Turf Line News

September/October 2013

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9/11/13 1:48 PM IN CONVERSATION WITH... Page 1 INTERVIEW BY JERRY ROUSSEAU WCTA PRESIDENT KEITH LYALL Turf Line:Please start with your bio (current age, place of work and how long, how long in the business, where you live, family, etc). Keith Lyall: I'm 40 years old, I have been in the golf industry since 1995, but have been in landscape and residential construction since I was 13. Currently employed at Sun Peaks Golf Course where I have been the superintendent since 2005. My wife, Bobbe, our one-year-old son, McLean and I live in Sun Peaks, we are both originally from Kamloops. I also have a ten-year-old daughter, Ailisa, who lives in Calgary. TLN: You and your assistant Cody Inkster are charged with looking after the highest elevation golf course in BC. You open mid-June and close mid-October for an extremely short four month season. Can you give us another way to describe insanity? What can you tell us about the differences in your role (because the season is so short) from say, the guy at Cordova Bay? KL: Cody has nothing to do with it, it's all me… Just kidding, Cody. The golf season here is from June 1st to September 30th, as far as I know the shortest golf season in Canada. We can open the front-nine at the end of May "I would have to say I have met many of my life goals. My second child was a boy and my ten year old daughter, make me so very proud. The ability to give back to this industry, which embraced me so early in my career, though volunteering with the WCTA leaves me another huge feeling of pride. As a good friend puts it so elegantly, I'm 'living the dream' ". 32 WESTERN CANADA TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION THE LYALL FAMILY - ONE YEAR OLD SON MCLEAN, KEITH, TEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AILISA AND WIFE BOBBE but conditions are usually nasty wet. Insanity is the expectation that a course with a limited season and over 16 percent of rounds are complimentary, could make a profit. I will also say it has been interesting seeing another side of the tourism industry and being a part of it, it does make me appreciate the camaraderie we share as turfgrass managers, you just don't see that in the ski industry. TLN: You've just hosted the BCGSA Exchange Tournament with over 80 golf industry personnel taking over your golf course. Give us your thoughts on how the event went, where you think the mindset of the participants was and whether or not this is an indicator of the overall state of things. KL: I think the event went well, I did like the idea of the field demonstrations but found it very challenging trying to provide suppliers with their needs. I think that the event needs more actual time in a day to be called a success. I do know that the BCGSA and I will be discussing in the near future the challenges and successes for upcoming exchanges. Other than the frozen rainfall I predicted which came to fruition, I would have to say it was pretty good. I don't think we will ever see high attendance numbers from superintendents because of the commitment they need to fulfill at their own properties, especially in these tougher times. However I would like to thank everyone who did attend. TLN: Besides the short season, high annual snowfall that can happen any month of the year, cold temperatures, constant drainage issues from run-off and springs, shade from surrounding peaks and probably poor soil conditions, what are your major agronomic challenges? KL: The shortness of the season and continual weather challenges, do not allow for enough cultural practices to be employed, such as aeration, topdressing, overseeding, etc. As much as we try, we just can't seem to get it all done in four months. TLN: Besides a small budget, lack of staff, difficult to maintain property and dealing with the Sun Peaks Resort Corporation who know a lot about skiing and not so much about golf, what are your major management challenges? KL: The corporation does understand golf; they also own the Harvest Club in Kelowna. The major management challenge is the staff that specifically came to Sun Peaks to ski and have found jobs on the course. They generally are less enthusiastic about working on a golf course and have limited knowledge of golf. One example, during interviews many will point out the window and refer to all the turf as "greens". TLN: You are the current President of the WCTA and just had your second child. What can you tell us about your current stage of life and state of mind? KL: I would have to say I have met many of my life goals. My second child was a boy and my ten year old daughter, makes me so very proud. The ability to give back to this industry, which embraced me so early in my career, through volunteering with the WCTA gives me another huge feeling of pride. As a good friend puts it so elegantly, I'm "living the dream". TLN: The BCGSA and WCTA work together very nicely but there is talk about furthering and perhaps formalizing this relationship by some form of amalgamation of the two groups. What are your thoughts on this? KL: Cautiously optimistic, my concern is that these groups already have such unique identities, can we amalgamate more with golf without offending or losing sportsturf managers and other Continued On Next Page IMAGE CREDIT / COURTESY kEITH LYALL TLN1309-proof

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