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Tee To Green The Official Publication of the South Texas Golf Course Superintendents Association
2021 Meeting Schedule (Dates & Locations Subject to Change)
May 18, 2021 Meeting/Education Sugar Creek Country Club
June 21, 2021 Chapter Championship Golfcrest Country Club July 26, 2021 M/G/G/G Memorial Park Golf Course August 31, 2021 Supt/Pro - Mbr/Mbr Whispering Pines October 2021 Meeting/Education TBA
May 18, 2021 Meeting/Education
November 2021 Past Presidents Meeting/Annual Meeting TBA
(more info on page 4)
2021 Scholarship Tournament Thank you to Steven Chernosky and Staff at High Meadow Ranch Golf Club for hosting our Scholarship Tournament this year! We had a record breaking year and raised over $35,000! Thank you to everyone who donated and participated in this event! We couldn’t have done it without you!
Congratulations to our winners! (Results on page 6) 1
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Jason Barrington - President STGCSA As June arrives we all know just how much damage our course sustained during the winter freeze. I know we were all affected in some way and some much worse than others. I am going to share the problems my course is facing and some of our plans moving forward. 2021 was looking to be the best start to spring in the 3.5 years I have been here. The past few winters, the greens have thinned in areas and we had to push them early in the spring to get everything filled back in and ready for cultural practices. This winter was very different. We kept the greens at a little lower height of cut so that we did not have to put as much equipment on them all winter. On February 1st they were in the best condition going into spring out of the 4 winters I have faced. They were still full and the roots were looking great. That all changed in a matter of 7 days. I mentioned in my last message just how cold the nights were in College Station during the freeze and how long we stayed below freezing. As soon as all of the snow melted we could see areas that were green and areas that were brown. We went out and looked at the roots in both areas and both areas had white roots. We stuck a knife in the grass and you could hear a cutting sound so we thought the areas had a great chance of recovering. I made the decision that we were going to stay off of the greens with all equipment for the first week to give the greens a chance to recover. Over the next couple of weeks we sprayed both foliar and soil sprays, vented the greens with small solid tines, fertilized with Milorganite, 0-0-12 k mag, calcium, fungicides, and sliced the greens. We were trying to give them the best chance to grow new grass and recover as possible. As time passed, the roots slowly turned brown from the crown down. Greens were not the only areas affected by the freeze. We have numerous tees that range in severity of damage as well as fairways. The College Station area has extremely bad water and soil to go along with the freeze. In areas we had runoff from the snow melting, had higher salt content and caused the grass to die. Then, we have some areas that seem to have no rhyme or reason as to what was damaged and untouched. It has definitely been very stressful and frustrating to realize just how much damage was done. Now we are all trying to recover and do everything in our power to grow Bermuda, but the weather continues to slow that process. Here is College Station I think we have had 3 days reach the magic 150 number. Just 3. After every warm spell we have had major temperature drops. As of 2 weeks ago our lows hit mid 40's again two nights in a row. Our Mini-Verde turned purple and was shutting down again and our Celebration turned off color as well. Not even close to the condition we need to make grass grow and move sideways. We may have had one of the more severe cases of weather damage. The Sterling Golf staff had to come together and we have a plan in place. We will be shutting down on June 1st and converting our greens to Champions G-12. We will also be using this time to address the other parts of the course that sustained damage. It is going to be a very busy summer, so I most likely will not get to see you guys until our meeting at the end of August. I feel this is the perfect time to touch on something else as well. During these very difficult and stressful times it would be very easy to get depressed, over stressed, anxious, worried, turn to alcohol, or other vices that are not healthy. I have definitely had my moments and days where I am stressed and overwhelmed with the uncertainty of the situation. I am sure some people have been worried if they will loose their job even though what happened was completely out of their control. My faith and my relationship with God has really gotten me through this tough time. Not only have I been dealing with this issue, but I have been in the middle of a long drawn out guardianship court case for my 18 year old special needs son. I only say that to say that I know each one of us have things going on at home on top of the problems at work. I have shared some of my story on Facebook and personally with some of you. I also share daily scriptures on my Twitter page, @BarringtonJason. I do my best to live in a way so that people can see I live for Jesus. I was not going to change that once I became President. I was hoping to be able to positively affect and encourage at least one person during my one year term. That time occurred recently. I was called by someone in our chapter that was struggling mentally and wanted to talk. They asked me how I was able to get through the struggles of the court case and still focus on work. I was able to talk to them for thirty minutes or so and share my testimony and share my struggles. We talked about Jesus and how he is our comforter and can give us peace in the middle of a hurricane. We prayed together at the end and said goodbye. They sent me a text a few days later thanking me for taking the time to talk and pray and told me it really helped. They also sent a video that was on a social media site that was an encouraging message from the Bible, and said it is amazing how perfect Gods timing is. I talked to them earlier this week and their situation had almost done a 180 degree turn and was looking up on multiple fronts. I say all of that to say, if you are feeling down and need someone to talk to, pray for you, or help encourage you, please reach out to me. I will keep our conversation completely between us. Do not feel like you are alone and you have to deal with the stress alone! That is a lie! I know I am not the only one who is willing to help! I look forward to seeing everyone later this summer. Good luck on the recovery process and I hope you have a great summer.
