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WE'VE LOST TWO OF OUR BEST

Everyone who enjoys the beauty of turfgrass, whether it be on their favorite golf course, in their home lawn or park, lost two pioneers in the turfgrass management industry this week. Dr. James R. Watson, Jr., and Mr. Charles G. Wilson left a legacy of innovation, education, and devotion to their craft that few others have achieved. In addition to a shared love of agronomy and turfgrass management, Jim and Charlie had even greater accomplishments in common. Both were decorated WWII veterans with Jim serving his country as a bombardier on B-17s over Germany while Charlie was on Navy PT Boats in the South Pacific. The way they lived their lives and the countless contributions they made to their profession cannot be overstated. To read more about these men please follow the links below.
 
 
 

If video does not load on first attempt, please return to the mailing and launch again. Originally published in April, 2013.
A WELL-DEFINED INTERNSHIP PROGRAM CAN SUCCESSFULLY ATTRACT INTERNS TO ANY GOLF FACILITY

INTERNS: A VALUABLE RESOURCE WITH THE UPPER HAND

The number-one thing students seek in an internship is a mentor who will take the time to educate them on the course.
Attracting an intern can be a frustrating process for golf course superintendents. Despite the declining job market and declining or flattening game of golf, filling an internship position is one of the few instances where the students have the upper hand. Most universities receive hundreds of requests from golf facilities looking for interns, but they have only a limited number of students and can nowhere nearly fulfill the requests. While the high-end private clubs may get dozens of applications and have their pick of available interns, most golf facilities have given up on the idea of attracting career-oriented students to work for the summer.
 
So how do superintendents attract individuals from this limited pool of students? I think that the first place to start is to recognize the resource that an intern can be for the facility. After recognizing the benefit to the facility, superintendents should then focus on developing an internship program and ways to attract potential candidates. 
 

  

 
How is it that Tiger Woods and Washington Redskins' quarterback Robert Griffin III can play their respective professional sports on the same turf? Read on to see how USGA Green Section research extends beyond golf.

Sometimes the adoption of a new golf course management practice occurs because it simply works, and quickly, news spreads among superintendents. For example, many golf course superintendents use low spray application rates of nitrogen fertilizer on putting greens. However, how much of the nitrogen does the turf foliage actually absorb?  

Many courses are in the process of determining what equipment purchases will be necessary for 2014. This article from 1923 illustrates that the challenge of convincing the course leadership that good equipment is an absolute necessity to have a good golf course is not a new problem. This one sentence from the article proves the article is still relevant and should be required reading for superintendents and course leaders. "A workman may be well trained and industrious, but with poor tools his daily work is of no greater value than that of a poor workman with good tools."  

REGIONAL UPDATES
REGIONAL UPDATES
The USGA Green Section is broken into eight regions with each staffed by Green Section agronomists who work with golf facilities on care of the golf course. Every two weeks USGA agronomists provide updates outlining current issues of what they are observing in the field. Be sure to view updates from other regions and not just your own because featured ideas, techniques and solutions to problems often apply to other parts of the country.
NORTHEAST REGION 
Project season is upon us, and conference season is just around the corner.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION
When it comes to weather, is it true that your golf course superintendent is never happy? As a golfer, perhaps you're hoping for something different from Mother Nature? 2013 has been a summer of weather extremes that has led to confusion by some golfers in the region.
SOUTHEAST REGION
Mark your calendar and save the dates! Numerous turf conferences are already scheduled in the Southeast region this fall and winter.
FLORIDA REGION
Summertime renovations and cultivation practices should be completed by now as golf facilities in Florida are fine tuning preparations for the coming peak winter play season.
NORTH-CENTRAL REGION
Renovation seems to be the theme this year at golf facilities. The opportunity to take advantage of newer, improved turfgrass varieties that offer greater sustainability and better, more consistent playing conditions is not being ignored.
MID-CONTINENT REGION
Another hot summer leads to continued drought conditions for many. Is your golf facility prepared for water restrictions? Encroachment of bermudagrass and zoysiagrass into greens is at an all-time high. Your best solution? Mechanical edging. 
NORTHWEST REGION
With a record monthly total of 6.5 inches of rain in the Seattle area, September proved to be a "Wetember" to remember. How did your fall aeration operations fare?
SOUTHWEST REGION
A new NTEP warm-season putting green trial is underway at two locations in the Southwest. Over the next five years, bermudagrass, seashore paspalum and zoysiagrass entries will be evaluated for use on putting greens using fewer inputs than are typically applied to ultradwarf bermudagrasses.

IMPORTANT LINKS


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The USGA Green Section Record (ISSN 2156-5813) is published biweekly via electronic mail by the United States Golf Association�.

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