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Turf man across the water
Traveling to England for BIGGA’s BTME show provides a superintendent with memories for a lifetime.
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Ken Williams, CGCS, rakes a bunker at Ganton Park GC in Ganton, England. |
Editor’s note: This story concerns an American superintendent’s visit to England to attend the British Turfgrass Management Exposition. See "Back in the U.S.A." for a story about a British greenkeeper’s visit to the Golf Industry Show.
Last January I was selected as one of 10 North American superintendents to represent GCSAA and travel to Harrogate, England, to attend the British Turfgrass Management Exposition (BTME). The BTME is the flagship show and gathering of the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA). The trip was the brainchild of Stephen Bernhard and sponsored by his firm, Bernhard and Co.
Bernhard had been bringing international greenkeepers to the Golf Industry Show for the past seven years and decided it was time to bring a group of U.S. superintendents to the U.K. Bernhard ran the process through GCSAA and selected the superintendents through an essay contest. Through some major miracle, my association involvement and probably some well-timed essay humor, I was selected as one of the delegates.
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The 2007 North American Bernhard delegates pose at the Bernhard and Co. booth at the 2007 BTME. For a complete list of delegates, see sidebar below. |
Crossing the pond, crossing cultures
Coordinating the trip was a bit of a logistical challenge. It was winter and the goal was to get 10 superintendents from across the United States to arrive in Manchester, England, at the same time. Thanks to the hard work of our gracious hosts, things went off without a hitch. When we arrived in Manchester, we were picked up by Bernhard and Co. employees Kim Furnell and her associate, Gina Putnam. Putnam is a former GCSAA employee who worked in Lawrence, Kan., and had actually emigrated to England to work for Bernhard.
Furnell and Putnam went out of their way not only to coordinate the trip, but also to keep us all in line. And thankfully, they did all the driving. In England the cars are amazingly small, the steering wheels are on the right, the direction of travel on the left and the frighteningly narrow roundabouts are at nearly every intersection. I never was completely sure where cars were coming from.
Plus, I never seemed to grasp that the driver sits in the front right of the vehicle. At stops when we got out, my numerous mistaken attempts to jump into the front right side — driver’s seat — of our van were met by snickers like, “Looks like you want to drive, huh?” In the name of human preservation and auto insurance adjusters across the land, I quickly relinquished any attempts at getting behind the wheel.
We arrived on a Sunday and drove about an hour and a half from Manchester to Harrogate. Harrogate is a quaint town in northern England that would serve as our base for the week. As with many of the older towns in Europe, everything in town is within walking distance. Best of all, the Exposition Centre was only a couple of blocks from our hotel.
The first day we spent getting situated and exploring the town. On a cool January afternoon, some of us took in the warm delight of a traditional English tea while others sampled the many local flavors in the legendary pubs.
A welcome dinner followed that evening, and there we met three European greenkeepers who became our unofficial guides for the week. The three are good friends who had been part of the BIGGA delegation that traveled to the San Diego Golf Industry Show in 2004.
Sid Arrowsmith, MG, ran a 54-hole complex in England, Richard McGlynn was building a course in Russia, and Steven Tierney had the great fortune of running a course in Wengen, Switzerland. These guys are a joy to be around, and they helped us find our way around. That first dinner provided a hint of what was to come, as everyone we met during Harrogate Week went out of their way to stop and chat with us. There was a definite buzz in town and it was exciting to be a part of it. It felt as if everyone was thrilled to be there and anxious to talk with their peers.
Different soils, different problems
The following day we traveled to the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) in Bingley, where nearly all of the turfgrass research is done in the U.K. We observed their research on golf turf as well as on other “amenity” applications such as football (soccer), rugby and cricket pitches. The terminology is quite different in England, as a field is where you graze livestock and a pitch is where you play sport.
We toured the test plots and talked with resident chemists and pathologists. With the damp, wet climate in the U.K, Fusarium patch (Microdochium nivale) is the No. 1 disease problem on turf, and crane fly larvae is the biggest insect problem. Birds have been known to tear up entire fairways foraging for the numerous larval grubs.
