TurfNet

When slope isn't the solution
2022-12-12 21:00 UTC
Dennis Hurley and Zach Boudreaux of Turf Drainage Company of America address the relationship between slope and drainage from the golf course superintendent’s point of view. Although slope is the dominant factor in surface water drainage, it isn’t a panacea for all drainage problems on golf courses.

This presentation addresses the three types of seepage water that cause saturated soil profiles on golf courses, which of these can be solved with surface contouring, which ones don’t benefit from increased slope, and which ones can be made worse. This is critical information that superintendents should know before starting a drainage project.

Minimizing winterkill on annual bluegrass
2022-12-07 21:00
Kevin Frank, Ph.D., of Michigan State University, focuses on winter prep efforts and the most recent research results to help mitigate winterkill.

Topics include fall management practices such as topdressing, aeration, surface drainage improvement, fertilization, plant growth regulators, wetting agents and adjusting mowing height.

Brandon Horvath - Disease control for fall and winter and getting ready for next season
2022-12-05 21:00
Brandon Horvath, Ph.D., of the University of Tennessee covers some of the warm-season maladies that seem to linger in the fall.

He also discusses winter diseases that you need to have thought about as it is upon us, and share some insights on what to prepare for to be ready to hit the ground running next season. Advice includes cultural and chemical solutions.

Managing EAB: What works in the short and the long term
2022-12-01 21:00
Purdue University entomologist Cliff Sadof, Ph.D., discusses how the invasive emerald ash borer kills trees and the risk posed by dead and dying trees to passers by and property.

The presenter also discusses how trees can be protected with insecticide, followed by an economic analysis and recent advances in how to best deploy treatments.

La Nina ... another winter with strong influence from the Pacific
2022-11-06 21:00
This will be a rare third consecutive winter with a La Nina in place in the Pacific Ocean. La Ninas feature a very large area of cooler-than-normal water temperatures in the tropical Pacific, and the effects of the interaction with the overlying atmosphere are felt downstream over North America.

La Ninas are known for causing some dramatic swings in winter weather across much of the country. In this TurfNet University webinar, Herb Stevens of T3 Golf discusses the causes and effects of La Ninas as well as the upcoming roller coaster ride they take us on.

Bill Kreuser: What can GDD do for you?
2022-10-25 21:00
GreenKeeper App founder Bill Kreuser, Ph.D., discusses how DMI fungicides, when used on a growing degree day schedule, impact growth rate and turfgrass performance.

The presenter also discusses the role of a GDD calendar on the efficacy of fungicides for their primary purpose – controlling disease pathogens. The active ingredients in these products can last much longer in the pathogen and stunt/stop their growth/disease development.

Turf colorant primer with Grady Miller
2022-10-18 21:00
Grady Miller, Ph.D., of North Carolina State University presents an overview of modern pigments and paints as part of a turf management program. These products have wide-ranging use on golf courses. They can highlight areas, hide blemishes, and serve as an alternative to overseeding.

The webinar shares current research results from a variety of products and uses as well as experiences from other that have used these products for many years.

Wind and water: A discussion of the drought and the hurricane season of 2022
2022-08-15 21:00
Although tropical weather is associated mostly with the Southeast, its effects can be widespread. In this webinar, Herb Stevens and Garrett Bastardi of T3 Golf discuss the outlook for the remainder of the hurricane season and what it could mean for golf course superintendents. The presenters also discuss issues related to precipitation and water use in other parts of the country throughout the remainder of the summer.

Mike Fidanza: The turfgrass rhizosphere
2022-07-25 21:00
Mike Fidanza, Ph.D., of Penn State-Berks discusses how constructed root zones offer unique properties relating to reduced soil compaction, improved soil infiltration, plant quality, plant tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses, and surface playability characteristics.

Let’s talk about turf fertilization 2022: Market forces, stretching the fertilizer dollar to optimize plant health
2022-07-11 21:00
Cale Bigelow, Ph.D., of Purdue University discusses the ever-changing marketplace related to turf fertilization.
He also discusses rapidly changing product prices, strategies to stretch your fertilizer dollar and what key things a turf manager can do to optimize turf plant health.

Bryan Bergner: ABCs of keeping bees on golf courses
2022-05-04 21:00
Former golf course superintendent Bryan Bergner explains the environmental and economic benefits of beekeeping and how to get started in it as a hobbyist.

