golf course management - may 2014

Golf Course Management Magazinewww.gcsaa.org May 2014

Offcial Publication of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

Seed companies raise the curtain on new options for 2014 PAGE 54

The Imprelis imbroglio 46

Decision-making tips 62

Golf goes to D.C. 36

GCM

RUNNERSRUNNERSRUNNERSRUNNERSRUNNERSRUNNERSBladeRUNNERSRUNNERSRUNNERSRUNNERSRUNNERSRUNNERSRUNNERS

INSIDE: A zero-waste party in Scottsdale PAGE 38

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T E C H N O L

healthy grass

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T E C H N O LO G Y

healthy grass

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A BREAKTHROUGH IN TECHNOLOGY, AS WELL AS A BREAKTHROUGH IN CONFIDENCE.

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Chapter 7

toro.com/eflex

2014 The Toro Company. All rights reserved.

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10 GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT 05.14

46

54

62

68

AftermathNearly four years ago, Imprelis

surfaced as a broadleaf weed

control option that some say

was as good as it gets. The

product, though, created

serious, long-lasting issues

that still are being resolved.

Howard Richman

2014 Seed updateTeresa Carson

Sometimes, the problem is youA Canadian superintendent

applies his study of bias in

decision-making to golf course

management.

David J. Kuypers

The right stuffThe best approach to

landscaping and planting

ornamentals can be as easy

as selecting the right plant for

the right place.

John C. Fech, Ph.D.

On the Cover: GCMs annual update on the newest seed varieties available to golf course superintendents might seem a little lighter than usual in 2014 just 17 new varieties this year. But as industry experts explain, this isnt necessarily a trend. Instead, its more a product of the cyclical

nature of the business. This months cover design is by GCSAAs Roger Billings, senior manager, creative services.

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INSIGHTS

Which Kentucky bluegrass cultivars perform better with less water?Twenty-eight Kentucky bluegrass cultivars and two hybrid

bluegrasses were tested for their ability to retain visual

quality under reduced irrigation.

Dale Bremer, Ph.D.

Steve Keeley, Ph.D.

Jack Fry, Ph.D.

Jason Lewis, Ph.D.

Tar spot on seashore paspalum in GeorgiaTar spot has been identified for

the first time on seashore

paspalum turfgrass at the

University of Georgia.

Alfredo Martinez-Espinoza, Ph.D.

Omar Martinez-Uribe

Dae Kim

76

RESEARCH

8286

Cutting EdgeTeresa Carson

16 Presidents message

18 Inside GCM

20 Front nine

30 Photo quiz

74 Up to speed

88 Verdure

90 Product news

94 Industry news

102 Climbing the ladder

102 On course

103 Coming up

103 New members

104 In the field

105 Newly certified

105 On the move

112 Final shot

ETCETERA05.14

32TurfTurfgrass testing

Kevin Morris

34ShopReplacing orphan

engines: Part II

Scott R. Nesbitt

AdvocacySupers spend

day in D.C.

Kaelyn Seymour

36

EnvironmentParty like a

green star

Bunny Smith

38

CareerDo you know why?

Carol D. Rau, PHR

40

WaterThe cost of

water business

Bunny Smith

42

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GCSAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President KEITH A. IHMS, CGCS

Vice President JOHN J. OKEEFE, CGCS

Secretary/Treasurer PETER J. GRASS, CGCS

Immediate Past President PATRICK R. FINLEN, CGCS

Directors RAFAEL BARAJAS, CGCS

DARREN J. DAVIS, CGCS

JOHN R. FULLING JR., CGCS

MARK F. JORDAN, CGCS

BILL H. MAYNARD, CGCS

Chief Executive Offcer J. RHETT EVANS Chief Operating Offcer MATT SHATTO Chief Business Development Offcer J.D. DOCKSTADER

GCM STAFF

Editor-in-Chief SCOTT HOLLISTER

[email protected]

Sr. Managing Editor BUNNY SMITH

[email protected]

Sr. Science Editor TERESA CARSON

[email protected]

Associate Editor HOWARD RICHMAN

[email protected]

Sr. Manager, Creative Services ROGER BILLINGS

[email protected]

Manager, Creative Services KELLY NEIS

[email protected] Traffc Coordinator SHELLY URISH

[email protected]

Traffc Coordinator BRETT LEONARD

[email protected]

GCSAA This Week/Turf Weekly

Editor ANGELA HARTMANN

[email protected]

ADVERTISING 800-472-7878

Managing Director MATT BROWN

Marketing and Business Development [email protected]

Sr. Manager, Business Development JIM CUMMINS

[email protected]

Lead International Developer ERIC BOEDEKER

[email protected]

Account Development Managers BRETT ILIFF

[email protected]

KARIN CANDRL

[email protected]

SHELLY URISH

[email protected]

GCM MISSION

Golf Course Management magazine is dedicated to advancing the golf course superin-tendent profession and helping GCSAA members achieve career success. To that end, GCM provides authoritative how-to career-oriented, technical and trend information by industry experts, researchers and golf course superintendents. By advancing the profes-sion and members careers, the magazine contributes to the enhancement, growth and vitality of the game of golf.

The articles, discussions, research and other information in this publication are advisory only and are not intended as a substitute for specifc manufacturer instructions or training for the processes discussed, or in the use, application, storage and handling of the products mentioned. Use of this information is voluntary and within the control and discretion of the reader. 2014 by GCSAA Com-munications Inc., all rights reserved.

Golf Course Management MagazineOffcial Publication of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

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Throughout my career as a golf course su-perintendent, I have always preferred the di-rect approach.

As I was growing up in this business, I found that I learned best when someone took the time to communicate with me face to face, as opposed to sharing information on a new policy or maintenance technique through some staff memo or group message posted in the break room. And as I began to manage golf courses of my own, I have always done my best to stay true to that philosophy when deal-ing with employees or colleagues in the club-house, favoring one-on-one interactions over all-staff emails or call outs in team meetings.

I know my endorsement of these tac-tics probably isnt breaking any new ground from a staff management perspective; Im certain many of you operate the same way. In fact, GCSAA has used a similar approach to achieve success in two key areas Id like to discuss with you this month GCSAAs member engagement initiatives and our gov-ernment relations and advocacy efforts, spe-cifcally National Golf Day.

Those of you who have been able to vol-unteer your time through committee ser-vice to GCSAA have had the opportunity to experience the value of the direct approach frsthand. Serving at this level offers asso-ciation members one-on-one time with key GCSAA staff, with industry partners and, perhaps most importantly, with fellow mem-bers of the association.

And as the association begins to en-gage members again for 2014, we have made changes to this process that I believe will fur-ther enhance those opportunities for our vol-unteers. Our committee and task group struc-tures have been revamped to make them more focused, more task-oriented, with more op-portunities to serve for more members. Its an approach that I believe emphasizes our belief in the member engagement process and in cre-ating positive, career-enhancing opportunities for our members.

Perhaps the most notable and effective ex-ample of the benefts of face-to-face contact comes later this month, when the 2014 edition of National Golf Day takes place in Washing-ton, D.C. For the uninitiated, National Golf Day is an effort of the We Are Golf coalition

that brings golf industry leaders to our nations capital to meet with government leaders and share with them the economic, environmen-tal, charitable and ftness benefts of the game of golf.

I have been privileged to take part in sev-eral past National Golf Days as a member of the GCSAA Board of Directors and a chair-man of our Government Relations Commit-tee, and I can tell you I have had few more empowering experiences. Talking with law-makers about the role of the golf course super-intendent and the impact our businesses have on local economies and seeing frsthand that those discussions are making a difference have been proof positive that the direct ap-proach I have believed in my entire career is the right approach in all that we do. You can read much more about National Golf Day in this months Advocacy column on Page 36 of this issue of GCM.

