Woodlands Golf Club The sandbelt™s unique siblingWoodlands Golf Club The sandbelt™s unique siblingFirm and fast Royal2011 Presidents Cup reviewFirm and fast RoyalResearchGolf course benchmarkingMowing heights and water useResearchGolf course benchmarkingMowing heights and water useWorking in ‚harmony™The new WHS Act and what               it means for turfiesWorking in ‚harmony™JOURNALwww.agcsa.com.auWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 14.1 JAN-FEB 2012ISSN 1442-2697

ƒPythium, Dollar Spot, Brown Patch, Anthracnose, ERI and Helmo Complex and more. Syngenta Crop Protection Pty Limited, Level 1, 2-4 Lyonpark Road, Macquarie Park NSW 2113. ABN 33 002 933 717. ® Registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Ž Trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. All products written in uppercase are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. AD11-294.The only fungicide that controls and  prevents all major turf diseases ƒ in one.Simple Solution  to the ERI ComplexTo ˜nd your nearest Syngenta agent go to www.greencast.com.au/au/agent-contact-detailsAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     1SUBSCRIPTION FORMSUBSCRIPTION FORMI wish to apply for:One year™s subscription 
to Australian Turfgrass 
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PLEASE TICK BOXONE COPY PER EDITION $55.00 O/S ONE COPY PER EDITION $95.00Prices include GST.Winner of 31 awards at the TOCA International Communicators Contest 2006 - 20112011 Open ChampionshipRoyal St George™s flies the flag2011 Open ChampionshipRoyal St George™s flies the flagMetricon measures upGold Coast Suns™ home turf shinesMetricon measures upGold Coast Suns™ home turf shinesBaja beautyMexico™s El Dorado  Golf and Beach ClubBaja beautyMexico™s El Dorado  Golf and Beach Club2011 AGCSA and Sports Turf AwardsFrank Dempsey, Phil Ford, Colin Morrison, Troy MacLaren, Tim Fankhauser, Dan Oswin and Rebecca Dynon2011 AGCSA and Sports Turf AwardsFrank Dempsey, Phil Ford, Colin Morrison, Troy MacLaren, 
Tim Fankhauser, Dan Oswin and Rebecca Dynonwww.agcsa.com.auISSN 1442-2697WINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 13.4 JUL-AUG 2011State of disasterQueensland™s summer of destructionState of disasterQueensland™s summer of destructionWarringah 10 years onWhat haven™t we learned?Warringah 10 years onWhat haven™t we learned?JOURNALwww.agcsa.com.auWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2010 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2010 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 13.2 MAR-APR 2011ISSN 1442-2697WINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AARDS AT THE 2010 WARDS AT THE 2010 WTOCAINTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWWWARDS AT THE 2010 WARDS AT THE 2010 WARDS AT THE 2010 WWWARDS AT THE 2010 WWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWWWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2010 ARDS AT THE 2010 ARDS AT THE 2010 ARDS AT THE 2010 WARDS AT THE 2010 WARDS AT THE 2010 WARDS AT THE 2010 ARDS AT THE 2010 ARDS AT THE 2010 WARDS AT THE 2010 TOTOTOTOCCCCACAAAAAIIIINTERNATIONAL COMMUNINTERNATIONAL COMMUNINTERNATIONAL COMMUNINTERNATIONAL COMMUNICCCCATORS CONTESTCATORS CONTESTATORS CONTESTATORS CONTESTATORS CONTESTATORS CONTESTOfficial Guide27th Australian Turfgrass Conference and Trade ExhibitionAdelaide13-17 June 201127th Australian 
Turfgrass ConferenceYour guide to Adelaide 201127th 
Australian 
Turfgrass ConferenceYour guide to Adelaide 2011South Australian spotlightKooyonga, Adelaide Shores, Riverside, AAMI Stadium,The GrangeSouth Australian spotlightKooyonga, Adelaide Shores, Riverside, AAMI Stadium,The GrangeCleaning up ChristchurchNZ turfies rally after quakeCleaning up ChristchurchNZ turfies rally after quakeResearchWarm-season turf adaptationManaging water repellencyResearchWarm-season turf adaptationManaging water repellencyPicture perfectSanctuary Cove™s new-look Palms coursePicture perfectSanctuary Cove™s new-look Palms coursewww.agcsa.com.auWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2010 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 13.3 MAY-JUN 2011ISSN 1442-2697WINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 WTOCAINTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWWWARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 WWWARDS AT THE 2011 WWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWWWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 ARDS AT THE 2011 ARDS AT THE 2011 ARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 ARDS AT THE 2011 ARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 TOTOTOTOCCCCACAAAAAIIIINTERNATIONAL COMMUNINTERNATIONAL COMMUNINTERNATIONAL COMMUNINTERNATIONAL COMMUNICCCCATORS CONTESTCATORS CONTESTATORS CONTESTATORS CONTESTATORS CONTESTATORS CONTESTResearchBentgrass variety trialsOrganic matter dilution
Native patch diseasesResearchBentgrass variety trials
Organic matter dilution
Native patch diseases2011 Rugby World CupKiwi curators take centre stage2011 Rugby 
World CupKiwi curators take centre stagewww.agcsa.com.auWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 13.5 SEP-OCT 2011ISSN 1442-2697WINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 WTOCAINTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWWWARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 WWWARDS AT THE 2011 WWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWINNER OF 8 AWWWWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 ARDS AT THE 2011 ARDS AT THE 2011 ARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 ARDS AT THE 2011 ARDS AT THE 2011 WARDS AT THE 2011 TOTOTOTOCCCCACAAAAAIIIINTERNATIONAL COMMUNINTERNATIONAL COMMUNINTERNATIONAL COMMUNINTERNATIONAL COMMUNICCCCATORS CONTESTCATORS CONTESTATORS CONTESTATORS CONTESTATORS CONTESTATORS CONTESTPresidential credentialsRoyal Melbourne™s remarkable renaissancePresidential 
credentialsRoyal Melbourne™s remarkable renaissanceDavis Cup Royal Sydney serves up a thrillerDavis Cup Royal Sydney serves up a thrillerFuture-proofingIs your club keeping up with the times?Future-proofingIs your club keeping up with the times?Presidential Presidential Presidential Presidential Presidential www.agcsa.com.auWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 13.6 NOV-DEC 2011ISSN 1442-2697ORDERS CAN BE MADE SECURELY ONLINE THROUGH www.agcsa.com.auName: .............................................................................................................................................Company: ........................................................................................................................................Postal Address: ...............................................................................................................................
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Address: .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Signature:. ...............................................Funds have been paid by electronic transfer to Westpac BSB 033 380 Acc 385360Please send me more information about becoming an AGCSA memberForward to: Australian Turfgrass Management Suite 1, Monash Corporate Centre, 752 Blackburn Road Clayton, VIC 3168 FAX: (03) 9548 8622  Australian Turfgrass ManagementPublished by:Australian Golf Course Superintendents' AssociationABN 96 053 205 888Production:Editor:  Brett Robinson Ph:(03) 9548 8600 brett@agcsa.com.auArt Direction & Design: Jo Corne Ph: (03) 9548 8600
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P: (03) 9548 8600  F: (03) 9548 8622E: info@agcsa.com.au   
W: www.agcsa.com.auAGCSA BoardPresident:  Allan DevlinDirectors:  Darren Wilson Tony Fogarty Peter LonerganGeneral Manager 
Peter Frewin
peter@agcsa.com.auEvents and Education ManagerSimone Staples
simone@agcsa.com.auBusiness Relationship Manager
Melissa Wallace
melissa@agcsa.com.auMembership and AdministrationLyndel Conwayinfo@agcsa.com.auAdministrationAllison Jenkins
admin@agcsa.com.auAccountsPhilip Horsburgh
philip@agcsa.com.auAGCSATechAndrew Peart and John Geary
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jgeary@agcsa.com.auHR & Best Practice ManagerDaryl Sellar
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the AGCSA.SUBSCRIBE NOW2     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTCONTENTSCONTENTSCOVER: Woodlands Golf Club: The approach on the 10th hole at Woodlands Golf Club. Woodlands will host the Australian Amateur Championships in mid-January.Photo: Gary Lisbon (golfphotos.com.au) COVER: Woodlands Golf Club The sandbelt™s unique siblingWoodlands Golf Club The sandbelt™s unique siblingFirm and fast Royal2011 Presidents Cup reviewFirm and fast RoyalResearchGolf course benchmarkingMowing heights and water useResearchGolf course benchmarkingMowing heights and water useWorking in ‚harmony™The new WHS Act and what               it means for turfiesWorking in ‚harmony™JOURNALwww.agcsa.com.auWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 14.1 JAN-FEB 2012ISSN 1442-2697FEATURESRoyal firm and fast for all the Presidents men 12 Royal Melbourne Golf Club™s firm and fast Composite Course may not have provided the home town advantage the International Team was hoping for, but it certainly left a lasting impression 
on the players, PGA Tour officials, media and the 
huge galleries that flocked to watch the world™s best 
players go head-to-head last November. ATM editor Brett Robinson looks back on a hugely successful 
Presidents Cup and takes an inside look at what 
went into preparing Royal Melbourne for the event.Open season at The Lakes 22With a star-studded field lining up for the 2011 
Emirates Australian Open, all eyes were on The 
Lakes Golf Club as it kick started the tournament 
season in November. Course superintendent Russell Fletcher and his crew didn™t disappoint in their 
second year preparing the course for the event.Frewin finding his feet 24Last November, former Barwon Heads Golf Club superintendent and past AGCSA president 
Peter Frewin started as the association™s new general manager. ATM quizzes the 2009 AGCSA Distinguished Service Award recipient about his new 
role and plans for the association moving forward.Harmonisation on the horizon 28Occupational health and safety expert Steve Wait 
looks at the Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Act due to come into force in 2012 and asks just 
what it will mean for superintendents and turf 
managers.AGCSATECH UPDATEUp to the mark 34The AGCSATech team presents preliminary findings from the one-year Horticulture Australia Limited-
funded golf course benchmarking study (HAL 
Project TU11003) which got underway in September 2011.COVER STORY: Woodlands Œ The sandbelt™s unique sibling 6 Woodlands Golf Club is regarded as one of the Melbourne sandbelt™s most underrated courses. Its 
small greens and strategic nature make it one of the most challenging layouts around, while its stunning 
and diverse flora and fauna showcase the true biodiversity benefits that golf courses can offer. ATM catches up with Rod Tatt who is nearing his third year as course superintendent at Woodlands and looks ahead to what is set to be a busy tournament season for the club.TIME FOR WATER QUALITY TESTING! Let us provide you with a truly independent water quality report Send samples toPh. 03 9548 8600Fax. 03 9548 8622Email. andrew@agcsa.com.auEmail. jgeary@agcsa.com.auSuite 1, Monash Corporate Centre752 Blackburn RoadClayton 3168 VicTechAnalytical, Diagnostic and Consultancy ServicesAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     3      Contributors to Australian Turfgrass Management JournalVolume 14.1 (January-February 2012) Louise Barton (University of Western Australia); Tim Bilston (Heidelberg GC); Grant Bunting (NZGCSA); Chris Chapman 
(STA NSW); Tim Colmer (University of Western Australia); 
Russell Fletcher (The Lakes GC); Richard Forsyth (Royal 
Melbourne GC); Peter Frewin (AGCSA); Stephen Gaze 
(Wollongong GC); John Geary (AGCSATech); Steven Hewitt 
(VGCSA); Matthew Holmes (Turf Australia); Brent Hull (Moruya 
GC); Danny Hull (STA ACT Region); Jyri Kaapro (Bayer); Mark 
Lewis (Margaret River GC); Gary Lisbon (golfphotos.com.
au); Peter Lonergan (Coolangatta & Tweed Heads GC); Ian 
McKendry (STANZ); Craig Molloy (NSWGCSA); Dr Brett Morris 
(Brisbane GC); Andrew Peart (AGCSATech); Matt Roche 
(DEEDI); Des Russell (GCSAWA); Mark Schroder (Liverpool 
GC); Sam Sherriff (SAGCSA); Luke Spartalis (Royal Melbourne 
GC); Jay Spor l (US PGA); Rod Tatt (Woodlands GC); Wayne 
Tickle (Ballina GC); Nathan Tovey (TGAA VIC); Scott Trembath 
(Darwin GC); and Steve Wait (Safetee Pro).I™m used to getting told off. It comes with the territory being married to a passionate Greek lass and being a humble member of the less fairer sex. But at the recent Presidents Cup, one (deserved) bollocking came straight out of left field. Chatting away with Royal Melbourne turf technician Luke Spartalis about his side of operations for the tournament, young apprentice Nathan Maloney wandered over after he had finished mowing fairways late on Friday afternoon. Having taken some photos of him and the rest of the fairway crew in action that afternoon, I suspected he was coming across to enquire whether I could send him some shots.Instead, he proceeded to give me a serve about driving on fairways with the Workman, something which had been explicitly stated as a hanging offence by Royal Melbourne 
course superintendent Richard Forsyth during the morning staff meetings. Without realising 
it at the time, when I had finished taking some snaps of the fairway units in action, I had jumped back in the utility and turned a tad too sharply leaving a slight tear mark in the 
Legend couchgrass not far from the landing zone on 18 West (10 Composite). (And this 
after having hit a stake as well Œ amateur!) Nathan, however, spotted my indiscretion and went back over the patch with the Reelmaster to make sure there wasn™t any evidence which could possibly show up on TV. To Nathan™s credit he was spot on in pulling me up and it just went to show the level of attention to detail that all the staff and volunteers had in the lead-up to and during the 
tournament. It also made me think with a quiet chuckle as I walked back to the media tent 
that you are never too old to learn and to be put in your place every now and then doesn™t 
hurt. (Incidentally, I™m sure the certain member of the RMGC crew who managed to park 
a Flex 21 in the greenside bunker on 4 West (2 Composite) while mowing the fescue 
surrounds before one of the practice rounds would also have received similar learned advice 
from the 10 or so colleagues who happened to witness his finest moment!)The day before that little encounter with Nathan I was sitting across from Richard just as the crew spilled out of the maintenance facility shortly after 6.30am to prep the course ahead 
of the opening day™s foursomes matches. When I asked him about the state of the greens and how the immediate lead-up had gone, it was interesting to hear one of the industry™s 
most experienced and respected superintendents admit that a week out from the event he 
was fidistressedfl about the appearance of the famed Suttons mix greens. As you will read 
in this edition™s review of The Presidents Cup, if he had his time again there would be one 
thing he would have done differently, which again shows that even with more than 30 years 
in the turf management business under the belt you can never stop learning.Despite that, you could not fault the exceptional conditioning of Royal Melbourne for The Presidents Cup and perhaps visiting PGA Tour agronomist Jay Sporl, who we also interview 
in this edition, summed it up best: fiWe had four different days with four different conditions 
and on each day the conditioning of the golf course was championship calibre. I would put 
(Royal Melbourne) up against any of the Major venues this past year Πthe conditions were 
just outstanding and the greens in particular were stellar.fl  Finally, I would like to say a heartfelt thanks to those who emailed, called or SMS™d after it was announced that I had picked up the Tom Ramsey Award at the annual Australian Golf Media Awards in November. The story ATM featured in Volume 13.1 on Cottesloe Golf Club superintendent Simon Bourne was judged the best out of all the 12 category winners on the night and it was indeed very humbling to be presented the award by former 
Herald Sun editor Bruce Baskett. Enjoy the read...Brett Robinson, EditorNever too old to learnnight and it was indeed very humbling to be presented the award by former Herald Brett OPINIONGreat expectations 40 With all the major tournaments on at this time of year Πincluding the 2011 Presidents Cup ΠThe 
Pulse asks superintendents whether they have 
found it harder to manage the expectations of 
their members and committees?RESEARCHUWA, DEEDI and Bayer 46 In this edition™s wrap of local turfgrass research, 
ATM features work from the University of Western Australia looking at the influence of mowing 
heights on water use, updates the status of 
the Redland™s ‚living library™ turf collection and 
reviews the inaugural Bayer turf and ornamental 
research field day held at Cobbity.TURF PRODUCERSGrass roots of the industry 62Turf Australia industry development manager Matthew Holmes reviews the current structure 
of the Australian turf production industry, which 
kicks off a new section in ATM highlighting news and issues relating to turf producers.Also in this edition–Foreword Thinking 4Tech Talk Œ Greens quality 38Regional Profile Œ Moruya Golf Club, NSW 50News 54Around the Trade 58AGCSA Book Shop 60State Reports 64 LOOKING FOR GREENKEEPING STAFF?Advertise on the AGCSA website - the Australian turf industry™s LEADING online job resourcePost your job online now at www.agcsa.com.au/jobs or email info@agcsa.com.au4     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTFOREWORD THINKINGFOREWORD THINKINGPETER FREWIN, GENERAL MANAGER, AGCSAThis is my first Foreword Thinking in the role of AGCSA general manager and while some may 
think it strange I would like to devote the first few paragraphs to reflecting on the past rather than 
looking forward. Not many people were aware I had applied for the position (not even my wife, but that is another 
story!) as I wanted to keep it quiet Πthe turf industry grapevine usually works faster than the Internet. As 
most would be aware I have history with the AGCSA, 
being a past president and board member, and I was in two minds whether this was an advantage 
or not. Having come through the interview process 
I think it was a slight advantage, but like many who 
have not been involved in an employment interview 
for some time, it was a daunting experience. The 
one lesson I did learn from the process was that we 
should all keep our resumes up to date Πyou never 
know when that dream job may be advertised!My tenure as AGCSA general manager began in early November 2011 and to say that the first 
few weeks were a bit of whirlwind would be an 
understatement Πlots to read up on and get up to 
speed with Πbut having an understanding of how 
the association worked made it slightly easier. The 
other thing in my favour in those initial weeks was 
the support of the AGCSA staff.At this point I would also like to say a few words regarding my predecessor John Neylan. Most 
would be aware that I was involved in his original 
appointment at the AGCSA, an appointment that I 
am certainly proud to have been involved in. It is a testament to his professionalism and ability that the 
association has been able to run for a considerable 
period without someone having a hand on the 
rudder. During John™s tenure at the AGCSA he has assembled a hardworking group that attend to their 
duties in a competent and attentive manner. The systems that John has put in place have made my 
transition to the position very easy. We hope John 
will not be lost as a resource to the AGCSA, but 
thank him for the hard work and guidance he has 
given the association over the past 11 years.During the time between John™s departure and my arrival, the AGCSA staff were ably led 
by president Allan Devlin. During this period the 
AGCSA board also underwent some changes with 
a few new faces coming on board Œ Peter Lonergan (Coolangatta & Tweed Heads Golf Club), Tony Fogarty (Club Catalina Country Club) and Darren Wilson (Wembley Golf Complex). The new board™s 
introduction came at a very difficult time and I cannot speak highly enough of the way they have 
conducted themselves during this time.Looking ahead, planning is well underway for the Australian Turfgrass Conference to be held in Melbourne from 4-8 June 2012. The Melbourne event 
in the past has been the largest on the conference 
roster and 2012 is shaping up as another great 
event, especially with the addition of the International Summit of superintendent associations to be held in 
the lead-up. As in the past, allied associations will be 
involved and the speaking line-up is almost finalised. An honour to be able to serve this great associationI would like to thank everyone for the support I have received following my appointment. I am honoured to be able to serve the association.||AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     5AGCSAMEMBERSHIPAGCSA MEMBERSHIPThis year there will be some minor changes to the format and we hope that these add to the event, if 
not you can all blame the new guy!The AGCSATech team continues to be busy with the bentgrass evaluation project (HAL Project 
TU08002) moving towards completion and two 
other key industry projects also starting in recent 
times. The first of these projects Πthe biodiversity 
benefit and carbon footprint of golf courses Πwill 
have a significant bearing on the way things are 
done in the future. This is a three-year project being 
undertaken in conjunction with the University of Melbourne. This project is aimed at identifying the 
‚non-golf™ benefits of golf courses including carbon 
sequestration and the biodiversity elements of flora 
and fauna. The second of these projects is a golf course benchmarking study which will assist clubs by 
providing a foundation for consistent decision 
making by staff, management and committees in 
matters relating to their particular playing surfaces. 
A part of this process is for the club to set ‚course 
quality objectives™ for the playing surfaces against 
which its performance and budget can be measured. In developing course quality objectives the principal aim is to establish criteria that will assist golf 
courses to better understand what is sustainable for 
their facility. This study will run for one year with nine clubs (of varying standard) in Melbourne initially 
involved and a snapshot of three clubs in Sydney 
and Brisbane also being undertaken.Both of these projects will be of great significance for our industry and progress on each 
of these will be regularly updated in Australian 
Turfgrass Management Journal as well as on the Australian Golf Environment Initiative website http://
environment.agcsa.com.au (see this edition™s AGCSATech Update Œ pages 34-36 Œ for the first 
update on the benchmarking project - Ed).In closing, I would like to thank everyone for the support I have received following the announcement 
of my appointment as AGCSA general manager. I am honoured to be able to serve the association 
and I hope that I am up to the task. Please feel free 
to contact me on 0418 593 072 or peter@agcsa.
com.au should you have any issues or suggestions.
Feedback, whether positive or negative, is always welcome.I trust the weather gods are helpful in the coming months and I looking forward to catching up 
when our paths next cross. AUSTRALIAN GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS™ ASSOCIATIONMEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORMHelping superintendents and their staff to achieve the best possible playing surfaces and adjacent environment within the limitations of the available resourcesSurname: ...............................................First Name:..........................................................Preferred Mailing Address: .................................................................................................City/Suburb: ...........................................State: .................................Postcode: .................Position: .............................................................................................................................
Club/Organisation: .............................................................................................................
Phone: Landline:   ..............................................................................................................              
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Phone: 03 9548 8600  Fax: 03 9548 8622  Email: info@agcsa.com.auAGCSA MEMBERSHIPSuperintendent ..........................................................................................................$339Assistant Superintendent. ..........................................................................................$292
Ground Staff/Foreman/Irrigation Technician/3IC/Arborist. ........................................$145Sports Turf Manager...................................................................................................$292
Consultant ..................................................................................................................$339
International . .............................................................................................................$195
Trade ..........................................................................................................................$292
Retired ........................................................................................................................$130STATE MEMBERSHIP NSW - New South Wales Golf Course Superintendents Association  .......................$88 QLD - Golf Course Superintendents Association of Queensland ..............................$88 
SA - South Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association ............................. $75 TAS - Tasmania Golf Course Superintendents Association........................................$60  WA - Golf Course Superintendents Association of Western Australia .....................$110
VIC - Victorian Golf Course Superintendents Association .............Please call 9645 4394 THE NEXT GENERATION (STUDENT MEMBERSHIP)Australian Turf Industry Apprentice/Student ............................................................FREEFor superintendents and two or more staff joining AGCSA, a discounted membership rate may be available. For further information send your list of names and positions to info@agcsa.com.au6     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTWoodlands Golf Club is regarded as one of the Melbourne sandbelt™s most underrated courses. Its small greens and strategic nature make it one of the most challenging layouts around, while its stunning and diverse flora and fauna showcase the true biodiversity benefits that golf courses afford. ATM editor Brett Robinson catches up with Rod Tatt who is in his third year as course superintendent at Woodlands and looks ahead to what is set to be a busy few months for the club.Ever since it was founded in 1913, Woodlands Golf Club, or Mordialloc Golf Club as it was then known as, has developed a reputation among Melbourne golfing circles as one of the 
sandbelt™s most unique and cherished layouts. As 
the club™s modern marketing catchphrase proudly 
proclaims, Woodlands is a course that is finaturally 
invitingfl and although short by modern standards, 
it is the huge amount of character that makes the 
course not only one of the most appealing to play, 
but also one of the most  appealing to maintain.Darius Oliver, in his 2007 book ‚Australia™s Finest Golf Courses™ succinctly sums up the Woodlands 
appeal: fiThe great variety at Woodlands makes it 
one of our most enjoyable classic golf courses and 
the playing surfaces are always superb.fl Over the years Woodlands has also gained a reputation as having some of the firmest, fastest 
and trickiest greens on the sandbelt and in 2009, 
following a period of significant movement within the 
industry, up and coming course superintendent Rod Tatt was given the chance to keep that tradition alive.Becoming a sandbelt superintendent at the age of 36 was testament to Tatt™s greenkeeping skills which he had developed during the previous 12 
years at Cranbourne Golf Club. Now, more than two years into the role at Woodlands, Tatt is slowly but surely leaving his mark, making subtle yet significant 
changes to add to the character and aesthetics of 
the course and its environs.REALISING A DREAMArriving at Woodlands in the spring of 2009 was the 
fulfilment of a long-held desire by Tatt to work on the Melbourne sandbelt, one which formed during his 
days as an apprentice and member of the Victoria 
Golf Club pennant team. Tatt™s introduction to golf came through his uncle Chris Tatt who for a number of years was one of the best amateur exponents 
in the state. Playing for the Victorian side as well 
as being a three-time club champion at Victoria, it 
wasn™t surprising that other members of his family 
were drawn into the game.And so it proved for his young nephew, who at the age of 12 found himself hitting balls down 
at Bacchus Marsh West Golf Club, not far from the 10,000-head sheep farm where he grew up on. After 
finishing high school and having developed a pretty 
handy swing, Tatt volunteered at the golf club and was ultimately offered an apprenticeship.During his apprenticeship, Tatt got down to a one handicap and duly joined Victoria Golf Club 
where he was elevated to the Division 1 Pennant 
side, following in the footsteps of his uncle. Playing 
Melbourne™s elite sandbelt courses on a regular 
basis whetted the appetite of the young turf manager 
and after finishing his apprenticeship set his sights 
on gaining employment on a sandbelt course.The break Tatt was looking for came while working at Victoria in the lead-up to the Victorian 
Open one year. A job was advertised at Cranbourne What Woodlands Golf Club lacks in length off the tee, it more than makes up for in character, making it not only one of the most appealing courses to play but also one of the most appealing to maintainThe sandbelt™ssiblinguniqueTheuniqueWOODLANDSWOODLANDSAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     7Golf Club in Melbourne™s south east and he was fortunate enough to get the nod. Tatt spent five years as a member of the crew and after a brief three-
month period as assistant superintendent took over 
as course superintendent when incumbent Steven 
Hughes left to head to Peninsula Country Golf Club 
in Frankston.Tatt would end up spending eight valuable years in charge and a total of 12 years at Cranbourne, a 
period where he was able to hone his superintendent 
skill set and prepare himself for what would ultimately 
be the next big step in his career. That came in 2008 when Jim Porter™s resignation as superintendent at Royal Melbourne Golf Club 
triggered a veritable chain reaction of movement 
within the Melbourne superintendent community.
