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From the TurfNet NewsDesk

  • John Reitman
    UT Herbicide-Resistance Field Day set for April 7
     

    The UT Turfgrass Weed Science team will be holding its third Herbicide Resistance Field Day on April 7 at Windyke Country Club in Memphis.   The goals of the event are to make turfgrass managers aware of the emerging problem of herbicide resistance evolving in turfgrass weeds, particularly annual bluegrass, and to educate turfgrass managers about the different herbicidal modes of action available for annual bluegrass control.   The event focuses on annual bluegrass control considering that there are more cases of herbicide resistance in annual bluegrass than any other weed species in managed turfgrass systems.   The program will include seminars on herbicide resistance by Jim Brosnan, Ph.D., and understanding herbicide mode of action by Scott Senseman, Ph.D., as well as plot tours.   Registration is open through March 31.   Toro releases new dripline
     
    Toro recently released its Neptune Flat Emitter Dripline in 8-mil and 18-mil wall thicknesses for both five-eighths-inch and seven-eighths-inch internal diameters, augmenting the existing 10-, 13- and 15-mil wall thickness line.    Neptune 8-mil is available in an 8-inch emitter spacing as well, for superior wetting patterns. With this expansion, Toro's Neptune can now economically serve a wider variety of applications that demand both thinner and thicker walled driplines, including bunker faces.   Neptune utilizes a flat, molded emitter inside an extruded, thin-walled tube that is constructed from premium-quality materials to maximize the tube's durability and performance. The molded emitter is highly resistant to plugging and requires only 120-mesh filtration. As a result of these features, Neptune is preferred in applications with challenging conditions, such as poor water quality and rocky, abrasive terrain.   Neptune is available in five different emitter flow rates, including 0.16, 0.25, 0.30, 0.47 and 0.75 GPH, and seven different emitter spacings, including 8-inch (on 8 mil), 12-inch, 14-inch, 16-inch, 18-inch, 20-inch and 24-inch, to accommodate a wide variety of soil conditions, system application rates and system flow requirements.   Schiller names new product manager
      Schiller Grounds Care recently named Steve Relaz as product manager for the Ryan and Steiner turf equipment.    Relaz will oversee new and existing product development for each brand at its production facility in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin.    Previously working at Sears Holdings, Inc. as a product and channel manager, Relaz brings a wealth of information on competitive products, new technologies, market analysis and customer purchasing trends to the Schiller team.
  • When Dave Schlagetter's divorce was finalized in April 2013, he thought he knew a lot about stress and its effects on the human body. When the mother of his three grown children was killed in a car crash a month later, he realized he didn't know as much as he had previously thought.   "I have a really good job; a great job. I have a great crew and the best membership anywhere. I have the least stressful job of anyone I know," said Schlagetter, who for 22 years has been superintendent at the Indian Hill Club in Winnetka, Illinois. "But my divorce was stressful, and the death of my ex-wife was really stressful."   Despite his active lifestyle that includes playing tennis and golf (and he usually walks when he plays) and riding his bicycle several days a week, Schlagetter suffered a heart attack five months after the death of his ex-wife. He never saw it coming until, thanks to his defibrillator and first-aid training, he one day recognized all the classic signs of impending cardiac arrest - in himself.   "I had taken the day off work and was taking a bike ride on a Sunday morning. I had all the classic symptoms of a heart attack: shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, nausea and I was sweating profusely," said Schlagetter. "I called 911, opened the front door so they could get in, and I laid down at the door, and I talked to the dispatcher until paramedics arrived. When they took me to the hospital, doctors found a 100-percent-blocked artery, put a stent in it, and it was opened in 90 minutes of me making the call.   "I thought I was in good condition. There was no indication that this was coming. I'm not overweight, I'm not a smoker, but my doctor says I drink too much. However, I've never met a doctor who said you don't drink enough."   The experience has since led to a series of life changes that Schlagetter is happy to share with anyone who will listen.   "A lot of guys our age, in their 50s, are having heart attacks, because of stress and not making healthy choices," he said.    "I tell my kids I love them a lot more often than I did before."  
    "I thought I was in good condition. There was no indication that this was coming. I'm not overweight, I'm not a smoker, but my doctor says I drink too much. However, I've never met a doctor who said you don't drink enough."
     
