when Harvey dumped rain measured in feet rather than inches, it wasn't long before the creek that runs through the property became a raging torrent that overwhelmed everything in its path.   Harvey left Longwood flooded and covered in silt, and the clubhouse flooded up to nearly 3 feet. But eight days after the storm made landfall, the team there cobbled together 18 holes from the 27-hole layout so the club's members, most of whom also also were affected by the storm, could escape the horrors of the tragedy, even if only for a short time.   While repairs were being made to the clubhouse, the course was opened for member-only play on weekends the first two weeks after the storm. After a morning shotgun each day the course was closed and remained closed throughout the week so that personnel could shift their focus back to the badly damaged clubhouse."   "We were not fully operational, and we couldn't open to the public. We let members know whoever wanted to play in a shotgun on Saturday and Sunday mornings could just show up and register when they got here," said Longwood general manager Tim Sulak. "We had 40 to 70 people every day."   The makeshift 18-hole layout zig-zagged across Longwood's Palm, Pine and Post Oak courses, crossing from one layout to another six times. And although there never was much of a walk from one green to the next tee complex, Longwood's staff went the extra mile to ensure golfers knew where they were going.   "It was a seamless layout, but we did rope off cart paths so golfers knew where to go, and we created some signs on the golf course," Sulak said. "We also had maps and printouts at the counter for golfers.   "We were able to put something together to service our members and service our club, even though we were not fully operational. Really, we should have been closed for at least a month."   As a virtual floodplain for the homes that surround it, Longwood Golf Club often takes on vast volumes of water. The property now has flooded four times in the two years Martin Delgadillo has been superintendent there, but nothing like what happened when Hurricane Harvey crashed ashore.   "That was the fourth flood here in 17 months. The whole golf course was under water," Sulak said. "We're a giant retention pond for the subdivision here, and a creek bisects the golf course."   Last year, Delgadillo raised the irrigation satellites to protect them from floodwaters. After spending part of his career managing golf courses in Mexico, the native of Pasadena, Calif., has learned that preparing for disasters like Harvey can be the difference in opening up for play in less than two weeks, or losing an irrigation system entirely and eventually suffering through dead turf.   "You don't always have everything you need in Mexico," he said. "You can't call people for help and expect them to be there the next day. You have to learn how to do things yourself."   As luck would have it, work was nearly complete on a bunker renovation project when Harvey came through and wiped out just about everything that had been completed by Diamond Golf International. The good news was that company out of Murrieta, California, still had its equipment at Longwood, and they were only too happy to help Longwood's recovery.   "They helped us get the silt off the greens and get the course back in order," Sulak said. "If not for them, we would not be in the position we are today.   "I think the members appreciate it. They were happy to get back out onto the golf course."  
  • EPA OK's fourth application of BASF fungicide
      Lexicon Intrinsic brand fungicide from BASF now is labeled for four applications per year at the highest rate of 0.47 ounces per 1,000 square feet. This is an increase over the original labeled rate of three applications per year. The fourth application is not approved in New York.   With the active ingredients fluxapyroxad and pyraclostrobin, Lexicon Intrinsic brand fungicide optimizes disease control and provides plant health benefits for longer, stronger roots, increased growth efficiency and greater stress tolerance.    This broad-spectrum fungicide is labeled for control of 27 diseases for up to 28 days, proving the confidence that comes with long-lasting control. Its proven plant health benefits provide faster recovery from stressors like heat, humidity, low light, drought heavy play and aeration.   PBI-Gordon is celebrating its 50-year anniversary
      PBI-Gordon is celebrating its 50-year anniversary.   Founded in 1947 in Kansas City, Missouri, as Private Brands Inc. by John Mueller, Bob Mueller, John Mathias and Roy Boxmeyer, the company started by formulating pesticides for a variety of chemical companies.   In 1956, Private Brands Inc. acquired Gordon Chemical. Fourteen years later, in 1970 the names of the two companies were combined and Private Brands became known as PBI-Gordon.   By 1968, the company, while still formulating chemistries for other companies, started its own brand of products.   Today, the employee-owned company produces its own line that includes herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and growth regulators for the professional turf and ornamental management industry. The company also develops and markets products for the consumer lawn, garden, farm and ranch, animal health and grooming, and consumer and veterinary markets.    Civitas EOP under way
      The Intelligro Civitas Turf Defense Early Order Program will continue through Dec, 15.    Participants can save 5 percent on orders of 75-199 gallons, 7.5 percent on 200-500 gallons and 10 percent on all orders of 500-plus gallons.   Also, members of the  Civitas Turf Defense Rewards Program automatically receive double rewards points on purchases made before Dec. 1   Bayer program extended for customers affected by hurricanes
      Bayer Environmental Science's early order incentive program, Bayer Fall Solutions Program, will continue through Dec. 8.   The program includes savings on products such as Specticle, Signature XTRA Stressgard, Indemnify and Exteris Stressgard.   Customers can save up to 24 percent on PAKs with a large selection of individual solutions and product bundles geared to suit specific turf needs and also can earn a 1 percent bonus rebate on their entire purchase when they buy any PAK and an additional 1 percent on purchases made before Oct. 31.    In response to the recent hurricanes, Bayer has extended the October bonus incentive through Nov. 30 for customers in Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico.  