Richard Forsyth moved across from Metropolitan 
to replace Porter, while the position he vacated at 
Metropolitan was filled by Glenn Stuart. That left 
Woodlands Golf Club looking for a new course 
superintendent midway through 2009 and Tatt didn™t hesitate putting his name forward.fiI have been lucky enough to travel a bit and see some of the world™s great courses and it™s then 
that you get a real appreciation of how great the 
Melbourne sandbelt courses are,fl reflects Tatt. fiI guess when the Woodlands job came up I jumped at the chance to apply because it was where I had wanted to be all along and also because the course 
is one of a kind.fiI really enjoyed my time at Cranbourne and it was a great course on which to develop my skills. It was very hands on and you got to deal with a range 
of issues. But after 12 years there I certainly felt I was ready for the next challenge and seeing where 
I fitted within the industry. Woodlands just felt right 
from the word go, even when I sent my application 
in, and I was over the moon when I got the position. Two years have gone by very quickly and I feel like part of the furniture already!flThe appeal of Woodlands was two-fold for Tatt. As a former pennant golfer (and still a very handy 
single figure handicapper these days) Tatt had long admired Woodland™s strategic and challenging 
layout, in particular the small, firm and tricky greens 
which it is renowned for. However, it was the setting 
of the course and the incredible diversity of flora and 
fauna that really struck a chord with Tatt.fiWoodlands is such a unique place compared to the other sandbelt courses,fl says Tatt. fiIt™s just a very pleasant place to be. You can walk out on the 
course in the mornings and feel like you are miles 
away from suburbia.  The remnant vegetation, like 
the river red gums and manna gums, is so good 
here and there is an abundance of bird life. We still 
have a lot of work to do around the course, but the 
vegetation is certainly one of the features that sets 
Woodlands apart and is something that we are 
focusing very heavily on.flIMPROVING PLAYABILITY AND COURSE AESTHETICSTatt arrived at Woodlands at a time when the club was in the midst of a multi-million dollar refurbishment of 
the clubhouse. Tatt was immediately thrust into the construction of a new practice putter (which, 
unlike the rest of the greens, was built to USGA 
specifications) as well as the associated landscaping 
of the clubhouse surrounds and revegetating areas 
surrounding the greenside bunkers on 18. With that work complete, the next major project Tatt tackled was the progressive oversowing of Santa ana into the existing native couch fairways. After a 12-year stint at Cranbourne Golf Club, including 
eight years as superintendent, Rod 
Tatt was appointed superintendent 
at Woodlands Golf Club in 2009. 
Tatt is pictured standing in front 
of the 13th hole carry, one of four 
carries to be rejuvenated as part 
of ongoing re-veg works  Woodlands is one of 13 golf clubs in Melbourne to be a part 
of a biodiversity and carbon 
benefit study being undertaken 
by the University of Melbourne in 
conjunction with the AGCSAPHOTOS: BRETT ROBINSONPHOTOS: BRETT ROBINSON8     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAlthough Woodlands was one of the early pioneers in converting its fairways to couchgrass back in 
the 1980s, 20 years on and the native couch was 
starting to exhibit some shortcomings, especially 
when put up against the newer hybrid couchgrasses 
which many of its sandbelt rivals had adopted.The primary issue was the length of time for the native couch to come out of winter dormancy, so 
starting in September 2010 the club bit the bullet and made the call to line-plant Santa ana. The back 
nine was done that spring and this past September 
contractors Lawn and Turf Maintenance returned to do the front nine. The results to date have 
been excellent and with particularly good rains last 
season some areas of the back nine fairways are 
almost 100 per cent Santa ana. In addition to the Santa ana, Tatt is also experimenting with oversowing fine fescue into the 
couch fairways and currently has a section of the 
2nd fairway being used as a trial site. To date the fescue is performing beautifully and is something 
that the club is monitoring closely.  fiThe club had oversown a couple tees with fescue before I started here, so we are really just following on from that work,fl says Tatt. fiThere are a lot of issues here with shade, especially on tees 
and the edges of fairways where the couch really 
struggles not only through the dormancy period but 
all year round. The fescue complements the couch 
very well in those areas and provides a great surface 
through winter.flOutside improving the consistency and playability of the Woodlands turf surfaces Πwhich 
has also been aided by the club signing a new 
five year lease agreement with Toro last July Πone area that Tatt has also focused resources on is revegetation works. Already one of the key features of the course and with such a strong base from which to build 
on, Tatt saw some relatively simple and inexpensive 
improvements that could be made which would 
have a significant impact on course aesthetics. The carries from tee to fairway on some holes were an 
obvious starting point and over the past 18 months 
holes 4, 6, 9 and 13 have been rejuvenated. That work saw the removal of unsightly Parramatta grass 
and South African lovegrass and the planting of 
indigenous species such as wallaby grass, kangaroo 
grass, spear grass and a host of other native plants. fiThe vegetation is one area where we can make good ground,fl says Tatt, who has also recently employed the services of a full-time horticulturalist 
Kate George to assist in this area. fiObviously the 
playing surfaces are your number one priority, but 
the vegetation is what sets this golf course apart and 
makes it so enjoyable to play. fiIf you look at what other superintendents have done with their re-veg work, like Ian (Todd) at Victoria, it™s amazing how different and how much 
better a golf course looks when you spend a bit of 
time and effort on these areas. By concentrating on 
the carries here at Woodlands we can make such a 
difference to the course. We did the 13th first and 
now when you stand back on the tee and look down 
the fairway it just frames the hole beautifully.flAlthough Woodlands was one of the early pioneers following on from that work,fl says Tatt. fiTatt. fiTThere are WOODLANDSWOODLANDSAfter pioneering the conversion of its fairways to couchgrass back in the 1980s, in 2010 and 2011 Woodlands line-planted its existing native couch fairways with Santa anaImpressive stands of river red gums and manna gums at Woodlands is one of the club™s prime assets and helps to set it apart from many of its sandbelt neighboursAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     9In keeping with the push to improve the course™s environmental credentials, Woodlands has also put its hand up to be part of a three-year biodiversity 
and carbon benefit study being carried out by the 
University of Melbourne and the AGCSA.fiWe are very excited about that project,fl admits Tatt. fiOver the past 12 months we have had TreeLogic update its survey and management plan of the 
trees and vegetation on the course, while Practical 
Ecology has also updated its flora and fauna study, 
so we have a lot of good documentation which the 
research team will be able to use. It is certainly a great initiative and it will be interesting to see what 
comes out of the project.flGREEN VISIONSWhile the line-planting and re-veg work have kept 
Tatt busy, there is one project that he would really like to tackle, but given the significant investment in 
the clubhouse redevelopment recently it could be a 
few years away.The Woodlands greens were converted to Penncross in the late 1980s, but rather than ripping 
the profile up the existing turf was sprayed out and 
the Penncross sown into the existing thatch player. 
Twenty-plus years later and not surprisingly Tatt now has some significant organic matter accumulation 
issues to deal with, a problem which was exacerbated 
by the club™s decision not to renovate greens for a 
period of time.  As a result, the old enemy Poa annua is becoming increasingly difficult to keep out, especially with the small size of the greens and the 
high volume of traffic (Woodlands entertains about 
55,000 rounds per year). fiTrying to keep Poa annua out and keeping the bentgrass healthy in order to provide a quality 
surface 12 months of the year is certainly a challenge 
here,fl says Tatt. fiTo manage the thatch we are getting back on a regular renovation programme 
and constantly monitoring our organic matter levels. fiI guess we are like any other club with greens this age that have developed a thatch layer over the 
years. What makes it hard for us is that our greens 
are comparatively small and we get a lot of play, 
so we have it all against is in trying to keep out the 
toughest weed in the world. The other problem is While likely to be a few years away, Tatt is hopeful the club 
will approve a greens resurfacing 
programme to help eliminate 
organic matter issues and remove 
the existing Poa seedbank in the 
greensThis summer condition your turf for optimum performanceLiquid Turfgrass Plant ConditionersFor your nearest stockist please contact Barmac Pty Ltd17 Machinery St, Darra QLD 4076 | P: 07 3727 3000 | W: www.barmac.com.auWhen toughness is important for your turf to cope with wear and stress.When roots and shoots need to be stimulated.You cannot have excellent turf without the essentials.When green is just not green enough.Deter pathogens and strengthen your turfgrass.10     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTthat there is a huge Poa seedbank in the greens and the only way to remove that is to rip up the profile.fiWe have had discussions with the Board, but with the recent clubhouse work it is something that will be in the long-term. Ideally I would re-profile the greens, but we would certainly keep the natural push-
up greens because they are unique to Woodlands 
and provide very firm and hard conditions.fl With that project potentially on the horizon, Tatt has been doing his homework on the newer bentgrass varieties to have hit the market. What has 
also expedited that interest is the construction of a 
new 19th hole at Woodlands in the coming months, 
which will provide the opportunity for Tatt to road test one the new creeping bentgrasses. The club™s 
appointed course architect Tom Doak has drawn up designs for the new short par three hole which 
will be opened in time for the club™s centenary 
celebrations in 2013.  The new hole will be located in the northwest corner of the property, just behind the 10th and 
16th greens, which contains a nice stand of river 
red gums. Shaping is due to start in the New Year and grassing in autumn, but even when ATM caught up with Tatt in November the jury was still out as to which bentgrass variety would get the nod. fiYou can really take your pick with the lot of them,fl says Tatt. fiI like Mackenzie at this stage, but Authority is good as well. It really comes down to 
doing a bit more study and seeing what would suit 
Woodlands better. We want a grass that overwinters 
really well, that holds density through that time of 
year and, of course, doesn™t get too thatchy. Shade 
tolerance is also another factor because if we do 
resurface the greens we have a number which are 
shade-affected.flTOURNAMENT FOCUSWhile the new 19th hole is set to provide a welcome 
distraction from the everyday grooming of the 
course, the main focus for Tatt and his crew this season has and will continue to be on the hectic 
schedule of events that the club has signed up for. Following the club championships which teed off in October, Woodlands hosted one of the richest 
one-day Pro-Am events at the start of Presidents 
Cup week in mid-November. The inaugural $50,000 
Betstar Melbourne Golf Invitational, the brainchild 
of former AFL player turned sports promoter Corey 
McKernan, attracted some of Australia™s leading 
players as well as the mercurial John Daly. Early in the New Year Woodlands will be in the thick of the action again when it plays secondary host 
alongside Spring Valley Golf Club (superintendent 
Hayden Mead) for the combined Men™s and 
Women™s Victorian Opens. A fortnight later it will 
be the principal host for the 2012 Australia Men™s 
and Women™s Amateur Championships from 17-22 
January (Huntingdale Golf Club Πsuperintendent Michael Freeman Πwill also be a secondary host). 
Then, just to keep Tatt and his crew on their toes, Woodlands has decided to bring forward its 2012 
club championships to February. (Incidentally, the club is also seeking support form Golf Australia in 
hosting the 2014 Australian Women™s Open).The Australian Amateur Championships are Australia™s most prestigious and oldest amateur 
golf championships, both having been played since 
1894. Woodlands got a taste of the event last year 
when it was co-host alongside Victoria Golf Club, 
while in 2005, for the championship™s centenary, it 
was co-host alongside Royal Melbourne.fiWe are looking forward to hosting the Amateur and the changes they have made will certainly make 
it a better spectacle,fl says Tatt. fiOur preparations for the Melbourne Golf Invitational went well and we had 
some great feedback on the course. We should be 
able to hold that conditioning through until the major 
events in January and into the club championships. fiThe greens can be a little bit difficult to hold up for a period of time with the thatch issues that 
we have and also keeping the Poa in check. We are 
looking at putting out an application of Nominee which we have been doing some trial work with, 
which so far has produced some promising results. 
But, it™s Poa annua so no doubt it will find a way to beat us.flFACT FILE - WOODLANDS GOLF CLUBFounded: 1913.Designed by: Rowley Banks and Sam Bennett.Tournaments: Australian Amateur Championships (2005, 2011); Men™s Victorian Open (8 times), Women™s Victorian Open (twice), Victorian PGA (once).
Ranking: 22 (Australian Golf Digest 2010).
Superintendent: Rod Tatt.
Assistant: David Phillips.Course staff: 12 full-time, one part-timer and seasonal worker. 
Greens: Penncross bentgrass.Fairways: Native couchgrass/Santa ana couchgrass (the past two seasons have seen 
Santa ana oversown into the existing native couch. A trial area of couch oversown with 
fescue is being assessed on the 2nd hole).
Tees: Santa ana oversown with fescue.
Did you know... Woodlands was known as Mordialloc Golf Club and comprised just nine holes up until 1917. It™s name changed to Woodlands Golf Club in 1925. At that 
time, Royal Melbourne Golf Club head greenkeeper Mick Morcom was often called 
upon to proffer advice, especially on the care of the greens and fairways, and played 
a significant role in establishing the course™s bunkering.Woodlands plays host to the 2012 Australian Amateur Championships from 17-22 JanuaryWOODLANDSWOODLANDSMcIntosh & Son, Redcliffe, Western Australia 6104Tel: +61 (08) 9475 1600    Email: perth@mcintoshandson.com.au 
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Web: www.farm-equipment.com.auThe NEW LF550 - LF570light fairway mower from JacobsenYour Course. Your Control. Your Results.The new Jacobsen LF-550/570 features programmable controls, added functionality and simpli˜ ed maintenance. Combined with the Jacobsen Classic XP reels and innovative fidrive by wirefl technology, you™re assured our legendary quality of cut regardless of who™s driving.Call your local dealer for details and to set up a demonstration:www.jacobsen.comLF500 & Eclipse ads - Australian size.indd   106/12/2011   09:3212     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTHE PRESIDENTSCUPTHE PRESIDENTS CUPIt was the biggest golf tournament to descend on Australia in recent memory and Royal Melbourne Golf Club again proved why it is regarded as one of the world™s great championship venues. ATM reviews The Presidents Cup held last November and discovers that it wasn™t all plain sailing for superintendent Richard Forsyth. credentialsPresidentialPresidential12AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTA crew of three hand mowed tees with Greensmaster 1000sAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     13One week out from perhaps the biggest tournament of his career and Royal Melbourne Golf Club course superintendent Richard Forsyth knew something wasn™t quite right. One of the most important attributes a turf manager 
can possess is gut instinct, something which only 
comes with years of experience, and as Forsyth 
went around the course inspecting the greens late one afternoon in the week leading up to the 
Presidents Cup, a somewhat uncomfortable pit 
started to develop in his stomach.Over the previous few days Forsyth had sent out the walk-behind greens mowers with brushes 
on them, a standard practice most superintendents 
would employ in the lead-up to a major event and 
something he had done many times in the past on 
the creeping bentgrass greens of his former home of 
15 years Metropolitan Golf Club.But as he has come to appreciate since arriving at Royal Melbourne back in July 2009, the Suttons 
mix colonial bentgrass is such an intrinsically unique 
greens grass and in the lead-up to The Presidents Cup Forsyth was taught a valuable lesson in how far he could push it. CONTINUED ON PAGE 15One of two Royal Melbourne Golf Club fairway crews working in 
harmony on the 2nd Composite 
Course hole (4 West) ahead of 
the opening day™s play at The 
Presidents CupRoyal Melbourne superintendent 
Richard Forsyth inspects the turf 
just hours before the opening 
round foursomes matches teed off 
on Thursday  Victorious US Team captain Fred Couples with The Presidents CupPHOTOS AND WORDS: BRETT ROBINSONEast Course assistant Paul Thomas 
hand rakes the massive blowout 
bunker on 6 Composite (10 West)14     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTSPORL SPRUIKS ROYAL™S ‚CHAMPIONSHIP CALIBRE™Among the more than 100 PGA Tour staff that descended on Royal Melbourne Golf Club for The Presidents Cup in November, there was one who had more than a key interest in the unique turf surfaces of the iconic sandbelt course. Jay Sporl, a native of northern Virginia who has been part of the PGA Tour competitions agronomy team for the past 15 years, had the rather plum job of being the organisation™s man on the ground, 
working alongside course superintendent Richard Forsyth and the Royal Melbourne crew. While no stranger to Australia and Melbourne (Sporl is actually married to a Melbournian), it was 
his first experience of Royal Melbourne during a PGA 
Tour event and having been involved in the lead-up to the event for more than a year, the course, the turf 
and its conditioning left a lasting impression on the 
36-year turf industry veteran.fiI have been blessed over the years to be involved in many tournaments, but this would have 
to rate among the best,fl says Sporl, who is part of 
a 10-strong PGA Tour agronomy team which covers up to 130 events per year. fiI haven™t counted how 
many Tour events I™ve done over the years, but it would be up around 200 and this would easily be 
in my top five, if not higher. I would love to see the 
Tour come here; they™ve come to Australia for the Nationwide Tour, so why not a PGA Tour event? fiThis tournament was so unique. We had four different days, four different conditions and the 
conditioning of the golf course each day was of 
championship calibre. I would put this golf course 
up against any championship venue and any of the 
Major venues that we have had this past year. The 
conditions were just outstanding.fiRichard and his team were as every bit as professional as any other staff I have worked with 
around the world and they should all personally 
have a lot of pride in what they produced for The 
Presidents Cup.flSporl™s involvement with Royal Melbourne began back in November 2010 when he came out to visit 
the course, one of four occasions he would venture 
Down Under in the lead-up to The Presidents Cup. 
With the huge amount of re-grassing that had 
taken place at Royal Melbourne in the summer of 2009/2010, the immature nature of the Composite 
Course turf was something the PGA Tour was very mindful of.fiI would be lying to you if I said we didn™t have some concerns about the turf last November,fl says Sporl, who prior to joining the PGA Tour worked as an agronomist for the Jack Nicklaus design company based in Europe. fiThe turf was still very young and the members were taking advantage 
of the new surfaces and it had worn in areas. But 
the transformation each time I came back was 
remarkable and showed what a great job Richard and his team did in the ensuing year to get this place 
ready.  Even in the two weeks leading up to the 
tournament the course changed so dramatically.fl  What made The Presidents Cup special for Sporl was not only the conditioning of the course, 
but the conditions that the tournament was played 
in. Melbourne was at its unpredictable best for 
tournament week which not only tested the players, 
but also the skills of Forsyth and his team.fiI haven™t experienced such changeable conditions in a tournament before,fl says Sporl. fiIn 
the States you either have a solid wet week or a 
totally dry week. But that™s what makes Melbourne 
so unique I guess. They played with 16mm of rain on Saturday all day long. If we had that kind of rain heading into any other tournament in the States 
we would have had to suspend play because most 
courses there are already pretty wet and soft to start 
with. fiThe greens, in particular, were stellar on Sunday.  I particularly watch to see if the players make a lot of putts and on Sunday they made a lot of 
putts. Even on the Friday when the wind got up they were still making them. What I focus on is the four-five footers Πif they are consistently making those 
then there is no variation in the greens.fiThe Suttons mix is so unique and the more we mowed it, the lower we mowed it and the more we 
rolled it, the better it got. I can tell you that with some 
of the creeping bentgrasses, if they were of a similar 
young age to what the Suttons mix was here, they 
would have gone backwards.fiAnd that™s the other unique thing about this grass. Our average tournament mowing heights 
would be between 2.5mm-3.0mm. (Royal Melbourne) was well below that and then if you put 
a sight prism on the turf and looked at the actual cut, 
we were borderline 1.5mm. That is as low as I have 
seen any tournament green.fl Sporl is a 36-year veteran of the industry and has worked as a Tour agronomist for the past 15 years The lower the Suttons mix was cut and the more it was rolled, the better it performedPGA Tour agronomist Jay Sporl checks the greens cut ahead of the opening day of The Presidents 
Cup at Royal MelbourneThe lower the Suttons mix was cut seen any tournament green.flPGA Tour agronomist Jay Sporl checks the greens THE PRESIDENTSCUPTHE PRESIDENTS CUPAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     15fiI™d like to say that it all worked out perfectly and that everything went to plan, but a week before the tournament started I was really unhappy with the greens and at one point was quite distressed about how they were looking,fl admits Forsyth. fiIt had a bit 
to do with the weather, but a lot of it was to do with 
learning about the Suttons mix. fiI have run a very lean nutrition programme since we ripped up the greens and seeded them 
in 2009/2010 and our intention was to always to 
put a brush on the greens mowers closer to the 
tournament. We did that only four times, but after 
brushing them for that short period and combined 
with the low nutrition levels, it set the Suttons back to 
the point where we were seeing almost a separation 
of the plant. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13The fescue surrounds were certainly a talking point among 
the players and spectators and 
although held more moisture 
than Forsyth would have liked, 
performed superblyEven the tee markers 
were impressiveThe new Turf ID iphone App from Bayer includes information on: »Common Australian Turf Weeds »Turf Insect Pests »Turf DiseasesFor further information contact 1800 804 479 or view www.bayeres.com.auWhen you need answers16     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTfiI was definitely concerned a week out about how they were looking. Walking around late one afternoon I was definitely starting to get concerned 
and thinking that something wasn™t quite right and 
you could see the greens that we weren™t brushing 
still had great density.  fiWhile they all came right by the Thursday, it was certainly a case of learning from your mistakes 
as late as a week before the tournament. I certainly wouldn™t brush again based on what I saw. But, 
that™s just this grass. What we found was that the 
Suttons responded much better to constant double 
cutting up and back on the same run. By doing that 
we found that density improved considerably each 
day and we were getting a lot of clip, whereas when 
we were brushing them they were going backwards.fiI called the supplier on Sunday to order some extra fertiliser and we put that out on the greens first 
thing Monday morning. It certainly wasn™t planned, 
but they were looking average. That helped and the 
two lots of rain we had also helped. fiThe blackness of the iron/magnesium/manganese application was an idea we tossed 
about for a while, whether we went for that darker 
look, but we had a few imperfections in the greens, 
especially on the edges where we had to do a bit of 
plugging, so I wanted to hide those a little bit. We put it out on Monday knowing that they would turn 
black and everyone would be talking about it, but by 
the time the tournament started it would go back to 
a more natural colour.fl Despite those issues in the lead-up to the event, no-one could fault the conditioning of Royal 
Melbourne come the opening day™s foursomes 
matches. Two weeks of intense grooming had the  players, PGA Tour officials and media raving about the quality of the turf surfaces which in turn gave the 
crew, which numbered over 60 for the tournament, 
a great boost.US team member and Presidents Cup veteran Phil Mickelson likened the firmness and pace of the 
Royal Melbourne greens to Augusta National in his 
early days of playing the US Masters. Most of his 
US team members, in particular Presidents Cup 
rookies Bill Haas, Bubba Watson, Webb Simpson and Dustin Johnson were also in awe of the greens, 
with the latter commenting that they were the firmest 
and truest he had ever played on. Tournament organisers could not have asked for more ‚Melbourne-like™ conditions for The Presidents Cup if they had tried. The opening day was warm 
yet benign, but on Friday the course bared its teeth as the firm and fast greens combined with warm 
blustery northerly winds to really test the players. 
Saturday™s rain literally put a dampener on the 
firmness of the greens, but by Sunday they were 
again rolling smooth and true.   Despite being a part of the losing International team, local lad Geoff Ogilvy perhaps best summed up the week from a player perspective: fiIt has been 
a big week for us, the Australians. We are very proud 
of Royal Melbourne Golf Club and it showed every different aspect of why she™s a great golf course. 
It has been fun to play this week. I can™t imagine a better scenario for a golfer Œ to play on a team in 
your home town and on your favourite golf course, 
one that I™m very proud of and I know that all the 
Australians are proud of too.flAccolades aside, the real satisfaction for Forsyth came from two areas. The first was the amount of interest both locally and internationally 
in the golf course, especially all the resurfacing and 
re-grassing work that had gone on in the summer 
of 2009/2010. fiI don™t know how many media interviews I did that week,fl says Forsyth. fiIt was amazing the international focus and the attention the 
golf course was getting, but then again I guess they 
don™t get many courses like this, in the US.flComposite 18 (2 West) in tournament trimThe greens and surrounds of Composite 1 (3 West) looking a treat on ThursdayTHE PRESIDENTSCUPTHE PRESIDENTS CUPfiI was definitely concerned a week out about Despite those issues in the lead-up to the The Suttons mix greens were rock hard and fast with stimpmeter readings between 13 and 14.5 for the tournamentAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     17The second and most pleasing, however, was the way in which his crew stepped up to the plate and enjoyed the event despite being under intense scrutiny to produce surfaces of the highest order. 
