November-December 2015

O FFICI A L PUBL IC AT IO N O F T HE GEO RGI A G O L F CO U R SE SU PER I N T END EN T S A S S O CI AT IO N
November/December 2015
Collett Among the
Berry Best
Inside
Golf Delegation to DC
Striking Contest Winner
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November-December 2015
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Contents
NEWS
N
Cover: Cover page: Berry Collett, CGCS
oversees some of the finest golf course terrain
in the Southeast at Sea Island Golf Club.
O FFICI A L PUBL IC AT IO N O F T HE GEO RGI A G O L F CO U R SE SU PER I N T END EN T S A S S O CI AT IO N
November/December 2015
News & Features
6 Georgia Dominates Highlands Cup
8 Staughton to Lead Foundation
10 Golf Goes to Washington
12 Striking Lightning Photo Wins
14 Collett Gets Nod from Colleagues
18 Mack Examines The Hole Story
20 Bentgrass Winners Yet Again
22 Griffeth Wins Assistants Title
26 Assistants Meet Down South
Collett Among the
Berry Best
Inside
Golf Delegation to DC
Striking Contest Winner
OFFICI A L PUBL IC AT ION OF T HE GEORGI A G OL F COUR SE SUPER IN T ENDEN T S A S SO CI AT ION
Publisher:
Tenia Workman
Editor:
Trent Bouts
Graphic Designer:
Julie Vincent
Through The Green is
published six times a
year by the Georgia Golf
Course Superintendents
Association (Georgia
GCSA). Copyright ©
2011 Georgia Golf
Course Superintendents
Association, Inc.
All rights reserved.
ates the support
The Georgia GCSA appreci
through the
ies
pan
com
of the following
sponsors program:
association’s patrons and
Diamond Patrons
tor
Greenville Turf and Trac
ation
Jerry Pate Turf and Irrig
rs
tne
Par
m
tinu
Pla
ental Supply
Corbin Turf and Ornam
en
Jacobs
Syngenta
Gold Partners
AmeriTurf
Bayer ES
Cardinal Chemicals
ShowTurf
Silver Partners
Chemical Company
Howard Fertilizer and
NG Turf
Sound Agronomy
Turfnology
Bronze Partners
BASF
Bulk Aggregate Golf
Bulloch Fertilizer
ducts
Chattahoochee Turf Pro
dscape Supply
Ewing Irrigation and Lan
and Hauling
Golf Agronomics Sand
Harrell’s
pany
Helena Chemical Com
s
John Deere Landscape
ental
Phillips Turf and Ornam
Turf
ek
Cre
e
Pik
Sunbelt Rentals
Georgia GCSA
Headquarters
PO Box 310
25 S. Carolina Street
Hartwell, GA 30643
OFFICE: (706) 376-3585
OFFICE FAX: (706) 376-7573
www.ggcsa.com
Editorial/Advertising
PO Box 310
25 S. Carolina Street
Hartwell, GA 30643
OFFICE: (706) 376-3585
Advertiser Index
Columns & Reports
5 President’s Message
28
News Shorts
34
New Members
34
Tee Shots
Aquatrols ..................................................9
Bulk Aggregate .......................................29
Cardinal Chemicals .................................32
Chattahoochee Turf Products ...................24
Corbin Turf and Ornamental .......................4
Ewing Irrigation/Hunter Industries............6, 7
Florida Gateway ......................................19
Golf Agronomics Sand and Hauling ..........11
Greenville Turf and Tractor .......................36
Harrell’s ..................................................17
Howard Fertilizer .....................................27
Jacobsen ...............................................35
Jerry Pate Turf and Irrigation ......................2
Laserturf ................................................21
Regal Chemical........................................25
River Sand ..............................................31
Rowland Chemical Co .............................13
Specialty Car Company ...........................30
The Andersons ........................................28
TifEagle...............................................Insert
Turfnology ..............................................33
November-December 2015
Through the green
3
If you missed the October incentives... Don’t let the sun set before placing your EOP order with us! www.corbinturf.com 800.476.4504 President’s Message
2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
Mike Brown
The Standard Club, Johns Creek, GA
(770) 497-1736
[email protected]
VICE-PRESIDENT
Greg Burleson, CGCS
Augusta Country Club, Augusta, GA
(706) 737-5515
[email protected]
SECRETARY-TREASURER
Scott Griffith
University of Georgia Golf Course, Athens, GA
(706) 425-3246
[email protected]
PAST-PRESIDENT
Anthony L. Williams, CGCS
Stone Mountain Golf Club, Stone Mountain, GA
(770) 413-5241
[email protected]
Tim Busek
The Manor Golf and Country Club, Alpharetta, GA
(404) 787-6165
[email protected]
Nelson Caron
The Ford Plantation, Richmond Hill, GA
(912) 547-4072
[email protected]
Tommy Hewitt
Windermere Golf Club, Cumming, GA
(770) 205-5878
[email protected]
Kyle Macdonald
St. Ives Country Club, Johns Creek, GA
(770) 623-8213
[email protected]
Mike Martin
Hampton Golf Village, Cumming, GA
(770) 640-2170
[email protected]
Lane Singleton
Reynolds Lake Oconee
(706) 467-1563
[email protected]
Chris Steigelman, CGCS
The Landings Club, Savannah, GA
(912) 598-3547
[email protected]
Sam Welch
Horseshoe Bend/Golf Club of Georgia, Roswell, GA
(770) 992-2310 Ext. 130
[email protected]
We All Have a Duty to
Show Up and Speak Up
This day has come quickly and now it is time to hand the gavel off to another enthusiastic leader
of this outstanding association. It is outstanding because of the spirit of its membership, board
of directors, sponsors and staff. We have a very passionate staff; the best staff. Thanks Tenia,
Allison, Ann and Trent.
Our sponsors and members are willing to help anytime a need arises. How awesome is that?
I am proud to have been your president and I look forward to spending the next two years as
past-president.
We’ve had a busy past couple of years haven’t we,
with the GCSAA proposed membership standards and
now the controversy and confusion over the Waters of
the United States or WOTUS rule. I have to admit I’ve
enjoyed the challenge, even if it has contributed to my
hair line receding more. Although, when it comes down
to it, I’ve probably lost more hair and sleep over the
state of the golf economy and how that has affected so
many of us and our families.
This WOTUS rule is bad for business and your U.S.
congressmen agree. I can say this because back in
September, I was lucky to be part of the Georgia Allied
Golf Council that went to Washington, DC to speak up
for golf. The opinions of the congressmen we visited
echoed ours, which is to say, “Let’s get rid of this rule.
It’s too burdensome, costly and quite frankly, too vague
and confusing.”
M ike B rown
This visit was set up by our government relations counsel, Skin Edge of Georgia Link, and I want
to thank him for his fine work on golf’s behalf. Our group also included our executive director
Tenia Workman; Greg Burleson, CGCS from Augusta Country Club; Mark Esoda, CGCS from
Atlanta Country Club; and Mike Paul, executive director of the Georgia PGA Section; and Brian
Albertson, incoming president of the Georgia PGA Section.
Without a doubt, this visit was the highlight of my term as president as we got to speak with our
congressmen and their staff. It was very meaningful to bring to their attention the importance of
golf in the economy and how this administration’s policies are affecting small business. At the
time of our visit, they were very occupied with the Iran deal but they did listen to us.
