As you have probably heard, lawmakers in Sacramento have finally reached agreement on a budget deal. In good new for golfers, the golf tax IS NOT a part of this budget fix. 

We'd like to thank the thousands of you who signed up for the coalition, wrote letters, made phone calls, participated in media activities and enthusiastically supported the efforts of the California Alliance for Golf (CAG) in the effort to stop the tax.

The golf tax was a near certainty at one point during the budget discussions; its elimination demonstrates the power the golf industry and individual golfers can wield if we work together to protect our great game. 

Thank you for all your support and feedback over the past week. We've had great success and the momentum is moving, however our fight is not over. Please get your friends and fellow golfers involved and get registered on our web site. With your help, we are making our voice heard and letting our legislators know that we won't stand for this unjust tax. 

Talking Points:

With 926 courses and a large number of annual golf events, golf in the Golden State is more than an enjoyable pastime—it is a key industry contributing to the vitality of California's economy. In 2006, the size of California's direct golf economy was approximately $6.9 billion.

Golf brings visitors to the state, drives new construction and residential development, generates retail sales, and creates demand for a myriad of goods and services. When the total economic impact of these golf related activities is considered, California's golf industry generated 
approximately $15.1 billion of direct, indirect and induced economic output, $4.8 billion of wage income and nearly 160,000 jobs in 2006.

Below is a hyper link to use to find your legislators.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/memberinfo

Attached please find the CARB Announcement to golf courses concerning the upcoming regulations regarding diesel equipment. Please note that most golf courses will fall in the small fleet category and have until August 2009 to register all affected equipment. All golf course superintendents are encouraged to log on the CARB website to get all of the necessary information that is required to comply with this new regulation. These links can be found below for easy reference and guidance. 

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/ordiesel/documents/offrddieselsmallfltsFS.pdf 

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/ordiesel/documents/OffRoadDieselEarlyActionsFS.pdf 

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/ordiesel/guidanceadvisory.htm 
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Bulletin from Department of Pesticide Regulation
"Draft Regulatory Concept tp Prevent Pesticide Contamination of Surface Water" 
View Regulatory Draft >>>HERE 
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Legislative bills that Jim Husting has marked for tracking/monitoring for the CGCSA
View Bills >>>HERE 

James C. Husting, CGCS 
Chairman, Government Relations 
California GCSA 
jchust@sbcglobal.net 
 

Mark D. Kuhns, CGCS was elected president
James R. Fitzroy, CGCS was elected vice president
Robert M. Randquist, CGCS was elected secretary/treasurer

Peter J. Grass, CGCS, Keith A. Ihms, CGCS, and John J. O'Keefe, CGCS were elected directors. 

Patrick R. Finlen, CGCS, and Sanford G. Queen, CGCS remain on the board for the last year of their two-year terms. 

David S. Downing, CGCS will serve an additional year as immediate past president.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

With the introduction of GCSAA TV, what types of segments are you most interested in? 
 

National Championship Division
4th place: MICHAEL F STIELER, CGCS, Madera, CA. Riverbend Golf Club

Classic II Gross
5th place: JOEL S. BLAKER, Truckee, CA, Old Greenwood Golf Course 

Four Ball I Gross
1st place: Warren/Kienast
4th place: Barajas/Martinez

Four Ball III Net
4th place: Baker/Nolf

Chapter Teams Gross
4th Place: California Team # 1: 
Tom Elliot
Mike Stieler
Mark Warren
Scott Lewis 

Chapter Teams Net
1st Place: California Team # 9:
Dennis Kerr 
Don Naumann
Brian Nettz
Donald Allen 

Templates 
Note: To download and customize these templates, right click the links below and select "Save target as" or click the link and select "Save". 

GCSAA Webcasting

Tracy Adair Derning, GCSAA software trainer, shows you how to use these Excel templates when you view our ON DEMAND 90 minute Webcast: Using Excel to Enhance your Operation 2007. (0.2 education points)

Tracy will provide step by step examples of these templates that are designed specifically for golf course superintendents.  Learn how golf course superintendents use Excel for maintenance budgets, labor budgets, projections, start up costs and more.

Organize your operation today!

