President's Message

Matt Cowan
2018 CTGCSA President

As I write this message on Fathers day, I can't help but encourage those of us out there who are fathers to make sure and cover your home base first. This job can be really, really stressful, especially when it comes to the weather. Its either too wet, too dry, too hot...you get the drift. You can't control mother nature but the one thing you can is the time and effort you put into taking care of family.
 
We've held three events so far this year, the Scholarship Fundraiser, the McClure Matchplay, and our Chapter Championship. As it has been the case for the last several years, the Scholarship Fundraiser tournament was very successful and a significant amount of funds were raised that will continue to support our associations youth for many years to come. We are making great strides at being able to significantly impact our kids monetarily as they continue their education beyond high school. This of course would not be possible without all the great and fabulous donations from sponsors and members alike. For next year, I would encourage our members to look to their clubs for donations. Simple items like golf clubs, coolers, sunglasses, room nights, etc. are great bidding items and would get more affiliate sponsors involved in the bidding wars. 

The McClure Matchplay was a successful event, as always, providing great camaraderie and competition at a historical site in Brackenridge Park. Congratulations to Burgers Boys for the victory! We will be looking for a worthy captain looking to take down the defending captain at next years event. Our most recent event, the Chapter Championship, was held at a wonderful host course in Falconhead Golf Club. The beautiful course in fabulous condition challenged golfers at all levels. Congratulations to Aaron Clary for bringin' home the bacon and puttin' a whoopin' on everyone.  
 
We'll be picking back up in September with the Texas Trophy in Corpus Christi, Crew Championship in October, Toy Drive in November, and lastly the Annual Meeting in December. It is looking to be a great 2nd half of the year with these events and great hosts. Thank you to those who have hosted and will host an event this year. Please be sure to thank your staff for their hard work! As a new addition this year and a small token of our gratitude, all the maintenance staff at host courses have and will be receiving gift cards for their hard work.  

Upcoming Events







    











Russel Tippie Benefit Golf Tournament
Join us to help out this long time CTGCSA member who was injured in a recent automobile accident.

 Proceeds will help the Tippie family deal with extensive medical expenses. 
  
Top Stories
Hello, My name is Becky Grubbs, and I am the new Turfgrass Extension Specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife here in College Station. I was just reaching out to you to introduce myself, and express my interest in establishing a relationship with the Central Texas Chapter of GCSAA.

A little about me: I grew up in the Dallas area, and completed my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Horticulture at Texas Tech University. I then moved to Athens, GA for four years to work on my PhD there in Crop and Soil Sciences where, of course, I specialized in turfgrass systems. The focus of my research there was primarily on Environmental Turfgrass Management. I had the pleasure of working on golf courses in North Georgia - focusing on Precision Turfgrass Management, or site-specific management of golf course fairways to improve resource-use efficiency. I also did some work in nutrient management and fertility.

I began my new position here at A&M on April 2, 
and am still shaping my program
. It is of great importance to me to cater my program to meet the needs of what I view as the five major elements of the Turfgrass Industry here in the state: golf courses, athletic fields, residential, sod production, and public spaces (recreational parks/school systems). I believe that a strong relationship with CTGCSA is critical to meeting this goal. Please let me know how I can help forge and strengthen this relationship. I would be happy for us to have a phone call or meeting sometime, as well.


Kind regards,

Becky

Becky Grubbs, PhD
Assistant Professor | Turfgrass Extension Specialist Department of
Soil and Crop Sciences Texas A&M University | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension 
College Station, TX
Office: (979) 845 - 0603
bgrubbs@tamu.edu
Follow me @TXTurfGal (Twitter)
Follow us @aggieturf (Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter)

GREAT NEWS!
ALL TRADE SHOW EXHIBIT SPACE FOR THE SUMMER CONFERENCE IS SOLD OUT!
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR GREAT AFFILIATES FOR HELPING TO MAKE THE 2018 SUMMER CONFERENCE A "CAN'T MISS" EVENT!THERE ARE STILL SPOTS OPEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EQUIPMENT RODEO. PLEASE CLICK THE GRAPHIC BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RODEO AND TO SIGN UP YOUR COMPANY!



Green Start Academy
World-class training for assistant superintendents
 
Green Start Academy is a leadership and development program co-hosted by Bayer and John Deere. The event will be held at the Bayer and John Deere facilities in North Carolina, October 24 - 26, 2018.
 
Since 2006, the goal for this program has been to help assistant superintendents build a strong foundation for their careers, as well as to support the future of golf courses and the entire industry.

 
Attendees have the unique opportunity to network with peers and receive valuable insights from industry veterans. With topics from career development to budgeting to labor management, the Green Start Academy provides attendees with the education, networking and career insights they need to excel as superintendents  and lead our industry into the next decade and beyond.


Applications for the 2018 Green Start Academy open Monday, May 21, 2018. To apply, please  submit  an application, résumé, cover letter, letter of recommendation and an essay describing the top three things that will drive change in the golf course maintenance industry over the next 10 years (minimum 600 words). The 2018 advisory panel will evaluate and select the 50 highest-ranked applicants to attend the October event.