The camaraderie developed among the crew and 
volunteers was solid and no more was that evident 
when the crew joined in the celebrations at the 
Closing Ceremony on the Sunday.fiI™m really pleased for the staff who put two years of solid effort into getting the course to this 
stage,fl says Forsyth. fiI™m really pleased that the players were so complimentary about the course, 
especially the firmness of the greens which is what 
the club was chasing and what we want to be known 
for. For me, that was satisfying because the staff worked really hard on getting that firmness back in 
the greens, even though we probably didn™t have 
the ideal conditions given the rain we had in the 
lead-up.fiThe senior guys on staff played such a crucial role to the success of the tournament. Mike Love, 
our assistant superintendent of works, took on the 
role to coordinate all the contractors, signage and 
tournament set-up with enthusiasm. One of the great 
comments we got from the week came from one of 
the PGA Tour guys who looks after all the signage. He said that it had been one of the easiest tournaments they have done anywhere in the world 
and that was largely due to Mike being such a 
great guy to work with. Mike was under enormous pressure during the tournament and the radio was 
going non-stop with requests from the PGA Tour and IMG guys. But nothing was too much trouble and he 
went out of the way to help. fiI was really impressed with how Simon (Muller, West Course assistant), Paul (Thomas, East Course 
assistant), Andrew (Boyle, West Course foreman) 
and John (Mann, East Course foreman) took it upon themselves to coordinate the crew for the Hot northerly winds certainly tested the players on Friday ahead 
of a storm front rolling in that 
evening which dumped 16mmCONTINUED ON PAGE 20Restoring the past and shaping the futureNSWDarby Muller
0417 764 249VICBen Chambers
0414 872 239See website for updateswww.golfshapes.com.auCromer Golf Club 2011 Total Greens™ Restoration and Construction of New Putting Green.Cromer Golf Club 2011 
Total Greens™ Restoration and Construction of New Putting Green.Restoring the past and shaping the futureGolf ShapesGOLF COURSE SHAPERS AND BUILDERSfiThe level of commitment and professionalism received from Golf Shapes has been the main driving force behind getting the 
Club through a very difficult time.  All provided in an efficient 
and timely manner.flLeon Hennessy, Course Manager, Cromer Golf Club.18     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTFor Royal Melbourne Golf Club head turf technician Luke Spartalis, the four competition days of The Presidents Cup last November was the easy part. Sure he and his assistant Jeff Wesselson pulled nearly 80 hours that week and 
by the end of it had lost count of the amount of 
grinding wheels they had destroyed, but it was in 
the months leading up to the tournament where they 
had already earned their keep.As far back as six months before The Presidents Cup started, preparations had well and truly got 
underway in the Royal Melbourne maintenance facility to ensure that come the tournament 
everything was in optimum working order. Whether 
it was the fleet of walk-behinds providing the 
finest of cuts on the Suttons mix greens or fescue 
surrounds, through to heavy-duty machines like the 
stump grinder and woodchipper, nothing was left 
to chance.fiIt™s the biggest tournament that we will ever be involved with so it was important that everything 
went off without a hitch,fl says Spartalis. fiBecause the tournament was announced back in 2008, we 
had been planning our preparations for a while 
and we made sure that everything was attended 
to in the lead-up. All eyes were on this event and 
Royal Melbourne and the last thing I wanted was 
something to go wrong with a machine when the 
guys were out there. fiThankfully, it was pretty much smooth sailing for the tournament and it was great to hear all the 
praise about the conditioning of the surfaces from 
the players. That™s what you like to hear because you have worked so hard to get the course to 
that level. The amount of preparation work we did certainly made a big difference. To see a mower that has 2000 hours on it cutting just as well as the mower next to it which has only two hours on it, 
that™s when you know you™ve done the work.flAT YOUR SERVICETo ensure all the Royal Melbourne machinery was in top shape, Spartalis and Wesselson embarked 
on a massive servicing regime in the lead-up the 
tournament. Every nut, bolt, hose, connection and 
battery on every machine in the maintenance facility 
was given the once over to ensure nothing would 
fail.The club™s four Toro Reelmaster 5610 fairways units, which average about three years in age, were 
singled out for special attention and were the first 
machines up on the hoist. Spartalis reckons they spent a total of three weeks on each fairway mower, 
literally rebuilding the cutting units and replacing all 
bearings, rollers, seals and bushes. Around $10,000 
worth of hydraulic hoses were also replaced just for 
a bit of insurance.fiA lot of our focus went on the fairway units,fl says Spartalis. fiThey have quite a few hours on 
them now because of the size of this place, so we 
wanted to make sure that they would match up with 
the five Reelmaster 5510s we had coming in on loan and getting that consistency of cut across the 
old and new units. Some of the old units weren™t always cooperative and we had to use some serious 
persuasion to get old pins and bushes out, but in 
the end that extra time we spent on them made a 
difference.fl It was a similar deal for the club™s 20 walk-behind greens mowers. All were fully ground, 
serviced (bushes, seals, bearings) and tightened up 
so they tracked properly. Again, to ensure the same 
level of cut, all the loan walk-behinds (of which there 
were three Toro Greensmaster 1000s and four Toro Greensmaster Flex 21s) were checked to make sure 
they had the same 11-blade reels on them (some 
had 14). Another prime focus was on Royal Melbourne™s large fleet of 23 Workman utilities. With such a THE PRESIDENTSCUPTHE PRESIDENTS CUPATM caught up with turf technician Luke Spartalis during The Presidents Cup to see just what went into getting the engine room of the Royal Melbourne maintenance facility primed for such a big event.Slaves to thegrindSlaves to thegrindSix months of planning and preparation went into ensuring that the of Royal 
Melbourne fleet was in optimum 
working order for The Presidents CupAll walk behind greens and fescue surrounds mowers were ground twice during tournament weekPHOTOS AND WORDS: BRETT ROBINSONAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     19sizeable crew and huge amount of machinery   to transport around, ensuring they were reliable 
throughout the tournament was critical.  All 
Workmans were fully serviced with clutches and 
belts replaced, while batteries were double checked 
and even if just slightly off were changed over. 
(Incidentally, an additional 10 Workman MDX utilities 
were loaned for the tournament). fiWe pretty much covered all our bases,fl says Spartalis. fiEverything that had given us grief in 
the past we addressed in the lead-up. We even 
beefed up the yokes on the fairway mowers. The 
position lock pins were constantly breaking on us 
so we bored them out and fitted new 12mm bolts to 
strengthen them.fl As well as the huge level of servicing in the lead-up, Spartalis also found the time to fabricate 
a few special items for the tournament. Together with course superintendent Richard Forsyth, they devised a 7.2m-wide aluminium framed fairway 
brush manufactured by Calbah Industries in Keysborough. The brush was attached to the club™s 
65hp John Deere tractor and went out ahead of 
the fairway units in the week leading up to the 
tournament.Two week™s out from the event Spartalis also whipped up a heavy-duty hole changer, the second 
such implement he has manufactured for club.  
fiBecause the greens are so hard here, we kept 
having issues with handles breaking and bending so 
a while back I fabricated a solid steel hole changer 
to suit our conditions,fl says Spartalis. fiWith the tournament coming up, two weeks out we decided 
to make another one which took about 20 hours 
of machining and fabrication. It™s weighty, but it works!flGRINDING AWAYAs for the tournament and the week leading up to 
it, Spartalis and Wesselson Πand Adam Thompson 
who came across from Commonwealth Golf Club 
to help Πwere literally slaves to the grind. As well 
as constantly adjusting and checking the machines 
before and after their daily cutting regimes each 
morning or afternoon, most of their time was spent 
grinding bedknives, cylinders and setting reels.On the Monday before the tournament all the tournament walk-behind mowers Πeight dedicated 
Greensmaster Flex 21s for the greens, nine Greensmaster Flex 21s for the fescue surrounds 
and three Greensmaster 1000s tee mowers Πwere 
completely ground, as were all the spare mowers 
(Spartalis estimates the total number of walk-behinds 
was about 30). They ground the fescue mowers 
again on the Thursday and the greens mowers 
again on Saturday. (As an aside, Microcut bedknives 
were used on the greens mowers and Tournament 
Cut bedknives on the fescue walk-behinds).fiThey were basically as sharp as you could possibly get them,fl says Spartalis. fiWe took all 
that on ourselves because the last thing we wanted during tournament week was rushing out there while 
the guys were doing their preparations and having 
to fix or adjust things on the run. We just wanted 
them to go out there, cut and come back in. There was no backlapping whatsoever. To get that finish you saw out there, grinding was the only way to 
guarantee it. With backlapping you don™t get the 
consistency which these golfers demand.flWhile the tournament was a huge success and ultimate reward for all the hard work and dedication 
put in, for Spartalis there was one other tangible benefit. By undertaking all that extra work the fleet 
is now ready to go for the club™s next two major 
events Œ the Master of the Amateurs early in the New Year and the 2012 Australian Women™s Open which 
returns to the club in February.fiI hope Richard doesn™t expect the same sort of conditioning,fl jokes Spartalis. fiIn all seriousness 
though, the hard work has been done for those 
tournaments. That™s been a positive to come out of 
The Presidents Cup Πthe work we have done has 
set us up nicely and has also ensured that some 
of our older machines, like the fairway mowers, will 
now see us through to their changeover time without 
any problems.fl Royal Melbourne head turf technician Luke Spartalis (left) 
with assistant Jeff Wesselson 
(right) and Commonwealth Golf 
Club™s Adam Thompson who 
assisted during The Presidents CupSpartalis manufactured a second heavy-duty hole changer a few 
weeks out from the event to suit 
Royal™s rock hard greensThe amount of preparation work on all machines paid dividends as the tournament passed without any issues  20     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTtournament. Ask anyone and they will tell you I am the world™s worst delegator, so for me to relinquish that control was hard. But you had to do it in a 
situation like this and with a tournament of this scale 
you needed these guys to take control and they did 
so without hesitation and did a fantastic job. fiLuke (Spartalis, head turf technician) and Jeff (assistant) in the shed took it upon themselves to 
grind everything the week before the tournament 
and then pulled them all apart and did them again at 
the start of the tournament. I™m sure why we saw that evenness of cut and how flat and smooth the turf 
presented, was because of what they did. And that 
wasn™t on my instruction either. They took that upon themselves, being the professionals in that area, to 
show just what they can do. As a superintendent you 
really can™t ask for much more than that.flMAINTENANCE MATTERS Œ PRESIDENTS CUP PREPARATIONSGREENSDouble cut (up and back on the same run) with a fleet of eight Toro 
Flex 21s (initially at 2.8mm and brought down to 2.5mm) from the 
Sunday before the start of the tournament right through until the 
last day of play. Greens rolled using Tru Turf rollers every day with the exception of Friday, while a handful of greens (most notably 5 and 6 West - 3 and 4 Composite) also missed out some days due to 
their slope. Stimpmeter readings ranged from 13 to 14. Greens were 
given a handwater on Tuesday afternoon, on Friday morning ahead of being cut and again following play that afternoon.FAIRWAYSIn the week leading up to the tournament fairways were brushed 
with a specially fabricated 7.2m-wide broom ahead of being cut in 
various directions (tee to green, green to tee, cross cut) with the aim 
of having no striping, just a uniform appearance. During tournament 
week, two fairway crews, consisting of four units each (a mix of 
Reelmaster 5610s and 5510s) would cut with catchers. Depending 
on the schedule they would either cross cut or cut from tee to green.
Height of cut 12mm.SURROUNDSFescue surrounds double cut up and back on the same run every day at 6mm with a fleet of nine Toro Flex 21s. TEESDouble cut up and back on the same run at 8mm with a fleet of three 
Toro Greensmaster 1000s. Steel brush used in the week before.BUNKERSAfter 42mm of rain on Wednesday 9 November, all Compositie Course 
bunkers needed to be reinstated after suffering major damage. For 
the tournament week, all bases were hand-raked and faces broomed. Bunker crew numbered upwards of 15 each day. No rakes were left 
in bunkers during the practice rounds and tournament play, with a 
member of the RMGC crew assigned to follow each match.APPLICATIONSTees and fairways received a liquid feed the Friday and Saturday before the tournament - a bit of nitrogen, but more magnesium and iron. Late liquid fertiliser application on the greens on Monday morning and potassium silicia to harden up the leaf. Fescue surrounds left untouched. Fungicide application on greens and surrounds the week before. Pest control programmes implemented 
up to about four weeks out form the start of the tournament. MACHINERYLoan machinery from Toro included five Reelmaster 5510s fairway units to complement RMGC™s four 5610s; 10 Workman MDX utilities 
(total Workmans for the tournament Π33); four Greensmaster Flex 
21s and three Greensmaster 1000s (they complemented RMGC™s 
own fleet of 20 walk-behind greens mowers); and one 3500-D 
Sidewinder trim mower. Two Jacobsen fairway units were also loaned and used to cut the practice fairway across at Sandringham Golf 
Course. One TruTurf R52-ELT roller was also loaned.VOLUNTEERSThirty course staff volunteers joined with the RMGC crew of 30 for 
the week leading up to the tournament and tournament week itself. THE WET STUFF Wed 9 Nov: 42mm  Sun 13 Nov: 2mm  Tues 15 Nov: 8.8mm  Fri 18 Nov: 4mm  Sat 19 Nov: 12mm (11 Day Total: 68.8mm)READING THE GREENSAs well as being a volunteer, AGCSATech agronomist John Geary took daily measurements of Royal Melbourne™s famed surfaces in 
tournament trim. Daily Clegg hammer readings, TDR moisture probe 
measurements and USGA TruFirm readings were recorded on five greens and surrounds Πsee Tech Talk, pg38, for the results.FIFTEEN SECONDS OF FAME Royal Melbourne crew member Nick Fitzpatrick got his name and 
photo in The Age newspaper after celebrating his 30th birthday on 
the opening day of the tournament. Fitzpatrick had the pick of the groups that day and raked bunkers for the highly anticipated Scott/
Choi v Woods/Stricker foursomes match.THE PRESIDENTSCUPTHE PRESIDENTS CUPCONTINUED FROM PAGE 17All bunkers were hand-raked and faces brushedBunkers were a massive priority with a crew of 18 out preparing them most mornings22     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT2011OPEN2011 OPENATM looks back at the 2011 Emirates Australian Open held at The Lakes Golf ClubThey say that lightning never strikes twice, but try telling that to The Lakes Golf Club course 
superintendent Russell Fletcher. Just two days out from hosting perhaps one of the best assembled 
fields for the 2011 Emirates Australian Open in early November, the Sydney course copped 39mm of rain in less than an hour, while a lightning strike fried the 
irrigation control system. It was a case of déjà vu for Fletcher who less than 12 months earlier had to clean up the 
course just hours before the start of the 2010 
Open after more than 75mm of rain caused surface 
flooding and bunker washouts. Thankfully then he 
didn™t have to worry about a lightning strike, which 
certainly made for an interesting lead-in to the 2011 
tournament which was eventually claimed by Greg Chalmers with a score of 13-under. fiWe got hammered early Tuesday evening of tournament week by an electrical storm,fl recalls 
Fletcher. fiIt was about 6.30pm and I was in the shed when there was an almighty crack. Lightning hit the car park less than 100m away from the shed and 
took out power to the clubhouse and our irrigation 
computer along with it.  fiDue to transport delays we didn™t get the control computer back up until Saturday. I™ve never had the irrigation system down for such a long 
period and for it to happen during an Australian 
Open, who would have guessed! Thankfully the 
pumps were still working and we could turn the 
sprinklers on manually. The weather helped us out 
too although by Saturday afternoon the greens were 
starting to show a bit.flWhile the pre-tournament storm caused irrigation issues as well as plenty of bunker washouts, 
fortunately for Fletcher most of the drama happened out on course. John Daly made the headlines by 
calling it quits halfway through his first round after 
putting six balls into the water off the tee at 11, while 
eventual runner-up John Senden carded a blistering third round nine-under 63.fiI was certainly a lot more comfortable with how our preparations went this year compared to last 
year,fl says Fletcher. fiAnd I think the guys were a lot more comfortable as well having been through the 
event in 2010. We didn™t have the massive issues 
with nematodes like we had last year. We still had 
some areas that we were mindful of but they were 
generally on the edges of fairways where we could 
mask them by bringing them in a little.fiWith the tournament a month earlier, we did a lot more fertilising this year while our renovations on 
greens and fairways were brought forward by about 
three weeks as well. We also did a light surface 
aeration about a month out from the Open. Having 
had that extra year, the biggest difference was just 
how much more mature the turf was.flBermagui superintendent David Thomson was among 30 volunteers to assist The Lakes crew at this year™s OpenMark Neil (foreground) and Kevin Dodd give the massive 14th green a final trim on Sunday morningseason at OpenThe Lakesseason at OpenThe LakesAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     23The NSW golf course maintenance community again rallied around Fletcher with nearly 30 volunteers assisting during tournament week. Bermagui Golf Club superintendent David Thomson 
journeyed up from the NSW south coast, while NSWGCSA president and Shortland Waters Golf Club superintendent Craig Molloy joined with local 
Globe client manager Kevin Booth to assist in setting pins. Second year Coffs Harbour Golf Club apprentice Beau Lavender got his first taste of 
Open preparations, while Ryde Parramatta assistant superintendent Jarrod Arps was among a host of 
local Sydney greenkeepers to volunteer their time, 
with others coming from the likes of The Australian, 
Cromer, Monash, Terrey Hills and Rosnay.fiWe had some great support again this year,fl says Fletcher. fiIt was a thrill for everyone to be 
involved this year and the atmosphere was great, 
especially with some of the big name players in 
the field. The crowds on the first day this year were bigger than on the final day of last year™s Open and 
hopefully we™ll get similar numbers when its back 
here in 2012.flThe NSW golf course maintenance community superintendent Jarrod Arps was among a host of The Lakes Golf Club (pictured is the 16th) played host to one 
of the best Australian Open 
fields in years last November. 
Superintendent Russell Fletcher 
will also prepare the course for the 
2012 Australian OpenAfter hosting last year™s Open, The Lakes had course preparations 
down to tee. Pictured is Monash 
CC volunteer John KljajicRuben Morgan cuts a fine lineVolunteers Craig Molloy (left) and Kevin Booth set the pins ahead of 
the final roundThe Open tee markers were unique to say the leastThe LakesThe LakesThe Open tee markers were unique 24     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAGCSAAGCSAThe past six months have without doubt seen plenty of change within the Australian Golf 
Course Superintendents Association. While a new-look board, with the exception of incumbent 
president Allan Devlin, has been finding its feet 
after being elected in Adelaide, the big news came 
last September when it was announced that former 
Barwon Heads Golf Club superintendent Peter Frewin had been appointed as the AGCSA™s new general manager.In taking over from respected agronomist John Neylan, who announced he was stepping down 
from the position shortly after last year™s Australian 
Turfgrass Conference, Frewin became the first former superintendent to assume the role in the 
association™s history. As a past president and board 
member, as well as a turfie for the best part of three 
decades, Frewin™s credentials for the role were unquestionable and in a press release issued by the 
AGCSA Board, it was his fizest for the position and 
positive ideas on moving the association forward on 
behalf of the Board and membershipfl that ultimately 
saw Frewin get the nod.Frewin, who enters his new role having most recently spent two and half years working for trade 
company Globe Australia, has hit the ground running 
in his new post and no sooner had he started was 
involved in his first AGCSA board meeting and state 
presidents meeting in mid-November. Now, nearing 
the end of a second hectic month in the big seat, 
ATM editor Brett Robinson stole a few moments with the AGCSA™s new chief to see how he has settled in 
and what lies ahead for the association. ATM: Peter, congratulations again on your 
appointment as AGCSA general manager. How 
have you settled in and what have you achieved 
so far?
Peter Frewin: fiNot a great thing to say in your first 
interview, but not much! I have done a lot of reading to try and get up to speed with what has been going 
on in the past few years. I have also sat down with 
all the staff and had a chat. The board meeting and State Presidents™ meetings in November were both 
productive. People may have forgotten but most of 
the board are also new, so it was an opportune time 
to come together as we could get each other up to 
speed. ATM: I guess your phone didn™t stop ringing when it was announced that you got the job. 
What was your reaction when you received the 
news? 
PF: fiWhen (AGCSA Board member) Peter Lonergan rang on the Friday to offer me the job, my response was ‚****™! His response was Œ I hope that is a good 
‚****™. A little time later we agreed that my decision 
should be made quickly to try and stop the ‚turf 
vine™. It was agreed I would let him know on the 
following Monday. As it happened I was actually 
working in Townsville for Globe Equipment that Monday when the AGCSA press release went out Œ I felt quite important for a while.fiThe response was overwhelming although I quickly came back to earth when a couple of ‚mates™ 
pointed out that they were now my boss!  My phone 
was normally pretty busy when I worked at Globe In early November Peter Frewin started as the AGCSA™s new general manager. A few months into his tenure, ATM sits down with the former Barwon Heads Golf Club superintendent of 21 years to see how he has settled in during a period of change for the association. Above: In taking over as AGCSA general manager from John Neylan last November, Peter Frewin became the first former superintendent to assume the role in the association™s historyfinding hisFrewinfeetFrewinfeetAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     25but it never ran out of battery. That day my battery was flat by 3pm. The best thing about the feedback was that I had calls from current and ex-supers, the trade, internationals and many of the people I did not really know. The feedback was great.flATM: What made you apply for the position? Is it the ‚dream job™ for you and what qualities do you 
think you bring to the position?
PF: fiAt John Neylan™s farewell we had a chat and spoke about areas where he thought the AGCSA 
needed ‚change™. Driving home I thought about it 
and felt I could offer some input in these areas. I am 
not sure if John was baiting me or not but perhaps 
it worked? I will be upfront and say I was not happy with a few little things that had happened in the past with 
the association so I thought ‚don™t whinge about it if you are not prepared to put your hand up and have 
a go™. When I started I set myself two immediate 
personal goals Πget past the first board meeting 
and through the probation period, so I am nearly 
there!  fiI™m not sure what qualities I bring, but the interview panel must have thought I had what it 
takes. I do think when the big fella upstairs was 
handing out commonsense I went back for seconds. 
Another good piece of advice that I received early 
on that I try and use is Πyou have two ears and one mouth, use them in the same ratio.flATM: You said during your acceptance speech when you received the 2009 AGCSA 
Distinguished Service Award that the association 
holds a special place in your heart. Why is that?
PF: fiWhen I decided to put the cue in the rack at Barwon Heads Golf Club the only negative thought 
that entered my mind (apart from how was I going 
to pay the bills!) was missing the many people that I 
had met over the years, many of whom had become 
close friends. Without the VGCSA and AGCSA I may never have met these people. This industry and the association have an amazing ability to bring people 
from different backgrounds together and unite them.fiA case in point is me going to work for Globe. If you had been involved in some of the 
‚discussions™ that I had with Ted Baker back in the early AGCSATech days you would have thought that for me to work with him hell would have to freeze 
over. Again, this industry is different.fl ATM: You are the first former superintendent to be appointed into the AGCSA GM/CEO role? 
What significance does that hold for you? 
PF: fiI think it shows how much the industry has changed ΠI could not imagine this happening 10 years ago. I think it is a credit to how far the 
profession has come. When you look around there 
are quite a few ‚turfies™ that have gone on to hold 
some lofty positions with major companies. If all 
superintendents sat down and thought about what they do on a daily basis I think they would be 
surprised at the skill set they have developed and 
where those skills could be transferred to.flATM: What do you think having a former superintendent in the position will mean for the 
association? Is it long overdue?
PF: fiAgain, not overdue but perhaps a sign of how much the industry has changed. I use the term 
‚grass cutter™ as a term of endearment Œ it is what we 
all started out as. The job has long moved on from 
that term. Being a super is a management position 
and running a golf course is much the same as an 
association Πthere is a board (or committee) to deal 
with and lots of grumpy members (just kidding), not 
much has changed really!fl ATM: You had an instrumental role in the development of the AGCSA during you past 
roles as an AGCSA board member and president. 
What has your past involvement taught you about 
the association and how will that aid you in your 
new role?
PF: fiWhen I was president I believed that the AGCSA was a business and that any money generated got 
put back into developing programmes etc for the 
members. This belief has not changed. Perhaps with 
hindsight I could have handled things better back 
then, but that is history. I still have belief in what we as a board achieved then and the proof I suppose is 
in where the association is today. fiThe one thing that to me is obvious is that the association needs to continually evolve, nothing can 
stand still. How it is today will not be how it is in 10 
years™ time. Who could have imagined 10 years ago 
that we would be walking around with a device in 
our pocket that had more power than the computer 
on our desk?Frewin was the recipient of the 2009 AGCSA Distinguished Service 
Award shortly after leaving Barwon 
Heads Golf Club where he served 
21 yearsI have travelled a great deal and dollar for dollar our members produce surfaces that other counties can only dream of. The one area where most need to lift their game in is self-promotion. Most guys underestimate what they do and sell themselves short.Peter Frewin, AGCSA general manager26     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAGCSAAGCSAfiWhen I was AGCSA president I was lucky to have been working with some great people that were like minded. I think the group ‚clicked™ and had 
a good understanding of what we wanted to achieve. 
Back then we had ideas and poor Euan Laird (CEO) 
had to work the implementation. Thinking about it karma may have caught up with me? Having prior 
knowledge of the association should help; again the 
golf club background is not that dissimilar.fl ATM: You were responsible for bringing John Neylan on board and getting him to head up 
one of the association™s key departments in 
AGCSATech. You now find yourself taking over 
from him. What can you say about his influence 
and time with the association? Big shoes to fill?
PF: fiJohn Neylan is a man I have the utmost respect for. I can honestly say that if we had not been able 
to get John when we were discussing AGCSATech I 
don™t believe it would ever have started.  fiAs for big shoes, I am size 11 and I™m not sure about John, but seriously, I think it is more like different shoes. The skill set at the AGCSA office 
has changed a fair bit with my arrival. John had 
a passion for the technical/research side of the business. While I know my way around turf, I think I 
am more of a communicator and people manager.flATM: How has the association changed from when you first started in the industry and during 
your time on the board?
PF:fiFrom my time on the board the most noticeable thing is the staff numbers. When I started on the board we had 1.5 members of staff. That number 
grew to 3.5 when AGCSATech and ATM started. The other thing I have noticed is that the supers seem to get younger, although I™m not sure if that is really the case and I™m just getting older!flATM: One of the things that impressed the interview panel most was your fizest for the 
position and positive ideas on moving the 
association forward.fl  What sort of plans do you 
have and what sort of path would you like to see 
the AGCSA tread in the future?
PF: fiZest is an interesting term. During the interview process I was fairly direct with some of my responses. I thought I may have offended with some of them Œ this must have been the ‚zest™! I 
have desires, whether the board share those desires 
time will tell. In the short-term I do hope to start 
more electronic communication via social media 
etc, but these things take money so it will depend 
on funding.  ATM: What are the main challenges you see facing the AGCSA?
PF: fiLike any business, which the AGCSA is, albeit not for profit it is a part of the wider turf industry that 
has gone through some hard times in recent times. 
Years of drought then flooding to many parts of the 
country has put pressure on clubs, which in turn 
puts pressure on association members. fiThese pressures come in many different forms. Men™s health issues have been highlighted 
at recent conferences, a programme I think should be expanded. Another area of interest to me is 
improving the knowledge of the members in financial 
matters. I believe a better understanding in this area 
will give the members a better understanding of why 
clubs make decisions that at times could impact 
their ability to do their job.fl ATM: What are the main challenges you see 
facing superintendents and those employed in 
turf maintenance?
PF: fiProviding better results with less money, staff retainment, WHS Πthe list goes on. Again, this 
highlights what a great skill set people develop over 
their careers.fl ATM: What one area do you think superintendents 
excel at and one that they need to lift their game?
PF: fiOne they excel at is providing world class playing surfaces with, at times, very few resources. 
I have travelled a great deal and dollar for dollar THE FREWIN FILEAge: 49 (born in Bendigo, VIC)
Family: Wife Katrina, son Mitchell and 
daughter Bridie
Turf Management Career Cheltenham Golf Club, VIC (apprenticeship from Feb 1981) Maryborough Golf Club, VIC (greenkeeper, six months)  Rich River Golf Club, NSW (senior greenkeeper, nine months)  The Lakes Golf Club, NSW (assistant superintendent, 1986-1988)  Barwon Heads Golf Club, VIC (21 
years between 1988-2009. Included 
seven years as course and golf 
operations manager and six months 
as Barwon Heads general manager)  Globe Australia (Victorian State Manager and Machinery Sales Manager, 2009-2011)Association Involvement VGCSA: 1992-1997 (committee 
and president Πduring his time as 
president he was also on the TGAA Committee)  Victorian Golf Association Turf 
Advisory Committee: 1994-1998 AGCSA: 1997-2001 (was elected president in the first year of joining 
the board) Did you know... Frewin received the Australian Sports Medal for services to sports administration in 2000. He 
was also bestowed the 2009 AGCSA 
Distinguished Service Award at the 25th Australian Turfgrass Conference in Hobart, becoming the fourth Victorian to 
collect the award since its inception in 
1997.fiWhen I was AGCSA president I was lucky to Having spent two years working for Globe Australia, Frewin says the trade has a lot to offer the AGCSAAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     27our members produce surfaces that other counties can only dream of. The one area where most need 
to lift their game in is self-promotion. Most guys 
underestimate what they do on a day-to-day basis 
and sell themselves short.flATM: What has your time on both sides of the industry taught you and how do you think that 
will benefit you in the AGCSA GM role? 
