MRTF Golf Day at Highland Country Club in Indianapolis


Join us for the MRTF Golf Day
Monday, October 1, 2012
Highland Golf and Country Club, Indianapolis, IN

Registration Deadline: 9/24/2012
Registration Form (PDF format)
Register on-line for your team at https://www.mrtf.org/php/Registration.php?pid=5489
Continue to shop and add the game package https://www.mrtf.org/php/Registration.php?pid=5542
If you have any questions/comments/concerns please contact Jennifer Biehl at biehlj@purdue.edu or 765-494-8039

Agenda:
11:00 am registration/lunch
12:15 pm shot gun start
  5:30 pm awards reception
Sponsorship Opportunities:
Platinum Sponsorship                                          $3,500
One free team for Golf Outing
One free tee sponsorship at Golf Outing
“Golf Day Scholarship provided by sponsor’s name.” to be given at the Indiana Green Expo to a turf student determined by Purdue Turf Program Staff. 
 Sponsorship posted on Golf Outing web page with link to company prior to the event and following the event.
Recognition on sponsor board at Golf Outing and Indiana Green Expo
Gold Sponsorship                                                 $1,750
One free team for Golf Outing
One free tee sponsorship at Golf Outing
Sponsorship posted on Golf Outing web page with link to company following the event.
Recognition on sponsor board at Golf Outing and Indiana Green Expo

Tee and Golf Day on-line payment at https://www.mrtf.org/php/Registration.php?pid=5544
Tee Sponsorship                                                      $100
Sponsorship displayed on one tee at the Golf Outing.
Sponsorship listed on Golf Outing web page following the event.
Recognition on sponsor board at Golf Outing and Indiana Green Expo
Golf Day Sponsorship                                                $25
A GREAT way to support the MRTF if not able to attend!
Sponsorship listed on Golf Outing web page following the event.
Recognition on sponsor board at Golf Outing

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GCSAA awards scholarships to essay contest winners

9/17/2012

Turfgrass students Konow, Law and Huttie selected

GCSAA awards scholarships to essay contest winners


Christopher Konow, Quincy Law, and Nicholas Huttie are winners of the 2012 Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Student Essay Contest.

Open to GCSAA members who are undergraduate or graduate students pursuing degrees in turfgrass science, agronomy or any field related to golf course management, the GCSAA Essay Contest accepts entries with a focus on golf course management. The scholarship funding is provided by the Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG) through the Robert Trent Jones Endowment. The EIFG is GCSAA's philanthropic organization.

Judges from the GCSAA scholarship committee select winners to receive scholarships, and the first place entry may be published or excerpted in the association's official publication, GCM.

Konow, from Plainfield, Conn., is a first-year student in the turfgrass management certificate program at Penn State University. He won the first place scholarship of $2,000 for his essay: "The effect of green speed on turfgrass health and playability."

Law, from Clear Lake, Iowa, is in his first year of graduate school at Purdue University. With his paper "Carbon sequestration as an aspect of land stewardship," Law won the second place prize of $1,500 for the second consecutive year.

Huttie, from Lehighton, Pa., is a first-year student at Penn State. He claimed the third place award of $1,000 for his writing: "Superintendents and social networking."

"It is our philosophy to reward and recognize the best and the brightest students," GCSAA President Sandy Queen, CGCS, said. "Christopher, Quincy and Nicholas have certainly demonstrated their excellence. On behalf of the GCSAA membership, I offer my sincere congratulations on their achievements."

About EIFG

The EIFG is the philanthropic organization of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, and has as its mission to foster sustainability through research, awareness, education, programs and scholarships for the benefit of golf course management professionals, golf facilities and the game. With respect for the game and the environment, the EIFG inspires environmental, social and economic progress through golf for the benefit of communities. Collaboration between the golf industry, environmental interests and communities will lead to programs and services beneficial to all who come into contact with the game of golf. Visit www.eifg.org.

About GCSAA

GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to 19,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA's mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Find GCSAA on Facebook, follow GCSAA on Twitter, and visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.
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Gwen Daniel - Obituary

Gwen Daniel

Gwen H. Daniel, Age 91, of Westminster Village, West Lafayette, IN.

Gwen was born on June 28, 1921 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. She received her BA degree from Quachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. She married William H. Daniel on January 9, 1944 while he was a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Following his military discharge they lived in East Lansing Michigan, where he completed his PhD at Michigan State University.