Balance Sheet
Cash Flow Projections
Clubhouse Expense Schedule
Golf course Maintenance Budget
Golf course Labor Budget
Grow-In Costs
Break Even Analysis
Equipment Schedule Costs
Income Statement Projections
Revenue Fee Schedule
Revenue Expense Schedule
Start Up Costs
 

Mark Reed is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet in the world of superintendents. Currently Mark has just taken a new position in 2008 as Superintendent of the Santa Barbara Golf Club.

Mark also is about to get married back in Ohio to his beautiful bride Julie who is currently a French teacher in the Bay Area. Soon they will be honeymooning in Mazatlan Mexico.

The youngest of three children, Mark has two older sisters in which he grew up with in Cleveland Ohio. At Normandy High School in Ohio mark ran for the cross country and track team. After High School Mark started college at Ohio State University. Mark loved the outdoors and new that he wanted to find a career that allowed him to stay out of the normal 8-5 office job. Mark began working in college at The Lakes Club in Columbus Ohio working for Chris Haunty the superintendent at the time. 

Soon Mark graduated with a degree in Turf Grass Management with a minor in Plant Pathology. After College Mark took a job with MacCurrach Golf Construction, a company based out of Jacksonville Florida. While Mark worked with MacCurrach he helped oversee the Rebuild of PonteVedre Inn and Club in Florida as well as T.P.C Sawgarass as well as several other courses. 

As a child Mark took a family vacation to Southern California and new one day he would like to return. When the opportunity arose Mark was able to land a job at Cypress Pointe Golf Club as the Spray Tech. Mark remained there at Cypress until he took a position as Assistant Superintendent at Green Hills C.C up in the Bay. 

Around 2006 Mark went to work for the Valley Club of Monetecito as the Assistant Superintendent to Roger Robarge. Mark spent over two years at the Valley Club where he eventually was given the title of Superintendent under Robarge. During this time Mark was able to help oversee the greens restoration project at the club. 

Mark has yet to establish an official handicap but says he remembers his best round which was a 112 at Cypress Pointe. His dream foursome would include “Roger Robarge, Ryan Bentley and Tennessee McBroom at the Sandpiper Golf Club in Santa Barbara.” 

The course that Mark would one day love to play is Royal County Down in Ireland. I asked Mark what was the most humorous/interesting thing he has ever seen on the golf course. He asked that I wouldn’t repeat the story however it was to classic of a story not to tell! Apparently back in Ohio at the Lakeside C.C, members were complaining of the water in the cooler on the 6th hole. As Mark went to go investigate he opened the top of the cooler and found a note from The Phantom, along with a big turd sitting on top of the ice. 

Hopefully over the next few years we can talk Mark into hosting a meeting at the beautiful Santa Barbara Golf Club. The course currently is in outstanding shape. Mark says much of his success is due to Chris Haunty who gave him the opportunities and responsibility at Lakeside C.C as well as Roger Robarge who encouraged him to think out of the box and to try new things. Be sure to say hello at one of the next meetings and be sure to ask him about the Phantom!!!!

By: Tim McGuire P.W Gillibrand • Sand

Product labels aren’t the type of reading material that you can snuggle up with—but they’re also not the kind you can ignore or just skim through before filing away. 

Labels deserve routine attention beyond the one-time, quick read after purchase. However, it can be common practice to follow use recommendations from colleagues and distributors without analyzing the important details explained on the product’s label. But doing so can save money, prevent injury and help grow better plants by ensuring product performance. 

Most people using fungicides, herbicides and insecticides only ask themselves, “What product do I need to control the weed, insect or disease and what rate do I apply?” Rate information is essential, but labels provide a technical breakdown and need-to-know information prior to application. Here are five key areas to read on a label: 

1. Mix Mindfully
The tank mixing section of a label lays out exactly how to combine a product with other additives. Glazing over these guidelines can create an un-usable compound, clog application equipment and reduce efficacy.

The basic rule of thumb—mix dry materials first, then add liquids—may not ring true for all products. One must be mindful of variances between generic and patented formulas and know that even though an active ingredient may be the same, its formula could require different a mixing order. So don’t rely on old standards—get up to speed on the label’s specifics before adding each product to the tank. 

