Grif th Thrives Bulldog - GGCSAmagazine.ggcsa.com/publish/140902095716/...Bulldog Classic coming up on June 10. The Bulldog Classic bene ts the scholarship program for our association

O F F I C I A L P U B L I C A T I O N O F T H E G E O R G I A G O L F C O U R S E S U P E R I N T E N D E N T S A S S O C I A T I O N

Inside Assistants Gain Momentum Hanna Joins Foundation

Griffith ThrivesWith ClassicBulldog Drive

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2 Through the green May-June 2014


Contents

News & Features

Advertiser IndexAmeriturf .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24A.M. Buckler .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 35Bayer . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 38Bulk Aggregate .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 32Chattahoochee Turf Products .. .. .. .. .. .. 32Corbin Turf and Ornamental .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 4Direct Solutions.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20Dow Agrosciences . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 37Golf Argonomics Sand and Hauling. .. .. .. . 8Golf Ventures .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 18Greenville Turf and Tractor . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40Howard Fertilizer .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 34Jerry Pate Turf and Irrigation . .. .. .. .. .. .. . 2Multiguard .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 30NG Turf.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24Phillips Turf and Ornamental . .. .. .. .. .. .. 10River Sand .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 28Rowland Chemical Company. .. .. .. .. .. .. 35ShowTurf .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 8Sound Agronomy .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 26Southern States . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 26Specialty Car Company .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 6Stovall .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 39Syngenta.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27The Andersons .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 28Tifton Soil Labs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 37Turfnology .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12

Columns & Reports

5 President’s Message 31 News Shorts36 New Members36 Tee Shots

11 Assistants Move into High Gear

7 Spray Techs Meet

9 Leadership and Technology in Focus

13 Ice Storm Takes Down Trees

15 Hanna Move Part of Classic Success

21 Griffith Takes Care of Business

29 Industrial Relations a Two Way Street

Cover: Scott Griffith is helping drive success at UGA golf course and in the Georgia GCSA board room.

Diamond Patrons

Greenville Turf and Tractor

Jerry Pate Turf and Irrigation

Platinum Partners

Corbin Turf and Ornamental Supply

Direct Solutions/AAT

Golf Ventures

Gold Partners

AmeriTurfBayer Environmental Scie

nce

ShowTurfSyngenta

Silver Partners

NG TurfSound Agronomy

Turfnology

Bronze Partners

BASFBulk Aggregate Golf

Bulloch Fertilizer

Chattahoochee Turf Products

Dow AgroSciences

Golf Agronomics Sand and Hauling

Harrell’s Fertilizer and Chemical Company

Helena Chemical Company

Howard Fertilizer and Chemical Company

John Deere Landscapes

Phillips Turf and Ornamental

The Georgia GCSA appreciates the support

of the following companies through the

association’s patrons and sponsors program:

Publisher: Tenia WorkmanEditor: Trent BoutsGraphic Designer: Bill Lands

Georgia GCSA HeadquartersPO Box 31025 S. Carolina StreetHartwell, GA 30643OFFICE: (706) 376-3585 OFFICE FAX: (706) 376-7573www.ggcsa.com

Editorial/AdvertisingPO Box 31025 S. Carolina StreetHartwell, GA 30643OFFICE: (706) 376-3585

Through The Green is published six times a year by the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association (Georgia GCSA). Copyright © 2011 Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association, Inc. All rights reserved.

O F F I C I A L P U B L I C A T I O N O F T H E G E O R G I A G O L F C O U R S E S U P E R I N T E N D E N T S A S S O C I A T I O N

May-June 2014 Through the green 3



Child’s Play MakesWork More FunIt’s been a while, but finally, new homes are being built in many areas across the state. That is a good indicator that the economy is slowly creeping and crawling out of the long reces-sion. I know commuter traffic in my area is increasing; while it’s frustrating, it also means more people are going back to work and hopefully will want to spend some of that paycheck on several rounds of golf or a new golf membership.

Speaking of memberships, it appears they are increasing ever so slightly at some courses. Though the economy is improving, there are many of us who are still feeling the pain in our budgets, which is affecting the size and hours allotted to our staff. It seems most courses will need to wait a little longer before budgets can begin to grow again.

While we tighten our belts a little more, we can appreciate the positions we’re in because of the impact we make on the game of golf and the benefits that come with working outside on the course. Just last month, I was reminded of one of those benefits when my two boys were on spring break. They were able to spend a day or two on the course with me and we had a blast as they caught fish, hit golf balls, shot BB guns – no golfers were around - and played with the water from the water coolers. There is something about cone cups and water spilling from a cooler spigot that six- and nine-year-olds really enjoy.

Sometimes we’re too busy and too worried about our budgets to remember the little things that can make our jobs enjoyable. When I think of other professions that require long hours in an office it helps to remind me that I enjoy this industry we’re in and the work we ac-complish regardless of the past and current economic situations.

So far, in 2014 our committees have done an outstanding job of putting together quality education and golf for all of our members to enjoy. In May, we are going back to Atlanta Country Club for the bentgrass and North Georgia bermudgrass forum and then we have the Bulldog Classic coming up on June 10.

The Bulldog Classic benefits the scholarship program for our association. This is a great cause and I want to thank host superintendent Scott Griffith and host director of golf Dave Cousart for putting this together for our association for the sixth consecutive year. Please be sure you thank them when you see them as well as all our hosts and most importantly, our industry partners.

Also, coming up in June is the Rounds4Research auction. Please make sure your club’s golfers are aware of the auction so they can take part in supporting turfgrass research, which improves the game for all of us. If you need more information visit www.rounds4re-search.com.

I’m sorry ultradwarfers, but I’m praying for another summer like last year! I look forward to seeing everyone at one of our coming events.

2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENTMike Brown The Standard Club, Johns Creek, GA (770) 497-1736 [email protected]

VICE-PRESIDENTGreg Burleson, CGCSAugusta Country Club, Augusta, GA (706) 737-5515 [email protected]

SECRETARY-TREASURERScott Griffith University of Georgia Golf Course, Athens, GA (706) 425-3246 [email protected]

PAST-PRESIDENTAnthony L. Williams, CGCS Stone Mountain Golf Club, Stone Mountain, GA (770) 413-5241 [email protected]

Tim Busek The Manor Golf and Country Club, Alpharetta, GA (404) 787-6165 [email protected]

Nelson CaronThe Ford Plantation, Richmond Hill, GA (912) 547-4072 [email protected]

Mike Martin Hampton Golf Village, Cumming, GA (770) 640-2170 [email protected]

John McCarthy, CGCS Crystal Falls Golf Club, Dawsonville, GA (770) 894-4099 [email protected]

Kyle Macdonald St. Ives Country Club, Johns Creek, GA (770) 623-8213 [email protected]

Chris Steigelman, CGCS The Landings Club, Savannah, GA

(912) [email protected]

Sam Welch Horseshoe Bend Country Club, Roswell, GA

(770) 992-2310 Ext. [email protected]

Tommy Hewitt Windermere Golf Club, Cumming, GA


Lane Singleton Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro, GA


President’s Message

Mike Brown



NEWS

Kent Cain from the Country Club of the South and Tommy Everett from Sugar Hill Golf Club.

