Around the world, people are suffering the effects of a new infirmity; one that can leave its victims lethargic, disinterested and unable to focus on the task at hand. When seeking out its victims, Zoom Fatigue plays no favorites. It has affected people in every age group, from the kindergarten playroom to the corporate boardroom and everywhere in between.
The only cure, it seems, might be a return to a normal way of life, one in which children can go back to school and their parents can attend meetings, trade shows and educational seminars in person. Until such time, virtual education is here to stay.
That's true in turf, where regional conferences, university field days and even meetings that once occurred in what seems like an old-fashioned face-to-face format, now take place on a computer screen or cell phone.
"I am on two to three Zoom calls every day," said Dan Meersman, director of grounds at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. "I'm in them all the time. I had to attend one last night where I did not have to speak much. I worked out in our basement while the meeting was going on. I paused to make a statement, then finished my workout."
As the first virtual version of the Golf Industry Show approaches, many wonder what turnout will be like. Other virtual events that have occurred since last March indicate that turfgrass management professionals embrace the idea of online education.
Although overall attendance was down at the hybrid version of the Carolinas GCSA show, nearly 2,200 "seats" were sold for virtual education, topping the previous in-person record of 1,379.
When the University of Tennessee decided last spring to cancel its annual field day held each September at the East Tennessee Research and Education Center, the event was replaced with Turfgrass Tuesdays, a live webinar series held the first week of each month.
An average of 130 turf professionals logged in for each session.
When educational conferences like Green Start Academy, presented annually by John Deere and Bayer, and the Syngenta Business Institute, went online, they were met with the same enthusiasm attendees had for in-person events.
"I thoroughly enjoyed the Syngenta Business Institute," said Parish Pina, superintendent at The Ridge Club in Sandwich, Massachusetts. "I thought the way they made it interactive within groups and engaging to listen to, outstanding. I don't have many other online learning experiences to set a precedent as yet, but they have definitely set the bar."
Meersman has been a speaker or mentor at the past two Green Start Academies, including the virtual version in 2020, when he led a breakout session after each of four weekly events. Meersman believes the comfort of attending from home or work in some ways improved the experience and led to better interaction between attendees and mentors.
I don't have many other online learning experiences to set a precedent as yet, but they have definitely set the bar.
"I thought they were more candid and honest and asked really good questions," Meersman said. "And we had more time after each topic to discuss what was brought up in the discussion and provide real-world examples."
For more than a decade, Syngenta has been providing business education for dozens of superintendents through the Syngenta Business Institute held in cooperation with the Wake Forest University School of Business.
The program provides graduate school-level instruction on topics including financial management, human resource management, negotiating, managing across generations and cultural divides, impact hiring and other leadership- and professional-development skills. The event, which has been held annually at Wake Forest, was all virtual last December.
"Syngenta is deeply committed to educating superintendents, so we were pleased to be able to offer the Syngenta Business Institute in a safe and effective virtual format," said Stephanie Schwenke, turf market manager for Syngenta. "I was very impressed with how engaged the 2020 class was throughout the week. They were extremely involved with each other, asked the four professors great questions, added invaluable insights for everyone and built relationships through the social events. The 2020 cohort exceeded my expectations. We look forward to meeting as many of them as possible in person during future industry events."
Rick Mooney, vice president of maintenance and development at Shorelodge in McCall, Idaho, had read and heard all about SBI since its inception 12 years ago, and although the event was online in 2020 he was excited he had landed a spot in the annual rotation of about 40 golf course superintendents chosen to attend.
"I came into the institute with an open mind willing to put in the effort and try to become a better business leader," Mooney said. "The curriculum was great, and I found myself fully engaged and feeling like we could have extended class possibly with a break for lunch with a morning and afternoon session. I found that I wanted further interaction with my peers, and I wish we would have had more time exchanging ideas and learning from each other's experiences as well as the instructors' input. If they offered a Syngenta virtual 2.0, I am sure that I would ask to continue my learning experience."