The following week, we were delighted to know they listened loud and clear when Senators
Johnny Isakson and David Perdue along with 45 other Senators introduced a resolution to reverse
the administration’s WOTUS rule. If it goes to the floor for a vote, the Senate resolution would
overturn the rule, sending a message to the EPA that they failed to address concerns raised by
farmers, ranchers, manufacturers and small business in Georgia and across the country.
Also, our Senators are co-sponsors of S.1140, the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, which
would require the EPA to revise the definition of WOTUS and define clear limits and to take into
account an economic analysis of the rule.
This trip reminded me how important it is to speak up and let our congressmen know of our
issues when they arise. There is an old saying that the world belongs to those who show up.
When it comes to being heard in Washington, this could not be truer. Showing up and speaking
up matters. As a leading chapter within GCSAA, we have certainly had past leaders speak up
and it always made a difference. We must continue to do so. All of us.
I want to thank each and every one of our members for
their support and trust while serving. I really enjoyed
the opportunity.
God bless.
November-December 2015
Through the green
5
News
Trophy Named in Honor
Of an Industry Giant
T
he silverware for an annual turfgrass industry event has been
named in honor of Georgia GCSA past-president and one of
the giants of the profession, Randy Nichols, CGCS. The Nichols
Trophy goes to the winner of the Highlands Cup, a cross-border
challenge between superintendents from Georgia and the Carolinas.
For the second year in a row, the Georgia team romped away with a
win by 13.5 points to 2.5.
The Highlands Cup, presented by Hunter Industries and Ewing
Irrigation, was staged over three days between Sky Valley Country
Club in Sky Valley, GA and Highlands Falls Country Club in Highlands, NC. Steve Mason is superintendent at Sky Valley but did not
play in this year’s event because he was recovering from back surgery.
Once featured in a national magazine’s short list of “Titans of Our
Industry,” Nichols, 68, was the long-time superintendent at Cherokee Town and Country Club in Atlanta. He served as president of
GCSAA in 1993-94 during a sensitive political period and was subsequently credited with overhauling the way GCSAA did business.
Close observers at the time recalled Nichols risking his personal and
professional standing to lead the association into a new era.
Nichols, a member of the Georgia GCSA Hall of Fame, admits he
was caught off guard by the surprise trophy-naming announcement
during a reception at Sky Valley Country Club. “I had no idea that
was going to happen,” he says. “But any time you receive accolades
from your peers it means so much more. When people who worked
for you say nice things it means a whole lot more because they were
there, experiencing what you experienced.”
Fred Gehrisch, CGCS is superintendent at Highlands Falls and
worked for Nichols for a decade at Cherokee. He was one of several
people who spoke in Nichols’ honor. “To me, Randy is one of the
unsung heroes of our industry,” Gehrisch says. “Obviously he had
a profound impact on my career but he directed a huge change of
direction at GCSAA that set the foundation for the success it enjoys
today. To have the opportunity to stand in front of my colleagues and
say something in Randy’s honor announcing the trophy in his name
was a real privilege.”
Mike Cambron, Ewing Irrigation; Kevin Johnson, Hunter Industries; Travis Crosby, Heritage Oaks Golf Club; L.J. Robinson from Cherokee Town and Country
Club; Brad DiMascio, Reynolds Plantation; Sam Welch, Horseshoe Bend Golf Club and Golf Club of Georgia; Jon Truttmann, Hunter Industries; Steve Connally, Regal Chemical; Jeff Miller, Harbor Club; Jim Hudson, Ewing Irrigation; Wally Gresham, Sunset Hills Country Club; Steve Mason, Sky Valley Country
Club; Mark Snyder, Ewing Irrigation.
6
Through the green
November-December 2015
Others who were part of unveiling the Nichols Trophy included
Dirk Hessmann from Ewing Irrigation, who also worked for him,
and Kevin Johnson from Hunter Industries, whose professional relationship with Nichols goes back many years. “I think the fact there
were a number of guys at the event with ties to Randy made it all the
more special for him,” Johnson says. “He is so deserving of recognition for what he has given to the profession as a whole and to so
many individuals along the way.”
Teams of eight from both states competed over 54 holes of modified
four-ball and singles competition. While the golf competition was
one-sided, a Big Break-style skills challenge at Sky Valley’s practice
facility at dusk on the second day was far more competitive. A highlight of the challenge was firing at the mouth of a 25-ft high inflatable
dinosaur dubbed Golfzilla. The skills challenge, which included
putting and chipping competitions as well, was followed by three
holes of night golf that proved equally as popular.
“This is such a great event,” says Jeff Miller from the Harbor Club
in Greensboro, GA. “I can see it becoming a great tradition and one
that a lot of superintendents are going to want to be a part of in years
to come. Nothing beats being able to get together like this.”
Sam Welch from Horseshoe Bend Country Club and the Golf Club of
Georgia takes aim at Golfzilla.
Wally Gresham from Sunset Hills Country Club was champion of the
Golfzilla challenge.
Randy Nichols, CGCS admits he was caught off-guard at having a trophy
named in his honor.
L.J. Robinson from Cherokee Town and Country Club launches a tee shot
at Highlands Falls Country Club watched by Dirk Hessmann of Ewing
Irrigation, left, and former Georgia GCSA director Chris Bennett, now at
Forest Lake Club in Columbia, SC.
November-December 2015
Through the green
7
News
Staughton Tapped to Lead
Environmental Foundation
R
ichard Staughton, CGCS will become the
new chairman of the Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation (GGEF) in November.
Staughton, from Towne Lake Hills Golf Club in
Woodstock, will take over from Harold Franklin,
from Fields Ferry Golf Club in Calhoun. Staughton, who will serve a two-year term at the helm,
is a Georgia GCSA past-president and previous
winner of the association’s Distinguished Service
Award.
GGEF is the philanthropic arm of the Georgia
GCSA and relies on the support of clubs, many
individuals and organizations to fund programs
and projects that help golf courses fulfill the environmental, recreational and economic needs of
their communities.
Brian Schwarz is doing. While we consider all of our funding on a year-to-year
basis, I think it’s fair to say Brian’s work
will require our support over a period
of years if it is to be as productive and
helpful as we all hope it will. The fact
that he is researching different grasses
in golf course settings rather than test
plots should provide even more meaningful information. I think he has trials
in place at five different courses across
the state already and plans to add more
next year.”
New research projects are always
being considered:
“We are looking at collaborating with
GCSAA to fund some enzyme work
suggested by Dr. Paul Raymer from
Richard Staughton, CGCS
UGA. There is a lot of interest in the potential of enzymes and with researchers
of the caliber of Dr. Raymer right on our
doorstep, it could be a beneficial project. It can be easy to take for
Here, incoming chairman Richard Staughton discusses the status of
granted how fortunate we are to have such ready access to so many
the GGEF and research efforts.
very smart people working in our best interests as superintendents.
And that’s been going on for a long time in Georgia with the likes of
Each year the foundation provides a full-day of free golf
Drs. Bob Carrow, Glenn Burton and Wayne Hanna, who now serves
course management training for Georgia GCSA members
alongside us on the GGEF board of trustees.”
at the Student Learning Center at the University of Georgia’s Griffin Campus:
The work of the GGEF is the culmination of a broad inThe GGEF has supported various research efforts
since it was established in 2004 with the University of Georgia (UGA) being a major beneficiary.
Total funding of research efforts by GGEF has
topped more than $150,000 over the past decade.
