Important topics discussed this morning during the sessions at the ITF Winter Workshop. The morning began with the presentation by Dr. Kerns, he discussed a great deal of disease issues as well as what things are shaping up for the future. This past season the EPA removed the product PCNB from the market. PCNB is a major product we use for our winter protection for a couple of reasons: 1.) It does a very good job keeping the turf safe from disease along with lasting a great deal of time and 2.) It is very cheap!. With that being said adjustments are going to need to be made for the future and our protection of the course for cool season disease. More money is going to need to be budgeted as the new chemicals are more expensive and multiple sprays may need to be made as these chemicals don't have the longevity of PCNB. Acceptence of some disease break through is going to be needed as we will more than likely see breakthrough from these new chemicals.
The next part of the session by Tom Mead, was a discussion of the sustainablilty of Golf Courses and the maintenance practices being more environmentally friendly. On one end we can say that we have come a long way in the maintenance end from using more environmentally friendly chemicals. Chemicals used back 15-20 years ago could be considered harsh although that wasn't known until more science and research was put into place. The research that takes places these days assures that there is very little to no harm to environment. Discussion took place through the presentor and all attendees as to what we can do to maybe reduce spray applications, fertilizer applications, recycling materials, etc... This is a tough balance to find in our field as we know the members and golfers nation wide want and demand perfect conditions, and we are to blame for that. Superintendents were the ones that pushed each other to make conditions to such caliber that now golfers don't want to take any steps back. We are at competition with the clubs down the street, in the area, and through out the country cause each club wants to be the best conditioned course. With these demands costs are substantially higher and disease infection or turf imperfection threshholds are very small.
Will we ever get to a point where there isn't such a demand on perfect conditions, I'm affraid that we never will. Our society is built to always want more and to always want better. Very rarely do we want to settle for second best, just a thought of mine.
I look very forward to the conversations tomorrow regarding Poa Annua control in fairways as well as the establishment and maintaining of naturalized areas.