2. Follow Special Statements
Special statements on a label clearly communicate how to use a product for particular conditions. In uncontrolled climates, weather is an important variable to consider. 

Be sure to make note of the rainfast or drying times mentioned in a special statement or you may lose your valuable pest control efforts to precipitation. Retain product effectiveness by making sure spray technicians are also in-the-know about circumstances included in the special statements section.

3. Get to Know Group Numbers
Group numbers help avoid the risk of disease resistance by identifying which fungicides, herbicides and insecticide products operate under the same mode of action. Usually included on the first page of a label, group numbers make it easy to organize products with different modes of action into a rotation program. For example, if you notice signs of resistance after using a fungicide in Group 1, try using a product with a different group number in the next application. 

4. Acknowledge Agricultural Use Requirements
Agricultural and non-agricultural use requirements on product labels are important and vary depending on product use. A greenhouse or nursery employee, for instance, may use the same product as a turf professional, but has to abide by a completely different set of rules with regard to protective equipment and re-entry interval. Failing to read this section of a label could harm employees, plants and the environment.

5. Follow restrictions and limitations
Carefully read the “general restrictions and limitations” section on your product labels. Knowing the “do not” statements list can mean the difference between having profitable, healthy plants and turf—or damaging an entire crop with poor application practices. Brushing up on labels you haven’t read since last year can make all the difference.

General suggestions

Making a 10-15 minute investment in reading a label can save a lot of time and hassle compared with the fallout of misusing a product. Schedule a label date once a year where you can carefully re-familiarize yourself with old labels and dissect the details of new updated labels. The best place to obtain current labels is www.cdms.net.

By Fred Eckert, Sr. Sales Specialist with BASF Turf & Ornamentals

The presence of several new turfgrass diseases has increased on U.S. golf courses in recent years. Three new diseases in particular – Pythium root dysfunction, brown ring patch and rapid blight – are a challenge for course superintendents. Fortunately, researchers have made headway regarding how to detect and treat these destructive new diseases. 

Tackling New Diseases
New turfgrass diseases can evolve for a number of reasons and several factors contribute to the prevalence of disease such as geography, moisture and temperature. 

Stress caused by heat, drought and excess moisture can weaken turf and make it more prone to disease. Put simply, healthy turf is less susceptible to disease. The challenge with golf courses, particularly on the greens, is that turfgrass is kept short by plant growth regulators and/or frequent mowing, which causes stress. 

Players expect superintendents to provide the best of both worlds – short grass and healthy turf. It is a difficult balance, especially when new diseases emerge and superintendents do not know how to treat it. 

University and industry researchers are addressing these three emerging problem diseases. To avoid being caught off-guard, superintendents should take time to learn more about these diseases. Doing so will help identify and treat the diseases, and in some cases, avoid them altogether.

Pythium Root Dysfunction
Discovered in North Carolina in 1994, Pythium root dysfunction attacks putting greens and is limited to newly constructed greens less than eight years old. It is most commonly found in the Southeast, but also occurs in Midwestern areas with harsh summers. Bentgrass is most susceptible to the disease, which occurs on turf stressed from one or more of the following factors: high heat, repeated close mowing, low fertility schedules and drought.

Pythium root dysfunction causes the roots and crown of turfgrass to turn brown or black. The symptoms are most visible during the summer, but the disease actually spreads during spring and fall, when it is cool and wet.

Because symptoms are less prevalent on plants with a strong root system, there are several cultural practices superintendents can undertake to minimize damage caused by Pythium root dysfunction. Root enhancement techniques – specifically aerification, nutrition supplements, verticutting and reduced irrigation – are helpful in counteracting symptoms of the disease.

Irrigation management is also extremely important. Clay and compacted soils are more likely to harbor Pythium root dysfunction because of reduced drainage. 

It is less difficult and less expensive to prevent Pythium root dysfunction than it is to try to cure it. Fungicides such as pyraclostrobin and triticonazole are two of the most effective at preventing the disease.

Dr. Lane Tredway, turfgrass pathologist at North Carolina State University, is one of the foremost experts on Pythium root dysfunction. To learn more about his research and information on NC State’s Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education, visit www.turffiles.ncsu.edu. 