“It sure has been a great success. We have tremendous turnout, especially when it’s not zero degrees. I think we have had two occasions where the seminar just happened to fall on the coldest day of
the month. It’s a quiet time of the year for a lot of the guys so the
chance to take on some education when there’s not a lot else going
on makes a lot of sense. We have had some very good speakers and
try very hard to make sure the information is as timely and relevant
as possible.”
Among recent research funded by the foundation is a
long-term project into more environmentally sustainable
golf course grasses by Dr. Brian Schwartz from University
of Georgia’s Crop and Soil Sciences Department:
“We have made an informal long-term commitment to the work Dr.
dustry commitment to research:
“There is no doubt that golf course superintendents are far and away
the leading supporters of the GGEF. They raise the most money for
the foundation and take care of the lion’s share of the administration
of the GGEF. We have fantastic support every year at the Georgia
GCSA Spring Classic. It is a busy time of year for most superintendents yet year after year, the golf tournament is sold out generating
tens of thousands of dollars for the GGEF. But we also enjoy great
support from the Georgia State Golf Association each year as well in
the form of direct donations, tournament participation and coverage
in Golf Georgia magazine. We are also grateful to the many clubs that
have hosted the Spring Classic for helping us maximize the financial
return on the event.”
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News
Brian Albertson, Mike Paull, Mark Esoda, CGCS, Tenia Workman, Senator David Perdue,
Mike Brown, Skin Edge and Greg Burleson, CGCS.
Superintendents Strengthen
Ties with Washington Trip
G
eorgia golf course superintendents can expect to be called upon
as a resource by some of the state’s most senior politicians in
the months and years ahead, says Georgia GCSA government relations counsel Skin Edge. That is one likely outcome after Georgia
GCSA members traveled with a special golf industry delegation to
Washington, D.C., in September.
“One of the most important things I think we accomplished was not
just making personal contact with so many folks but also letting them
know we want to be a resource when they need it,” Edge says. “We
let our elected officials and their staffs know that we want to be a
resource if they need golf industry research, testimony at hearings or
to provide information at town hall meetings, whatever is called for.
They were very appreciative and I do expect they will be calling on
us for that help.”
Senior Georgia GCSA leaders traveled with Edge, from GeorgiaLink, and Georgia PGA Section leaders to meet legislators over four
days in their offices at the national capital. “We were real pleased
with the outcome of the trip,” Edge says. “We met with both U.S.
10
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November-December 2015
Senators from Georgia and seven Congressmen. So we had face-toface time with a large portion of our Congressional delegation and
they were all very welcoming.”
The golf delegation stressed its concern over a new rule governing
Waters of the United States, which courts have since put on hold,
and proposed changes to overtime laws which could cost many
clubs and courses dearly. Edge says every legislator they visited was
similarly opposed to both efforts by the administration.
“They were all adamant that their positions mirror those of the golf
industry in Georgia,” he says. “It was also good to know that a number of the Senators and Congressmen are avid golfers. They not only
love the game but they understand what it means to Georgia recreationally, economically and environmentally. They get all that and
are happy to support us.”
Georgia GCSA vice-president Greg Burleson was part of the delegation and believes it was a productive trip. “I think it was a good
exercise all around,” he says. “Skin did a wonderful job setting up the
schedule and then making the introductions and breaking the ice as
we went around. It’s great to have him working with us.”
It was not Burleson’s first time meeting some of the legislators. Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA 12th) is a member at Augusta Country Club where Burleson maintains
the golf course. He also met Senator David Perdue, a
low handicapper, in Atlanta at Georgia Golf Day earlier
this year. Senator Johnny Isakson is a member at Atlanta
Country Club where another golf industry representative Mark Esoda is certified superintendent.
“They very much understand how significant the golf
industry is in Georgia,” Burleson says. “And it’s wonderful that they now know we see this as a two-way street.
We want them to come to us when they need help too.
We want to be a resource.”
Along with Edge, Burleson and Esoda, the Georgia
GCSA was represented by president Mike Brown from
The Standard Club and executive director Tenia Workman. In addition to those officials already mentioned,
the golf delegation met with congressmen Tom Graves
(R-GA 14th), Buddy Carter (R-GA 1st), Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA 3rd), Sanford Bishop (D-GA 2nd), Jody
Hice (R-GA 10th) and Rob Woodall (R-GA 7th).
Mark Esoda, CGCS, Greg Burleson, CGCS, Rep. Rob Woodall, Tenia Workman,
Brian Albertson, Mike Brown, Mike Paull and Skin Edge.
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November-December 2015
Through the green
11
News
Ashley Young’s award-winning image at The Fields Golf Club.
Young Traps Lightning
And Captures Award
A
shley Young can thank a group of reckless golfers for helping
him win this year’s Georgia GCSA photography contest. Young
was watching a heavy storm roll in across The Fields Golf Club in
LaGrange when he noticed one group ignoring the danger. “I was
yelling at them telling them to come in when I realized, luckily, that I
had my phone in my pocket,” he says. He set the phone’s camera to
burst mode and fired away.
When Young returned to his office and scrolled through the images
he realized he’d captured exactly what he’d hoped for, a brilliant bolt
of forked lightning in full fury. “We’re situated on a hill and it’s a really open piece of property,” he says. “When it (the lightning) started
popping I just held up the camera to see what I could get.”
Young, 38, has a long-standing interest in photography stretching
back to his college days. An avid outdoorsman he would shoot slide
film back then on whitewater kayaking trips. He wouldn’t know
what kind of pictures he had until they were developed. “Every time
I pulled the trigger back then I’d be thinking, that’s a dollar,” he says.
“Capturing something like this lightning strike in those days would
be a one in a million thing.”
Young has been the superintendent at The Fields for three years but
12
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November-December 2015
his ties with the course run much deeper. His father, the golf course
architect Mike Young, designed the course and Young remembers
during his fourth grade year “sitting on a tractor when this place was
just red dirt.” “I never dreamed I would be back here in these circumstances 30 years later,” he says. The Youngs are the third owners
of the course.
Semi-finalists this year were Paul Meridith from The Club at Osprey
Cove in St. Mary’s and photo contest regular Patrick Reinhardt from
Georgia Southern University Golf Course in Statesboro. Meridith’s
image of a tree frog taking up residence in a bluebird house was one
of two whimsical entries this year, narrowly beating out a shot by
Thomas Clark from Hamilton Mill Golf Club in Dacula. Clark’s image – “Mother Nature defies all odds” – showed a viola growing out
of a join in a cart path.
Reinhardt’s image was of a frosty sunrise over the No. 5 green at
Georgia Southern.
Many thanks to all those members who submitted entries in this year’s
contest. Winners will be recognized at the Georgia GCSA’s annual
awards banquet at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta in November.
Just hanging out: Paul Meridith’s shot of a tree
frog on vacation.
Thomas Clark’s “Mother Nature defies all odds.”
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Frosty sunrise: Sun, frost and shadows dominate Patrick Reinhardt’s image.
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Athens, GA 30601
November-December 2015
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13
Balance Tips
the Scales
for Collett
Superintendent of
the Year
By Trent Bouts
B
erry Collett earned his first
dollar in golf working the
far end of a driving range where
his greatest challenge was dodging incoming fire from the club
pro. Today, as director golf course
maintenance at Sea Island Golf
Club on St. Simons Island, Collett is still in the firing line. At Sea
Island, with four courses and an
annual PGA Tour event – the McGladrey Classic, he is responsible
for some of the most valuable and
visible golf terrain in the Southeast.
