TURFHUGGER

Fife Golf Trust - Driving The Green Across Public Golf Courses

2012-05-17T12:44:00.005-04:00

Following in the footsteps of the world’s most famous public course - St.Andrews Links, the Fife Golf Trust has stepped up its commitment to environmental and social performance. The trust enrolled all seven of its public golf facilities in the GEO OnCourse™ programme, to work toward the international ecolabel for sustainable golf, GEO Certified™.

Confirming the commitment at a seminar on green golf held in St. Andrews, Paul Murphy, the new head of golf course management for the Fife Golf Trust said:
“The seven courses we oversee across the Kingdom of Fife are fantastic recreational resources, very well used by local people of all ages and backgrounds. Our vision is to make them even better by deepening the positive impact in their communities, for golfers and non-golfers; to make them as ecologically rich as we can; and to be even more efficient in our use of resources such as water, energy, fertilisers and pesticides.

We considered a number of ways to achieve our vision, and quickly agreed that the GEO On Course™ programme is far and away the best means to help us plan and coordinate the effort, encouraging and making it easier for Greenkeepers and other staff to make improvements that bring practical results. And for us, overseeing several courses, the “management group” tools are a good way for other managers and me to track and support the work going on at each site.

Fife Council's policies on sustainability - covering biodiversity, waste, climate change, pollution prevention and social inclusion are very strong and our golf facilities are well placed to meet them.

We'll be working hard to be the first municipality in the world to have all our clubs and courses GEO Certified™ in the year ahead”.

Kelli Jerome, GEO Director of Programme Management said:

"Municipal golf courses are vital for good quality, affordable and accessible golf in local communities. We’re pleased that the OnCourse™ programme has been selected to help Paul and his team reduce operational costs and improve the golfing and ecological quality of the courses.

Everything the GEO Certified™ ecolabel stands for matches well with government policies in climate change, biodiversity, waste, social inclusion, health, youth recreation and environmental quality. It will be great to see more municipal golf courses following the example Fife Golf Trust is setting.”

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About GEO

GEO is a stakeholder-funded, not-for-profit organization, dedicated to helping the global golf community establish leadership in environmental enhancement and corporate responsibility. GEO Certified™ is the world's most constructive and credible ecolabel for golf course and club management.

GEO works with golf, government and environmental organizations worldwide, including The European Tour, United Nations Environment Programme, The R&A and the Club Managers Association of America. For more information, please see: www.golfenvironment.org

Media Enquiries: Kelli Jerome, GEO Director of Programme Management
T: +44 1620 895100E: kelli@golfenvironment.org

Turkey Feeders at Bear Trace

2012-05-16T10:49:00.000-04:00

Several years ago when a flock of wild turkeys showed up at the golf course one morning we were all really excited. An occasional single turkey had been seen on the golf course in the past but never a flock this size.

In an effort to try to entice them to stay and take up residency on the golf course we looked at our habitat and resources for them to thrive. The habitat of the golf course is very adequate for their survival with several movement corridors, native grass corridors, and plenty of trees to roost in for the night. The part we were missing was a good food source so we created some supplemental turkey feeders to provide them with shelled and cracked corn until we could install some food plots for them.

The original feeder design was a very simple trough style feeder. The feed was stored in the upright portion of the feeder and fed into the trough by gravity as the feed was removed by the wildlife. The feeders were successful in the beginning but they had a few downfalls that we needed to correct. One downfall was the fact that they feed in the trough could get wet from irrigation or rainfall and had the possibility of spoiling and possibly making the wildlife ill. Another downfall was created by our deer being smarter than we were in our design. The deer were witnessed taking their front leg and knocking the trough off of the feeders which would release all the feed at one time.

Mitch Sivley with a completed feeder tube

So we had to revisit the drawing board of our turkey feeders and we have come up with a different design that is working out great and is still inexpensive and easy to build. The new design uses 4" PVC piping with the trough being replaced by one inch feeding holes.

One inch holes are drilled in the end cap which was glued to one end of the pipe. We have made our feeders between four and five feet tall. Holes are only drilled on one half of the feeder since the other side will be against the tree.

Any rough areas on the holes were filed down smooth as to not injure the wildlife while eating.

The other end of the tube is fitted with a screw on cap fitting which will keep the feed dry and will allow for easy removal to refill the feed.

Once completed the PVC piping is camouflaged with different colors of paint and leaf stencils to allow it to blend into the landscape.

Four finished wild turkey feeders ready for installation. Total time on these feeders was about two hours and they are ready to be added to our wildlife conservation program.

A "new and improved" turkey feeder attached to a tree with plumbers tape. The smaller holes and more upright design insures the feed will not be eaten at a rapid pace and will not be contaminated by rainfall or irrigation practices. All in all the project has been a great success with the wild turkey staying at the golf course and being seen at all times of the day.

If you would like more information on this or any other project we are undertaking please let us know at paul.carter@tn.gov.

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Paul L. Carter is the Certified Golf Course Superintendent at The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay. Paul has a number of very interesting post's that Turfhugger readers would enjoy including:

Native Grass Area Renovation
Renovation of Native Planting Bed
Environmental Outreach and Education
The Next Generation (incredible photos!)
GCSAA/Golf Digest announce 2010 Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards
Case Study for GCSAA's Environmental Institute for Golf

Turfhugger has reposted a blog from Paul in the past - Nest Watch at The Bear Trace

The Sustainability Hat-Trick

2012-05-16T03:29:00.001-04:00

How integrating the three pillars of sustainability in to your decision making will make you a winner every time.

