Divot Mix

"Golf is very much like a love affair, if you don't take it seriously, it's no fun. If you do, it breaks your heart. Don't break your heart, but flirt with the possibility." Louise Suggs, one of 13 LPGA founders

New water conservation organization to headquarter in Chicago

The Alliance for Water Efficiency, a clearinghouse and advocate for water efficiency research, evaluation and education, is going to be established and headquartered in Chicago, according to Stephen L. Johnson, U.S. EPA administrator. The announcement was made as part of the Great Lakes Regional Collaborative Summit, which sent a resolution to Congress agreeing on a strategic set of actions for the Great Lakes.

“Wise water use means more than just turning off a dripping faucet. Water efficiency is a smart, cost-effective solution to the quality and supply challenges facing one of our nation's most precious natural resources,” said Johnson. “Together with partners like the Alliance for Water Efficiency, EPA is promoting the ethic of conserving our water resources – ensuring the availability of clean water for future generations of Americans.”

With financial support from the U.S. EPA, the California Urban Water Conservation Council developed the framework for a national partnership on water use efficiency.

It inventoried and assessed existing local and regional organizational structures, asked what missions and initiatives were desirable to the water stakeholders, and how an organization could be made self-sustaining over time.

"We are delighted we could work with stakeholders nationwide to develop the goals and programs for a new national organization focused on water efficiency,” said Mary Ann Dickinson, executive director of the council. "There is extraordinary interest from a wide variety of groups including water suppliers, government officials, environmentalists, plumbing and appliance manufacturers, irrigation professionals, and building developers to pull together a program of water efficiency options that will benefit the nation as a whole."

The Chicago location was chosen based on input from stakeholders who preferred a central location at an airport hub, and one that allowed for participation from Canada. More details on the alliance will be available early in 2006.

For more information on EPA's water conservation program visit http://www.epa.gov/owm/water-efficiency. For more on the effort by the California Urban Water Conservation Council, visit http://www.cuwcc.org/national_cwe.lasso.

Rounds played up four of last six months

The National Golf Foundation says same-facility rounds played were up 0.6 percent in the month of October 2005 vs. October 2004 and that rounds played have been up in four of the last six months

That trend brings the year-to-date figure through October to -0.5 percent. October data was reported by 1,813 golf facility operators across the U.S.

Four regions experienced large swings, up or down for the month:  Northeast down 18.4 percent; Central/South Florida down 13.6 percent (due to Hurricane Wilma, October 24); Upper Midwest up 12.8 percent; and Mountain up 16.7 percent. In each case, the change correlated with play days. For example, in the Northeast, operators posted an average of 27.6 play days out of 31 last October vs. 22.9 play days in October 2005.

Rounds Played, 2005 vs. 2004
Source: NGF/Allied Golf Associations

Contact www.ngf.org.

News York Times examines environment-cancer link

In an article published in the New York Times, reporter Gina Kolata talked to a variety of experts on potential links between the environment, especially pesticides, and cancer.

What she found out is that the evidence is inconclusive. "It's an area where there's certainly been a lot of heat and not a lot of light for some time," said Robert Hoover, director of the epidemiology and biostatistics program at the National Cancer Institute. For the most part, Dr. Hoover said, "we are down to speculations based on some data but without having the information we need."

For the complete article, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/13/health/13canc.html (free registration required).

GIS Solution Centers offer education

The 2006 Golf Industry Show, Feb. 9-11, in Atlanta, will once again feature several Solution Centers with special educational offerings, interactive displays and demonstrations that focus on the latest technology and research in the industry.

The centers are along the show's main aisle and follow a progression from golf course master planning all the way to the playing of the game.

At each stop, visitors will find helpful tips and best management practices that can be taken back to their facility and applied to daily operations. Each of the six Solution Centers focuses on a different aspect of the game, and offers a unique opportunity to participate in hands-on learning and interact with peers and industry professionals. They will also feature an information counter where additional resources can be found.

For a schedule of education presentations in all six Solution Centers or to register for the show, visit http://www.golfindustryshow.com. The Web site also has an interactive online floor plan that allows users to view the entire floor to find the exhibitors and areas they are most interested in visiting. A complete exhibitor listing is also available.