Formerly the superintendent at Westmoor Country Club in Milwaukee, Bergner discusses why promoting bee health is a good idea and how golf courses can make for an ideal habitat. The presentation also covers questions to ask when deciding on a hive and a supplier.

Other questions that are explored include educating golfers and members on the positive aspects of beekeeping, managing a colony throughout the year and the overall environmental benefits of promoting habitat for pollinators.

Herb Stevens and Garrett Bastardi: Spring and summer weather and what it means for golf
2022-04-12 21:00
Herb Stevens and Garrett Bastardi of T3/Turf Threat Tracker focus on upcoming summer weather with a discussion of the global factors that help tell us how the season should turn out. The presenters also touch upon how the remainder of spring plays out.

La Nina will play a role in spring weather, as it typically leads to an extended fight between advancing warmth and retreating cold. The presentation also will discuss this year’s hurricane season, which spans June 1 through Nov. 30.

Non-pesticidal disease management - nutritional programs for disease control and enhanced turfgrass quality
2022-03-30 21:00
John Dempsey, Ph.D., outlines the infection process of turfgrass pathogens and the turfgrass system’s natural defense responses.

The presenter also explains how a wide range of nutritional elements and compounds can suppress turfgrass diseases.

Finally, the presentation addresses a number of trials carried out between 2010 and 2021.

Beth Guertal, Ph.D. - What's the deal with soil health?
2022-02-27 21:00
In the last decade there has been an importance and renewed interest in soil health. Generally, this idea revolves around the fact that soil is a living and breathing entity, and we need to do things to protect this most precious resource that we cannot easily rebuild. But what makes a healthy soil? What does that look like? How do we measure that? And how can we use that in turfgrass management? Beth Guertal, Ph.D., of Auburn University discusses soil health, how we measure that and what that might mean for turfgrass management.

John Dempsey, Ph.D. - Phosphites for turfgrass management
2022-02-23 21:00
Independent turfgrass consultant John Dempsey, Ph.D., explains exactly what phosphite is, how it is best used in a program, results of field trials looking at its ability to suppress disease and relieve abiotic stresses. He also discusses phosphite’s disease suppressive abilities, its uptake following foliar application to turfgrass and its effect on growth and development.

Developing and retaining today's assistant managers
2022-02-01 21:00
Industry consultant Tyler Bloom explores strategies and solutions to positively develop and retain top performers.

Topics covered include engaging today’s assistants with proven development and training programs. incentivize your assistants with “golden handcuffs” in order to retain high achievers, or those with exceptional and hard-to-replace skills; how to reinforce positive culture building and engagement strategies that meet the needs of top performers.

John Dempsey, Ph.D. - Turfgrass diseases - attack and defend
2022-01-26 21:00
John Dempsey, Ph.D., discusses how major disease‑causing pathogens infect cool‑season turfgrasses and how infected turfgrasses respond with complex defense mechanisms.

Discover how turf managers can prime their turfgrasses and enhance these defenses, leading to reduced levels of disease.

Frank S. Rossi, Ph.D.: 2021 - Year in review
2021-12-19 21:00
Frank S. Rossi, Ph.D., of Cornell University looks back at 2021 and unloads his thoughts on what has transpired throughout the year and in the recent past and explore turfgrass management trends that have emerged throughout the year and in the recent past. This presentation also includes information on how a global health crisis continues to affect the business of managing a golf course.

Search strategies for equipment managers and assistants
2021-12-13 21:00
The shortage of industry-educated and trained equipment managers is causing many facilities to rethink what defines qualifications, traits for success and on-the-job experience.

Conversely, compensation and benefits programs are being redesigned to attract top talent.

Join Tyler Bloom of Tyler Bloom Consulting to learn strategies you can employ to find and attract today’s equipment managers and assistants.

Covid-related stress and anxiety: A roundtable discussion - Part III
2021-12-07 21:00
Carlos Arraya of Bellerive Country Club, Paul MacCormack of Fox Meadow Golf and Country Club and Anthony Williams of TPC Four Seasons at Las Colinas return for Part III of a roundtable discussion of how Covid has affected the golf industry.

In this installment, the group address labor issues, the supply chain and personal and professional stress, and offer their own insights about what worked for them and what did not and recommendations for the audience.