    Anthony Williams, CGCS at Stone Mountain Golf Club in Georgia had a similar series of life-altering experiences last year when he suffered unimaginable tragedy within a span of nine weeks.    Last Aug. 7, Terry McWaters, Williams' stepbrother, went missing. Williams' family hired a private detective to take up the search, with no luck. A week later, an Atlanta road maintenance crew spotted a car off the highway in the trees not far from the golf course at Stone Mountain. Inside was McWaters, who, according to the coroner, had died of a heart attack while behind the wheel.   More than six weeks later, on Sept. 22, Williams was set to speak at the Sustainability in Golf conference in Hilton Head, South Carolina, when wife Phyllis suffered a heart attack in the couple's hotel room and was rushed to a local hospital. When Williams considered foregoing the conference, his wife, long since hardened by the sacrifices a superintendent's wife, had one message for him: "Get your (expletive deleted) together, and do what we came here for you to do. I'm good. The doctors are great. Don't be a sissy."   With no reading between the lines needed, Williams spoke at the conference then returned to the hospital.   "That gave us some normalcy," Williams said.   That return to normal life, however, was short-lived.   Three weeks later, with his wife in and out of doctors' offices during her recovery, Williams himself fell ill at the golf course. His equipment manager and longtime friend Jim Stuart summoned an ambulance. The two have worked together for 29 years.   "We've had that deal for all of those 29 years: If it gets bad, make the call and stay with me," Williams said. "He's leading, 1-0."   After being transported to a local hospital in suburban Atlanta, Williams was flown by helicopter later that day to a downtown hospital where he underwent emergency open-heart surgery to repair an enlarged valve.   "It came down to a matter of minutes or hours, not days," Williams said.   "My heart was broken. My wife needed me, and there I was with a 10-inch gash in my chest and on a breathing machine. Phyllis is the loving wife who always puts me back together when I'm broken. But now, I saw her life flash before my eyes."   The ordeal meant several weeks away from work, and leaving assistant Matt Park in charge at a 36-hole facility that theoretically is open 12 months a year.   In a case of early second childhood, the couple soon found themselves relying on then-28-year-old son Luke, who chauffeured to doctors' offices and confiscated cell phones to make sure they stayed calm and on the road to recovery. He even accompanied his father to last month's Golf Industry Show more or less as a babysitter.   Already a sought-after motivational speaker and author on career and personal development, Williams, like Schlagetter, wants to share his message and experiences with anyone who will listen. And each has said their experiences have helped them stop and smell the roses a little more than before.   "I don't know how many days, months, years we have left together as a family. I know this, though, we almost didn't have any," Williams said. "It's easy to become complacent and drift day to day, week to week and status-quo your way through life. But you don't get that time back.   "After something like this happens, first you're thankful to be alive, but then you remember you still have obligations, and you have to get your mind back into the game quickly. We both agreed not to make any drastic, life-altering decisions until we were physically back to make sure we were not overreacting. Usually, you have a spouse to lean on when you go through something like this, but when we both went down 18 days apart, it changes all that."   Both Williams and Schlagetter found a return to work, albeit a gradual one, to be an effective part of their respective therapy programs.   "Considering my wife and I almost died, did I really want to get back into the grind? That was the question I had to ask myself. And my answer was yes," Williams said. "Everyone has to search through that for themselves."   Returning to work also was good therapy for Schlagetter.   "This might seem counterintuitive, but I appreciate my job more now than ever," Schlagetter said. "The way the club supported me through 2013 for everything I went through was incredible.    "Job support was always there, but I never needed it like I did in 2013. I can't say enough good things about my employer and the people there."   Schlagetter always believed that because he was active he could eat anything he wanted. He has since learned that is not the case. He also has learned through his rehab process that all exercise is not created equally.   "Through cardio rehab, I learned the right way to exercise for heart health," he said. "I was exercising all wrong. I was exercising to an anaerobic state. I learned the best exercise for the heart is aerobic, rather than anaerobic."   Therapy also has included wholesale changes to his diet, switching from his intake of pub food to more heart-healthy choices like fruits, vegetables and fresh fish.   "In general, I'm making choices that have helped me live a better life every day," Schlagetter said.   "It's not a hard transition to make, but it requires a little more planning. Sometimes it means putting a protein bar in the car, so I don't have to stop and get a burger, or looking through an entire menu and making better choices. They're there. Restaurants have found there s big money in selling salads for 12 bucks a pop."  
  • If there is a business in desperate need of a mulligan, golf is it.
     
    Just how much people in this business want that second shot at hitting the fairway becomes abundantly clear each year at the Golf Industry Show. It doesn't matter what year it is, or the location; as soon as the show floor opens on Wednesday morning, vendors and attendees all want to know: "What have you heard about attendance?"
     
    There is no question that the 2015 edition of the Golf Industry Show in San Antonio seemed busy. There was the regular bustle, particularly in the morning on the first day, and a maddening show floor layout that made it impossible to go in a straight line for very long led to the usual pedestrian traffic jams.
     
    The comments swirling around the floor of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center sounded positive enough: "It seems crowded" and "I don't think we'll ever be what we used to be, but I think we're on the way back," were just a couple.
     
    Looks can be deceiving.
     
    According to the GCSAA, 12,400 people, including 5,600 qualified buyers, attended this year's show in San Antonio. A total of 551 exhibitors rented 182,000 square feet of exhibit space. 
     
    What do those numbers mean? Across the board, they are down compared with last year's show in Orlando and darned near every show before that. In fact, they represent the latest in a downward trend that has become all too familiar in the golf business. This year's overall attendance was 13 percent below last year's mark of 14,147. Thirteen percent. That's a lot. Qualified buyers were down by 19 percent compared with 6,845 last year. That's really a lot. There also were more exhibitors (561) who paid for more booth space (184,200) last year.
     
    Though attendance was down only about 6 percent when compared with the San Diego show two years ago, a quick look back to 2008 reveals how far the show has fallen.
     
    Granted, comparing attendance to the old mega-shows is apples-to-oranges. The Club Managers Association of America was part of the show then (CMAA dumped the GIS model and returned to its own World Conference schedule in 2011), and no one expects GIS to return to its pre-recession form. Still, those shows help provide some sobering perspective. 
     
    The 2008 show in Orlando was the biggie. It attracted 25,737 attendees, 10,553 qualified buyers and 965 exhibitors. Booth space was 300,900 square feet. For those who like statistics, attendance this year was 48 percent of that year's total. That's right, this year's show in San Antonio attracted fewer than half the number of people who were at GIS seven years ago.
     
    Numbers tell a lot about any business.
     
    For too many years, the numbers most pertinent to those in the golf business have been: How many courses closed last year? How many opened? How many new golfers came into the game? How many left? 
     
    And they have told a less-than-positive story. 
     
    Numbers reveal a lot about quantity, but they're not so good at measuring quality. And the one good thing about the Golf Industry Show is that every year it manages to attract those who are serious about conducting business.
     