A History Lesson
In 1835 an English Cricketer by the name of Heathfield Harman "HH" Stephenson was the first to take three wickets in three balls. Later HH Stephenson was awarded a hat for his achievement and the term “Hat-Trick” was coined. Since then the term has been adopted to explain significant achievements that come in threes, like three goals in Hockey, Football/Soccer, or as in golf three consecutive wins of the same Tour event constitutes a “Hat-Trick”.

In March of 1987 the Brundtland Commission of the United Nations agreed that the definition of “Sustainable Development” is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Later in 2005 at the World Summit held in New York City, it was agreed upon by the participating nations that to attain sustainable development it would require reconciliation of environmental, social and economic demands. This became known as the “Three Pillars” of sustainability, but also referred to as the 3 P’s: People, Planet, Profit.

Image Source

Integrated - It’s not just for Pest Management anymore!
The “reconciliation of environmental, social and economic demands” means that development, or in our case individual projects or products, must account for each of these areas. A single focused solution is a temporary response to a problem and is based on a system of cheap and easily accessible fuels, materials and labor. This is the difference between “sustainability” and single focused methods of making something just “green”, “cheap” or “aesthetically pleasing”. The old linear decision making process of “I have one problem and therefore need one solution” does not take into account the effect on the inputs and outputs of the 3 P’s. At this time in our game, economy and environment, we need a major win. I believe that sustainable planning can deliver us this win.

So what are the dimensions of the Cultural, Economic and Environmental functions related to a golf course?

Cultural Dimensions of Golf Course Management

To provide recreational opportunities

To make golf accessible

To promote the rules of golf

To make golf fun, playable and provide advancement opportunities

To embrace the historic cultural aspects of the game

To provide a venue and activity for community events and functions

To provide a social venue for special occasions (banquets and weddings)

To preserve and protect the health of peoples

Economic Dimensions of Golf Course Management

To provide employment opportunities

To provide services to local businesses (catering, conferences and banquets)

To use the services of other local companies to advertise, maintain and supply the golf course

To provide a fundraising opportunity for local charities

To generate electricity, fuels, materials for local use

To increase efficient use of resources

To reduce overhead costs

Environmental Dimensions of Golf Course Management

To provide functional habitat and embrace biodiversity

To contribute to the naturally occurring water cycle (recharge groundwater reserves, direct high flows, preserve low and seasonal flows)

To filter water and improve overall water quality

To sequester carbon and preserve air quality

To cool surface temperatures and reduce the heat island effect of urban areas

To process and use local green waste products

It is with the integration of these three dimensions that I believe golf can be a truly “sustainable” sport.

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And just for the fun of it, here's a game every Leaf fan remembers featuring the "Greatest" Hat-Tricker of them all, #99.

Dirt vs. Soil: What is under your turf?

2012-05-15T18:11:00.000-04:00

A key principle of sustainability is to cooperate with nature instead of competing with it, are you doing this with your soil microbiology?

In this video from sustainablestudiesinstitute.org, Dr. Elaine Ingham talks about soil fertility and the role of soil microbial life. Dr. Ingham is a world-renowned soil biologist who pioneered many of the currently used biological soil amendment techniques and the testing of soil microbial life as an indicator of soil and plant health. Her position on soil management is controversial in some circles, while gospel in others.

What is your take? Comment below or use #soilfoodweb on twitter or G+

Environmental Efforts at New Albany GC

2012-05-09T23:40:00.000-04:00

Discussion with Adam Troyer and Brett Foster about New Albany Country Club's recent Audubon Certification. Produced by the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation.

Newcastle Experiments with Composts

2012-05-03T02:53:00.000-04:00

"We did some trial work on compost and have been pretty happy with the results. We have found some of the batches vary in freshness so where and when you use it could be a concern. Overall though, using it in our divot mix has been great for speeding up germination and divot recovery. It is also showing significant promise in our high wear and droughty areas." -

From Scott M. Phelps on the Newcastle Turf Maintenance Blog

Check out Cedar Grove for more info on their Compost Products

Sustainable Golf in the Algarve: Espiche

2012-05-02T09:37:00.004-04:00

According to a recent Golf Travel Insights report published by KPMG's Golf Advisory Practice, 60% of golf tour operators experienced an increase in bookings in 2011, vs only 38 per cent in 2010. Spain and Portugal continue to be the most popular destinations and even saw an average price drop of 10-20 per cent for golf holiday packages in 2011.

Environmental sustainability has become a center focus of many of these resorts that must appeal to today's eco-conscious traveler and prepare for times where resources will become less available and more expensive. For an example we go to Espiche golf course, in the Algarve region of Portugal.

Sustainable Golf in the Algarve: Espiche

Polly Allen

Golf is a very serious business in Portugal, thanks to its international status as a top golfing destination for both professionals and amateurs. Golf holidays in the Algarve region are increasingly popular, but one new club has decided to go the extra mile and provide a sustainable course experience for every player. Espiche is set within an ecological reserve in the western Algarve and respects the local landscape by using key sustainability principles in the design and running of the course.

The Algarvian Environment

Situated in the southernmost part of Portugal, the Algarve enjoys a warm climate with enough average annual sunshine to more than match California. Mediterranean conditions mean that olive and carob trees grow comfortably here, as well as pine forests and groves of oranges and lemons. On the course itself you’ll find that every single plant is either naturally occurring, has been planted because it is native to the region, or has been specially chosen to compliment the dry weather. Golf architect Peter Sauerman wanted Espiche to blend in with its surroundings and give something back to the landscape.

Specially Selected Grass

Because the area doesn’t receive much rainfall, grasses were selected in order to maximize water retention and cope with the warm season. Paspalum was chosen for the greens as it’s ideal for the coastal landscape thanks to its hardiness in the conditions, whilst darker Bermuda grass makes up the fairways and other areas of the course. In the winter the grass lays dormant and does not need to be watered or fertilized, which helps to prevent erosion and damage to the aquifer layer underneath the surface.