Brown Ring Patch
Formerly known as waitea patch, brown ring patch has been reported sporadically throughout the Midwest and is a mounting problem in Southern California. Occurring primarily on greens with high annual bluegrass (poa annua) populations, the disease is prevalent in warm and moist conditions. 

Initial symptoms of brown ring patch are thin, yellow, concentric rings several inches in diameter that turn brown under hot or wet conditions. Once established, brown ring patch can quickly damage turfgrass. Temperature plays a significant role in regards to whether or not brown ring patch occurs. The disease does not spread in hot or cold conditions, but rather during times of mild (mid-60s to low-80s F) temperature.

Cultural control options of aerification and higher mowing heights are sometimes used to combat brown ring patch. Alternating among several fungicides – pyraclostrobin, propiconazole and triticonazole – has been an effective treatment.

Dr. Frank Wong, assistant plant pathologist at the University of California-Riverside, is considered one of the top brown ring patch researchers. For more information, visit UC Riverside’s Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at www.plantpathology.ucr.edu. 

Rapid Blight
Rapid blight occurs in the fall and winter, affecting several annual winter grasses used to overseed Bermudagrass. Affected species include ryegrass, annual bluegrass and poa trivialis. It is primarily seen in the Southwest, including Nevada, Arizona and Southern California, as well as on coastal areas in the Southeast and Northeast. Perennial grasses are not affected by rapid blight.

The disease is associated with a marine organism and cases of rapid blight rise significantly in areas where superintendents use reclaimed water or water with high salinity for irrigation. The disease can occur on any area that has been overseeded, but is usually treated only on putting greens.

Dr. Mary Olsen, plant pathology specialist for the University of Arizona-Tucson, has confirmed that rapid blight is caused by an obscure microorganism that prior to its discovery in turf was known to infect in marine plants such as seagrass, diatoms and algae. 

Rapid blight shows itself as water-soaked, slightly sunken and darker looking turf. It turns yellow and dies in patches. 

The primary cultural control option is to use better quality irrigation water, avoiding reclaimed water, if possible. Pyraclostrobin provides the most effective preventative control, with mancozeb as a less effective alternative.

Olsen is a leading rapid blight researcher. The University of Arizona’s Division of Plant Pathology and Microbiology is available on the Web at http://ag.arizona.edu/PLP. 

Prevention, Education Key
To avoid being caught off guard by new diseases, it is important to stay educated on new diseases, be consistent with preventative tactics and devote time to detection efforts.

Part of being proactive is keeping up with the latest research and information about turfgrass disease. Superintendents who collect and absorb background information are better prepared when they encounter a problem – they know what they are dealing with and who can help them.

Some superintendents are quick to write off an undiagnosed problem as being untreatable by a particular fungicide they have already applied, so they simply retreat with a different product. Instead, they should take a turf sample and send it in to a diagnostics lab.

Fungicide manufacturer representatives, university extension personnel and other course superintendents are also good sources of information. It is wise to seek the help of others if they encounter an abnormality they do not recognize. 

It may seem like common sense, but it is important for superintendents to walk their courses every day to keep an eye out for abnormalities. New diseases such as pythium root dysfunction, brown ring patch and rapid blight can cause problems quickly if undetected. 

Since 2002, Pythium root dysfunction caused by Pythium volutum has been observed attacking greens at 40 to 50 golf courses in the Southeastern U.S. and is limited to newly constructed greens less than eight years old. Bentgrass is most susceptible to infection and in a matter of weeks, if left untreated, the pathogen can cause serious decline with the ability to wipe out entire greens. Unlike the more common warm-season Pythium root rot where infection is visible quickly, this unknown disease does not display symptoms. When the weather becomes warmer and the turf becomes stressed from high heat, continued close mowings, low fertility schedules and droughty weather patterns, the disease manifests itself with brown blotch-like or blighted irregular patches of turfgrass.
Attempts to treat the disease through cultural controls such as syringing greens to keep them moist, raising mower blade heights and increasing fertility have aided turfgrass recovery, but have not hindered the pathogen’s damage. Fungicides that effectively treat Pythium blight on bentgrass have not stopped the turfgrass decline. “This disease is different than anything else we have seen here,” said Sheffield.