Jason Barrington 2
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Welcome New/Returning Members!!!! Ken Krieger - Managing Partner @ LoneStar Outdoor Power Equipment Brian Sigler - South Texas Sales Executive @ Turf and Soil Mgmt, LLC Kyle Neal - Sr. Assistant Superintendent @ The Golf Trails of The Woodlands Adam Robertson - Attorney @ Andrews Myers, PC
Wesley Walker - Attorney @ Andrews Myers, PC Chris Wolfe - Account Executive @ Professional Turf Products Paul Gamino - GC Associate @ The Wilderness at Lake Jackson
We welcome you to the Association!!!! 3
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Member News Do you have any news to share such as: A Job Promotion? Hosting a Major Tournament? Moving Jobs? Getting Married? Birth Announcements? Etc.? Please email Carrie Cole at stgcsa@stgcsa.org so we can share the latest news and get to know our fellow members!
Guest Speaker: Chase Straw, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Turfgrass Management and Physiology Texas A&M University, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences Topic: Precision Turfgrass Management: Current Technology Trends and Future Applications The golf course management industry is under increasing public pressure to improve environmental impacts by reducing management inputs. The concept of precision turfgrass management is a viable strategy to achieve reductions by making management input applications only where, when, and in the amount needed. Soil moisture sensors, drones, GPS sprayers, as well as many other sensor and mapping technologies are currently available to assist in making more time- and site-specific applications; however, there is still much to learn about them in order to use their information to make meaningful management decisions and justify costs. This presentation will provide an overview of current technology for precision turfgrass management on golf courses and discuss their future applications that have the potential to significantly reduce inputs.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 4
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2021 South Texas GCSA, Inc. Scholarship Application The 2021 Scholarship Awards Ceremony will be held in December 2021 (Date & Location TBA) The Application deadline is September 1, 2021 The Transcript deadline is October 1, 2021 Send all documents by email or mail. Transcripts need to be mailed directly to: South Texas, GCSA, Inc. PO Box 2443 Cypress, TX 77410-2443
Click Here for the 2021 STGCSA Scholarship Application
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Is 2021 the year you will finally get your Safety Program up and running? By: Brian Cloud Here are the 3 things you need to consider. While writing a safety plan can easily be pushed to the bottom of a golf course Superintendent’s very long to-do list, it’s arguably the most critical item on the list. A safety plan goes beyond protecting your employees; it protects the Superintendent and the club itself from liability, negative publicity, and fines. No matter how experienced, confident and knowledgeable your crew may be, they need to follow a defined and comprehensive safety plan. Written Policy OSHA loves to call this an Injury and Illness Prevention Program, but most employers call this a Safety Plan. Your facility Safety Plan is required to have a written safety policy on anything that you reasonably feel could injure an employee or cause illness. This is a very long list, and should include safety information on: Equipment Operation: (examples) Turf equipment, Vehicles / carts, Tractors, Mowers, Chain saws, Ladders, Hand operated tools, etc. Operation Policies: (examples) General Safety rules, Smoking rules and regulations, Fire safety, Lightning safety, Trenching and shoring, etc. Personal Protection Equipment and Treatment: (examples) First aid, Respirator use, Bloodborne pathogens, Heat stress, Cold stress, Personal protective equipment - with individual sections for each type of PPE, (bump caps, foot protection, hearing protection, personnel attire, eye protection), Electrical lock out tag out (including qualified personnel and procedures), etc. Planning: (examples) Contingency planning (emergency coordinators, contacts, spill control and reporting requirements), Medical emergency procedures, etc. Hazard Communication: (examples) Chemical hazard communication - The Globally Harmonized System, Safety Data Sheets, Inventory, Use of labels, Employee information and training, etc. And much more. As we said, it’s a very long list. OSHA requires that you “Communicate” all of these polices to your employees. It is recommended that these policies are collected into a handbook, distributed to each staff member and then conduct a lunchroom style meeting to cover and discuss all of the policies. The final step is to have all of the staff sign off the comprehensive plan. If you have Spanish speaking employees, it is recommended you provide them with a plan written in Spanish. Again, OSHA requires you to “Communicate” this information to the staff. There is no better documentation than providing a copy to each employee and keeping evidence of their receipt and understanding. (continued on next page) 8
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Part of your written safety program should be chemical Safety Data Sheets or SDS’s for all hazardous material on site. While there are online and other electronic solutions for SDS’s, it is strongly recommended that an old fashioned SDS notebook be placed in the shop or the lunchroom. Regulations require that there are no “barriers to access” for SDS’s. Many electronic SDS’s solutions would require that every crew member have unfettered access to your office computers throughout the day. That’s not too likely at most facilities.