14
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November-December 2015
So when his office manager stepped inside the door recently with
news that there was a call he really needed to take, Collett swallowed
hard. Generally speaking, issues coming this far up the food chain
so close to tournament time are problematic. “In the position I’m in
now, you don’t hear a lot of good things,” he laughs. “If anything’s
wrong, it’s coming to me. The phone starts ringing.”
This call proved to be an exception though. Collett was about to
learn that he was the Georgia GCSA’s Superintendent of the Year.
The news was enough to see him swallow hard again after hanging up
the phone. He might not have been so moved since preparing nearby
The King and Prince Golf Course for a Georgia GCSA championship more than 20 years earlier.
“I got a standing ovation at the meeting that night,” he says. “That
kept me going for awhile, just the idea that your fellow superintendents thought you’d done a good job. So this thing (the Superintendent of the Year award) means an awful lot to me. I’ve worked hard.”
And for a long time, as one colleague pointed out in a congratulatory
call soon after. “He said, ‘You know what this means don’t you,’” ColTrentgetting
Boutsold!’”
lett says. “I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘It meansBy
you’re
Turning 55 in December, Collett is no spring chicken but a case can
be made that he is just now in the prime of his career. He’s always had
the work ethic, always had the passion for learning – he’s been certified since 1995 - and he’s got a wealth of experience at both ends of
the budget spectrum. What’s more recent is a greater sense of balance.
“I’ve matured a little bit,” he says. “Back in my young days with all the
stress, it used to eat at me. I let it slowly kill me. Back in those days I
would lose it with the crew and be a bit of a hot head. I’ve learned to
bite my tongue. Over the last five years I’ve come to realize, one day at
a time, that you just don’t have control over certain things.”
A recent case in point came when 3.5 inches of rain poured down
on 50,000 lbs of overseed that had been on the ground less than 72
hours. “In the old days I would have been out here pulling my hair
out watching it all wash away,” Collett says. “But I’ve finally realized
that 90 percent of what matters is not what happens to you but how
you react to it. So I told my guys our reaction to this is what’s going
to make us successful. Not crying about what’s happened. It’s how we
react that matters.”
Leadership training provided by Sea Island helped, Collett says. For a
year, department heads from across the company sat through monthly
day-long education sessions. Attendance was compulsory and Collett
admits thinking, “This is crazy. I don’t have time for this.” “But after
I was done with it, I actually thought it was pretty good,” he says. “It
helped me a lot, helped me grow as a leader. I’m fortunate to work for
Sea Island and have the resources we do. They have taken good care
of me and my family.”
Berry Collett, CGCS is as busy at his desk as he is on the golf course.
It’s one thing to take on good advice. It’s another to remember it
when you need it most. “When stuff starts going on you can easily
forget that perspective,” Collett says. “I still have to be reminded.”
To that end, he’ll sometimes call a colleague like former employees
Jon Hatten at Frederica Golf Club or Chuck Moore at The King and
Prince.
“You’ll talk for a few minutes and you realize that it’s really not that
bad,” he says. “Everybody has to deal with different things they can’t
control. So you just go back to controlling the things you can control.
It’s taken me a long time to learn that.”
Berry Collett grew up in Southern Pines, NC. His parents owned a
house on the golf course at Whispering Pines Country Club, just a
few miles from famed Pinehurst Resort. Even so, playing the game
was not a major attraction. Collett was more of a baseball player in
school but the Whispering Pines pro, Avery Beck, did love golf and
to practice. He paid Collett, a middle-schooler, $1 every time he returned a bag of balls.
“But I’ve finally realized that
90 percent of what matters is
not what happens to you but
how you react to it.”
Collett also discovered the power of peace and quiet. It became a
ritual for him to take a golf cart out onto a remote part of the property
early in the morning. There were he would sit and breathe and contemplate. Often he would also read, perhaps a chapter from a motivational book or a passage from the Bible.
By high school, Collett was working on the golf course in the afternoons. In his senior year he would finish school at noon then water
greens and still be snapping quick couplers as late as 11pm. He remembers Bob Gamble, the superintendent at the time, being as tough
as nails. “He was an ex-Marine and mean as heck,” Collett laughs.
“Which was exactly what I needed at the time.”
“I’d meditate a little bit to get my thoughts, relieve some of the stress,”
he says. “It’s got to be totally quiet for me to fully absorb things I’m
reading. You know, your mind gets racing about other things. So it often takes me multiple readings to really digest something I’m reading.”
Then he went to North Carolina State University and after graduating worked at the Country Club of North Carolina and Pinehurst’s
then-new No. 6. course. His first assistant superintendent role was at
November-December 2015
Through the green
15
Berry Collett, CGCS has some beautiful sites on the property to find peace and quiet.
Rivermont Country Club in Atlanta. Then he became superintendent
at Belle Meade Country Club in Thomson before being hired by Ron
Hill at Amelia Island Plantation in north Florida.
“Ron was probably my main mentor. He gave me an opportunity and
taught me a lot.” says Collett, who remembers wondering if he was
going to even make to the end of his first day on the job. Standing
around waiting for the sun to rise so the crew could fertilize greens,
Collett was besieged by sand gnats.
“The dang sand gnats were so bad, I couldn’t even stand still. I’m
looking at all the guys around me and they’re just standing there,
not flinching, and I’m like this,” he says, waving his arms all over the
place. “I literally thought I don’t know if I can if I can work here.” It
was only later that the thought occurred to him that “they were probably all loaded up with bug spray.”
Regardless, Collett survived and learned career-defining lessons
from Hill, how to truly be detailed and the value of maintaining a
cool-head. “I always admired how Ron handled stressful situations,”
Collett says. “He was very level, never lost his temper. He was just a
southern gentleman.”
Perhaps most significantly, Hill “knew how to get the most out of a
dollar.” Collett already had some experience in that regard at Belle
Meade but Hill, he says, excelled and shared his knowledge. “A lot of
any success I’ve had has come through being able to manage money,”
Collett says. “I’ve worked at low budget places so I’ve been able to
pinch that penny. It’s one thing to have a budget like $1.5 million per
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November-December 2015
course, but if you can still pinch those pennies you’re getting lot more
value for your dollar.”
Collett says many others have helped him along the way too. As a
young superintendent, he aspired to be like men such as Georgia
GCSA Hall of Famer Bill Womac, CGCS. He learned a lot from King
and Prince general manager Rick Mattox, who Collett says is “a great
supporter of superintendents.” He is similarly grateful to “a number
of great leaders over the years at Sea Island” including director of golf
Brannen Veal.
“But I can’t get this award without the support of a lot of great guys
who work with me and who have worked with me,” Collett says, running off the names of Sea Island’s four superintendents Ted Fuller,
Michael Hardin, Ken Lambright and Lucas Walters. “Hopefully
some of them are on the path to win this award themselves some day.”
He is also appreciative of the support of the office manager Pam
Meacham who first took the call about the Superintendent of the Year
award. “Pam has been with me for 12 years or more and she is invaluable,” he says.
Collett says his wife Anjie deserves an award of her own “for putting
up with me never being there.” A son, Justin, works at Frederica Golf
Club, and daughter, Julianna, 17, will go to Georgia Southern University on a golf scholarship. The Colletts also have twins, Emme and
Ally, 16. “Especially when the girls were little, it was a lot of work for
Angie,” he says. “I’m so grateful. Grateful to everybody.”