Finally, I wanted to update you on a pro-fessional matter that I made mention of in my April column. As you may be aware, I have been involved in an extensive job search since the frst of March when I left my previ-ous position with the Country Club of Little Rock (Ark.), a post I had held since 2005. I am pleased to say that search has concluded, and in late April, I began my new position as the golf course maintenance manager at Bella Vista (Ark.) Village.

Im excited by the opportunity to work with the talented superintendents who man-age the six 18-hole and two nine-hole courses that make up this recreational community and retirement destination in northwest Ar-kansas. And Im grateful to the leadership of the Bella Vista Property Owners Association for the trust theyve placed in me and for their support of my volunteer service as president of GCSAA.

Keith A. Ihms, CGCS, is the golf course maintenance man-

ager at Bella Vista (Ark.) Village and a 33-year member

of GCSAA.

Keith A. Ihms, CGCS

[email protected]

The personal touch

I have been privileged to take part in several

past National Golf Days as a member

of the GCSAA Board of Directors and a chairman of

our Government Relations Committee,

and I can tell you there have been few

more empowering experiences than

those I have spent on Capitol Hill.

(presidents message)

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After 16 years with GCSAA and this mag-azine, I like to think Ive turned into a pretty accomplished armchair golf course superin-tendent. Im not going to host a U.S. Open any time soon, mind you, but I feel like I can talk the talk and, in most cases, walk the walk authentically enough to connect, on a pretty personal level, with the turfgrass managers who read this publication every month.

That doesnt mean, however, I can identify with each and every aspect of a superinten-dents job, a fact Im reminded of each month when I review the content that is appearing in GCMs research section. As my high school math and science teachers could certainly tell you, there is a good reason why I gravitated toward the written word and away from for-mulas, equations and the scientifc method.

To put it bluntly, the technical bent of our research stories often frightens and con-fuses me. Its not that I dont get how impor-tant this information is to our business and to golf course superintendents. The results of our readership surveys that show the research sec-tion is our most popular, most valuable and most read section would make that kind of conclusion impossible. Its more that some-times, I just dont get it, period.

That occasional lack of connection with agronomic tech talk hasnt come from a lack of trying. Ive sat in on classes at GCSAA Ed-ucation Conferences. Ive listened intently to presentations by some of the top minds in the industry, the Thom Nikolais, Bert McCartys, Jack Frys and Frank Rossis of the world. And Ive huddled with the brightest superinten-dents out there to see how all this theory actu-ally turns into practice.

Ive gotten better, really. Its just that I havent gotten t at much better.

Fortunately, we have a lot of help in cover-ing up my defciencies and making sure our research section remains the undisputed in-dustry leader. GCM is fortunate to have a great staff of editors and writers to help make sense of this technical information, most notably

our senior science editor Teresa Carson. Shes a board certifed editor in the life sciences, has a long history in bringing the work of top turf-grass researchers to the pages of GCM and is a key to helping me keep my Pyt ium and my Poa straight.

Then there are those turfgrass researchers that I just mentioned. Were fortunate that when many of them wrap up publishing their work in peer-reviewed journals, the next call they make is to GCM. Some of them publish in this magazine on a regular basis, others only occasionally. But the collective knowledge and experience that all of them bring to this magazine more than makes up for my scien-tifc shortcomings.

This month, were lucky to bring yet an-other brilliant mind to the pages of GCM on a more consistent basis. On Page 88 of this months magazine, were proud to debut Ver-dure, a column from Beth Guertal, Ph.D., a professor in the department of agronomy and soils from Auburn University.

As Guertal describes it, verdure refers to the best part of turfgrass, the bright green part that remains after grass is mowed and clip-pings are removed (I wish the wordsmith in me could tell you I knew that word before she explained it, but I cant). Her column hopes to work similar magic with turfgrass research projects that have been previously published in other venues but might have been missed by most superintendents. Shell dig into the num-bers, strip away the excess and share only the most important, most pertinent parts of that research with our readers.

We think Beths addition to the GCM family will only serve to strengthen the re-search offerings that we bring to the industry every month. And if she adds another techni-cal safety net for a certain editor who may or may not be pictured on this page, well, then all the better.

Scott Hollister is GCM s editor-in-chief.

Scott Hollister

[email protected]

twitter: @GCM_Magazine

The research says

As my high school

math and science

teachers could

certainly tell you,

there is a good

reason why I

gravitated toward

the written word

and away from

formulas, equations

and the scientifc

method.

(inside gcm)

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penetrates the leaf tissue fast to stop and prevent diseases. The end result is a greater

number of stronger, longer roots and a healthier course overall.

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Photos courtesy of John Deere Golf

In multiple ways, the golf course that once participated in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

rotation no longer exists.

No, Poppy Hills never left. You could say, though, that it is back.

The restored and renovated version of Poppy Hills Golf Course on the Monterey Peninsula showcased

its new look April 4, laced with features that could make it better than ever. The grand reopening of the

public course that day was the culmination of 13 months of work to create several notable changes by

original and redesign architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. Perhaps the most important was substantially re-

ducing its irrigation needs in a state that is severely water-challenged.

The golf course is in great shape, says Matt Muhlenbruch, a 13-year GCSAA member who was

brought in last year to be the grow-in superintendent, helping current superintendent Manny Sousa over-

see the project. To be part of this has been a great opportunity.

Infrastructure changes at Poppy Hills, which was established in 1986, include substantial drainage

improvements, most notably a 5-inch sand cap over the property. In addition, a state-of-the-art Toro ir-

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This is the before look at Poppy Hills, which showcased its new look last month.

rigation system was installed at Poppy Hills, where the total

of irrigated turf has been reduced by nearly 25 percent.

The state of California, facing historic drought condi-

tions for several months now, can look to Poppy Hills as

a facility that is doing its part to battle the issue. The golf

courses that are neighbors of Poppy Hills, such as famed

Pebble Beach Golf Links, deserve just as much credit for

aiding the cause.

It took a team effort to make the April reopening pos-

sible: When Poppy Hills delayed seeding all 18 holes from

May to July of last year, the other golf courses in the area

decided to voluntarily reduce their water consumption to

help Poppy Hills. It gave the renovation a major boost.

For these golf courses to help out, some of which are

among the most highly regarded in the world, is remark-

able, Muhlenbruch says. What they did is a great exam-

ple of a community coming together to help a neighbor.

Every gallon of water we use is used properly.

Could Poppy Hills, owned by the Northern California

Golf Association, be Pinehurst West? Kind of. Natural,

sandy waste areas have been uncovered and introduced

into Poppy Hills, where John Deere excavators, dozers

and dump trucks were regulars at the construction site.

Now there is no rough and one height of cut for tees and

fairways (a ryegrass/fne fescue mix) and another for

greens (a blend of 007 creeping bentgrass and Tyee bent-

grass). The greens have been completely redesigned and

doglegs have been softened to blend into modest eleva-

tion changes.

Poppy Hills, part of the AT&T Pebble Beach rotation

from 1991 through 2009 (some of the pros sharply criti-

cized the course for drainage problems, insuffcient greens

and an overabundance of doglegs), was a par-72 in those

days. Today its a par-71 and plays 7,002 yards from the

tips. The new looks include No. 12, previously a dogleg

right par-5 that is now a straightaway par-4. The area

along the right side of No. 5 was transformed into more

natural sand area with tall native fescues. The par-3 11th

was completely rebuilt, creating a short and precise test.

Muhlenbruch, who turned 34 in April, came to Poppy

Hills from The Olympic Club, where he learned from

GCSAA Past President (2013) Patrick R. Finlen, CGCS. He

says his time at The Olympic Club was excellent prepa-

ration for what has played out at Poppy Hills, which will

be back in the tournament business this year when the

Champions Tour comes in late September in the form of

the Nature Valley First Tee Open.

