April has been quite a month.  Events started April 4 with a huge congratulations to Rick Tegtmeier, CGCS, MG, for being inducted into the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame!  



Rick is one of only 74 people worldwide to currently have the designation of Master Greenkeeper, which he obtained in 2015.

It was an honor to attend the event, held at Riverside Casino and Golf Resort, near Iowa City. Rick has had a long an productive career in golf course maintenance and management. He was named the superintendent at Rockford Country Club in Rockford, Iowa at the age of 17!

Tegtmeier, currently the Director of Grounds at Des Moines Golf and Country Club, became the superintendent of the north course there in 1983, then became the superintendent at Elmcrest CC in Cedar Rapids, before moving back to DMGCC in 2006.

In 2017 the Solheim Cup was played at DMGCC. However the preparations for the event began years in advance, including course renovations. All of the success and hard work has been a labor of love.  His hard work has not been unnoticed! 

Tegtmeier has been very active off the golf course. He has served on eight different GCSAA committees and has been past president of the Iowa GCSA.  

April Weather
The weather and start to the season in various parts of the Central Plains has been difficult...and late. I was asked to speak to turfgrass students at Southeast Tech in Sioux Falls. In planning the trip, I wanted to visit a few facilities in Eastern South Dakota, knowing heavy snowfall runoff and recent rains have been difficult.



I made a stop at Madison Country Club upon arrival. Superintendent Bill Stromberg is at the mercy of Mother Nature. The golf course is near a lake. With lake levels high, runoff has been slow.  In Aberdeen, S.D., member Ross Santjer of Moccasin Creek CC built make-shift bridges to connect portions of the course. Many areas were impassable.  



Two "bomb" cyclones this spring have caused a late start.

First Green
The month ended with a first in Nebraska. A First Green Field trip was held at Champions Run GC in Omaha.  Greg Jones, CGCS was the host superintendent. The students were thrilled with the event. We are hoping to continue adding field trips across the country. May is a very busy month for field trips.