This week the PGA Tour rolls into Congressional Country Club’s Blue Course in Bethesda, Md., for the AT&T National. GCSAA Class A member Mike Giuffre, director of grounds and golf maintenance, is hoping to dodge the thunderstorms forecasted for the week. High temperatures in June stunted the growth of the bluegrass rough some, but has the Poa Annua greens in great shape and smoother than ever. Tournament officials decided to cut the rough at three inches instead of four inches like last year, and speed up the greens from 12 to 12.5 on the Stimpmeter this year.

Congressional is a member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, has a bluebird trail with nesting boxes throughout the property and club members participating in bird counts.

Meanwhile, the LPGA Tour returns to Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Ark., for the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship presented by John Q. Hammons. GCSAA Class A member Todd Towery, golf course and grounds superintendent, explains that while there has been no changes to the golf course this year, it should play a lot differently than last year when six inches of rain deluged the golf course over the course of three days during the tournament, stretching the first round to 43 hours and forcing the tournament to go down as an unofficial finish with only 18 holes played. A very cool and very wet spring has the zoziagrass fairways about three weeks behind on growth, but the bentgrass greens in magnificent condition.

Towery points to holes 14 and 17 as pivotal places along a challenging back nine that could make or break any round. The par 5, 14th has a narrow landing area with out of bounds on the right and water along the left, making a precise tee shot necessary to have a chance at a birdie, while No. 17 is a long par 3 with a small, undulating green. Towery irrigates the golf course with reclaimed wastewater and uses only minimal inputs on the turf. Pinnacle will close in August for a renovation and is scheduled to reopen next June. This event moves to Sept. 7-12 in 2009.