Steven Ranew of Jerry Pate Turf and Irrigation.

George Brooke-Powell of Jerry Pate Turf and Irrigation.

Matt Taylor from Atlanta Athletic Club makes a point during the panel discussion.

Some of the panelists included Tommy Hewitt from Windermere Golf Club, host superintendent Buck Workman, CGCS from Cateechee Golf Club, Tim Busek from

The Manor Golf and Country Club and Lydell Mack from Big Canoe Golf Club.

Spray Techs GatherAt Catheechee

Close to 100 people attended the Georgia GCSA’s annual spray technicians seminar at Cateechee Golf Club in Hartwell in February. The day-long education event featured formal presenta-tions, a panel discussion and outdoor equipment demonstration.

Georgia GCSA past-president Anthony Williams, CGCS from Stone Mountain Golf Club moderated a five-man superintendent panel that discussed maximizing pesticide program effectiveness. Williams directed questions from the audience to host superinten-dent at Cateechee Buck Workman, CGCS, Matt Taylor from At-lanta Athletic Club, Tommy Hewitt from Windermere Golf Club, Tim Busek from The Manor Golf and Country Club and Lydell Mack from Big Canoe Golf Club.

Other presentations on the day included one by Dr. Alfredo Mar-tinez from the University of Georgia on disease identification and

management for cool and warm season grasses. Rick Hayes from the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s pesticide division provided updates from his depart-ment. To wrap up the day, George Brooke-Powell of Jerry Pate Turf and Irrigation discussed ways to maximize irrigation efficiency. n



Future Education Focus on Leadership and Technology

NEWS

Tommy Hewitt from Windermere Golf Club.

Mike Studier from Capital City Club at Crabapple.

David Blowers now with Abell Turf and Tractor.

Rob Chalifoux from the Highlands Course at Lake Arrowhead.

Georgia GCSA members can expect to see a greater emphasis on leadership and technology in future education presenta-tions. The growth of internet and social media-based platforms has provided almost saturation access to a wealth of agronomic knowl-edge. “So we think we need to try and present education that is a little bit outside the box and different to what people can get hold of easily,” says Georgia GCSA education committee co-chair Tommy Hewitt from Windermere Golf Club.

Hewitt helped lead the most recent gathering of the committee in March at The Manor Golf and Country Club in Alpharetta along with co-chair and host golf course superintendent Tim Busek. Nearly 20 people attended putting the finishing touches on educa-

tion offerings for this year and laying the groundwork for what is to come in 2015.

“Especially with as many education offerings as we have in the Georgia GCSA, it can be challenging to come up with infor-mation and speakers that people haven’t heard many times be-fore,” Hewitt says. “So we’re trying hard to gauge what people might need or want that they can’t already get from the internet or from social media. I think developing leadership skills and how to make the most of technology are two areas we can focus on.”

Hewitt points out that the challenge the education commit-tee faces is a result of success rather than any shortcomings. It would be a lot easier to present new information if the as-sociation didn’t do such a good a job of providing educational opportunities at events like the annual bentgrass and bermu-dagrass forums and annual meeting.

“The fact that there is so much more use of social media now too means that people are constantly in touch and keeping up to date,” Hewitt says. “That’s a good thing for sure. But it means we need to find alternatives that are going to be of value to our members. I’m grateful we have such a good group of folks on the committee to help in that effort.” n

New Dates forAnnual MeetingPlease be sure to adjust your calendars to take note of new dates for this year’s Georgia GCSA annual meeting and golf championship. The new dates for the showpiece event of the year are December 7-9 at The King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort on St. Simons Island. This is a week later than originally scheduled to avoid backing up too close to Thanksgiving. A host of awards will be given, new faces inducted into the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Hall of Fame and David Noto from Mossy Creek Golf Course will defend his title as the association’s superintendent golf champion.



Assistants CommitteeMoves Into High Gear

Attendees for the Assistant Superintendent Committee meeting at Horseshoe Bend Country Club were back row, Luke Ralston, Jeff Losee, Justin Solsvig, Sam Welch, host Kevin Dunn, Phillip Vera, Andrew Saft, and front row, Keith Williams, Aaron Michaels,

Frank Siple, CGCS, Mark Snyder, Joe Hollis, John McCarthy, CGCS, Jeff Austin, Scott Lambert.

NEWS

Written by JOE HOLLIS

Shortly before spring, the Assistant Superintendents Commit-tee of the Georgia GCSA met at Horseshoe Bend Country Club to plan out the upcoming year. Many of you may be un-aware of the many great things the Assistant Superintendents Committee has done in the past, so I would like to inform you about a couple of the items discussed because we need your help to continue to grow our organization and our profession.

The major item of discussion was in regards to the athletic field project at Goshen Valley Boys Ranch in Waleska. Last year the Assistant Superintendent Committee spearheaded a volunteer project at the ranch to install a 60,000 sq. ft. sports field. This project was an incredible success due to the hard work of Jordan Bell and the many volunteers and industry partners that helped with donations, sweat, blood, and I’m sure Tenia Workman shed a tear or two as well. The committee and Georgia GCSA have gained tons of positive attention from this project.

The committee has decided to continue work at the Goshen Val-ley for this year’s volunteer project and we need your help to see this project through to the finish. Please be on the lookout for emails about dates of when we plan to volunteer at the ranch and do not hesitate to join us on what promises to be a successful extension of our involvement at Goshen Valley.

In March, Aaron Michaels and Jeff Losee from The Manor Golf and Country Club, Luke Ralston from The Standard Club, and Blake Austin from Peachtree Golf Club, went to Goshen Valley and applied pre-emergent to the practice field. They discovered

an irrigation issue while they were there, so they weren’t able to water it in. However; surprisingly, we had rain the following day. In the near future we will get back up to Goshen and repair the irrigation.

