Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/50980
Continued From Previous Page role in daily irrigation decision making." Zokol went on in the Sun interview to say, "We spent $560,000 on maintenance last year and I guarantee you that our greens are among the best in the nation." Responded the same area superintendent (who asked not to be named), "Having the best greens in the country would be fairly easy to achieve on a relatively new golf course getting 32 rounds per day. Try putting through 32 rounds of golf per hour." In asserting that maintenance costs at Sagebrush are a quarter of that of some high end courses, Zokol seems to miss the fact that a large portion of most DECEMBER / JANUARY NEWS BRIEFS COMPILED BY TL EDITORS Agrium Advanced Makes Additions Agrium Advanced Technologies in early November announced the addition of Ron Dekok as North America Marketing Manager for the company's Turf & Ornamental Wholesale division. In his new role, Dekok will have responsibility for each of the POLYON® and DURATION CR® Controlled-Release Fertilizer and PRECISE® Controlled-Release Protection product lines in North America. Dekok had also worked as the Sales & Marketing Manager for the Canadian ProHort division prior to and following its acquisition by Agrium Advanced Technologies in 2008. Cricket Canada Breaks Ground In Abbotsford, BC The work began in the Exhibition ground in October 13th to build a natural turf wicket as old artificial turf was removed and a new square began to take shape with completion of seeding by 18th October 2011. The project saw many challenges in the making and leading up to this day. Cricket Canada President Ranjit Saini speaking from Toronto said that the biggest challenge was the lack of availability of the local suitable clay soil mix that could meet expectations to suit tropical and temperate climates. "While whole lot of people talk in terms of clay percentage, the right quality requirements of the suitable clay soil mix are the binding strength and the ability to grow healthy grass while making sure that proper bounce could be achieved. In a maintenance budgets is spent doing jobs such as: irrigation repairs, picking up garbage, raking bunkers, fillings divots and repairing ball marks following a day of 300 rounds. How much can Sagebrush possibly be spending with 32 rounds per day? " Bottom line is there is no question Sagebrush is bang on the mark in region with short growing season such as ours, the quality of the soil to grow healthy grass in a short period of time is very important. I am very pleased to know that with the assistance of several soil laboratories in Alberta, we were able to locate an area where such a soil mix existed that could provide us with a fast track that we all wished to have in Canada. The soil has been tested for these properties before selection. The Abbotsford wicket is going to provide us with the experience that is comparable to some West Indian and South African pitches" said Saini. The President is travelling to Abbotsford to COMING EVENTS COMPILED BY TL EDITORS WCTA 49th Annual Conference and Trade Show January 21-24, 2012 - Victoria, British Columbia, Canada • Full conference information in this issue and at www.wctaturf.com Sport Turf Managers Association Conference January 9-12, 2012 - Long Beach, California • Full program details available online at www.stmaconference-digital.com Vancouver Island Golf Superintdents Association 4th Annual MS Fundraiser Silent Auction• January 28, 2012 Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort, Victoria, BC. Contact Dean Piller at dpiller@telus.net Canadian International Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show February 5 9, 2012 Calgary, Alberta • Full program details available online at www.golfsupers.com Golf Couse Superintendents Association of America Golf Industry Show February 27 March 2, 2012 Las Vegas Convention Center • Full program details available online at www.golfindustryshow.com remaining true to its minimalist principals. But is Zokol off-base comparing the elite Sagebrush with other older courses who rely heavily on pay as you players and lots of them? We may get the answer when Zokol and Suny speak at the WCTA Conference and Trade Show in January. TL see the finishing of the construction and to have meetings with the City of Abbotsford to facilitate arrangements for the wicket maintenance and will also meet officials of Western Economic Diversification Canada, the co-sponsors of the project on behalf of Government of Canada. The President will also attend separate meetings with Cricket Alberta in Calgary and Cricket BC executive meeting in Surrey, to exchange information and discuss future development plans for the region. TL WESTERN CANADA TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION 31