    In the meantime, this still is an industry in need of a mulligan. Even more clear is that it appears we're in for a long wait.
  • The name Jay Morrish is attached to some of the country's most notable modern-era golf courses, including two PGA Tour stops and another built just for one of Hollywood's rich and famous.
      Morrish died March 2. He was 78.   Morrish began his career with some of the great architects in the business before eventually setting out on his on.   Upon graduation from Colorado State University, where he earned a degree in landscape and turf management, Morrish soon joined the construction team on the Robert Trent Jones-designed Spyglass Hill course in Pebble Beach, California, which is part of the PGA Tour's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am circuit. He continued to work as construction superintendent on Jones' courses until joining Desmond Muirhead as a designer in 1967.   Morrish then went to work as a designer with Jack Nicklaus in 1972. After 10 years, he went off on his own with PGA Tour player Tom Weiskopf. Their 12-year partnership generated some two dozen high-profile courses, including Loch Lomond in Scotland.   In the mid 1990s Morrish went completely on his own and designed many new golf courses including Tehama for Clint Eastwood in Carmel, California; Stone Canyon, Tuscon, Arizona and Pine Dunes, Frankston, Texas.   Other notable designs from Morrish include: TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Arizona; TPC Las Colinas, Irving, Texas, home of the Tour's AT&T Byron Nelson Championship; Troon Golf and Country Club, Scottsdale, Arizona; and Forest Highlands, Flagstaff, Arizona. He was also active around the world, designing courses in Spain, Canada, Australia, and Japan.   Survivors include his wife, Louise; son, Carter; daughter, Kim (Brian Coder); and grandchildren, Megan and Spencer Coder.  
  • When it comes to managing golf courses, Fred Gehrisch, CGCS, sees the big picture, but it's the little things he does that attract so much attention.   "Fred Gehrisch not only knows how to grow grass and manage a crew and a budget, but is also very attuned to the club members, and probably is the staff member who does the best job of seeing that members have reason to be proud of the club," said Charles Sausman, a member at Highlands Falls Country Club in Highlands, North Carolina, where Gehrisch has been superintendent 16 years.   Whether it is maintaining the golf course, taking on a civic-improvement project or picking up random trash on the property, doing whatever it takes to improve the customer experience for members has become Gehrisch's trademark.   "We all get dirty here," Gehrisch said. "There's no such thing as 'it's not my job' here. Picking up a wrapper on the floor is just as much my responsibility as someone who works in the clubhouse."   On Feb. 26, Gehrisch was named the winner of the 2014 TurfNet Superintendent of the Year Award, presented by Syngenta.   He was chosen by a panel of judges from a field of 10 finalists that included Nelson Caron of The Ford Plantation in Richmond Hill, Georgia, the late Paul Colleran of Aldarra Golf Club in Sammamish, Washington, Jorge Croda of Southern Oaks Golf Club in Burleson, Texas, Jim Ferrin of Timber Creek and Sierra Pines Golf Courses in Roseville, California, Mark Hoban of Rivermont Country Club in John's Creek, Georgia, Joel Kachmarek of Tacoma (Washington) Country and Golf Club, Paul Latshaw of Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, Jim Roney of Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Eric Wygant of Shannopin Country Club in Pittsburgh.  
    Throughout his career, Gehrisch, 45, has undertaken several civic-improvement projects that help improve quality of life for residents of Highlands and portray the club in a positive public light. Recently, he won the praises of his members for helping spearhead a project to convert an otherwise forgotten meeting room in the clubhouse into a museum dedicated to the history of the club and architect of the golf course, the late Joe Lee.   The project culminated with a golf tournament in Lee's honor and a celebration that included a host of dignitaries including Lee's widow. The Joe Lee room includes photographs, trophies and other memorabilia that walk members through the history of the 50-plus-year-old club and connect some long-forgotten dots.   For many years, Gehrisch, a graduate of Ohio State University, has had a love for tackling projects outside the normal realm of his superintendent duties, and has been fortunate to have a membership that understands his passion.  
    Highlands is an upscale mountain community in western North Carolina, and many of the club's members maintain second homes there. Among the area's more well-heeled residents, they also have a knack for volunteer work and giving back to the community, and appreciate the same from Gehrisch.   To that end, Gehrisch has planted trees throughout Highlands for the city, cleared a downtown lot to make room for a municipal park, managed hemlocks for the town's land trust, repaired its hiking trails, cleared debris so a local animal shelter could expand its operations, cuts firewood for the town to distribute to needy families, builds doghouses for a local charity.   "Part of the job here is to promote the image of the club," Gehrisch said. "In a small town, little things can go a long way, especially our community projects."  
  • At a time when many are concerned with growing the game of golf, John Rourke, superintendent of Button Hole Golf Course in Providence, Rhode Island, has become part of the solution.

    Button Hole, a not-for-profit nine-hole golf course and driving range, was founded in 1999 with a simple vision: expose the game to underprivileged children and grow the game by catering to all walks of life.

    "Button Hole was created as a means of expanding the game of golf by giving inner city youths, individuals with disabilities and people with no golf skills the opportunity to play the game. We even have scholarship programs to help those who are less fortunate," explains Rourke. "There are approximately 25,000 disadvantaged children living within just three miles of Button Hole."

    Rourke has only been at Button Hole since last April, but is no stranger to the turf industry. After beginning school at Bryant College as an accounting major, he quickly realized he was unhappy with his career path. He decided to take a semester off and ended up spending that time working at a golf course.

    During the Industrial Revolution, a shoe factory that used buttons as shoe fasteners was located on a river that now flows near the golf course. Many buttons were swept down this river and were collected in a natural swimming hole that was appropriately dubbed "Button Hole."

    Once he learned that colleges actually offered degrees in what he was doing, he transferred to the University of Rhode Island where he completed his turfgrass degree. Rourke then completed his internships at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island and Poquoy Brook Golf Course in Lakeville, Massachusetts. He then spent five years working at The Agawam Hunt Club as the Assistant Superintendent in East Providence, Rhode Island.

    As you can imagine, Rourke's job as superintendent of Button Hole is drastically different than his other experiences in the turf industry. However, despite the adjustment, Rourke has never been happier.

    "The atmosphere at Button Hole is much better than at other courses I've worked at. Everyone is always smiling and it's like a breath of fresh air," says Rourke. "On the turf maintenance side of things, my priorities are much different than they used to be. For instance, green speed is never a concern. It's about giving people a pleasurable playing experience, especially since for most people, it's their first time playing the game."