At The Olympic Club, the amount of activity and in-

house projects were numerous, Muhlenbruch says. We

rebuilt both golf courses and hosted a U.S. Open. I was

well prepared for a challenge of this scale.

Sousa, a 27-year GCSAA member, plans to retire in

2015, leaving the reins to Muhlenbruch, who says work-

ing with Finlen, and now Sousa, is priceless as he and

Poppy Hills launch new eras.

Manny has always been a progressive superinten-

dent who seeks the latest and greatest, Muhlenbruch

says. Hes very open-minded. I cant think of a better way

to come into a project than I did here.

Howard Richman, GCM associate editor

A new post for GCSAA president

GCSAA President Keith A. Ihms, CGCS, started his

new job last month.

Ihms, the 78th president in association history, began

his new job as the golf course maintenance manager at

Bella Vista (Ark.) Village. The new position comes on the

heels of Ihms departure in early March from the country

club of Little Rock, Ark., where he had been director of

grounds maintenance since 2005.

I am happy quite a bit, Ihms says. It will be

a challenge.

Bella Vista is a recreational community/retirement

destination located in northwest Arkansas. It features six

18-hole courses and two nine-hole layouts. Ihms has su-

perintendents working under him at each course.

Im the go-between coordinator, get our guys what *Turfgrass Producers International** Source: ScienTurfc Sod Gardenguides.com Source: King Ranch Turfgrass

stem height tall fescue plant is capable of producing

48

total percentage of water in grass clippings*

90%

X5050Square feet of healthy turfgrass

needed to produce enough oxygen to support a family of four **

13,000 Acres of turfgrass being farmed in the U.S.

Inches

miles of roots per square foot of turfgrass*

329,000


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they need, help solve problems, Ihms says.

Bella Vista Village Property Owners Association pres-

ident/general manager Tommy Bailey says more than 60

people applied for the position that Ihms landed. Bella Vista

has long-range plans (recent updates include a new irriga-

tion system for one of the courses), and Ihms experiences,

including awareness of the latest trends in golf course man-

agement, served him well in seeking the position.

We just felt hed be really good for our membership,

Bailey says. He knows what hes talking about. Hes been

very active in your organization (GCSAA). We thought that

would be a real big plus for us.

Bailey says approximately 180,000 rounds of golf

were played in 2013 at Bella Vista.

Looking back on some true golf course hazards

Seventy-four years ago, one golf course in Great Brit-

ain had no intention of letting the Nazis halt play.

St. Mellons Golf and Country Club remained opened

during World War IIs famed Battle of Britain, during which

Germany bombed the region almost constantly. Instead of

suspending golf, though, St. Mellons established several

temporary rules in time of war, according to an excerpt

from the book Golf Anecdotes From the Links of Scot-

land to Tiger Woods by Robert Sommers.

Those temporary rules included:

Players are asked to collect bomb and shrapnel splin-

ters to save these causing damage to the mowing ma-

chines.

In competitions, during gunfre or while bombs are fall-

ing, players may take cover without penalty for ceas-

ing play.

The positions of known delayed action bombs are

marked by red fags at a reasonably but not guaranteed

safe distance therefrom.

Shrapnel and/or bomb splinters on the fairways or in

bunkers within a clubs length of a ball may be moved

without penalty and no penalty shall be incurred if a ball

is thereby caused to move accidentally.

A ball moved by enemy action may be replaced or, if

lost or destroyed, a ball may be dropped not nearer the

hole without penalty.

A ball lying in a crater may be lifted and dropped not

nearer the hole, preserving the line to the hole, with-

out penalty.

A player whose stroke is affected by the simultane-

ous explosion of a bomb may play another ball from the

same place. One penalty stroke.

A year ago, an unexploded bomb thought to be from

World War II was discovered in the United Kingdom on the

driving range at Gowerton in Wales.

Torrey Pines lands 2021 U.S. Open

Torrey Pines, site of the last major championship tri-

umph for Tiger Woods, will be host to another major in

seven years.

The USGA announced Torrey Pines, located in San

Diego, will be the site of the U.S. Open in 2021. The dates

are June 17-20. Paul Cushing, a 24-year GCSAA member,

oversees maintenance at Torrey Pines as the citys Class

A director of golf course maintenance operations, with 10-

year GCSAA member Blake Meentemeyer in charge of the

South Course, which is where Woods beat Rocco Mediate

in a playoff for the U.S. Open title in 2008.

I was excited to hear that the U.S. Open was returning

to Torrey Pines, Woods says. I think its great, when the

USGA can, to play the U.S. Open at a public course.

McCurdy receives Musser Award

James D. McCurdy, Ph.D., assistant professor and

turfgrass Extension specialist at Mississippi State Univer-

sity, received the 2014 Award of Excellence by the Musser

International Turfgrass Foundation.

The award is given to outstanding Ph.D. candidates

who, in the fnal phase of their graduate studies, demon-

strate overall excellence throughout their doctoral program

in turfgrass research.

McCurdy received his bachelor of science degree in

plant and soil science (specializing in turfgrass and golf

course management) from the University of Tennes-

see-Martin. He went on to earn his masters degree at the

University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He received his Ph.D.

from Auburn University, where McCurdy worked with Scott

McElroy, Ph.D., and wrote his dissertation on The Effects

and Sustainability of Legume Inclusion within Warm-Sea-

son Turf Swards.

It is indeed an honor to be selected for such a pres-

tigious award, McCurdy says. I hope to be able to make 411

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Bosco voted top dog in 2014 calendar contest

Bosco, a purebred chocolate Labrador retriever, and

his owner, David Kohley, the GCSAA Class A superintendent

at Silver Lake Country Club in Orland Park, Ill., took home

the top honors in voting for the top dog in the 2014 Dog

Days of Golf Calendar contest, presented by GCSAA and

LebanonTurf.

Bosco was among 14 dogs featured in the calendar,

appearing in December 2013. The win earned Kohley

a $500 prize, while another $500 was donated to

his local Humane Society. Additionally, Kohleys affli-

ated GCSAA chapter, the Midwest Association of GCS,

received $3,000.

Submissions for the 2015 dog calendar began May 1.

Sharp Park overcomes another hurdle

The ongoing battle between Sharp Park Golf Course

and environmentalists recently reached another key mo-

ment, with the golf course prevailing in the latest encounter.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved

construction enhancements that were being opposed by

environmentalists who have sought to close the golf course

for several years.

They objected to construction of a proposed pond for

frog breeding and native plant restoration area, moving a

golf car path from a wetland and dredging invasive reeds

and sediment from an existing stream. As they have in the

past, they argued that the construction and other facets

of ongoing golf course improvements and maintenance

threaten California red-legged frogs and San Francisco

garter snakes.

The citys recreation and park commission and then

its planning commission, though, approved the construc-

an impact on the turfgrass industry at the level of many

previous award winners.

McCurdy says he will be working diligently with his

students at Mississippi State to prepare them for careers

in turfgrass management while he continues to conduct

applied and basic research.

The criteria for selecting award recipients include

graduate work, academic record, dissertation, publica-

tions, leadership and extracurricular activities. To date,

awards have been granted to doctoral students from

universities including Arizona, Auburn, Cornell, Georgia,

Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina State,

Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Michigan State, Rutgers,

Tennessee and Texas A&M.

NGF: Company course management growing

The number of golf courses under the direction of

management companies continues to grow, according to

the National Golf Foundation (NGF).

The total of U.S. facilities under third-party manage-

ment increased from 1,472 in 2001 to more than 2,245

in 2013, which is an increase of 53 percent. Half of the

growth has happened since 2008.

Approximately 230 management companies oversee

the courses. Only two Club Corp and Billy Casper Golf

operate more than 100 apiece in the U.S.

I expect the increase in the number of facilities under

management to continue, although choosing the right

option is key to the fnancial success of the facility, says

Richard Singer, NGF director of consulting. Manage-

ment companies have shown their worth, especially in the

public sector.

tion plans at Sharp Park, located in Pacifca, Calif. The

course, built by famed architect Alister MacKenzie, opened

in 1932.