Following our tour of STRI, we left for the Alwoodley Golf Club in Leeds. Alwoodley is the first golf course ever designed by Alister MacKenzie. Our host was Nick Leaf, club historian and former chairman of the green.
Leaf shared his deep knowledge of both the renowned architect and the course. As part of the MacKenzie Society, Leaf has traveled across the world visiting numerous MacKenzie courses. We ended up walking all 18 holes at Alwoodley as our host explained the architectural principles inherent to the design.
One of the more remarkable features of the course is the medieval farming furrows left in place across the fairways. These numerous rounded ridges approximately 1 foot high run across many of the fairways, virtually ensuring that no two fairway lies are the same. The members say these numerous fairway ridges add interest to the game. Unfortunately, modern architects might never get another job if they built a course like that today.
The big show
The BTME show opened the next day and is something like GCSAA’s conference and show in its earlier days. Approximately 250 people attend the opening session. Conversations between attendees are everywhere because of the intimate setting. Attendees never have difficulty finding old friends and are always open to meeting new ones.
Most of the educational seminars run concurrently with the trade show. Seminars are small with an informal approach. Questions are encouraged. Because the show is truly international, seminars provide insight into differing management strategies across the globe.
One theme of the education is how focused Europeans are on sustainable practices and low-input methods. These methods were initially implemented for economic reasons, but have also proven sound for both environmental protection and the fight against Poa annua.
Most European courses seek putting greens made up of the “finer grasses,” the fescues and bents. In that pursuit, one British greenkeeper insisted that last year he applied only 6 grams of actual nitrogen per square meter to his greens.
The show’s exposition portion proved extremely interesting. Large and small exhibitors display their wares in an easily walkable convention center. It’s refreshing seeing the many variations of products and equipment. It helped reinforce the knowledge that golf has been played in the U.K. a lot longer than in the States and other parts of the world.
Booths at the show are well staffed and relatively uncrowded, allowing attendees plenty of time to talk with vendors. Deep-tine aeration is regularly practiced in the U.K., and the show is filled with deep-tine equipment. Flail mowers also are featured and are surprisingly stout. Many courses use them to tame the wicked gorse. My favorite exhibitor at the show had a machine that creates small explosions underground to shatter the soil.
Harrogate Week is similar to the GIS in that evenings are filled with wonderful opportunities to meet new colleagues, network and just talk turf. The GCSAA delegates had the opportunity to meet the next 10 BIGGA delegates, who at the time were planning their travel to Anaheim for the 2007 GIS. They are a great group of guys, and we all made plans to re-connect there.
The last thing anyone who attends this conference feels is lonely. Everyone is genuinely inclusive and is quick to introduce themselves. At one dinner I was fortunate enough to sit across from Sir Michael Bonallack, former secretary of the R&A, who when persuaded, talked at length about his duties with the R&A, his British Amateur titles (five) and Walker Cups (nine). I was in awe, to say the least.
Meeting a legend of the profession
The BIGGA Banquet was the climax of the show. Held at the posh and historic Majestic Hotel, the banquet allows everyone to let loose after a great week.
Afterward it was disco dancing or adjournment to the famous Majestic Hotel bar. I introduced myself to an older greenkeeper I sat next to in one of the seminars, and he turned out to be Walter Woods, who had just retired from St. Andrews after 40 years. Talk about a legend of the profession. This Old Tom Morris Award winner has probably forgotten more than I will ever know. Meeting and talking with him was one of the highlights of my trip.
On our last day, Friday, we visited a great old links course, the Ganton Golf Club. Both Harry Vardon (six British Opens) and Ted Ray were former professionals at Ganton, and the club recently hosted the Walker Cup Matches in 2003. Greenkeeper Phillip Baldock took us around for a no-nonsense look at the links.
The course there is prepared for golf alone — no signs, no yardage markers, no flowers, no fancy monuments, no beverage carts. Practice green markers are made of a simple short hook of steel. Bunkers contain the native sandy soil that includes many seashells, and weeds are not a problem as long as they don’t affect play.
