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VOLUME 50, NUMBER 26 | December 14, 2012
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DR. VICTOR GIBEAULT TO RECEIVE
2013 USGA GREEN SECTION AWARD
|  Far Hills, N.J. (Dec.14, 2012 ) - The United States Golf Association announced today that Dr. Victor Gibeault of the University of California, Riverside, is the recipient of the 2013 USGA Green Section Award. The Green Section Award is presented annually by the USGA to honor those persons who deserve special recognition for distinguished service to golf through their work with turfgrass. The award will be presented to Gibeault on Feb. 8, 2013, at the USGA Green Section Education Conference at the Golf Industry Show in San Diego, Calif. Dr. Gibeault, 71, a cooperative extension specialist, emeritus, has been researching and educating the golf industry on turfgrass for more than 40 years. He served 13 years on the USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Committee. As a member of the committee he played a key role in formulating its policies, establishing research priorities, analyzing proposals and monitoring the progress and results of funded projects. "I am both pleased and honored to have been selected to receive the USGA Green Section Award," said Dr. Gibeault. "Now retired, I have been fortunate to spend my career as a University of California Cooperative Extension specialist, and in that role, I have worked on turfgrass research issues and educational projects and programs. My activities with the golf course industry have been enjoyable, fruitful, and have given me a sense of personal accomplishment, for which I am grateful." Dr. Gibeault holds the U.S. patents for two zoysiagrass cultivars, De Anza and Victoria, and one buffalograss cultivar, UC Verde. Additionally he co-edited the 1985 book, Turfgrass Water Conservation. In 2004 the board of directors of the Southern California Turfgrass Foundation presented him with the Turfgrass Hall of Fame Award. The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America awarded him its Distinguished Service Award in 1993, and he was recognized by the USGA with its Piper & Oakley Award in 1999. Gibeault retired from the University of California, Riverside in May 2007. "Dr. Gibeault is a man who recognized the importance of water issues for the golf industry long before it came into vogue over larger segments of the country," said Dr. Kimberly Erusha, managing director of the Green Section. "He was a leader in the development of the 1985 publication, Turfgrass Water Conservation, which was a standard for the industry for many years. The USGA directly benefited from his 13 years of service as he volunteered his time, expertise, and thoughtful guidance to the USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Committee from 1985-1997. This came at a critical time when water-quality issues were at the forefront of research program funding." View past Green Section Award recipients |
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PRACTICE MAKES SUSTAINABLE
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INVESTING IN PRACTICE FACILITIES BENEFITS THE GOLFER AND THE BUSINESS David Kuypers, golf course superintendent, Cutten Fields Golf Club
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Practice has become an important part of modern golf.
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"Practice? Practice??? We're talking about practice? I mean, we're talking about...PRACTICE!?" The speaker was a well-known professional basketball player. The object of his scorn was, obviously, practice and the contempt in which he held it was apparent to all. His ire had been raised by the fact that his employer wanted him, in return for the millions of dollars that they paid him, to attend and participate in practice.
Some golfers are completely obsessed with practicing while others simply can't stand it. The dislike of practice can be blamed on any number of sources. Practice can be boring, the game can be humbling and, most concerning for the golf industry, practice can be unproductive. After all, lack of improvement is often cited as a key reason why golfers give up the game. A bad practice facility is another common reason why players may not enjoy practicing. Practice areas were an afterthought when early golf courses were designed. Maintenance costs, limited space, and construction expense are common reasons why existing practice facilities may be mediocre and/or why renovations have not occurred. Over the last decade, however, things have changed. A good practice facility now represents an area where existing golfers can improve their game and is frequently a determining factor when prospective players/members choose between facilities. More importantly, practice facilities provide a comfortable opportunity to introduce new players to the game and teach them necessary skills and etiquette, creating a whole new group of players - and customers. These factors were evaluated when Cutten Fields Golf Club considered the potential renovation and expansion of its practice facilities.
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ALL THINGS CONSIDERED - A USGA STAFF OPINION
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This check plot has not received any applications this year. It serves as a good illustration to the players and course leadership as to what the greens would look like without fertilizer and plant protectants. This is a valuable sales tool to help justify such expenses. (Photo courtesy of Travis Moore, director of Golf Course Maintenance, The Club at Sonterra, San Antonio, Texas)
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A memorable moment in the movie Jerry Maguire took place when Tom Cruise's character had a conversation with his client, which ended with him repeatedly shouting "Show Me the Money!" A similar scene has taken place between vendors in the turfgrass industry and me, when they discuss details of their product's attributes. It usually begins low-key, as the salesperson discusses the product's applications and mentions several superintendents that use their product on a regular basis. It then escalates, once a multitude of claims from reducing thatch, reducing nematodes/diseases, increasing nutrient availability to simply improving overall turf health and playability. Leaving me to repeatedly exclaim, "Show Me the Data!"
There are many well respected salespersons in our industry that supply a variety of products, such as fungicides, insecticides, herbicides and fertilizers to sustain high quality golf course turf. Some of these products have been thoroughly tested through years of university trials before reaching the marketplace. However, there are a host of biostimulants, hormones, soil microbes and amendments that are simply packaged and sold without any university research to substantiate their claims. Most of these products do not harm turf, but are they worth the cost?
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Videos You Can Use
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In the coming weeks, the USGA Green Section will be unveiling a series of new "Course Care" videos. These educational videos will explain common issues such as frost, repairing ball marks, raking bunkers, and many other topics.
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REGIONAL UPDATES
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Northeast Region All I Want For Christmas - Golfers may complain about temporary greens, but freezing temperatures are a positive for golf courses in the northern states. With the shortest day of the year approaching, now is the time to evaluate tree projects. Read More | |
Mid-Atlantic Region Winter Protection, Projects, and Peace of Mind - Find an answer to the question "Can I apply too much topdressing on the greens prior to winter weather?" and learn more about important winter projects." Read More | |
Southeast Region One More Job To Do - Fertilization of creeping bentgrass putting greens with nitrogen is essential as the year winds to a close. Read More | |
Florida Region They're Back! - Increased mole cricket activity is being reported at a number of courses around south Florida as a result of the warm temperatures over the past few weeks. Read More | |
North-Central Region Punching Through - Are you visually monitoring the root zone under your putting surfaces? Read More | |
Mid-Continent Region Fall Management Suggestions - Now is the perfect time to check your water. Read More | |
Northwest Region "Gifts" For Your Course And Staff - A list of "gift" suggestions for your course and maintenance staff that will make golf better for everyone.. Read More | |
Southwest Region Cool Season Brown Patch - The recent rain and cooler temperatures throughout southern California have provided the perfect environment for cool season brown patch. Read More | |
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USGA Green Section publications are made available through the courtesy of the United States Golf Association (USGA�). The reuse of these materials is authorized only if the following conditions are met in their entirety. This policy applies to all Green Section publications, including articles, videos, presentations, and webcasts.
1) Adherence to all components of our Conditions for Reuse policy.
2) Inclusion of the appropriate Reprint Permission Language.
3) Notification of your Intent To Reprint Content.
The USGA Green Section Record (ISSN 2156-5813) is published biweekly via electronic mail by the United States Golf Association�.
Golf House, Far Hills, NJ 07931
USGA Green Section
908.234.2300
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