    Click here to read the rest of the story.
  • Golf is a game built on tradition: 18 holes, sportsmanship and etiquette, self-reporting rules violations, green jackets and claret jugs. It's also a game traditionally dominated by men - on the course and in the maintenance building. Although women continue to make strides in breaking down gender walls in golf turf maintenance, they still have a long way to go.
      A group of current and future superintendents say that although they make the same professional and personal sacrifices as their male counterparts, they've had to go above and beyond to earn the same level of respect from their colleagues. Still, none of them have second-guessed their career choice for a millisecond.   "There are males out there that are very respectful and treat me as an equal, whereas there are others that treat women as second-class citizens and can't wait for them to be replaced by a male counterpart," said Monica Lalinde, superintendent at Smyrna Municipal Golf Course in Tennessee.   "I knew it was a male dominated field but I did not care, it was what I wanted to do and I was going to fight for it."   The GCSAA says it has 101 women members, 31 of whom are Class A members and another 21 with Superintendent Member status.   A 1984 graduate of the Ohio State turf program and a former Buckeye golfer, Sherri Brogan, CGCS, has been in the golf business since 1986 and a head superintendent in the six-course Columbus municipal golf system since 1989. She has been superintendent at the city's Champions Golf Course since 1992, and GCSAA certification in 1998.   As an OSU student in the 1980s, it didn't take Brogan long to realize she'd chosen a major dominated by men. And she figured making a name for herself might not be easy. Like her male colleagues, Brogan, 53, has worked hard to get where she is today. Maybe, she admits, she's had to work a little harder, not that she's complaining, mind you.   "Did I know what I was getting into? To some extent yes. To the full extent? No. I've had to work a lot harder to get the same respect that a lot of my male counterparts, who I'm around every day, have gotten," Brogan said.   "When I was working my way up I continually had to prove myself. It didn't matter how good the golf course looked, I knew people were thinking ?Someone must have been helping her.' "   Would she have chosen a different career path if she'd known then what she knows now? Don't bet on it, because Brogan doesn't just think she's as good as any other superintendent in the business who happens to be a man. She knows she is.   "There are some superintendents who don't accept it, and there are some who are great friends who I know I can call and they'll help me any time," she said.   "I've been doing this so long, I don't really care. I can do as good a job as any of them. I love what I do, and I can't wait to get here to the course every day."   Arin Hawkins is head superintendent at Raymond Memorial Golf Course, also in the Columbus municipal family.   He knows when he needs to make a call to get advice from a colleague, he can count on Brogan, and vice-, Hawkins said.   "When you look at her qualifications, she's got it all," Hawkins said. "She's a senior member of our golf division, and she's certified. That's a rigorous process.   "We both look to each other if we have problems or issues. She's the first person I go to. We lean on each other heavily."   Like Brogan, Lalinde's days in golf began as a player. As a near-scratch golfer when she was a youngster, she thought she would make a living wielding a putter, not a soil moisture meter.   Lalinde saw her plans for a life as a professional golfer dashed by back pain when she was 18. She loved the game too much to walk away from it, so she chose a career in turf management instead.   A native of Colombia, Lalinde has been in the business for parts of four decades. At age 55, she's been a head superintendent for 21 years, including the past 14 at Smyrna Municipal Golf Course in Tennessee. She knew the field was one dominated by men when she graduated from Walters State Community College in Morristown, but that did not deter her then, or now.   "The biggest challenge was getting a chance to show what you could do and that you could do it," Lalinde said. "There was also the misconception that the job was too physical for a woman. You do not have to be Superman to do it, however, you cannot be afraid of physical labor and adapting your abilities to the demands of the job. The job is not too much to handle; it is demanding but not impossible."   Like her male colleagues, Lalinde has spent years putting in long hours on the golf course, often placing her job ahead of her family. Her dedication to her job cost her a marriage.   "The hours that you put in during the golfing season are long, and it is very easy to lose yourself in your job and forget that your family needs your time too," she said.   "The demands of the job are hard on families and you have to have a good support system, or your family will suffer. A strong support system is a necessity that I did not have.    "I can only speak for myself, but I lived in a state of chaos trying to be good at my job and trying to be a good wife and mother. I was never at peace either at home or at work. I am an overachiever and a perfectionist and tried to give 110 percent at both, and ended up with a divorce on one hand and a career and my daughter on the other. Families need you year round, not just during your slow time at work."   Carmen Kozak knew she too was entering a field dominated by men when she turned a summer job on a golf course into a career path. Initially studying business at Red Deer College in Alberta, Kozak eventually switched gears and earned a degree in turfgrass studies at nearby Olds College. At age 26, she's completing her first year as foreman at Riverbend Golf and Recreation Area as she completes her studies at Olds College in Alberta. Last year, Kozak was the first woman to win Toro's Future Superintendent of the Year Award, an honor bestowed each year in concert with the Canadian Golf Course Superintendents Association.   Her reasons for pursuing a career as a head superintendent sound pretty familiar.   "At first it was just a summer job, but I absolutely loved it," Kozak said. "Every season that I returned to the links I just kept falling in love with it more and more. The people, continual change of pace, as well as the physical nature of the job made me excited every day. I had the opportunity to work for and alongside some amazing people who showed their passion for both this industry and their job every day. The fact that I woke up every single day with a smile on my face, and not to mention the excitement of what the day was going to hold for me made it a pretty easy decision to pursue this career."   Even upon entering the business in the 21st century, Kozak quickly learned that as a woman she was in the minority. She says a lifetime spent in youth sports has helped her make the transition.   "Although at the time it seemed odd to be primarily working with males, it didn't deter my decision to continue working on a golf course," Kozak said. "I have had a lot of male influences in my life from my own father, hockey coaches, and swim coaches. For me it wasn't much different than how I was raised. I honestly believe that this helped make it an easy transition and allowed me to be very comfortable early on."   Like her more experienced female colleagues, Kozak still finds herself having to prove she knows the business and not just the jargon. She's also learned it's not just in the maintenance department where women suffer from stereotypes, it's throughout rest of the industry as well.   "One of the biggest challenges, not just for myself but many women face within this industry is proving ourselves," she said. "Proving that we can do the work, proving that we can have just as much knowledge, and proving that we want to be taken seriously on the job. The last thing I ever imagined myself doing prior to turf school or when I was first starting on a golf course was being able to talk irrigation or to discuss sprayer operation and calibration; basically anything that a stereotypical women wouldn't understand just because they are a women. Now I have the education and practical experience to that talk shop. We need to prove that we understand all aspects of the industry, including the game of golf, and we are not there just for the cute clothes."   Aretha Franklin said it best: "All I want is a little respect . . ."
  • Whether you're heading to San Antonio, or giving this year's Golf Industry Show a pass, Pellucid Corp. and Edgehill Golf Advisors are offering a can't-miss opportunity during this year's show.
     