The program is open to assistant superintendents in the U.S. and Canada only. Although we'd love to see Academy alumni, previous Green Start Academy participants are not eligible for future academies. Applications must be received by 5:00 pm ESDT Monday, June 25, 2018.


James B. Beard_ Ph.D. (right) with Paul Rieke_ Ph.D. (far left) and Joe Vargas Ph.D. Photo courtesy of Kevin Frank
Golf industry mourns James B. Beard, Ph.D.
The turfgrass scientist and industry legend died Monday, May 14.

The students of James B. Beard, Ph.D., had a name for him.

"We used to call him 'the pope of turfgrass,'" says Johnny Walker, GCSAA South Central field staff representative. "His mind was always working on the next research project and was so interested in what made the plant work."

Beard, 82, passed away Monday evening, May 14. He is considered a pioneer in turfgrass science, and spent much of his career at universities, including Michigan State and Texas A&M, which is where Walker studied under him.

A native of Bradford, Ohio, Beard authored numerous works, including the famed "Turfgrass: Science and Culture" in 1973, "Turf Management for Golf Courses," and 2004's "Beard's Turfgrass Encyclopedia for Golf Courses, Grounds, Lawns, Sports Fields." Beard, who wrote hundreds of peer-reviewed papers and technical papers, donated his collection of turfgrass research materials in 2003 to the  Turfgrass Information Center at Michigan State, where he taught from 1961 to 1975.

"He is the grandfather - the godfather - of turfgrass science. I don't think anybody would argue with that," says Kevin Frank, Ph.D., associate professor at Michigan State. "What stands out was his leadership in making turfgrass a science."

The recipient of GCSAA's Distinguished Service Award in 1993, Beard earned his bachelor's degree in agronomy from Ohio State University and, later, both his master's in crop ecology and doctorate in turfgrass physiology from Purdue University. He founded the International Sports Turf Institute, headquartered in College Station, Texas, and had been professor emeritus of turfgrass at Texas A&M since 1993.

"He was focused, congenial, respectful. He was a visionary when it came to building a strong research program across the board," says Paul Rieke, Ph.D., an authority on turfgrass soil and nutrition in his own right and a colleague of Beard's at Michigan State. "He was a very precise scientist. He clearly challenged the status quo."

Joe Vargas, Ph.D., was a colleague and longtime friend of Beard. Vargas launched his career 50 years ago as a researcher at Michigan State. "I started Nov. 1, 1968, and by the second week, he dragged me up to Boyne Highlands (in Harbor Springs, Mich.) to put out a snow mold plot," Vargas says. "Before him, we were spray-and-pray guys. Dr. Beard was the first real scientist to understand why things were happening, such as why there is stress in the plant. He did the research. The main thing he taught me was how to be a critical researcher and not just jump into something. I would go talk to somebody, which usually was him."

Never far away was Harriet Beard, who was a wife and a teammate. So much, in fact, that she collaborated with him and their son James on the book "Turfgrass History and Literature: Lawns, Sports, and Golf," which was selected as the 2015 recipient of the American Library Association's Oberly Award for best bibliography in agricultural or natural sciences. Often, Beard would supply handwritten work, and Harriet, who grew up on a farm that adjoined the Beard family's, would type it up.

Beard's impact is felt still.

"I met him when I had just started here (in 2010)," says Ben Wherley, Ph.D., associate professor at Texas A&M. "I visited with him and Harriet at their house. For someone who was supposed to be retired (Beard taught at Texas A&M from 1975 to 1992), he was still very active, and you could see the two of them were very close. You still could see the enthusiasm for turfgrass science. It was his life. We still cite a lot of his workings and teachings."

Howard Richman is GCM's associate editor.


Click here to read Dr. Beard's Obituary

Event Wrap Ups

Thank you for joining us for the third annual 
McClure Matches  honoring CTGCSA Pioneer Ted McClure.  Thank you to our hosts for the event  Superintendent Robert Cano and his staff.
Brackenridge Park Golf Course was in great shape and it was great to play at such an historic venue.  Congratulations to Bruce Burger's Bushwood Boys on Defending your title!  Austin Turf and Tractor was a great sponsor and cooked up some mean burgers and dogs for the event!




BURGER'S BUSHWOOD BOYS! 
BACK TO BACK MCCLURE MATCHES CHAMPIONS!
All smiles after a great win for the BBBoys. A 3peat in 2019?



Thank you to Austin Turf and Tractor for being the Event Sponsor and providing a great lunch. Pictured are Cole Mobley (Left) and Tournament Honoree Ted McClure (Right) Cole was the outstanding craftsman who built the Austin Turf BBQ rig out for it's maiden voyage. Great job Cole and thank you Ted for attending the special event.


Red and Blue shirts were the order of the day. Snyman's Weapons of Grass Destruction were looking good in their blue unis but came up just short in their bid to dethrone the BBBoys. 


