South Texas Golf Course Superintendents Association, Inc.

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Click here for a list of free pesticide disposal site (provided by TDA)


Educational Articles, Webcasts and Seminars

In the YouTube video, "Why Does Turf Die During the Summer?" featuring Wendy Gelernter, Ph.D., of PACE Turf, uses a frying egg to explain to golfers how high heat can kill turf, and outlines the maintenance practices superintendents employ to combat the effects of high temperatures and humidity. Click on link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg_CYn2YMvQ
 
 
Radio interview Aug. 14: Clark Throssell, Ph.D., GCSAA director of research, joins ESPN Radio's KC affiliate at 10:20 a.m. (Central), Saturday, to discuss the impact of the heat wave on golf courses.

For more information on surviving the heat, check out the USGA's website at www.usga.org and click on the heading of "Course Care".  There you can also sign up to receive the Green Section Record digitally, and read current issues. 

usgawebcasts.gif

to receive our Weekly Update

Join USGA mailing list

The Green Section is performing a quick and simple survey to estimate the incidence and severity of winter injury to bermudagrass this past winter. Please click the link below to participate in the survey – it will take you about a minute to fill it out. This information will NOT be used for any marketing purpose by us or anyone else. We will generate maps like the one attached that will help identify where damage occurred. These maps will be included in a future issue of our Green Section Weekly Update to help everyone see what the extent of damage was this past year.

 

Click here to complete the survey - http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2up8909g81k4nnf/start

 

 Also, Bud White of the Mid-Continent Region is giving a free webcast on Tuesday the 20th at 10:00 AM Central time. The survey data will be presented in the webcast. To attend the webcast click this link - Join the meeting.  This survey will be a huge help in bringing current information to you!!

 

Thanks very much for your cooperation.

As we head into spring and temperatures are finally allowing some bermudagrass recovery, we are getting an idea of how much winter damage has actually occurred.  One source in Oklahoma says they believe almost everyone has some winter damage.

 

I am having a webcast next Tuesday,  April 20 @ 10:00AM CDT to survey superintendents and get an accurate, first-hand evaluation of the damage.  We will do this through poll questions at the first of the presentation. 

 

Then we will discuss damage evaluations and recovery options, i.e. removal of cart traffic, fertility, spiking, preemerge herbicides already put down, etc.

 

You will receive further info on this at the end of the week.  Please plan on attending and invite your club officials as well.  This webcast will be set up to help club management and board better understand the plans needed for winterkill recovery.

The Evolution of a Putting Green

Learn more about what happens as a putting green ages.

by David A Oatis - Director - Northeast Region

Oatis - green profile

Management practices can adversely or positively impact greens

Golf courses are living, breathing entities that, once built, take on a life of their own. A golf course, or any of its many components, can eventually evolve into something very different from what was originally designed or envisioned. In some cases, the course or component may become much better than what was originally designed; in other cases, the evolutionary process may take the course or component in the opposite direction. It may deteriorate structurally, aesthetically, and/or architecturally. This is especially true of putting greens. Read this article

It's About Time

A Comprehensive Time/Labor Study Can Help Prioritize Limited Resources
by Robert Vavrek - Senior Agronomist, North-Central Region

Managing limited resources is a challenge

Managing limted resources is a challenge

Private clubs are finding it increasingly difficult to replace the 5% of members who are typically lost each year due to factors such as the slow economy, the increasing age of the golfing members, lack of sufficient leisure time for four to five hours of golf, or simply too many other choices for golf. Similarly, rounds of golf are down at most public courses and fewer and fewer golf outings, the universal cash cow of both private and public courses, are being booked each season. Regardless of the reasons for reduced golf revenues, most superintendents face the difficult challenge of achieving a high level of course conditioning under severe budget limitations to meet the expectations of golfers who are generally paying higher dues or higher green fees each season.
 

Read this article

 

Regional Update - Mid-Atlantic Region

The Desired Effect - Action Following Preparation And Patience
by Keith A. Happ - Senior Agronomist, Mid-Atlantic Region

Mid-Atlantic gif

Mid-Atlantic Region

In the northern tier of the Mid-Atlantic Region the turf is waking up from a long winter's rest. As the snow has melted throughout the region, evidence of varying degrees of damage is apparent. We have observed and heard reports of direct cold temperature damage on Poa annua putting surfaces, although it is impossible to determine the exact cause of the damage. We experienced one of the longest periods of heavy snow cover in recent history. Significant levels of gray snow mold, pink snow mold, and direct cold temperature damage in the northern and eastern portion of the region have been reported. The key issue now is how you recover from the damage and prepare for the upcoming season? Read this update

