February 11, 2011 -- Volume 49, Number 6

Audubon International Presents the First Ronald G. Dodson

Golf and the Environment Leadership Award to Green Section National Director, James T. Snow

by the Green Section staff

The Ronald G. Dodson Golf and the Environment Leadership Award celebrates an individual or individuals involved with a golf course, project, or other effort connected with the game of golf who has exhibited leadership and environmental stewardship and sustainability. Award winners stand as examples of innovation, leadership, and boldness in uncovering new and improved ways to protect and sustain the natural resources that the game depends upon. 

James T. Snow, national director of the USGA Green Section, has long been a leader in bringing greater environmental awareness to the game of golf. His support of the efforts of Audubon International lead to the establishment of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, an award-winning education and certification program that helps golf courses protect the environment and protect the natural heritage of the game of golf. In presenting the award, Ron Dodson stated, "Since the beginning of the program, Jim totally embraced the spirit of cooperation, partnerships, the connection of the game to its heritage, and its role in taking care of the natural resources."

USGA Green Section National Director James T. Snow (right) is presented the award by Audubon International founder and former president, Ronald G. Dodson.

USGA Makes $10,000 Donation to the Golf Course Builders Association of America "Sticks for Kids" Program

"Sticks for Kids" program continues great success in 2010. GCBAA Foundation reports more than 132,000 participants last year

With 510 programs located in all 50 states, 12 military bases and China, the Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA) Foundation's Sticks for Kids program demonstrated phenomenal results last year.

"In order to make the Sticks for Kids programs successful, it not only takes financial support, but the fantastic efforts of hundreds of volunteers across the country," said Bill Kubly, president of the GCBAA Foundation. "The Foundation continues to maintain the strong belief that programs such as Sticks for Kids are essential to the future growth of the great game of golf."

With more than 132,000 participants in Sticks for Kids programs in 2010, the total number of children participating in the last four years reached 300,000, including 5,000 youth in 32 cities in China. The GCBAA Foundation began the program more than a decade ago and became a partner program of the National Recreation and Park Association in 2006. The Foundation recently announced it will add an additional 50 programs in 2011.
 
Here are some interesting statistics regarding the Sticks for Kids program in 2010: 

• 80 percent of participants were 6 to 13 years old
• 55 percent of the programs were taught by PGA or LPGA instructors
• 53 percent of participants were first time golfers
• Of those participating, 35 percent were female, compared to 21 percent female for all U.S. junior golfers

The GCBAA Foundation provides ten sets of clubs and bags for each program site along with marketing and instruction materials. The children are not only taught the game of golf, but also receive instruction on safety, integrity, discipline, sportsmanship and respect for self and others in addition to how to be good environmental stewards. The golf clubs are kept at the golf facility for free use by the children throughout the year.

For more information about Sticks for Kids or to donate, go to www.gcbaafoundation.org. 
 
The Golf Course Builders Association of America is a non-profit trade association of the world's foremost golf course builders and leading suppliers to the golf course construction industry. It was founded in the early 1970s and its members represent all segments of the golf course industry. The GCBAA Foundation is the charitable arm of the GCBAA and a separate, 501(c)(3) organization. The GCBAA's national executive office is located in Lincoln, Neb.  For more information, visit www.gcbaa.org or call 402-476-4444. 

USGA Green Section Agronomist Jim Moore (left) presents the donation of $10,000 to GCBAA board member Mick Jones.

The Florida winter golf season is in full swing, and, while the golfers are out there, many courses report that rounds continue to be down. Even with diminished rounds, typical winter season concerns occur about deterioration in course conditions due to traffic.   Few golfers fully appreciate the significant negative impact of moderate to heavy daily

Outbreaks of leaf spot disease on bermudagrass putting greens, tees, and fairways, continues to be a concern at many Florida golf courses.

play and cart traffic when the base turf is in a semi- to fully-dormant phase. Complaints about very tight and penal fairway lies, and loss of definition between fairway and rough cuts, are common at this time of year. Regardless of inputs, producing a quick recovery

is not possible until daytime and nighttime temperatures are in the mid-80 and mid-60 degree range, respectively. For South Florida, this won't be for another few weeks.

As if there wasn't enough to worry about, an explosion of disease activity occurred throughout the region during the last two weeks of January.  This was not totally unexpected, given the environmental conditions. Throughout the peninsula, cool nights and daytime highs in the mid-60 to mid-70 degree range, were combined with high relative humidity, heavy dew formation, and a slow morning burn-off. There also were occasions when heavy cloud cover throughout the day resulted in the persistence of free surface moisture -- an ideal scenario for rapid spore germination and growth of fungal disease pathogens. Based on recent TAS visits and superintendent phone calls, a major outbreak of leaf spot disease has been experienced on bermudagrass putting greens, tees, and fairways. 

Read the rest of this update.

Love it or hate it, kikuyugrass is the prominent turf at many Southern California golf courses. For the second year in a row, a group of superintendents, growers and

Frequent vertical mowing was mentioned during the 2011 Kikuyugrass Summit as one the top five maintenance practices to maintain optimum turf quality.

researchers met at Mission Viejo Country Club to share information on successful

management techniques and discuss potential research topics that will help resolve some of the challenges of managing kikuyugrass.

Kikuyugrass has many positive attributes, including a lower water-use rate compared to cool-season grasses, low fertility requirement, and better winter color retention compared to warm season grasses. On the down-side, kikuyugrass is susceptible to fungal diseases and is sensitive to herbicide applications. Superintendents shared the following information with respect to their ongoing management programs:

Read the rest of this update.

The phone is ringing with people asking the obvious question, "Should we be concerned about ice and snow melt?"

In all honesty, none of us will know until we can see the ground. One thing is certain; there are some concerns about both types of snow molds that affect the grass when it freezes and thaws, and is damaged in low spots where ice often forms.

A recent e-mail from Dr. Peter Dernoeden, University of Maryland (and Mid-Atlantic Region Green Section Committee member) stated, "Gray snow mold and Microdochium patch will appear as temperatures rise above freezing, promoting melting snow, standing water and puddling. As always, shaded and/or tree-lined areas, where snow melts more slowly and where it stays wet for longer periods, will be most severely affected. Golf courses using preventive applications of appropriate fungicides will likely sustain little damage in sunny and well-drained areas."

Read the rest of this update. 

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