Captain Jake Snyman welcomed participants to Brackenridge Park and tried to rally his troops to put up a good charge. But the BBBoys were too much this day for team WofGD. Jake also recognized Brackenridge superintendent Robert Cano and his staff for providing an outstanding golf course.


Red shirt Justin White and Blue Shirt Ward Kirk having a friendly conversation
prior to the battle.



Old friends Ted McClure (Left) and Jay Cockroft (Right) catch up prior
to the matches. 



A little tough to see but here are the results of the McClure Matches. 
Final tally was BBBoys 15  /  SWofGD 10


Winners took home a commemorative McClure Matches Trophy Cup.
Chad Mobley of Austin Turf made sure the Tournament Honoree Ted McClure
didn't go home empty handed.



Jay Cockroft (Right) receives his trophy cup for being a member of the victorious 
red shirt team. Good job Jay and thanks for being a part of the great day. 


Jamie Kizer (Left) and Clark Wheatley (Right) 


The Burger Bushwood Boy's weren't the only winners of the day. JJ Jansen won the 50/50 Scholarship Pot. Something tells us his playing partners were more than happy to help JJ spend the winnings on beverages on the course. Thanks for playing JJ and supporting the Scholarship Fund. 

We had a great day at Brackenridge Park. Thanks again to our event hosts and the event sponsors Austin Turf and Tractor. And thanks to everyone who participated in this annual tournament. See you in 2019!
GCSAA News and Updates
2019 DOG DAYS OF GOLF CALENDAR
SPONSORED BY LEBANONTURF IN COOPERATION WITH GCSAA


Submissions for the 2019 Dog Days of Golf Calendar will be accepted through Aug. 1, 2018.

From the submissions, 14 dogs will be selected. Owners of the selected dogs will be notified in September, and the calendar will be distributed with the November issue of GCM magazine.

Plan now to stop by the LebanonTurf booth at the Golf Industry Show in February to place your vote for the 2019 Dog of the Year. The winner's owner will receive a $500 prize and $3,000 for his or her GCSAA-affiliated chapter. A $2,000 charitable donation will also be made by GCSAA and LebanonTurf in honor of the winner.

LebanonTurf has been supporting golf course superintendents and their chapters through the Dog Days of Golf Calendar for more than a decade.

Questions?
Contact Cynthia Spondello at LebanonTurf at 800-532-0090, ext. 253.
RANDQUIST NAMED GCSAA CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Golf industry veteran assumed COO position May 29.

Bringing decades of influence and experience in the golf industry, Robert M. Randquist, CGCS, has been named chief operating officer for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

Randquist comes to GCSAA after 20 years serving as director of golf course and grounds at Boca Rio Golf Club in Boca Raton, Fla., where in the last yearhe oversaw the renovation of its Robert von Hagge-designed course.The leadership at Boca Rio has always been highly supportive of Randquist's involvement with GCSAA as well as his new opportunity.

Prior to Boca Rio, he spent two decades as superintendent at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla., where he hosted the 1982 and 1994 PGA Championships and helped secure the 2001 U.S. Open.

No stranger to GCSAA and its members, Randquist served as the association's president in 2011. He has been a GCSAA member for 41 years and became a certified golf course superintendent in 1985. Randquist served on the USGA Green Section Committee for 27 years and has been honored by the USGA with its Ike Grainger Award, which recognizes 25 years of volunteer service.

"Bob has always been an active member and wonderful advocate for GCSAA, and I am very excited for him to join our team," GCSAA Chief Executive Officer Rhett Evans said. "His leadership skills, coupled with his strategic thinking and proven ability to deliver results, make him the right person to help execute our strategic priorities. His wealth of experience across the golf industry will be a valuable asset as we continue to accelerate the delivery of our programs and services to our membership. I'm looking forward to a successful partnership as he oversees the day-to-day operations while I represent GCSAA on a more external front."

In his senior leadership role, Randquist will be responsible for managing a broad and complex array of functions and facilitate multiple projects to meet the objectives of the association. While he will represent GCSAA and maintain relationships with industry and allied partners, his main focus will be on internal stakeholders and being an integral part of the headquarters' culture.

TETCP LEVEL 1
Training and skills recognition for equipment managers and technicians

"The TETCP is a vital part of equipment managers' 
professional development.  All the questions on the exams are direct from our industry and create a true test of your knowledge." - Trent Manning, Ansley Golf Club

TETCP 2018
Turf Equipment Technician Certificate Program Level 1 is a series of exams designed to demonstrate proficiency in key competency areas related to turf equipment. This certificate program is available to any and all turf equipment technicians regardless of whether you work for a golf course.

The program is made up of eight exams covering the key competency areas of:

  • cutting units
  • drivetrain systems
  • electrical systems
  • engine technology
  • hydraulic systems
  • metalworking and fabrication
  • spray systems
  • fundamentals of turfgrass operations

You can choose to take one exam or work to complete the entire program by successfully completing all eight exams in any order.

2018 Annual Sponsors




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