PF: fiI think that seeing the industry from both sides puts me in a unique position. In my many years as a 
superintendent I probably did not give some of the 
trade people the respect they deserved. Having said 
that, I don™t think the lack of respect was arrogance, 
probably ignorance more than anything.fiMy time ‚on the dark side™ at Globe was incredible and I learnt more in my time there than 
I did in the previous 10 years. That may sound a 
bit cliché, but it is fact. The trade have a lot to offer 
the AGCSA and hopefully that is one area that I would like to develop. There is an incredible depth 
of knowledge and expertise out there and is a 
great resource, something I think that needs to be 
harnessed.fl ATM: Ultimately what do you hope to achieve during your tenure as AGCSA GM?
PF: fiThe important thing for me is not so much make a mark but leave the organisation in a better position than when you took it over, something that I hope I have done in all my previous positions.flATM: Finally, anything you would like to say to the members of the association?
PF: fiA great association is only as good as its members so I encourage everyone to participate 
when possible. It can be easy to say I am too busy, but I think it is important to make the time. I am 
humbled to have been given this chance and I hope I am up to the task. I am here to serve the members and that includes taking the bad with the good so 
please feel free to contact me should you have any 
issues or suggestions.fl position than when you took it over, something that IOne of the strengths of the AGCSA and turf industry in general is its 
camaraderie and ability to bring 
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Exclusive discounts to save you more28     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTHEALTH AND SAFETYHEALTH AND SAFETYOccupational health and safety is one of the more challenging aspects of the job for turf industry practitioners to get their head around and in 2012 the playing field is set to change again. Expert Steve Wait examines the introduction of the new Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Act and the implications it will have for the turf industry.The laws for occupational health and safety are changing. From 1 January 2012, state OHS Acts will change to be in line with one Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Act (WHS Act). What this means for golf clubs is that each state and territory will, in effect, under 
their own legislation, mirror the federal laws. The 
term that lawmakers have given to this process is 
‚harmonisation™, ensuring that all jurisdictions will 
adopt and implement similar WHS laws by 2012.This is a significant and historic change to OHS laws in Australia and for the turf industry represents 
an opportunity to review how it looks at and 
approaches work health and safety. Interestingly, the introduction of the new Act will also usher in 
new terminology, with OHS to be replaced by WHS.Rest assured if you comply with the current laws then you are well on your way to meeting the 
requirements of the new WHS laws. If, however, your club is not compliant with the current laws, then you 
will have issues to address under the new laws. At a practical level, the new WHS Act is not significantly different from current OHS laws with 
much of it based on policies that are common 
to many jurisdictions. The new laws also do not 
significantly change how the senior officer of the 
business (more on this later) is required to support, 
educate and inform managers and workers in a 
typical golf club operation.Obviously there have been some provisions in the introduction of the new laws to allow for 
adjustments to be negotiated with the states.
However, a key point to be emphasised is that there 
will be no ‚grace period™ from 1 January 2012. The 
reason for this is that not to have a common start 
date would have been impractical and undermines 
the ‚harmonised™ system being initiated.The overall intention is for each jurisdiction to enact the model provisions of the new Act, subject 
to permitted minor variations that are needed to 
ensure they are workable in each jurisdiction and 
interact effectively with local laws without affecting 
harmonisation. One of the key reasons for changes to set common work health and safety laws across 
Australia was to make it easier for businesses and 
workers to comply with their work health and safety 
responsibilities. The requirements will largely be the 
same, regardless of how many states and territories 
they operate in.SO WHAT™S CHANGING?Harmonised occupational health and safety laws 
have long been recognised as a critical area 
of regulatory reform. In July 2008 the Council of Australian Governments signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement for Regulatory and Operational Reform in OHS (IGA) that established The harmonising of state and territory OHS laws to be in line with one Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Act (WHS Act) represents a significant and historic change to OHS laws in Australiaon the horizonHarmonisationHarmonisationAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     29the commitment of the Commonwealth, states and territories to adopt uniform WHS laws by the end of 
2011. The new WHS laws will be complemented by 
nationally consistent approaches to compliance and 
enforcement.There are some important changes to the new WHS Act that will affect the way golf course 
superintendents and general managers interact to ensure they promote health and safety to staff 
across the facility and operation. It is vital that the 
senior officer and management and the board of 
directors at clubs is aware of these changes and 
has provided the means and systemic support 
and resources. These new areas to be considered 
include:  New terminology (e.g.: work health and safety (WHS) replaces occupational health and safety 
(OHS));  ‚Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking™ 
(PCBUs, or sometimes referred to as ‚peek-a 
-boos) replaces ‚Employer™; The introduction of the term ‚workers™ replacing ‚employees™. Workers will now include 
contractors and volunteers;   Broader consultation requirements (e.g.: who 
needs to be consulted, when and to what 
extent);  The addition of a new ‚officer™ duty holder;  Enhanced and changed duties on most duty holders, however, the duties on workers remain 
essentially unchanged;  Changes to the potential numbers of health and 
safety representatives (HSRs) and deputies in a 
work group and who can be a HSR; Changes to how the regulator is notified of 
incidents in the workplace. PCBUs have the 
overall duty to notify the regulator for certain 
serious injuries or illnesses and dangerous 
incidents that arise out of work that occur at a 
workplace. A PCBU must notify immediately 
once they become aware of a notifiable incident 
by the fastest possible means.IMPLICATIONS FOR SUPERS Often the superintendent in a golf club, either by 
default or by allocated responsibility, is seen as 
the most competent person and adviser on WHS 
across the golf club. Although this is understandable The new laws offer a fresh start to review how the golf 
club is supporting your role 
as a superintendent and your 
responsibility within the greater 
organisation™s health and safety 
systems The new laws offer a fresh ˜˚˛˝˙ˆˇ˘˝ˇ˛30     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTgiven the genuinely hazardous nature of the work that course maintenance staff undertake, it is not a 
reasonable practice to allow the WHS responsibility 
to lie solely with the superintendent and their 
greenkeeping team.The WHS component of site policies and procedures under the new WHS laws will continue 
to assume that the business has in place a sound 
design and implementation of safety policies and 
procedures. However, in my view, the real challenge continues to be how we achieve this ‚system™ and 
‚process™ and at the same time have real worker 
involvement in consultation, communication and in 
the decision-making processes as close to the task 
and jobs where the highest risk lies.WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?The new laws offer a fresh start to review how the golf 
club is supporting your role as a superintendent and 
your responsibility within the greater organisation™s 
health and safety systems. It would be a timely opportunity for your own professional review of 
your policies and procedures and how they enable 
you to demonstrate due diligence and to lead and 
support your staff in safely undertaking their daily 
work activities. To assess if you are already being provided with the resources to do the things that will meet the 
requirements of the new WHS laws, ask yourself the 
following questions.   Does your club give you adequate and 
proportionate resources to develop, understand, 
promote and communicate health and safety 
policies and procedures in recognition of the 
acknowledged dangerous and hazardous 
working environment you and your team operate 
in?  Do you have open lines of communication 
that allow you to effectively interact between 
workers, the general manager and the board of 
directors?  Does your club actively support, encourage 
and communicate with you in regard to course 
maintenance operations in an open, honest and 
meaningful way?  Do you have the capacity, training and 
knowledge to demonstrate your commitment 
to health and safety and model safe work 
practices?   Do you have the resources and tools to put into 
practice a set of work place standards for your 
staff to follow?WHEN DO I NEED TO DO THIS BY?Industry associations, professional associations and 
senior managers across Australia have already 
been advised that they needed to review WHS 
governance now and map the differences between 
the current OHS Act and the new WHS Act. The 
process for the introduction of new national WHS 
laws actually started in July 2008. So be assured 
there can be no excuses for any state, industry, 
business or senior officer or manager to not be 
aware of the changes in WHS laws.As part of the senior management team in the operation of a golf club, I would suggest that 
superintendents consider the following in regard 
to what they might do about the introduction of the 
new WHS laws:  Have a discussion about any immediate safety 
concerns or issues with your GM and brief them on the urgency to commit to action, 
remembering your professional opinion and 
judgment is vital in calibrating the system 
priorities and controls on the site. (Tip: See the 
GM about your ideas on ways to approach the 
discussion and get them on the radar for future 
planning and budgets);  Consider information sessions or other initiatives 
that will support workers to transition. (Tip: Keep 
up to date with the latest information through 
your own state WHS website under the area or 
topic of  ‚harmonisation™);The new WHS Act sees a number of changes in terminology, including the introduction of the term ‚workers™ instead of ‚employees™. Under the new Act ‚workers™ will now include contractors and volunteersHEALTH AND SAFETYHEALTH AND SAFETYAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     31  Introduce discussion on the new WHS laws into the workplace through your existing staff who hold or act in a HSRs capacity (they can carry 
over as HSRs under the new system), your club 
WHS committee and in everyday discussions 
with greens and club staff;  Review, in consultation with all stakeholders, your local health and safety arrangements to 
identify gaps or potential improvements.With these considerations in mind, you should then:   Encourage your GM and other staff and workers to include WHS updates at all team meetings 
and to have WHS as a standing agenda item;  Start sending out or providing any updates or new information through the club™s existing 
communication channels;  Make an assessment as a manager of the current 
hazards that in your view require treatment and 
need to be controlled;   Perhaps schedule time for workers to attend 
workshops, training session on the new WHS 
laws. Seek to attend yourself or send key staff.When the new WHS Act is phased in, you should:  Check that all workers and business functions 
are ready for the transition to the new WHS 
laws. (Tip: Focus on the systems, policies and 
procedures that have been reviewed, updated 
and communicated.);  Identify what activities need to be continued between January and June 2012, such as 
contractor management;  Evaluate the effectiveness of consultation and communication processes. (Tip: Have the gaps 
been identified and considered in the planning 
of the next phase of communication?); Have HSRs and employee representatives 
been consulted and included in potential WHS 
changes that may affect their work group?   The new law also defines the training for HSRs and deputies and states they are entitled to five 
days training within three months of election 
and one day training annually (the employer 
must cover reasonable costs). If you have a staff 
member currently trained and acting as the HSR 
they can continue so my advice is to ‚hasten 
slowly™ on sending staff off to any training. (NB: 
A national decision is pending on the approved 
HSR training);  Make sure workers are aware of, and understand 
the need for, any changes to align with the new 
WHS laws.  Determine who will now be ‚workers™ in your 
workplace and how this may affect your day-
to-day work. The new laws have broadened 
the reach of WHS responsibilities of the PCBU 
to now include contractors and their staff, 
sub-contractors and their staff, students and 
volunteers.Under the new WHS Act, there will be a move to three categories of 
offences which see a significant 
increase in penalties in terms 
of dollar amount and length of 
imprisonment for work health and 
safety breaches˜˚˛˚˝˙˛ˆ˛˚˝˙˛˙˛˚˝˙˛˛
†˙˙€˛
†††˙32     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTPENALTY CHANGESUnder the new WHS Act, there will be a move to three categories of offences which, by in large, will 
see a significant increase in penalties in terms of 
dollar amount and length of imprisonment for work 
health and safety breaches. The categories are:  Category 1 (most serious): Recklessly exposes 
a person to risk of death or serious injury. 
Offences carry a $3 million fine on corporations 
and $600,000 fine on individuals and up to five 
years in prison to ‚officers of that corporation™ 
(that is the CEO, GM, CFO etc...) and three years for workers;  Category 2: Exposing a person to serious risk 
of harm (without the recklessness element of 
category one). $1.5 million fine for corporations, 
$300,000 for officers and $150,000 for workers;  Category 3: Failing to comply with WHS duty. This carries a penalty of $500,000 for 
corporations and up to a $100,000 fine for 
officers and $50,000 for workers.In relation to penalties, a Category 1 offence is a crime because of the quantum of the penalties and 
those offences will be dealt with through the District 
Court, whereas Category 2 and 3 offences will be 
dealt with through the magistrates system.These changes will see WHS law move out of the realm of tribunals and industrial relations courts, 
in which it has operated to date, with a move into 
‚black letter law™, which for the first time will now also 
see an appeal process possible, which was not the 
case in most aspects of previous OHS systems in 
operation cross the country.WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS?The other important area of the new legislation that 
needs to be understood is that it removes the right 
for silence which used to exist when a person was 
asked to answer questions or provide documents 
or evidence.  Under the new WHS Act a person is now not excused from answering a question or providing a document, record or information on grounds that 
the answer, document etc... may tend to incriminate 
them. However, the legislation does go on to provide further protection in that the evidence provided by 
that person cannot then be used in criminal or civil 
proceedings, unless it is false or misleading.LATEST INFORMATIONAlthough most provisions of the model Act will 
be enacted in the same way in each state and 
territory, the model Act does envisage some minor 
jurisdictional differences. For example, each state and territory will have their own regulator (WorkSafe, 
WorkCover etc.), which will be the same body that 
currently regulates compliance under your state or 
territory system.At the time of writing this article in November 2011, seven out of nine state and territory 
governments (Victoria and WA being the exceptions) 
had approved the model regulations and codes 
of practice and were committed to meeting the 
deadline of 1 January 2012. In mid-November, the Minister for Workplace Relations, Senator Chris Evans, also issued a statement announcing that transitional arrangements 
for the model OHS laws had been developed by Safe 
Work Australia to assist businesses to move to the 
new harmonised arrangements. These transitional 
arrangements will apply to the model OHS regulations and provide delayed commencement of 
up to 12 months or more where the new laws result 
in a new or significantly different set of duties. Despite this delayed start to the model WHS regulations, the bottom line remains that they will 
still come into effect, just that certain areas will be 
phased in over a longer period of time.Lastly, it would be fair to say that OHS or WHS by nature has been somewhat dogged by over-
complex systems, documents, policies, procedures 
and risk assessment tools. Yet despite this, there 
has been no reduction in overall injuries in Australia 
and as recently as last year there were over 80,000 
worker compensation claims. As a result, change in WHS continues as a response to this ‚dilemma™ by lawmakers. For the turf industry it means we need to do more than 
just act with good intentions. We need to show 
evidence of good practices, we need to demonstrate 
management of risk which ultimately allows for us to 
more easily show that we care and that we act to 
reduce harm or injury to our staff to the satisfaction 
of ‚black letter law™.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSSteve Wait from Safetee Pro delivers expert safety 
services and systems as the Director of Safety from 
within the e-par group. For more information about 
the new Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Act 
and how it affects you, contact Steve at steve@epar.
com.au The introduction of the new WHS Act represents an opportunity for superintendents to review their policies and procedures and how they enable them to demonstrate due diligence and to lead and support staff in safely undertaking their daily work activitiesHEALTH AND SAFETY HEALTH AND SAFETYPENALTY CHANGESThe introduction of the new WHS ˜˜
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Melbourne metropolitan area to formulate what can 
be called course quality objectives for greens and 
fairways.The nine courses are grouped into three categories:  Elite Standard: Metropolitan Golf Club, Yarra 
Yarra Golf Club and Riversdale Golf Club;  Mid to High Standard: Keysborough Golf Club, 
Southern Golf Club and Box Hill Golf Club;  Public Access Courses: Spring Park Golf Course, Ringwood Golf Course and Tirhatuan Lakes Golf Course.While these courses are being assessed on a monthly basis, there will also be a one-off inspection 
in late summer/early autumn of three courses in 
Sydney and three courses in Brisbane with one 
club in these areas to be chosen to represent each 
category.In developing course quality objectives, the principal aim is to establish criteria that assist 
individual golf courses to better understand what is 
sustainable for their facility. The aim is to determine 
the most appropriate test criteria for providing 
data on course quality as it relates to climate, 
maintenance and budget. The establishment of course quality objectives provides a means by which to assess factors that 
may be limiting a club™s ability to meet its vision for 
the course and then make informed decisions about 
the implementation of improvements or adjustments 
to the expectations. The purpose of the study is to:  Determine the most appropriate test criteria for 
providing data on course quality objectives;  Measure surface playability parameters and 
compare the results to climatic factors (i.e. 
rainfall, temperature, day length and shade);  Collect course management data and relate it to 
budget and course quality data.  Determine the ‚red line™ factors for budgets 
and resources as it relates to course condition 
factors. This is to be developed as a method of 
determining golf course sustainability; and  Determine realistic and sustainable course 
quality parameters according to budget, 
available resources (in particular labour) and 
environment.Greens at the nine courses are being assessed on a monthly basis for green speed, surface 
hardness, soil moisture content, average length of 
the majority of the root mass, longest root, as well as 
an overall quality rating of the playing surface. On a 
quarterly basis the greens are also being assessed 
for infiltration rate, Bent/Poa annua ratio and thatch/rootmat depth.Fairways are being assessed on a monthly basis for overall presentation and on a quarterly basis 
for thatch, longest root depth and mean mass root 
depth (at three locations) and soil moisture (at six 
locations).ASSESSMENT TOOLS GREEN SPEEDGreen speed is measured using a stimpmeter in the normal manner. This involves locating a flat area on each green and rolling three golf balls down the 
stimpmeter up and back and then averaging the 
distances of the two passes to give a green speed 
measurement expressed in metres.SURFACE HARDNESSSurface hardness of the greens is being measured 
by two devices Πthe 0.5kg Clegg Impact Soil Tester 
and the USGA™s Trufirm device. The Clegg is being 
used with two heads Πthe traditional flat head similar 
to that of the 2.25kg Clegg and also a domed head 
(see photo opposite). Surface hardness is being 
measured at 20 locations across each green, with 
both the flat and domed heads.Golf greens were traditionally tested for surface hardness with a 0.5kg Clegg hammer with a flat A range of course quality parameters are being assessed as part of the AGCSA™s one-year golf course benchmarking study, among them green speed, surface hardness, soil moisture content, thatch/rootmat depth and overall surface qualityAt the end of September 2011, the AGCSA Determine the ‚red line™ factors for budgets Up to themarkmarkAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     35head, however, it was deemed that the reading exaggerated the actual firmness of the surface. The 
use of the domed head has since been introduced 
and has been used by the STRI in the UK in its evaluation of greens in the lead up to past Open 
Championships.The Trufirm has been kindly lent to the AGCSA by the USGA for the duration of the trial to also provide a measure of surface hardness. Unlike the 
Clegg, which measures surface firmness in gravities, 
the Trufirm, which was developed by Dr. Matt Pringle 
of the UGSA, records the depth of penetration into 
the surface (expressed in inches). While a high 
Clegg hammer reading indicates a firmer green, 
a lower reading on the Trufirm represents a firmer green.The USGA has been monitoring greens in the lead up to the US Open with the Trufirm for a number of years now. In our study, the Trufirm averages the firmness of each green at nine locations. The Clegg hammer with the domed head has also 
been dropped at the same nine locations to try and 
establish a correlation between the two devices.SOIL MOISTURE Soil moisture is being assessed using a Fieldscout 
TDR300 with 120mm length probes. On some 
occasions shorter length probes (67mm) may also 
be used to ascertain what additional moisture is 
being held in the upper portion of the profile that 
is more dominated by the rootmat. Soil moisture is being measured across 20 locations of the green, in 
generally the same locations as the Clegg readings. ROOT LENGTH AND THATCH DEPTHA slice of the upper 150mm of the green is removed 
with a profile corer (see photo page 36) to measure 
thatch/rootmat depth as well as root depth. Two 
measurements are taken for root depth which 
includes maximum root depth (normally a root that 
has found a Vertidrain or some other aeration void) 
and the depth of which the majority of the root 
mass extends to. On some greens this has been 
witnessed at a very shallow depth, particularly if that 
green had been sodded.INFILTRATION RATEInfiltration is measured using a single ring disc 
permeametre that provides an accurate measurement 
of surface infiltration. The permeametre is used at 
two locations across the green with the result of the 
two being averaged. The rate of water infiltration is generally a function of the level of thatch/rootmat 
accumulation, the construction medium of the green 
and the length of time since the last renovation.BENT/POA RATIO AND OVERALL SURFACE QUALITYThese are visual assessments of the percentage of Poa annua and bentgrass over the entire playing surface, as well as a 0-9 rating of the quality of the surface. The quality rating is a combination of surface uniformity, surface firmness, smoothness 
and playability.QUALITY OF GREENSThe uniformity of the greens being assessed are 
generally variable due to their differing ages and 
even construction types. It is seemingly vary rare 
to have greens all at the same age, particularly 
with older more established clubs that have often 
reconstructed particular greens over time. This study has therefore provided the opportunity to 
assess the characteristics or performance of varying 
ages of greens as well as their construction type.  RESULTS TO DATEWith the first round of benchmarking assessment 
occurring at the end of September 2011, some 
clubs and courses had undertaken renovations 
while others hadn™t, making overall uniformity 
of the assessment a little difficult. Coupled with 
renovations, rainfall also played a major role in 
the results particularly when it came to moisture 
retention and surface firmness. With those in mind, 
some conclusions can be drawn from the first three 
months (September, October and November 2011) 
of data collection.GREEN SPEED Generally, green speed has been slower at the 
public courses compared to the mid-high standard 
and elite courses on each of the assessment dates. 
The average for the public courses has been around 
2.4 metres (8 feet), while the mid-high and elite 
standard courses are closer to 3.0 metres (10 feet).SURFACE HARDNESS ΠTRUFIRMThe Trufirm was not used for the September assessments as it had not arrived from the USGA, however, it has provided some interesting results 
from the October and November assessments. The 
average for the public courses for those months was 
0.53 (this measurement indicated that the probe 
penetrated the surface to a depth of 0.53 inches) 
on both occasions. The mid-high standard courses 
were 0.49fl on both occasions and the elite clubs 
were 0.47fl in October and 0.46fl in November. SURFACE HARDNESS ΠCLEGGThe Trufirm results were also reflected with the 
use of the Clegg hammer with the domed head 
when dropped at the same nine locations. The Tirhatuan Lakes, a public access golf course in Melbourne™s south 
east is one of nine golf courses 
being assessed as part of the HAL-
funded projectSurface hardness is being 
measured using a 0.5kg Clegg 
hammer using both the traditional 
flat head as well as dome head 
which mimics a golf ballSurface hardness is being The Trufirm device (pictured left), 
which measures penetration into 
the green surface, has been leant 
to the AGCSA for the duration 
of the benchmarking study 36     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAGCSATECH UPDATEAGCSATECH UPDATEresults for the public courses has seen results of 80 and 82 gravities during October and November respectively, the mid-high standard courses both 
recorded 91 gravities, while the elite standard 
courses were 97 gravities.Similar trends have been recorded when surface hardness was measured with the domed head 
and flat head Clegg over the 20 locations per 
green (Table 1). There was a distinct difference observed between September and October for the public courses with two of the three courses not 
undertaking renovations prior to the September assessment. MOISTURE LEVELSDuring September, October and November there 
were significant rainfall events at the end of the 
month when the assessments took place. The 
Bureau of Meteorology™s Moorabbin Airport station 
recorded the following amounts:  September 29, 2011: 37mm;  October 25, 2011: 6.4mm;  November 27, 2011: 46.4mm.The same two clubs within the mid-high range were impacted by these rain events in September 
and October, while two public courses, one mid-
high standard and two elite clubs were impacted by 
the November rainfall event.The results have shown that again there is a consistent trend of the public courses holding the 
greatest amount of moisture within the top 120mm 
of their profiles, while the mid-high and elite courses 
have comparable levels of moisture retention. THATCH/ROOTMAT LEVELSThatch depth is being measured on four occasions during the trial and the initial assessment for thatch 
depth showed that the public courses had an 
average of 47mm, ranging from 30mm to 82mm. 
The mid-high standard courses averaged 35mm, 
ranging from 23mm to 42mm, while the elite courses 
averaged 32mm, ranging from 12mm to 43mm.While thatch was recorded visually as a depth measurement, a loss on ignition test was also 
conducted on samples taken from four locations 
across each green at two depths Π0-20mm and 
20mm-40mm. Surprisingly, the loss on ignition results did not correlate with the depth of thatch 
present. Loss on ignition records the actual amount 
of organic matter present, so while the depth of 
the rootmat may seem high it may well be diluted 
with sand. The results for loss on ignition at the two 
depths can be seen in Table 2.TABLE 2. LOSS ON IGNITION TEST ΠSEPTEMBER 2011 Category 0-20mm 20-40mmPublic 6.4% 4.5%Mid-high Standard 5.9% 3.2%
Elite Standard 7.0% 3.1%The public courses certainly had more organic material further down the profile in the 20-40mm 
range, however, the amount of organic matter within 
the top 20mm was far more uniform across the three 
categories.ROOT DEPTHLongest root depth has been recorded at three 
locations per green on each course and the length 
appears to be very dependent on whether or not 
a root has grown down an aeration hole. To date the public courses have recorded the longest root 
growth as well as the deepest root mass, which has 
been a measure of the depth of the majority of the 
root system within the plug taken. OVERALL TURF QUALITY The elite and mid-high standard courses have to 
date produced greens of a higher standard than the 
public courses when aspects such as smoothness, 
uniformity, surface firmness and playability are taken 
into account.CONCLUSIONSWhile this trial is only in its infancy, it is hoped 
that there will be some notable trends observed 
throughout the trial period for which course quality 
objectives can be formulated to provide like clubs 
an indication of the quality of surfaces that could be 
expected at certain times of the year.The AGCSA wishes to thank all the golf clubs and courses involved in this study, in particular 
course superintendents Glenn Stuart, Paul Holmes, 
David Mason, Mark Jennings, Chris Allan, Greg 
Rooke, David Cole, Will Hodder and Jeremy Cutajar 
for their assistance and cooperation.TABLE 1. SURFACE HARDNESS  September October NovemberCategory Domed1 Flat2 Domed Flat  Domed FlatPublic 93 132 80 111 80 115Mid-high Standard 95 142 91 139 90 138
Elite Standard 95 142 98 146 96 152 1 Dome head 0.5kg Clegg hammer; 2 Flat head 0.5kg Clegg hammerA slice of the upper 150mm of each green is removed with a profile corer to measure thatch/rootmat depth as well as root depthresults for the public courses has seen results of A slice of the upper 150mm of There™s hype. And there™s proven history. Since 1998, innovation after innovation in 2500 Greens Mowers have led the industry toward improved results. Want to learn 
more? Take our highlight tour at JohnDeere.com.au/2500e to 
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your course make history, too.Think Ahead.Ball joint suspension Simple, durable solution 
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Introduced to prevent 
fitriplex ringfl.How advanced is it?The features we introduced in  1998 still haven™t been duplicated.38     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTECH TALKTECH TALKTurf managers are continually under pressure to produce high quality playing conditions, 
often with little in the way of resources. While working in an advisory capacity, it is not unusual to 
liaise with golf club representatives who, despite 
best intentions, often have little understanding as to 
what can be achieved given the resources available. 