Safety Training For every topic discussed with written safety policies, you are required to conduct safety training on the same subjects. How many topics? If you search the OSHA website for the term “Safety Training” you get over 20,000 search results. This is to say that if you’re not at least having monthly safety training sessions you should be rethinking your program. If you want to develop a safety training program “in house”, we suggest the following as the best way to get started: Choose 1 topic per month, write an outline, create a quiz based on your outline, cover the material with each employee, hand the quiz out to each employee and then review the answers until every employee understands the answers and receives a perfect score. Documentation If you were wondering why you needed to print quizzes, this is why. OSHA has a three-pronged requirement for safety training and safety plans. You need to prove: Who was there (sign in sheets) What subjects were covered (mowers, tractors, hazard communication, etc.) That the participants understood what was covered (the quiz) Because “if it wasn’t documented, it didn’t happen”.
We hope this information provides you with a good understanding of the OSHA requirements regarding safety and compliance in the golf course maintenance workplace. Wishing you a safe and healthy 2021
In March, Brian Cloud presented this information at the STGCSA event with a talk titled “Safety and Compliance in the Golf Course Maintenance Workplace”. Brian and Kyle Cloud represent the company Golf Safety in Texas. Golfsafety.com The company has developed safety plans and safety training programs at hundreds of golf and country clubs across the country. For more information about this article or the services provided by their company, please contact Brian at 817-296-9117 or briancloud.gts@gmail.com. 9
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GCSAA Field Staff Representative John Walker - South Central Region Before joining the GCSAA staff, John Walker was a superintendent, 30-year GCSAA member and past GCSAA board director. JWalker@gcsaa.org 713-557-0279 10
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EIFG Rounds 4 Research Welcome to Rounds 4 Research, an innovative program aimed at generating resources to fund research and help ensure golf’s future. The premise is simple: Golf facilities can support the effort by donating rounds of golf for two or four or “stay and play” packages and other items that are auctioned online. Whether you are an organization looking to solicit rounds or a golfer looking for the opportunity to support research while enjoying the sport you love, Rounds 4 Research provides a way for all aspects of the game to come together to ensure its future. The 2020 R4R auction raised nearly a $263,000. The Rounds 4 Research auction opens for bidding on Monday, April 26, 2021 at 9:00 AM EDT. Rounds 4 Research offers golfers a chance to play a round at a notable golf course or a local favorite, while funding turfgrass research that supports the future of the game. Check back daily and watch the auction grow! Your purchases will help make a difference for the game you love to play. Thanks to our friends at The Toro Co. for supporting this effort to ensure the future of the game. We greatly appreciate all of the GCSAA Chapters and turfgrass organizations who are participating in Rounds 4 Research to support research, advocacy and education efforts throughout the U.S.
