Super Notes

GCSAA Certified Golf Course Superintendent Scott A. Ebers is hosting the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

GCSAA Class A superintendent Dennis A. Fitzwater is hosting the LPGA Corning Classic at Corning Country Club in Corning, N.Y.

GCSAA Class A manager of golf courses and grounds Jeffrey Corcoran is hosting the 69th Senior PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y.

GCSAA superintendent Ben Hall NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship at the University of New Mexico Championship Course in Albuquerque, N.M.

Bartley wins "Seeds of Fortune" from Tee-2-Green

Tee-2-Green Corp. has presented David Bartley, GCSAA international superintendent member at Golf Club Schloss Myllendonk in Westphalia, Germany, with tickets, airfare and lodging to the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego. Bartley was one of 170 players to participant in the Seeds of Fortune game over the three days of the Golf Industry Show.

"I’m completely ecstatic to win the trip," said Bartley. "Playing the game during GIS was great fun, but learning I was the big winner … I still can’t believe it."

The Seeds of Fortune game asked basic turf questions, as well as questions pertaining to the origins of Penn bentgrass and details of the 16 Penn bentgrass varieties, including recent trait-specific advancements. The game featured six levels of questions each with varying degrees of difficulty, and a randomly asked "Daily Duich," named in honor of Joe Duich, Ph.D.

"The reaction from superintendents was outstanding and for most of the show, we had lines of people waiting to play the game," said Bill Rose, president of Tee-2-Green. "Their knowledge of bentgrass was impressive and their enthusiasm contagious."

Superintendents in the news

Clackamas (Ore.) Review, "No eagles, but plenty of birdies at Stone Creek," feature on David Phipps, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Stone Creek Golf Club in Oregon City, Ore., and the annual golf course tour he provides the sixth graders from Gaffney Lane Elementary School in Oregon City as part of their field trip to cap off a six-week unit on birds in their life science curriculum.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "Groundskeeper leads 82nd Washington Open," report from the Washington Open Invitational at Glendale Country Club in Bellevue, Wash., where GCSAA member Keith Coleman, superintendent at Harbour Pointe Golf Club in Mukilteo, Wash., had a two-shot lead after an opening round 5-under-par 66, May 19. An update on May 21 had Coleman tied for 10th at 1-over after a 77 on May 20.

WorldGolf.com, "Worth the wait," Chris Baldwin column about the tour Darren Burns, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Bear Mountain Golf & Country Club in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada., gave him of the under-construction Valley Course.

San Diego Union-Tribune, "Vandals hit Torrey Pines course again," article picked up by the Associated Press about the par 3 cliffside signature hole, No. 3, on Torrey Pines’ South Course in La Jolla, Calif., being vandalized for the second time in a month, leading to increased security through the U.S. Open, featuring Mark Woodward, CGCS, golf operations manager for the city of San Diego.

Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram, "Crew supplied event a life jacket," recap of last year’s rain-delayed Crowne Plaza Invitational, featuring Scott Ebers, CGCS at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

KGO-TV, "East Bay restrictions are difficult for some," story from San Francisco ABC affiliate about the East Bay MUD’s mandatory water rationing for its 1.3 million customers, including golf courses served by East Bay MUD, that must cut their usage by 30 percent, featuring Terry Grasso, CGCS at Sequoyah Country Club in Oakland, Calif.

San Clemente (Calif.) Times, "Car chase through muni," report about a police chase May 8 that involved a car crashing into a tree after driving across four holes and narrowly missing several golfers on San Clemente (Calif.) Municipal Golf Course, featuring Gus Nelson, CGCS.

Vail (Colo.) Trail, "Getting to know … Steve Sarro," Q&A with Steve Sarro, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Vail (Colo.) Golf Club.

Golfing in Minnesota, "20th Annual Turfgrass Research Benefit Week," blog post about the Minnesota GCSA’s 20th Annual Turfgrass Research Benefit Week, held June 2-6 at 23 golf courses in the land of 10,000 lakes, featuring GCSAA member Scott Turtinen, MGCSA executive director.

XM Satellite Radio, "PGA Tour Live," radio interview on the PGA Tour Channel with Mike Crawford, CGCS at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Ga., host of the PGA Tour’s AT&T Classic.

Club & Resort Business, "The new ‘Holy Trinity,'" Betsy Gilliland story in the Course & Grounds section about how topdressing, aerification and overseeding must be approached as integrated, and not isolated, procedures, featuring GCSAA Class A members Dan Dinelli, CGCS at North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Ill.; Jed Spencer, CGCS at Chenal Country Club in Little Rock, Ark.; Tim Stanwood, superintendent at Woodstock (Vt.) Inn & Resort Golf Club; Jeff Elmer, CGCS at Oakwood Country Club in Kansas City, Mo.; and Brent Vermeer, general manager and superintendent at The Meadows Country Club in Moville, Iowa.