This is particularly so when it comes to managing 
putting surfaces. The reality however, is that it is seen as the greenkeeper™s responsibility to produce consistent 
surfaces day in, day out no matter how little you 
have to work with. How often have you heard the 
phrase fia greenkeeper lives or dies on the quality of 
the greens he/she producesfl.There are many variables which can influence the consistency and day-to-day performance of 
putting green surfaces. Factors such as design, amount of play and weather conditions all play a 
major role, but from an agronomic viewpoint the 
key criteria which influence the quality of putting 
greens include turfgrass composition, rootzone 
characteristics, organic matter, the presence or 
absence of black layer, root health, soil nutrients, 
microclimate and maintenance practices.In this edition we will examine the first four of these components and in Volume 14.2 (March-April) 
will discuss the remaining factors. TURFGRASS COMPOSITIONNew bentgrass and couchgrass cultivars, which have 
been released over the past 10-20 years, display 
characteristics such as greater turf density, reduced 
spiking, lower cutting height, increased salt and heat tolerance and increased disease resistance. The most obvious changes in characteristics have been 
in density and vigour, yet while many cultivars have 
become denser and produce smoother and faster 
surfaces, they also require more frequent cutting, 
dusting and thatch removal.Most cultivars have undergone extensive trialling and it is recommended to closely study research 
data before embarking on a re-grassing program. 
For instance the AGCSA™s creeping bentgrass varieties trial (HAL Project TU08002) has now been running for two years, while an extensive four year 
trial (HAL Project TU05001) was completed in early 
2010 assessing a wide range of couchgrass hybrids 
for their performance under Australian conditions. ROOTZONE CHARACTERISTICSUnderstandably, the selection of the right rootzone 
material is critical in satisfying both the needs of the 
turfgrass plant while also providing consistent, high 
quality putting surfaces. The United States Golf Association (USGA) has been instrumental in creating laboratory tests 
and guidelines for the selection of suitable soils 
and sands. The USGA specifications have been 
developed to provide consistency in surface qualities 
such as pace, hardness, traction and bounce. The physical characteristics indicate sands which meet the criteria should provide adequate 
oxygen and available water, while also draining 
rapidly to avoid prolonged waterlogging. Such sands should also provide enough strength to allow 
easy root growth together with favourable nutrient 
and biological conditions. Above: To produce high quality putting surfaces, superintendents have the onerous task of managing several agronomic criteria which can have significant impact on the consistency and day-to-day performance of their greensIn the first instalment of a two-part article, AGCSATech™s John Geary looks at the key agronomic factors that influence the delivery of consistent, high quality putting surfaces.The keys to unlockingquality greensThe keys to unlockingquality greensAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     39It has been interesting to note in recent years the trend to use sands which contain a greater percentage of fine sand particles. While there are 
many factors to consider such as depth of sand, 
inclusion of gravel layer, etc, the theory is native 
sands, such as those found on the Melbourne 
sandbelt which contain a high percentage of fines, 
provide firmer playing conditions than sands which 
meet the USGA specifications.The AGCSA is currently undertaking an extensive benchmarking study of playing surfaces 
where we are measuring the performance and 
overall condition of greens. One aspect being 
measured is surface firmness using both a Clegg 
impact hammer (0.5 kg domed head) and the 
USGA™s Trufirm device. While it is too early to draw any definitive conclusions with regards to surface firmness for 
Australian conditions, in 2010 the STRI released 
a firmness scale based on a Clegg hammer pilot 
study. The scale (measured in gravities) is:  Over 130: Hard and unreceptive. Ball impacts 
and continually bounces forward. No control.  100-130: Very firm. Ball impacts, bounces on, checks and then rolls out. Ideal for links courses.  80-100: Firm. Ball impacts, bounces on, checks and then stops quickly. Ideal for parkland style 
courses;  70-80: Receptive. Ball impacts then stops on first bounce or spins backwards. No footprinting.    60-70: Soft. Balls stop dead and leave a large pitch mark. Footprinting becomes evident. Not a good surface.   Below 60: Very soft. Unstable and poor surface. With regard to the Trufirm, firmness is measured by the depth of indentation (in inches), with lower 
values indicating a firmer surface. At this point 
the USGA has not released firmness guidelines, 
preferring to review the data on a course by course 
basis. USGA Northwest region director Larry Gilhuly reported that during the 2010 US Senior Open at Sahalee County Club, Trufirm values of 0.345-0.360 inches were considered optimal, while at the US Amateur of 2010 held at Chambers Bay Golf Club the perfect ball reaction was noted as being at the 
very low penetration value of 0.250-0.260 inches 
without wind and 0.260-0.270 inches with wind. In the lead up to The Presidents Cup held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, the AGCSA was 
fortunate to carry out surface firmness readings 
on five selected greens. Clegg values averaged 
from 120 up to the mid-150s while Trufirm readings varied between a low of 0.277 through to 0.384 after 
substantial overnight rains.   ORGANIC MATTERThe total rootmat layer can be described as the 
layer of accumulated organic matter between the 
grass surface and soil. Rootmat is the natural accumulation of organic matter which initially starts as thatch and then as it mixes with topdressing sand 
consolidates as rootmat. This high organic component has a very high moisture retention and slow infiltration rate. 
Consequently, this layer holds excessive moisture 
and prevents excess water from penetrating deep 
into the profile, leading to slower paced greens as 
well as an increased incidence of divotting. Even 
on well drained sands and well drained greens, the 
accumulation of rootmat will undo all of the good 
attributes of the underlying sand. While it is difficult to physically reduce the depth of the rootmat layer, sand dusting and hollow 
coring will greatly assist in diluting it. The impact of 
removing this rootmat layer from the profile can be 
seen in the photograph above with much healthier 
turf being clearly visible in all of the core holes due 
primarily to an increased amount of air in these 
areas.So, what level of organic matter is considered as acceptable? Carrow (2004) states that regardless 
of climate zone, greater than four percent organic 
matter content in the top 50mm becomes a red flag 
value that indicates the probability of developing 
low oxygen, excessive surface water retention and 
reduced saturated hydraulic conductivity. As organic 
matter increases above this value the greater the 
potential for problems.Alternatively, O™Brien and Hartwiger (2001) state that golf courses with mature greens need to be 
hollow tined with a minimum of 15-20 per cent of 
surface area impacted each year to successfully 
manage organic layer in the top of the profile. BLACK LAYERBlack layer occurs primarily due to a lack of 
available oxygen (anaerobic soil conditions) within 
the rootzone. The lack of oxygen is often a result 
of a combination of compacted, waterlogged soil 
conditions and left unchecked can lead to a build-up 
of hydrogen sulphide gas within the rootzone, which 
can be toxic to plant roots. The irony is sand rootzones are just as prone to developing black layer. This is brought about if 
a thatch layer is allowed to develop and many high 
profile sand-based sports field constructions have 
suffered as a result. This is due to thatch holding 
around 35 per cent of its own weight in water. The impact of the thatch layer is twofold Πroots are not induced to grow into the sand rootzone 
below and, secondly, a perched water table is 
created at the interface between the thatch layer and 
the rootzone, which is often anaerobic. Most, if not all, of the new bentgrasses and ultradwarf couchgrasses produce high levels of 
organic matter and it is imperative to implement a 
regular renovation programme to overcome any 
build-up of black layer. Cultural practices such as 
hollow tining and/or vertidraining together with 
an aggressive dusting programme are strongly 
recommended. Devices such as the Clegg impact hammer and the Trufirm (pictured) 
are seen as tools superintendents 
can use to objectively help 
evaluate overall greens quality  The impact of removing rootmat 
layer from the profile can be seen 
with much healthier turf clearly 
visible in all of the core holesSand rootzones are just as prone to developing black layer40     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTHE PULSETHE PULSEManaging member, player and committee expectations can be one of a superintendent™s more demanding and difficult tasks. With the spate of recent tournaments Œ including The Presidents Cup ŒThe Pulse wanted to know whether it is harder to manage these expectations at such a time and how superintendents approach such an issue.GreatexpectationsGreatfiWollongong Golf Club recently held the New South Wales PGA Championships 
and during and after the tournament we always get the familiar comments from members 
of ‚why doesn™t the course look this good all year 
round™ or ‚why don™t we have the greens like this for 
the members™. During an event when the golf course 
is at its best condition, members can™t help but think 
that they are not getting the priority that they deserve 
after spending so much money in annual fees.  I have found a newsletter that gets to all members and posting a course maintenance blog on the club 
website useful tools to educate members of the 
cost involved and the maintenance practices that 
goes into a big event and the potential problems 
we might get in trying to sustain these practices all 
year round.  By doing this the message gets to all 
members, not just committees that sometime fail 
to pass on information to the members.fl Stephen 
Gaze, Wollongong Golf Club, NSW~~~~fiI don™t receive any extra requirements or comparative comments when major events are 
held and televised nationally, as the members here 
are aware that events such as The Presidents Cup 
require greater inputs in the lead-up to the event.  I find with member-driven clubs that as long as you are making gradual improvements to the 
course, while maintaining a regular high standard of 
playing surface, that they will come to fully support 
your actions and decision making, thereby not 
placing any unreasonable demands on you.fl Dr 
Brett Morris, The Brisbane Golf Club, QLD~~~~fiWith so much golf around this summer, Heidelberg 
Golf Club is deliberately promoting itself in a number 
of areas in order to attract new faces to the club. Raising the bar is a term I hear often, ensuring that new guests/visitors enjoy a great experience on any 
given day. Yes, expectations are up, and with board 
members and management being regular visitors to 
the sand belt region and other tournament locations, 
they always return with fresh ideas.Having had some past experience at Huntingdale Golf Club helps me set reachable goals on my own 
property. Striving to recreate at Heidelberg the turf qualities, processes and procedures I helped 
produce at Huntingdale is the best way to manage 
expectation.  Staff numbers, budget constraints and 
soil structure at Heidelberg make it difficult, but not 
impossible, to produce good surfaces. The most difficult hurdle at a smaller club like ours is holding onto the quality. One staff 
member at school, another on annual leave and 
one off sick leaves a small crew vulnerable. Having 
knowledge of what goes into preparing for an 
international tournament also has its advantages 
in managing expectations, but for me, being able 
to show improvement each year is working.fl Tim 
Bilston, Heidelberg Golf Club, VIC~~~~fiThis is a very interesting topic and one that is 
certainly at the forefront of my thoughts this year, 
particularly following The Presidents Cup.  We are all well aware of the ‚Augusta Syndrome™ but I would suggest that it has now been replaced by the ‚Royal 
Syndrome™ following the efforts of Richard Forsyth and his crew for the 2011 Presidents Cup!  I was lucky enough to attend the tournament and having quite a bit of familiarity with the course I 
was amazed at how much work they had done and 
how well they had done it.  I have already had many 
comments from my members here at Coolangatta & 
Tweed Heads about Royal Melbourne.Dean Henderson and his crew™s effort at the Australian PGA have also caused some comment 
among my members, particularly with the fantastic 
condition of the 328 couchgrass greens.  There is 
also a fair bit of talk about the conditioning of US 
PGA Tour event courses on a weekly basis.My approach to handling these increased expectations is to use my course maintenance blog AGCSAAGCSASERVICEProviding expert advice for  superintendents and golf clubs   to improve  course maintenance standardsContact AGCSA HR and Best Practice ManagerDaryl Sellar 0408 322 397 daryl@agcsa.com.auAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     41to highlight the differences between the tournament venues and my own course.  With the US courses 
it is quite easy as there is a fact sheet available for 
each tournament and I often use these to highlight the differences between them and my own course.  Bunkers are the number one topic at my club and I used some photos I took at The Presidents 
Cup to highlight the differences between the amount 
of work that was put in at Royal Melbourne and what we can achieve here.  I recently responded to a member™s email criticising the maintenance of our 
bunkers and sent the information on my blog and a 
bit more in reply.  This is part of the reply from that 
member: fiMany thanks for your reply Peter .... you™ve made me feel soooo bad.  I should post your reply 
on our noticeboard so that others might better 
understand and be more tolerant of the problems 
you face. Subject closed, but you can be rest 
assured I™ll go into bat for you every time.flAs I said in a presentation at the conference in Adelaide, managing members™ expectations can 
often be controlled to a degree by communicating 
with them and not just brushing off their thoughts 
and concerns.fl Peter Lonergan, Coolangatta & 
Tweed Heads Golf Club, NSW~~~~fiWe are lucky up here in the Northern Territory as 
our wet season is upon us and member/committee 
expectations tend to fall away somewhat. Most of 
our resources are put into rough cutting and general 
mowing so the course is playable once the weather 
has subsided, rather than minor presentation 
details. However, during the tournament season 
(dry season) the expectations of golfers have 
certainly increased due to the amount of televised 
golf. As superintendent I make a conscious effort that everything we do on the course each week, 
including the one percenters, will help improve the 
overall experience for members and guests.fl Scott 
Trembath, Darwin Golf Club, NT.~~~~fiIt is an age old argument Πis it easier to manage the 
course or expectations Πbut generally if you have a 
good board or organisation running the course they will back your decisions and experience. As 
a superintendent you tend to find that you have to 
be your own worst critic and the hardest person to 
please, but experience has told me that you never 
dismiss any point of view or opinion.As with most things, communication is the key. Members, committees and players all like and 
demand to know what is happening and why, before 
it actually happens. The major items of contention 
would have to be green speed, cutting heights 
and renovations. It is true that we are no longer 
greenkeepers but ‚managers™ instead.fl Wayne Tickle, Ballina Golf Club, NSW.they will back your decisions and experience. As fiWhat I have observed over many 
years is that at this time of year there is a general tightening of the screw 
in terms of individual perspective and 
wants of overall course presentation. A recent example of this hysteria is that several members of my club returned 
from The Presidents Cup (congratulations 
to Richard Forsyth and his team by the way) with comments and questions of 
how we could possibly achieve a similar 
bunkering system or model, anywhere 
from sand type, colour, playability, contouring and aesthetic characteristics. This hysteria generally settles by the time the Christmas Banquet is served. 
Reality and achievable vision normally 
settle and self-align once explained 
and benchmarked against areas such 
as available human resources and 
overall budget restrictions, in addition 
to recent on course achievements and 
improvements being highlighted. That usually settles the natives for another 
year at least.fl Mark Schroder, Liverpool 
Golf Club, NSWProviding expert advice for  superintendents and golf clubs   to improve  course maintenance standards42     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTalk to Malcolm Ollard, golf course superintendent at Paradise Palms 
Country Club just north of Cairns, 
and he™ll quickly tell you that size 
does matter. If you have had the pleasure of visiting the stunning Far North 
Queensland resort course, which has been 
Ollard™s home since the start of 2011, then 
you™ll understand why.Designed by Graham Marsh and opened in 1990 during the golf boom, Paradise Palms 
is a course on a grand scale. Routed through 
rolling heritage-listed rainforest and flanked 
by stunning tropical ranges, Paradise Palms 
sprawls across 80 spectacular hectares and at 
6592m provides one of the toughest challenges 
in Australian golf.While it is literally a golfer™s paradise, from a golf course maintenance perspective 
keeping Paradise Palms in the optimum 
condition befitting its design is one of the 
toughest assignments going. Not only does 
the size of the course provide numerous 
logistical challenges for Ollard and his small 
crew of nine, the harsh tropical climate can be 
punishing on course maintenance machinery. Those combined mean that Ollard needs productive, reliable and hard-wearing 
machinery to figet the job donefl and during 
his turf management career, which has 
now spanned two decades, he has come to 
respect just one brand which delivers on these 
parameters time and time again ΠToro.RED SHEDThe challenges facing Ollard when he joined Paradise Palms were numerous. Having 
weathered some tough times in recent years, 
the course was in need of TLC and no sooner 
had he set foot in Cairns than Ollard was 
charged with getting the course back on track. 
New course owners HS Vision had already 
approved an upgrade of course machinery 
and Ollard didn™t waste any time in pushing 
hard for a wishlist that was all ‚red™. fiI have worked with Toro machinery for much of my career and to put it simply it™s 
the ease of use, the reliability and the ease of 
maintenance which makes Toro a winner in my eyes,fl says Ollard. fiThe after sales service 
has always been a strength and even though 
we are up in Cairns, the Toro guys down in 
Townsville will drop everything and come 
up if we have a problem. Ken McNeill our 
mechanic has been around a long time and 
knows these machines like the back of his 
hand and he™ll tell you there™s nothing easier 
on the market to maintain than Toro.fl Organising a tailor-made lease agreement through the expert team at Toro Finance, in 
July 2011 Paradise Palms took delivery of 
virtually a whole new shed worth of Toro 
equipment. Among the inventory were:  Groundsmaster® 4700-DGroundsmaster® 4000-D Groundsmaster® 72002 x Reelmaster® 5610s4 x Greensmaster® 3250-DMulti Pro® 5800Sand Pro® 5040Pro ForceŽ blowerThe impact of this new equipment has been remarkable and you only have to ask 
the Paradise Palms members just how much 
the place has transformed inside the past six 
months. As well as putting it down to the hard 
work and dedication of his crew, Ollard says 
that having the reliability and productivity of 
a new Toro fleet has been integral in achieving 
such impressive results.fiIt has been a great first year and we have Toro Turf TourThe ease of use and reliability of Toro machinery is what makes Toro the number one choice for Paradise Palms superintendent Malcolm OllardAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     43Location: Paradise Palms Country Club, QLD Superintendent: Malcolm Ollardachieved a hell of a lot, reflects Ollard. fiThe club has spent some money on our machinery 
which is one of the main reasons why we have 
been able to turn the place around. All of the 
existing machines were between five and 10 
years old and we just couldn™t maintain the 
course properly with such an ageing fleet. fiOne of the things I wanted to change when I started was to up the mowing 
frequency to improve presentation. I wanted 
the course looking good all the time, not just 
on a Friday or at weekends. The members 
have certainly noticed that and have been 
very complimentary to the staff about the job 
we are doing.fiWe have a pretty small staff for such a big place Œ it™s about one and a half times the size 
of your average golf course Πand we also look 
after all the clubhouse surrounds and resorts 
here too. While it has been a challenge to get 
the place back up it has been very rewarding 
for all of us to see what we have achieved. The 
course is just glowing at the moment.flBIG MACHINES FOR A BIG JOBWith such a big maintenance operation to orchestrate at Paradise Palms, Ollard knew 
he would need some of Toro™s biggest 
performers on his side in order to meet his 
course quality objectives. Without hesitation, 
the heavy-hitting Groundsmaster® 4700-D and Groundsmaster® 4000-D were the first entries on Ollard™s list.The sheer productivity of the 4700-D and its superb cutting performance meant it was a 
must-have for Ollard. With a powerful 60hp 
Kubota® engine (which makes it the most powerful mower in its class) and full-time 
4-wheel drive, the 4700-D has an abundance 
of power to handle the demanding mowing 
conditions which Paradise Palms can throw 
its way. The free-floating ContourŽ Plus cutting decks follow the contour of the terrain for 
a championship quality cut with air inlet 
pockets keeping the grass standing tall for 
the cleanest possible cut. However, it™s the 3.8 
metre width of cut which was the 4700-D™s big 
selling point, which translates to 4.2 hectares 
per hour. For Ollard, such productivity is 
literally worth its weight in gold and is a huge 
saver in terms of time, labour and fuel. Coming a close second to the 4700-D and another of Toro™s principal workhorses, 
the 4000-D wide area rough mower was 
also a critical addition to the Paradise Palms 
shed. Again one of the most strongest and 
productive mowers in the trade, the 4000-D 
delivers power where you need it most to cut 
tough grass. In addition to effectively mowing a 157.5cm to 3.4m swath with its fast wing lifts, 
the 4000-D offers incredibly tight trimming Toro Turf TourToro Turf TourADVERTISEMENTParadise Palms Country Club just north of Cairns relies on the productivity and reliability of Toro machinery to keep the championship course in optimum condition The Groundsmaster® 4700-D is the true workhorse at Paradise Palms and has provided huge savings in time and labour resources44     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTADVERTISEMENTcapabilities. It allows operators to trim how they want with one, two, or all three decks 
engaged, depending on the situation. It 
also has the SmartCoolŽ system with auto-reversing fan which blows chaff off the intake 
screen to help reduce overheating.fiWith these two machines Πthe 4700-D and 4000-D Πwe can now mow the whole 
course, from the fairway edges out to the 
treelines, in four days whereas before we 
would be lucky to be able to do that in 
two weeks,fl says Ollard.  fiThe 4000-D is 
invaluable because we have so many trees 
here and we can get around them without 
any damage. These two machines alone save 
us such a huge amount of time and they are 
also very tough and reliable. The reverse fan 
on the 4000-D is a brilliant feature, especially 
because of the amount of clip we get up here.flFor management of the finer turf surfaces such as fairways and greens, two Reelmaster® 5610s and four Greensmaster® 3250-Ds were also no-brainers for Ollard. The Reelmaster® fairway units have long been a favourite of Ollard™s with the five-gang 5610 providing the 
precision cut and after cut appearance that he 
was looking for. The Reelmaster™s Dual Precision Adjustment (DPA) cutting units maintain 
levelness and hold adjustments longer, while 
harder reel and bedknife steel retains a sharp 
edge up to three times longer to minimise 
the need and frequency of adjustments, 
backlapping and grinding. Improved 
access to routine service points and service 
components, along with a robust machine 
design, means the Reelmaster is rarely laid up 
in the workshop for long, leaving more time 
to do what it does best Πprovide a superior 
level of cut.fiThe DPA units are superb and I love the after cut finish they give,fl says Ollard. fiAnd 
it (the 5610) just keeps on going and going 
which is just as well because here the growth 
rates can be ridiculous. You can be out cutting 
fairways and you can literally watch the 
Greenlees Park grow right behind you!flOne of the other key additions to the shed was the Toro Multi Pro® 5800 sprayer. With disease pressures heightened in such 
a tropical climate, having the big daddy 
of Toro™s sprayer range means that Ollard 
can get on top of any outbreaks quickly 
and efficiently. Whether its tees, greens or 
fairways, the Multi Pro® 5800™s 1136-litre tank and oversized six diaphragm pump means it 
is ready for the long haul and can satisfy the 
highest of spray rates.fiAll round, Toro is just a great fit for us here at Paradise Palms,fl says Ollard.  fiIt™s the 
whole package Πease of use, easy to change 
and adjust, easy to maintain and reliable. The 
new fleet has made a huge difference to the 
presentation of the place and we can now get 
the job done and know that the course will 
look good. It certainly makes my job and that 
of the crew™s a lot easier.flLocation: Paradise Palms Country Club, QLD Superintendent: Malcolm OllardThe tough and productive Groundsmaster® 4000-D was another must-have item on Ollard™s wishlistThe Multi Pro® 5800 has a huge 1136-litre capacity spray tank, ideal for a big site like Paradise PalmsThe 3.8m width of cut on the Groundsmaster® 4700-D translates to a productivity rate of 4.2 hectares per hourAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     45It takes superior quality to produce a masterful display, and with its combination of power, productivity and precision, the Groundsmaster® 4700-D is more than capable of delivering. A commanding 60hp turbo-diesel Kubota engine provides enough power to handle the toughest mowing conditions, while a vast 3.8m width of cut mows up to  4.2 hectares per hour, with free-˜oating ContourŽ Plus cutting decks that always leave the course looking sharp. You™re guaranteed a polished performance from the master.TOR0165Ef˜cient on course, just like  all great masters of the game.For more information call 1800 356 372 or visit  toro.com.auSMART COOL SYSTEM Auto-reversing cooling fan60 HP TURBO-DIESEL KUBOTA ENGINE4-cylinder engine provides an abundance of power to handle the most demanding mowing conditionsEf˜cient on course, just like FREE-FLOATING CONTOURŽ  PLUS DECKSAir inlet pockets keep the grass standing tall for the cleanest possible cut plus  3.8m width of cutting deckFULL-TIME 4 WHEEL DRIVEParallel hydraulic traction system 
enables easier trimming around 
objects without tire scuf˚ngTORO165 Turfmaster ad 287x210_FA.indd   16/12/11   10:19 AM46     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTRESEARCHRESEARCHThe influence of mowing height on water use was measured for four warm-season turfgrass species during a recent research project conducted by turfgrass researchers at The University of Western Australia.Researchers at the University of Western Australia will shortly conclude a two-year study into the effects of mowing height on water use. Pictured is the travelling-boom irrigator at the UWA™s Shenton Park turf research facility which applied uniform irrigation at a set percentage of replacement of net evaporationThe influence of mowing height on water use and drought tolerance continues to be de-
bated. Some consider that raising mowing heights during summer can enhance turfgrass per-formance during periods of hot weather and water 
deficits, whereas others argue that increased leaf 
area associated with higher mowing can increase 
turfgrass evapotranspiration (i.e.: water use).In 2009 the University of Western Australia embarked on a Horticulture Australia Limited-funded 
research project (TU09005) which measured the 
influence of mowing heights on water use for four 
warm-season turfgrass species:   Soft-leaf buffalograss (Stenotaphrum secundatum cv. Sir Walter);Couchgrass (Cynodon dactylon cv. Wintergreen);Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum cv. Village 
Green); and Zoysia (Zoysia japonica cv. Empire). Turfgrass growth, quality and water use were assessed using field plots and lysimeters. The 
trial site was planted with plugs of turf towards the 
end of September 2009. The lysimeters were PVC columns filled with soil and housed within casings 
inserted into each plot. The lysimeters and plots 
were managed in the same way. Following the establishment phase, the turfgrass received 15kg/ha of elemental N every four weeks in 
the form of Turf Special fertiliser and was irrigated 
at 70 per cent replacement of net evaporation 
(summed and applied three times per week) during 
periods requiring irrigation. Each replicate block 
contained three plots (9m2) of each of the four species, so that each species could be mown at 
three different heights.Three different mowing heights (10mm, 25mm or 50mm) were imposed in late December 2009, with plots then mown weekly (or every two weeks during 
the subsequent winter). Water use measurements 
were conducted in February and March 2010, which was about five months after planting, and so the 
lysimeters and plots were considered ‚young™ during 
this first summer of measurements. By the second summer (December 2010-February 2011) the lysimeters and plots had been mown for one year at the three different 
heights, and so were more mature and the canopy 
volumes were fully developed.RESULTSData from measurements taken during two 
summers, averaged for the four turfgrass species 
so as to highlight the influence of mowing 
height, are presented in Table 1. Water use (i.e.: evapotranspiration) increased as mowing height 
was raised. Pan evaporation provides a measure 
of the evaporative demand for water in a particular 
location, so turfgrass water use is expressed in Table 1 as a percentage of the daily evaporative demand.TABLE 1. TURFGRASS EVAPOTRANSPIRATIONMowing Summer 1 Summer 2Height (mm)10 641 6625 69 7050 76 73 1Means across four species. Water use as % pan evaporationThe ranges of water use by the four turfgrass 
species at each mowing height were:At 10mm mowing height Π60-67 per cent of pan 
evaporation; At 25mm mowing height Π65-74 per cent of pan 
evaporation; At 50mm mowing height Π71-86 per cent of pan 
evaporation. These data support the view that raised mowing heights can result in greater water use, when soil 
water is available.Various other parameters were also measured for the four turfgrass species under the three different PHOTOS BY: MICHAEL SCHWARZMowing height influence onwater usewater useAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     47mowing heights. All four species responded to low mowing by substantial investment into new shoot 
growth, so that the amount of clippings produced 
was greatest for each species when mown at 10mm. 