The very same day that group went to Goshen Valley, I went with Scott Lambert from Peachtree Golf Club to meet with Dr. Ger-ald Henry at the University of Georgia. The assistants committee wants to do more outreach with the universities in Georgia to let students know what to expect upon graduation. Just like the UGA football program, we want to keep the talent in the state and help recruit and guide upcoming graduates into good jobs. One of our discussion items with Dr. Henry was around getting a group of five or six assistants to speak with the UGA Turf Club about the nature of the profession and the industry from our perspective.

At our winter meeting, the Assistant Superintendents Committee also discussed creating a Southern-Coastal Assistant Superinten-dents Committee for Georgia because of the distance constraints across the state. The idea behind the committee is to allow as-sistants in the southern half of the state the opportunity to net-work and perform community service outreach closer to home. This committee will not be a separate committee but a branch of the current Assistant Superintendents Committee in order to get more assistants involved throughout the state. Patrick Rein-hardt from Georgia Southern University Golf Course will serve as chairman of this group.



This will only strengthen our association as a whole and continue to create camaraderie and brotherhood that is a key element and goal of the assistants committee and the Georgia GCSA. If you are a southern assistant who wants to be involved or superinten-dent who wants your assistant get involved please reach out to Tenia at [email protected] and she will direct you to the individu-als that will help guide this branch of the committee.

While on the topic of camaraderie and brotherhood I feel it is im-portant to bring up the “shop talk” also known as “lunch bunch” events that some of us around Atlanta are doing. The idea behind the event is to get assistants together to fellowship over lunch and talk about various things going on at each other’s course. This is a great way to network and may be one of the best $10 seminars you may ever attend.

Now really there are no guidelines, it could be after work or at lunch, really whatever works for the group you are getting to-gether. We’ve done lunch and golf a few times, but mostly lunch-es lately and we make every effort to get together once a month. I encourage assistants to reach out to fellow assistants in their area and get some dialogue going on creating their own “lunch bunch.” It will only make assistant’s network of peers larger and our association better as a whole.

Lastly, the committee is very involved in determining the educa-tion everyone receives at the annual assistants seminar and golf

championship. This year we are planning to do something along the lines of leadership and communication. Please, if you have suggestions about what subjects you would like to see offered, please forward those ideas to the committee.

In closing, please be on the lookout for emails in regards to Gos-hen Valley and be a part of the continued success of such a great endeavor. Reach out to assistants and encourage them to create peer networks, and become active with the Georgia GCSA and the Assistant Superintendents Committee. I hope everyone has a great season and I look forward to what the Assistant Superinten-dent Committee and the Georgia GCSA have in store for 2014.

Assistant Superintendent Officers for 2014

Chairman: Scott Lambert, Peachtree Golf Club

Vice Chairman: Aaron Michaels, The Manor Golf and Country Club

Secretary: Luke Ralston, The Standard Club

Treasurer: Sam Burgess, Ansley Golf Club at Settindown Creek

Assistant Liaison to the Board: Joe Hollis, Atlanta Country Club

– Joe Hollis is assistant superintendent at Atlanta Country Club in Marietta. n

NEWS



Ice-Storm’s WrathCosts Clubs Trees

NEWS

Written by SCOTT MICHAUX

An e-mail arrived in Monday’s inbox from some long-range weather forecasting service purporting to know 12 weeks in advance what the weather will be like during the Masters Tourna-ment.

“Spectators can expect temperatures to be above average and hu-mid early in the week for practice rounds, with a solid chance of thunderstorms and rain,” the press release claimed. “A weak cold front will move through in the latter half of the week, making way to dry conditions for most of the tournament. High temperatures are expected to be in the 70s, near average for the year.”

Not much of a limb to go out on there – which is good since there aren’t many limbs left in Augusta. After freezing rain, ice and an earthquake, we should be thankful meteorologists aren’t calling for any plague of locusts or frogs or Rae’s Creek turning into blood. No sharknado or tsunami either.

The 4.1 magnitude earthquake near Edgefield, SC Friday night literally shook up a community already dealing with devastating effects from the freezing rain that buried the area in ice – ravaging trees and leaving hundreds of thousands without power for days.

The weather wreaked particular havoc on our local golf courses with Augusta National’s 366 acres getting no special treatment.

Magnolia Lane was buried in broken limbs that fell under the weight of the ice. Fallen branches even knocked the club’s sign off its chain outside the main gate on Washington Road.

A club spokesman described the activity going on inside as “ma-jor cleanup mode” but said there were no reports of significant damage to the club’s iconic trees such as the 150-year-old live oak behind the clubhouse or the Eisenhower loblolly pine that guards the left side of the 17th fairway. While there will certainly be a few pines missing, the course should revert to its usual pristine state long before Masters Week arrives.

As for the azaleas and other flowering trees that turn the course into a palate of colors each spring, experts say there should be nothing to worry about. “The trees probably took the brunt of it,” said Douglas Bailey, the head of the department of horticulture at the University of Georgia. “Most of the understory shrubs are

pretty resilient. It definitely wouldn’t affect the flowering of the azaleas, unless limbs got broken off. And the blooming time will be effected by how quickly we warm up.”

Augusta National is the master of making messes disappear without a trace. When some kind of tornado blew across the back of Amen Corner one evening during Masters Week a few years ago, a massive tree crushed the roof of a public bathroom tucked in the woods behind the 13th green. By the time pa-trons arrived the next morning, a new cedar shake roof had already been installed and any remnants of the mighty oak that smashed it had vanished.

That’s what unlimited resources and an abundance of man-power can do for you.

This magic act is not so easily replicated outside its gates. Its neighbor across Rae’s Creek – Augusta Country Club – ex-pects to be cleaning up from this ice storm for most (if not all) of the 49 days left until Masters Week arrives.

Course superintendent Greg Burleson said the club lost between 25 to 30 trees across the course, whether they were completely uprooted or suffered broken tops that will require removal. His toughest decision will be dealing with a row of live oaks that were planted recently along the 17th and 18th holes many of which were broken or bent sideways.

Greg Burleson, CGCS Darren Davenport

Shortly after the previous issue of Through The Green went to print, Mother Nature delivered a cruel blow to golf courses in Georgia. By the time the Masters was played early April, the damage from that mid-February ice storm was all but ancient history. But as the following report that appeared in the Augusta Chronicle the day after the storm indicates, it was to be an all-consuming headache for golf course superintendents for some time.



NEWS“It would be heart-breaking to have to cut those down,” said Burleson, who planned to get the course in good enough shape to open for play on the weekend as a par-3 course.

