"…golf at its best is a perpetual adventure, it consists in investing not in gilt-edged securities but in comparatively speculative stock; it ought to be a risky business." Bernard Darwin.

A sign of the times…

With the recent proliferation of drivers big enough to ride in, it was inevitable that golfers would demand longer tees.

No, not longer teeing areas, longer tees.

According to PGA.com, the longer tees--those over 2 3/4 inches--are proving to be better partners with today's large-faced drivers.

"Our sales in long tees in 2003 over 2002 increased two-and-half times," said Rick Oleksyk, president of Pride Golf, the world's largest maker of golf tees.

They're so popular, in fact, that the company has created a new name for them. What was once simply a "long" tee, is now the "ProLength Tee." Oleksyk said that's a result of so many PGA Tour players asking specifically for that size.

"We supply each Tour event with tees based on need," Oleksyk said. "Whatever we ship them, they use.

"People still use (short) tees, but the rate of growth (of ProLength Tees) in 2004 will represent more than half of all the tees we sell."

USGA make grants to The First Tee

The USGA has awarded more than $360,000 in funding to 10 chapters of The First Tee. The USGA is the largest direct supporter of local programs of The First Tee, and since 1997 has awarded more than $7.1 million to these successful programs.

The most recent awards – given to 68 non-profit organizations across the country – are part of the USGA's ongoing $5-million annual grants initiative to grow the game of golf and help disadvantaged youth and individuals with disabilities gain self-esteem and confidence.

The USGA Executive Committee voted Feb. 6 to extend USGA grant-making to the end of the decade, bringing total USGA support to $70 million. Since 1997, the USGA has given more than $40 million in grants, $11.1 million of which has been in support of The First Tee, an amount that includes $7.1 million to local chapters and $4 million to the home office.

"The strength of The First Tee program is the local chapters that bring the game of golf to thousands. That is why the USGA is so proud to provide financial support and hands-on assistance directly to local chapters," said Judy Bell, USGA past president and member of The First Tee's Oversight Committee.

Local chapters of The First Tee use the funding for a variety of projects, including course construction, golf instruction and equipment, transportation and other day-to-day program needs. The First Tee chapters submit grant applications directly to the USGA. Applications are reviewed and funds awarded on a case-by-case basis.

"The USGA has been with us since day one," said Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., executive director of The First Tee. "The Association is the largest single direct funder of our local programs, and its continued support of individual chapters is invaluable in ensuring that programs are successful and sustainable."

For a list of the most recent funding to First Tee programs visit the USGA Press pages

ARS scientists work on no-burn grass seed production

With most of the country's grass seed farms in the Pacific Northwest and an annual production of more than 800 million pounds of seed each year, changes in the rules for producing seed have significant impact.

Seed from the area is sold in global markets, where it is used to produce turf, forage for livestock and grass buffers. In order to produce the high-quality pure seed demanded by U.S. and overseas markets, farmers once routinely burned their fields after each season to control weeds and diseases—along with removing leftover straw from harvest.

The resulting reduction in air quality eventually led to legislation in some states that mandated limits on burning, beginning in the mid-1980s. Grass seed straw is no longer burned in Washington, while only about 10 percent of the grass seed acres in Oregon are still burned.

Agricultural Research Service scientists at the National Forage Seed Production Research Center in Corvallis, Ore., have recently completed a 10-year study aimed at ways to economically produce grass seed crops without use of fire in western Oregon, where burning was first curtailed.

"This was a very successful project, and the results are now being implemented," agronomist Jeffrey J. Steiner explains.

The researchers found not just one alternative to fire, but rather a package of practices growers can choose from. Among the options is chopping all the straw back onto their fields and no-till planting.

For the complete story, visit the online ARS Magazine.

R&A launches course management site

The R&A's new Web site offering best practice guidelines for golf course management throughout the world is now available at http://www.bestcourseforgolf.org(Requires registration).

The site was developed by the R&A Golf Course Committee to offer guidelines on all aspects of golf course management and development, from the clubhouse and management structure to construction and maintenance.

According to the R&A, "This professional advice and information, which is provided free of charge, will be of great assistance to golf associations and federations, golf clubs, greenkeepers, architects, planners, government agencies, non-government environment agencies and other relevant groups, and is supported by extensive links to expert organizations that can provide further assistance to those in search of help."

The Web site was inspired by a meeting of European Golf Association leaders in Portugal who called on The R&A to give a lead in teaching and encouraging best management practices on golf courses; promoting environmental and ecological care; coordinating research into reducing chemical use; adapting to the consequences of climate change; conserving water, and placing the game of golf in the forefront of exemplary community planning. The meeting also called on the R&A to support and influence EC legislation.

The goal is that the project will eventually lead to a universal accreditation scheme recognizing the achievements of clubs that fulfill the requirements of course management excellence.