  • For more than a decade, the $64,000 question in golf has been "how to grow the game?"   Adjusting for inflation, anyone who can come up with a foolproof answer to that stands to make a lot more than 64 Grand.   Once held up primarily by white males, the game now is defined by shifts in ethnicity and a declining customer base that has a wide range of goals and interests, from traditionalists who like the game the way it is, to those who view it purely as an instrument of social interaction and refuse to fill in a scorecard; from those who adhere to the game's many rules, to those who prefer to play music from their smart phones; from those who would rather hire a caddie to those who won't play if they can't ride a GolfBoard.   Good luck with that.   Baby boomers, golf's bread and butter, are entering retirement, and their influence will slowly and steadily decline. Although recently overtaken by millennials as the country's largest population segment (together those two groups comprise about half the country populous), baby boomers should continue to bolster the game for the next generation, but what happens next is anyone's guess. If successive generations show an accelerated disinterest in golf like Generation X and millennials, the challenges facing the golf business will be significant.   Millennials, loosely defined as those born between the early 1980s to late 1990s, are 25 percent of the overall population, but account for only 20 percent (90 million) of the 450 million rounds played annually. By comparison, baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, comprise 24 percent of the population, but make up 115 million (25 percent) of all rounds played.   When it comes to golf - and a lot of other things - millennials take a different approach than those who came before them. Generally speaking, research shows they prefer social interaction over competition and a relaxed atmosphere over strict rules. As a rule as many as half of millennials say golf takes too long to play and has too many rules.   The bottom line is millennials still represent a lot of buying power - as much as $200 billion annually - and golf's stakeholders must figure out how to make the game more attractive to them, as well as juniors, minorities and women. That might mean allowing music on the golf course and relaxed policies on cell phone usage and dress codes.   In a recent study, the NGF lumped millennial golfers into three groups: throwbackers, breakfast ballers and dabblers.   Throwbackers make up about half the millennial golfer population. Most likely introduced to the game by their parents, their views of the game reflect those of older golfers. They like the game the way it is. They practice, follow the rules, keep score and thrive on competition. They also make up only about 3.6 million of the U.S. golfer database of 21 million players.   Breakfast ballers, about 22 percent of the millennial golf segment, are driven by social interaction, and are more likely to incorporate social media, playing music over their smart phones and and alcohol consumption into their golf experience. They believe golf has too many rules, they take mulligans at will, improve their lie anywhere on the course and rarely keep score.   Dabblers, 27 percent of the millennial golfer index, are even less committed than breakfast ballers. They tend to be women, play sporadically (like their descriptor implies), do not self-identify as golfers and admit they don't like the game all that much anyway.   In his most recent newsletter, Jim Koppenhaver of Pellucid Corp., questions if millennials are shunning golf only, or whether they are saying no to physical activity in general.   As the NGF study shows it is impossible to paint any demographic with a broad brush, but millennials overall are active, they just choose to spend their energy in ways their parents and grandparents did not. Generally speaking, they don't join gyms and don't participate in competitive activities like older generations.   They don't do a lot of things that other age groups would consider traditional.   For example, about 90 percent of all baby boomers were married at least once by age 40. Among millennials, that number is down to about 70 percent, according to research at Bentley University in Massachusetts.    They take what others would consider a non-traditional approach to fitness and exercise, as well, research shows. For millennial, fitness is a lifestyle that incorporates physical well being and quality of life. To that end, any physical activity they engage in likely will include a social component that allows them to interact with friends and family.   Golf, if it is going to thrive into the future, must reflect those changes in consumerism.    The challenge will be retaining enough of the game's old ways to appeal to traditionalists, while incorporating enough changes to pull in less avid golfers, all without alienating one group or the other. Survival indeed will mean being all things to all people.   That will be a challenge for everyone and results will be case by case, club by club. There won't be any cookie-cutter solutions from the industry's alphabets, so don't wait for one.  

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