They moved to West Lafayette, in 1950 for Bill to join the Agronomy Department at Purdue University where he served as a Professor of Turfgrass Science for thirty-six years. For several years Gwen worked as a dietician and found it easy to arrange lunch for 400 college men. She was a member of Federated Church and served as both President of the Congregation and President of the Women's Federated Fellowship. Gwen served as President of the Home Hospital Auxiliary and managed the Home Hospital Gift Shop. She also served on the YWCA Board of Directors.

She served as President of her PEO Chapter and the Roundtable Club. She was very active in the life of Purdue Women's Club and served as co-chair of many of those events. She enjoyed being a member of the Purdue Women's golf group. She was the recipient of the Golden Deed Award for Community Service given by the Exchange Club. In 2003 she was nominated by her granddaughter and received the "Woman of Wisdom" Award at the Salute to Women Dinner hosted by the YWCA. In 2003 she also received the Distinguished Service Award from the Midwest Regional Turf Foundation. Her volunteer work also included the St. Elizabeth Hospice program.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, who died in 1996. She has one surviving sister, Genida Johnson, of Lynchburg, VA. She is survived by a son Donald L. Daniel and his wife, Sandra, and a daughter, Sue Eiler and her husband Edward Eiler, each of West Lafayette, IN. Her grandchildren are James Daniel and his wife Diedre of Louisville, KY; Kent A. Eiler of Washington, DC.; Ross Martinie Eiler and his wife Andrea Martinie Eiler of Bloomington, IN. and Lauren Gwen McClain and her husband Ryan McClain of Cincinnati, OH. Gwen has six great grandchildren.

Gwen possessed a sense of adventure, a zest for life and a love of people that were manifested whether snowmobiling at night in the Rockies, riding a camel in Egypt, getting lost in the Alps, walking The Great Wall of China, cruising the Amazon, bartering in the bazaars of the Middle East or serving as a gracious hostess to countless friends from near and far. The warmth of her smile, the twinkle in her eye, and her laughter will be greatly missed.

Memorial gifts may be made to the William H. Daniel Turfgrass Research Fund at Purdue University or the Westminster Village Foundation. A time to greet family and friends is set for 10:00 a.m. with a Memorial Service to follow at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 22, 2012 at Federated Church, 2400 Sycamore Lane, West Lafayette, IN.

Send online condolences to www.soller-baker.com.
Published in the Journal & Courier from September 12 to September 13, 2012
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Gray Leaf Spot

Recent weather (remnants of hurricane Isaac) raised concerns about gray leaf spot in the Ohio Valley and the lower Midwest in general.  You may recall that the pathogen does not overwinter efficiently in the Midwest, and inoculum (airborne spores) from storms that originate in the South is significant.

Gray leaf spot is a foliar disease that affects perennial ryegrass and tall fescue.  It is caused by a fungal pathogen (Pyricularia grisea) that readily infects and kills leaf blades.  Leaf infections can progress into the crown area, resulting in death of individual plants.  Moderate outbreaks of gray leaf spot result in clusters of thin, off-colored turf.  However, severe outbreaks will result in the death and decay of extensive areas and ruin the entire turf stand.

Gray leaf spot poses less of a threat that 10-15 years ago, primarily because of the reduction in the acreage of perennial ryegrass in the Midwest and the introduction of cultivars with some gray leaf spot resistance.  However, there are cases where turf managers must be vigilant in addressing the threat this year.

At this time of year, other leaf spot diseases can be confused for gray leaf spot.  If you manage perennial ryegrass or tall fescue, obtaining an accurate diagnosis is essential.  Otherwise, you may bear an unnecessary expense with costly fungicide applications.  Observing a few leaf spots or the “fish hook” symptom is not enough to draw the conclusion that gray leaf spot is present.  The only sure sign is the presence of very characteristic conidia (spores) that can be viewed only microscopically.

For individuals interested in chemical control, the most effective fungicides are QoI (strobilurin) products such as Heritage, Insignia and Disarm.   Thiophanate-methyl (Cleary 3336) also is very effective.  Chlorothalonil and DMI fungicides have limited efficacy but may be useful when disease pressure is low. 


Details on gray leaf spot are available online at the following link –

http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/BP/BP-107-W.pdf

Rick Latin, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University

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Watering Bans Making Turf Establishment Tough in Some Locations

Now is the time to be seeding a lawn, but in some communities water restrictions and bans are preventing homeowners and lawn care professionals from renovating/reseeding damaged lawns following this summer’s drought. August 15 to September 15 is considered to be the optimum time to seed cool-season lawns in Indiana. This optimum window is slightly longer in southern Indiana until about September 30. The reasons why this window is optimum for establishment is because 1) soil and air temperatures are warm which promotes faster seed germination, 2) few weeds germinate at the end of the summer  and 3) this seeding date allows for maximum plant development and root growth prior to the next summer’s hot, dry conditions. All of these factors should improve long term turf survival. Aside from improving the appearance of the lawn, seeding lawns now will help turf reestablish thin and bare areas to reduce potential soil erosion, especially in newly established/constructed areas.