All data from the project will be publically available 
in a final report to HAL currently in preparation for 
submission during the first half of 2012.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSAuthors Tim Colmer and Louise Barton would like to 
thank Sarah Rich for assistance during site planting and Sharyn Burgess and Timothy Higgott for working 
as research officers. HAL Project TU09005 is facilitated by Horticulture Australia Ltd in partnership with Turf Growers 
Association of WA, Water Corporation, Sir Walter WA 
Growers, Future Turf P/L (Village Green), WA Group 
P/L (Empire Zoysia). In-kind support from Greenacres 
Turf Farm, Betta Turf, Turf Developments WA, Alwest 
Turfing, CSBP, Nick Bell and MowMaster. The authors 
thank the UWA Turf Industries Research Steering 
Committee for support and advice.BAYER HOLDS INAUGURAL TURF RESEARCH FIELD DAYIn mid-November, Bayer held its first Turf and Ornamental Research Field Day in conjunction with the University of Sydney at Cobbity, NSW. Despite wet weather, more than 100 golf superintendents, turf 
managers, council greenkeepers, distributors and turf consultants at-tended the event at Bayer™s research facility where they were able to 
view a number of trials including:MANAGEMENT OF KIKUYU IN COUCHGRASSThis trial has been set up to examine a programme of MSMA or 
DSMA applications with Tribute to examine effectiveness for kikuyu control. Trials in 2010 showed a three spray programme of DSMA 
followed by Tribute, followed by another Tribute application, gave 95 per cent kikuyu control six months after starting the spray programme. 
This year™s trial is comparing the use of MSMA and additives like 
ammonium sulphate and surfactants. The trial will be continued through summer.POST-EMERGENT CONTROL OF DIGITARIA SP.This trial started in October to evaluate combinations of herbicides for 
the post-emergent control of Digitaria sp. One month after spraying a combination of Tribute and Destiny, good weed control has been observed. This trial will continue until the end of the year.PRE-EMERGENT DIGITARIA SP. CONTROL TRIALThis trial was established in late August to compare a new pre-
emergent herbicide called Specticle with currently available pre-
emergent herbicides for Digitaria sp. control.  At three months after application Specticle is as effective as or better than the current 
industry standards. The trial will continue through the summer.TURFGRASS SAFETY SCREENING OF HERBICIDESThis trial was a demonstration trial showing the phytotoxicity symptoms of Spearhead, Destiny and Tribute at three and six weeks after spraying. The three chemicals were applied at the maximum label rate and double the maximum label rate. The chemicals were 
applied to warm-season turfgrass varieties of kikuyu, couch, buffalo, 
zoysia and Queensland blue couch.MANAGEMENT OF DOLLAR SPOT DISEASE IN TURFTwo new fungicides are being evaluated at two different rates for dollar spot control.  Effectiveness was compared from one application five 
weeks before the field day and two repeat applications five and two 
weeks before the field day. One of the new fungicides was giving 
good control with the high rate five weeks after application. Disease 
was starting to develop in the other treatments. All treatments which 
had been applied five and two weeks prior to the field day were 
showing good disease control. Registration of these new fungicides is expected in 2013.RFGRASS SAFEY SCREENING OF HERBICIDESJyri Kaapro presents the trials on TributeLeft: UWA researcher Tim Colmer collects clippings for dry weight 
measurements (brown paper bag) 
and also freezes sub-samples in 
liquid nitrogen for subsequent 
pigment analysesAbove: Measurement of lysimeter weight after 24 hours enables 
determination of turfgrass water 
use48     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTRESEARCHRESEARCHIn 2000, the Queensland Department of Employ-ment, Economic Development & Innovation (DEEDI) built a ‚living library™ of turfgrass selec-tions made up of 138 different cultivars.  Back-up 
material of all plus additional cultivars are also pre-
served in tubs (see above) in an attempt to limit en-
croachment or contamination and maintain genetic 
purity of the collection. Between 2000 and 2009 DEEDI was solely responsible for the construction and maintenance 
of the entire collection. In 2009, a three-year Horticulture Australia Ltd application (HAL Project TU09002) was given the support of the turf industry, 
utilising levy funds, to share costs associated with 
the maintenance and resources required to maintain 
the integrity of the collection.  The establishment of the plots has assisted the turf industry by:Maintaining a reference point for warm-season 
turf material. This includes regular visits to inspect 
the plots by educational groups, members of the 
public and industry representatives from around 
Australia and internationally;Reducing research and development costs by allowing rapid and easy propagation of 
material for research, Plant Breeder™s Rights and demonstration purposes; andAllowing greater access to new (international) 
material for R&D purposes (e.g. TU09001 Πtropical turfgrass project).Funding for the HAL Project TU09002 ends in May 2012. An extension to keep funds available to 
house and maintain the collection at Redlands was 
submitted to HAL in November 2011 seeking levy 
and matched funding from HAL until 2015. A component of the much-needed HAL funding will be to grow the education and extension 
component of the turfgrass collection. Plant 
descriptors and varietal information will be made 
available on what will hopefully be a stand-alone 
(non-government), newly constructed website. The independent website, which will be maintained by DEEDI research and extension 
staff, will link visitors of the Redlands ‚living library™ to turfgrass descriptors and associated 
R&D information on the website by utilising Quick 
Reference (QR) codes (see photo below).The new website aims to fast track the dissemination of information from R&D projects and the like to industry in a timely manner. HAL 
milestones and other reports, magazine articles, 
digital photographs and videos, scientific papers, 
information kits etc... that hold no commercial-
in-confidence will also be made available for 
downloading from the website. The website also aims to house a portal to inform consumers where they can purchase commercially 
available varieties located in the Redlands ‚living library™ from accredited suppliers through an 
advanced search engine (e.g. local (post code), 
state, variety, genus). The latter will provide useful for homeowners and turf professionals wanting a 
one stop shop for independent turf information. The HAL project extension aims to:Assist in the improvement and maintenance of 
the DEEDI turfgrass collection;Provide an independent education source of 
information through plot inspections/tours and 
the distribution of varietal information pertaining 
to the plots for the turf industry, students and 
general public;Direct consumers to accredited turf suppliers; Benefit the Australian turf production industry 
through increased sales.The Redlands turf research staff would like to thank HAL and the Australian turfgrass industry for 
their support in funding TU09002 and providing security to a reference collection of this kind, the 
largest in the Southern Hemisphere. Funding of this nature ensures the detailed collection will be maintained and made available to 
the wider turfgrass industry and general public for 
years to come. It also provides a great advertisement 
of the health and environmental benefits of choosing 
turf. DEEDI research scientist Matt Roche provides an update on HAL Project TU09002 which focuses on the improvement and maintenance of the turf demonstration plots for national research and extension at Queensland™s Redlands Research Station.The Redlands Research Station turf collection, developed in 2000, represents the largest turfgrass 
reference collection in the Southern HemispherecollectionRedlands turf referencecollectionRedlandsFor more information see your Syngenta agent or www.greencast.com.auSyngenta Crop Protection Pty Limited, Level 1, 2-4 Lyonpark Road, Macquarie Park NSW 2113. ABN 33 002 933 717.® Registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Ž Trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. All products
written in uppercase are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. AD 11/329


Poa annua*  Winter grass (Poa annua)(Digitaria sanguinalis), Summer grass (Digitaria ciliaris), Crowsfoot grass (Eleusine indica).50     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTREGIONALPROFILEREGIONAL PROFILEAt the 2011 Adelaide conference, Brent Hull put Moruya Golf Club on the map when he won the Toro AGCSA Golf Championship title for the first time. This edition™s regional profile heads to the south coast of NSW where Hull provides an insight into managing the Moruya course which has been his home for the past 17 years.Superintendent: Brent Hull.Nickname: Hully.
Age: 51.
Years as a superintendent: 29.
Years as an AGCSA member: Six.Turf management career: Narooma Golf Club, NSW (apprentice greenkeeper); Antill Park Country Club, Picton, NSW (superintendent, seven years);  Young Golf Club, NSW (superintendent, seven years);  Moruya Golf Club, NSW (superintendent, 17 years).Turf management qualifications: Certificate III Horticulture (Ryde School of Horticulture).Where in Australia is Moruya and what is the town famous for (apart from being home of the current 
Toro Red Jacket holder)? Moruya is located on 
the far south coast of NSW, 300 kilometres south of Sydney and 175km east of Canberra.  The town, 
nestled in the heart of the beautiful Eurobodalla 
Coast, is famous as it supplied the granite for the 
Sydney Harbour Bridge.Tell us a little about your background and how you ended up at Moruya Golf Club?
I started out not in the turf industry but wanting to 
be a golf professional.  After selling Mars bars at 
Narooma Golf Club, I quickly realised this was not 
for me. I was lucky enough to gain the position of apprentice greenkeeper at Narooma Golf Club working under Richard Goodridge and the late John Spencer. After Narooma I had stints at Antill 
Park Country Club and Young Golf Club, but I always wanted to return to the south coast of NSW. 
Fortunately the position at Moruya became available and I was successful in getting the nod. My time 
at Moruya Golf Club has been very rewarding and 
satisfying and has been home now for 17 years.Give us an overview of Moruya Golf Club and some of its unique characteristics? The Moruya course was designed and built by a group of 
members using their own trucks and excavators 
and was completed in 1988. One of the most unique 
characteristics about the course is the huge double 
green (9th and 18th holes) which is 2100 square 
metres in size.  Take us through your turf management operations there and how you have fine-tuned them during 
your time as superintendent? The course can at 
times be hard to manage as it is built on a flood plain 
and we have had major inundations over the years. 
We try to present the course in the same condition 
every week.  I find if I can keep the bunker edges tidy it keeps the whole course looking neat. When I first arrived here 17 years ago the course was watered 
by roll out hoses and travelling irrigators. Now we have a fully automatic computerised system which 
certainly makes managing the course a lot easier.Any special environmental considerations that you have to incorporate into the management 
of the course? Using effluent water we have a 
withholding period for our members to walk on, so 
with chemicals that need washing in we come back 
late in the evening to spray these products and let 
the automatic system wash them in for us.What are some of the major challenges facing Moruya Golf Club? Like a lot of small regional 
clubs, financial issues are always a challenge.MoruyaGolf Club NSWMoruyaGolf ClubMoruya Golf Club, about 300km south of Sydney, was built by members and opened in 1988. One of the course™s most unique characteristics is its 2100 square metre double green (9th and 18th holes) AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     51Any major course improvement works recently completed? We redesigned our 10th hole in January 2011 from a par four to a par three due to 
a public safety issue.  We realigned the hole a little 
and built a new green and tee complex and did it all 
in-house. I have just finished a master plan where I am hoping to reshape all the bunkers and concrete 
all our pathways. We have some drainage issues 
with the bunkers here because parts of the course 
are low lying.Water is obviously a critical issue around the country. How is Moruya GC faring in the water 
management stakes?  We are very lucky to have 
effluent water pumped into our storage dam by the 
local shire at no cost at this stage.The one product I couldn™t manage my course without is... Primo Maxx, because of the excessive 
growth of the kikuyu.What are some pros and cons of being a regional superintendent?  The lifestyle here would have 
to be the major pro. The course is not as busy as 
some metropolitan courses which enables us to 
get out on the course and get work done. The only 
drawback is the time it takes to get parts to me. 
As mentioned, like any regional club finances are 
always tight and it would be great to have a bit more 
in the budget each year in order to undertake more 
course improvements.Are expectations of course presentation and conditioning any less than that placed on your 
metropolitan counterparts? No, I feel our members expect the presentation of the course to be as good 
as the metropolitan counterparts and we certainly 
aim to have the course in best possible condition 
each week.Do you have to be more resourceful as a 
regional-based superintendent? Yes, because we 
don™t have the high budget of the larger courses so 
sometimes we have to improvise with things. We 
converted an old 3000-D greens mower into a roller, 
replacing the cylinders with rollers made locally and 
removing the hydraulic pumps.How important are the relationships you have with other nearby country course supers/trade 
reps? I have a great relationship with a number of superintendents on the coast including David 
Thompson (Bermagui), Tim Watson (Tuross Head) and some of the superintendents in the ACT.  We often borrow machinery from each other.AT A GLANCE - MORUYA GOLF CLUBCourse specs: 18 holes, 5878 metres, 25 hectares of managed turf.
Greens: Bentgrass/Poa annua mix 
maintained at an average of 3mm. 
Surrounds kept at 7mm.
Tees: Kikuyu maintained at 7mm.
Fairways: Kikuyu (13mm).
Rough: Kikuyu (75mm).
Members: 520 full members, 1300 social.Annual rounds: 20,000.
Major tournaments/events: Ainsworth 
two-day Trainee Pro-Am. Men™s and Ladies Moruya Open.
Annual course management budget: 
$120,000.
Staff structure: Brent Hull (course 
superintendent); Adam Crain (assistant 
superintendent); Mitchell Stage (2nd year 
apprentice); Tom Halligan and Andrew Foran (senior groundsmen); Dick Kelly (mechanic Πone day per week).Climate: Temperature averages around 
17 in winter and around 26-27 degrees 
in summer. Our annual rainfall averages 
around 850mm.
Soil types: We have two types Πon the 
flat we have a sandy loam and on higher 
parts of the course a heavier loam.
Water sources: We use recycled effluent 
water which the local shire pumps into 
our storage dam. At this stage we have an 
unlimited supply.
Irrigation system: Toro LCT Plus with 
four variable speed Grundfos pumps.Renovations: We have one major 
renovation each year in September where 
we scarify and core using 5/8fl tines. We 
try to groom our greens every two weeks.
Major disease pressures: Pythium is our major problem and we carry out a 
monthly preventative treatment to control 
this from October through to March.The Moruya crew (from left) Brent Hull, Adam Crain, Mitchell Stage, 
Andrew Foran and Tom HalliganMoruya™s tees, fairways and 
roughs are all kikuyu52     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTREGIONALPROFILEREGIONAL PROFILEWhat have you got in your shed and which piece of machinery gets trashed the most? 2 Toro Greensmasters (one is set up for tees and surrounds) Toro Sidewinder Toro 4000-D rough mower Toro Reelmaster fairway unit Toro Sand Pro bunker rake Workman with spray tank Kubota tractor Mustang skid steer loader Turbine blowerThe rough mower seems to be the machine that has to be replaced more often. I would love a new shed as by the time everything is put away at 
the end of the day we literally have to climb out of 
the shed!Given your distance from the major metro areas, how do you make sure you keep abreast of the 
latest turf management techniques and methods? 
Australian Turfgrass Management Journal, industry 
sales reps, Internet and the phone.What are some of the more unusual requests/things you have had to do as a superintendent 
of a regional course? I was asked to scatter a member™s ashes on the golf course.Favourite spot on your course? The massive 9th/18th double green.Most pleasing/rewarding moment during your time as Moruya Golf Club superintendent? Receiving great comments about the course from 
visitors.Name three golf courses that you would like most to visit and why? St Andrews (for the tradition), Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand (just to see what it would be like) and some of the desert 
courses in America (just for curiosity™s sake)OFF THE COURSE - BRENT HULLFamily: Wife Jean and two daughters Terri (22) and Kelly (17). 
Any claims to fame outside of turf management? 
I originally hail from New Zealand from a little 
farming town outside of Hamilton. The family moved across to Australia when I was eight years 
old. During my time at Moruya I have won the club 
championship 12 times.
Any interesting hobbies/past-times away from 
turf? I compete with the family in equestrian events 
and have done so since I was about 20. We travel regularly all over NSW to compete and I won at the Royal Show in Sydney once. I used to showjump 
but now just show horses (dressage). 
Favourite sporting team? Wests Tigers and the All Blacks.
Golf handicap? 3.
Favourite golfer? I actually don™t have one, but I 
like watching players that don™t give up.
The best thing about Moruya (aside from the 
golf club) is– the great lifestyle being so close to 
the coast.Moruya has an unlimited supply of recycled effluent water which is pumped in from the local shire councilMoruya™s bentgrass/Poa annua greens are scarified and cored each September to keep them in optimum health54     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTNEWSNEWSA major new partnership between the Australian golf and tourism industries was announced in 
mid-November, which aims to use the appeal of the country™s very best golf courses to position 
Australia as one of the world™s leading golf tourism 
destinations.‚Great Golf Courses of Australia™ is a marketing collaboration between the country™s premier golf 
courses, Tourism Australia, state tourism offices 
and the PGA of Australia aimed at tapping into the 
tourism potential of a sport which is worth $3 billion 
annually to the Australian economy.The group will initially comprise the six Australian courses as featured by US Golf Magazine in its ‚Top 
100™ courses of the world Œ Barnbougle Dunes and 
Barnbougle Lost Farm in Tasmania (superintendent Phil Hill), Kingston Heath and Royal Melbourne in 
Victoria (superintendents Martin Greenwood and 
Richard Forsyth), New South Wales Golf Club in Sydney (superintendent Gary Dempsey) and Royal Adelaide in South Australia (superintendent Nathan Bennett).Liz Sattler, director of Great Golf Courses of Australia and daughter of Richard Sattler, owner 
of Tasmania™s Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm 
golf courses, believes that relying on the quality of 
Australia™s golfing product alone is not enough to 
establish the country as an international golf tourism 
destination.fiIn order for Australia to establish itself as one of the world™s leading golf destinations, we must 
continue to drive the buzz that has been created 
around Australia in recent years and in particular 
off the back of The Presidents Cup,fl says Sattler. fiSuccessful marketing, promotion and distribution 
of Australian golf to the international market is vital 
if we are to gain a greater share of the golf tourism 
market pie.fiUsing our six top 100 ranked courses to front the exceptional array of golfing product that 
Australia has to offer, and combining the marketing 
and distribution offered by this partnership, we can 
establish Australia as one of the world™s truly great 
golfing destinations.flTourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy believes that Australia is well placed to tap 
into the huge tourism potential of golf and through 
this latest collaboration will be able to grab a bigger 
share of the multi-million dollar golf tourism market.fiWe currently boast six of the world™s top 100 courses, as well as many others that are located 
in iconic and distinctly Australian settings, which 
offer up real tourism potential,fl says McEvoy. fiWe 
definitely see an opportunity here to build golf into 
the holiday experience, particularly by tapping into 
those overseas markets that love their golf, such as 
China, Korea and Japan.PGA chief executive Brian Thorburn is hopeful that the six courses so far signed up is just the 
start. fiGolf tourism is incredibly important to both 
the tourism and sporting economies and our 
partnership with Tourism Australia will ensure our country continues to be regarded as a leading golf 
tourism destination,fl Thorburn said.It is envisaged that the partnership will be extended in subsequent phases to include other 
golf courses and experiences on offer in Australia, 
with ‚Great Golf Courses of Australia™ providing a 
centralised resource from which golfers and media 
from around the world can access information on 
Australia™s top golf courses and Australian golf 
experiences.NEW PUSH TO BOOST TOURISM BY SHOWCASING BEST OF AUSTRALIAN GOLFBarnbougle Dunes (top), Kingston Heath Golf Club (bottom left) and NSW Golf Club (bottom right) are among six of Australia™s leading golf courses to be a part of a new tourism venture to promote Australian golf courses and golfing experiencesAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     55LETTER TO THE EDITORGRANTS AVAILABLE FOR NSW BUSH REGENERATION PROJECTSGolf clubs in NSW are being encouraged to apply for the NSW Government™s new 
grant funding programme which specifically targets community bush regeneration projects. 
The new $8 million Community Bush Regeneration 
Large Project Stream is offering grants of between $200,000 and $250,000 for projects which will run 
for up to six years. The new funding stream has been established, and will be administered, under the NSW Environmental Trust™s existing Environmental Restoration and Rehabilitation Program.  Applications, which close on 31 January 2012, are 
invited for projects that: Regenerate degraded natural areas, including 
bushland, riverbanks, degraded waterways and 
rare and endangered ecosystems;Improve the ongoing health and improve resilience of important ecosystems and habitats 
of rare and endangered flora and fauna; Improve ecological connectivity within and between natural areas; andImprove the capacity of, and resource local 
community groups to protect, restore and 
enhance the environment by strengthening 
local community organisations whose primary 
purpose is to undertake environmental works in 
their local area.  Applications for projects which include partnerships, collaboration, other funding sources 
and in-kind contributions are encouraged. Councils 
(and ROCs) are not eligible to apply for funding, 
however, councils can administer grants on behalf 
of local community groups (Bushcare, Landcare 
etc) who are not incorporated. Full details can be found at http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/
BushRegeneration.htmDear Editor,
I™m about to pay you a compliment that 
perhaps I should have extended well before this. For six years I was course director at Federal Golf Club in the ACT, and I™m now into my fifth year as president.  Over that 
time I have had the opportunity to read 
your Australian Turfgrass Management Journal on many occasions, often just out 
of general interest but sometimes to aid 
my understanding of turf issues that have 
arisen on the course.  Very recently, I needed information on Πyou guessed it ΠPoa annua control and went to your magazine and website 
in search of information.  While answers 
on this subject are very difficult to come 
by, at least your magazine was the source 
of much valuable information and I thank 
you for it. I have read many trade and professional magazines over the years 
and I would rate your publication as among the very best.  Well done, and 
keep up the good work. 
David Nelson
President, Federal Golf Club (ACT)AERATIONSPECIALSUp to 40% off standard rates on Aeration for the months of January and February 2012!BCI_J7156Evergreen Turf is offering specials on aeration for the months  of January and February 2012. Up to 40% off standard rates!ScarifyingCoringPlease contact Tim Bayard on 0417 583 492 in Victoria  and Mark Warwick on 0488 958 108 in New South Wales.www.evergreen.com.au56     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTNEWSNEWSMargaret River Golf Club in Western Australia had a lucky escape from bushfires which 
ripped through more than 2000 hectares in the region in late November after a WA Department 
of Environment and Conservation prescribed burn 
got out of control. Margaret River course superintendent and GCSAWA member Mark Lewis said the club, which 
is located just a few kilometres west of the Margaret 
River township, suffered some minor damage but on 
the whole had fidodged a bulletfl, with fire taking out 
the treeline along the first fairway and coming within 
metres of the maintenance facility. fiWe were pretty lucky,fl says Lewis, who has been superintendent at Margaret River since 2006. 
fiThe DEC had been doing controlled burns that 
week and I left the course at 12.30pm on the 
Wednesday. At that stage there were no issues, but 
by 2pm announcements started coming across to 
either evacuate or stay and fight. fiI got back to the course the following morning through a couple of roadblocks and it (the fire) 
had licked the back of the maintenance shed and 
caretaker™s house which is on the western boundary. 
The topdresser which was parked out the back of 
the shed caught on fire. With half a fleet of new Toro 
machinery in the shed, my first priority was moving 
it to safe ground on the 18th fairway and green 
surrounds, while all the pro shop golf carts were 
moved onto the driving range tee. fiThe wind shifted again that afternoon and brought the fire back towards the course and the 
treeline down the 1st fairway caught alight, but 
thankfully the rest of the course wasn™t affected. 
We didn™t have power for a couple of days which 
meant I couldn™t water the greens, but they held 
up remarkably well. We also had a fire truck drive 
straight across the 1st green so we put that down as 
collateral damage!fl The WA DEC map above (the fire zone is highlighted red and Margaret River GC boundary is 
indicated by the white outline) shows just how lucky 
Margaret River Golf Club was. According to the 
DEC, the fire started as a result of an escape from 
a prescribed burn conducted in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park.  Weather conditions at the time of the outbreak were hot and blustery, with temperatures hitting 
maximums of 32 (Wednesday) and 33 (Thursday) 
and winds gusting up to 70km. By early Thursday 
morning more than 2000 hectares had been burnt 
with more than 400 fire personnel from DEC, local 
volunteer bushfire brigades and Fire and Rescue 
Service working to control the blaze. More than 50 
homes were destroyed or damaged by the fire.  PAKENHAM RACING CLUB SET TO BOAST AUSTRALIA™S LARGEST RACETRACKEvergreen Turf has won the contract to build 
Australia™s largest thoroughbred racetrack. 