Sheffield first noticed patches of discoloration ranging from the size of a golf ball to a steering wheel in early March 2002 when the course re-opened after construction. The spring heat brought out the discolored patches on the nubs, slopes and greens of the course – high traffic areas where the turf was more susceptible to stress and drying out. 

Sheffield used pyraclostrobin at 0.9 ounces per 1,000 square feet in his rotation and was able to get four weeks of control. He continues to apply the active ingredient preventively and plans to make an application in the cooler fall season, when the disease is likely to infect the turf.

 In a 2004 study, Dr. Tredway found that pyraclostrobin provided both preventative and curative control of this formerly unknown disease on bentgrass. Plots treated with pyraclostrobin exhibited significantly lower disease severity than the untreated control in the curative control study. In the preventive control study, pyraclostrobin plots were nearly free of disease symptoms 43 days after the last application was made. Tredway noted in his study that preventive applications may be more effective in the fall and early spring, which is when this disease appears to be most active. 

Sheffield will continue to unravel the mystery of this emerging turf disease along with the rest of the superintendents in his area while monitoring the research that is being conducted at North Carolina State University.

### 

Heritage® G Fungicide Receives EPA Registration for Use on Lawns, Golf Courses and Other Turf Sites

Heritage® G fungicide from Syngenta Professional Products has received registration from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use on turf, including golf courses, sod farms, athletic fields, residential lawns, commercial lawns, and others. Heritage G, featuring the carrier DG-Lite™, is a systemic strobilurin fungicide in a granular formulation that controls more than 21 diseases during a 28-day window.

Heritage G has been tested and proven effective against many turf diseases, including  brown patch, red thread, Pythium, Anthracnose, gray leaf spot, snow mold, take-all patch, leaf spot, summer patch and necrotic ring spot. The fungicide has the same efficacy as the sprayable versions, Heritage WG and Heritage TL.

“With the introduction of Heritage G, Syngenta fulfills a need for end-users to have a high performance granular option in their fungicide program,” said Dave Ravel, turf market lead for Syngenta Professional Products. 

Additionally, it offers lawn care operators another granular product to treat the most common pests and diseases. Currently Syngenta also offers Meridian® insecticide and Subdue® GR fungicide in granular formulations.
 

“With the DG-Lite carrier, Heritage G will start to disperse under minimal water requirements, even a heavy dew,” said Bob Goglia, turf market manager for Syngenta Professional Products. “We know that many lawn care operators would rather spread than spray and this new formulation provides the efficacy of a trusted fungicide in a spreadable formulation.”

An online resource about the features and application of Heritage G is available on the Syngenta Professional Products GreenCast® website under “training modules.”  GreenCast registration is easy and free, and can be fully customized to display only the tools and resources that you need.

As with all products, it is important to read and follow label instructions when using 
Heritage G. 

For more information about Heritage G fungicide or the Syngenta portfolio of products and services, please contact your local Syngenta territory manager, Syngenta Authorized Channel Partner, or the Syngenta Customer Center at 1-866-SYNGENTA (796-4368). 
 

Snow Sensor Information
Daily Summary of snow water equivalents at automatic snow sensor locations: Latest | Previous 
Statewide summary of snow water equivalents: Latest | Previous 
Daily summary of snow depth at automatic snow depth locations: Latest | Previous 
Daily regional snowpack plots from snow sensors: Current | Previous 
Snow sensor control (field verification) measurements: Current | Previous 
Latest Real-time Snow Water Content Data or narrow by River Basin 
Individual snow sensor historical data 
List of active snow sensors sorted by basin 
Relationship between snow water content and snow depth 
Photo of a snow sensor "pillow" 
Peak snowmelt forecast 
Rain and Snowmelt Guidance Plots issued jointly with the NWS California-Nevada River Forecast Center 

Announcements
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02/17/2009 - DWR Schedules Third Snow Survey of 2008-2009 Season
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) will conduct its third snow survey of the season on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at 11am, at Phillips Station near Lake Tahoe. The results of this survey will impact future allocations. Snow depth and water content figures should be available by noon.