View All Rounds Here
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How to make your waterbody a focal point Written by: Greg Blackham, Aquatic Specialist & Project Manager
Golf course lakes and ponds serve as important resources to enhance recreation, sight-seeing, and irrigation, but without proper management you may find these waterbodies covered in aquatic weeds and scum, or they could simply appear as an uninspired waste of space. No matter the condition of your waterbody, one thing is for certain - it should be so much more! Here are some tips and recommendations to begin cultivating a stellar focal point. Introduce floating fountains One of the first enhancements we recommend for both visual and functional enhancements is a floating fountain. There are two main fountain types: A decorative fountain is designed to spray water into the air in eye-catching spray patterns. Many have brightly-colored (and customizable) lights that draw attention to the waterbody at night. An aerating fountain, on the other hand, is designed to circulate the water column below via horizontal spray dispersion. Aeration helps stabilize water pH, limit mosquito reproduction and bad odors, and prevent the conditions that cause aquatic weeds, algae, and toxic cyanobacteria. Plant beneficial vegetation Planting beneficial vegetation is a second improvement that should be considered. But before planting anything in or around the water, it’s important to remove all the noxious and invasive vegetation first, such as cattails and Phragmites (common reed). This helps reduce the risk of collateral damage to newly planted vegetation. It’s best to work with a professional to properly identify nuisance species and design a removal program, which can vary widely based on the target species. A wellvegetated buffer zone should include a variety of native wildflowers, grasses, and even shrubs to create a vibrant frame or border around the water. Sometimes just the contrast alone can make all the difference. In addition to creating a beautiful backdrop, deeprooted, flowering species can help filter trash and pollutants, protect the shoreline from erosion, and create sanctuary for wildlife. Another creative installation method could be a floating island of plants and flowers to add color on top and create beneficial bacterial colonies on the underside of the island, thus improving water quality and muck digestion. Restore depth and shoreline stability Another great solution for increased depth and volume, as well as a reduction in flooding, murkiness, and bad odors, is the mechanical removal of polluted sediment, muck, and organic matter from the water. This may be accomplished by a full-on dredging project or through spot treatments via hydro-rake, which is essentially a floating barge equipped with a backhoe that scoops sediment onto the shoreline. This sediment can be repurposed by strategically shaping it around the edge of the water with an eco-friendly knitted material called SOX. This mesh technology keeps sediment in place and prevents erosion for many years and provides fantastic aesthetic appeal. (continued on next page) 12
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Final touches and consistent maintenance There are many other improvements that can enhance the beauty of a waterbody without sacrificing functionality. Environmentally-friendly blue and black dyes can change the color to a more desirable look, while also reducing available light for weeds and algae. Strategic bird houses placed around a pond can help reduce midge and mosquito populations in the area while also adding a colorful dynamic to the ecosystem. Even installing a gazebo, a dock, or a small beach area can help break up the landscape and provide more ways for people to engage and interact with their amenity. Oftentimes, this extra engagement can spark even larger momentum for creating a truly beautiful and immersive focal point, cherished by everyone that lives there!
Once these efforts have been implemented, they are best maintained through an annual management program, which prioritizes the three central pillars of health, beauty, and functionality. Long term programs ensure a professional can keep an eye on the multitude of factors that support the ecological balance of the ecosystem, as well as the aesthetic components. Your local aquatic professional can help you design a plan that’s customized to your unique waterbody.
Greg Blackham is an Aquatic Specialist and Project Manager at SOLitude Lake Management, the nation’s largest environmental firm specializing in sustainable lake, stormwater pond, wetland, and fisheries management programs. Learn about this topic and more at www.solitudelakemanagement.com/knowledgebank.
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GOLF INDUSTRY SHOW ENGAGEMENT STRONG THROUGH ON-DEMAND PHASE by Mar 09, 2021 | Kate Hiebert
Virtual trade show participants took part in more than 229,400 booth visits. Lawrence, Kan. (March 9, 2021) – After welcoming attendees during the live portion of the virtual 2021 Golf Industry Show, Feb. 2-4, participation in on-demand education sessions and the 24-hour a day trade show continued through March 6. Initial GIS statistics were released on Feb. 4 with the conclusion of the live event, but the numbers continued to rise throughout the on-demand period. Additional registrants during the on-demand phase brought the final total attendance to more than 9,500. The education component, featuring 88 sessions, saw participants engaging in 46,900 session views by the end of the on-demand portion. More than 200 exhibitors took part in the trade show, with a total of 229,434 booth visits taking place before the conclusion of the on-demand phase. The Golf Industry Show, the largest educational conference and trade show in the turfgrass management industry, transitioned to a virtual event in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While on a virtual platform, the 2021 event continued the GIS’s long tradition of connecting attendees, exhibitors and industry experts through a progressive week of unparalleled education opportunities and access to golf facility solutions for those in the golf industry. “We know how busy our attendees are, and so being able to offer on-demand viewing and the extended trade show was one of the great advantages of the virtual format,” GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans said. “We are pleased to see that attendees not only enjoyed the live networking events and general sessions, but also found the education and trade show interaction so valuable that they returned throughout the month. We are definitely investigating having some element of extended access offerings as part of the GIS when we return to an in-person event next year.” The 2022 Golf Industry Show is currently scheduled to be an in-person event and will be in San Diego Feb. 5-10, 2022, at the San Diego Convention Center. The Golf Industry Show is produced by GCSAA along with its presenting partners the Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA) and American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA.) 15
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Save the date: 2021 GCSAA Golf Championships rescheduled This year’s competitions will be held in the fall at three top venues in Palm Springs, Calif. March 16, 2021 | GCM staff The 2021 GCSAA Golf Championships — postponed and revamped because of the COVID-19 pandemic — are set for Oct. 11-12 in Palm Springs, Calif. The competitions, presented in partnership with The Toro Co., will take place at three courses and offer three different events for members of all abilities. Registration will open Aug. 13, with a more limited number of slots available than in previous years.
The JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa will be the host resort, with play taking place on its Valley Course. Other courses welcoming golfers over the two days of events are the Desert Willow Golf Resort’s Mountain View Course and the Indian Wells Golf Resort’s Celebrity Course. The GCSAA National Championship is limited to 72 GCSAA members with a 5.0 handicap index or lower and will be played over two days. The two-day Golf Classic is limited to 120 players and will use a point-quota scoring system, with flights to be determined at a later date. Finally, the three-person team scramble fun event will be limited to the first 36 teams, or 108 players. The GCSAA Golf Championships are traditionally held in conjunction with the annual Golf Industry Show, but the 2021 GIS was presented virtually in February. The move to October will allow for more time for vaccine distribution as well as give those who have not been able to attend during the usual February time frame the opportunity to participate. Watch highlights from the 2020 GCSAA Golf Championships in Orlando, Fla., and hear from 2020 national champion Deron Zendt: “The GCSAA Golf Championships are a big part of our long history, and we are pleased that we have been able to find a way to continue that rich tradition this year,” says GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans. “Palm Springs is always a favorite site among our players, and with the event taking place in the fall, we know we may have new players who haven’t been able to attend in the winter. Even though the schedule is condensed this year, the championships will still offer the same level of competition, networking and fun that attendees experience every year.” The Toro Co. will mark its 27th year as the presenting partner of the GCSAA Golf Championships. Toro, a GCSAA Platinum Partner, is a global leader in providing maintenance equipment and irrigation systems to golf courses. “Toro is proud to be a part of the GCSAA Golf Championships once again,” says Randy Harris, director of marketing for Toro’s North American commercial business. “Superintendents do so much to make the game more enjoyable for others, and we are glad to help support this opportunity for them to enjoy it and the camaraderie with others in the industry.” More than 400 GCSAA members participated in the 2020 championships in Orlando, Fla. Deron Zendt, superintendent at Pine Tree Golf Club in Boynton Beach, Fla., won the 36-hole, stroke play National Championship at Champions Gate's International Course with a 5-under-par 139. More information on the 2021 GCSAA Golf Championships is forthcoming and will be available on the GCSAA Golf Championships page of the Golf Industry Show website.
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Most golf birdies in 12 hours: The most golf birdies in 12 hours is 93 and was achieved by Alexander Sandeman (UK) in aid of The Barbados Children’s Trust at the Sandy Lane Golf Club, in St James, Barbados, on 17 March 2015.
This is the second time Mr Sandeman holds this record.
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***Don’t forget to pay your 2021 Membership Dues!*** 2021 STGCSA MEMBER APPLICATION
Equipment
Looking to Buy or Sell used equipment?
2021 SPONSORSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE!
Email Carrie Cole at stgcsa@stgcsa.org and include a picture, short description, asking price, & your contact information. Please let us know once it is sold!
Thank you to our 2020 Sponsors! We sincerely appreciate you supporting our Association!
CLICK HERE FOR 2021 SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES
Click Here to see What’s for Sale 19
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Click Here for All Job Postings
Did you move jobs recently? If so, please contact Carrie Cole @ stgcsa@stgcsa.org so we can update your new contact information!
Get the latest information about upcoming events here!
Click Here for GCSAA Job Postings (Superintendent
Positions, Asst. Positions, Technician Positions, Affiliate/Sales Positions, Special Supt Positions, like ranches and sports fields are also listed on the website!) Please email stgcsa@stgcsa.org when positions have been filled
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THANK YOU TO OUR 2020 silver SPONSOR!!
THANK YOU TO OUR 2021 bronze SPONSORS!!
Thank you to our 2021 hole sponsor!
Thank you to our 2021 DRINK sponsor! 21