But like so many chapters in this saga, the battle may

not be over. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that

Wild Equity Institute, an environmentalist group, has re-

quested a full environmental impact report on the project

and planned to fle a lawsuit objecting to the citys deci-

sion. Despite that looming hurdle, Richard Harris, co-

founder of San Francisco Public Golf Alliance, was thrilled

by the most recent decision.

This is a win for common-sense environmentalism,

golf, the local community and for ordinary citizens who love

to use their parks, Harris said.

GCSAA member part of new golf task force

PGA of America President Ted Bishop a former golf

course superintendent and current GCSAA member is

part of a movement to develop and evaluate innovative

concepts to drive golf participation.

PGA Task Force, spearheaded by the PGA of America,

is seeking ways to grow the game through nontraditional

means. Besides Bishop, the 10-person task force includes

Dottie Pepper and Olympic ski standout Bode Miller.

There is nothing that I have been part of to date that is

more important and has greater opportunity, Bishop says.

The golf experience needs to be redefned. For many

people, the traditional 18-hole round simply doesnt work.

With the industry at a critical juncture of growth, it is our

responsibility to consider any and all potential alternatives

to enhance the consumers enjoyment of the game.

Bishop certainly has jumped into the cause. Earlier

this year, he was announced as a member of HackGolf

(www.hackgolf.org), which is a movement led by Taylor-

Made and the PGA of America to make the game more fun.

PGA Task Force has long-term aspirations but is trying to

develop concepts that can be quickly achieved and imple-

mented by PGA professionals and the industry.

Other PGA Task Force members include PGA of Amer-

ica CEO Pete Bevacqua; Mark King, CEO, TaylorMade-Adi-

das Golf; former NFL player Melvin Bullitt; Damon Hack,

co-host of Golf Channels Morning Drive; Golf Digest

editor Ashley Mayo; Arlen Kantarian, former CEO of the

United States Tennis Association; and Tom Dundon, part

owner of Top Golf.

World Golf Hall of Fame makes voting changes

Changes in the process of electing inductees into

the World Golf Hall of Fame include how often enshrine-

ment occurs.

The Hall of Fame announced in late March that there

will no longer be an annual ceremony; instead, enshrine-

ment will occur every two years beginning in 2015. An-

other key change is that a 16-person commission is being

formed, replacing a voter panel that previously exceeded

100. The commission will choose a maximum of fve in-

ductees from a list of candidates created by a 20-person

selection subcommittee, which will oversee the qualifca-

Bosco, winner of the 2014 Dog Days of Golf Calendar contest.

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Vehicle damages Texas

golf course

Lake Arlington Golf Course in Arlington, Texas,

is not very far from the annual NASCAR event in

Fort Worth. Recently, someone clearly mistook

the golf course for the nearby race track and spun

donuts on the golf courses, in much the same way a

NASCAR driver might after a big victory on the track.

Unfortunately, this instance was no act of triumph,

as this story in the Arlington Voice explains. Gary

Archer, a 16-year GCSAA member, is superintendent

at Lake Arlington. www.arlingtonvoice.com/story/

news/02/18/2014/arlington-golf-course-vandal

ized-donuts

Oregon golf club celebrates

100 years

Ben Hogan played there. Long before that, when

Portland Golf Club opened, initiation fees were $10.

Read more about the centennial celebration in The

Oregonian. www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/index.

ssf/2014/03/portland_golf_club_celebrates.html

Feeding frenzy

Squirrels, have created quite an issue at a

nine-hole executive course in Fairfax, Va., becom-

ing bolder and more aggressive in their quest to

grab a few snacks from golfers on the course, the

Washington Post reports. www.washingtonpost.

com/local/emboldened-by-free-snacks-hungry-

squirrels-terrorized-a-falls-church-golf-course-for-

years/2014/04/06/58b1bc38-b8ea-11e3-

899e-bb708e3539dd_story.html

Reynolds Plantation course

renovated

The National, one of six golf courses at Reynolds

Plantation in Georgia, reopened following extensive

renovations, says Golf Course Architecture. The

changes include the removal of 10 bunkers. www.

golfcoursearchitecture.net/Article/The-Nation

al-at-Reynolds-Plantation-reopens-following-

extensive-renovation/3085/Default.aspx#.

U0LSylw2_wI

Tweets

RETWEETS

In the

NEWS

tion and vetting processes. The selection commission co-

chairs are Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Annika Sorenstam

and Nancy Lopez all hall-of-famers in their own right.

Candidates for election come from four categories:

male competitors, female competitors, veterans (careers

primarily completed before 1975) and lifetime achieve-

ment (contributions to golf outside competition, which

could include superintendents). The international portion

of the ballot was eliminated. Candidates must receive at

least 75 percent of the votes (12 or more out of 16 from

the commission) to gain induction. That means it should be

more diffcult to be elected, based on the previous criteria

in which a candidate needed at least 65 percent.

In the competitor category, a male needs 15 victories

in International Federation of PGA Tours events or wins in

two major championships or The Players Championship.

Females need 15 wins on tours that receive Rolex Rank-

ings points or two victories in LPGA majors.

Alabama college tackles lightning issue

The University of Alabama-Huntsville is developing a

tool to reduce the risk of being struck by lightning.

The university is combining data from weather satel-

lites with Doppler radar and numerical models in a sys-

tem that is designed to warn which specifc pop-up storm

clouds may produce lightning and when the lightning strike

threat is likely to begin and end. The research is being sup-

ported by a two-year research grant from NASA.

One of our major goals is to increase the lead time

that forecasters have for predicting which clouds are most

likely to produce lightning and when lightning will start,

says Alabama-Huntsvilles John Mecikalski, Ph.D., an

associate professor of atmospheric science. If we can

combine data from satellites, radar and models into a

single lightning forecast system, we can give the National

Weather Service and other meteorologists a new tool to

support forecasts.

During the systems early development, the Ala-

bama-Huntsville team is using data from storms in Florida

and northern Alabama to test how best to combine three

sets of operational data into a real-time prediction system.

Golf Industry Show makes the list

Trade Show Network News revealed its list of the top

250 trade shows in 2013 and the Golf Industry Show

ranked No. 129. The group ranked trade shows that were

held in the U.S. last year by net square footage. The Golf

Industry Show was held in San Diego, with a net square

footage of 173,000. The convention city that hosted the

most of top-250 shows was Las Vegas, followed by Chi-

cago and Orlando.

Dan Grogan@purdueturfyNew bunker raking style is starting to look sharp. No more pulling edges, raking bottoms only. #TGIF pic.twitter.com/xoJ9Z9xezQ

Karl Danneberger@GlobalTurfPam and Daves bermudagrass prac-tice tee study being established. Using Latitude 36, Northbridge, Patriot, & Riviera pic.twitter.com/KqnqyQPmyg

Bayer Golf@BayerGolfTip from our #CoolSeasonGuide its still early for brown patch, but heres info to get ready for it this summer http://ow.ly/vDHiP

Jason Haines@PenderSuperThe conditions at Augusta impress me less every year thanks to everyone sharing beauty pics of their courses on twitter. #perspective

Bill Corcoran@BCorcoran7Not getting a full plug pull? Try the extended taper tine! http://twitpic.com/e0vpz6

Adam Garr@Superin10dent This green was uncovered all winter. Snow and ice removed. Looking great today after @HarrellsLLC spray!! pic.twitter.com/Oqi2PSxD0m

Thomas Bastis@CalsuperRecently learned how to install syn-thetic turf and found a great use for the remnants. No pitted rollers! pic.twitter.com/odBFyrHW6L

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Turfgrass area:Putting green

Location:The Woodlands, Texas

Grass variety:TifEagle bermudagrass

(a)

Strip of brown turf

Turfgrass area:Edge of fairways

Location:Bremen, Ind.

