The GRASS ROOTS AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WISCONSIN GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION VOL. XLVI ISSUE 1 MARCH/APRIL 2017 From Reservoir to Rotor... Rain Bird has you covered. To learn more, contact your local sales rep today! Lush fairways and manicured greens can also be highly water-ecient. Every Rain Bird product is a testament to that Mike Whitaker Northern Wisconsin truth. From water-saving nozzles to highly ecient pumps to (309) 287-1978 leading-edge Control Technology, Rain Bird products make the [email protected] most of every drop, delivering superior results with less water. Dustin Peterson Keeping the world and your golf course beautiful. Southern Wisconsin That’s The Intelligent Use of Water.™ (309) 314-1937 [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE Spring Fever . 4 THE GRASS ROOTS is the bi-monthly publication of the Wisconsin Golf WISCONSIN PATHOLOGY REPORT Course Superintendents Association printed by e Continuing Debate Surrounding Snow Spectra Print. No part of the THE GRASS ROOTS Mold Fungicide Reapplications . 6 may be used without the expressed written permis- BUSINESS OF GOLF sion of the editor. WSGA, WPGA Spring Symposium Covers David A Brandenburg, CGCS, EDITOR Wide Range of Topics . 10 Rolling Meadows Golf Course MEMBER SPOTLIGHT PO 314 eresa, WI 53091 Patrick Reuteman and Jaime Staufenbeil . 14 [email protected] WISCONSIN ENTOMOLOGY REPORT Considerations When Using Post-Patent (Generic)Products . 18 WGCSA Managing More an Turf . 20 TURFGRASS DIAGNOSTIC LAB Plant Disease Diagnostics: Art or Science? . 24 NORTHERN GREAT LAKES ASSOCIATION Spring Educational Conference Review . 26 2017 WGCSA OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS NOTES FROM THE NOER Front Row: Jim Van Herwynen, Jon Canavan, Josh Ocially, Spring Is Here . 28 Lepine, Je Barlow, Scott Anthes. Back Row: Rob WGCSA Johnson, Garrett Luck, Benjamin LeBarre, Andrew Major League - Spring Business and Educational Meeting . 30 Noll, Mike Bremmer, Joe Sell, Brett Grams: Not WGCSA pictured Brian Bonlender 25 Year Members For 2017 . 33 PRESIDENT DIRECTORS Jon Canavan Mike Bremmer CHAPTER MANAGER’S REPORT Milwaukee County Parks Wisconsin Club Spring Chapter Updates . 34 9480 Watertown Plank Rd 5835 N Shoreland Ave Wauwatosa, WI 53226 Whitesh Bay, WI 53217 WISCONSIN SOILS REPORT [email protected] [email protected] Update: Creeping Bentgrass Potassium Requirements Study . 36 VICE PRESIDENT Josh Lepine, CGCS Garrett Luck CGCS GCSAA Maple Blu CC Hidden Glenn at Bentdale Farms GIS 2017 - Make e Turn . 38 500 Kensington Drive 778 Sherman Rd. Madison, WI 53704 Cedarburg, WI 53102 COVER STORY [email protected] [email protected] Kurt Hockemeyer Takes Over Turfgrass Diagnostic Lab 44 TREASURER MADTOWN MUSINGS Je Barlow CGCS Benjamin LeBarre Waterworld . 45 Waupaca CC e Ledgend at Bristlecone Pines 1330 Ware St. 1325 E Bristlecone Dr. EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK Waupaca, WI 54981 Hartland, WI 53029 Where Are You Spring? . 46 [email protected] [email protected] ADVERTISER INDEX. 28 SECRETARY EVENT SCHEDULE . 34 Scott Anthes Brian Bonlender Brown County GC West Bend CC 897 Riverdale Dr 5846 Hwy Z ABOUT THE COVER “Wisconsin is the center of the golf Oneida, WI 54155 West Bend, WI 53095 Kurt Hockemeyer at the OJ Noer universe” [email protected] [email protected] By Golf Course Architect Greg Turfgrass Research and Education VENDOR LIAISON PAST PRESIDENT Martin Rob Johnson Jim Van Herwynen, CGCS Facility. Kurt is the manager of the Martin serves as President of the Waupaca Sand & Solutions South Hills Golf & CC American Society of Golf Course Ar- E3481 Royalton St 1175 Fond du Lac Ave. Turfgrass Dignostic Lab Waupaca, WI 54981 Fond du Lac, WI 54935 chitects and stated a common theme [email protected] [email protected] of the recent WSGA Symposium. It is a reminder that with the US Open, Class C Representative CHAPTER MANAGER Visit our Website at Joe Sell Brett Grams Senior Tour, Women’s Tour and the North Shore Golf Club WGCSA www.wgcsa.com opening of Sand Valley the eyes of the 1276 Meadowbrook Dr #1 N9122 Virginia Dr. golf world on Wisconsin. Cleveland, WI, 53015 Waupaca, WI 54981 [email protected] [email protected] PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Spring Fever By Jon Canavan, Golf & Recreation Turf Manager, Milwaukee County Department of Parks, Recreation & Culture s I write this article most superinten- to volunteer, please contact Josh LePine. Another product that I nd absolutely Adents are putting the nishing touch- Hosting the WGCSA room was a great fascinating is the application of GPS tech- es on all the winter work that needs to be honor; it gave me the ability to put a lot of nology on the golf course. I foresee this done. Some may have already opened