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Atlanta/E Georgia
[email protected]
(678) 710-5732
CASEY ROWELL
Atlanta/Western Georgia
[email protected]
(678) 938-4857
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SW GA/FL Panhandle
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Coastal GA/N. FL
[email protected]
(904) 476-0413
News
Punching Holes in Golfers’
Fears of Core Aeration
By Lydell Mack
Do the Holes Matter?
Like most golf clubs in America, we
see a reduction in golfer participation
following core aeration. And it is not
uncommon to hear adjectives like “unfair” and “unplayable” used to describe
putting greens in the days and weeks of
recovery time.
We all know the benefits of core aeration on putting green root systems and
it seems to me that we’re finally getLydell Mack
ting golfers to understand why it must
be done. Although golfers are slowly
coming around to agree with us on the need for aeration of the turf,
there still seems to be a mystery surrounding the actual effect aeration has on golf scores. It seems that most members try to schedule
away games at other clubs or out-of-town vacations, until the greens
become “playable” again. But is that necessary? We tried to find out.
The theory has been raised that minor imperfections, such as aeration holes, in the green’s surface don’t impact a golfer’s scores in
a significant way. My own observations while playing on aerated
greens told me that I was having putts deflected into the hole at least
as often as I was having putts deflected off line.
I also noticed the body language and overall attitude of other golfers
I played with during those rounds and noted how most players simply didn’t try to make putts and only chose to talk about their missed
putts due to “bad greens.” It was as if they had a convenient excuse
for putting horribly but disagreed if I suggested a made putt was also
due to the aeration holes. As it turns out, we were both a little right.
In addition to my own putting statistics, I enlisted the help of our
members to conduct an unscientific experiment on the effects of
aeration and putting. With fewer than 20 willing participants, the
sample size was small but eager. First, all participants had to agree
that they would honestly try to make every putt they faced for two
weeks prior to and two weeks after core aeration and topdressing.
Second, they had to track their total number of putts and total feetof-putts-made per round each time they played. That’s it. The results were then compiled based on handicap groups and split into
“before aeration” and “after aeration” sets and the differences were
compared.
What we found out was that as a group, the total number of putts per
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November-December 2015
round went down and the total feet of putts made went up in comparing rounds following aeration to rounds before aeration. Wow!
But how can that be? If golfers essentially play better on slow, bumpy
greens, then why are we wasting so much time and money providing
the opposite?
Hold on, there’s a catch – when we dig deeper into the numbers,
we find that there are differences among the groups. The low-handicappers (0-10) recorded slightly worse stats after aeration, the midhandicappers (11-20) were unaffected and the high-handicappers
(21 +) actually improved after aeration.
It seems the better players made fewer feet of putts per round after
aeration - a 20 percent reduction - and had slightly more putts per
round - more by one, on average. I’m guessing what we are seeing
is the effect of the better players hitting approach shots closer to
the hole due to softer post-aeration greens; thus, their first putts are
shorter.
Perhaps their putting strokes are more ingrained into their muscle
memory; therefore they had the hardest time adapting to the drastically different conditions. Also, this group had the fewest participants, so their averages were taken from a small sample.
The average players (handicaps 11-20) saw no change. As we
thought would be the case, their putting stats and their scores were
unaffected by core aeration and topdressing. It seems that this group
was able to adapt either their stroke or their attitude - or both - better
than the low-handicappers.
These players are likely used to seeing a few short putts missed per
round under normal circumstances, thus they were able to mentally
overcome the bad bounces quicker than the better players, who admitted they have a tough time accepting a missed putt “that was a
pure stroke that should have gone in.”
One group – the high-handicappers – surprised us by actually posting better stats after aeration than before. This may be because the
less experienced players tend to suffer with tentative putting strokes.
The fear of three-putting is so strong that under normal circumstances, they’re afraid to use an aggressive stroke, but when there is
virtually no risk of a missed putt running away six feet, their strokes
became more assertive.
Also, high-handicappers may be less confident in reading break,
but since slower greens have less break they were more confident in
putting directly at the hole more often. Some golfers in this group
confessed that they had never kept track of stats before, and that fact
Aeration may be a dirty word for golfers but Lydell Mack’s research suggests that perhaps it shouldn’t be.
alone made them want to do better, thus they tried harder. Either
way, I haven’t heard any requests by this group to conduct more core
aeration, but maybe they should!
As we know, golf requires great mental concentration, especially
when putting, and it seems the word ”aeration” causes many to turn
off their mental game before they even begin their round. I mean, if
you begin your day on the course with the statement, “They aerated? Well, I guess I won’t be making any putts today,” on the first
tee, chances are you’ll accomplish exactly that.
On the other hand, we’ve found that if you accept the fact that the
greens will be bumpy and remind yourself to putt with a firm stroke,
you’ll score just as well, or better, as on true greens, because there’s
no reason to be tentative. A firm stroke with every putt will generally
result in long putts finishing closer to the hole, and short putts holding their line, likely because you don’t have fear of the long “comebacker” if you’re aggressive with the stroke.
I’d like to see this type of research done by an actual scientist using
more participants, but I feel like I’ve learned a lot by doing this. It
confirms for me that most of what golfers perceive to be true with
aeration is not reality. Putting is mostly cerebral, and if you can accept the good bounces with the bad and trust they will even out over
18 holes, there’s no reason to book those post-aeration away games.
Thanks to everyone who participated.
- Lydell Mack is golf course superintendent at Big Canoe Golf
Club in Jasper.
November-December 2015
Through the green
19
News
Idle Hour Team Takes
Forum Event Again
F
or the second year in a row a team from a golf course with
bentgrass greens has won the tournament at the Georgia GCSA’s
annual bermudagrass forum. The team of Travis Cantrell, Guy
Madden, Bayne Mallary and Nash Rolfes from Idle Hour Club
in Macon backed up their success from 2014 with a six-stroke
win at The King and Prince Golf Course on St. Simons Island in
September.
The event was another full house with more than 100 superintendents and assistant superintendents attending the education
session and golf. University of Georgia’s Dr. Alfredo Martinez
discussed the latest research on fungicides and disease control
for bermudagrass. His presentation was followed by a roundtable
discussion moderated by host superintendent Chuck Moore and
Berry Collett, CGCS from Sea Island Golf Club.
“Everything about the whole day was great,” says Mallary, an assistant superintendent to Wade Thomas at Idle Hour. “I look forward to it every year. I always learn something. We have bentgrass
greens but tees and fairways are bermudagrass so it’s always nice
to hear what everybody has going on and what they’re finding.”
Bayne Mallary, Travis Cantrell, Nash Rolfes and Guy Madden, all from Idle
Hour Club, were tournament winners once again.
Aside from the education, Mallary says he enjoys the golf course
because it fits his game and “is always in such great condition.”
“It’s such a great place,” he says.
J.B. Workman, King and Prince Golf Course; Zachary Tomlin, Henderson
Golf Club ; Patrick Reinhardt, Georgia Southern University Golf Course;
Dale Stephens, Sea Palms Resort; and Marty Wilson with Jerry Pate Turf
and Irrigation.
Ken Arsenault, Wesco Turf; Tom Brennan, Brennan Golf Sales; Chuck Moore,
King and Prince Golf Course and Scot Drader, Brunswick Country Club.
20
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November-December 2015
Lucas Walters from Sea Island Golf Club makes a note during the forum.