    Each year during the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Pellucid's Jim Koppenhaver and Stuart Lindsay of Edgehill present their annual State of the Industry report. Unlike some entities in the golf business, Koppenhaver and Lindsay peel off the gloves to give a very frank view of the good and bad facing the golf business. This year, they are bringing their unabashed look at the golf industry to San Antonio - sort of - in two streaming live events.
     
    GIS attendees, or those who have elected to stay home, can watch and listen from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday and again from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday. Space is limited.
     
    Click here to register for Wednesday's event.
     
    Click here to register for Thursday's event.
     
    The report will provide updates on course closures and new course construction, how many courses must close (or how many golfers must be gained) for the industry to be healthy, rounds played, number of golfers lost in the past year and golfer demographics - who is playing and who is not, revenue and pricing, online payment systems and more.
     
    The information isn't for the faint of heart, but it is key for those who want the straight skinny on what is happening in the golf business, and not the industry cheerleader version. Neither session is approved for GCSAA education credit, but attendees will become instant graduates of the school of hard knocks. And they will be better for it.
  • Are you curious to learn what's new this year at the Golf Industry Show, but San Antonio is not in your plans this year? Or, perhaps you're heading to Texas, but you just can't get around to everything you want to see in two days. Don't worry, either way TurfNet has you covered.

    Again this year, TurfNet will bring you the latest information on new products and services straight from the trade show floor - and beyond - through the TurfNet GIS Blog.

    With items grouped by category, we'll provide the latest on new machinery; irrigation products; fungicides, fertilizers and pesticides; tech gadgets; seed; supplies and soft goods; fun stuff; giveaways; and more.

    Coverage will begin next week, with information on new products and other news trickling out daily.
  • Jacobsen's Certified Pre-Owned Equipment program has partnered with Patriot PAWS, a non-profit organization that provides disabled American veterans with service dogs at no cost.

    Started in 2006 by professional dog trainer Lori Stevens, Patriot PAWS is a program that pairs mobility impaired U.S. armed forces veterans with specially trained service dogs. The dogs can pick up dropped items, provide bracing to get up and down, help with household chores and get help in an emergency.

    In addition to making an initial contribution to Patriot PAWS, Jacobsen is donating funds for every piece of certified pre-owned equipment it sells.

    "Our mobility-impaired veterans have a great need for assistance dogs," said Stevens, the group's founder and executive director. "Jacobsen's donations will help us make more connections between our dogs and veterans around the country. This partnership will also create more awareness of what we do and the many veterans who need our help."

    For Jacobsen, supporting the program is a way to give back to those who have given much.

    "Patriot PAWS is helping to make a real difference in the lives of our country's returning war heroes," said Brad Adamson, vice president of customer care. "We are very proud to be part of Patriot PAWS and look forward to helping increase awareness of this great charity."

    Stevens and Jazz the dog will visit Jacobsen's Certified Pre-Owned booth (No. 13045) at the upcoming Golf Industry Show, where attendees will be able to learn more about this worthwhile program.

