gcm.typepad.com Website review
The Golf Course Management is the official website for the GCSAA blog posting. In this website, many different posts have been published about different turfgrass topics. Blogging has become more and more popular in today’s society because of the demand for information in a fast manor. In July 2009, Golf Course Management introduced the online magazine version… I think in the future an application on your IPhone will be next in-line. There are many different links to other websites included on the GCM blogging website:
Topics about San Diego turf show
Robotic mower makes history
New control system on the way from Toro
Builders look at certification changes, ect
In San Diego this past weekend (Feb 11th, 12th), James R. Fitzroy (CGCS) was elected as the new GCSAA president. Many other officers stayed on board except the former president David S. Downing, who retired this year.
Overall the Golf Course Management blog posting has had a great success and become very popular. I think in the future more people will find this website useful.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Guest Speaker Curtis Tyrrell
On January 26th, the Penn State Turf Club had an excellent speaker come in by the name of Curtis Tyrell and talk about his experience in the industry. Mr. Tyrrell is currently the Director of Golf at Modinah Country Club, which will be hosting the 2012 Ryder Cup. Mr. Tyrrell is also a graduate of Penn State’s two year Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program. He first said before he spoke, “It sure is glad to be back in Happy Valley, it just makes me feel good and brings back memories.”
Once Mr. Tyrrell graduated, he took his first job in Palm Springs, CA at a course called PGA West. After getting experience there he moved on as an assistant superintendent at Desert Mountain located in Arizona. He spent the next three years there, and had only one weekend scheduled off the entire time. When he left, he looked back and realized how much of an opportunity it was for him and how much he learned. Next in-line was his first opportunity to become a superintendent at Anthem Golf Club, so he moved to Las Vegas where life was great. It wasn’t long after that a job came open and he wanted to get back to the east coast so he moved to Connecticut to be a superintendent at a new golf course called Lake of the Isles Golf Course. The golf courses architect’s was Rees Jones.
Soon after that, Mr. Tyrell got an interview for the Director of Golf position at Modinah Country Club. He mention that the interview process was nothing like he had ever expected, but he did get the job and headed to Illinois.
When he was done he had a few tip and pointers he has picked up throughout the years, and believes strongly in them.
• Set specific goals in life
• Always be prepared for any situation
• Never think things are ok because when you let up things can go south in a hurry
On January 26th, the Penn State Turf Club had an excellent speaker come in by the name of Curtis Tyrell and talk about his experience in the industry. Mr. Tyrrell is currently the Director of Golf at Modinah Country Club, which will be hosting the 2012 Ryder Cup. Mr. Tyrrell is also a graduate of Penn State’s two year Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program. He first said before he spoke, “It sure is glad to be back in Happy Valley, it just makes me feel good and brings back memories.”
Once Mr. Tyrrell graduated, he took his first job in Palm Springs, CA at a course called PGA West. After getting experience there he moved on as an assistant superintendent at Desert Mountain located in Arizona. He spent the next three years there, and had only one weekend scheduled off the entire time. When he left, he looked back and realized how much of an opportunity it was for him and how much he learned. Next in-line was his first opportunity to become a superintendent at Anthem Golf Club, so he moved to Las Vegas where life was great. It wasn’t long after that a job came open and he wanted to get back to the east coast so he moved to Connecticut to be a superintendent at a new golf course called Lake of the Isles Golf Course. The golf courses architect’s was Rees Jones.
Soon after that, Mr. Tyrell got an interview for the Director of Golf position at Modinah Country Club. He mention that the interview process was nothing like he had ever expected, but he did get the job and headed to Illinois.
When he was done he had a few tip and pointers he has picked up throughout the years, and believes strongly in them.
• Set specific goals in life
• Always be prepared for any situation
• Never think things are ok because when you let up things can go south in a hurry
Monday, February 8, 2010
Starting The Spring Off
At the start of each spring you prepare for the upcoming season by doing proper cultural practices. Many superintendents do things in different ways, but get the same result. Aerifying and topdressing is a big part of your spring cultivation practices.
One method of aerifying and topdressing greens is to pull cores and topdress heavy in the spring. When we would topdress in the spring at my old course in Kansas, we would use 1/2 inch tines and go to a depth of 3”. After the aerifyer was off the green, the next step was to get a good topdress on it. We would use a John Deere Pro Gator with a Vicon attached to the back of it to spread the sand properly. After the sand was spread out on the green the next step was to drag the sand in the holes. In some cases, push broom would be used to work the sand into the holes. This is very labor intensive and generally only can be done if you had the workforce to do so. We chose to drag the sand in by using a mat behind a light golf cart. We had to be extremely careful when you turning on the green because of the tire marks it could leave. Once all of the holes were filled with sand the irrigation heads would come on for 6 minutes to help relieve some stress.