It’s a refreshing way to see a course prepared. Baldock said he would probably be disciplined if he ever burned in the stripes on the fairways like we do in the U.S.
The course has a crew of six and only one utility vehicle. When asked how steep they construct the walls of the riveted bunker faces, Baldock said, “We use a very technological method. On greenside bunkers we place each piece of sod one finger back of the last piece; on fairway bunkers we use two fingers.”
He frequently topdressed the greens with a mix of 70 percent sand and 30 percent soil. He used iron sulfate regularly to control moss. When asked about his rate, Baldock noted, “Black does not bother me, it only lasts a few days and does a world of good.” It was empowering seeing such a practical approach to golf course maintenance.
The trip was a series of great experiences, and a week in my career I will never forget. We had a dignified group of professional superintendents, and our hosts from Bernhard were tremendous. Words simply cannot describe the quality of individuals I met and the experiences I had.
Leo Feser Award candidate
This article is eligible for the 2008 Leo Feser Award, presented
annually since 1977 to the author of the best superintendent-written
article published in GCM during the previous year. Superintendents receive a $300 stipend for articles. Feser Award winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the Golf Industry Show, where they are recognized. They also have their names engraved on a plaque permanently displayed at GCSAA headquarters.
Across the pond
To apply for the 2009 Bernhard and Co. trip, members should look for the announcement on the GCSAA Web site, via their local chapter or on Bernhard and Co.’s Web site, www.expressdual.com. The application process will open on Aug. 1, 2008.
2007 BIGGA Greenkeepers who traveled to Anaheim
Mark Henderson, Thorpeness GC
Ian Somerville, Brocton Hall GC
Stephen Privett, Alresford GC
Glenn Kirby, The London Club
Rob Welford, Cleethorpes GC
Paul O’Kane, Colne Valley GC
Andrew de Wet, Staverton Park GC
Barry Crawford, The Carrick on Loch Lomond
Roger Neale, Taunton & Pickeridge GC
John Gubb, Bedfordshire GC
2007 GCSAA Members who traveled to BTME
Dave Ward, Coyote Run GC, Flossmoor, Ill.
Robert Murtaugh, CGCS, Overland GC, Castle Rock, Colo.
Roger Stewart, TPC Jasna Polana, Princeton, N.J.
Bob Farren, CGCS, Pinehurst (N.C.) Resort
Bob Becker, Scioto CC, Columbus, Ohio
Todd Pippin, The Club at Longview, Weddington, N.C.
Mike Morris, CGCS, Crystal Downs CC, Frankfort, Mich.
David Phipps, Stone Creek GC, Oregon City, Ore.
Ken Williams, CGCS, Stanford (Calif.) University GC
Gregg Blew, CGCS, Wellshire GC, Denver
2008 BIGGA Greenkeepers traveling to Orlando
Daniel Lightfoot, Bearwood Lakes GC
Simon Marsh, Harleyford
Michael Bush, St. Mellion International
Graeme Gallimore, Launceston GC
Nicholas Nottingham, Luffenham Heath GC
Russell Lewis, Hale GC
Ian Smith, Loch Lomond GC
George Pendrich, Gleneagles
Kerr Rowan, The Carrick
Kerry Jones, Garnant Park GC
2008 GCSAA Members traveling to BTME
Sean Sullivan, CGCS, The Briarwood, Billings, Mont.
Rafael Barajas, CGCS, Hacienda GC, La Habra, Calif.
Russell Vandehey, CGCS, Oregon GC, West Linn, Ore.
Michael Stachowicz, Dedham (Mass.) Country and Polo Club
Stephen Cohoon, CGCS, Heritage Hunt G&CC, Gainesville, Va.
Tim Paulson, Spanish Hills CC, Camarillo, Calif.
Glen Misiaszek, CGCS, Cohasset (Mass.) GC
Eric Foerster, CGCS, The Ironbridge GC, Glenwood Springs, Colo.
Christopher Gray Sr., Marvel GC, Benton, Ky.
Clay Putnam, CGCS, Serviscape, Michigan City, Ind.
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