Drainage system design and installation: How it varies from existing courses, to renovations and new construction
2021-11-08 21:00
Dennis Hurley and Zach Boudreaux of Turf Drainage Company of America discuss the factors that influence drainage design and installation procedures. The principles of drainage design are always the same across all types of projects, whether it be draining an existing course, drainage as part of a bigger renovation project, or drainage of new construction. However, designs sometimes have to be adjusted due to project constraints, and installation methods will differ depending on the type of project. The presentation will also discuss how overall costs vary from one type of project to another.

Herb Stevens and Garrett Bastardi: Winter weather advice like you (probably) never have heard before
2021-11-03 21:00
Herb Stevens and Garrett Bastardi, both of Turf Threat Tracker, discuss the challenges that the coming La Niña winter weather will present to superintendents throughout the country, from deep snow and ice cover across the North, to the potential for limited rainfall across the South. Both scenarios are common in a La Niña winter.

Rick Brandenburg: Was the fall armyworm invasion of 2021 a sign of things to come, or can we address it more effectively as we look to 2022?
2021-10-19 21:00
This year has been the most significant year in the past 30 years for fall armyworm infestations in the eastern two-thirds of the United States. Not only were they widespread, even up into Canada, the population levels and the amount of damage they caused were very high.

In this webinar, Rick Brandenburg, Ph.D., of North Carolina State University discusses what happened, how we got there, what worked and didn’t work and what to expect in 2022.

Craig Kessler: The importance of government relations and advocacy in golf
2021-10-03 21:00
In this TurfNet University Webinar, Craig Kessler, director of governmental affairs for the Southern California Golf Association, will discuss why government relations and advocacy on behalf of the game of golf is so important.

Jim Brosnan: What's next after a season of contending with summer weeds?
2021-09-07 21:00
Jim Brosnan, Ph.D., of the University of Tennessee takes a look back at the challenges of summer weed control and cleaning up after months of weed management throughout the golf season. He also discusses what golf course superintendents must consider when preparing for Poa control in the fall and provides a brief update on PGR research taking place in Knoxville.

Joe Vargas: Fungicide resistance and how to manage it
2021-06-08 21:00
Joe Vargas, Ph.D., turfgrass pathologist at Michigan State University, has never been shy about his against-the-grain views on fungicide resistance. In this Webinar, he discusses fungicide resistance and why he does not believe in rotating products.

The presenter also provides university research trials and real-world conditions in the field that support his opinions that are delivered in a no-holds-barred style.

Tyler Bloom: Five ways to build your assistant pipeline
2021-05-11 21:00
Businesses do not run themselves, people run them. As organizations look to bounce back from 2020 stronger, many have ambitious goals. Achieving these goals requires a strong business strategy that includes attracting top talent. And that means building a strong talent pipeline.

In this TurfNet University Webinar, Tyler Bloom, a former superintendent and consultant who specializes in helping other superintendents solve their human resource challenges, shares tips on how to overcome what is the most significant challenge facing the golf turf industry today – finding and retaining talent.

Rick Brandenburg: Turf insects: What's coming in 2021 and how to stop them
2021-05-02 21:00
Rick Brandenburg, Ph.D., of North Carolina State University, discusses the impact the winter of 2020-21 had on insect populations, which ones to watch out for this spring and summer and cost-effective approaches to management.

The presenter also reviews the latest products and their performance as well as the old standards and their role for insect management. Finally, he discusses how to communicate your pest control programs to the public, members, guests and anyone else who asks.

Doug Soldat, Ph.D.: Soil testing for nutrients and organic matter - and developing operational efficiency
2021-04-20 21:00
Doug Soldat, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin, discusses the fundamentals of soil testing to guide nutrient decisions.

Soil testing can be a tool to help superintendents develop topdressing and aerification programs, too. In this presentation, attendees will learn more about how to take samples and interpret the numbers as you continue to work on improving your operational efficiency.

Paul Koch: Snow Mold Outbreak: Assessing the damage and preparing for next year
2021-04-11 21:00
A significant snow mold outbreak occurred over a large area of the Midwest and Northeast in the winter of 2021. Paul Koch, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin assesses the conditions that led to the outbreak, discusses strategies for rapid recovery and provides golf course superintendents with tips and advice on how to develop plans to reduce damage next winter.
