Association News

Source: www.TurfMagazine.com

GCSAA Announces Pesticide Use Survey

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America has announced that, beginning in January 2008, it will conduct a national survey of golf courses focusing on pesticide use.

The survey is part of the Golf Course Environmental Profile project, which is designed to collect information that will allow superintendents and personnel to become better managers, help them operate more efficiently and lead to GCSAA developing more valuable programs and services. Such information will include details about playing surfaces, natural resources, environmental stewardship efforts and maintenance practices on the golf course.

To date, three phases of the survey have been executed, concentrating on the physical profile of a golf facility; water use and conservation; and fertilizer use. The pesticide use survey will close in March. Input will be sought on product use and integrated pest management programs. Funding for the first four phases has come from The Environmental Institute for Golf, thanks in part to a grant from The Toro Foundation.

Mecham Joins IA Staff

Brent Mecham, a Colorado water conservation specialist and longtime irrigation instructor, has been named Irrigation Association industry development director.

Mecham, CID, CIC, CLIA, CGIA, has a bachelor’s degree in landscape horticulture from Colorado State University. He is an IA supervising regional authorized instructor and is qualified to teach most IA turf and landscape irrigation classes.

Krupka Named President/Board Chairman of NAPP

Mark Krupka, vice president and technical director for Ecological Laboratories, Inc., has been named president and chairman of the National Association of Pond Professionals for a two-year term.

NAPP is a not-for-profit industry trade organization dedicated to developing certification programs, establishing standards, providing education and monitoring legislation for the Water Garden Industry.

Norman to Receive Old Tom Morris Award

Greg Norman has been selected to receive the 2008 Old Tom Morris Award by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

A longtime supporter of the golf course superintendent profession, Norman is a vocal leader in the movement to make the game more compatible with the environment. He became a trustee of GCSAA’s philanthropic organization, The Environmental Institute of Golf, in 2003 and has served as chairman of The Institute’s Advisory council since its inception that year. The award will be presented at the Opening Session of the 2008 GCSAA Education Conference on January 31, 2008.

IPNI Announces New Staff

Dr. Steven B. Phillips has joined the staff of the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) as Southeast region director. He will have responsibility for agronomic programs of the organization in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Phillips holds a B.S. degree from Cameron University in Lawton, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Oklahoma State University at Stillwater. From 1999 to 2005 he was assistant professor, soil fertility and plant nutrition, Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Tech. He became associate professor in July 2005.

Also joining the staff is Dr. Thomas L. Jensen as Northern Great Plains regional director.

He will be responsible for agronomic programs in the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, plus the states of Montana and North Dakota.

Jensen received his B.Sc. in 1979, his M.Sc. in 1985 and his Ph.D. in 1996, all at the University of Alberta. He was a research agronomist in the Soil Science Section of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada from 1979 to 1982. From 1995 to 2003 he was corporate agronomist for Agrium, Inc. in Calgary, and since 2003 he has been employed with Agricore United, most recently with the title of agronomic research and development manager.

TPI Elects Officers, Board of Trustees

Turfgrass Producers International has appointed Charles “Chip” Lain Jr., president of Pine Island Nursery, Inc., to the position of secretary-treasurer. He has been a TPI member since 1970 and served as a state representative from 1990 to 1995. He is also active in the Cultivated Sod Association of New Jersey, New Jersey Turfgrass Association, New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association, New York Turfgrass Association and the New York Turf & Landscape Association.

George Brandt of American Sod Corp. has been appointed president of the association. During his more than 30 years with the association, he has served as chairman of the TPI Water Policy Committee, a member of the Public Relations Working Group, a TPI representative and has been active on The Lawn Institute Committees. He is also past president of both the Wisconsin Sod Producers Association and the Sod Growers Association of Mid-America. He is an active member in the Midwest Sod Council and a former board member of the MSC.

Randy Graff, CEO and owner of Graff’s Turf Farms, Inc., has been appointed vice president. He has been a TPI member since 1980 and served as the association’s Colorado state representative from 1988 to 1992. Since 1980 he has been a member of the Rocky Mountain Sod Growers Association, the Rocky Mountain Turfgrass Association and the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado. Since 1999, he has been a member of the GCSAA, the Sports Turf Managers Association and the Colorado Sports Turf Managers Association.

