Divot Mix

"No man learns to design a golf course simply by playing golf, no matter how well." -- Bobby Jones

Seventh course named at St. Andrews

For only the seventh time in more than 600 years there's a new name on the list of courses at The Home of Golf, headed up by the world famous Old Course.

After a naming competition, which attracted more than 4000 entries from around the world, the name of the new St. Andrews Links course is the Castle Course.

The name reflects the history of the headland to the southeast of St. Andrews where Kinkell Castle once stood in the middle ages.

The winner of the competition was American Edwin Burtnett. He was selected after a random draw of all those who had suggested the winning names. Burtnett will be invited to the VIP opening ceremony of the seventh course next year and will be given the opportunity to play one of the first rounds on the new course.

The decision on the name was made by the Trustees of St. Andrews Links Trust from a short list of names compiled by the Course No. 7 Working Party. The Trustees were seeking a name that was easy to understand, relevant to the course and St. Andrews, and fit in the Links Trust's family of names.

Alastair Dempster, chairman of Trustees, said, "In golfing terms this is a major decision and an historic announcement. It is not every day that a new course at St. Andrews is named. In reaching this decision, we were acutely aware that the name of the new course would have to stand the test of time and remain appropriate to a world famous golfing destination.

The Castle Course has been designed by David McLay Kidd, a Scot who has gained worldwide renown for his work on courses such as Bandon Dunes in Oregon, Nanea in Hawaii and Queenwood in Surrey, England. The 220-acre cliff-top course is expected to open for full play next spring and each hole will feature five tees to cater for all levels of ability. The par-71 layout will range in length from 5,600 to 7,200 yards. As with the existing six St. Andrews Links courses the Castle Course will be public. Contact http://www.standrews.org.uk.

Inhalation of golf course pesticides poses "minimal" health risk

When golfers in the northeast United States return to the greens and fairways this spring, they can have some reassurance that inhaling pesticides applied to the turf does not pose a serious human health threat, a new study suggests. Cornell University's Douglas A. Haith and Rebecca R. Murphy have reported results of the first systematic study of inhalation health risk for 15 pesticides typically applied to golf courses in the northeast.

Their report, scheduled for the Feb. 1 issue of ACS' Environmental Science & Technology, a semi-monthly journal, concludes that the risk of cancer and other long-term health effects from inhaling vapors from the pesticides is "minimal."

The article "Inhalation health Risk to Golfers from Turfgrass Pesticides at Three Northeastern U. S. Sites" is available online at http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/sample.cgi/esthag/asap/html/es060964b.html.

Excellence in Government Relations awards announced

Douglas C. Lowe, CGCS, and the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association will receive the 2007 Excellence in Government Relations (EGR) Awards for their exceptional commitment to government relations in the area of advocacy.

Lowe, a 20-year GCSAA member, is the golf course maintenance director at Greensboro Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., and the Georgia GCSA is an affiliate chapter of GCSAA.

"Doug Lowe and the Georgia chapter have done so much to increase the profile of the golf course management industry," said GCSAA President Sean A. Hoolehan, CGCS. "They have done a tremendous job advocating the positive impact that golf courses and those who manage them can have on their surrounding environment."

The awards will be presented Feb. 23 during the President's Celebration at the 2007 GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show in Anaheim, Calif. It will mark the first time that a GCSAA affiliate chapter has won an EGR Award.

EGR Award nominees were judged on how their efforts have served the interests of the golf course superintendent profession and the golf course management industry. Members of the GCSAA Government Relations Committee conducted the evaluation.

Lowe has been active in grassroots advocacy since 2003, when onerous drought restrictions were imposed. He contacted local government officials to explain the implications of further drought restrictions and to find an equitable solution that could benefit all parties. This effort and the ensuing collaboration were critical in allowing golf courses to manage their water use efficiently rather than being subjected to blanket water reductions.

A second award will be presented to the Georgia GCSA. Since 2002, the chapter has reached out to lawmakers, regulators, and researchers to devise a mutually beneficial water management plan. The association has become a leader in the golf industry regarding best management practices and environmental stewardship in Georgia. The GGCSA has led the way in the formation of the Georgia Allied Golf Council, which supplements ongoing lobbying efforts representing the golf industry at various levels of state government.

For more on the award and both winners, click here. Individual case studies on all the nominees are also available online.

MSMA comment deadline is Jan. 19

The EPA is accepting public comments through Friday, Jan. 19 on its decision to make all organic arsenicals (MSMA, DSMA, CAMA, and cacodylic acid) ineligible for re-registration. To send a comment, visit GCSAA's MSMA action alert, which includes background information and sample letters that can be personalized.