SportsTurf

September 2016

SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.

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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE President: Jeffrey Salmond, CSFM Immediate Past President: Allen Johnson, CSFM President-Elect: Tim Van Loo, CSFM Secretary/Treasurer: Sarah Martin, CSFM Vice President Commercial: Doug Schattinger Professional Facilities: Dan Bergstrom Academic: Beth Guertal, PhD Higher Education: Nick McKenna, CSFM Parks & Recreation: Jimmy Simpson, CSFM K-12: John Watt, CSFM Commercial: Randy Price Elected-at-Large: Weston Appelfeller, CSFM Elected-at-Large: Jeffrey Fowler Chief Executive Officer: Kim Heck STMA OFFICE 805 New Hampshire, Suite E Lawrence, KS 66044 Phone: 800-323-3875 Fax: 800-366-0391 Email: STMAinfo@STMA.org www.STMA.org STMA Editorial Committee Chairman: Mark Frever, CSFM TJ Brewer, CSFM; Joe Churchill; Jim Cornelius, CSFM; Jeremy Driscoll; Cliff Driver, CSFM; Matt Hollan; Paul Hollis; Chrissy McLarn; Jamie Mehringer; Scott Stevens, CSFM; and Dr. Joey Young, Technical Editor Publisher's Notice: We Assume No Responsibility For The Validity Of Claims In Connection With Items Appearing In Sportsturf. Reader Service Numbers Are Given To Facilitate Further Inquiry. Mention Of A Commercial Product Does Not Imply Endorsement By Sportsturf Or EPG Media & Specialty Information, Or Preference Over Similar Products Not Mentioned. SportsTurf (ISSN 1061-687X) (USPS 000-292) (Reg. U.S. Pat. & T.M. Off.) is published monthly by EPG Media & Specialty Information at 75 Pike Street, Port Jervis, NY 12271. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sportsturf, PO Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823. For subscription information and requests, call Subscription Services at (845) 856-2229. Subscription rates: 1 year, $40 US & Poss.; 2 years, $65 US & Poss.; 1 year, $65 Canada/Foreign Surface, 1 year, $130 Airmail. All subscriptions are payable in advance in US funds. Send payments to Sportsturf, PO Box 2123, Skokie, IL 60076-7823. Phone: (847) 763-9565. Fax: (847) 763- 9569. Single copies or back issues, $8 each US/Canada; $12 Foreign. Periodicals postage paid at Port Jervis, NY and additional mailing offices. COPYRIGHT 2016, SportsTurf. Material may not be reproduced or pho- tocopied in any form without the written permission of the publisher. www.stma.org September 2016 | SportsTurf 7 T he word "turf" has evolved. It originally meant "natural turf " or "grass."' Then Monsanto introduced ChemGrass, which became branded as "AstroTurf." The general public in recent generations has been educated to use "turf " to mean artificial turf. "AstroTurf " and "turf " have consistently been used as generic terms for synthetic surfaces. Many in the industry believe "turf " means one thing — artificial. Others would rather be considered dinosaurs and call real grass "turf " than call a synthetic carpet "turf." In the sports turf industry, how are we supposed to use the word "turf "? What immediately comes to mind when you hear "turf "? What is the correct vocabulary when talking about natural grass? Do we use turf, "grass," "turfgrass," "sports turf," or even "pitch"? Does "turf " mean natural or synthetic? Or, is it slang for either? We may use the word turf within industry circles, but use grass when talking with others, just to help them understand the type that we are talking about. We have all heard sports announcers say, "The player slipped on the turf." Was it natural turf or was it artificial that was being played on? Now natural turf and artificial turf have been defined within the same word, even by the most trusted sources. Do an Internet search for "turf " and a typical result will be "grass and the surface layer of earth held together by its roots." Turf in this context does not suggest artificial. Thefreedictionary.com gives the definition as both: "A surface layer of earth containing a dense growth of grass and its matted roots; an artificial substitute for such a grassy layer, as on a playing field." Even the Merriam-Webster dictionary states: "The upper layer of ground that is made up of grass and plant roots; a square piece of turf cut out of the ground that is used for making lawns; a material that looks like grass and is used specially to cover athletic fields." Two parts of M-W's definition suggest natural, the other artificial. Images of turf will show both natural grass and synthetic. What about turf burn? Most associate it with an artificial surface. Maybe medical professionals should help change this terminology to "synthetic field burn" or "artificial surface burn." It is not very often that we hear "natural turf burn." However, when you do a search for the word "turfgrass" or "grass," the results are all natural grass definitions and images. There is no mistaking what turfgrass or grass is supposed to mean. Turfgrass holds the original meaning and intent of the word "turf " by indicating that it is grass and it is real. Maybe terminology should be re-defined in our books to create a common under- standing. Then it can be verbalized properly. Should "grass" always be natural, and "turf " always be artificial? Or, maybe it should have clearer descriptions, such as "natural turf " and "synthetic (or artificial) turf." So, which word do you use? Be aware of the Pokémon Go craze right now. Make sure you are protecting your TURF… Jeff Salmond, CSFM jsalmond@ou.edu WHAT'S IN THE NAME?

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