While turf can be established in the spring from seed, spring seeded lawns often perform poorly in the summer because 1) weeds like crabgrass also germinate in the spring and compete with turf seedlings, and 2) turf planted in the spring is shallow rooted at the start of summer and requires additional summer watering to keep spring seeded areas from succumbing to summer heat and drought. Thus, fall is the best time to seed a lawn and establish a lawn to reduce future watering needs and reduce erosion.

While water restrictions in Noblesville were lifted recently a water ban still exists in the city of Bloomington and the City of Indianapolis including Marion County and its surrounding communities.

The City of Bloomington and the City of Indianapolis water bans prohibit installing sod in damaged areas and new construction. While the optimum planting window for sod is slightly longer than the seeding window, early fall is still the best time to install sod. This helps promote long-term survival and fall rooting which in turn will reduce watering needs the following summer.

The City of Bloomington and the City of Indianapolis water ban does allow for watering new sod and newly seeded grasses, but only if these areas were installed prior to the watering bans going into effect. We would encourage the City of Bloomington and the City of Indianapolis to consider allowing exemptions this fall for planting seed or sod in turf areas damaged by this summer’s drought. This will help long-term turf survival, reduce soil erosion, and reduce 2013 watering needs.

The Bloomington water ban does excempt some businesses included golf courses (only greens, tees, and fairways) and nurseries. Both bans also allow watering of athletic fields to help keep these areas safe for athletes by reducing soil surface hardness and maintaining actively growing turf. The City of Indianapolis watering restrictions do restrict athletic field watering to Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays sometime between the hours of 9 pm and 6 am for athletic fields with sports in season.

Drs. Aaron Patton and Cale Bigelow, Purdue Turfgrass Scientists



Sources:
http://bloomington.in.gov/media/media/application/pdf/12464.pdf
http://www.citizenswater.com/education/dfaqs.aspx
http://www.wibc.com/news/story.aspx?ID=1750200
Bloomington Water Restrictions Notice


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New Lawn Recovery Guide

The Purdue Turf Program has put out a new publication to help homeowners and professional answer some of the questions asked about drought stress.

Lawns and the Summer 2012 Drought/Heat Crisis: Now What? | PDF


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Read the Label! A Hard Lesson Learned

I was recently forwarded a video from one of our Extension educators in Vanderburgh County, Larry Caplan, that I thought I would share with you. The video chronicles the “misadventures” of a homeowner who simply wanted to control the weeds in his lawn. It should be a reminder to all of us to read the full label before applying a pesticide.




Always follow label directions when using herbicides, and obey all federal, state, and local pesticide laws and regulations. Labels provide specific safety suggestions and requirements for handling products. Labels also provide valuable insight on how to use the products safely (for you, the turf, and the environment) for maximum effectiveness.

The following are general guidelines to reduce the risks from herbicides.
  1. Apply a product only to the turfgrass species listed on the label.
  2. Clean spray tanks thoroughly when changing from one herbicide to another. Many herbicides contain instructions on how to properly clean and rinse the sprayer following an application.
  3. Calibrate sprayers correctly and often.
  4. Use the recommended herbicide application rates provided on the label. The label may also specify a specific rate for specific weed species. Rates listed on the manufacturer label are based on research at multiple locations across multiple years. Applying too much herbicide is costly and could result in turf damage or lack of control due to spray runoff. Applying too little herbicide can result in poor weed control and unsatisfied customers.
  5. Apply herbicides as specified on the label (timing, site, interval between applications, interval before and after seeding, and so on).
  6. Wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) specified on the label.
  7. Use caution when spraying around ornamental plants and sensitive crops to avoid injury. Follow wind restrictions on the label.
  8. Apply herbicides when temperatures are in the range provided on the labels.
  9. Do not apply herbicides when children or students are in the application area. This is known as the “School Rule.” More information about the School Rule is available on the OISC website, www.isco.purdue.edu.
  10. Check the label for instructions and options on how to remove pesticide residues from containers prior to their disposal.
  11. Store pesticides in their original containers and keep unused pesticides in a safe, secure location. Keep storage areas on trucks or within buildings locked, and keep pesticide containers away from children.
Aaron Patton, Turfgrass Extension Specialist


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