Evergreen Turf will construct the Pakenham Racing Club™s new racetrack at Tynong, which is expected to start racing in early 2014.Once built, the Tynong track will be Australia™s largest racetrack, measuring 2402m in 
circumference and 25m wide. Evergreen Turf, also based in Pakenham, will use its StaLok product in the construction of the track, which it has been 
used at other tracks around the world.  The StaLok technology is a synthetic fibre that re-enforces the 
stability of the turf by mimicking a natural grass root.Evergreen Turf managing director Rob Davey said the company was excited to be building its 
first racetrack in Australia. fiThis technology has not 
been used to build a racetrack in Australia as yet, 
and we believe it is going to change the way future 
tracks are constructed,fl says Davey. fiWhile this is our first complete thoroughbred racing surface, 
it has been used in several repair and renovation 
cases in Australia.flAccording to Davey the StaLok design promises benefits of  improved drainage, which in turn reduces 
the likelihood of heavy track ratings, eliminating 
surface water, less divoting and promotes better 
turf growth. The Pakenham Racing Club is currently in the process of selling its existing 24 hectare racecourse 
site in Pakenham, which will give the final green light 
to move to the state-of-the-art facility in Tynong. The 
club hopes to start works on the new track in the 
first half of 2012.Stage one of the new facility will boast the 2402m Evergreen track, a purpose-built synthetic 
track, a 500-seat event centre facility as well as a 
150-acre (60 hectare) trainer allotment subdivision, 
allowing trainers to live and train on site.The WA DEC map clearly shows the fire-affected area (in red) literally stopping on the western and 
northern boundaries of Margaret River Golf ClubMargaret River course superintendent Mark LewisMargaret River course NARROW ESCAPE FOR GOLF CLUB AS BUSHFIRES HIT MARGARET RIVERRain Bird decoders are the proven and reliable alternative to traditional in-˜eld satellite control. Advantages include 
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cost-e˚ective installs with up to 70% less wire required. Consult with Rain Bird Australia about installing this proven 
decoder technology. Our decoder technology is at work on more than 
3,500 courses worldwide.That™s intelligent.Rain Bird Australia10 Mareno Rd, Tullamarine, Vic, 3043.   Phone: 03 8336 6777   Freecall: 1800 424 044   Freefax: 1800 424 050www.rainbird.com.au   Email: info@rainbird.com.au© 2011 Rain Bird CorporationRain Bird™s totally integrated golf irrigation solutionsReservoir to Rotors58     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAROUND THE TRADEAROUND THE TRADEHONDA HOSTS DEMO DAYHonda recently opened its Melbourne-based Somerton manufacturing plant for its 2011 product 
demonstration day. The Honda Experience combined a tour of the Honda Manufacturing 
Australia (HMA) plant with a hands-on test of Honda 
power equipment products and a motorcycle ride at 
the Honda Australia Rider Training facility.An integral part of the day included power equipment demonstration, which combined an 
overview of the technology and safety features of 
the Honda product range with the opportunity for 
guests to try out the products.HMA moved into the 17,500 square-metre Somerton facility in 2009 and employs 25 local 
workers who assemble lawnmowers on-site for 
both Australian and export markets including New 
Zealand, South Africa, Egypt, India, the Middle 
East, the South Pacific and parts of Asia. As well as lawnmowers, five brushcutter models are also 
assembled at the facility.SUPERS OFF TO THE ‚STRIP™Commonwealth Golf Club course superintendent 
Mark Prosser and acting Latrobe Golf Club superintendent Scott Irving will be packing their 
bags for Las Vegas early in 2012. Prosser was named winner of Globe Australia™s Las Vegas Study Tour prize, his name drawn from a pool of nearly 2000 entrants who had conducted soil testing 
through Barmac and attended the Globe Discovery Tour held earlier in the year. Irving was winner of the ‚Par-Aide™ Las Vegas competition run by Country Club International. Over the months of September and October Country Club 
International ran the nationwide competition with 
entries coming in from Victoria, New South Wales, 
Queensland and South Australia. Irving will join  
representatives from Country Club International on 
a week-long trip to take in the sights and sounds of 
Las Vegas and also the Golf Industry Show.BOTANIC GARDENS GETS A SPRAYToro Australia has donated a $45,000 turf spraying system for liquid applications to Sydney™s Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust as part of its annual Toro Company Giving Program, an international activity with a primary focus on 
supporting organisations that preserve the outdoor 
environment.Toro Australia has introduced the new 
Reelmaster 7000-D fairway unit to its golf 
course management line this past spring. The multi-purpose, heavy-duty reel mower offers 
a powerful engine, high-torque reel motors and 
enhanced cooling for performance in fairway and 
rough conditions. Replacing the existing Reelmaster 4000 model, the Reelmaster 7000-D is equipped with a 36.5kW 
(49hp) Kubota engine, as well as SmartCool auto-
reversing fan that intermittently blows debris off the 
air intake screen to keep the engine cool. High-
torque reel motors allow for greater productivity. Following in the footsteps of other Toro reel mowers, the Reelmaster 7000-D also offers Toro™s dual precision adjustment (DPA) cutting units, 
which manicures turf with a cut as low as 6.35mm 
and as high as 63.5mm. The five-gang design offers 
a 307cm width of cut. It has a wider swathe than a standard five-gang fairway mower, so operators 
can cut more grass in less time. The units are 
easy to adjust, have fewer adjustments and hold 
adjustments longer, saving time and simplifying 
maintenance. They also maintain a constant cutting-edge position for improved quality of cut 
and after-cut appearance. fiToday™s customers are more focused on productivity, because they™re working with fewer 
operators and resources,fl says Toro™s national sales manager for golf Peter Schumacher. fiThe 
multi-function Reelmaster 7000-D gives them a 
more versatile, efficient option for fairways, roughs 
and can increase productivity as golf courses and 
sports turf grounds enter their annual renovation 
programme, especially in the warm-season turf 
species.flAdditional features of the Reelmaster 7000-D include a premium seat with air-ride suspension 
and an ergonomic control arm for greater comfort 
and productivity. An optional overlap configuration 
with 32-inch 8-blade rear cutting units is also 
available.
For more information on the new Reelmaster 
7000-D, call your Toro Area Sales Manager, 
phone 1800 356 377 or visit www.toro.com.auToro Australia has introduced the new TORO™S NEW 7000-D FAIRWAY UNIT THE REEL DEAL Toro™s new Reelmaster 7000-D replaces the Reelmaster 4000Honda recently held a product demonstration day at its Melbourne manufacturing plantAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     59Toro™s T7 Series 1-inch rotor is ideal for large turf areasNEW NAME, NEW OFFICE, NEW FACESimplot Proline has announced a number of recent changes, including a change of name, the opening of 
a new NSW office/warehouse and 
the appointment of a new territory manager. Coming into effect from 1 November 
2011, Simplot Proline has changed its name to 
Simplot Partners, which according to general 
manager Matt Scott is designed to bring the company more in line with its US parent company. fiThe change will help with the strategic marketing and servicing of the Australian and 
international markets which will coincide with the 
resources in the US,fl says Scott. All ABNs and CANs, phone numbers and addresses will remain 
the same, however, the website will be changed to 
www.simplotpartners.com.au  As well as the name change, Simplot Partners has opened a NSW branch office/warehouse 
in Wetherill Park. Located at 27 Bentley Street, 
Wetherill Park, Simplot products can be purchased 
directly from territory managers at the warehouse. 
Contact details for the new warehouse are: ph 
(02) 9741 2960; fx (02) 9725 1054; Steve Martin 
(warehouse manager) 0437 369 672; and Bob 
Cooke (state manager) 0419 221 309.The new premises will also be the home of recently appointed NSW territory manager Stuart Miller who makes the move to Simplot Partners from Living Turf. Miller brings with him over 30 years™ experience within the professional turf 
industry, with strong technical experience in turf 
nutrition and chemical programming. Miller can 
be contacted on 0488 760 173 or via email stuart.
miller@simplot.com.auFRASER JOINS GLOBEFormer Mt Osmond Golf Club assistant superintendent Sam Fraser has switched sides and is now part of Globe Australia™s South Australia team. Fraser has taken on the role of turf client manager and will work alongside Luke Clohesy and senior turf client manager Andrew 
Manthorpe. Fraser can be contacted on 0438 700 
119 or via email sfraser@globeaustralia.com.au In other news, Globe has a new office location in Townsville. Originally on Pilkington Street, Garbutt, in late November 2011 Globe shifted 
into bigger premises at 2/13 Civil Road, Garbutt. 
Contact details remain the same Πph (07) 4775 
1822 and fx (07) 4775 1833, email dwellington@
globeaustralia.com.auLIVING TURF WELCOMES NEW REPBen Miller has joined the Living Turf team as a technical sales representative. Miller has been 
servicing the golf turf market in the metropolitan 
Sydney, northern and north western NSW for nearly 15 years. In his previous role he represented a major manufacturer of golf furniture 
and consumables, establishing strong relations 
with course superintendents all over the state. A 
qualified greenkeeper, Miller can be contacted on 
0407 100 222 or bmiller@livingturf.com.INDUSTRY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND APPOINTMENTSThe Multi Pro 1250 turf spray unit was presented to executive director of the Royal Botanic Gardens 
& Domain Trust Professor David Mabberley on 13 October 2011 by Toro™s equipment business manager Cameron Russell. The sprayer, which will replace an ageing 400-litre tractor-mounted boom 
spray unit, will be used to assist in the control of 
seasonal weeds, pests and diseases on the more 
than 35 hectares of lawns managed by the Trust.HE-VAN SCOOPS AWARDRain Bird™s new High-Efficiency Variable Arc Nozzle 
(HE-VAN) has received the American Irrigation Association™s 2011 Best New Product of the Year 
Award in the Turf and Landscape category. The award was announced in early November and marks the second year in a row that a Rain Bird 
product has received the honour, with the XFS 
Subsurface Dripline achieving similar status in 2010.Like other variable arc nozzles, the HE-VAN™s spray pattern is adjustable from 0 to 360 degrees, 
making it possible to irrigate unique landscapes 
of all shapes and sizes. In independent testing 
conducted at the Centre for Irrigation Technology, the HE-VAN nozzles delivered a consistently repeatable increase in distribution uniformity (DU) performance. 
Throughout testing, the HE-VAN demonstrated a 41 per cent increase in DU performance over competing variable arc nozzles. The HE-VAN™s scheduling coefficient was less than 1.4, representing a 37 per cent reduction over 
competing variable arc spray nozzles.  Because of 
its overall higher efficiency, the HE-VAN shortens watering windows while also decreasing energy 
costs and reducing system wear-and-tear. A number of new features make it possible for the HE-VAN, which is available in 12™ and 15™ radii,  to achieve its high distribution uniformity and low 
scheduling coefficient. Patent-pending Flow Control Technology provides lower trajectory streams for close-in 
watering and more uniform coverage across the 
entire spray pattern. Thicker water streams and 
larger droplets offer better wind resistance.
For more information about the HE-VAN, contact 
Rain Bird Australia national sales manager 
Anthony Long at along@rainbird.com.au or visit 
http://rainbird.com/hevan/Rain Bird™s HE-VAN collected best new product at the recent 
American Irrigation Association 
awardsMiller60     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAGCSA BOOK SHOPAGCSA BOOK SHOPBest Management Practices for Saline and Sodic Turfgrass Soils: Assessment and ReclamationBy R.N. Carrow and R.R. DuncanCRC Press, 2011University of Georgia duo Bob Carrow and Ronny Duncan would have to be among the most prolific authors within the international turfgrass management scene over the past decade 
and they have recently added Best Management Practices for Saline and Sodic Turgrass Soils: 
Assessment and Reclamation to their ever-growing 
back catalogue. Using the ‚best management practices (BMPs) concept, their new book examines the 
complex issues around salinity management, 
presenting comprehensive scientific principles and 
detailing practical management and assessment 
recommendations for turfgrass and landscape 
sites. Their overriding message is that there is no 
‚silver bullet™ amendment, treatment, or grass for 
salinity management and that only a holistic BMPs 
approach will be successful and sustainable.The comprehensive 455-page hard cover book has a number of features, including the following:   Provides BMPs addressing both proactive 
site assessment and specific individual site 
management programmes that can be 
implemented for each type of saline and sodic 
problem affecting turfgrass performance;  Identifies all possible BMP strategies including: irrigation system design; irrigation scheduling 
and salinity leaching; chemical, physical, and 
biological amendments; cultivation; topdressing;  
soil modification; sand-capping; surface and 
subsurface drainage options; nutritional 
practices; additional cultural practices (PGRs, 
biotic and abiotic stresses, traffic stresses); and 
on-going monitoring;   Since plant and soil nutrient and element deficiencies, imbalances and toxicities are 
an integral part of salinity stresses, this book 
contains detailed information specific to turfgrass 
managers specific to turfgrass soil testing (routine 
and salt package tests), water quality, and plant 
analyses as well as report interpretation of each 
of these potential management tools.   Includes the role and use of field and laboratory analytical methods for site assessment 
approaches for both plant performance and 
whole ecosystem assessment in relation to 
environmental issues such as soil quality/
sustainability, salt disposal, and potential to 
affect surface and ground waters; Presents emerging challenges, technology and concepts including: integration of 
salinity management into comprehensive site 
environmental or sustainable management 
systems; use of halophytic turfgrasses for non-
traditional purposes; integration of geospatial 
and geostatistical concepts and technology; and 
integration of new sensor technology.The book is broken up into five sections. Section one looks at the characteristics of salt-affected sites, 
saline soils and sodic, saline-sodic and alkaline 
soils. The next section, titled ‚Site assessment BMPs 
for saline and sodic soil sites™, looks at salinity soil 
tests and interpretation; routine soil test methods; 
irrigation water quality tests, interpretation and 
selection; plant analysis; and assessment for salt 
movement, additions and retention.Section three outlines management BMPs for saline and sodic soil sites and includes chapters on 
turfgrass and landscape plant selection; irrigation 
system design and maintenance for poor-quality 
water; irrigation scheduling and salinity leaching; 
remediation approaches and amendments; 
amendment application options and guidelines; 
cultivation, topdressing and soil modification; 
drainage and sand capping; and nutritional practices 
on saline and sodic sites.  Section four focuses 
on environmental stewardship and sustainability 
issues, while the final section looks at non-traditional 
use of turfgrasses on salt-affected sites.  
Best Management Practices for Saline and Sodic 
Turfgrass Soils: Assessment and Reclamation is 
now available through the AGCSA Bookshop and 
AGCSA members can purchase a copy for $121 
(non-members $145).CURRENTLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE AGCSA BOOKSHOP–.Turfgrass and 
Landscape Irrigation 
Water Quality: 
Assessment and 
Management
By R.R. Duncan, R. N. 
Carrow and M. Huck
CRCPress, 2009With increased use of alternative irrigation 
water sources on turfgrass and landscape 
sites, management challenges related to 
irrigation water are becoming more complex and whole ecosystems-oriented. In response to this, three of the US turf industry™s most 
prominent figures have combined to produce 
‚Turfgrass and Landscape Irrigation Water Quality: Assessment and Management.™ Over 464 pages,  they identify and present practical management options for 
problems that may occur over the whole 
spectrum of irrigation water movement, 
from issues occurring at the initial water 
source, delivery system, storage in lakes 
or ponds, application on grasses and soils and subsurface or surface environmental 
concerns.  The book is split into four sections Πunderstanding assessment of irrigation 
water; irrigation water quality situations and 
management; management options for 
site-specific problems; and environmental 
concerns relating to the use of variable 
quality irrigation sources on landscapes 
and recreational turfgrass areas from the 
landscape to watershed levels. 
AGCSA member price: $165Non-member price: $19560     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAGCSA BOOK SHOPAGCSA BOOK SHOPBest Management Practices for Saline and Sodic Turfgrass Soils: Assessment and ReclamationBy R.N. Carrow and R.R. DuncanCRC Press, 2011University of Georgia duo Bob Carrow and Ronny Duncan would have to be among the most prolific authors within the international turfgrass management scene over the past decade 
and they have recently added Best Management Practices for Saline and Sodic Turgrass Soils: 
Assessment and Reclamation to their ever-growing 
back catalogue. Using the ‚best management practices (BMPs) concept, their new book examines the 
complex issues around salinity management, 
presenting comprehensive scientific principles and 
detailing practical management and assessment 
recommendations for turfgrass and landscape 
sites. Their overriding message is that there is no 
‚silver bullet™ amendment, treatment, or grass for 
salinity management and that only a holistic BMPs 
approach will be successful and sustainable.The comprehensive 455-page hard cover book has a number of features, including the following:   Provides BMPs addressing both proactive site assessment and specific individual site 
management programmes that can be 
implemented for each type of saline and sodic 
problem affecting turfgrass performance;  Identifies all possible BMP strategies including: irrigation system design; irrigation scheduling 
and salinity leaching; chemical, physical, and 
biological amendments; cultivation; topdressing;  
soil modification; sand-capping; surface and 
subsurface drainage options; nutritional 
practices; additional cultural practices (PGRs, 
biotic and abiotic stresses, traffic stresses); and 
on-going monitoring;   Since plant and soil nutrient and element deficiencies, imbalances and toxicities are an integral part of salinity stresses, this book 
contains detailed information specific to turfgrass 
managers specific to turfgrass soil testing (routine 
and salt package tests), water quality, and plant 
analyses as well as report interpretation of each 
of these potential management tools.   Includes the role and use of field and laboratory analytical methods for site assessment 
approaches for both plant performance and 
whole ecosystem assessment in relation to 
environmental issues such as soil quality/
sustainability, salt disposal, and potential to 
affect surface and ground waters; Presents emerging challenges, technology and concepts including: integration of 
salinity management into comprehensive site 
environmental or sustainable management 
systems; use of halophytic turfgrasses for non-
traditional purposes; integration of geospatial 
and geostatistical concepts and technology; and 
integration of new sensor technology.The book is broken up into five sections. Section one looks at the characteristics of salt-affected sites, 
saline soils and sodic, saline-sodic and alkaline 
soils. The next section, titled ‚Site assessment BMPs 
for saline and sodic soil sites™, looks at salinity soil 
tests and interpretation; routine soil test methods; 
irrigation water quality tests, interpretation and 
selection; plant analysis; and assessment for salt 
movement, additions and retention.Section three outlines management BMPs for saline and sodic soil sites and includes chapters on 
turfgrass and landscape plant selection; irrigation 
system design and maintenance for poor-quality 
water; irrigation scheduling and salinity leaching; 
remediation approaches and amendments; 
amendment application options and guidelines; 
cultivation, topdressing and soil modification; 
drainage and sand capping; and nutritional practices 
on saline and sodic sites.  Section four focuses 
on environmental stewardship and sustainability 
issues, while the final section looks at non-traditional 
use of turfgrasses on salt-affected sites.  
Best Management Practices for Saline and Sodic 
Turfgrass Soils: Assessment and Reclamation is 
now available through the AGCSA Bookshop and 
AGCSA members can purchase a copy for $121 
(non-members $145).CURRENTLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE AGCSA BOOKSHOP–.Turfgrass and 
Landscape Irrigation 
Water Quality: 
Assessment and 
Management
By R.R. Duncan, R. N. 
Carrow and M. Huck
CRCPress, 2009With increased use of alternative irrigation 
water sources on turfgrass and landscape 
sites, management challenges related to 
irrigation water are becoming more complex and whole ecosystems-oriented. In response to this, three of the US turf industry™s most 
prominent figures have combined to produce 
‚Turfgrass and Landscape Irrigation Water Quality: Assessment and Management.™ Over 464 pages,  they identify and present practical management options for 
problems that may occur over the whole 
spectrum of irrigation water movement, 
from issues occurring at the initial water 
source, delivery system, storage in lakes 
or ponds, application on grasses and soils and subsurface or surface environmental 
concerns.  The book is split into four sections Πunderstanding assessment of irrigation 
water; irrigation water quality situations and 
management; management options for 
site-specific problems; and environmental 
concerns relating to the use of variable 
quality irrigation sources on landscapes 
and recreational turfgrass areas from the 
landscape to watershed levels. 
AGCSA member price: $165Non-member price: $19562     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTURFPRODUCERSTURF PRODUCERSTurf Producers Australia (TPA) is the peak industry body representing the Australian turf production industry.  For several years the turf production industry has collected a statutory levy 
which goes towards funding research, development 
and extension activities, as well as marketing 
activities, to increase the production and use of turf 
by Australian consumers.  All turf producers who sell over 20,000m2 per year pay the levy.  Funds from this arrangement used in research and development projects are matched 
dollar for dollar by the government, via Horticulture 
Australia Ltd (HAL).  While primarily benefitting turf 
producers, often levy funded research benefits the 
maintenance sector, including golf, sports fields, 
parks, racecourses etc.HAL works closely with TPA across various projects, including industry development and 
communications.  The latter is considered an important component by the turf production sector, 
and until now generally only growers have seen the 
results of research projects performed using levy 
funds.  In coming editions, ATM will feature a regular update on happenings in the turf production world, 
as well as state association updates and information 
and reviews of future events.  TPA BOARD AND STATE ASSOCIATIONSThe TPA Board consists of six members:  Adrian Pitsikas (Greenacres Turf Group, WA, 
chairman)  John Keleher (Australian Lawn Concepts, QLD)  Anthony Muscat (Greener Lawn, NSW)  Jason Muscat (Hi Quality Turf, NSW)  John Cotter (Anco, VIC)  Brad Shearer (Coolabah Turf, VIC)All gentlemen have been in the turf production industry for many years, and represent just about all 
major production areas of Australia. The day-to-day 
operation of TPA is managed by Matthew Holmes, in 
a combined role of industry development manager 
and general manager. In addition to the national association, there are turf producer associations in most states. The state 
associations work locally with growers on issues of 
significance to their area.  Often these associations 
undertake funded projects via HAL or through the 
state systems and co-operate with other outside 
industry associations such as the Nursery and Garden Industry™s state associations.  The main 
contacts for each association are:  Turf Queensland (Jim Vaughan, chief executive)  Turf Growers Association NSW (Bob Jeffries, 
Lawn and Turf Services, president)  Turf Growers Association Victoria (Steve Cole, 
Lilydale Instant Lawn, chairman)  Turf Growers Association Western Australia  
(Eva Ricci, industry development officer)INDUSTRY ADVISORY COMMITTEEAs peak industry body, TPA is also responsible for the formation and maintenance of an Industry Advisory Committee (IAC), which is essentially a 
sub-committee of the HAL board responsible for 
guiding HAL on the expenditure of project funding.  
The current IAC consists of:  Barry Underhill (DEEDI, QLD, chairman)  Bruce Stephens (Anco, VIC)  Terry Anderlini (Tropical Lawns, QLD)  Tony Cross (Caboolture Turf, QLD)  Adrian Pitsikas (Greenacres Turf Group, WA)  John Keleher (Australian Lawn Concepts, QLD)  Dr Ian Chivers (Native Seeds, VIC)  Matthew Holmes (TPA, ex officio)  Craig Perring (HAL ex officio)The IAC meets three to four times per year to discuss ongoing projects and to advise HAL on 
proposed projects for levy and voluntary contribution 
(VC) funding.  At the moment there are two calls for 
projects per year.  The ‚industry call™ which closes in November is for levy funded projects, and the 
‚general call™ which closes in March is for VC 
projects.  It is the latter call which receives projects 
funded by individual sectors such as the AGCSA, 
Racecourse Managers Association as well as Turf 
Producers Australia. From the IAC, projects that are highly recommended are forwarded to HAL for contracting.  
Some of the projects currently being funded by levy 
money include:  Screening warm-season turfgrasses for Group A 
herbicide tolerance (HAL Project TU09009);Australia™s turf production industry is valued nationally at over $3 billion, with about 400 
turf production businesses throughout country 
employing some 80,000 peopleThis first edition of Australian Turfgrass Management Journal for 2012 sees the start of a regular turf producers section which will feature news and updates from Australia™s turf production community. To kick start things, Turf Australia industry development manager Matthew Holmes provides an overview of the industry and its structure. Thegrass rootsof the industrygrass rootsAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     63  Mite damage Œ a survey of four warm-season turfgrasses (TU10002);  Screening chemicals for eriophyid mite control 
in four warm-season turfgrasses (TU10004);  Erosion control Πturf research and development facility (TU10025);  WA Turf Industry Development (TU11015)   Turf Industry Capacity Building 2009-2012 (TU09028); and  Turf Industry Communications 2009-2012 (TU09030). For more details or to contact TPA, call Matthew 
Holmes on 0427 088 200, email idm@turfaustralia.
com.au or visit www.turfaustralia.com.auAUSTRALIA™S TURF PRODUCTION INDUSTRY  Australia™s turf production industry is 
substantial with around 6700 hectares 
of turf under production at any time.  There are about 400 turf production 
businesses throughout Australia, 
employing some 80,000 people and 
valued nationally at over $3 billion.  Turf production in Australia is valued at $450 million per annum and turf 
maintenance is valued at over $500 
million per annum in servicing more 
than 10,000 prepared turf surfaces.  According to 2010/2011 production 
figures, Queensland can lay claim 
to producing 42 per cent of all turf 
in Australia. NSW/ACT come in next 
at 34 per cent, followed by Western 
Australia (11 per cent), Victoria (8 per 
cent) and South Australia/Tasmania/NT (5 per cent combined).  All Australian turf producers that 
produce over 20,000m2 of turf annually pay a 1.5 cent per square 
metre industry levy. The current levy is split two ways Π1.2 cents for R&D and 
0.3 cents for marketing.   Through Horticulture Australia Ltd, the turf industry is currently supporting 
38 projects. Two of these projects received a combination of R&D levy 
and voluntary contribution (VC) 
funding, 17 are levy funded only and 
21 are VC projects.The Industry Advisory Committee is comprised of (back row, from left) Craig Perring, Ian Chivers, 
Barry Underhill, Adrian Pitsikas and Tony Cross.  