Club & Resort Business, "How Sage Valley GC makes all the wise choices," cover story by Joe Barks about how the staff at Sage Valley Golf Club in Graniteville, S.C., combines a wide range of best practices with unique service insights, featuring Chuck Green, GCSAA Class A superintendent.

KC Golf Magazine, "Initiative on the 16th hole," feature on GCSAA Director Sandy Queen, CGCS, manager of golf course operations for Overland Park (Kan.).

Golf Georgia, "Bent vs. bermuda," article in the Georgia State Golf Association’s official publication about the increasing popularity of bermudagrass greens at Georgia golf facilities, featuring GCSAA members Chris Purvis, superintendent at Berkeley Hills Country Club in Duluth, Ga.; Ralph Kepple, CGCS at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta; Mark Esoda, CGCS at Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, Ga.; Mike Crawford, CGCS at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Ga.; Ken Mangum, CGCS, director of golf courses and grounds at Atlanta Athletic Club in Duluth, Ga.; and Patrick O’Brien, director of the USGA Green Section’s Southeast Region.

Virginia Golfer, "Grass roots guardians," cover story and Q&A by Andrew Blair in the Virginia State Golf Association’s official publication with GCSAA Class A members Dan Taylor, CGCS at Independence Golf Club in Midlothian, Va., and USGA Green Section Committee member; Peter Wendt, CGCS at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin Sabot, Va.; Cutler Robinson, CGCS at Bayville Golf Club in Virginia Beach, Va., and USGA Green Section Committee member; and Peter McDonough, superintendent at The Keswick (Va.) Club and a 2008 GCSAA Excellence in Government Relations award winner.

Green Section Record, "Edward C. ‘Ted’ Horton," feature in the USGA’s official publication about 2008 Green Section Award winner Ted Horton, CGCS, owner of Ted Horton Consulting, consulting superintendent for ValleyCrest Golf Course Maintenance, executive director of the California Golf Course Owners Association, president of the California Golf Alliance and winner of the 1999 GCSAA President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship.

Green Section Record, "Service with a smile," customer service article in the USGA’s official publication by GCSAA member Larry Gilhuly, director of the USGA Green Section’s Northwest Region, featuring Sean McDonough, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Broadmoor Golf Club in Seattle; Robert Medeiros, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Kiahuna Golf Club in Koloa, Hawaii; Tim Ansett, CGCS at Manito Golf and Country Club in Spokane, Wash.; and Craig Benson, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Meridian Valley Country Club in Kent, Wash.

Green Section Record, "How to win friends and influence enemies!," customer service article in the USGA’s official publication by GCSAA member David Oatis, director of the USGA Green Section’s Northeast Region, featuring Paul Scenna, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Beacon Hall Golf Club in Aurora, Ontario; Al Fierst, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Oak Park Country Club in River Grove, Ill.; Todd Raisch, CGCS at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J.; Scott Dodson, CGCS at The Park Country Club in Buffalo, N.Y.; and GCSAA member Jim Moore, superintendent at Puslinch Lake Golf Course in Cambridge, Ontario.

Green Section Record, "Customer service Southwest style," customer service article in the USGA’s official publication by GCSAA member Patrick Gross, director of the USGA Green Section’s Southwest Region, featuring GCSAA Class A members David Lowe, golf course maintenance director at Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif.; Rich Lavine, CGCS, director of golf at Foxtail Golf Club in Rohnert Park Calif.; Cord Ozment, CGCS at Callippe Preserve Golf Course in Pleasanton, Calif.; and Sandy Clark, CGCS at Barona Creek Golf Course in Lakeside, Calif.

Green Section Record, "Customer service in the Southeast," customer service article in the USGA’s official publication by GCSAA member Chris Hartwiger, director of the USGA Green Section’s Southeast Region, featuring Tony Mancuso, CGCS at Cherokee Town & Country Club in Atlanta.

USOpen.com, "Early-morning gremlins keep course in shape," post on the USGA’s official U.S. Open website about the preparations of Mark Woodward, CGCS, Jon Maddern, CGCS, Candice Combs, CGCS, and their staff at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, Calif., for the U.S. Open.

Golf Course Architecture, "Environmental man," feature on GCSAA member Greg Norman, 2008 Old Tom Morris Award winner, Environmental Institute for Golf trustee and Advisory Council chairman, World Golf Hall of Fame member, and chairman and CEO of Great White Shark Enterprises.

Birmingham News, "Vlach sad to leave Greystone, but it’s for a dream job," Ian Thompson column about Tom Vlach, CGCS, former golf course maintenance director at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham, Ala., who left in March for the superintendent job at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., home of The Players.

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