Golf results
First – 114
Nash Rolfes, Idle Hour Club
Bayne Mallary, Idle Hour Club
Travis Cantrell, Idle Hour Club
Guy Madden, Idle Hour Club
Second - 120
Matt Jones, The Landings Club – Magnolia
Jerry Matthews, CGCS, Brookfield Landscape Managemet, LLC
Keith Williams, Chattahoocahee Turf Products
Tim Zech, United Turf Alliance
Third – 120
L.J. Robinson, Cherokee Town and Country Club
Greg Hill, John Deere Landscapes
Randy Moody, Milledgeville Country Club
Wayne Stone, Sound Agronomy
Closest to the Pin
No.4 - Wayne Stone, Sound Agronomy
No.7 - Jeff Little, Wildcat Logistics
No.12 - Bayne Mallary, Idle Hour Club
Longest Drive
No.3 - Ken Arsenault, Wesco Turf
No.6 - Lucas Walters, Sea Island Golf Club – Seaside
No.18 - Billy McCroskey, Tally Mountain Golf Club
Dennis Echols, CGCS from Jennings Mill Country Club lines up
a putt.
Since 1991
Laser Leveling • Laser Topdressing • Drainage
Fairway & Greens Core Aerification and Core Removal
Verticutting, Sweeping • “Koro” Sod Removal
Shaping • Greens Construction & Renovation
Greens Conversion • Tee Construction
Bunker Construction & Renovation
On-Site Reel Grinding
Berry Collett, CGCS from Sea Island Golf Club
addresses the audience.
7500 Macon Hwy, Watkinsville, GA 30677
Office: (706) 208-1644 or (772) 225-3771 • Fax: (706) 769-0020
Web: www.laserturfse.com • Email: [email protected]
November-December 2015
Through the green
21
News
Championship Win Takes
Griffeth by Surprise
D
oug Griffeth was just one over par heading into
the closing stages of this year’s Georgia GCSA assistant superintendent golf championship at Druid Hills
Golf Club in Atlanta in October. Then he dropped four
shots on his last three holes. Even so, Griffeth, from
The Legends at Chateau Elan in Braselton, didn’t feel
like he’d blown his chance to win. The fact is he didn’t
think he was in contention in the first place.
“It wasn’t a triumphant finish by any means,” he says
with a laugh. “But I wasn’t kicking myself either. Because I really didn’t think I was in the running. There
are so many good golfers in this event.”
It was only when Griffeth began to see a stream of
higher numbers posted on the scoreboard that he entertained thoughts that maybe his five-over par round of
77 might be good enough after all. Turns out it was but
only after a four-way scorecard playoff, which left him in
first place with Jacan Dossett from The Harbour Club
at Lake Oconee runner-up.
Golf committee chair Lane Singleton, from Reynolds Lake Oconee, with assistant
superintendent champion Doug Griffeth, from The Legends at Chateau Elan, and assistant
superintendent committee co-chair Tommy Hewitt, from Windermere Golf Club.
“This was the fourth assistants championship I’ve
played in and I’ve always wanted to win it,” Griffeth says. “But
I haven’t really even come close before because it’s always such
a strong field. I didn’t think 77 would win but I was still really
happy with my round because the course was playing long and
pretty tough.”
About 100 players turned out for the championship presented in
partnership with Greenville Turf and Tractor and hosted by superintendent Neal Wisdom and assistant superintendents Brett
Thomas and Jacob Darr. Long before he held the trophy, it was
another “outstanding event” as far as Griffeth was concerned.
“I love those old courses,” he says of Druid Hills, which was established in 1912. “The layout is really neat with all the holes tucked
in close together. The Georgia GCSA is fantastic with what they
do and what they provide for us assistants.”
Griffeth, 29, who works for superintendent Hal Gray at The Legends, has worked in golf course maintenance for 11 years, the last
five as an assistant. Like many of his colleagues, he is itching for the
opportunity to step up to a senior role. “I’d definitely like to be a
superintendent,” says the University of Georgia turfgrass graduate.
“I don’t have a particular kind of course in mind but I do look
forward to being in the leadership position one day.”
Again like many of his colleagues, Griffeth has been an active
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November-December 2015
participant in opportunities presented by the Georgia GCSA, its
assistant superintendent committee and an informal group in his
area. He “really enjoyed helping out” as a volunteer in the Goshen
Valley Boys Ranch project and is a regular at “lunch bunch” gatherings with other assistants around Braselton.
This year’s assistants championship began with a half-day of education. Billy Fuller of Billy Fuller Golf Design discussed the golf
course master plan development process touching on the contractor and superintendent relationship during construction and
grow-in. Patrick Reinhardt, from Georgia Southern University
Golf Course in Statesboro, delivered a presentation on the “Superintendent’s Perspective to Golf Course Construction.”
The morning wrapped up with a talk by Mickey McCord of McCord Golf Services and Safety that Griffeth says was an important
reminder for assistants. “It’s so important for guys to remain focused and paying attention,” he says. “You hear about injuries and
how easily they can happen. He (McCord) gave us some different
procedures to help us stay focused even with the tasks that we do
over and over again.”
The only hiccup on the day was a brief brush with the Atlanta
Hawks basketball squad. The Hawks had a pre-season outing on
the golf course in the morning and were a little later finishing than
scheduled. Some assistant superintendents used the chance to take
a photo of the NBA players.
A view of the full-house during the education sessions.
Mickey McCord of McCord Golf Services and Safety.
Doug Griffeth, The Legends at Chateau Elan; Kevin Beaudin, Summer Grove Golf Club;
and Bayne Mallary and Nash Rolfes, both from Idle Hour Club.
Assistant superintendent committee co-chair Scott Lambert, from
Peachtree Golf Club, presented thank you gifts to Druid Hills host assistant
superintendents Brett Thomas and Jacob Darr.
Atlanta Hawks basketball team members busy on the practice green during
their pre-season outing at Druid Hills.
November-December 2015
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23
News
Golf results
Winner - Doug Griffeth, The Legends at Chateau Elan
Runner-up - Jacan Dossett, The Harbor Club on Lake Oconee
First Flight
1 - Matthew Jones, The Landings Club - Magnolia
2 - Chris Hargrove, Bent Tree Country Club
3 - Travis Cantrell, Idle Hour Club
Second Flight
1 - Jim Thompson, Reynolds Lake Oconee
2 - Chuck Davis, Monroe Golf and Country Club
3 - Josh Dowling, Capital City Club Crabapple
Third Flight
1 - Tony Muckenfuss, The Club at River Forest
2 - David Collins, Bear’s Best Atlanta
Closet to the Pin
No.6 - Chad Williams, Golf Club of Georgia
No.8 - Jim Thompson, Reynolds Lake Oconee
No.13 - Colten Beattie, Marietta Country Club
No.17 - Jacan Dossett, The Harbor Club on Lake Oconee
Matthew Jones, The Landings Club – Magnolia; William Boyce, Golf Club of
Georgia; Jamie Pate, Jerry Pate Turf and Irrigation; and Steve Simpson, Idle
Hour Club.
Longest Drive
No.1 - Jacan Dossett, The Harbor Club on Lake Oconee
No.9 - Brandon Smith, Trophy Club of Atlanta
No.11 - Scott Lambert, Peachtree Golf Club
No.15 - Josh Sullins, Creekside Golf and Country Club
Billy Fuller of Billy Fuller Golf Design.