the names with faces. It seems like this event becoming a driving force in our industry. course once or twice during the beautiful gets bigger and bigger each year, and I do I spoke with a few companies about us- late-February heat wave! really enjoy Wisconsinising! I would like ing GPS for precision spraying on the golf I nd that most of my o season has to thank all the vendors that donated time course. is will save money for the fa- less to do with golf maintenance and and treasure for this event! cility and lower the amount of pesticides more with how I can help out other de- I am always amazed at the dierent and fertilizers that are applied to the golf partments within the Parks System. is products that are at the show! It seems course. I also think it will only be a matter seems to be a common thread among all like bunkers were the big issue this year. of time until the golf course superinten- superintendents. ! I believe I counted at least 5 dierent dent programs driverless mowers every It was nice seeing everybody at the GIS companies oering dierent bunker lin- day to maintain their courses. this year. Josh LePine and I were able to at- ers. I’m still amazed at how much money Please check out this year’s schedule of tend a class on the rollout of the GCSAA’s is spent on maintaining a hazard on the events; we have some very nice venues new Best Management Program (BMP). golf course! Unfortunately, I do not see for golf. We will then be capping o the e GCSAA has modeled this aer pro- this trend going in the other direction. season in November with the Wisconsin grams developed by other state chapters. Golf Turf Symposium at Kohler. Please I personally feel that this is going to be a plan to attend this fantastic event. Every Hosting the WGCSA room was a great asset to Wisconsin superintendents. time we have visitors attend or speakers Josh is going to be heading up a commit- great honor; it gave me the ability at the symposium they are amazed at how tee to create this document. I foresee the to put a lot of names with faces. great the event is. If you have never at- make-up of this committee including su- It seems like this event gets big- tended, or if it’s been awhile please make perintendents, vendor reps, Bob Vaverk ger and bigger each year, and I do an eort to join us! and our UW professors. (Sorry Bob - I really enjoy Wisconsinising! I Here’s to another great spring; I hope ev- had to point you out in this article!) would like to thank all the vendors erybody has a very protable season! As We have also invited our friends from the that donated time and treasure for always, if you ever have any concerns or NGLGCSA to join in this venture. Since this event! questions about the WGCSA do not hesi- this is a statewide program we will need tate to call myself, any other board mem- their help and support. If you would like ber, or Brett Grams. WGCSA MISSION STATEMENT e Wisconsin Golf Course Superintendents Association is committed to serve each member by promot- ing the profession and enhancing the growth of the game of golf through education, communication and research. WGCSA VISION STATEMENT e Wisconsin Golf Course Superintendents Association is dedicated to increase the value provided to its members and to the profession by: • Enhancing the professionalism of its members by strengthening our role as a leading golf organiza- tion in the state. • Growing and recognizing the benets of a diverse membership throughout Wisconsin. • Educating and promoting our members as leaders in environmental stewardship. • Oering aordable, high value educational programs at the forefront of technology and service. • Being key to enjoyment and the economic success of the game of golf. 4 THE GRASS ROOTS March / April 2017 WISCONSIN PATHOLOGY REPORT e Continuing Debate Surrounding Snow Mold Fungicide Reapplications By Paul Koch, Ph.D. Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin – Madison nother winter has brought another riod between 2009-2010 and 2012-2013. dicult aspects to understand is why, if Amixed bag of snow, rain, big warm Expanding on the results from that the fungicide is no longer there, would ups, and big cool downs. Overall I think rst winter fungicide degradation study I not need to reapply to protect myself? most courses are in good shape heading we decided to investigate the impacts of e winter of 2015-2016 oers us a per- into the golng season, but I received snow cover on the depletion of propicon- fect case study to investigate why fungi- numerous questions again this year on azole and chlorothalonil with and with- cide applications were generally not war- whether fungicide reapplications are out the inclusion of the anti-transpirant ranted but also identify situations where needed to protect the turf until spring Translm® (Figure 2).