Forest Hills Golf Club “got banged up pretty good,” said superintendent Darren Davenport. He said at least six trees were completely lost and many more had the tops broken out of them and will have to be taken down, including one left of the 8th green that had fallen into the green-side bunker.

Both Burleson and Davenport were at their respective clubs in 2004 when the last comparable ice storm hit the area. During that storm, Forest Hills lost 23 trees and kept a rented wood chipper in constant use for six weeks with a staff of 10 cleaning up the debris.

It’s a similar story in South Carolina. Pal-metto Golf Club in Aiken was described as “a mess” by head pro and general man-ager Brooks Blackburn, who said 10 to 12 trees were down or uprooted but that pretty much every tree on the course lost limbs.

“Fortunately, no greens were damaged,” Blackburn said, sending a note out to members that he hoped the maintenance staff could get the course and cart paths opened by Wednesday. “We apologize for the inconvenience but Mother Nature has not been very cooperative as of late,” he said.

That’s an understatement. If she’s refrains from unleashing any more natural disas-ters before April, at least one forecaster is guaranteeing things will be looking up when it matter most. “We are confident spectators and players at the Masters will see conditions typical of spring in the South with only one chance of rain for the week,” the forecasting entrepreneur promised.

For whatever that’s worth, we’ve got that going for us – which is nice.

*A day later, the newspaper published the news that Augusta National’s famed Eisen-hower Tree did suffer major damage after all and had to be removed. n

Some of the damage the ice-storm wrought at Augusta Country Club.



NEWS

Research Giant JoinsFoundation Trustees

Georgia GCSA president, Mike Brown from The Standard Club, with host superintendent Mike Crawford, CGCS and golf

committee chairman Lane Singleton from Reynolds Plantation.

Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation trustees Courtney Young, CGCS from Ansley Golf Club, Gene McClure, Richard Staughton, CGCS from Towne Lake Hills Golf Club, Mike Crawford, CGCS from TPC Sugarloaf, Tim Cunningham, CGCS

from Coosa Country Club, Mike Brown from The Standard Club, Harold Franklin from Fields Ferry Golf Club, Anthony Williams, CGCS from Stone Mountain Golf Club, Layne Williams and Ralph Kepple, CGCS from East Lake Golf Club.

This year’s annual Spring Classic golf tournament was a winner well before the first tee shot was struck at TPC Sugar-loaf in Duluth in March. Officials made several sig-nificant announcements before play including the news that internationally-renowned turfgrass sci-entist, Dr. Wayne Hanna, had agreed to serve on the board of the Georgia Golf Environmental Foun-dation.

Dr. Hanna has spent more than 40 years - many at the Univer-sity of Georgia - developing environmentally friendly grasses now used widely on golf courses around the world. He has produced bermudagrasses such as TifSport, TifEagle and TifGrand, all of which are hardier and less costly to maintain, while providing ex-cellent fairway and putting surfaces that have featured in USGA championships. He won the USGA Green Section Award in 2012.

“Having Dr. Hanna’s perspective and voice on the board of the foundation will be invaluable,” foundation chairman, Harold Franklin, from Fields Ferry Golf Club in Calhoun, says. “He is a giant in his field and his passion and commitment to enhancing environmental sustainability on the golf course is second to none.”

Dr. Wayne Hanna



Riley McAfee and Nash Rolfes both from Idle Hour Club.

Andy Scott from Newnan Country Club and Grant Cole from The Frog Golf Club were net division winners.

Anthony Williams, CGCS from Stone Mountain Golf Club, Georgia State Golf Association president Chuck Palmer, Georgia GCSA president Mike Brown from

The Standard Club, Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation chairman Harold Franklin from Fields Ferry Golf Club and Layne Williams from the GSGA.

Dr. Hanna, who lives in Tifton, now works part time for the University of Georgia, concentrating mostly on ornamental grasses. “Hopefully I’ll be able to help out some and I’m sure I will learn a lot,” he says of joining the foundation board. “Experience sometimes counts for a lot and can help you avoid some pitfalls and find some short-er routes to where you want to go.”

The Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Georgia GCSA. The Spring Classic received two other major boosts before more than 180 golfers competed in the golf tournament with foundation leaders receiv-ing checks of $10,000 from each of the Georgia GCSA and Georgia State Golf Association.

The foundation also relies upon the support of clubs, individuals and other organizations to fund programs and projects that help golf cours-es fulfill the environmental, recreational and eco-nomic needs of their communities. Established in 2004, the foundation funds research projects and delivers education and outreach promoting best management practices for environmental stewardship on the golf course.

“Usually there is limited funding for turfgrass re-search and whatever extra funding can be found can mean the difference in getting a project over the hump,” Dr. Hanna says. “It can be what makes the difference and that’s in the interests of the golf course superintendent and the golf in-dustry. I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”

Georgia GCSA past-president and current Su-perintendent of the Year, Mike Crawford, CGCS hosted the event at TPC Sugarloaf and earned widespread praise for his presentation of the golf course.

“We raised a lot of money with more people turning out at TPC Sugarloaf in support than we have ever had,” Georgia GCSA executive direc-tor, Tenia Workman, says. “It will take some time before we have a final dollar amount but it will be substantial. We had more than 180 people compete in the golf tournament so thankfully we had access to a 27-hole facility. The folks at TPC Sugarloaf were wonderful hosts and partners in this event.”

Former Georgia GCSA directors Rob Roy from The River Club and Jerry Matthews, CGCS won the gross division of the golf tournament. Net division winners were Grant Cole from The Frog Golf Club and Andy Scott from Newnan Country Club. n

Ben Brooks Canongate at Planterra Ridge.

Andy Scott from Newnan Country Club.

Dusty LeGrande from Barnsley Gardens.

Bret Barton, CGCS from Pinetree Country Club.

NEWS



NEWS

Bryan Miller from Cartersville Country Club.

Jason Waller from Ansley Golf Club.

Tim Boles from Greenville Turf & Tractor

Jason Brownell from Big Canoe Golf Club.

Joey Brown from Canongate at Georgia National.

Johnny Merrick from Canongate I Golf Club.

Jeremy Wade from Traditions of Braselton.

John Fields from Ashton Hills Golf Club.

Tad Hopkins from Reynolds Plantation.

John McMullan from The Georgia Club and Mark Hendricks of Greenville Turf and Tractor.

Kurt Grubbs from Callaway Gardens Resort, Scott Palmer from Houston Lake Country Club and Ron Fry from Callaway Gardens Resort.