    Jazz, a 5-year-old Labrador retriever, has been the Patriot PAWS demo dog since accompanying disabled veterans in the Tournament of Roses Parade when she was 19 months old.
  • If ever there was a business in need of some good news, the golf industry is it. Recent industry reports have done little to satisfy those yearning for a silver lining.    At last month's PGA Merchandise Show, the brutally frank state of the industry report given each year by Jim Koppenhaver and Stuart Lindsay of Pellucid Corp and Edgehill Golf Advisors, respectively, revealed that in 2014 new course construction was down (OK, we knew that was coming) and that people are walking away from the game almost faster than anyone can count them.   More good news recently came out of Kissimmee, Florida, where the latest monthly rounds played report just released by Golf Datatech shows that year-over-year rounds played in 2014 were down by 1.7 percent, compared with rounds played throughout 2013. And, oh, by the way, rounds played in 2013 were down by 5 percent from 2012.   According to the Golf Datatech report, which surveyed 2,885 private and public-access courses in 49 states (not including Alaska), rounds were down in six of eight geographic regions and up in only two (the Mountain West and the Great Plains). More specifically, rounds played were down in 32 states, as well as Washington, D.C., and up or about flat in 17 others.   The most significant losses were in Nebraska (8 percent); Delaware, Maryland and D.C. (7 percent); Alabama (6 percent); and Arkansas, Hawaii, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia and Washington (all down 5 percent).   The 17 states that saw an increase in rounds played were Kansas (up 9 percent); Iowa (3 percent); Colorado, Minnesota, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon and South Dakota (2 percent); Arizona and Utah (1 percent); Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Tennessee (less than 1 percent).   Play at private courses was about flat for the year, while public-access facilities took the hit with a loss of slightly more than 2 percent.
  • TurfNet recently reported that MTD Products acquired Precise Path Robotics, the company that brought the RG3 robotic greens mower to the golf industry six years ago. Since then, the RG3 has been rebranded under the Cub Cadet badge.   The all-new RG3 (hint: it's no longer green in color) will officially be unveiled at the Golf Industry Show in San Antonio later this month, and it is symbolic of Cub Cadet's official entry into the golf market.   By using a proprietary positioning technology, the RG3 with Precise Path Technology moves precisely and safely across the green on preset paths. It travels in straight lines and along the perimeter without the need for an operator, delivering what Cub Cadet says are consistent and repeatable cuts every time, so every green is mowed exactly the same way.   Precise Path Robotics was founded in 2004 as a private start up company called IndyRobotics. Cub Cadet is integrating the technology of Precise Path Robotics, an Indianapolis-based company that first brought the RG3 to market at the 2009 GIS in New Orleans.   Cub Cadet is a division of MTD Products, a Cleveland-based manufacturer of outdoor power equipment primarily for the residential and lawn and landscape markets. Other brands under the MTD umbrella include Bolens, MTD, Yard Machines and Yard Man.
  • In the 14-plus years he worked for Paul Colleran, Dean Owen never was fooled whenever his boss wanted to try something new.
      "He'd shuffle into the shop and say 'well, I got this idea  . . . ,' " said Owen, who for a couple more weeks will serve as equipment manager at Aldarra Golf Club in Issaquah, Washington before moving on to a new job. "Then he'd ask 'any chance we can do it tomorrow' When he said that, you knew he'd been thinking about whatever it was for a long time and didn't want you to think about it too much."   Although he had a penchant for springing projects on his staff with little or no warning, Colleran also taught members of his crew a great deal. A near scratch golfer at one time, Colleran had a way of viewing the golf course from a player's perspective and imparted that ability onto others.   "He came from a different background. I was an assistant mechanic when I came here, and he wanted a mechanic who loved the game," Owen said. "He shared with me his insight and thoughts about laying out a golf course and what is presented to a player as he navigates through the course."   Colleran, who built and grew-in two high-profile golf courses on the West Coast, died Oct. 8 at age 54 after a year-long battle with brain cancer. He left behind wife Joan, a PGA professional in the association's Pacific Northwest chapter, and sons Troy and Bryce.    He built Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach in 1986 and eventually went to Washington in 1999 for the construction and grow-in of Aldarra. For his ability to share with others his vision of what a golf course should be, and for his never-ending dedication to his crew and his course, Colleran was named a finalist for the 2014 TurfNet Superintendent of the Year Award.   "He was a great superintendent, and he allowed others to share his passion," said Owen, who nominated his boss and his friend for the award. "He even made guys on the crew who don't play golf feel that same passion."   A total of 10 finalists have been chosen by a panel of judges from a field of nominees based on the following criteria: labor management, maximizing budget limitations, educating and advancing the careers of colleagues and assistants, negotiating with government agencies, preparing for tournaments under unusual circumstances, service to golf clientele, upgrading or renovating the course and dealing with extreme or emergency conditions.   The winner will be named Feb. 26 at the Golf Industry Show in San Antonio. Previous winners include: Chad Mark (2013); Dan Meersman (2012); Paul Carter, CGCS (2011); Thomas Bastis, CGCS (2010); Anthony Williams, CGCS (2009); Sam MacKenzie (2008); John Zimmers (2007); Scott Ramsay, CGCS (2006); Mark Burchfield (2005); Stuart Leventhal, CGCS (2004); Paul Voykin (2003); Jeff Burgess (2002); Kip Tyler (2001); and Kent McCutcheon (2000).   One of the things that stood out most to Owen was Colleran's budget mastery. In the 15 years he was superintendent at Aldarra, Colleran's department came in under budget every year.   "That takes someone who is good at knowing where he stands, taking what he had and getting the most from it," Owen said. "I think I learned a thing or two from him."   Owen said he recalled touring the course with his boss, and was always amazed at what Colleran could see that others could not.   "One thing he was excellent at was that he saw diseases before anyone else could," Owen said. "I'm looking at quality of cut, and he's looking at the health of the grass."   Owen has had a difficult time handling the loss of his boss, mentor and friend. Although he could have stayed on and worked with Colleran's former assistant Sean Reehorn who has since been named superintendent, he has decided to make a new start. Later this month he will take on the role of equipment manager Inglewood Golf Club near Seattle.   "Everything I see here, I think about Paul," he said. "I need a new challenge and to get this all out of my head.   "I never would have thought it would affect me like it has. Joan told me I am suffering from broken heart. I loved that guy. As far as I'm concerned, he's still with me every day."   A graduate of Oregon State University, Colleran not only was an accomplished agronomist and player, but his experience as a player allowed him to diffuse member input about course conditions and layout and what might or might not make sense.   "He would engage golfers, but he always proved that he knew best about what to do on the golf course," Owen said. "He always told golfers that their job was to have a good time out here and not to worry about the golf course. That was his job."   Even after he was diagnosed with cancer, Colleran frequented the golf course as often as possible, and did so in a wheelchair in his final days. In his last visit to the course, just days before he died, he was calling out instructions on a practice range-improvement project.   "He had just gotten a call that he had a week to live," Owen said. "He came here that day just to see the project. He wanted to make sure the job was done right. That's just the way he was."
  • There are early adopters, and then there is Mark Hoban.
     
    The 60-year-old Hoban has been incorporating use of native grasses in Georgia and combating the Augusta Syndrome long before many knew that the title referred to manicured conditions and not a science fiction movie. And he has been seeking a look that reflects the game's classic era through going brown, saving on water use and reducing labor costs years before such things were chic in golf.
     
    Hoban first adopted the brown look at The Standard Club in the mid-1970s, and has since put into practice at Rivermont Country Club when he arrived there 10 years ago. For his ability to convince others that brown is the new green and for his work at researching organic products, including his own homebrewed compost tea, Hoban has been named a finalist for the 2014 TurfNet Superintendent of the Year Award, presented by Syngenta.
     
    "Mark Hoban has been and continues to be a pioneer in our industry when it comes to sustainable turf practices," wrote Rivermont general manager and owner Chris Cupit in nomination letter.
     
    "Over the years, Mark has converted almost 15 percent of our old golf course (25 of 188 acres) to very low maintenance native grasses and sedges that have become thriving habitats and food sources for our wild life near the river."
     
    A total of 10 finalists have been chosen by a panel of judges from a field of nominees based on the following criteria: labor management, maximizing budget limitations, educating and advancing the careers of colleagues and assistants, negotiating with government agencies, preparing for tournaments under unusual circumstances, service to golf clientele, upgrading or renovating the course and dealing with extreme or emergency conditions.
     
