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Here is a list of links to some interesting articles regarding turf and golf. Have a great weekend!

IPM Planning Guide. The Environmental Institute for Golf has released an IPM Planning Guide. The Institute has developed the free IPM Planning Guide to help superintendents and their facilities create a comprehensive written document that contains the strategies and tactics to manage pests on the golf course…http://www.eifg.org/sustainability/toolbox/ipmguide/default.aspx

John Deere Classic Feature. Before everyone heads overseas for next week’s Open Championship at St. Andrews, there’s still a big order of business to take care of – the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. Zach Johnson from nearby Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will be the main attraction at the event that seems to keep growing steam and prestige…http://www.pgasportsdaily.com/pga-golf/local-knowledge-2010-john-deere-classic-and-tpc-deere-run-pga-com.html

The Root of it All: Microclover in the lawn? Clover in the lawn is not a new idea, but microclover is a new twist. Clovers and other small plants like wood violets were routinely included in lawn seed mixes prior to World War II. Dr. John Stier, Professor of Environmental Turfgrass Science at UW-Madison, and a UW-Extension Specialist, says that there were a lot of reasons to stop including broadleaf species in turfgrass seed mixtures and to start controlling weeds in lawns…http://www.journaltimes.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/article_9438047c-893e-11df-8796-001cc4c002e0.html

Does the Grass Know the Cost? Today's golf course superintendent has a huge range of products to choose from for turfgrass fertilization. Competition brings better products, better service on these products, and lower costs. In today's challenging economic times, anything we can do to reduce or control costs is good, especially if the health, appearance, and playability of your turf is not compromised. This article considers options that may do just that. It is a basic discussion about fertilizers. Does the grass really know the difference among the myriad fertilizer products available to today's turf manager…http://turf.lib.msu.edu/gsr/2010s/2010/100532.pdf

Hazeltine gets a facelift. Construction on Hazeltine’s new clubhouse began last year; it’s scheduled to open Oct. 1, even though there won’t be any golf to be played. The new clubhouse is designed to attract more special events; the dining and meeting areas will hold nearly double what the old one did. The Chaska golf course is shutting down for nearly a year to get new greens and fairways before the 2016 Ryder Cup…http://www.startribune.com/localwest/97824554.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUo8cyaiUiD3aPc%3A_Yyc%3AaULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr

Rainfall and Fairy Rings Throughout the Midwest. Our wet weather has continued throughout the Midwest. Accompanying the wet weather, has been heat- at least heat for us. I feel guilty saying we are hot when I saw the temperatures forecast for the Northeast and Southeast. On the weather channel this evening a couple took a picture of a bank marquee showing temperatures in New Jersey topping 100 degrees…http://turfdiseases.blogspot.com/2010/07/our-wet-weather-has-continued.html

Marcus Jones
Graduate Research Assistant

The annual Iowa Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show is next week. On Wednesday of conference week Brett Hetland, CGCS Brooks National Golf Club, and I will be presenting about integrated pest management (IPM).

IPM is a management strategy that is gaining in popularity and is becoming more widely accepted and practiced at many facilities. As part of our presentation, I am interested in hearing our reader’s thoughts on IPM. I have set up a 1-question survey to accomplish this and the question is located below. The survey is completely anonymous and you can participate by responding to the poll located in the upper right hand corner of the blog. Please let us know your thoughts.

IPM Survey
Do you practice IPM and if not, what is the main reason why?

1. I'm currently using IPM.
2. I'm unsure about what IPM is.
3. I'm unsure how to get started with an IPM program.
4. An IPM program doesn't fit into our management strategy.
5. I think our budget would not support an IPM program.
6. Our current staffing levels don't support an IPM program.

Select your answer by using the poll in the upper right hand corner of the blog.

So why did we choose to discuss this topic? Well, the “Green” movement has been hard to escape. It seems that you notice it everywhere you turn and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. As an example consider the use of the word “Green”. Each year Lake Superior State University publishes a list of the most used and abused words and phrases that they feel should be banished from the English language. In 2009 “Green” and “Going-green” received the most nominations.

In case you’re interested the 2010 list includes: shovel-ready, transparency, czar, tweet, app, “friend” as a verb, teachable moment, in these economic times, stimulus, toxic assets, too big to fail, bromance, chillaxin, and the use of Obama-as a prefix… Obamanomics, Obamanation, Obamafication, Obamacare, Obamalicious, Obamaland, and Obamanough.

In our presentation we will discuss what IPM is and how it applies to turfgrass management. We will highlight and walk you through the new IPM Planning Guide developed by the Environmental institute for Golf. This guide can be used as a resource to development and implement IPM at your facility. Brett will also provide specific examples of practices IPM practices that he uses on his golf course.

We hope to see you at conference next week!