Many ThanksTo Our PartnersThe Georgia GCSA and Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation greatly appreciates the support of the following companies, facilities, organizations and individuals for helping make the 2014 Spring Classic so successful:

PlatinumBayer ES/Howard Fertilizer

and Chemical CompanyCasey Tree ExpertsChattahoochee Turf ProductsCorbin Turf and Ornamental

Supply/Precision Labs Direct SolutionsDirect SolutionsGene McClureGeorgia Chapter CMAAGeorgia GCSAGeorgia PGA SectionGolf VenturesGreenville Turf and TractorGSGAHarrell’s /SyngentaIdle Hour ClubJerry Pate Turf and IrrigationJohn Deere LandscapesPhillips Turf and Ornamental /

Phoenix /UPIReynolds PlantationShowTurfSound AgronomySouthern StatesTurfnology

GoldNG Turf

SilverAmeriTurfPaul Wages

Allen Weed of Greenville Turf and Tractor, Margaret Shirley from the American Junior Golf Foundation, Scott Lambert from Peachtree Golf Club

and Mark Hayes from Marietta Country Club.

Rob Roy from the River Club and Jerry Matthews, CGCS received their gross division trophies from Georgia GCSA president Mike Brown.

Tyler Andersen from Atlanta Athletic Club, Neal Wisdom from Druid Hills Golf Club and Randy

Mangum of Corbin Turf and Ornamental Supply.

NEWS



FEATURE

One Rising Star With Both Feet Firmly Grounded

Written by TRENT BOUTS

Georgia GCSA past-president Anthony Williams, CGCS presents Scott Griffith with a gift of appreciation for hosting the 2013 Bulldog Classic.

A view of the rolling terrain on the 17th hole at UGA golf course.



Unlike many, Scott Griffith graduated with his degree in Ramen noodles well before he ever set foot on a college campus. The one-bedroom apartment he rented from the age of 16 was not a dorm room but at times it felt like one. “Trust me, I had a lot of buddies who wanted to come over,” he laughs.

Life was teaching him what behavioral psychologists describe as the friction between our intuitive and cognitive minds. The for-mer is all about the fun and what feels good in the here and now. The latter is driven more by fact and what makes sense in the big-ger picture. Griffith was smart enough to learn that lesson which is why today his career and his contribution to the Georgia golf industry are so clearly on the ascendant.

Griffith, 38, is golf course superintendent at the University of Georgia golf course in Athens and secretary-treasurer of the Georgia GCSA. He is, in the judgment of Georgia GCSA presi-dent, Mike Brown from The Standard Club, one of the most reli-able hands in the association. “If you put something in Scott’s

lap, he’s going to take care of it,” Brown says. “When you put 20 or so people in a room at a committee meeting there are always two or three who generate most of the ideas and drive most of the discussion. Scott is always one of those guys.”

Brown recognized Griffith as a “go-getter” many years before they became colleagues as directors on the Georgia GCSA board. Back in the ‘90s they were part of a concerted effort to lay the groundwork for an assistant superintendent committee. Brown remembers that Griffith turned up to every meeting, answered ev-ery call and completed any task he took on. That hasn’t changed.

“Scott carries out his duties as well as any person I’ve known in my time on the board,” Brown says. “And that’s pretty high praise when you consider some of the people I have been fortu-nate enough to serve with over the years. He’s such a good, genu-ine person who always has a smile and the effort and motivation he brings to everything he does is incredible.”

FEATURE

Sunrises on another bright day at the UGA golf course.



Griffith eventually moved out of that apartment in Abbeville, AL and did indeed go to a real college, Troy University, about an hour away. He was there to study business administration but the two most significant outcomes from his time there had little to do with academics. One was joining the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. While many of his friends were reveling in newfound freedoms, Griffith put his hand up for a different kind of school all about duty and discipline.

His father, Phillip, was also a U.S. Marine serving in the Vietnam War. Hon-oring that service was a lifelong ambition for the son but the father was less enthusiastic. “When I told him what I’d done, he said ‘Boy, don’t you know there’s an Air Force?’” Griffith recalls. “He was a little worried.” Griffith served proudly in the Marine Corps Reserves for eight years.

The second big deal at Troy was meeting his future wife, Kim. Although Griffith had no idea at the time, meeting Kim was his first step to becoming a golf course superintendent. “She graduated before me and wanted to move to Georgia to be near her brother,” he says. While Griffith had ambition he concedes he had “no real plan” for what he would do with a business degree.

FEATURE

Bulldog ClassicInvests in YouthAs host superintendent for the annual Bulldog Classic, Scott Griffith does more than prepare the golf course. Each year his efforts amount to an investment in the future of his profession and the state itself. The Bulldog Classic raises money for the Georgia GCSA Legacy Scholarships, which provide financial support for children and grandchildren of association members. This year’s event on June 10 will be the sixth in a history that has already generated close to $25,000 in funding for students looking to further their education.

It is one more feather in the cap for Griffith who has overseen a remarkable resurgence in the presence and prestige of the UGA golf course. When he arrived in 2006 the course was just finishing a greens renovation and in need of resources to maintain a high level which George Stafford, the then new director of auxiliary services made available.

Griffith has done a mountain of work in many areas helping attract a Web.com Tour event from 2010 through 2013. Multiple men’s and women’s Southeastern Conference Championships and three NCAA women’s championships have been played on the course which also hosted a men’s NCAA regional tournament in 2012. It is also home to the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic, the oldest women’s collegiate tournament in the southern U.S.

“What Scott has helped build with the Bulldog Classic is just wonderful,” says Georgia GCSA executive director Tenia Workman. “To do something that has such an impact on the lives of young people while helping out fellow superintendents is inspiring. We are so grateful to him and for the support of Dave Cousart and everyone at UGA.” n



“So I packed my bags and off we went.”

Kim had a teaching position to go to so for Griffith the move was less of a risk than it was a simple rerouting. Today, the couple have been married 17 years and have a daughter Addison, 9, and son Jack, soon to be 3.

Arriving in Newnan, GA Griffith picked up a copy of The Newn-an Times-Herald and scanned the Help Wanted ads. He re-sponded to one and was interviewed and hired before sundown. Scott Griffith, who had played only a handful of rounds in his life, was suddenly a member of the golf industry as a laborer for golf course superintendent Jim Miller at Newnan Country Club.

Sweating on the crew at the golf course echoed what Griffith ex-perienced working summers for a peanut farmer while in Ala-bama. It was hard but it was outside and it meant making a dif-ference with your hands. All of which appealed to him more than

the idea of sitting at a desk for eight hours a day. He enrolled in the turfgrass program at Gwinnett Tech.