On-going Sustainability Research

Espiche Golf is committed to staying sustainable, and part of this involves trying to understand the biodiversity of the western Algarve. The course has teamed up with biologists and students at the University of the Algarve, which will lead to environmental research projects and a greater knowledge of the land itself. Everyone, from the course architect to those behind its daily running, has an interest in seeing the environment flourish. With beautiful views of the Monchique hills and the surrounding countryside, there’s plenty to take in here.

Your Game at Espiche

Golf director Peter Tacon Thornton says of the par 72 course: “The fairways cleverly make full use of the natural undulating slopes and hollows, calling for precise and thoughtful driving,” which certainly makes for an interesting round. He continues: “The brilliantly sculptured and sited greens require the player to use the whole variety of pitch shots.”

Popular with both experienced and infrequent golfers, Espiche offers a challenging but ultimately scenic layout. What’s more, this is the only independent course in the Algarve. Over the rest of the year there will be a club house, pro shop and putting green, to ensure that golfers have everything they need on their visit. Until then, the stunning panorama and the indigenous plant life are both sure to catch the eye of anyone who takes to the course. For more information on the course itself, please visit www.espiche-golf.com.

Bruce Beach Golf Club Native Grasses

2012-04-30T01:24:00.000-04:00

Despite the warmest, driest spring on record I should have suspected an early opening of my local pasture golf course wasn't in the cards, which of course was certainly the case this past weekend. However, the luxury of having golf flags in and holes cut didn't faze me one bit, as I was really just out for the exercise and fresh air combination. Knowing the course like I do, helps a lot too with knowing where to approximately chip the ball close to the hole in the sand greens where the cup has a permanent home in for the playing season.

The starting and finishing holes have the most links style characteristics at this 1908 golfing gem designed by a local Scottish minister, who had a cottage in the area that he spent summers in while away from his parish in Hamilton, ON. The first and ninth holes have pretty much pure beach/dunes sand as the subsoil with very little topsoil having been accumulated over the past 100 years. I had always marveled at the resiliency of the native fescue grass to hold its own over the hot,dry summertime season and provide decent playing conditions pretty much throughout the year with the great natural drainage the dune sand provides. I am not a native grass expert, but common sense tells me the native fescue in the picture below may be a native red fescue?, but I cannot be sure. At any rate, the seed heads are about as prolific as I have seen on a any native grass and that is a true testament to this native grass being in tune with its native surroundings.

Of course my timing couldn't have been better to take a walk in the pasture as the first mow had not been completed yet, but that is about as wispy a playing surface as one could ever have. Suffice to say my hickory wedge was able to slice right through the fescue seed heads better than through a finely manicured stand of creeping bentgrass. Which brings me to the point of this essay. That being, that high end country club golf is always looking for ways to reduce all of their inputs and places like Bruce Beach GC can be a shining example of how golf used to be played and enjoyed at the turn of the last century, and at the turn of the recent century as well.

Reducing inputs on high end country clubs provides me with an extremely comfortable living, by installing internal subsurface greens drainage to these facilities XGD Systems is an important tool in the arsenal of any club to help provide a stand of fine turfgrass able to better withstand the harsh realities that mother nature routinely throws our way.

Cheers, Poor Old Dirt & Grass Farmer

Magic in Marrakech

2012-04-25T21:23:00.001-04:00

Stakeholder Coalition Develops Best Practice for Water Management in Marrakech

Marrakech, the Moroccan Imperial city, is strategically located close to the Atlas mountains. In the early days, the city was the gateway to the Sahara desert and over the years, Marrakech developed into a unique touristic destination. An interesting destination also for golf tourism, showing the many golf courses around Marrakech. With 24.000ha, high summer temperatures, a total population of 950.000 people and nineteen courses, water is a valuable asset. To protect the city’s environment, a public-private collaboration was initiated to collect all the wastewater from the city, treat the water and reuse it for instance for irrigation of the Palm groves of Marrakech and golf courses.

Image from Complete Morocco

The waste water treatment project was leaded by the RADEEMA (The Marrakech Electricity and Water Board), the Moroccan government and the golf courses. It was key to involve the golf courses from the beginning since the yearly water use of the golf courses was estimated at 27 million m³. The total drinking water use of Marrakech is about 60 million m³ per year so with the treatment and reuse of wastewater, a significant amount of water is used efficiently.

Image courtesy of Adil Daoudi

Mr. Daoudi, RADEEMA’s Director of Planification and Programmation contributes: “With such a project, an alternative and renewable resource is mobilized and permit not only to preserve the environment and conventional water resources but also to boost the development of golfing and ecotourism.”

Marrakech Wastewater Project is Generating Electricity
In December 2011, the water treatment facility was officially taken into production. Every day, 110.000m³ of wastewater is collected, from which 90.000m³ is able to be reused. Within the treatment process, methane is used to generate electricity. The facility generates a daily amount of 30MWh electricity, which fulfills 50% of the total electricity need of the wastewater treatment plant. After treatment, the water is distributed through five pumping stations and 80km of pipelines that connects all golf courses.

Image courtesy of Adil Daoudi

Costs and Benefits
The wastewater project in Marrakech not only guarantees efficient water use, but is also generating electricity for the wastewater plant. Another strong point of the Marrakesh approach is the stakeholder coalition for the project. The three main partners in the wastewater project (RADEEMA, government and golf courses) all made a significant financial contribution. The total costs of the project were 1.2 billion dirham (110 million euros) in which the Moroccan government contributed 150 million dirham, RADEEMA 596 million and promoters including golf courses 486 million dirham.