Grass variety:Bentgrass/bluegrass mix

(b)

PROBLEM

Presented in partnership with Jacobsen

Brown lines partially circling cup

Answers on page 100

(photo quiz)

PROBLEM

By John MascaroPresident of Turf-Tec International

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030-031_May14_PhotoQ.indd 31 4/16/14 2:42 PM


Turfgrass testingSelecting the correct species and ultimately

the appropriate cultivar for each part of the golf course is challenging, but the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) is here to help. NTEP undertakes extensive testing of 17 species of turfgrass cultivars over a large geographical area that includes 40 states in the United States and six provinces in Canada. Ac-cording to the programs website (www.ntep.org), the test results can be used to determine if a cultivar is well adapted to a local area or level of turf maintenance.

NTEP recently released a preliminary re-port of its 2013 trial data for cool-season grasses (www.ntep.org/reports/preliminary/2013/preliminary13.htm). The data include bent-grass fairway/tee trials and putting green tri-als as well as information on fne-leaf fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and tall fescue cultivars. This report also includes in-formation on 11 of the 17 cultivars included in the 2014 Seed Update published in this issue of GCM (see Page 54). A fve-year data summary for the recently completed fne-leaf fescue and bentgrass trials (established in 2008) will be available on the website later this summer.

New fne-leaf fescue and bentgrass trials will be starting in fall 2014, with 21 trial lo-cations for fne-leaf fescue and 19 locations each for bentgrass fairway/tee and bentgrass putting green trials. As part of the planning for these trials, surveys were sent to a wide au-dience, including golf course superintendents and others in the industry. After considering

the survey results, the NTEP Policy Commit-tee recently approved some additions, includ-ing ancillary trials, to the fne-leaf fescue and bentgrass trials.

All three of the trials that will begin in fall 2014 will include testing for traffc tolerance, and the two bentgrass tests will include re-duced irrigation (60-70 percent ETo) on golf course sites. In addition, all sites in the standard trials for the bentgrass fairway/tee test will be encouraged to allow some drought stress, and divot recovery and low temperature/winter tol-erance will also be examined. The fne-leaf fes-cue test will include trials for shade tolerance, no mowing once per season, and no traffc and summer survival under low mowing stress at fairway mowing height.

Warm-season grasses are also on the agenda. Bermudagrass and zoysiagrass tri-als were planted in 2013, as was a three-species putting green trial that is being carried out in cooperation with the USGA and a generous donation of winter turf covers from Xton Inc. Eighty vegetative entries and 18 seeded ber-mudagrasses are included in the three trials. The bermudagrass test includes a total of nine ancillary trials investigating drought toler-ance, nematodes, winterkill, spring dead spot, traffc and divot recovery. The eight ancillary trials for the zoysiagrass include large patch and drought, shade and traffc tolerance.

The warm-season putting green trial takes place in 11 locations in the South, Southwest and the transition zone, with the northernmost site in Bloomington, Ind. The greens in the

Kevin Morris

[email protected]

study must be built to USGA specifcations or very close to them. The trial includes 15 ber-mudagrasses, 11 zoysiagrasses and two seashore paspalum cultivars.

The goal of the putting green trial is to use maintenance practices like those for Tifdwarf, using a higher mowing height and reduced in-puts to produce a Stimpmeter measurement of 9-10 feet throughout the growing season. The recommendations for Tifdwarf man-agement include a mowing height of 0.140-0.165 inch and less fertilizer, topdressing and verticutting than is generally used for ul-tradwarf bermudagrasses. However, NTEP expects management parameters to be altered over the length of the trial.

The winter of 2013-2014 was espe-cially harsh, and some winterkill and other winter damage is expected in the warm-season turfgrass trials that were established in 2013. At press time, the damage to the warm-season trials is not known, but NTEP has planted trays of the cultivars being used in the trials and is prepared to repair or replace damaged turf as needed. Updates on winter injury in the warm-season trials will be available on the NTEP website.

T e information in t is column was taken from NTEPs spring 2014 newsletter.

Kevin Morris is the executive director of the National Turf-

grass Evaluation Program in Beltsville, Md.

At the USGA/NTEP warm-season putting green trial site at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, Fla., the plots will be allowed to grow together and will be maintained as a putting green with higher heights than ultradwarf bermudas. Photo by Kevin Morris

Presented in Partnership with Barenbrug

(turf)

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032-033_May14_Turf.indd 33 4/16/14 2:43 PM


Last months column covered two of the seven major factors involved in fnding a proper new-era small engine to replace a worn out old-technology engine: chassis impact and power rating.

Once youve decided what power to get in a replacement small engine, there are sev-eral physical dimension issues that have to be resolved.

Envelope. Start by measuring your old en-gine. Save time and headaches by using a met-ric ruler. A typical new engine dimension envelope is published as length width height; for example, 12.481 inches (317 mm) 16.4174 inches (417 mm) 15.9845 inches (406 mm).

Unless your brain has superior mathemat-ical powers, stick with metrics. Be sure to add some extra air space around the envelope for clearance and access to service points.

Remove the shroud to expose the center of the crankshaft this is the starting point for the most critical envelope dimensions. Get an idea of what dimensions youll need by vis-iting www.smallenginesuppliers.com. Youll fnd oodles of engine drawings for seven dif-ferent engine brands.

While dimensions are often a chal-lenge with horizontal-crank one-cylin-der engines, theres usually less hassle with vertical-crank engines. The new verticals are usually a little longer from crank center to top the OHV pieces naturally make the cylinder head taller. Since machine designers left room to get at the fatheads top-mounted spark plug, theres usually room to spare. Youll fnd that verticals offer some variety in the placement of the exhaust and intake sys-tems, making it much easier to fnd a replace-ment. Rerouting of control cables is often the only vertical-shaft challenge.

Cranks aft matc . The crankshaft length, diameter and shape is the dimension that poses the greatest challenge. When youre lucky, the crank is just a standard round shaft with a keyway. The diameter starts at 5/8 inch for the smallest engines, then rises to 1 inch. You can usually fnd adapters to increase crank diam-eter on eBay or from a large industrial or elec-tric-motor supply house. Our failing 5-hp Briggs has a 1-inch crank, thicker than the

(shop)Scott R. [email protected]

standard -inch for that size of engine. We found the adapter we needed. It came with a stepped key that would ft the 3 16-inch crankshaft keyway as well as the inch re-quired by the rotor on our chipper-shredder. Also shown is a -to-1-inch adapter for an-other project.

If your crank is not standard and/or straight, start with the parts list for your specifc model of engine. Use the type num-ber to fnd the crankshaft part number. Use your local small-engine merchant or the www.smallenginesuppliers.com site to locate your engines crankshaft drawings. Chances are the crankshaft itself will be obso-lete. But if theres joy in the world, you can fnd a new engine with a crank that matches ex-actly. You have very little wiggle room, espe-cially for tapered crankshafts used in electri-cal generators.

Mounting mat Once you have located a candidate with the right crankshaft, zoom back to your dimension drawings and verify that it has the proper mounting points through-holes in the base or tapped mount-ing holes in the crank-face of the engine. Our replacement engine had only four holes in each location, and they match the old pattern. Many replacement engines will have 8, 10 or 12 bolt patterns in the crank-face. There are often more holes on the sides to mount electric starters and other accessories.

Service access and repair parts. The engine in the photo has oil drain and fll on two sides, came with a long-tube wrench to get at the spark plug and has a simple sponge air flter. Routine service should be easy.

But parts are an open question. The maker is Chongquing Rato Power Manufactur-ing Corp. of China. The engine cost less than $110, including freight. The crank adapter cost $20. Can that engine really do the job? What if it needs a carburetor kit? At the end of this series, well report on our experience. Until then, well take a look at why and how small engines have changed so much in the last decade.