“It wasn’t easy to say the least,” Griffith recalls of working a full-time job then making the hour and 15 minute drive to and from Lawrenceville at least three nights a week. But he was determined and paying heed to lessons he’d already learned. Grinding under the sun for that peanut farmer confirmed the value of a strong work ethic.

“He was such a genuine guy. So honest and upstanding,” Griffith recalls. “He was one of the nicest, hardest working people you could ever meet. Working for him reaffirmed my desire to make a career of working outside. I wish I would have known about my current profession while I was in high school because it would have been a no-brainer decision then as it is today.”

He may have been young, strong-willed and independent but he

FEATURE

Shots into the 13th green at the UGA golf course demand a strong nerve



was smart enough to listen, just as he did to another elderly voice at Gwinnett Tech. “Palmer Maples ( Jr., CGCS) was teaching there at the time,” Griffith says. “It was so beneficial to hear from a Hall of Fame superintendent who could teach you things you don’t get from book study. He told what it was like on the ground. I don’t think most of us in that class knew how lucky we were.”

By the time he graduated in 1999, Griffith already had a job lined up at Sunset Hills Country Club in Carrollton where Jim Kac-zenski, CGCS – now with Green Works Turf Solutions – was su-perintendent. Kaczenski took Griffith to a host of Georgia GCSA meetings and important seeds were sown, both in terms of net-working and in the value of service to the profession.

After three years, an opportunity emerged at Atlanta Athletic Club under Ken Mangum, CGCS. With Kaczenski’s encourage-ment, Griffith took a pay cut and made the move to a second as-sistant’s role. “That was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” Griffith says. He was intimately involved in two renovations at At-lanta Athletic Club. “I could not have asked for a better situation as an aspiring superintendent; two renovations on a world-class facility under one of the best superintendents in the business. I was in all the way.”

Griffith’s next move was to the University of Georgia in late 2006. UGA golf course general manager, Dave Cousart, was looking for

a new superintendent and Griffith applied with Mangum’s sup-port. “The course had one of the most beautiful, natural layouts that I had ever seen. It didn’t hurt either that my future boss was a former superintendent himself and had a good understanding of the demands and challenges of the job.”

Cousart is as committed to the industry as anyone. He is a long-time Georgia GCSA member who served a two-year term as pres-ident of the Georgia PGA Section. “He’s been a big push behind me being involved in the Georgia GCSA,” Griffith says. “And it’s very fulfilling work although I don’t really view it as work. It gets you out there and makes you interact with people you wouldn’t normally come into contact with. Some of the most successful superintendents are not people who stay in the background. And we need that as a profession. If we don’t stand up for ourselves we’ll be downgraded or moved over. I’d like to think I’m a small piece of making sure we keep going in the right direction.”

Since arriving at UGA, Griffith has hosted four Web.com tour-naments, the 2013 Women’s NCAA Championship and three NCAA Regionals. Most recently, the golf course was ranked the fifth best public golf course in Georgia by Golfweek magazine for 2014. Griffith also manages the three-acre practice facility for the UGA men’s and women’s teams. “It’s been really neat to see so much talent come through the programs and I enjoy watching them on TV now,” he says. n

FEATURE



“We Can’t Say EnoughHow Grateful We Are…”

Georgia GCSA president Mike Brown with Rocky Driebrodt of Corbin Turf and Ornamental Supply.

Georgia GCSA director Mike Martin from Hampton Golf Village with Jimmy Geter, CGCS of AmeriTurf.

Some of the industrial relations committee members who attended the meeting at The Standard Club.

Just as most golfers have little idea how much goes into preparing the course for their enjoyment, so do few members realize how much goes on behind the scenes of the Georgia GCSA. A gather-ing at The Standard Club in Johns Creek in March would have provided some inkling. About 40 people attended the meeting of the Georgia GCSA’s industrial relations committee. They discussed ways the association and its industry partners can continue to work together for their mutual benefit.

“As members, we need to remind ourselves of the little things we may take for granted such as not paying for lunch, a greens fee, or a cart fee at one of our events,” says Georgia GCSA president and industrial relations committee chair Mike Brown, who is su-perintendent at The Standard Club. “These items are so often picked up by our vendors and we do so appreciate it. Their sup-port makes attendance at association events so affordable. That in turn means more superintendents have access to education and networking opportunities that make the whole profession stron-ger. We can’t say enough how grateful we are as an association.”

The name of the committee – industrial relations – is a term that in many professions carries a negative connotation around deal-

ing with conflicts. But for the Georgia GCSA at least, those re-lations are harmonious with the focus less on solving problems than on where to take new and positive steps.

Brown says the meeting covered a host of topics over lunch and more formal discussions afterwards. The overwhelming feedback from industry partners was positive including in response to a golf outing and dinner that brought industry partners together with Georgia GCSA directors at the annual board retreat at Reynolds Plantation early this year.

“We had a very positive response from everyone involved dur-ing this event and we will continue with this in years to come,” Brown says. “I think this creates an atmosphere where vendors and board members can improve on their relationships and come up with ideas that may enhance the association.”

Brown emphasizes that the level of commitment from many industry partners goes beyond financial support for events or in advertising in Through The Green. “Many of them volunteer to help during amateur and profes-sional golf tournaments, serve on our committees and help run our events,” he says. “It is impressive to see how many vendors and educators are willing to help create a better arena not just for golf course superintendents but for golf as a whole.” n

NEWS



Recently Georgia GCSA director, Kyle Macdonald, from St. Ives Country Club, in Johns Creek traveled to Lawrence, KS for GCSAA annual Chapter Leaders and Executive Symposium. He wrote the fol-lowing letter to his fellow directors upon his return:

“I just got back from the 2014 GCSAA Chapter Leaders and Executives Sympo-sium with Tenia. What a fantastic experi-ence! If you get the honor to be invited, make sure you go. You will get more out of it than you could ever put in. I am not the greatest wordsmith but I will try my best to explain what I saw.

First and foremost, we have the best ex-ecutive director in the industry, hands down! I have known Tenia for the past few years but until this week in Kansas I did not realize how passionate she is for advancing our profession and support-

Kyle’s Not In Kansas Anymore But He Is Very Glad He Went

Kyle Macdonald outside GCSAA headquarters in Lawrence, KS.

NEWS SHORTS

ing our association. Her excitement and enthusiasm is infectious.

This is not just something I witnessed, I was told by many of her peers that she was the glue that kept the symposium together. She was the reason numerous chapter ex-ecutives continued their attendance year after year. Many of us don’t fully appreci-ate how our association’s best interest is on her heart and mind 24/7/365.