Image courtesy of Adil Daoudi

The treatment and re-use of Marrakech’s wastewater is a milestone in sustainable development, which brings significant benefits for the region on economic, environmental and social ground. With the project, Marrakech is able to further develop itself as an attractive touristic (golf) destination.

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Bart Stadhouders has conducted an in-depth study into the opportunities and obstructions of sustainable Olympic Games. Furthermore he has led several projects on climate change and the changing recreational behavior. Next to his Masters of Leisure Studies, Bart also studied biodiversity and sustainability topics at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Together with the NHTV/Academy for Leisure, Bart has developed the Sustainable Golf Index and its Sector Report and has led the initial research at the Dutch KLM Open.

How Golf Preserves

2012-04-03T01:39:00.000-04:00

From GCSAATV:
Golfpreserves founders discuss their work in developing a monetary value for carbon sequestration on golf courses that can be used to help fund environmental research and stewardship efforts.

Greg Evans: 3 Beliefs in Producing a Successful Putting Surface

2012-03-31T14:31:00.001-04:00

In this video from the 2012 GCSAI Conference this past week in Killenard Ireland, Greg Evans MG lays out his 3 beliefs of what is necessary to produce a successful putting surface:

Single Grass Species - Pick a parent monoculture and put a maintenance plan together to maximize its potential. Whether that's Fescue, Bent or perennial Poa, to get the best out of each species you must focus on each one individually.
Maintain a Balanced Program - Too little is as bad as too much in my view. Also, consistency of height of cut is crucial so that the grass plant grows in a happy environment. Chopping and changing building up to the big tournament is no good!
Sward Density - Without doubt the key to producing good surfaces. However you do it, you must maintain high sward density to get the best out of your surfaces.

Be sure to check out Greg's Blog and follow him on Twitter.

The Importance of Buffer Strips along Golf Course Waterways

2012-03-21T15:43:00.002-04:00

Golf course superintendents have got to be some of the most knowledgeable, well-rounded individuals I know. When you think about all the subjects they’re expected to be proficient in, it’s really mind-blowing. I have a lot of respect for this profession. Not only do they need to know the ins and outs of the game, but they pretty much need to be landscape architects, mechanics, entomologists, gardeners, chemists, agronomists, botanists, soil scientists, arborists, wildlife managers, biologists, turfgrass specialists, plant pathologists, economists, weather forecasters, hydrologists, reclamationists, and even the occasional public relations professional. What’s more, they’re expected to be all of these things on top of keeping their players happy and coming back for more. If this list seems overwhelming, well, I’m sorry but I’m about to suggest one more. A wetland scientist. Golf course superintendents will need a good understanding of riparian sciences and knowledge of how to properly manage and maintain the health and quality of their ponds, streams, rivers and lakes if they are to succeed in the future of sustainable golf course management.

Weston GC, Toronto, Ontario - Project of Out on a Limb

Water features play an important role on the golf course and have a large impact on the environment that extends far beyond course property. My local course, the Logan River Golf Course, is situated along the Logan River which flows into the Bear River and ends up in the Great Salt Lake almost 100 miles away. These rivers weave through many acres of protected wetland habitat and residential areas on their path to the Great Salt Lake. Correct or incorrect water management practices made at the golf course will impact thousands of people who rely on the Logan and Bear rivers for a water supply. Most courses have similar, wide-scale effects on water supplies even if they are not obviously perceived.

Problems with water feature management can occur for a number of reasons, and can be seen in the form of algae infested ponds, aquatic wildlife die-off, and a high level of toxins in local water supplies. Soil erosion is also a concern; a symptom of poor management practices. Many times in an effort for a “quick-fix”, the symptoms are treated while the source of the problem is largely ignored. In my past experience as a property manager, I’ve seen a client spend enormous amounts of time and money on chemicals to “sterilize” his pond, while giving no thought to how he could prevent his pond from experiencing algae blooms in the first place. By observing and mimicking natural wetland ecosystems, we can save time, money, and the quality of our water supplies while at the same time adding to the aesthetics of our golf courses.

No room for a buffer

The primary pollutants that cause these issues in golf course water features are nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, pesticides, and sediment. These pollutants migrate into nearby water features and are the reason for the problems previously mentioned. The solution can be found in a combination of responsible fertilizer and pesticide application, and in buffer strips along water features. These buffer strips consist mainly of shrubs, forbs, and grasses that act as a natural filter. Buffer strips intercept surface and subsurface runoff and filter pollutants before they enter ponds, streams, lakes, and rivers. They also help stabilize eroding banks, provide a food source for aquatic organisms, deter nuisance species such as geese, and decrease labor time and costs associated with trimming and mowing along sloped banks.

To gain a better understanding of buffer strips and their application on the golf course, we can look at the research done by agencies such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service. In their management of riparian areas, they follow a “three-zone” buffer concept where each zone contains plants designed to maximize filtration along waterways.

These zones, by their standards, can be hundreds of feet wide. Zone 1, next to the water’s edge, consists of trees and large shrubs. Further away from shore, Zone 2 consists of small trees, large and medium sized shrubs, and tall grasses. Finally, beyond the other two zones and furthest away from the water’s edge, Zone 3 consists of dense grasses, wildflowers, and small herbaceous plants. Of course, a golf course is very different than a forest or wetland ecosystem, and their suggested zone sizes and plant materials are not always practical for the limited areas in golf courses. But by adapting their model to fit the needs of a functioning golf course, it is possible to achieve many of the same results.