Elected to the board of trustees is Fanus Cloete, director of Evergreen Turf, Ltd. in Eikenhof, South Africa, and Gary Wilber, vice president and co-owner of Oakwood Sod Farm, Inc.

Both were elected to three-year terms.

CAIA Named IA Partner of the Year

The California Agricultural Irrigation Association has been named Irrigation Association 2007 Partner of the Year.

The award recognizes a great partnership that strengthens both organizations. The CAIA regularly brings irrigation education to California growers and has strong relationships with the state government and California’s federal lawmakers.

Patton Receives 2007 Musser Award

The Musser International Turfgrass Foundation has selected Dr. Aaron J. Patton of the University of Arkansas as the recipient of the 2007 Musser Award of Excellence. The award, which carries a stipend of $20,000, was presented earlier this year at the Golf Industry Show in Anaheim, Calif.

Patton is an assistant professor and extension turfgrass specialist in Arkansas’ Department of Horticulture. He earned his doctoral and master’s degrees from Purdue University after completing his undergraduate studies at Iowa State University.

Patton was selected based on his excellence in turfgrass science, as well as his work in the field and the classroom.

NTF Updates Web Site

The National Turfgrass Federation has updated its Web site, www.turfresearch.org, to recognize the support of the following organizations and companies over the past year: United States Golf Association, The Irrigation Association, Turfgrass Producers International, Professional Landcare Network, Dow Agrosciences, Project Evergreen, Hunter Industries, The Scotts Co., Metro Atlanta Landscape and Turf Association, Minnesota Turf and Grounds Foundation, Kentucky Turfgrass Council, Sports Turf Managers Association and National Turfgrass Evaluation Program.

Other enhancements made to the site include a United States map highlighting the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service turfgrass research and a more complete description of NTF and its governance. The U.S. map highlights research by state and research category, and offers links to more information on ARS turfgrass research projects, their purpose and progress.

The Edwin Budding Award

The International Golf Course Equipment Managers Association (IGCEMA) has developed The Edwin Budding Award for those who have made significant contributions to the golf course equipment industry. The award will be awarded to someone in the industry who meets the criteria as set forth by the association and the award committee.

Those who wish to nominate someone for this award should describe in great detail why the individual should receive this award and what measurable attributes set this individual apart from their colleagues. Nominations should be sent to nominations@igcema.org. The deadline for nominations will be December 1, and the winner will be presented the award at the Golf Industry Show on an annual basis.

For more information, contact Stephen Tucker at 877-839-8362 or Stephen.tucker@igcema.org, or visit www.igcema.org online.

Carlson Earns National Environmental Award

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America board of directors has selected Jeff Carlson, GCSAA certified golf course superintendent at Vineyard Golf Club in Massachusetts, to receive its 2008 President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship.

Carlson oversees an all-organic turf care regimen at Vineyard Golf Club. He is a 22-year GCSAA Class-a member and has established himself as an environmental leader through his work on the golf course, in the community and on behalf of the industry. He spent 30 years working on Cape Cod at Brewster Golf Course, later known as Ocean Edge. In 1998, he left Cape Cod at Brewster to work with Architect Michael Hurdzan in building the environmentally acclaimed Widow’s Walk in Scituate, Mass., which earned him a GCSAA Environmental Steward Award in 1998. Carlson was a member of the original group of participants who crafted the Environmental Principles for Golf in 1996.

Lucas Receives Distinguished Service Award

Longtime turfgrass educator and researcher Dr. Leon Lucas received the Distinguished Service Award from the 1,800-member Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association. The organization’s highest honor, the award recognizes outstanding achievement and contribution in the service of golf course superintendents and the golf industry in the Carolinas.

Lucas, who lives in Apex, N.C., has worked on the science of golf course turf for 40 years, at North Carolina State University and as agronomist for the Carolinas Golf Association.

He was a signatory to the articles of incorporation that brought the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina into being in 1974. TCNC has twice honored Lucas – in 1981 with the Outstanding Service Award and in 1998 by making him an honorary lifetime member.