    The winner will be named Feb. 26 at the Golf Industry Show in San Antonio. Previous winners include: Chad Mark (2013); Dan Meersman (2012); Paul Carter, CGCS (2011); Thomas Bastis, CGCS (2010); Anthony Williams, CGCS (2009); Sam MacKenzie (2008); John Zimmers (2007); Scott Ramsay, CGCS (2006); Mark Burchfield (2005); Stuart Leventhal, CGCS (2004); Paul Voykin (2003); Jeff Burgess (2002); Kip Tyler (2001); and Kent McCutcheon (2000).
     
    Hoban recently was named winner of the Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation Environmental Leader of the Year Award. His work incorporating native tall grasses, native sand and organic management practices that have helped put Rivermont on a path toward sustainability were the subject of a recent three-part TurfNet TV video series produced by Randy Wilson. 
     
    Hoban also has reduced fertilizer and fungicide use by embracing organic management practices. He maintains a worm bed on the property and brews compost tea that helps produce beneficial mychorrhizae in the soil, which is the subject of University of Georgia research being conducted on the course.
     
    "It was actually Randy (Wilson) who pushed me out of the plane on organics," Hoban said. "He's the one who told me I could make an even bigger impact with that than what I've been doing with native grasses."
     
    Although some superintendents have been slow to incorporate widespread use of organics, many also are lining up to see the results of the UGA research being conducted at Rivermont.
     
    "Mark currently utilizes a red wiggler worm farm fed from our club's kitchen scraps to feed his vermiculture program. He has two compost tea brewers creating brews that include both thermal and vermicompost on our tees and fairway while the compost tea from the worm farm is used on our greens, tees and fairways," Cupit said.
     
    "By using 100 percent reclaimed water, dramatically dropping his fungicide and nitrogen use through his organic approach and wholeheartedly embracing a more sustainable approach to golf course care, Mark has positioned our club to be well ahead of the game at a time when increased pressure is being applied to golf courses regarding their inputs."
     
    One thing that surprises Hoban about his use of native grasses is why more low-budget courses haven't followed his lead.
     
    "It's not about spending money," he said. "It's about spending your money more wisely, and doing something that doesn't cost a lot of money to set yourself apart from your competition."
     
    Hoban began his career in 1971 at The Standard Club, where he eventually succeeded Palmer Maples Jr. in 1976, and began working with native grasses when the club physically moved from its original location in Brookhaven, Georgia to its current home in Johns Creek. His work there drew mixed reviews from golfers. Some loved it while others, obsessed with the idea of lost golf balls, hated it. But the use of native grasses, organics, implementation of butterfly-friendly zones and habitat for native bees all have been a sure-fire hit at Rivermont.
     
    "People love the look of the native grasses, but they are ball magnets. That's the only problem," Hoban said.
     
