OUR 1606 TH ISSUE Vol. 31, No. 45 R O C H E S T E R Monday, December 2, 2019 Course Maintenance: Golf Teaches Life’s Most Valuable Skills BY MONTE KOCH, PGA Efficiency in Over-Seeding My Grandpa Lafe was, and still is, one of my heroes. He was a proud WWII veteran and a member of the “greatest gen- eration.” Besides being witty, a great speaker and gifted with his hands, my Grandpa was a great teacher of “how to live life” and to be a blessing to others. Although I didn’t learn golf directly from him, I do believe I got it from his father, Lafe Sr. When I was 21, I remem- ber playing nine holes with him Young people can learn responsibility, acceptance, maturity and patience when he was 96 years young. As through programs such as PGA Junior League Golf. Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas has experiment with different over-seeding I think of it now, it’s even more tactics on its practice range. On the right, is Primo-treated turf. (Bill Weller) amazing. He played two times While that’s amazing, it’s just noon in St. George, Utah, learn- a week until the last year of his as special that he and I could ing the game together. I had BY HAL PHILLIPS Solutions. “Otherwise, fall seeding life... yes, you read that right! spend time together that after- Golf Teaches — PAGE 5 With water becoming increas- becomes impractical from a bud- ingly scarce and expensive in get perspective — or, in the dam- some regions, superintendents age-repair scenario, it becomes a are deploying creative tactics to matter of addressing these areas First Tee of Western NY Takes boost establishment. but not those.” Superintendents typically keep Bill Weller, a golf course su- A Swing in Monroe County a sharp eye on two important perintendent at Trinity Forest markets during the fall season: Golf Club in Dallas, believes First Tee of Western NY is game of golf. ence, each lesson kids ages 5-18 water and seed. How these two the difficulties in achieving that now part of the Rochester com- First Tee has three primary are taught life skills that can be commodities behave separately balance, along with cost, have munity. First Tee of Western NY channels of delivering its pro- applied on and off the golf course affects the way they will effi- contributed to a decrease in the has been serving the 8 counties gramming; First Tee National such as, managing emotions, re- ciently conduct over-seeding, in number of facilities that under- of Western NY since 1999 and School Program, which intro- solving conflict, communicating, the South, and summer-stress take over-seeding. received approval from the na- duces golf to elementary age and setting goals using golf as the replenishment seeding, in the “I think over last decade or two tional office in St. Augustine students through physical educa- platform. Kids progress through North. Or not. courses have shied away from Florida in January of 2019 to tion classes; First Tee DRIVE, an the program by advancing their Routine over-seeding and over-seeding due to summer turf expand programming into Mon- after school program delivered golf skills knowledge and by damage repair are, of course, quality issues, and general cost of roe County. by trained leaders at other youth demonstrating First Tee’s Nine among the most water-intensive seed and maintaining over-seed,” First Tee is a youth develop- service locations like YMCA and Core Values and life skills. First enterprises superintendents un- Weller says. “Especially given that ment organization that impacts Boys and Girls Clubs; and the Tee of Western NY coaches are dertake (outside day-to-day irri- by using pigments and paints you the lives of young people by Life Skills Experience program formally trained in positive youth gation). And the water market is can create a similar visual at a providing educational programs which is taught on local golf development. They’re experts going only one way these days. fraction of the cost. I think for that build character, instill life-en- courses and runs as a 7 or 8 in creating fun learning environ- According to www.CircleofBlue. the most part there isn’t any real hancing values and promote week session. ments that empower kids to lever- org, residential water costs (one revolution in over-seeding. You healthy choices through the Through the Life Skills Experi- First Tee — PAGE 3 of the few universal metrics from just need to use cultural practices region to region) in Tucson, Ar- to ensure good seed-to-soil con- izona, for example, have nearly tact — and time it when tem- doubled since 2010. From 2017 peratures are good for ryegrass Mickelson Responds to Saudi Criticism: to 2018, rates increase there establishment.” between 6.1 and 8.8 percent Clearly, for superintendents ‘I Understand Those Who Are Upset’ annually depending on category. who continue the over-seeding Turf seed remains more of a practice (especially the desert BY WILL GRAY true commodity, where pricing and other areas where they re- Facing criticism over his recent fluctuates according to verifiable ally don’t have a choice), it’s a commitment to the European supply. Anyone who recalls the balance and an increasing num- Tour’s upcoming event in Saudi tight, expensive 2018 market, ber of superintendents, Weller Arabia, Phil Mickelson took to however, has already made the included, are cleverly deploy- Twitter Monday night to defend connection: Efficiency in the ing products/strategies to help his decision. over-seeding process is para- achieve that balance. Mickelson is the latest star mount. “I started with Hydretain to add his name to the field for “Germination must be wide- about two years ago and I really the second-year Saudi Interna- ly achieved while keeping strict like the benefits,” says Johnny tional, a list that includes de- tabs on water usage,” says Jim Webb, superintendent at Des- fending champ Dustin Johnson, Spindler, director of agronomy ert Sands Golf & Country Club world No. 1 Brooks Koepka, with Ocala, Florida-based Ecologel Over-Seeding — PAGE 8 Mickelson — PAGE 3 Golf Week is Golf News 52 Weeks a Year To Advertise, call 427-2434 GolfWeekRochester.com Far View Golf Course • 2x3 • 102819 • JT Email: [email protected] Expositor-Ledger Newspapers Rochester Golf Week • The Jewish Ledger 2535 Brighton-Henrietta Town Line Road, Rochester, NY 14623 (585) 427-2468 • FAX (585) 427-8521 IMPORTANT… We want YOUR AD to be perfect… Your ad will run as it appears here unless we hear from you immediately. Please review this ad carefully. n Check spelling and punctuation n Check addresses and phone numbers, as well as e-mail addresses and web sites. n Check dates and times of all events listed. If there are any corrections, please call us immediately at 427-2468. Page 2 • Rochester GOLF WEEK • Monday, December 2, 2019 TWO YEAR Column: Shots that BodineMEMBERSHIPS • 2x5 • 080719 • JT [email protected] through end of 2021 season Expositor-Ledger Newspapers UNLIMITED GOLF Defined the Year in Golf Rochester Golf Week • The Jewish Ledger BY DOUG FERGUSON bounds stakes were on the right. as “Calamity Corner,” with a Mon–Fri $329* 2535 Brighton-Henrietta Town Line Road, Rochester, NY 14623 (AP) — Every club in the bag He pulled 3-wood and narrow- 50-foot drop to the right that is Mon–Sun $429* (585) 427-2468 • FAX (585) 427-8521 had a story to tell this year. ly cleared a cavernous bunker, daunting with a back pin. 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