Super Notes

GCSAA superintendent member Lonnie R. Stevens is hosting the Longs Drugs Challenge at Blackhawk Country Club (Lakeside Course) in Danville, Calif.

GCSAA Class A superintendent Timothy S. Kennelly, CGCS, is hosting the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship at Baltimore Country Club/Five Farms (East Course) in Timonium, Md.

GCSAA Class A superintendent Thomas "Fore" V. Brown IV, CGCS, is hosting the WNB Golf Classic at Midland Country Club in Midland, Texas

Director of agronomy Jeffrey W. Kadlec is hosting the Valero Texas Open at La Cantera Golf Club in San Antonio, Texas

Gray wins Intelligent Use of Water Award

Rain Bird has named Christopher S. Gray Sr., GCSAA Class A superintendent at Marvel Golf Club in Benton, Ky, as the recipient of the 2008 Intelligent Use of Water Award.

Gray has been extremely proactive in developing and implementing innovative water conservation programs both on and off the golf course. Most recently, he has led the development and implementation of a very unique wastewater recapture program in which all storm water and household wastewater generated by the homes surrounding the golf course is captured, treated and pumped into the course's irrigation retention ponds where it is used to irrigate the course.
 
"I believe it is very important to use water as intelligently as possible and it is our responsibility as an industry to commit to finding alternative sources of water to meet the needs of golf courses," said Gray. "We need to leave this world a better place for future generations. None of us wants our children to have to worry about where their water is going to come from."

Harvesting more than 14 million gallons of reclaimed water per year, the innovative system eliminates the need to pull water from the local water district or nearby Kentucky Lake for irrigation purposes and significantly reduces the risk of any lake contamination from the use of pesticides and fertilizers on the golf course.

"Beyond water savings, the system has proven to be beneficial in a number of ways as it helps keep Kentucky Lake clean, and significantly reduces the amount of energy used by the course as we no longer need to pump water out of the lake," added Gray.

Rain Bird will present Gray with a check for $10,000 in acknowledgment of his contributions toward protecting Earth's most precious resource at the Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition, Oct. 11, 2008, in Los Angeles.  For more about The Intelligent Use of Water, visit http://www.rainbird.com/iuow/.

Superintendents in the news

Pickens (S.C.) Sentinel, Oct. 8: "Water woes," report from South Carolina’s Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee final public forum on water and energy Oct. 7 in Clemson, S.C., featuring Paul Brandenburg, CGCS at Furman University Golf Course in Greenville, S.C., who spoke on behalf of the tourism and industrial leaders.

Philadelphia Daily News, Oct. 8: "N.J. turtles find a home course," article about Seaview Golf Resort in Galloway, N.J., partnering with Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, Cape May County, to release several young terrapins on the property Oct. 10 as part of Marriott’s effort to make all of its 34 golf course properties around the world Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries, featuring Kevin Tansey, GCSAA superintendent, who has been placing cages around terrapin nests in some of the sand bunkers to protect the turtle eggs from golfers and predators.

Sacramento Bee, Oct. 8: "Cordova goes from pasture to (almost) paradise," course review of Cordova Golf Course in Sacramento, Calif., featuring Gary Williams, GCSAA Class A superintendent.

Myrtle Beach(S.C.) Sun-News, Oct. 7: "Economic hard times forcing courses to adjust annual practices," monthly superintendent column by Trent Bouts about Myrtle Beach, S.C.-area golf facilities adjusting to economic strain by reducing overseeded areas this winter.

Lowell (Mass.) Sun, Oct. 7: "Vesper losing its ‘Velvet’ touch," article about the renowned greens of Vesper Velvet, a bentgrass developed by Vesper Country Club’s former superintendent Manny Francis in Tyngsboro, Mass., needing to be replaced, featuring his son, GCSAA member Manny "Junior" Francis, owner of Green Harbor Golf Club in Marshfield, which features Vesper Velvet.