24
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November-December 2015
November-December 2015
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25
News
Southern Assistants Gather
At The Ford Plantation
A
bout 20 assistant superintendents from the southern part of
the state gathered at The Ford Plantation in Richmond Hill in
September. Host superintendent and Georgia GCSA director Nelson
Caron delivered a presentation on the recent renovation of the Pete
dye-designed course. Assistants then toured the course.
The outing was designed to give assistant superintendents in the region an opportunity to learn at the same time they built their network
of contacts. One keen observer was Patrick Reinhardt, superintendent
from Georgia Southern University Golf Course in Statesboro. Reinhardt is one of a host of current day superintendents who endured an
extended period as an assistant as result of the Recession, which created a log jam of qualified candidates for fewer and fewer jobs.
Reinhardt says the ability to network with fellow assistant superintendents was invaluable in his time under Mike Brown at The Standard
Club in Johns Creek. “It was so helpful to share perspectives and ideas
with other assistants back then,” he says. “You learned things you
could take back to your course but it also helped to know you weren’t
the only one in that situation.”
Nelson Caron hosted about 20 assistant superintendents at The Ford
Plantation.
The concentration of facilities in the Atlanta area made it easier for
small groups of assistants to get together informally, Reinhardt says.
“It’s a little more challenging for the guys along the coast so the event at
Nelson’s course was a great opportunity for them,” he says. “I think it
was a pretty good turnout and I know everyone got a lot out of it.” The
Georgia GCSA appreciates the support of Bulloch Fertilizer, which
provided lunch at the event.
Embree Wilson and Philip Soukup from The Landings.
Greg Knight and Matt Jones from The Landings.
26
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November-December 2015
John Kafader from Georgia Southern University Golf Course.
Attendees at the southern assistant superintendents outing at The Ford Plantation.
November-December 2015
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27
News Shorts
City Considers Dog
For Golf Course
Waldron Wins
Industry DSA
(Excerpted from the Savannah Morning News)
The Georgia GCSA congratulates long-time industry friend and colleague Mike Waldron on winning the Distinguished Service Award
from the International Association of Golf Administrators. Waldron is
former executive director of the Georgia State Golf Association and a
past chairman of the Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation. He is
also a past recipient of distinguished service awards from the Georgia
GCSA and the Georgia Section of the PGA of America.
Rincon City Council members are considering acquiring a border
collie that would be trained to chase geese from the Lost Plantation
Golf Course in Rincon. “I believe the council is leaning toward a
trained dog that would keep them away,” city manager Wesley Corbitt
said. “The dog does not catch them, but keeps them from landing and
staying around.”
An abundance of geese at the golf course has prompted complaints
from golfers and from people who live nearby. City planner LaMeisha
Kelly said each bird eats up to five sq. ft. of grass every day and leaves
up to two pounds of waste each day.
Seth Zeigler, superintendent of the golf course, said from 10 to 70
geese will congregate around the 17th and 18th holes. “Not only is it
a health hazard and very unsightly, it makes a couple of holes unplayable at times,” Zeigler said.
Zeigler said possible solutions include hiring someone to catch and
relocate the birds or buying a dog that’s trained to shoo the birds.
Zeigler said since a border collie has the look of a fox, the geese would
see him as a predator, not just a dog.
28
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November-December 2015
Waldron began his golf administrative career with the LPGA in 1979
and worked for Executive Sports, managing event logistics for the
PGA Tour, LPGA and other events throughout the 1980s. He then
began what would become an 18-year term as the executive director
of the GSGA. He is currently manager of rules and competitions for
the LPGA. He is also a past-president of the IAGA, serving in that
capacity in 2003.
Waldron’s other accomplishments include a stint working at the USGA
as a regional associations manager and sitting on USGA committees for
regional associations, the Joe Dey Award, Rules of Golf and handicap
procedure. He worked as a rules official at more than 40 USGA national championships, including 11 U.S. Opens. He also worked at more
than 20 other men’s and women’s major professional golf championships, including four Masters Tournaments.
Harvey Winner of
President’s Cup
Lukus Harvey, director of agronomy at Atlanta
Athletic Club, was the main winner at Jacobsen’s
first annual President’s Cup in September. Harvey returned the lowest individual net score in the
tournament among about 100 players at Sage Valley Golf Club in Aiken, SC. The field included
superintendents and turfgrass professionals from
Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Maryland and the
Carolinas.
The University of Georgia has written to the
Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation with
thanks for a recent grant of almost $10,000.
The money is to support Dr. Brian Schwartz
from UGA Crop and Soil Sciences Department
in his research towards more environmentally
sustainable golf course grasses. Here is the letter to foundation research committee chairman
Kyle Marshall from Capital City Club.
“The President’s Cup is a great event that allows
us to build relationships with both current and
prospective customers,” says Jacobsen president
David Withers. “We were lucky enough to be
able to hold this event at one of the world’s greatest courses, Sage Valley Golf Club.”
Following the golf tournament, guests attended
a dinner and awards reception in Augusta, GA.
There were 24 awards were given in a variety of
categories including closest to the pin, longest
drive and lowest net scoring teams.
UGA Grateful
for Funding
Support
Dear Kyle,
Jacobsen president David Withers presents
the first President’s Cup to Lukus Harvey from
Atlanta Athletic Club.
Thank you for your generous contribution to
the College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences (CAES) and the hybrid bermudagrass fund. Your gift places you in a membership
of alumni, friends, faculty and staff who are
dedicated to increasing the contributions that
CAES makes to agriculture both today and tomorrow in our state and across the world.
Because of your donation, the hybrid bermudagrass fund will continue to enable us to expand our role in conducting groundbreaking
research and to broaden the role of our extension service to the state of Georgia and beyond.
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Interim Dean and Director
University of Georgia
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November-December 2015
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29
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Sales | Service | Parts | Rentals | Leasing | Accessories
November-December 2015
News Shorts
Austin Earns Prize Working for Caron
Chad Austin, a rising senior in UGA’s turfgrass management program has won the Pete Dye agronomic scholarship from The Ford Plantation
community in Richmond Hill, GA. Austin received the $4,000 scholarship following a summer interning at The Ford Plantation and working on
the Pete Dye-designed golf course there under Georgia GCSA director Nelson Caron.
“This summer at The Ford Plantation has been an incredible learning experience and I’m thankful to the staff here, led by Nelson Caron, for
helping in my development,” says Austin, who hails from Thomson, GA.
Each year, professors from leading universities, including the University of Georgia, Penn State, Purdue, Clemson, North Carolina State and the
University of Florida, submit nominees for the scholarship and internship program. Students are selected based on individual academic merit and
achievement and receive a scholarship to be used for educational expenses. They also receive hourly wages for the duration of the three-month
internship and free housing on-site at Ford.
Interns take part in all facets of golf course maintenance, from daily course preparation to spending time in the equipment area learning how
mowers and equipment are set up. Along with learning the green side of the industry, they also see what goes into managing the business side of
the department.
The capstone of the program takes place when each intern is responsible for the management of the golf maintenance crew for three to four days
at the end of the summer.
“This program has been met with enthusiastic support from the members of our club and the universities involved in the program,” says Caron,
director of golf course and grounds maintenance at The Ford Plantation. “The financial support we get for this program from our members has
been essential to its success, and Chad is a worthy recipient who will continue a fine tradition of excellence.”