Zone 1 with Cattails and Sedges, Zone 2 with herbaceous species -
Weston GC, Toronto Ontario - Project of Out on a Limb

The first thing is to distinguish between in-play and out-of-play areas, as in-play buffer strips are going to be designed much differently than out-of-play buffer strips. For an in-play area, the three-zone concept will need to be altered to fit in an area of a few yards and will incorporate a series of gradually increasing mowing heights adjacent to the water. This may seem insignificant, but research has shown that even a buffer strip of 3-inch tall grass will provide a level of filtration when grown between bodies of water and shorter, high-maintenance turfgrass. In-play buffer strips should be not taller than 8-inches to remain playable.

Buffer strips located in out-of-play areas can have much more flexibility in their design and plant materials. Zone 1 (next to the water’s edge) will consist of riparian shrubs and tall grasses. Zone 2 will include a blend of grasses of medium height, wildflowers, and shrubs. Zone 3 will contain grass species that can be left to grow naturally and be mowed occasionally to remove phosphorus that can buildup in plant material.

As for the type of plant material used, the University of Minnesota has put together a list of plants known for their excellent filtration properties. They are also native, perennial, hardy, and do not require fertilizer once established. The following is a list of recommended plants that correspond to their related zone of use for an out-of-play buffer strip on a golf course.

Zone 1: Riparian Shrubs and Grasses (along the water’s edge)

Arrowhead, Sagittaria latifolia

Bur-reed, Sparganium americanum

Canada bluejoint grass, Calamgrostis Canadensis

Cattail, Typha latifolia

Green bulrush, Scirpus atrovirens

Lake sedge, Carex lacustris

Pickerelweed, Pontederia cordata

River bulrush, Scirpus fluviatilis

Soft rush, Juncus effuses

Water plaintain, Alisma plantago-aquatica

Wool grass, Scirpus cyperinus

Prairie cord grass, Spartina pectinata

Arrowhead, Sagittaria latifolia

Zone 2: Medium sizes shrubs, wildflowers, and grasses (moist soils)

Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis

Meadowsweet, Spirea alba

Pussy willow, Salix discolor

Red osier dogwood, Cornus sericea

Blue flag iris, Iris versicolor

Blue vervain, Verbena hastate

Bottlebrush sedge, Carex comosa

Cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis

Culver's root, Veronicastrum virginicum

Joe-pye weed, Eupatorium maculatum

Butterfly milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa

Gray-head coneflower, Ratibida pinnata

Purple coneflower, Echinacea augustifolia

Thimbleweed, Anemone cylindrical

Big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii

Blue flag iris, Iris versicolor

Zone 3: Grasses (mowable)

Indian grass, Sorghastrum nutans
Little bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium
Sideoats grama, Bouteloua curtipendula

Before going all-in on a buffer strip development project, it’s important to help educate players and the public when planning to develop and install buffer strips. This is where the public relation skills come into play. Many golfers have become used to the clean-cut, manicured look and might view buffer strips as messy or unattractive weeds that eat golf balls. Newsletters, facts sheets, web-site information, and face-to-face communication will help to inform the public about the benefits of buffer strips. There are many examples of golf courses that have had great success implementing buffer strips and, as player’s attitudes change, have been complemented on the beauty of their courses.

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From his earliest days growing up in a small northern Utah town, Skylar could always be found in the great outdoors. He developed a great love of nature and appreciation for beautiful landscapes, both natural and manmade, which led him to pursue a career that would allow him to spend as much time outdoors as possible. With an educational background in Horticulture from Utah State University, Skylar’s many years of experience in the landscape/turf industry has taught him much about working with nature. This in turn led him to realize that the future of this industry rests upon sustainability and responsible agricultural practices. He works for Naturesfinestseed.com, a company that believes strongly in the principal of sustainability.
Contact him on Twitter at @Sky_Christensen

Sustainability and Project Management

2012-03-19T18:20:00.001-04:00

Irrigation, bunkers, stream restoration, construction of small buildings, bridges, wash pads or tee's - there is no shortage to the type of projects happening on a golf course at any given time. This requires a sound project management strategy.

The project management definition as per the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK, Project Management Institute's flagship publication) is “the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements”. What if one of your project goals or requirements was to integrate sustainability? Would you understand how?

For some insight I've contacted Sven Riemer, a Director at Stratos, a sustainability consulting firm in Ottawa Canada. Sven leads the Public Sector Management Practice and specializes in strategic project management, performance measurement and reporting strategies. After the short interview I've included a presentation of Sven's illustrating the process he uses of integrating sustainability in to the project management process.

SJM: Many high-end golf courses have engaged in projects that are inherently "sustainable", like greens roofs, organic maintenance and solar panels or turbines for energy generation. However the initial investment of these projects is just not affordable for the majority of courses. How can the average company integrate sustainability principles when faced with low budgets?

Sven Riemer: Projects that have a “green” output such as a green roof or the installation of solar panels are often labelled as sustainable projects. Sustainable project management in my mind needs to consider more than just the project deliverable: it needs to consider sustainability aspects of the management of the project itself, that means exploring the environmental, social and economic implications of the project and managing those is a responsible manner. On the economic side, this would include considering for example supply chain and where materials are sourced from (e.g. buy local or from certified green suppliers vs. the cheapest import), and community development or community contribution opportunities. On the social side, proactive management of project health & safety, project team diversity, or aboriginal engagement may be topics that warrant some exploration. Considerations for the environmental dimension include for example energy and water efficiency and the use of recycled materials not only of the project deliverable, but throughout project delivery.