 

Regional Update - Southeast Region

Here Comes Another Summer
By Chris Hartwiger and Patrick O'Brien, Agronomists

southeast gif

Southeast Region

Many of our articles over the last year have focused on some aspect of ultradwarf putting greens. Bentgrass managers, we have not forgotten about you! Now is the time to begin putting your summer management plan into action. Below are a few topics that may help the summer go a little easier. We have included links to turfgrass research articles in case you wish to delve deeper into each topic.  Read this update

 

Regional Update - North Central Region

It's Always a Factor 

By R.A. (Bob) Brame, Director

north central gif

North Central Region

Yep, it's always a factor. We talk about it frequently and no doubt always will. It directly and persistently affects golf course maintenance. No matter how well we plan, there are times it gets the best of us. There are times it compromises what we'd like to present to those playing the course. There are times when it prevents us from playing at all. There are also times when it gives back more than we could ever accomplish on our own. Some say don't use it as an excuse, but the reality is it can be the reason. The 'it,' of course, is weather. Whether or not all agree, weather is a factor in both the preparation and play of golf courses. If nothing else, the past should teach us not to fight against it, but to work with it by preparing for the unexpected. Read this update

 

Regional Update - Northeast Region

Annual Bluegrass Weevil 

By Jim Skorulski, Senior Agronomist

northeaseast gif

Northeast Region

Spring has sprung, and with the warmer temperatures comes the return of annual bluegrass weevils (ABW) to golf courses across the Northeast. The weevil currently seems to be the greatest insect challenge facing annual bluegrass golf courses in the region. Management programs continue to target the egg-laying adults that emerge in early spring, and the success of the management programs can be significantly influenced by the timing of the initial insecticide application. Justifiably, there also are concerns with ABW resistance to pyrethroid insecticides that have been used as contact controls against the adult insects.   Read this update

 

Turf Twister

Dealing With Encroachment
The spread of bermudagrass or zoysiagrass into new greens

Glyphosate band

Glyphosate band during grow-in

Q:

Our club is scheduled to renovate the greens and collars this year. We have observed other course renovations where the bermudagrass collar encroached several inches into the new greens before they were
even opened. Surely, there is a technique that can prevent this problem. Encroachment
is one of the reasons we are resurfacing in the first place. (Texas)
A: Encroachment during grow-in is a major problem that, quite frankly, is very seldom managed as aggressively as needed. Often, it's accepted as inevitable by many courses. After the collar is sodded, apply a band of glyphosate about 2 inches wide on the inside edge next to the green. This prevents runner/rhizome encroachment during establishment,
yet the banded area will completely grow back before the bentgrass seeding or bermudagrass sprigging matures. Often, two applications at 30-day intervals are needed to prevent regrowth during green establishment. This process works well for bermudagrass or zoysiagrass collars.

Public Policy Issues Impacting the Golf Course Superintedent Profession


For government relations information, visit the Advocacy section of GCSAA Online. Issue specific information will be found in the GCSAA Legislative Action Center.


MSMA agreement -
http://capwiz.com/gcsaa/issues/alert/?alertid=12651336
 
Methyl bromide - http://capwiz.com/gcsaa/issues/alert/?alertid=14119511
 
EPA WaterSense home specs and expansion into commercial/institutional sector (see attachments) - http://capwiz.com/gcsaa/issues/alert/?alertid=13655836
 
NPDES permits for pesticide applications (this information is a bit outdated – I plan to update it this week) - http://capwiz.com/gcsaa/issues/alert/?alertid=13154066


More articles can be found at the USGA Portal: http://gsportal.usga.org/default.aspx

 


Educational Articles

Is There Value in Tissue Tests? By Bud White

Marketing Yourself as a GCS

Growers Toolbox: Chelated Iron

Six principles for landscape waste reduction

Resolved to renovate

"Changing" landscapes:

Manufactured Bunker Sands

Soil Temperature Maps

Economy Impacting Builders

Professional opportunity or a waste of time?

Dr. Bruce Clarke Speaks on Turf Disease

Free compost-quality publication available

This device could save your life

Economic Survival Kit GCSAA staff has pulled together articles and resources that can help members during these difficult economic times.

The labor market.It's tough competition

Water Sense Comments

EPA Water Sense Home Specs

Dec. 2009-Golf Facilities required to provide health Insurance for seasoned workers.....

 


Scholarship Opportunities for A&M Students in the Agronomy Fields

Click here to learn more about scholarship opportunities

Copyright 2008, South Texas GCSA, Inc. Est. 1958