Scott R. Nesbitt is a freelance writer and former GCSAA

staff member. He lives in Cleveland, Ga.

Replacing orphan engines: Part II

Top: Measure your old and new engines with a metric ruler and save the headaches of

converting inch measurements into decimals and back to fractions.

Bottom: An adapter increasing the crank-shaft diameter to 1 inch requires a specially

machined step key with two dimensions. Photos by Scott Nesbitt

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On May 21, several members of the GCSAA Board of Directors and the members of the associations Government Relations Committee will converge on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., for the 2014 National Golf Day. National Golf Day is organized by the We Are Golf coalition, which was formed by GCSAA, the Club Managers Association of America, the PGA of America and the Na-tional Golf Course Owners Association.

Zach Bauer attended National Golf Day last year, which was his frst year on the Gov-ernment Relations Committee, and he is en-thusiastic about describing his experience as a frst-timer. National Golf Day was an eye-opening and incredible opportunity, he says. To see so many professionals from the golf industry come together for the common good of the game was inspiring. The atmo-sphere at National Golf Day was that of high energy, camaraderie and purpose.

Bauer, who is the superintendent at Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs, Colo., and a 14-year member of GCSAA, was also surprised by the large scale of the event and the participation of the associa-tion within the event. I was pleased to see GCSAAs presence everywhere, he says.

Travis Moore joined the Government Re-lations Committee in 2012 and made his frst trip to Washington that year. The GCSAA Class A superintendent at Ridgewood Coun-try Club in Waco, Texas, Moore describes his frst National Golf Day as eye-opening and impressive. It was a very fast-paced cou-ple of days, and it was certainly educational to get a frsthand look at the inner workings of our government.

When asked about the importance of Na-tional Golf Day, Moore says, National Golf Day is important, because it lets GCSAA and our allied organizations spread the good word about golf. Golf has a good story to tell, and our elected offcials need to hear that story as often as possible.

Both Moore and Bauer agree that having a presence in Washington during National Golf Day is important. Golf will always be a target in the political arena. The priority issues that we are concerned with today will be different tomorrow. If GCSAA does not

support and maintain an active voice in DC, then we, along with the rest of the golf in-dustry, will be left behind, says Moore, who then repeats the words of former Govern-ment Relations Committee chairman Rafael Barajas, CGCS: If youre not at the table, youre on the menu.

While National Golf Day is not open to the full membership of GCSAA, there are plenty of ways to be involved with GCSAAs advocacy efforts on that day. Tweet messages to members of Congress using the hashtag #NGD14 and that will support the conver-sations happening on Capitol Hill. Email or call your congressional offce to let your representatives know it is National Golf Day. Explain to them the numerous benefts of golf to their congressional district. You can identify your representatives and fnd Na-tional Golf Day talking points in the new Government Relations section of gcsaa.org.

The 2014 National Golf Day promises to be as exciting as those in previous years. GCSAA staff, board and Government Rela-tions Committee members will be carrying forward the associations advocacy efforts. The committee will hold its regular meeting the day before National Golf Day and plans to spend time talking about the many new government relations offerings coming to GCSAA members in 2014 and ways to en-hance GCSAAs government relations efforts into the year 2020.

Kaelyn Seymour is GCSAAs government relations specialist.

Supers spend day in D.C.

(Advocacy)Kaelyn [email protected]

twitter: @GCSAA

The atmosphere

at National Golf

Day was that

of high energy,

camaraderie and

purpose.

Zach Bauer

Members of GCSAA and other associations related to golf made a strong showing at the 2013 National Golf Day.

GCM fle photo

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Party like a green star

Suppose you threw a party and 500,000 people showed up?

Thats what happens every winter when Jeff Plotts, the GCSAA Class A director of golf course operations at TPC Scottsdale (Ariz.) gets ready for the PGA Tours Waste Man-agement Phoenix Open (WMPO). It is of-fcially the best-attended golf tournament in the world; in fact, says Plotts, the only outdoor spectator event that is larger is the Olympics. That makes the achievement in both 2013 and 2014 of diverting 100 percent of all waste generated during the event at TPC Scotts-dale to recycling, composting or energy even more outstanding. For its efforts, the WMPO has won the Top Project Award from the envi-ronmental and energy management news jour-nal Environmental Leader.

This project demonstrates what can be achieved when you intentionally apply design to achieve sustainability goals, the journals project awards judge states. The entire event, from conceptualization to execution on a large scale, was a big success.

According to Houston-based environ-mental services provider Waste Management, the tournaments title sponsor since 2010, and Thunderbirds Charities, which organizes the event to beneft needy children and families in the Phoenix area, the 100 percent diversion rate was attained by sending 86 percent of ma-

terials to composting/recycling facilities and 14 percent of materials converted to waste-to-en-ergy. Energy management goals for the tourna-ment were met via a commitment to renewable energy (wind, solar, biomass), use of innovative tactics (gray water from concession kitchens reused in portable toilets to save water), solar arrays (powered the hospitality tent on No. 18) and transportation vehicles (63 percent of vehi-cles operated on alternative fuels).

Plotts, who has been a GCSAA member for 20 years, says that planning for the 2015 edition of the tournament began while 2014 WMPO champ Kevin Stadler was teeing off for the fnal round. The 36-hole facili-tys 65 full-time staff members participate in think tanks that try to anticipate every con-ceivable need from the type of recyclable scrim used to wrap the temporary structures to reusable beer mugs. And when the last golf fan leaves, the task of dismantling The Green-est Show on Grass with a goal of diverting 100 percent of the waste is just as daunting.

Everything you can think of has to be sorted, Plotts says. Until you do this, you have no idea what a feat it is.

Waste Management reports that, in addi-tion to demonstrating environmental steward-ship, the WMPOs total economic impact in 2013 was $231.7 million, including over $6 million in 2013 charitable donations. That was the year the event set a PGA Tour single-day

Bunny [email protected]: @GCM_Magazine

attendance record with 179,022 fans on Satur-day, Feb. 2. This year, the WMPO set a tourna-ment week attendance record of 563,008 fans, whose cheers and jeers fll the temporary am-phitheater that is constructed every year on the Stadium Courses 16th hole.

Its just that big, says Plotts. For at least six months out of the year, we deal with this event. Its pretty remarkable what were capable of accomplishing all for something that lasts for just one week.

Bunny Smith is GCM s senior managing editor.

The Waste Management logo on No. 18 at TPC Scottsdale is composed of 140,000 used golf balls.Photo courtesy of WMPO

Its pretty

remarkable what

were capable of

accomplishing

all for something

that lasts for just

one week.

Jeff Plotts

Presented in Partnership with Aquatrols

(environment)

038-039_May14_Envirn.indd 38 4/17/14 9:09 AM

www.aquatrols.com

High concentrations of salt in your soil disrupts osmosis, ef ectively sucking needed water

away from turf roots. This leads to rapid wilting, reduced shoot growth and leaf tip burn.

Aquaplex Amino sprayable osmotic regulator works within the plant to balance osmotic

potential, improving water and nutrient uptake and minimizing the impact of stress

caused by high EC.

Fight back against those evil little suckers.

038-039_May14_Envirn.indd 39 4/16/14 2:45 PM


Upon learning which candidate was hired for a job opening, we often discover that the selection committee agreed all fnalists were well-qualifed, but in the end they chose the candidate that best ft their particular golf club or facility. Sometimes they even refer to going with their gut instinct. What does this really mean? What can you do to address this reality? One powerful strategy is to answer w .

Answering the why questions can be the key to standing out beyond the facts and fg-ures to be the candidate their gut tells them is the best choice. Why do you want this partic-ular job? Why should we hire you? You must be able to articulate well-thought-out answers to these and several other why questions if you want to advance your career in the golf and turf industry. Some why questions will be asked in an interview setting, but most will never be asked, even though they exist in the minds of hiring committee members.