Project managers for of low-budget projects can explore those dimensions as well: they may find opportunities to use recycled building material or find volunteers to assist with some aspects of the project, resulting in cost savings and a smaller environmental footprint of the project. Other considerations may be if project specific expertise has to be bought, or is there an opportunity to build capacity and opportunity in the community by training an individual or group of people? Or, can we make a direct economic contribution by sourcing material locally? These are just a few examples of how projects can be managed with sustainability principles in mind, even if there is no green showcase deliverable at the end

SJM: Would you say that before a business tries to integrate "green", "social" or "efficiency" features into a project, they should have a clearly thought out sustainability or environmental policy?

Sven Riemer: It really helps, especially in light of the tension we often see between short-term savings and long-term benefits. PMI refers to policies that impact how projects are delivered as “enterprise environmental factors”. Policy determines the overall intentions and direction of an organization related to a particular subject matter or issue. The policy development process, if done well, requires the business to think through the implications of committing to environmental or sustainability principles, and to establish through its policies its ambition. When looking at environmental or sustainability policies you often find qualifiers such as “where economically feasible” or “to comply with regulatory requirements” that indicate how far an organization will go in promoting such principles. Policy provides direction to anyone in the organization in how far they can push the envelope on the sustainability side with their projects.

SJM: At what point, if at all, should one pillar of sustainability take precedence over another? For example, when cost restrictions out-weigh the environmental or social goals.

Image from Wikipedia

Sven Riemer: That is where the above policy discussion is directly relevant. Sustainable organizations needs to consider where they want to put their efforts, and how far they are willing to go. In the absence of any policy, another way of answering the questions may be by looking at the stakeholders who are affected by the project. If you have a golf-course project in a community where a local businesses can supply the needed materials and expertise you may want to put an emphasis on buying local, even if it costs more. I know very little about golf course operations, but think it is safe to assume that a functioning local economy should be interest of any operator.

Calculating your return on investment for e.g. water-saving devices can be straight forward. If you know the cost of your water and how much water the new equipment will save you it is easy to calculate the break-even point. For social goals it is not as straight forward, as the returns for being good corporate citizens are not as easily quantifiable. One way of quantifying the benefits of good corporate citizenship is looking at the risks that social investments might help mitigate. In my experience, organizations are typically far more sophisticated at quantifying their risks, and drawing the link between environmental and/or social investments to risk mitigation can help quantify the benefits.

Video: Getting - and keeping - the bugs out

2012-03-11T22:12:00.001-04:00

Last year at the 2011 Cornell Landscape Webinar Series: Getting Your Turf on the Right Track, sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension Sustainable Landscapes-Horticulture Program Work Team, Cornell University Assistant Professor & Turfgrass Entomologist Dan Peck, Ph.D., discussed the early-season scouting and intervention strategies for Invasive Crane Flies, Annual Bluegrass Weevil, Chinch Bugs and White Grubs.

Video: James Baird Interview

2012-03-06T00:09:00.001-05:00

James Baird, a turfgrass specialist at the University of California, Riverside, talks about cool- and warm-season grasses, their carbon sequestering abilities, and how these grasses respond to water. In this interview, he also offers homeowners some lawn-care advice.

Organic Golf Course Management in Utah

2012-03-04T10:22:00.001-05:00

Utah State University has identified Utah to be a perfect model to explore the use of organic management strategies on golf courses because of its diverse climates and landscapes that reflect those throughout the Intermountain Western US. As a means to increase awareness to golf course managers and superintendents about unnecessary pesticide use and provide alternative management tactics for golf courses in these landscapes, the USU Extension and the Center for Resource Management present the online training module "Organic Golf Course Management in Utah".

The creation of these training videos (powerpoints turned into videos) was to help superintendents make the transition to an organic management program. The USU presentations were funded by an EPA Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program grant and include the following sections:

1. Introduction
2. Variety Selection
3. Irrigation Management
4. Soils
5. Insects
6. Diseases
7. Weeds
8. Conclusion - Sustainable Management

Sustainability at La Costa Resort Promo

2012-02-29T15:01:00.001-05:00

Carlsbad CA's La Costa Resort and Spa has embarked on a new golf experience, renovating the legendary golf course of the PGA Championship location with the designers, Pascuzzo and Pate, making it more environmentally sustainable and player-friendly.

Cordova Bay GC

2012-02-29T02:46:00.001-05:00

Dean Piller, 2010 CGSA Superintendent of the Year, talks about how golf courses can be (and are) environmental leaders. Dean has long spearheaded Cordova Bay Golf Course's environmental programs. In the past, Dean's work has made Cordova Bay Golf Course the first "Audubon Certified" golf course on Vancouver Island. Now Dean is introducing a 'nutrition' rather than 'fertilization' program aimed at providing exactly what nutrients the grass needs and no more.

Check them out at http://www.cordovabaygolf.com

5 Sustainability Q’s for the Trade Show Floor

2012-02-28T03:40:00.001-05:00

Golf course sustainability does not start on the course, it begins with the supply-chain. All of your efforts to green your golf course operations can be undermined or enhanced by choosing products or services that may or may not be aligned with your own sustainability goals.

I’ve prepared 5 questions (and a few talking points) to help you make informed decisions, and transform your operations from an old linear style, towards a sustainable system.

Note: Although I’ve mostly covered the environmental aspect of the supply-chain, it’s important to remember that social and economic demands, together with the environment, make up the three pillars of sustainability and that all three should be considered within your procurement policies. I’ve put a * beside the questions I feel would be relevant to most superintendents. Also, when asking these questions try to be specific about one particular type of product or service to help frame the conversation.

image courtesy of Out on a Limb

What are the manufacturer’s/supplier's sustainability commitments?

*How do they measure and report their progress?

*Does the supplier have an Environmental Management System (EMS), Sustainability or Environmental Policy?