Bethany (Md.) Beach Wave, Oct. 7: "Course superintendent gets his day in the sun," recap of the annual Superintendent’s Revenge tournament at Ocean Pines Country Club in Berlin, Md., featuring Harlyn Goldman, CGCS. 

Boomer Golf News, Oct. 5: "Golf helps the environment," post by Peter Blais on online golf news for Baby Boomers about two more Marriott Golf properties earning Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program certification, featuring GCSAA members Steve Williams, superintendent at St. Kitts Marriott Resort’s Royal St. Kitts Golf Club in Basseterre, St. Kitts, and Jeff Webster, Class A superintendent at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club’s Creighton Farms in Aldie, Va.; GCSAA and its partnering associations of the Golf Industry Show are teaming up with New Orleans Habitat for Humanity to host a series of volunteer work days before the trade show opens to help build homes in some of New Orleans’ most devastated areas Feb. 3-4; and the NGCOA’s report on water use, featuring GCSAA member Bob Carrow, Ph.D., a University of Georgia professor and water conservation expert, and Clark Throssell, Ph.D., GCSAA director of research.
           
Galveston.com, Oct. 3: "Grand re-opening around the corner for Moody Gardens Golf Course," news release about the work at Moody Gardens Golf Course in Galveston, Texas toward re-opening after Hurricane Ike, featuring Steve Yarotsky, GCSAA superintendent.

Farmingdale (N.Y.) Observer, Oct. 3: "Bethpage Black preps for U.S. Open 2009," article about the preparations for the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y., featuring Craig Currier, GCSAA Class A superintendent.

Golf Business Wire, Oct. 2: "’Only’ four years out, Medinah readies for 2012 Ryder Cup," Cronin Communications news release about Medinah (Ill.) Country Club’s preparations for the next U.S. Ryder Cup venue, 2012, featuring Curtis Tyrrell, CGCS, who is building a new practice facility and replacing all 88,000 square feet of sand in all 74 bunkers.

PGA Tour Channel, Oct. 1: "PGA Tour Live," XM Satellite Radio interview with GCSAA member Matt Falvo, senior superintendent of golf and grounds at Turning Stone Resort and Casino’s Atunyote Golf Club on the Oneida Nation Homelands in central New York, about course conditions and preparations for the PGA Tour’s Turning Stone Resort Championship.

Overland Park (Kan.) Sun, Sept. 30: "Greens fees may go up," article about the city of Overland Park, Kan., holding a public hearing Oct. 1 to discuss raising greens fees for the city’s golf courses to pay for substantial course improvements, featuring GCSAA director Sandy Queen, CGCS, manager of golf course operations for the city of Overland Park.

Syracuse (N.Y.) Post-Standard, Sept. 30: "Look for ‘rougher’ Atunyote," post by Chris Wagner and accompanying video, previewing the PGA Tour’s Turning Stone Resort Championship at Turning Stone Resort and Casino’s Atunyote Golf Club on the Oneida Nation Homelands in central New York, featuring GCSAA member Matt Falvo, senior superintendent of golf and grounds.

(Jacksonville) Florida Times-Union, Sept. 27: "I’ve found my new best friend and his name is Gizmeau," story in the Pet Tales section about GCSAA Class A Superintendent at Jacksonville (Fla.) Golf & Country Club Gregg Tharp’s nine-year-old border collie Blitz that chases geese away from the golf course.

Technician (Raleigh, N.C.), Sept. 25: "Rain hampers Centennial golf course construction," update in the NC State student newspaper on the construction of the university’s new golf course, which has been hampered by 12-13 inches of rain since Aug. 26, featuring Ron Gilmore, GCSAA Class A superintendent.

WHOO (Orlando) 1080 am, Sept. 22: "Leaderboard Radio," live interview on Orlando ESPN Radio affiliate’s weekly golf show with Ralph Kepple, CGCS at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, about preparations for the Tour Championship (click on Sept. 22 show, approx 2/3 into show).

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