MRTF Golf Day September 28th

On September 28th, Elcona is hosting the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation's annual Golf Day.  In previous blog posts that you can read here and here, Greg and I have highlighted the great efforts that this foundation has performed to further develop and grow turf research in Indiana and the US.  As I wrote in March, I thank all of you for Elcona's long standing support of the MRTF and its efforts.

The MRTF has a few openings for its Golf Day fundraiser on the 28th.  The Golf Day is one of the MRTF's largest fundraising events and is always an entertaining, fun day on the golf course.  The event begins with a box lunch and registration from 10:30 til 11:55, followed by a shotgun start at 12:00 p.m.  The golf format is "Elcona Best Ball", meaning 1 net score counts on the par 5's, 2 net on the par 4's, and 3 net on the par 3's.  An awards reception follows golf, where industry leaders will speak and hand out prizes.  Cost is $125 per person, and includes golf and two drink tickets.   Additional details on the event can be found by clicking here.

If you are interested in getting a foursome together and playing on the 28th, you can register online at http://www.regonline.com/mrtfgolfday, or email me at ryan@elconacc.com and I can help sign you up.

Thank you again for all of your support of turf research here in Indiana, and I hope to see you on the 28th!

Ryan

Rounds 4 Research

As many of you know, I am a graduate of Purdue University's Turf Science program, and currently serve on the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation's Board of Directors as its Vice President.  The sole purpose of the MRTF is to support turf research and education at Purdue University for the betterment in Indiana, the Midwest, and nationally.  Some of that research and information has been posted by both Greg and I here and here.  Again, I thank each and every one of you as a member of Elcona for your continued support of both the MRTF and Evans Scholars programs on an annual basis, helping support and grow the game of golf and the surfaces it is played on.

One new program that the MRTF is participating this year in is called Rounds 4 Research, which is ran by the Environmental Institute for Golf.  Member facilities donate rounds to be auctioned off online, and 80% of the proceeds raised are donated to a designated turfgrass foundation to further turf research and education.  More information on Rounds 4 Research can be found at www.rounds4research.com.

This year's auction includes packages at some exclusive facilities nationwide, including Bandon Dunes, many TPC courses, Pinehurst, Trump National, and the Greenbriar Resort to name a few. Here in Indiana, Elcona is a proud donor as well as the French Lick Resort, Pine Valley CC, Tippy Lake CC, Victoria National, and 13 other facilities.

From now until June 21, bidding is open on these packages and there are many great deals to be had. The auction is at www.biddingforgood.com/auction/auctionhome.action?vhost=eifg.  If you like to travel and play different courses around the state and nationally, this auction can offer you a great deal and provide continued support to the turf programs across the country so they can continue to provide cutting edge turf research to turf managers like myself.

Ryan

A huge thank you....

As a golf course superintendent, I am always interested in the latest and greatest turf research projects that I can apply to my management strategy of the golf course here.  If you were not aware, as a member of Elcona, you play a vital role in turf research as well!  Each year, with approval from the Board of Directors, you are billed an annual donation to both the Evans Scholars Program and the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation (based out of Purdue University).  The donation to the MRTF is directly applied to research funding activities both at Purdue and at sites across Indiana, such as Elcona.  Past studies include research on pre and post-emergent herbicide control of grassy weeds, preventative applications for certain fungal turf diseases, and white grub control programs.  More recently, we have been documenting any benefits of using a compost tea product on fine playing surfaces. 

Some of the current research projects that are ongoing at Purdue can be viewed here, and if you want any further information on a specific project, please let me know.  Greg posted another article on this subject in 2012, demonstrating some of the research that your contributions go toward.  I am one that loves to experiment on the golf course and find ways to implement any findings that research demonstrates to better our operation. 

Thank you for your participation and the role that Elcona plays in supporting turf research.  Your contribution does not go unnoticed!  Below are a couple of thank you letters from the MRTF and the Dean of the College of Agriculture, Jay Akridge, that I would like to share with you that echo my sentiments. 

Ryan

 

Turf Research: It Impacts all of Us

Annual Bluegrass plot at the Daniel Center
 established from aerification cores donated
by Elcona CC

You may not be aware of this, but did you know that you, as members of Elcona CC, play a vital role in promoting turfgrass research?  It's true.  Every year, each one of you is billed for the annual donation to Evan's Scholars and the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation (Purdue University) and every year I have the privilege of presenting your check to the MRTF at our annual Green Expo that is held in Indianapolis at the Convention Center. Needless to say, this gives me a tremendous sense of pride, not just for my industry, but for Elcona as well.

Now, more than ever, your donation has become critical. Even with funding for turf research decreasing by an estimated 20-40% across the country and federal grants disappearing almost completely, the donations from Elcona CC have remained strong. Since 2006, you have donated $40,000 to various projects that have been conducted at the Daniel Turf Research Center at Purdue as well as at Elcona.  In the last 2 years alone, Elcona has been a research site for several  projects (click photos below) and has also made non-monetary contributions as well.  Two years ago, a large dump truck load of aerification cores from our greens was taken from Elcona to the Daniel Center at Purdue to establish research plots that consist primarily of Annual Bluegrass (click photo above).

Testing herbicides for pre and post
 emergent control of goosegrass on
Elcona's Practice Tee (2010, 2011)

Research to determine timing for Summer Patch
applications on one of Elcona's green
nurseries (2011)

Scouting for White Grubs to establish models
for determining if preventive treatments are
 necessary (2010, 2011) Holes #12,13

One of my favorite studies that we have been a part of the last two years was focused around topdressing sand that is applied to greens and how much and what particle sizes are picked-up after application during regular mowing practices.  This study was not associated with Purdue, but was done with Mavis Consulting Ltd who completes and analyzes our soil tests each year. The fascinating results of this study can be found here. 

Separating clippings from sand for topdressing sand study
performed at Elcona for Mavis Consulting Ltd. (2010, 2011)

Because of the increased scrutiny of turf regarding its use of fertilizer, water and occasional need for pesticides and the perceived negative impact on the environment, we must plan for a future of significant restrictions if not elimination of some of the tools we currently rely on. It is entirely possible that water restriction will eventually be mandatory across the country and that the use of pesticides could be eliminated all together in certain parts of the country. Without research, we lose the ability to prepare for these scenarios and lose a valuable opportunity to develop new turfgrasses that require fewer inputs leading to a better environment.  For an easy-to-read explanation of the benefits of turf and turf research, please click here.

Another link that can give far more information regarding the state of research in the turf industry can be found here on the Turfresearch.org website.

Satellite view of the Daniel Research Center
at Purdue University

Please take a minute to click on the photo above showing a portion of the 25 acre Daniel Research Center at Purdue University. While I don't expect you to understand what is being done on each plot, you can at least get an idea of how extensive turf research really is and the size and scope of some of the ongoing projects.

The takeaway message is that turf research is and always will be vital to the turf industry and the environment.  Government at both the federal and state levels needs to be aware of the importance of research and the private sector needs to continue making research a priority.  For the members at Elcona Country Club, thank you for your part in this equation. It does not go unnoticed.

For any of my peers that regularly visit this blog, if you are interested in starting a program similar to the one that is established here at Elcona CC, please feel free to contact me and I will get you all of the details you need to start a program at your facility.

Special thanks to Dr. Cale Bigelow and Dr. Frank Wong for their willingness to discuss this topic and for providing me with valuable insight. Many thanks also to Turfresearch.org, the Purdue Turf Program, and the MRTF for serving as a tremendous resource for information in our industry.