Start by offering answers to why ques-tions in all phases of conducting your job search. For example, in your cover letter, con-vey why you want to work at that particular facility. Every golf course member and golfer thinks their facility is special you need to express why you think it is too. If you are seek-ing a job in a different region of the country, offer a brief explanation of why you want to live in that location so the reader isnt wonder-ing why you want to move there.

My experience with GCSAA members is that you are passionate about what you do; you are professionals in business, fnance and staff leadership all this without being stuck in a cubicle. Right? Dont forget to convey that pas-sion and love for your profession to prospective employers. Why do you do what you do? Why do you want to be a superintendent? You can incorporate answers into your cover letter, r-sum and interview, both subtly and overtly.

Career portfolios are an excellent way to convey these points because you can expand beyond the traditional career documents. For example, most career portfolios contain a bio or career summary, which is an excellent venue to provide the reader with insight about how you got started in the industry and a glimpse into your work values and character.

During the interview, it is crucial that

you prepare and answer the why questions both verbalized and, more importantly, non-verbalized. Many times, as I am helping clients prepare for an upcoming interview, they will not have strong answers to questions such as, Why should we choose you? Why are you the best candidate to be trusted with the larg-est asset at our particular facility? You must articulate authentic, substantiated answers to these types of questions. Even if interviewers dont ask these specifc questions, incorporate these concepts into your answers to assure you are going beyond facts and fgures. Remember: All candidates interviewed are well-qualifed to take the reins or they wouldnt have been se-lected for the interview phase, so now it is all about that intangible gut instinct.

In the end, qualifcations, experience and education levels dont determine who is hired it is the candidate who connects with the decision-makers in a deeper, more meaning-ful way. Taking the time to thoughtfully con-sider w and implementing your answers into your career documents, communications and interview strategy will put you on a winning pathway to advance your career in the golf and turf industry.

Carol D. Rau, PHR is a career consultant with GCSAA and

is the owner of Career Advantage, a career consulting frm

in Lawrence, Kan., specializing in golf and turf industry

careers. GCSAA members receive complimentary rsum

critiques by Rau and her team, rsum and cover letter

creation for a reduced member rate, along with interview

preparation and portfolio consultation.

Do you know why?

In the end,

qualifcations,

experience and

education levels

dont determine

who is hired it is

the candidate who

connects with the

decision-makers

in a deeper, more

meaningful way.

(Career)Carol D. Rau, [email protected]

040-041_May14_Career.indd 40 4/16/14 2:45 PM

040-041_May14_Career.indd 41 4/16/14 2:45 PM


Is it the end of a beautiful friendship?For the past three decades or so, when-

ever the upscale city of Naples, Fla., needed somewhere for its treated wastewater to go so it wouldnt have to be dumped into Naples Bay, it called on its many golf courses to help. But a proposed set of new rates and fees for reclaimed water have the areas golf course su-perintendents rethinking the cost of cooper-ation.

The city council has already endorsed and is scheduled to vote later this month on a new plan to adjust all water rates to help pay for ex-panding its wastewater treatment system, and the price golf courses and other bulk users pay for irrigating with reclaimed water could rise by anywhere from 4 percent to 58 percent or more.

The cost for area golf courses depends on several factors, says the citys utilities depart-ment director, Bob Middleton. First, the rate for reclaimed water will shift from 41 cents per 1,000 gallons for all bulk users to 45 cents for users without storage lakes and 39 cents for users with storage. Second, the city will add a base charge for all customers that have a reclaimed water connection: $500 per month for a 6-inch meter or $800 per month for an 8-inch meter. Third, users located out-side the city limits will now pay a 25 percent surcharge for delivery of reclaimed water.

Middleton says the city adjusted all water rates, including rates for reclaimed water, to help fund a $9 million expansion of the sys-tem over the next three years to deliver treated wastewater for irrigation use by all property owners, conserve potable water and reduce discharge into the bay. The increased charges for bulk users of reclaimed water will cover only 27 percent of the actual capital costs

Bunny [email protected]

twitter: @GCM_Magazine

of construction, with the remainder coming from sewer fees, Middleton adds.

According to estimates by Burton & As-sociates, the consultants who prepared the new water rate study for the city, the price that Moorings Country Club pays for its re-claimed water could increase by nearly $500 per month, or 58 percent.

Thats a pretty hefty increase, says Dale Walters, CGCS, the superintendent at the 40-acre facility, who notes that higher water rates often force clubs to hike greens fees and cut budgets and staff.

For Bill Davidson, CGCS, at the Country Club of Naples, the news is worse: The club, which lies outside the city limits and doesnt store reclaimed water onsite, has two 6-inch reclaimed water meters. When the new water rates, meter base charges and surcharges are added up, the CC of Naples monthly bill climbs by 125 percent.

The city uses golf courses to store as much water as they can. Weve always said yes and taken the water which we pay for, of course, Davidson points out. Weve had a good, long-standing relationship, but it seems like we have to continually educate every new city council member that they need us as much as we need them.

Middleton says, We depend on the bulk customers because they do take a lot of water, particularly during the rainy season, when others cant. We want to give them a good

The cost of

water business

(water)

quality of water as much as they can take and at a good rate.

The superintendents say the quality of the reclaimed water was once an issue that cost their golf courses money to repair damage to turf when saltwater infltrated the pipelines. The city spent $4 million to repair the lines and improve quality, Middleton answers.

The rising cost of water for irrigation in Naples refects the rising cost of doing busi-ness at golf courses everywhere, but the super-intendents in the self-proclaimed Golf Cap-ital of the World dont think the new rate plan is fair.

We dont mind paying our fair share, but the cost to deliver me a gallon of water is nowhere near the same as delivering it to the average homeowner, Davidson says. We have to have water, but were a business, not a cash cow.

Bunny Smith is GCM s senior managing editor.

The wastewater treatment plant in Naples, Fla. Photo courtesy of www.naplesgov.com

042-045_May14_Water.indd 42 4/16/14 2:46 PM

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early four years ago, Imprelis

surfaced as a broadleaf weed

control option that some say was as

good as it gets. The product, though,

created serious, long-lasting issues

that still are being resolved.

Howard Richman

AfermathAfermath

046-053_May14_Imprelis.indd 46 4/17/14 9:26 AM

Phot

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When Imprelis was introduced, Hillcrest Country Club superintendent Joe Aholt never had seen anything like it for broadleaf weed control.

It was a miracle product, says Aholt, a 20-year member of GCSAA.It took just 2 ounces per acre of Imprelis to eradicate weeds at the Boise, Idaho, course, Aholt

says, and it performed admirably.You knew within a month the weed would be gone, Aholt says. You had to be patient

with it, but it worked. You could spray it in rain, cold, heat. It was the cleanest my course had been, ever.

Imprelis appeared to be a game-changer. Like Aholt, others applauded its effectiveness. Un-like some herbicides, where the smell lingers throughout the day, Imprelis was different: It was odorless.

Today, years after being removed from the market, Imprelis remains visible.Imprelis the herbicide, created by DuPont for professional use on golf courses, residential

areas and institutional lawns is no longer available for sale. It has been that way for quite a while.

DuPont voluntarily pulled Imprelis from the market in August 2011 before the Environmen-tal Protection Agency (EPA) issued a mandatory stop-sale order on Imprelis after being alerted of numerous reports from golf courses to nurseries that the product was suspected of injuring and, in some cases, killing trees. Norway spruce, white pines and honey locust proved to be among the species of trees that were susceptible.