I am incapable of putting into words how deep her passion for the Georgia GCSA and the superintendent profession truly runs. If the saying is true that “if you find something you love to do, you will only work a few days in your life,” then I be-lieve Tenia has only worked a handful of days (one of those was Monday because I missed the 12 pm flight). I want to per-sonally thank Tenia for all of her hard work, passion and dedication to our as-sociation and profession.

I also wanted to let y’all know that the Georgia GCSA is a model chapter for the GCSAA. It was mind blowing to see how far ahead of the curve we are compared to other associations, again something I took for granted. The issues facing other chapters are by far some of our greatest strengths.

There have been countless superinten-dents who helped build our chapter and it is now our responsibility to continue to add to the great foundation they laid. I would tell all of you to take a few minutes and pat yourself on the back but also not to get complacent and continue to find ways to improve our association year in and year out. We have a great group of superintendents and more importantly, a great group of guys who support the pro-fession and each other.

In closing… thanks to Tenia for inviting me to the symposium and to this associa-tion for all it does for me and each of our members.” n



The following report by Stan Awtrey ap-peared in the Atlanta-Journal Constitu-tion in thelead up to the Champions Tour event at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth.The crazy winter weather caused a lot of headaches for golf-course superinten-dents this year. But you aren’t likely to no-tice any difference at this week’s Greater Gwinnett Championship at TPC Sug-arloaf in Duluth. Superintendent Mike Crawford and his 38-man crew have again whipped the course into shape for this week’s 54-hole Champions Tour event.“It was a challenging winter, that’s for sure,” said Crawford, the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association’s 2013 Superintendent of the Year. “With the cold weather you lose a lot of time where you aren’t able to work on the golf course, so it’s made the last six weeks more compressed.”The tees and fairways, overseeded with ryegrass, and the bent-grass greens are in championship condition. The only change in the layout is at the 10th tee, which was pushed back about 40 yards to make the par-5 a three-shot hole and improve the pace of play.Now that the heavy lifting is finished, Crawford, his team and a group of 35 ad-ditional volunteers will spend the week making sure the professionals have a great experience.“It’s a great thing for the community and Gwinnett County,” Crawford said. “Per-sonally and professionally, this is what we do. When you’re able to prepare for an event like this, it’s special. Not many people get to do this, and that makes it extra special.” n

AJC CoversCrawford’sWork at TPC

CorrectionMark Hayes, golf course superintendent at Marietta Country Club, and the club’s general manager, Randy Rice, were incor-rectly identified as being from Peachtree Golf Club in the March-April issue of Through The Green. We apologize for the error. n



NEWS SHORTS

According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture website, the department is required by O.C.G.A. § 50-36-1 to verify citizenship and immigration status for all public benefits issued. All public benefits are defined in the law as certifications, li-censes, registrations, state grants, etc. All new and renewal licenses require a nota-rized affidavit and provide one form of acceptable documentation as defined in O.C.G.A. § 50-36-1.

The department will implement this change online no later than July 1, 2014. As directed by law, GDA will utilize the Federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program oper-ated by the United States Department of Homeland Security.

Department of Agriculture Changes Affect Applicators

So what does that mean for pesticide applicators on golf courses? In order to renew your contractor or applicator li-cense, you must send in a copy of one of the approved documentation (usually a driver’s license) and a notarized affidavit (found online at www.agr.georgia.gov/ver-ification-of-lawful-presence.aspx), along with the renewal forms and a check for contractor license or applicator license.

You may mail or fax your affidavit and a copy of your authorized documentation to our customer service center for up-load. The Licensing Division fax number is (404) 586-1126.

You can also fill out the paperwork on-line (www.agr.georgia.gov/licensing.aspx).

Georgia GCSA’s trophies from this year’s GCSAA Golf Classic included runner-up in the chapter competition and top 10s in that event and the four-ball.

The Georgia GCSA will be well-repre-sented at this year’s Georgia State Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship at Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee in Eaton-ton from May 16-18. At press time, at least five Georgia GCSA members were qualified to tee it up in the Mid-Am with one more qualifier to be played. They were David Noto from Mossy Creek Golf Course, Rob Roy from The River Club, Lane Singleton from Reynolds Planta-tion, Chris Purvis from Berkeley Hills

Members To Tee Up In Mid-Am

Click the online log-in tab. You will create a username and password. You just have to have the capability of uploading documents.

Will you need to do this on a yearly basis? No, luckily, documents will only need to be submitted one time. Companies will only have to resubmit when their respec-tive ownership changes.

The folks at the Georgia Department of Agriculture and friendly and available if you need to call or have further ques-tions (404) 586-1411 or (855) 4-AG-LI-CENSE (855-424-5423). Also, contact your local extension office if you need help filling out forms, supplying a notary or need any other help (800) ASK-UGA.

– Jennifer Davidson, Muscogee County Extension, UGA. n

Country Club and Chris Hall of Arbor-guard Tree Specialists.

Noto, Roy and Singleton, along with Neil Wisdom from Druid Hills Golf Club and Scott Tullis from Landings Golf Club, had already enjoyed success on the golf course this year. They combined to repre-sent the Georgia GCSA in GCSAA’s Golf Classic in Orlando, FL in February. Their team was runner-up in the annual chapter competition. n

Jerry Pate Turf and Irrigation announce its appointment as Turf Pride’s distribu-tor in Georgia, as well as Alabama, Mis-sissippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, western Tennessee and northwest Florida. “We are extremely excited to partner with Turf Pride and look forward to growing their Turf Pride business,” said owner, Jerry Pate.

Jerry Pate Turf and Irrigation is also happy to announce that Robert Sienko was recently awarded the title of Senior Master Technician by The Toro Com-pany. This is the highest level of achieve-ment awarded to individual technicians. Individuals who earn this certification must demonstrate a high level of exper-tise, a strong commitment to professional development, superior professionalism and excellence in customer service.

The company also announced the fol-lowing Service Advisor Award recipi-ents in Georgia: Dustin Cofer, Bruce Dowling, Jeremy Jarmin, Joey Largin and Tommy Pike. n

Jerry Pate Takes On Turf Pride



NEWS SHORTS

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Two U.S. Opens will be decided at Pine-hurst in June but already the Georgia GCSA can claim two “champions” from competition in the Sandhills of North Carolina. Kirk McKinney and Robert Padgett, from Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta, were winners in a golf tournament on the Pinehurst No. 8 course in March. The tournament was in advance of the annual USGA Green Sec-tion regional conference in partnership with the Carolinas GCSA. McKinney and Padgett combined for a round 74 to win the gross division in the tourna-ment’s fifth flight. n

Georgia GCSA BoastsPinehurst “Champions”

Robert Padgett and Kirk McKinney after their win.