Does the supplier have a Corporate Social Responsibility Policy?

Does the supplier support a local (State/Prov., Nation) workforce?

How does the company express its values or commitment to employees, customers, and others?

For the production/manufacturing and distribution of your products, what efforts have been made to efficiently use resources, materials, energy, and prevent pollution, in the production and distribution of products?

*Is the product, manufacturing plant or service certified or accredited by an independent body (e.g. ISO 14001, EMAS, LEED, EcoLogo, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Energy Star, “Organic”, etc.)?
Does the manufacturing process use renewable energy sources?
*Are recycled materials used in any of your materials or products installed through your services? If so, what percentage?
What percentage of post-consumer materials are used?
Have you decreased the amount of virgin raw materials used in your manufacturing process?

*Will there be any waste reduction through product/service use?:

*Is the product durable?
*Can it be easily and economically serviced and maintained?
*Is the product designed to reduce consumption and minimize waste?
*Is the product reusable?
*Does the product require less energy to operate and maintain than competing products?

Does the supplier do anything to ensure minimal environmental impact at the end of their intended lives?

*Do they encourage customers to recycle or reuse products?
*Do they have a refurbishing program?
*What efforts have been made to have packaging returned, reused or recycled?
*Is the product compostable or biodegrade over time into harmless elements?

Does your product help me meet state or local regulatory requirements?

*In the areas of waste management? (batteries, recyclable locally?)
*In the areas of chemical safety, storage, spill, remediation?
*Under water conservation plans?
*Under provincial pesticide ban exemptions?
*Under legislation concerning Phoshorus or Nitrogen?
*Under emission, fuel efficiency or noise level legislation?

I hope these questions helped you frame your product and service inquires, and that you were able to find the answers you were looking for.

PACE Turf: Golf Course Sustainability Metrics

2012-02-26T02:09:00.002-05:00

In this 7 minute video, Dr. Larry Stowell provides guidance that will help you to navigate and achieve the demands for increased sustainability at your golf course.

To learn more about how PACE Turf provides turf managers with practical, yet science-based solutions to turf management problems, take their member benefits tour: http://www.paceturf.org/index.php/tour/

Fertility: Are You Ready For The Season Ahead?

2012-02-21T16:24:00.003-05:00

As the big thaw across Britain begins, our minds start looking forward to the season ahead and our thoughts turn to our maintenance programmes for the coming season. Without doubt one of the most crucial elements of producing good surfaces is how we apply nutrients to the plant. Too much all at once will produce soft, slow, spongy surfaces. Too little could thin out the sward encouraging diseases such as anthracnose. There has been a lot of talk over the past decade about how we have overfed our surfaces. This is probably true to some extent. Have some people now gone too far the other way? Could they be under-feeding their surfaces?

There are two basic things we can give plants to help them stay healthy. Water is obviously one (even fescue needs water), and nutrients the other. We all know about the NPK way, but I feel that time and method has moved away from this. It’s just not about NPK these days, but more crucially how and when you apply it.

At every seminar I have spoken at, the question is always asked ‘How much Nitrogen do you apply?’. It’s a valid question but always a loaded one. Giving a single figure doesn’t give an accurate representation. If I applied 100 units (kg) of N for the year, does it mean I applied 4 granular feeds with 25 units in each application? Did I apply it purely by foliar means or a combination of granular and foliar? All of these have different consequences on growth, performance and health. So instead of a number, think more deeply. First, think about what you want to achieve, then put a plan together that allows you to do so.

Be In Control Of Growth

When I started in the industry in the early nineties, granular feeding was choice of greenkeepers. Ask any greenkeeper then and he would say, ‘35g/m2 of sulphate/ammonia’. This was great for growing grass, but surfaces would be uncontrollable one week, and starving the next. The key to producing consistent growth on an even keel is to apply it on a ‘little and often’ basis. Drip feeding the N on instead of blasting it on all at once will produce consistent greens every day of the week. You have to try to be in control of growth and not let it control you.

So how do we do this? 20 years ago a greenskeeper would probably have said that the greens mower was his most crucial piece of equipment. Today I bet quite a few would say that the sprayer is the piece of kit that they can't do without. The sprayer's role has changed a huge amount over the years. It is now a crucial piece of armoury in the greenkeepers shed. During the season it may be out there daily applying to all playing surfaces. So what is the perfect programme for the greens?

One of my biggest issues with fertiliser companies arises when they suggest products and programmes. Usually it is a generic solution for all grasses, whether they be fescue, bent, poa or rye. This cannot be right. Different grasses obviously have different needs. A poa sward will be a lot more juicy at certain times than a fescue one. Poa will therefore need feeding sooner than the fescue as the nutrients applied will be depleted sooner. Before you come up with your 'perfect' programme, consider the needs of your particular grass species and design your plan based on maximizing that plant!

Soluble or Liquid?

Since the sprayer has become more popular I often get asked whether we should apply soluble or liquid feed. At the end of the day there is no difference (apart from price usually). The plant doesn't know whether it was in liquid formation or it came in soluble bags before it was applied. There are a lot of companies out there selling a ‘wonder product’. The sales pitch will be their secret formula that gets the product into the plant. But I ask you this. Do you think that a grass plant knows that product X is better than product Y? I don’t think so. What’s important to a grass plant is a) the nutrient source, b) the way the product is applied and c) how much nutrient is being applied at once. Once you know that then you can pick the correct product depending on price. If a liquid is more competitive, then buy that and vice versa.