    "Bringing the native look to Georgia; I guess that is what I'm noted for, or condemned for."
  • It's plainly obvious that Jim Ferrin loves his work. After all, he has been in the golf business since 1974 and has worked as a superintendent for 40 years. But when it comes to doing for others, Ferrin has nearly turned his generosity into a second career based almost entirely on giving his time to promote his profession and helping his colleagues navigate through times of tremendous challenge.
      Ferrin, who turns 62 next month, not only manages 27 holes at an active adult community near Sacramento, he has made it his mission to make the game more accessible to those with physical disabilities and works diligently to help his colleagues throughout California make sense of the state's ongoing water crisis.   Because of not just his willingness to give back to his profession, but because of the passion he displays through such selfless displays of professionalism, Ferrin has been named a finalist for the 2014 TurfNet Superintendent of the Year Award, presented by Syngenta.  
    A total of 10 finalists have been chosen by a panel of judges from a field of nominees based on the following criteria: labor management, maximizing budget limitations, educating and advancing the careers of colleagues and assistants, negotiating with government agencies, preparing for tournaments under unusual circumstances, service to golf clientele, upgrading or renovating the course and dealing with extreme or emergency conditions.   The winner will be named Feb. 26 at the Golf Industry Show in San Antonio. Previous winners include: Chad Mark (2013); Dan Meersman (2012); Paul Carter, CGCS (2011); Thomas Bastis, CGCS (2010); Anthony Williams, CGCS (2009); Sam MacKenzie (2008); John Zimmers (2007); Scott Ramsay, CGCS (2006); Mark Burchfield (2005); Stuart Leventhal, CGCS (2004); Paul Voykin (2003); Jeff Burgess (2002); Kip Tyler (2001); and Kent McCutcheon (2000).   Ferrin first is superintendent at Sun City Roseville, a Del Webb community east of Sacramento, where he manages 27 holes of golf on the property's Timber Creek and Sierra Pines courses. He also is a member of the board of directors for the California Alliance for Golf, a non-profit entity that serves as a unified voice for the state's golf industry in its dealings with local, state and national government agencies, media and others, and is also co-chairman of the group's government relations committee. He is a member of the First Tee of Sacramento and the Sierra Nevada GCSAA Alliance for Drought Management, and he speaks regularly on the topic of smart water use. Finally, Ferrin also is versed on the finer points of the Americans with Disabilities Act and works feverishly to help bring the game of golf to those, who through their own disabilities, might not otherwise have a chance to play the game.   "Jim is known for his ongoing efforts in the area of Government Relations and serves on the board of directors for the California Alliance for Golf, where he is the voice at the table for California golf course superintendents," wrote Emmy Moore Minister of Moore Minister Consulting, in her letter nominating Ferrin for the award. "He also participates in a regional water task force along with other golf course superintendents, seeking solutions to best conserve water resources while also strengthening relationships with local water agencies."   For Ferrin, assisting others and helping his profession is a labor of love he's followed for most of the 10 years he has been superintendent at Sun City Roseville.    "Seven years ago I dedicated myself to going in a different direction, because I realized I could give back in some ways that I am very good at," Ferrin said. "Except for hosting championships, it lets me do what I want to do. I just have to find that excitement somewhere else now.   "I am lucky that my employer lets me do what I need to do. They appreciate having someone engaged in the process."   A drought that is measured in years presents a lot of challenges for superintendents, whose line of work often is called into question by an uninformed public.   Helping other superintendents understand what water-use restrictions mean to them as well as representing the industry with folks like Craig Kessler, director of government affairs for the Southern California Golf Association, as a government liaison is as important to Ferrin as managing putting green turf.   "Golf has a target on its back, and it shouldn't have a target on its back," Ferrin said. "One day to the next you could be out of a job.   "Water is going to be the biggest issue in golf. We need to kick people ... and get them going. If we're going to be viable in the future, we need to talk about this. Craig and I are on the same page with this. We don't want the state telling superintendents when or how to cut their water. Tell us how much to cut, and let us make it happen."   Ferrin's efforts to help educate others are not limited to fellow superintendents or government officials. Most of his staff has been with him throughout his tenure at Roseville.    "Jim is on the cutting edge of agronomic programs. Poor soil, poor water and very little of it," said Tim McCoy of Turf Star, a West Coast equipment distributor. "Jim has educated his staff and golfers as well of the sustainable practices they adhere to."   Ferrin also works to elevate the role of the golf course equipment manager by speaking to mechanics and other superintendents are state and regional events.   He recalled how a fellow superintendent called him to say "my mechanic says we need a hydraulic lift, because Jim Ferrin says so."   That equipment managers today are still asked to do their jobs without lifts or even computers is beyond Ferrin's ability to reason. His own equipment manager, Lee Medeiros, last year was named winner of TurfNet's Technician of the Year Award.   "Superintendents should want to empower their mechanics," Ferrin said. "How do you expect them to get their job done, and done safely without what now are basic tools of the trade?"
  • It's one thing to be required to maintain a golf course to championship conditions. It's another matter entirely to be held to championship standards by the game's greatest champion.   Such is life for Paul B. Latshaw, who, since 2003, has managed the turf at Jack Nicklaus's own Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.   "It's a challenge, no matter what we're doing and what we are preparing for," said Latshaw, 49. "If you look at the downturn in the economy, everyone has had to reevaluate what they're doing, including us. Our budget has been reduced to make sure we stay viable, and you have to look at other ways to get things done without compromising playability.   "We still have to keep conditions firm and fast, because that is the way Mr. Nicklaus wants the course to play."   No pressure there.   For the impeccable conditions he is able to produce under demanding standards that include an annual PGA Tour and a double-dip with the 2013 President's Cup, and his role as a teacher and mentor Latshaw has been named a finalist for the 2014 TurfNet Superintendent of the Year Award, presented by Syngenta.  
    Finalists are chosen by a panel of judges from a field of nominees based on the following criteria: labor management, maximizing budget limitations, educating and advancing the careers of colleagues and assistants, negotiating with government agencies, preparing for tournaments under unusual circumstances, service to golf clientele, upgrading or renovating the course and dealing with extreme or emergency conditions.   The winner will be named Feb. 26 at the Golf Industry Show in San Antonio. Previous winners include: Chad Mark (2013); Dan Meersman (2012); Paul Carter, CGCS (2011); Thomas Bastis, CGCS (2010); Anthony Williams, CGCS (2009); Sam MacKenzie (2008); John Zimmers (2007); Scott Ramsay, CGCS (2006); Mark Burchfield (2005); Stuart Leventhal, CGCS (2004); Paul Voykin (2003); Jeff Burgess (2002); Kip Tyler (2001); and Kent McCutcheon (2000).   Succeeding at a course owned by someone whose golf feats are unequaled requires tremendous agronomic knowledge, a thick skin, superior managerial skills and trust in one's employees.   "Paul is one of the best in the business at delegation of responsibility, leading by example, and the development of a well organized work plan," said Jon Scott, agronomist with Nicklaus Design. "He has contingency plans for almost any circumstance and watching his crew work is like listening to a great piece of symphonic music. Everyone knows their role and each performs it flawlessly. I would take Paul's staff to any golf course, anywhere in the world, and know that the job would be done to everyone's maximum expectations."   Indeed, Latshaw is all business all the time, and that should come as no surprise.    A graduate of Penn State's four-year agricultural science program, Latshaw also completed PSU's two-year turfgrass management degree in one year under the eye of the late Joe Duich, Ph.D. He also spent years prepping under one of the best in the business, his father, Paul R.   While he was superintendent at Merion Golf Club near Philadelphia, Latshaw went back to school again, this time to earn a post-graduate degree in business.   "Excellence and Paul B. Latshaw are synonymous," wrote Muirfield general manager and chief operating officer Nicholas LaRocca in his letter nominating Latshaw for Superintendent of the Year. "Paul always wants to make sure the presentation of the golf course is A-plus for the membership and their guests. The golf course and conditions at Muirfield Village Golf Club are the best in the 40-year history of this special place and that is due to the tireless effort by Paul B. Latshaw. For me, my experience at Muirfield Village is 17 years; what Paul has done for the club is priceless and appreciated. The best or nothing - that sums up what we are all about at Muirfield Village Golf Club, and Paul B. Latshaw makes sure we are the best."   Sometimes being the best means throwing aside old ways of doing things and adopting new ideas, including new ways of delivering fertility.   He has adopted such products as Holganix, compost tea brews, beneficial microbes and Turf Screen, all with positive results. He especially likes Holganix because the self-contained refrigeration unit keeps microbes in a dormant state until they are needed. The results, he said, include a deeper root system on Muirfield's greens, which are a combination of A1, A4 and G6 bentgrasses along with some Poa contamination.   Poa management is an issue each year spring when the club is the host site of The Memorial Tournament. Average daily high temperatures in Columbus in late May-early June are about 76 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. And that is prime Poa weather in central Ohio.   The trust between Nicklaus and Latshaw was put to the test early during the latter's career at Muirfield. Shortly after taking the job in 2003, Latshaw commissioned an arborist to survey the property's trees and to make recommendations for a tree-management plan.   Latshaw explained the report to Nicklaus hole by hole. In total, the report recommended removing nearly 700 trees.   "I was nervous," Latshaw admitted.   The response by Nicklaus was supportive, but came with a disclaimer.   "He told me 'if that's what you need to do, then do it,' " Latshaw said.   "He also said "it better work.' "   It did.

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