In October 2013, a settlement was reached in a class-action lawsuit against E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (DuPont) over Imprelis. More than three-dozen class-action lawsuits originally were fled in multiple federal courts throughout the U.S. Ultimately, the class-action lawsuits were consolidated and transferred into one case and entered into the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

In some instances, golf courses settled their claims directly with DuPont. Three classes were established in the settlement. Class 1 included property owners who own or owned property in the U.S.; Class 2 was applicators (lawn care professionals); and Class 3 included golf courses and other Imprelis self-applicators. They were eligible to be part of the claim if they used Imprelis be-tween Aug. 31, 2010, and Aug. 21, 2011, as long as they submitted or accepted a claim through the manufacturers Imprelis Claims Resolution Process.

New York and California were not included because Imprelis was not approved for use in those states.

Approximately 38,000 claims have been submitted through the Imprelis Claims Resolution Process, DuPont spokesman Gregg Schmidt told GCM in March. DuPont estimates there will be $1.175 billion in total charges to compensate customers, according to Schmidt.

States that participated in the class-action lawsuit were Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Kan-sas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Settlements vary in scope and payouts, according to published reports. Two examples: e Owatonna Peoples Press in Owatonna, Minn., reported that the city received a check last year from DuPont for $1.85 million for damage to trees at Brooktree Golf Course. Lake County For-est Preserve District in Illinois received nearly $836,000 from DuPont for damages, according to the C icago Tribune.

We are pleased with the progress we have made in resolving claims for damage, Schmidt says via email. To date, we have made offers of resolution to approximately 90 percent of claimants.

GCM attempted to speak with several superintendents and others in the industry for this story. Some, because of claims that have not yet been processed, declined, a sure signal that Imprelis has not completely vanished from the radar.

Whats in a name?For years, DuPont was committed to superintendents through its work with major universities

for turf feld research. DuPont regularly disseminated its research through sales representatives, associations, distributors, webcasts and one-on-one meetings.

For example, in 2010 DuPont updated its Weevil Trak website, which offered superintendents more features to help control annual bluegrass weevil.

Also that year, the EPA conditionally registered aminocyclopyrachlor. That is the active ingre-dient in Imprelis. According to the EPA website, the studies originally submitted were adequate to make a statutory fnding for registration.

The EPA determined aminocyclopyrachlor was a selective, low-toxicity herbicide that pro-

Imprelis appeared

to be a game-

changer. Unlike

some herbicides,

where the smell

lingers throughout

the day, Imprelis

was different: It

was odorless.


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vides pre- and post-emergent control of broad-leaf weeds, woody species, vines and grasses on several non-food use sites, such as rights of way, wildlife management areas, recreational areas, turf/lawns, golf courses and sod farms.

The EPA also stated that DuPont con-ducted roughly 400 effcacy and phytotoxicity feld trials and that they (DuPont) reported to EPA that they did not observe adverse ef-fects to trees. Imprelis posed minimal risks to people and pets.

Before Imprelis was made available, Scott McElroy, Ph.D., an associate professor of turf-grass and weed science at Auburn University, participated in research trials of aminocyclopy-rachlor about eight years ago when he was an assistant professor of plant sciences at the Uni-versity of Tennessee. He says its broadleaf con-trol in tall fescue was outstanding.

Its still probably the best broadleaf control herbicide I ever worked with, McElroy says. Dont get me wrong. We still have some great herbicides. But for a single active ingredient at low rates and with the ability to control a wide spectrum, specifcally cool-season turf, theres nothing like it.

Labeled for use rates of 3.0 to 4.5 fuid ounces per acre, Imprelis was made to be ab-sorbed into the ground and destroy the root system of weeds. But when it came into contact with certain tree roots, particularly shallow, succulent roots, some of the results proved to be traumatic.

The signs appeared in different ways. Nee-dles on frs turned orange or brown. Leaves curled up. Some fell to the ground. Tips of branches and buds showed stress. Tumor-like growths appeared.

As part of its investigation into reports of possible damage to trees, the EPA sought to de-

termine whether the damage was a result of product misuse, inadequate warnings and use directions on the product label, persistence in soil and plant material, uptake of the product through the root systems and absorbed into the plant tissue, environmental factors, potential runoff issues or other possible causes.

DuPont responded with action following the onslaught of damage claims.

The company established open lines of communications for customers. It engaged multiple independent, certifed arborist com-panies to work with customers and evaluate their claims. Among the companies that Du-Pont listed for those fling claims under its Qualifed Tree Replacement process was one that is well-known to golf course superinten-dents, The Davey Tree Expert Co., who agreed to pricing and terms for tree replacement in-cluded in the Claims Resolution Agreement (CRA) that DuPont established. Davey, as did other arborist companies, agreed to provide a limited warranty for the trees that the company plants. One superintendent tells GCM the tree recovery process included slow-release fertiliz-ers, pest treatments and pruning.

As part of the CRA, DuPont announced it would pay for care programs and replanting. The company also provided a two-year war-ranty to program participants for all replace-ment trees and paid for efforts to assist recovery of other trees impacted by Imprelis use.

DuPont launched a website, http:// imprelis-facts.com, to feature the latest infor-mation and provide an avenue to report prob-lems to the company. DuPont also started a toll-free hotline to handle concerns. More than one superintendent told GCM that DuPont was helpful and followed through during the claims process.

When it came

into contact with

certain tree roots,

particularly shallow,

succulent roots,

some of the results

proved to be

traumatic.

A mature white spruce shows signs of damage from Imprelis.


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The size of a settlement depended on the size of the tree. For example, a 1-foot-tall tree was $30; a tree 96 to 100 feet high equaled $19,000. DuPont asked those who were mak-ing claims to document damage by taking dig-ital photos prior to removal.

DuPont compensated golf courses for re-moval and disposal of impacted evergreen trees unlikely to recover. DuPont also offered credits or refunds, depending on a distributors policy, on unused Imprelis.

Imprelis had a short shelf life. It was intro-duced in August 2010. Twelve months later, it was gone. Late in 2012, Syngenta announced that it had acquired the DuPont Professional Products insecticides business, which included the brands Acelepryn, Advion and Provaunt. The closing price for the acquisition was $125 million.

That same year was DuPonts last one as a Silver Partner through GCSAAs Partner Rec-ognition Program. As a Silver Partner from 2008 to 2012, DuPont spent a minimum of $100,000 in support of GCSAA member ser-vices and programs.

DuPont also was a member in the Cham-pions Club of GCSAAs philanthropic organi-zation, the Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG). DuPont was recognized as a member of the Champions Club for the cumulative total of its contributions to the EIFG ($250,000 to $499,999) since 1987. Part of DuPonts con-tribution included donation of products to the EIFGs Silent Auction.

Moving forwardIn some cases, spaces where trees have been

removed because of Imprelis are no longer va-cant, another symbol of the healing process for an issue that rocked the industry.

They are replanting on some sites where trees have been removed without any problem, says Kathy Zuzek, assistant extension professor for the University of Minnesota.

Imprelis, if anything, serves as a cautionary tale for manufacturers and superintendents. Jared Hoyle, Ph.D., an assistant professor in horticulture, forestry and recreational services at Kansas State University, imagines the Im-prelis saga could beneft the industry down the road.

I think in the future, product testing will be strengthened, Hoyle says. Probably because of it, I dont foresee it ever happening again.

At The Country Club of Muirfeld Village in Dublin, Ohio, GCSAA Class A superin-tendent Dave Gribler encountered issues with some of his trees because of Imprelis. He antici-pates, and welcomes, the day when he can fully focus on what happens below his feet.

I spend too much time looking up instead of looking down at the ground, Gribler says.

Howard Richman ([email protected]) is GCM s asso-

ciate editor.

Below: One of the signs of Impre-lis damage in white pine is stress or death of the tips of branches.

Right: Tumor-like growths on a honey locust indicate damage in

this species.

I think in the

future, product

testing will be

strengthened.

Probably because

of it, I dont foresee

it ever happening

again.

Jared Hoyle, Ph.D.


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2014

This years seed update in GCM will probably seem rather brief to longtime readers of the

magazine. In fact, the number of n

golf course management - may 2014

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