Do your own homework

I get so frustrated when I hear that a greenkeeper has based their programme around the results of a fertiliser company's test results. We are skilled turf managers. We went to college or university to learn about growing grass. Fertility was one of the key areas, so why do we need a company to lay out our programmes? By all means ask their opinions, but do your own research. Get your tests, either soil or tissue, completed by independent laboratories. There are plenty of them about. That way you will be in charge of your own density and not reliant on a company (however good they are) whose core business is to sell fertiliser!

As we head in to spring we will all be thinking about our fertility programmes for the year ahead. First decide what you want to achieve this year. It might be to reduce your poa content, or to reduce your disease pressure in the summer months. Then think about your application methods; Granular or foliar or both. Finally, select products that will give you results at a competitive price. That at the end of the day is why we are turf managers!

Greg Evans MG
Consulting
Blog

Flush: Rain Bird 900/1100 Series vs Toro R-Series

2012-02-16T02:02:00.002-05:00

Do you have Rain Bird Eagle 900 or 1100 Series heads in a Rain Bird Sprinkler Body? Are you tired of ruining your paper uniforms? Toro has a suggestion for you.

Buffalograss Gaining Popularity on the Golf Course

2012-02-16T01:22:00.000-05:00

There’s been much discussion lately on the subject of water conservation within the golf course industry, and for good reason. As water demands outweigh water supplies in many areas of the country, several courses are starting to feel the pinch and are looking for ways to cut back on irrigation needs.

Methods such as rainwater harvesting have shown huge potential for water conservation in golf course management. Although rainwater harvesting is a great way to provide a free, steady, and sustainable supply of water, it’s only one side of the irrigation coin. Not only do we need to be able to supply a sustainable supply of water, but we need to consider using turfgrass species that don’t require much water to begin with.

One such alternative grass species that’s gained popularity in golf course use during recent years is Buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides). Buffalograss is a North American native common to the Great Plains region, and can be found stretching from Manitoba and Saskatchewan (although rare) all the way through 22 American states and on down into Mexico. Not only does it have a large natural habitat, but Buffalograss can adapt to work well throughout most of the west and even as far east as Virginia.

This warm-season native has been praised for its very low irrigation requirements, natural resistance to pests and disease, and slow growth rate. Weed suppression is another attribute, as a healthy stand of Buffalograss usually has no problem overpowering competing weeds. On top of all this, Buffalograss has a low need for fertilizer, responding very well to light applications of nitrogen at the rate of ½ to 2 pounds per growing season.

That’s all well and good, but what about its quality and playability on the golf course? Buffalograss is naturally a low growing grass, usually getting 4-7 inches tall. For many years, the use of Buffalograss on the golf course seemed limited to roughs due to its poor performance at mowing heights under one inch. But with recently developed cultivars such as ‘Prestige’, the potential for Buffalograss to transition from a rough grass to a fairway grass has never been better. Developed by the University of Nebraska, ‘Prestige’ requires only about one inch of water per month, is resistant to most turf insects and diseases, and can be cut to height of 15.6 mm, or approximately ½ inch.

Just how much water can a Buffalograss golf course save? In a 2001 article by James T. Snow, the National Director of the United States Golf Association's Green Section, he states:
“Several improved cultivars of buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides), a native of the American Great Plains, have been developed by turfgrass breeders at the University of Nebraska. This grass can replace high water use grasses on fairways and roughs in a large geographic area of the Mid-West, resulting in water savings of 50% or more.”

It’s important to remember it’s not a miracle cure-all grass. There will be a few drawbacks to consider when thinking about Buffalograss for golf course use. For one, Buffalograss will go dormant in the cool winter months and will take longer in the springtime to green up than traditional cool-season grasses.

It does not tolerate shady conditions or over-watering, and some consider Buffalograss to be a lighter green color than traditional grasses. It’s important to analyze your unique conditions, climate, and irrigation requirements to see if Buffalograss would be a smart investment for your course.

Many golf courses have dramatically reduced their water, fertilizer, and pesticide use by replacing traditional turfgrass with Buffalograss. Together along with other sustainable practices such as rainwater harvesting, it is possible to dramatically reduce the large amounts of input required to maintain a professional golf course while still retaining the aesthetic value and playability that makes golf the beautiful (and in my case, humbling) sport it is.

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Toro Tours to "Master the Greens"

2012-02-14T15:37:00.002-05:00

In the spring and summer of 2011, Toro toured the US with the new TriFlex, TriFlex Hybrid, Greensmaster Flex and eFlex walk mowers. Here are some initial customer reactions to these units from stops along the way. Want to request a demo? Go here.

Promo Video for the TriFlex and TriFlex Hybrid

Promo Video for the Greensmaster eFlex/Flex Series

TURFHUGGER

Fife Golf Trust - Driving The Green Across Public Golf Courses

Turkey Feeders at Bear Trace

The Sustainability Hat-Trick

Dirt vs. Soil: What is under your turf?

Environmental Efforts at New Albany GC

Newcastle Experiments with Composts

Sustainable Golf in the Algarve: Espiche

Bruce Beach Golf Club Native Grasses

Magic in Marrakech

How Golf Preserves

Greg Evans: 3 Beliefs in Producing a Successful Putting Surface

The Importance of Buffer Strips along Golf Course Waterways

Sustainability and Project Management

Top 5 Dirty Videos

Video: Getting - and keeping - the bugs out

Video: James Baird Interview

Organic Golf Course Management in Utah

Sustainability at La Costa Resort Promo

Cordova Bay GC

5 Sustainability Q’s for the Trade Show Floor

PACE Turf: Golf Course Sustainability Metrics

Fertility: Are You Ready For The Season Ahead?

Flush: Rain Bird 900/1100 Series vs Toro R-Series

Buffalograss Gaining Popularity on the Golf Course

Toro Tours to "Master the Greens"