New MembersGeorgia GCSA Welcomes› David Alexander, Class C.

Second assistant golf course superintendent, Big Canoe Golf Club, Jasper (706) 268-3319.

› Dane Alexander, Class C. Assistant golf course superintendent, The Ford Plantation, Richmond Hill (912) 756-3170.

› Ted Fuller, Class SM. Golf course superintendent, Ocean Forest Golf Club, St. Simons Island (912) 506-0815.

› Scott Griffin, Class SM. Golf course superintendent, Perry Golf Club, Perry (478) 987-1033.

› Stacy Jones, Class SM. Golf course superintendent, Governors Towne Club, Acworth (678) 439-3009.

› Matthew Klein, Class C. Second assistant golf course superintendent, Champions Retreat Golf Club, Evans (706) 210-4360.

› Micah Leonhard, Class C. Assistant golf course superintendent, The Georgia Club, Statham (770) 725-8131.

› Wayne Massey, Class AF. President, Medalist Golf, Inc., Cumming (678) 679-0500.

› Alex Rhodes, Class C. Senior assistant golf course superintendent, The Landings Club – Deer Creek, Savannah (912) 695-8340.

› David Torbett, Class AF. Account executive, Jerry Pate Turf and Irrigation, Atlanta (404) 346-5340.

› Dustin Walker, Class SM. Golf course superintendent, Beaver Kreek Golf Club, Douglas (912) 384-8230.

› John White, Class AF. Territory manager SE GA, Golf Ventures, Tifton (229) 256-3107.

› Embree Wilson, Class C. Senior assistant golf course superintendent, The Landings Club – Plantation, Savannah (912) 598-3547.

› David Winters, Class AF. Chief executive officer, Bio Dirt, Inc., Dawsonville (770) 530-7573.

› Vince Wood, Class C. Assistant golf course superintendent, Country Club of Gwinnett, Snellville (770) 978-7755.

Movers & Shakers› David Alexander is now second assistant golf course

superintendent at Big Canoe Golf Club in Jasper.› Jeffrey Austin, formerly assistant golf course superintendent in

training at Augusta National Golf Club, is now assistant golf course superintendent at Quail Hollow Country Club in Chardon, OH.

› David Blowers, formerly shop manager at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, is now with Abell Turf and Tractor in Holly Springs.

› Thomas Davis, formerly assistant golf course superintendent at The landings Club – Deer Creek in Savannah, is now golf course superintendent at Sapphire National Golf Club in Sapphire, NC.

› Jason Friedman, former senior assistant golf course superinten-dent at Legacy Golf Links, has been promoted to head golf course superintendent at Legacy Golf Links/Fox Creek Golf Club.

› Scott Griffin, formerly second assistant golf course superinten-dent at Quail Ridge Country Club, is now golf course superinten-dent at Perry Golf Club in Perry.

› Don Hemmerle, formerly golf course superintendent at Wilming-ton Island Club in Savannah, is now golf course superintendent at Bacon Park Golf Course in Savannah.

› Howard Horne, formerly of The Golf Club of Georgia in Al-pharetta, is now shop manager at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

› Kyle Johnson, formerly golf course superintendent for par 3 and practice facilities at Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, is now golf course superintendent at Inverness Country Club in Birming-ham, AL.

› Matthew Klein is now second assistant golf course superinten-dent at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans.

› Kurt Russell, former head golf course superintendent at Legacy Golf Links/Fox Creek Golf Club, has been promoted to senior director of agronomy at Legacy Golf Management and Legacy Turf Farms.

› Eric Slekovich, formerly assistant golf course superintendent at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans, is now first assistant golf course superintendent at Reynolds Plantation – The Creek Club.

› David Torbett is a new account executive with Jerry Pate Turf and Irrigation in Atlanta.

› John White is now territory manager for southeast Georgia for Golf Ventures.

Tee Shots

Marriages

Births

Congratulations

› Congratulations to Patrick Reinhardt from Georgia Southern University Golf Course and his new bride, Jessica, who were married on April 26.

› Congratulations to Wally Gresham from Sunset Hills Country Club and his new bride, Mistie, who were married on May 3.

› Congratulations to Joey Brown from Canongate at Georgia National in McDonough and his wife, Chastity, on the birth of their son, Bo Carter Brown, on April 4, 2014. Bo weighed 7lbs and 14oz.

› Congratulations to John Godlewski from Alfred “Tup” Holmes Golf Course in Fayetteville on recently attaining his Class A status with the Georgia GCSA and GCSAA.

› Congratulations to William Oakley from Eagle’s Landing Country Club in Stockbridge on recently attaining his Class A status with the Georgia GCSA and GCSAA.

› Congratulations to Ben Brooks from Canongate at Planterra Ridge in Peachtree City on recently attaining his Class A with the Georgia GCSA and GCSAA.

› Congratulations to Hoyt Ellspermann from Reynolds Plantation – The Creek Club in Greensboro on recently attaining his Class A status with the Georgia GCSA and GCSAA.

› Congratulations to Bradley Tremmier from RiverPines Golf in Alpharetta on recently attaining his Class A status with the Georgia GCSA and GCSAA.



Georgia GCSA Events

mark your calendar

�

May 5, 2014Bentgrass and North Georgia Bermudagrass Forum and Golf OutingAtlanta Country ClubMarietta, GA Host superintendent: Mark Esoda, CGCS

August 6, 2014Turfgrass Field DayUGA Griffin CampusGriffin, GA

June 10, 2014Bulldog Classic Benefiting the Georgia GCSA Legacy Scholarship Fund UGA Golf CourseAthens, GA Host superintendent: Scott Griffith

September 15, 2014 Bermudagrass Forum and Golf Outing King and Prince Golf CourseSt. Simons Island, GA Host superintendent: Chuck Moore

October 14, 2014 Assistant Superintendent Seminar and Golf ChampionshipSt. Ives Country Club Johns Creek, GA Host superintendent: Kyle Macdonald




News & FeaturesSpray Techs MeetLeadership and Technology in FocusAssistants Move into High GearIce Storm Takes Down TreesHanna Move Part of Classic SuccessGriffith Takes Care of BusinessIndustrial Relations a Two Way Street

Columns & ReportsPresidentâs MessageNews ShortsNew MembersTee Shots

Documents

Grif th Thrives Bulldog - GGCSAmagazine.ggcsa.com/publish/140902095716/...Bulldog Classic coming up on June 10. The Bulldog Classic bene ts the scholarship program for our association