Industry News

July Green Links features Pinehurst

In this month's Green Links from EDGE on eifg.org, Robert O. Farren Jr.,
GCSAA certified golf course superintendent at Pinehurst Resort and CC, explains how the resort became the first private land owner recognized by the North Carolina Sand Hills Safe Harbor Program.

Susan Ladd Miller from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tells about Pinehurst, the Safe Harbor Program and the Red Cockaded Woodpecker project in "The Safe Harbor Program – Pinehurst: an Example of Golf and Wildlife Management."

Green Links host David Phipps, GCSAA Class A superintendent, and Farren discuss the importance of environmental stewardship and the protection of the woodpecker's habitat at Pinehurst.

Anders awarded Garske Grant

Benjamin T. Anders of Weaverville, N.C., has been awarded the 2007 Joseph S. Garske Collegiate Grant by Par Aide funded by The Environmental Institute for Golf.

The $2,500 grant, which was established in honor of Par Aide company founder Joseph S. Garske, assists children of GCSAA members in the funding of their education at an accredited college or trade school. The grant is renewable for a second year with proof of enrollment and a grade point average of 2.0 or higher.

"We believe it's important to recognize golf course superintendents for their tireless dedication to the game of golf," said Steve Garske, Par Aide president. "It's great to be able to give something back to superintendents and their children."

Anders will enroll at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill this fall with plans to major in business with an emphasis in dentistry. His father, James T. Anders, is a nine-year GCSAA member and an assistant superintendent at Buncombe County Golf Course in Asheville, N.C.

Last year's Garske Grant winner, Sara Steinhurst of West Branch, Mich., has renewed her scholarship for a second year. She is studying chemistry at the University of Michigan. Her father, Bob Steinhurst, is a 29-year GCSAA Class A superintendent at West Branch (Mich.) Country Club.

Georgia water conservation

Georgia golf course superintendents are pioneering efforts to improve water conservation in the state. Superintendent leaders hope a program of cooperation with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division will inspire other industries to follow suit.

To date, 91 percent of Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association member courses have pledged to observe Best Management Practices approved by EPD. To support that commitment, courses provided EPD with extensive documentation mapping their water use rates, application methods and efforts to further conservation.

"I think this puts it in black and white that we want to do what's right," Georgia GCSA president, Richard Staughton, CGCS, said. "We want to be proactive and we want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. The way is open for others to take similar steps. Water is a precious resource and we all have a responsibility to use it wisely."

"This is an outstanding example of how sustainable water management practices can apply to the daily operation of golf courses," Georgia EPD director, Carol Couch, Ph.D., said. "The Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association is using innovative approaches for water efficiency, and is leading by example both in Georgia and nationally."

Staughton is a GCSAA Certified Golf Course Superintendent at Towne Lake Hills Golf Club in Woodstock, Ga., who relies totally on reclaimed effluent water from Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority. He says the data provided to EPD will show golf to be an astute and efficient water user.

"We're often accused of being big water users but these numbers will help correct a lot of misconceptions that people seem to have," he said. "For a start, the majority of golf courses don't use potable water for irrigation, unlike homeowners and many businesses. And no golf course superintendent wants to put out too much water because golfers don't like wet conditions and wet conditions make turf susceptible to disease and pests."

Wade Thomas, golf course superintendent at Idle Hour Club in Macon, is working to correct what he agrees is a "lack of understanding" about golf course water use. Thomas uses membership and board meetings as well as his club newsletter to explain principles and methods of irrigation.

"When members begin to see the science involved their eyes really open wide," he said. "That says to me that if regular golfers don't have a good grasp of the way water is used on a golf course, then it's extremely unlikely that the general public will have an accurate picture."

2007 National Excellence in Irrigation Awards presented

Innovative engineering solutions, including a golf course set atop a slab of coral rock in Bermuda; an integrated central control system for irrigation, fountains, site security, lights, door and locks; and a fast-moving phase in with fertigation were a few of the very unique projects and winners for this year's National Excellence in Irrigation Awards presented by the American Society of Irrigation Consultants (ASIC).

"The awards projects submitted this year were pretty complex solutions to environmental and construction challenges," says ASIC President Dave Davis. "Between high soil and water salinity, a sinking site, intricately coordinated site control demands and establishing turf in a hard rock base area, I am again impressed with our submissions and award winners."

ASIC's annual National Excellence in Irrigation Awards recognize the sound science and judgment required of an independent irrigation consultant.

This year's recipients include:

Honor awards

• Commercial & public projects -- Chico City Plaza, Chico, Calif., by Paige Gimbal, Land Image, Chico., Calif.
• Planning & analysis -- Seattle Park & Recreation, Seattle, Wash. by Jeff Bruce, Jeffrey L. Bruce & Co., Kansas City, Mo.

Merit awards

• Golf course irrigation -- Belmont Hills Golf Club, Warwick, Bermuda, by Bob Scott, Irrigation Consultant Services, Conyers, Ga.
• Commercial & municipal irrigation -- Pacific Shores Complex, Redwood City, Calif., by Ivy Munion, The I.S.C. Group Inc., Livermore, Calif.

The recipients showed tremendous skill and versatility in master planning or analyzing the needs of large, demanding irrigation projects with challenging site conditions to the satisfaction of multiple constituents. The goal of the Annual Excellence in Irrigation Awards is to recognize outstanding independent irrigation consultants while promoting the value of project design that incorporates the needs and resources of clients with the most progressive science and engineering available.