Some benefits to spring cultivation practices
• Oxygen exchange
• Root growth
• Water movement
• Thatch management
One method of aerifying and topdressing greens is to pull cores and topdress heavy in the spring. When we would topdress in the spring at my old course in Kansas, we would use 1/2 inch tines and go to a depth of 3”. After the aerifyer was off the green, the next step was to get a good topdress on it. We would use a John Deere Pro Gator with a Vicon attached to the back of it to spread the sand properly. After the sand was spread out on the green the next step was to drag the sand in the holes. In some cases, push broom would be used to work the sand into the holes. This is very labor intensive and generally only can be done if you had the workforce to do so. We chose to drag the sand in by using a mat behind a light golf cart. We had to be extremely careful when you turning on the green because of the tire marks it could leave. Once all of the holes were filled with sand the irrigation heads would come on for 6 minutes to help relieve some stress.
Some benefits to spring cultivation practices
• Oxygen exchange
• Root growth
• Water movement
• Thatch management
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Entering the Turfgrass World
The question is always asked, "How did you get your start in the industry"? After graduating high school everyone is suppose to go to college these days, or that's what everyone thinks now. So that's what I did, I took a basketball scholarship and moved from Wichita to Kansas City with intentions of playing basketball and becoming a school teacher because I loved the game and wanted to become a coach.
I soon realized that wasn't for me and came back home at the end of the first semester. The next possible thing was to get a job somewhere and go from there. After responding to a newspaper ad about a city golf course position that was hiring for summer help, I got the job! I worked at Sim Golf Course for four months before getting laid off because I was a seasonal employee. Now that I had a little bit of experience the doors opened a bit.
With having some experience, I responded to another ad in the paper about another course that was hiring for full-time position. I ended up getting the job at the Wichita Country Club supervised under Brian White (Superintendent). Brian was an assistant for three years at Southern Hills and taught excellent turfgrass practices. After being at WCC for a year I was able to go from a general laborer to an irrigation tech and a crew leader.
After two solid seasons at the Wichita Country Club, I decided to follow Stewart Hansen (assistant superintendent at WCC) to another Country club called Reflection Ridge Golf Club where he was hired as the superintendent. I was hired as the irrigation tech and worked there for three years until I realized that in this field is tough to advance without an education.
Selling irrigation for John Deere landscapes was the next job in-line for me. With a bit of experience in the field definitely helped me out. I was employed at John Deere for 14 months until I couldn't stand not being out on the course anymore. Soon I decided what I wanted to do, and that was getting an education in turfgrass management.
In the spring of 2009 I contacted Penn State about their two year Turfgrass Program. One week later, I visited and met up John Kaminski, Director of the program to get all the details. After talking with Dr. Kaminski, we both thought it would be good to get back to a golf course, so I moved to Connecticut to work at Wee Burn Country Club. I’m not going to lie, the move was tough at first and took me a few weeks to settle into life in the Northeast. The Superintendents name was Doug Drugo. Mr. Drugo was the Assistant Superintendent that came from Oakmont Country Club. The practices that he was taught at Oakmont are the same that he preached and practiced at Wee Burn, which was excellent. I can't tell you how much I learned in five months working there; you can’t replace the knowledge that I gained and overall was great experience.
Now a student at The Pennsylvania State University, I look forward to my internship in North Carolina at Eagle Point Golf Club that starts in March. I can’t wait to get back on the course and utilize what I have learned in the classroom in the field.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
"Communication is the key to success"
Like people always say "communication is the key to success", especially in the turfgrass industry. The bottom line is, when you don't communicate on a daily basis you are cheating yourself. It can have a negative effect on your workers or employees and will likely effect the business side as well. It has been said that communicating accounts for 85-90% of what we do and if you are a bad communicator you will likely struggle. It is not just better for you, it's better for everyone around you.
I feel that you can never over communicate with someone or a group people because good things come out 99.9% of the time. Checking up on to ensure a task was relayed correctly or simply relaying the message a few extra times is always a plus. As a turfgrass manager, you have to be able to interact with employees. This may include handing out daily assignments or explaining how we identify potential problems on the course.
For some, communication comes easy. For many of us, however, this is a skill like any other that takes practice and continued effort to improve upon. Always remember, no one is a mind-reader and your ability to communicate to them verbally will enhance productivity. Once again always remember "Communication is the key to success".
I feel that you can never over communicate with someone or a group people because good things come out 99.9% of the time. Checking up on to ensure a task was relayed correctly or simply relaying the message a few extra times is always a plus. As a turfgrass manager, you have to be able to interact with employees. This may include handing out daily assignments or explaining how we identify potential problems on the course.
For some, communication comes easy. For many of us, however, this is a skill like any other that takes practice and continued effort to improve upon. Always remember, no one is a mind-reader and your ability to communicate to them verbally will enhance productivity. Once again always remember "Communication is the key to success".
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Headed to Wilmington Beach
This march I will be going to Wilmington Beach, NC for a six month internship. I'm looking to get involved with as much stuff I can cram my head with.
Should be a great experience and looking forward to it!!!
- More Knowledge on spraying
- Drainage
- Rebuilding a green with Bermuda grass
Should be a great experience and looking forward to it!!!
Friday, January 15, 2010
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