Divot Mix

"When a putter is waiting his turn to hole out a putt of one or two feet in length, on which the match hangs at the last hole, it is of vital importance that he think of nothing. At this supreme moment he ought to fill his mind with vacancy. He must not even allow himself the consolation of religion." -- Sir Walter Simpson (The Art of Golf)

ARS gives golf courses a "clean bill of health"

Researchers from the USDA's Agricultural Research Service have been looking at the runoff of nutrients and pesticides from golf courses. What they've found is good news, and it's been published in the August issue of Agricultural Research magazine.

The study, partially funded by the USGA, is looking at golf courses in Duluth, Minn., Austin, Texas, and Columbus, Ohio, as well as turfgrass plots at the ARS Soil and Water Management Research Unit in St. Paul, Minn.

Agricultural engineer Kevin King, who works in the soil drainage research unit on the Ohio State University Columbus campus, is measuring nitrogen and phosphorus losses in runoff from all three golf courses. He's also measuring pesticide losses from the Duluth and Columbus courses.

Chemist Pam Rice monitors pesticides on turfgrass plots in St. Paul with collaborator Brian Horgan, an extension turfgrass specialist at the University of Minnesota. Rice's work is part of a multistate initiative that involves standardized turf plots in various U.S. regions.

King and Rice are the only two ARS researchers studying golf course runoff. While Rice does studies on plots, King looks at the effects of actual golf courses on the entire watershed they drain into. They are coordinating closely, especially on the Minnesota sites.

Although golf courses are perceived as using high rates of fertilizer, the researchers have found that the management practices being used mean runoff is relatively low.

“In fact, golf courses practiced precision agriculture [applying precise amounts according to plant needs and potential for losses] long before the term was coined by the agricultural industry,” King says. “Every blade of golf turf is so important that course managers are willing to spend a lot of time determining just the right amount of fertilizer needed on each square foot of managed turf. Their desire to balance the demands of members for top-notch playing surfaces with low membership fees results in a minimal loss of nutrients, because there is little excess to wash away.”

King said the goal for next year is to work with golf course superintendent David Kohlbry to take the four years of baseline data collected at Northland Country Club in Duluth to develop turf-management practices that will reduce losses even further.

To read the complete article, visit Agricultural Research magazine.

Merion gets facelift for U.S. Amateur

As one of America's most storied tournament courses, Merion Golf Club was host to two of the most significant moments in golf.

In 1930, it played host to the U.S. Amateur that capped Bobby Jones' Grand Slam, and it was the site of the amazing one-iron shot by Ben Hogan on the 72nd hole of the U.S. Open, that clinched a spot in a playoff with George Fazio and Lloyd Mangrum in 1950.

And now, it's going to host its sixth U.S. Amateur, and 13th USGA event.

But there have been some who thought that advances in the game's technology had passed Merion by. So, long before it got the bid to host this year's Amateur, club officials at Merion Golf Club embarked on a plan to tweak the vaunted East Course.

According to an article on the USGA Web site by Ken Klavon, time and technology hasn't erased Jones' or Hogan's achievement, but the triumphs had to be taken into account when the process to lengthen, restore and retool the Hugh Wilson design began.

The process started 10 years ago with trees being removed, similar to the undertaking state-neighbor Oakmont Country Club took on several years ago when that club was readying itself for the 2003 Amateur. Merion also shut down in 1996 to reseed the greens with the first of seven different varieties of bentgrass.

Next on the agenda were the bunkers. Designer Tom Fazio was brought into the fold in 2000 to restore the hazards to their original plan.

“The bunkers at Merion are critical,” said golf course superintendent Matt Shaffer. “They guard the holes – ferociously.”

The bunkers were dug up and cleaned out. Drains were installed. It was like taking a piece of a jig-saw puzzle, lifting it up and then putting back firmly in place. Workers were given strict orders to leave the depth and shape unaffected.

The result, according to Klavon's article, is that the players will see the same course that Jones and Hogan faced. For the complete article, click here.

Excellence in Government Relations nomination forms available

Nomination forms for the 2006 GCSAA Excellence in Government Relations Awards are available online or by calling (800) 472-7878.

The EGR Awards recognize and honor outstanding individual and chapter efforts in government relations. Recipients are recognized for their efforts and accomplishments in the areas of advocacy and compliance. Any GCSAA member superintendent, assistant superintendent, or chapter is eligible to receive the award. Those who were nominated last year, but did not receive an award, are eligible again this year.

The deadline for nominations is Oct. 15, 2005. Contact Nathan Littlejohn, (800) 472-7878 , ext. 4493, nlittlejohn@gcsaa.org.