Turf Line News

September/October 2013

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TLN1309-proof 9/11/13 1:47 PM Page 1 INDUSTRY MOVES BOARDROOM YARN ASSOCIATION NEWS BY DAVID L. DOHERTY KOWALEWSKI STATE OF THE NEW RATES WITH JOINS OSU INDUSTRY SANDMAN ALEC KOWALEWSKI PRESENTS AT THE 2012 WCTA CONFERENCE IN VICTORIA, BC Responsibilities entailed in this appointment include undergraduate and graduate education and advising, industry and community outreach, as well as directing the universities applied turfgrass research program. Dr. Kowalewski has guest lectured on a state, national and international level and released several publications related to golf, sports and municipal turf management. His research background includes organic weed control, sports turf management, sod production, pre and post-emergence herbicide use, golf green management, and the development of sustainable turfgrass cultivars. Current research and extension interests include improving the environmental and economic sustainability of turfgrass management. Kowalewski and his wife Heidi have one daughter and live in Philomath, Oregon. IMAGE CREDIT RAIN COMMUNICATIONS Dr. Alec Kowalewski, who was raised in western Michigan, holds a doctorate in crop and soil science from Michigan State University. At OSU, he succeeds Rob Golembiewski, who served three years in the position. Alec, 33, said he's very grateful that 30-year OSU Turf Grass Specialist Tom Cook, who preceded Golembiewski, is there on a regular basis—on his own free time—to break him into the new position. "It's really been good for me." Prior to joining OSU, Alec taught turf management at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia. He also was involved with the development of sustainable bermudagrass hybrids at the University of Georgia's Coastal Plains Experiment Station in Tifton and served as a resident consultant at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The question that I am asked the most frequently has to do with the state of the industry. It is not a simple question to answer and the answer starts about 10 years prior to the beginning of the recession in 2008, so let's go back to 1998, to start to answer the question. In 1998 the National Golf Foundation published a report that the golfing population in North America would not support more than 300 new golf courses a year. We built 500 a year. The Real Estate industry realized that if there was an ocean, mountains or golf course as part of their package that they could sell each lot or unit for around $50,000 to $75,000 more per unit. A two hundred unit project could bring an additional $10,000,000 to $15,000,000 with a golf course cost of $5,000,000 to $7,000,000. In 1998 and up until the recession in 2008 we over built what the golfing population could support by 2,000 courses. It took the perfect storm of the overbuilding and the recession to finally make us look at what had been created, and we had no time to respond in an intelligent manner, in regards to our own courses. The recreational dollars that were available as a result of the recession were and are at an all-time low, while the competition for those dollars was and is at an all-time high. Canadian courses were affected by a tremendous drop in tourism as was Mexico. In October of 2008 most U.S. courses stopped almost all spending for a brief period of time in an attempt to assess their own situations, being in most cases unaware of the 2,000 course overbuild which had taken place over the last 10 years. In most cases during this period from 2008 through the present, the cost per round was reduced in order to maintain some type of cash flow and at the same time operating budgets were reduced. The condition of many courses in regards to the playing portion of the facility began to deteriorate as course maintenance staffs were reduced on average by 20% to 30% and maintenance budgets were reduced in the same manner. The golf course maintenance industry has learned a tremendous amount since late fall, 2008. It has forced all of us to study more and learn from science. During this educational process we have learned how [in most cases] to maintain the standards expected by our golfing public. We have learned how to use fewer chemicals and less water and still provide an acceptable product. This reduction in resources available to us has forced us to look further than ever before into what is causing weak/stressed turf areas. We now know that the number 2 cause of stressed turf and disease is in most cases a lack of oxygen available to the plants root zone. We have learned how to inject oxygen into our root zone in many different ways thus allowing the plant to breath more efficiently and maximizing its ability to take in and process the nutrients it needs. We are learning how to work with Mother Nature through the understanding and implementation of practical science based on field research combined with academic research. It will be a long, long time before the state of the industry goes back to prerecession, and I think that is a good thing. We have definitely taken major steps to go GREEN and at the same time become more efficient with fewer resources. We are using less in the way of chemicals and water and that is definitely a good thing. Until unemployment is reduced we will have very stiff competition for recreational dollars and the experts don't predict unemployment to get back to prerecession levels for quite some time. THE STATE OF THE INDUSTRY IS STRONG BECAUSE WE HAVE BECOME STRONG. COPYRIGHT September 2012, David L. Doherty Dave Doherty is CEO and founder of the International Sports Turf Research Center, Inc. (ISTRC) and holds three patents regarding the testing of sand and soilbased greens. He can be reached at (913) 706-6635 or via email: daveistrc@hotmail.com The WCTA is pleased to announce negotiated corporate rates at all Sandman Hotels for our membership's accommodation needs effective immediately for a 2 year period. Of course, many WCTA members may have access to corporate rates through their employer or may receive discounts through other programs but nonetheless, we sincerely hope these discounted room rates will come in handy . Sandman has provided an Excel spreadsheet (available at wctaonline.com) outlining the rates for the STARPLUS program throughout their different properties. Note the tabs at the bottom of the screen to select between the hotel types. PROGRAM FEATURES •Preferred Corporate Rates • Late checkout privileges • Room upgrades based on availability • Complimentary internet access, morning newspaper, local phone calls/fax service To book, call Sandman Central Reservations and let them know you are a member of the Western Canada Turfgrass Association to receive the corporate rate. Alternatively, you may call the individual hotel directly using the numbers provided in the Directory of their rate grid. Sandman Central Reservations: 1-800-SANDMAN . NEWS FROM SANDMAN HOTELS "We are delighted to announce The Sutton Place Hotel Company as the latest addition to our portfolio of hotels. Ask for your StarPlus rate at our properties in downtown Vancouver, Edmonton and Revelstoke Mountain Resort (rebranded Nelson Lodge). The Sutton Place Hotel Group features the 'Sutton Prestige Guest Program' with benefits such as room upgrades, early check-in and the ability to collect and redeem Prestige Points. This varied portfolio of hotels and resorts offers our clients all levels of service and is further complemented by our restaurant chains: Moxie's Classic Grill, Denny's, Chop Steak House and Bar, Rockford Wok/Bar/Grill, and Shark Club Bar & Grill." WESTERN CANADA TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION 15

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