Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/73811
he last few years have been the toughest, roughest, most stressful and difficult years the sports turf industry has ever known. First the recession that started sometime in the year 2008 and continues today. In many parts of North America the recession in regards to employment and available recreational dollars is worse today [November – December 2011] than in the years 2008, 2009 and 2010. Most would agree that this difficult time has been ongoing for over three years and shows no signs of getting better in the near future. Most golf courses and other recreational facilities have had to cut maintenance budgets from 10% to up to 40% during this period. On the maintenance side of the industry it is understood that cuts are necessary and most golf course superintendents and sports turf managers have adjusted and are doing a remarkable job with less funds, staff and other resources. I have visited over 200 different golf courses each year for the last 3 years during this difficult time and am amazed at the positive attitude at most facilities. A year ago I wrote an article about a general manager of a golf course in the Midwest part of the United States. In that article I pointed out that one of his first actions as the new general manager of the course was to call a meeting of all of the department heads and in that meeting he informed them that "they would each have to do a little more with a little less." I am still involved with this course on a regular basis and this mind set of doing a little more with a little less has been very successful and the moral of the staff and the club membership is steady at a very high level. This club has a staff from top to bottom of personnel that think and operate together in a calm rational manner and base their decisions on knowledge, science and experience. In addition to recreational dollars being at an all time low, Mother Nature has been extremely cruel in many parts of North America and the rest of the world. We have had extreme moisture followed by heat that has set all time records and in some cases the moisture and heat have come at the same time. In other areas such as Texas we have had over 60 days of 100F+ temperatures and severe drought. As a result, the stress on bent grass facilities has never been greater. When the prolonged heat came in 2010 we were [in most cases] unprepared and we suffered from a tremendous amount of lost turf. We learned from 2010 that in such heat induced stress conditions that our plants needed more air movement on the surface and more oxygen needed to be introduced to the root system. With this firsthand knowledge gleamed from our experiences in 2010 we were better prepared for the heat and stress that came to us in 2011. In most cases the greens just needed better surface air movement and more oxygen in the root zones. Courses that suffered severe damage in 2011 due to heat/moisture stress need to look at the physical properties of their soils as well as the soil chemistry, disease and insects. In 90% of the cases if science shows that our physical and chemical properties are acceptable and that we have no disease or insect issues and that our irrigation water is acceptable, than that only leaves tree root invasion, lack of oxygen in the root zone and or lack of air movement on the surface. Shade or lack of sun accounts for the other 9.0% of turf loss. I have no clue what would cause the other 1% of turf loss except for maybe equipment malfunction, or moisture barriers left in place to long in low lying areas around the green. Whew... there's more to this thing of having healthy greens, tees and fairways than one would first think. The state of the industry is what it is and it's not going to change very quickly. We need to learn from the past and improve our surroundings and our future based on science and common sense. ver 80 golf industry personnel attended the first AGA BC Golf Symposium hosted by Richmond Golf and Country Club on March 26th. The Allied Golf Association of British Columbia contains representation from each Industry Association, dedicated to providing one cohesive voice for the business of golf in British Columbia. AGA of BC currently consists of two representatives from each of the BC Golf Industry Associations (WCTA, BCG, CSCM, NGCOA, PGA of BC, BCGSA) who are committed to working together in equal partnership for the growth of golf in British Columbia. It has been agreed by all AGA of BC associations that the overall health of golf in the province needs to be addressed with a collective effort. Funding Model: The initial funding of AGA BC came through each member Association providing $1,500. In order for the future financial stability of AGA BC, a funding model needed to be pursued and adopted. A committee presented a Captive Insurance model that would provide funds to AGA BC and the participating courses through the sale of Hole-in- One Insurance. The program would not cost AGA BC or courses any additional dollars. The Captive Insurance Model requires a for profit entity to be created by AGA BC whereby ownership shares and investment shares would be divided between AGA BC and Mobile Entertainment Inc. (Captive Insurance Company). The Captive Insurance Model would be a web-based application and be available to all courses which would like to participate. An upcharge on the insurance premium is possible and will still be a very competitive rate so DOUG FERNE NGCOA BC CHAPTER DIRECTOR that any participating course will benefit from their enrollment in the program (at the rate they choose to upcharge on the premium). State of the Game: Data presented showed that the overall golfer population in British Columbia has increased from 2009 to 2010; however we are still not at the levels seen in 2003. Furthermore although there has been an increase from 2009 in participation, the trends for the game going into 2016 suggest British Columbia could lose a significant amount of golfers who are playing the game if nothing is done. The Canadian average of golf participation is on the decline. Information was provided from a survey of BC Golf members attempting to determine the reasons that might make "core" golfers play more and respondents suggested discounted golf rounds, more free time, travel packages and lower membership fees. Consensus at the meeting was that non-core golfers need to be surveyed as well and Chapter President Andy Hedley (VP Golf BC) relayed he would be willing to survey Golf BC's 80,000 member database if a common question bank could be created and agreed upon.