The scholarship and internship program are named after the architect who originally designed The Ford Plantation course in the mid-1980s and
who oversaw a $7.2 million redesign that wrapped in 2014. Members at The Ford Plantation have raised more than $55,000 since the program’s
inception in 2009.
November-December 2015
Through the green
31
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32
©2015 Cardinal, a division of Triangle Chemical Company. Always read and follow label directions.
Through the green
November-December 2015
News Shorts
Georgia Dogs
In Calendar
Congratulations to Georgia GCSA members Patrick Reinhardt, from Georgia
Southern University in Statesboro, and
Wally Gresham, from Sunset Hills Country Club in Carrollton, on having their dogs
featured in the 2016 TurfNet Superintendent’s Best Friend calendar. Reinhardt’s
dog appears in May with the caption
“Squirrel Hunter: Sniffing out bushy-tailed
rodents.” Gresham’s two-year-old golden
retriever Grady appears in June, making
him a centrefold.
Crawford Now a Tour Agronomist
Georgia GCSA past-president Mike Crawford, CGCS is now an agronomist with the PGA Tour. Crawford moved into his new role in August
after a lengthy and successful stint at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth. His first
month in the new job took him to the last three legs of the FedEx Cup,
making visits to the Deutsche Bank Championship, the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship.
Mike Crawford, CGCS
“It’s not all that bad,” Crawford jokes about his early travel schedule,
which also included jaunts to California and Mexico. “I can tell you one
of the great things about this job is that they don’t put many golf tournaments in ugly places.”
Crawford says the new job “is a dream come true” because it puts him
in direct involvement with tournament golf week in, week out. “I absolutely love tournament golf
and always have,” he says. “I’ve loved it from day one.” Crawford hosted 12 PGA Tour tournaments and three Champions Tour tournaments while at TPC Sugarloaf.
“I will miss the day-to-day relationships with the people I worked with,” Crawford says. “Those
relationships were pretty special. But in my new role I not only get to work with superintendents
and assistants and equipment managers but also with general managers, tournament directors and
a whole range of people. It’s not just agronomic what we do. Of course there are a lot of people
from the Tour who are involved but relationship building is part of our role as agronomists too.”
Grady, the June centrefold.
Crawford will continue to live in Atlanta, “about two miles from TPC Sugarloaf,” and expects to
remain in touch with his many friends in the Georgia GCSA. His replacement at TPC Sugarloaf
is Tom Vlach, CGCS, who was director of agronomy at TPC Sawgrass, home of the Players
Championship in Florida.
November-December 2015
Through the green
33
New Members
Georgia GCSA Welcomes
Movers & Shakers
›David Cavender, Class A. Director of grounds maintenance,
Cobblestone Park Golf Club, Blythewood, SC (803) 714-2604.
›Chris Daniels, Class C. Assistant golf course superintendent,
Sun City Peachtree, Griffin (770) 233-3334.
› Brinton Gaches, Class SM. Golf course superintendent, Highland Country Club, LaGrange (706) 884-1727.
› Aaron Hepner, Class C. Assistant golf course superintendent, The Landings Club – Oakridge, Savannah (912) 695-8340.
›John Kafader, Class C. Assistant golf course superintendent,
Georgia Southern University Golf Course, Statesboro
(912) 478-4653.
›Jason Munn, Class SM. Golf course superintendent, Butternut
Creek Golf Course, Blairsville (706) 439-6076.
›Chris Palumbo, Class AF. Sales, Specialty Car Company, Stone
Mountain, (770) 446-3444.
›Jerod Stewart, Class C. Assistant golf course superintendent,
Indian Hills Country Club, Marietta (770) 971-2605.
› Tom Vlach, Class A. Certified golf course superintendent, TPC Sugarloaf, Duluth (770) 622-2216.
› Kevin Beaudin, formerly assistant golf course superintendent at
Whitewater Creek Country Club in Fayetteville, is now assistant golf
course superintendent at Summer Grove Golf Club in Newnan.
› Steven Byars, formerly golf course superintendent at Hamilton
Mill Golf Club in Dacula is now golf course superintendent at
Atlanta National Golf Club in Alpharetta.
›Joe Durden is now golf course superintendent at Savannah Lakes
in McCormick, South Carolina.
› Chris Daniels, formerly assistant golf course superintendent at Heron Bay Golf Club in Locust Grove, is now assistant golf course superintendent at Sun City Peachtree in Griffin.
› Joey Franco, formerly certified golf course superintendent at Brookstone Golf and Country Club in Acworth, is now certified golf course superintendent at Cherokee Town and Country Club – North Course in Atlanta.
› Brinton Gaches is now golf course superintendent at Highland Country Club in LaGrange.
›Aaron Hepner, formerly assistant golf course superintendent at the
Links at Stono Ferry in Hollywood, SC, is now assistant golf course
superintendent at The Landings Club – Oakridge in Savannah.
›John Kafader, formerly assistant golf course superintendent at
Cherry Valley Country Club in New Jersey, is now assistant golf
course superintendent at Georgia Southern University Golf Course.
› Ryan Kerley, formerly spray technician at Reynolds Lake Oconee
– The Landing, has been promoted to second assistant golf course superintendent.
›Ande McKenzie is now assistant golf course superintendent at
Reunion Golf Club in Hoschton.
›Paul Meridith, formerly golf course superintendent at Jekyll Island
Golf Resort on Jekyll Island is now golf course superintendent at
The Club at Osprey Cove in St. Mary’s.
› Chris Palumbo is now sales representative – golf carts/utility vehicles for Specialty Car Company in Stone Mountain.
›Scott Slemp, formerly golf course superintendent at Atlanta
National Golf Club in Alpharetta is now golf course superintendent
at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans.
›Jody Stewart is now assistant golf course superintendent at Indian
Hills Country Club in Marietta.
› Tom Vlach, CGCS formerly director of agronomy at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL is now director of golf maintenance operations at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth.
Congratulations
› Congratulations to Todd Lime, CGCS at Echelon Golf Club in
Alpharetta on completing the renewal process for maintaining his
status as a certified golf course superintendent with GCSAA.
› Congratulations to Doug Smith, CGCS at Maple Ridge Golf Club
in Columbus on completing the renewal process for maintaining his
status as a certified golf course superintendent with GCSAA.
› Congratulations to Ken Lambright from Sea Island Golf Club –
Retreat Course on St. Simons Island on recently attaining his Class
A status with the Georgia GCSA and GCSAA.
› Congratulations to Jeff Miller from the Harbor Club on Lake
Oconee in Greensboro on recently attaining his Class A status with
the Georgia GCSA and GCSAA.
Births
› Congratulations to Scott Lambert from Peachtree Golf Club and his
wife Louise on the birth of their daughter, Blakely. Blakely was born
September 4 and weighed 6lbs 2oz and measured 19 inches.
› Congratulations to Bradley Tremmier from RiverPines Golf and his
wife, Rachel on the birth of their son, Levi David Tremmier. Levi was
born September 9.
Marriages
› Congratulations to Kevin Beaudin from Summer Grove Golf Club
and his new bride, Courtney, who were married on January 15.
› Congratulations to Allen Weed from Greenville Turf and Tractor and
his new bride, Shay, who were married on August 16.
34
Tee Shots
Through the green
November-December 2015
Condolences
› Our condolences to Derek Oglesby with Corbin Turf and Ornamental Supply and his family on the passing of Derek’s mother.
› Our condolences to Spencer Oliver from Dunwoody Country
Club and his family on the passing of Spencer’s father.
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