Seated (from left) are Matthew Holmes, Terry 
Anderlini, Bruce Stephens and John KeleherThe Industry Advisory Committee is comprised of QTurf Machineryproviding solutions ontheGround worldwide
Giving you the grounds  


0428 290 009GXi Terra 0428 290 00964     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTSTATE REPORTSSTATE REPORTSIt has been really gratifying to be able to sit back and reminisce (with a cold southern beverage) 
from time to time over the recent Rugby World Cup final. It was a titanic battle but we can now 
rightfully, thankfully, claim the tag of Rugby World 
Cup champions for the next four years.I enjoy this time of year. There has been and will still be an abundance of sport on TV and I have enjoyed watching the drama and the 
fantastic golfing venues hosting The Presidents Cup, Australian Open, Australian PGA, Australian 
Masters and the NZ Open. As I write this the first Test between the Black Caps and Australia is on at the Gabba and it makes you think that were it not for 
our industry and the expertise of its practitioners, all 
these events would never happen!The highlight across the Ditch was of course watching the Presidents Cup and we must 
congratulate Richard Forsyth and his team in presenting Royal Melbourne in such fantastic condition. What was especially pleasing was his 
willingness to welcome a number of Kiwis into his 
team for the week prior and during the event.On the home front it was great to see Clearwater Resort in Christchurch host the NZ Open in the first 
week of December. This was the first major sporting 
event to be held in the city since the devastating 
earthquakes and it was good to see the course in 
such great condition. Course superintendent Ryan 
Adams, 2IC Ricky Walker and the rest of their team have done a stupendous job in what has been an 
extremely difficult year.In early November the new NZGCSA board met for the first time and a number of key points came 
out of the meeting: NZGCSA Accreditation Programme: The NZGCSA is investigating an accreditation programme for superintendents that are 
members of the NZGCSA. These programmes 
aim to recognise superintendents that continue 
their career development through education 
activities like attending field days, Growsafe courses, Approved Handler courses, turf 
seminars and conferences etc.    2012 Fine Turf Seminar dates: The 2012 North Island Fine Turf Seminar will be held 18-19 
June in Palmerston North and the 2012 South Island Fine Turf Seminar will be held 9-10 July at 
Lincoln (Christchurch).   NZGCSA Awards: The board has worked hard 
to revamp the awards for 2012 and we will 
present three awards ΠNZGCSA  Excellence Award (proudly supported by John Deere), 
NZGCSA Graduate of the Year Award (proudly 
supported by Powerturf and Jacobsen) and 
NZGCSA Environment Award (proudly supported by PGG Wrightsons Turf). Nomination 
forms are available from www.nzgcsa.org.nzSo from across the Ditch, the NZGCSA wish you all a very Merry Christmas and all the best for a 
bright and prosperous New Year!GRANT BUNTINGPRESIDENT, NZGCSANZ-based PGG Wrightson Turf sales rep Joe Johnson came across to volunteer for The Presidents Cup at Royal MelbourneNZGCSAAnother STA year has passed us by Πthey seem to be passing faster each year. 2011 
was a year of mixed successes for us. On the positive side was the Turf Alive event that was held at the Castle Hill Showgrounds. This event brought together for the first time the STA, TGA and the 
NSW Bowling Greenkeepers Association as a joint venture to host an event that could cater to the entire 
turf community. It was a great initiative and one that 
we will push forward with in the years to come.  The inaugural winner of the Toro STA NSW TAFE Student of the Year Shaun Patterson was another highlight. Shaun is a shining light and with the like 
of his calibre coming through the system it™s safe to 
say that the industry is in good hands. On the down side this year was the cancellation of our end of year function. The Ute Muster at Parramatta Stadium was going to be a less formal 
more relaxed event that we thought would appeal to 
our sponsors and members after 10 years of more 
formal functions. This was a decision that was not taken lightly but at the end of the day it was the 
right one.On a much brighter note, 2012 will be a ‚back to the future™ year for us. We return to Ryde TAFE 
for our Sydney Seminar for the first time in three 
years. Ryde has always been a great venue to host 
this event because of its location and facilities. We 
are also delighted to welcome back Les Burdett for 
our Cricket Wicket Seminar at Blacktown Olympic Park. Once again Les will give us his practical and occasionally humorous insights into the preparation 
and maintenance of great wickets.Our first event for the year, however, will be as guests at Martin O™Malley™s magnificent Lynwood Country Club for our annual golf day. Anybody who 
has played at Lynwood will know that it™s a tough course, so don™t get caught short like John Daly and 
only take six balls! Finally, on behalf of myself, Jen and the committee I would like to wish everybody a very 
happy 2012 and I look forward to seeing you at an 
event during the year.CHRIS CHAPMANPRESIDENT, STA NSWSTA NSWON THE MOVEA quick wrap up of recent 
superintendent and assistant 
superintendent movements 
from around the country–
Jason Ferry: Left the industry in December 
2011 to work 
in commercial 
construction after 
seven years as superintendent 
at Queanbeyan Golf Club, NSWLincoln Coombes: From operations manager Evergreen 
Turf, VIC to superintendent RACV Royal Pines Resort, QLD
Darren Dicks: From superintendent Kooringal Golf Club, VIC to superintendent Eynesbury Golf Club, VICFerryAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     65VGCSAWhat an exciting event The Presidents Cup was at Royal Melbourne Golf Club for Victoria and for golf in general.  Hosting such a major event in our home state certainly had a positive impact on many other golf clubs in 
the vicinity besides the majestic Royal Melbourne layout.  Congratulations to superintendent Richard Forsyth and his team of staff and volunteers for the 
outstanding work achieved to present the course in 
magnificent condition for the event.  The condition 
of the turf surfaces was outstanding and to receive 
so many positive comments from the players, 
organisers and the golfing fraternity in general 
would have been pleasing for those involved in 
preparing for and hosting the event.Congratulations also go to Mark Prosser (superintendent Commonwealth Golf Club) and John Mansfield (David Golf).  Mark is the recipient of the 2011 VGCSA Superintendent Recognition Award and John the Trade Recognition Award.  
Mark™s involvement on the VGCSA committee over 
past years and his leadership as president has 
been much appreciated.   His ongoing attendance 
at events and general support of the VGCSA since 
then does not go unnoticed and is also applauded 
by all members and the committee.  John has a long-standing involvement in the golf industry.    An accomplished golfer and a club 
champion, John is heavily involved in his home club 
as well as supporting superintendents in his day-to-
day role with David Golf.  John has been a supporter of the VGCSA for many years.The Huntingdale Golf Club team was successful at winning the main prize at the VGCSA Turf Research Golf Day held at Peninsula Country Golf Club in October.  Sixty-six players took up the 
challenge to win the $2000 prize money which is to 
go towards the costs associated with attending a turf 
registered conference.  Host superintendent Steven 
Hughes presented the course in great condition 
and the hospitality provided by Peninsula made the 
day extremely enjoyable.  Once again, thank you 
to Bayer for sponsoring the day; their sponsorship 
goes a long way to making the day possible and for 
allowing projects related to turf research achievable.The VGCSA committee has been working hard to secure venues and speakers for next year™s 
meetings.  A lot of thought and planning has gone 
into the events already to provide enjoyable and 
educational content throughout the year.  STEVEN HEWITTPRESIDENT, VGCSACommonwealth Golf Club superintendent Mark Prosser 
received the VGCSA™s 2011 
Superintendent Recognition AwardSTANZThe Sports Turf Association New Zealand recently completed a strategic planning session and we have identified a number of key pathways to connect and grow within the 
industry. Over the next 12 months STANZ will look 
to prioritise these key pathways and get the wheels 
in motion. These pathways include:
Maintaining regional representation Identify and appoint regional facilitators and representatives;  Develop and implement an active business plan;  Develop and maintain an active constitution;  Appoint and maintain a paid administrator 
position and patron. Promoting STANZ within NZ turf industry  Develop and implement a marketing strategy;  Produce a regular newsletter for members;  Secure and maintain a viable membership;  Facilitate and/or deliver regional field days and seminars for members;  Determine the sports field and cricket programme 
for regional and national turf conferences;  Facilitate and/or deliver regional trainee days.Securing revenue for long-term sustainability  Develop and implement a membership strategy;  Identify and exploit leverage opportunities within the sports turf and related industries;  Connect with, influence and gain support from 
relevant national sports organisations on turf 
management issues;  Establish and maintain a working relationship with relevant local and central government 
organisations;  Identify and exploit sponsorship opportunities.Generating a leadership and advocacy role  Maintain a governance and support role with the 
Industry Training Organisation responsible for delivery of turf training;  Develop and maintain an active lobbying 
capability on behalf of the sports turf industry;  Carry out and/or contribute to submissions on 
behalf of the sports turf industry;  Identify and endorse best practice in the sports turf industry (eg. production of guidelines and/or 
standards);  Identify and facilitate the opportunity for research and development in the sports turf industry;  Offer support to other like-minded organisations 
with an interest in sports turf management (eg. 
NZRA, NZGCSA, NZBGKA, CNITMA).IAN MCKENDRYVICE-CHAIRMAN, STANZON THE MOVEA quick wrap up of recent 
superintendent and assistant 
superintendent movements 
from around the country–
Mike Healy: From 
superintendent 
Mandurah 
Country Club, WA 
to superintendent 
Gosnells Golf Club, WA
Shannon White: From assistant 
superintendent to superintendent 
Mandurah Country Club, WA 
Simon Work: From Kooyonga Golf Club, SA to assistant superintendent Mt Osmond Golf Club, SA (replaces Sam Fraser 
who is now with Globe Australia) Andrew Wright: From superintendent Melton Valley 
Golf Club, VIC to superintendent 
Gisborne Golf Club (replaces James Stewart)from around the country–olf Club, WAHealy66     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTGCSAWASTATE REPORTSSTATE REPORTSSAGCSAIn recent months South Australia has had mild and dry conditions, great for golfers but not for superintendents establishing couch. Our recent October education meeting was held at Penfield Golf Club, a small 9-hole course 
in the northern suburbs of Adelaide. Course 
superintendent Kim Tonkin has just a casual to help him maintain the course, but despite a limited budget 
and resources Penfield has a good reputation for 
quality playing surfaces with many who attended 
paying close attention to Kim™s strategies. Kim also explained how he has developed a masterplan which will see the course expand to 18 
holes Πa huge plan which will take some 15 years 
to complete. It is a great parcel of land to work 
with and I am sure we will all keep a close eye on the changes. Thanks to sponsors K&B Adams and 
Nadeem Zreikat from Colin Campbell for his talk on 
disease control and social media.Long-serving Tea Tree Gully Golf Club course superintendent Ivan Swinstead received the SAGCSA™s Distinguished Service Award, sponsored by Metropolitan Machinery at the inaugural South 
Australian Golf Industry Awards Night held at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday 29 October. Ivan was one of three SAGCSA members to win awards 
on the night which was attended by 250 golfing 
representatives from across the state. Tyson Dickinson (The Grange GC) collected the SAGCSA Graduate of the Year Award sponsored by 
Toro and Stuart Gillespie (West Lakes GC, formerly Riverside GC) received the SAGCSA Excellence in Golf Course Management Award sponsored by 
Globe Australia.  The other big news recently was the appointment of a new course superintendent at Royal Adelaide 
Golf Club. Last November we welcomed Nathan 
Bennett who has taken over from Jeff Kaines who 
has left the industry. We congratulate Nathan on making the move across the border. As a committee we are still working through a redraft of the constitution and should have 
something to present to members soon. Look out 
for our next meeting in February at Adelaide Oval which will be a great opportunity to see this iconic 
venue up close. We are also planning a south east 
SA bus trip around May.On behalf of the SACGSA I wish everyone a successful summer and a happy New Year and I 
look forward to seeing you at Adelaide Oval.SAM SHERRIFFPRESIDENT, SAGCSARight: Metropolitan Machinery sales manager Chris Simounds (right) presents Ivan Swinstead with the SAGCSA Distinguished Service AwardSAGCSA Graduate of the Year winner Tyson Dickinsonin Golf Course Management Award sponsored by The new committee has met a couple of times now and we are 
starting to get on with life without Darren Wilson and Craig New. Glenn Cross is filling the role on the Water Wise Golf Course Program Committee, while Secret Harbour assistant Paul Needham is doing a fantastic job as secretary (the more Allan Devlin 
is away the more time Paul seems to have!) Neil Graham has already been productive organising the survey about the Margaret River Conference and results will be in the next 
issue of our Divots newsletter. Simon Bourne has already been 
able to surpass Newy™s effort by chasing up bills and increasing our operating budget. Meanwhile, young Callum Hitching is all over the 2012 Super Series and with some support from the clubs in the Perth region it 
should be a very successful year. And last but not least I have just 
returned from the state presidents meeting in Melbourne which I found very productive and I await another encore!Congratulates are in order for Mike Healy who was recently appointed as the new superintendent at Gosnells Golf Club in Perth. 
I am positive Gosnells have found the perfect man to take over from 
Brad Sofield (apart from the fact that he barracks for Collingwood 
which I bet didn™t come up during the interview). Congratulations 
must also go to Shannon White on his promotion to superintendent at Mandurah Country Club. Shannon has been a faithful assistant to Mike for years and will have no problem stepping up.The UWA Turf Research Programme has now been funded even with some clubs not yet on board with their small financial 
contribution. The new trial on fimanaging turfgrass on a reduced water 
allocationfl is an issue which should be at the forefront of the minds 
of golf clubs throughout WA and UWA researcher Louise Barton has already sent out the first newsletter to keep clubs up to date. As predicted the 2011 Super Series went the way of the ‚Burswood Bandit™, the little fella without a future, Peter Flemming. Pete basically just had to turn up to win at Nedlands but of course Callum ‚the 
Turf Whisperer™ Hitching did put up a fight on Aaron Petrovski™s beautifully prepared course. A big thank you to Geoff Kirk again for providing breakfast at every event and also purchasing all trophies 
and to Mark Rodereda for his sponsorship for the overall prizes. Finally, the WA Golf Industry Awards Night ΠFriday 24 February Πis fast approaching and we welcome ADH Club Car as the naming 
sponsor for the night. It should be a great night for our industry.DES RUSSELL PRESIDENT, GCSAWASAGCSA Graduate of the Year AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     67It has been a busy last couple of months in the ACT region.  Weather-
wise we just can™t seem to put two weeks of sunny weather back-to-back.  
More recently, we have had our fair share 
of rain as well with at least 120mm falling 
in the last two weeks of November.  It 
is welcome at this time of year and 
everyone™s supplies have been well and 
truly topped up.After a couple of months of negotiating, we are pleased to announce that we have 
changed our name from TGAA ACT and become the ACT/Southern NSW region 
of the Sports Turf Association.  At an 
extraordinary general meeting held on 
22 November, members overwhelmingly 
voted in favour of this proposal and we will 
now be known as Sports Turf Association ΠACT Region.  This allows us to provide 
support, networking opportunities and 
education to the turf industry by tapping 
into a broader target audience.  We can now move forward and ensure the longevity of our association and also 
provide opportunities to members and 
sponsors of being involved in events and 
training resources from other regions.  
We are confident that all sponsors and 
members will benefit greatly and the 
association as a whole will retain the 
strength to continue for many years in 
the future.As it has been a few editions since our last report, I would like to take this opportunity to inform everyone of our new 
committee members as many previous 
members have moved on.  President: Gary Dawson  Vice-president: Keith McIntyre  Treasurer: Michael Waring  Assistant Treasurer: Glenn Huender  Secretary: Scott Harris Committee: Bruce Davies, Lennon Ryan, Danny Hull, Scott Fogg and Karen Higgs.Many thanks must go out to previous committee members Jason Ferry, Norm Dunn, Brock Weston and Stuart Miller 
for their contributions to our association.Candidates for the ACT Apprentice of the Year have been decided and I am pleased to announce Jamie Green 
(Queanbeyan Golf Club), Damien Miller (Young Bowling Club), Mark Spicer (The Moorings Resort, South Coast) and Matthew Taylor (Royal Canberra Golf Club) will vie for this year™s honour.
Interviews will take place in January and a 
winner announced shortly after. We are also busy planning our 2012 seminar to be held on 25 July.  It promises 
to be a very educational day with a great 
list of interesting and informative topics to 
be discussed.  In the meantime, we wish 
everyone a happy and safe time leading 
up to the festive season.DANNY HULLCOMMITTEE, STA ACT REGIONSTA ACT REGIONWhat a difference 12 months can make! 
This time last year the start of summer 
was extremely dry with above normal temperatures and most superintendents were 
looking at reducing their water consumption or at 
least constantly monitoring their water usage. So far this year summer has been quite kind to us with most of our dams currently full and 
temperatures lucky to exceed the mid 20™s! I™m sure it will change quite quickly as we head into late 
January/February, but the short-term forecast looks quite mild heading into the New Year.At the last NSWGCSA Directors Meeting on 28 November at Northbridge Golf Club we finalised 
our calendar of events for 2012, with the Rube 
Walkerden and Annual General Meeting to be held 
jointly on 12 November 2012 at Elanora Country Club (host superintendent Dan Cook). Our next event will see us return to The Vintage Golf Club for the annual Hunter Valley Ambrose Day on 7 May. Other issues adopted during the meeting were the introduction of two scholarships for Certificate 
V and two regional scholarships for Certificate 
IV. These scholarships have come about due to the demise of the University of Sydney™s Masters programme. There are also a few NSWGCSA Board portfolio changes in 2012 with Steve Jacobsen taking over the role of treasurer, Martin O™Malley adding OH&S 
to his environment portfolio and Dennis Grounds taking over the field days portfolio.The most recent NSWGCSA education day in November was held at Manly Golf Club with 
40 members in attendance. Host superintendent 
Michael Bradbery conducted a course tour of the 
newly completed first and second stages, as well 
as the third and final stage which is currently under 
construction.  The day concluded with on open forum on the topic dealing with boards and committees. The 
panel consisted of Dan Cook (Elanora Country 
Club), Martyn Black (Castle Hill Country Club), Norm Foord (New Brighton Golf Club), Michael Bradbery (Manly Golf Club) and NSWGCSA life 
member Bill Hopkinson. Special thanks to Rob Cooper from Living Turf for sponsoring the day.Congratulations to Russell Fletcher (The Lakes Golf Club) for successfully hosting the 2011 Emirates Australian Open. This year™s Open saw a world class field of golfers attempt to tame The Lakes 
course with the overall winner being Russell and his staff who presented a world class golf course 
in testing conditions. Congratulations also to fellow 
NSWGCSA Board member Matthew Goodbun who 
played host to his first NSW Open at Newcastle Golf Club in late November. Once again the weather 
gods played havoc during the tournament, but 
hopefully next year they will be kinder.On behalf of the NSWGCSA Board of Directors, I wish you all a happy New Year and hopefully the 
kind weather continues.CRAIG MOLLOYPRESIDENT, NSWGCSANSWGCSACarnarvon Golf Club superintendent Steve Jacobsen 
has taken over as NSWGCSA 
treasurer 68     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTSTATE REPORTSSTATE REPORTSThe numbers for this year™s GCSAQ Wet ‚n™ Wild Christmas party were a vast improvement 
on last year and a beautiful sunny day greeted those attending.  Congratulations to treasurer Dave Morrison for pretty much organising this day on 
his own and to the intrepid families who turned 
up, some for the tenth year in a row.  Thanks also 
to those who helped on the day with the cooking 
and catering and a big thanks to the group on the 
next BBQ who generously gave us some of their 
sausages after the butcher ‚forgot™ to put ours in! Gold Coast Burleigh Golf Club assistant superintendent Alan Bishop will be hoping the Wet ‚n™ Wild day continues so he can take along his 
recently arrived second child Riley.  Congratulations 
to ‚Bisho™ and wife Libby.Congratulations on another front are due to Hyatt Regency Coolum superintendent Dean Henderson and his crew plus the volunteers who prepared 
the course in fibest everfl condition for the recent 
Australian PGA Championship.  Following the week after the hype of The Presidents Cup was always 
going to be a tough gig but Dean™s team certainly 
produced the goods. fiBest 328 greens I have seenfl 
was the comment from a couple of people and one 
of the commentators labelled them fitreacherousfl 
which is quite unusual for 328 greens.  Dean had some luck with the rain which he was fortunate with as rain magnet Paul McLean, formerly of Royal Pines and now with Nuturf, provided breakfast for the crew each day.  Toro chipped in with some machinery as did Horton Park and Lakelands golf clubs, while Simplot Partners and 
Toro provided shirts for the crew.  The 12 volunteers certainly contributed with Dean Niland from Grafton volunteering for two weeks and others coming from 
as far afield as Canada and South Africa.Good news for a couple of Gold Coast club™s recently with Robina Woods and Colonial being purchased by mining magnate Clive Palmer™s 
company Queensland Nickel after spending seven months in receivership. Arundel Hills has a new 
owner too and they are investigating changing the 
greens from bentgrass to TifEagle.The Queensland Golf Industry Awards are coming up once again and nominations will shortly 
be called for our four awards Πthe Superintendent 
Achievement Award, Bayer Superintendent Environmental Award, Industry Recognition Award 
and Turf Apprentice of the Year. You will notice that 
Bayer has stepped up to sponsor the Environment 
Award which is a first for us and we are hopeful of 
securing sponsors for the other awards as well.  The awards night will take place on 13 March, 2012.And speaking of awards, the GCSAQ Assistant  Superintendent Recognition Award winners have 
returned from their week at the 2011 Barclays 
Singapore Open. Brisbane Golf Club assistant Ray 
Lawrence, one of three to go to Sentosa Golf Club, 
penned the following thoughts on his return.fiI wanted to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for the most amazing week in Singapore as 
we helped prepare the beautiful Sentosa Golf Club 
for the Barclay™s Singapore Open.  A big thank you 
must go out to Simplot Partners, Toro Australia and 
GCSAQ for sponsoring the recognition award.We are so grateful for the opportunity to see first-hand what goes into running such a prestigious 
event as the Singapore Open and the knowledge we 
obtained will be put to use at our own clubs. Our 
‚chaperones™ Tim and Colin were great and we are 
certainly very grateful for their efforts.  In Singapore, 
Danny, Geoffrey and Mick were fantastic showing us 
all the great things Singapore has to offer. Sentosa Golf Club is spectacular and the work shed was every greenkeeper™s wish Œ great 
machinery, great layout and a great crew.   I had the 
pleasure of working with Chin and he was so helpful, 
courteous and humble.... a great man.  I wish to 
extend a huge thank you to all the crew at Sentosa 
Golf Club.  We were quickly made to feel at home and part of the team for this year™s Barclay™s Singapore Open 
and for their hospitality we are most thankful.  This 
experience was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for 
me and something I am incredibly proud to be part 
of.  It is an experience I will never forget.flPETER LONERGANPRESIDENT, GCSAQGCSAQCIRCLE WORK ALL A PART OF PGA PREPARATIONSTurfies are generally a resourceful 
and innovative lot, but the staff and volunteers working at Hyatt Regency Coolum took that to a new level when an 
unusual problem developed during the 
second round of the 2011 Australian PGA 
Championship in November. With an unusually dry month leading up to the PGA Championship, Coolum 
course superintendent and AGCSA 
member Dean Henderson had the need to pump a lot more treated effluent water 
into the course™s dams for irrigation. 
That, however, created some algal bloom 
issues and as luck would have it one 
developed in the dam which surrounds 
Coolum™s iconic par three 11th during 
Friday™s second round.  Contacting Turf Irrigation Services in Brisbane, Henderson had a fountain 
hurriedly transported up late Friday and installed early Saturday morning. However, a more novel approach was 
suggested by Coolum assistantsuperintendent Scott Howes and some local supers Πget a jet ski in the dam to 
disperse the unsightly bloom.  As it transpired, Jared Stevenson, who had come up from St Lucia Golf Club 
to volunteer for the week, had a jet ski 
back home in Brisbane and after a quick 
call his brother was on the road with the jet 
ski in tow. After raking bunkers for much 
of the week, Stevenson (pictured above) 
had the rather plum job of spending more 
than an hour ahead of the Saturday and Sunday rounds doing circle work to help 
aerate the dam and break up the bloom.McIntosh & Son, Redcliffe, Western Australia 6104Tel: +61 (08) 9475 1600    Email: perth@mcintoshandson.com.au 
Web: www.mcintoshandson.com.auGodings Pty Ltd, Whittlesea, Victoria 3757Tel: +61 (03) 6716 9000   Email: sales@godings.com.au   
Web: www.godings.com.auProTurf Machinery Pty Ltd, Moorebank, New South Wales 2170
Tel: +61 (02) 9824 0811    Web: www.proturfmachinery.com.auK C Farm Equipment, Yatala, Queensland 4207Tel: +61 (07) 3807 1100    Email:sales@farm-equipment.com.au
Web: www.farm-equipment.com.auCall your local dealer for details and to set up a demonstration:www.jacobsen.comMcIntosh & Son, Redcliffe, Western Australia 6104ProTurf Machinery Pty Ltd, Moorebank, New South Wales 2170Call your local dealer for details and to set up a demonstration:www.jacobsen.comThe new Eclipse 322The world™s ˜ rst diesel electric hybrid greens mowerwith no hydraulicsReduced noise, low fuel consumption and minimal maintenance means a lower cost of ownershipElectric drive systems mean no hydraulic leaks causing damage to greensDiesel hybrid versionCutting performance can be in˜ nitely adjusted to any course conditionErgonomically designed operator station reduces fatigue and provides an unobstructed viewThe Eclipse 322 Œ the green solution to precise greens mowingLF500 & Eclipse ads - Australian size.indd   206/12/2011   09:32

ƒPythium, Dollar Spot, Brown Patch, Anthracnose, ERI and Helmo Complex and more. Syngenta Crop Protection Pty Limited, Level 1, 2-4 Lyonpark Road, Macquarie Park NSW 2113. ABN 33 002 933 717. ® Registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Ž Trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. All products written in uppercase are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. AD11-294.The only fungicide that controls and  prevents all major turf diseases ƒ in one.Simple Solution  to the ERI ComplexTo ˜nd your nearest Syngenta agent go to www.greencast.com.au/au/agent-contact-detailsMcIntosh & Son, Redcliffe, Western Australia 6104Tel: +61 (08) 9475 1600    Email: perth@mcintoshandson.com.au 
Web: www.mcintoshandson.com.auGodings Pty Ltd, Whittlesea, Victoria 3757Tel: +61 (03) 6716 9000   Email: sales@godings.com.au   
Web: www.godings.com.auProTurf Machinery Pty Ltd, Moorebank, New South Wales 2170
Tel: +61 (02) 9824 0811    Web: www.proturfmachinery.com.auK C Farm Equipment, Yatala, Queensland 4207Tel: +61 (07) 3807 1100    Email:sales@farm-equipment.com.au
Web: www.farm-equipment.com.auCall your local dealer for details and to set up a demonstration:www.jacobsen.comMcIntosh & Son, Redcliffe, Western Australia 6104ProTurf Machinery Pty Ltd, Moorebank, New South Wales 2170Call your local dealer for details and to set up a demonstration:www.jacobsen.comThe new Eclipse 322The world™s ˜ rst diesel electric hybrid greens mowerwith no hydraulicsReduced noise, low fuel consumption and minimal maintenance means a lower cost of ownershipElectric drive systems mean no hydraulic leaks causing damage to greensDiesel hybrid versionCutting performance can be in˜ nitely adjusted to any course conditionErgonomically designed operator station reduces fatigue and provides an unobstructed viewThe Eclipse 322 Œ the green solution to precise greens mowingLF500 & Eclipse ads - Australian size.indd   206/12/2011   09:32

ƒPythium, Dollar Spot, Brown Patch, Anthracnose, ERI and Helmo Complex and more. Syngenta Crop Protection Pty Limited, Level 1, 2-4 Lyonpark Road, Macquarie Park NSW 2113. ABN 33 002 933 717. ® Registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Ž Trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. All products written in uppercase are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. AD11-294.The only fungicide that controls and  prevents all major turf diseases ƒ in one.Simple Solution  to the ERI ComplexTo ˜nd your nearest Syngenta agent go to www.greencast.com.au/au/agent-contact-detailsHow The Hydrovar reduces maintenance costThe Hydrovar software is designed specifically for centrifugal pump operation, control and protection. The Hydrovar can 
thus be setup to protect the pump from operating under various 
unfavourable conditions eg. cavitation, operating against closed 
head, low NPSHa or operation past a pumps maximum flow rate. 
The Hydrovar will automatically shut down and alarm if adverse 
conditions occur.The Hydrovar provides the Golf Course Superintendent with the flexibility of watering as required with substantial savings on 
installation, power usage and maintenance. For details about 
the experience of some of Australia and New Zealands most 
prestigious Golf Clubs who have installed Hydrovar pumping 
systems, contact the Lowara distributors nearest you.LOWARADelivering Pumping SolutionsRChristchurchPhone (03) 365 0279 Fax (03) 366 6616
Auckland
Phone (09) 525 8282 Fax (09) 525 8284
Melbourne
Phone (03) 9793 9999 Fax (03) 9793 0022
Sydney
Phone (02) 9671 3666 Fax (02) 9671 3644
Brisbane
Phone (07) 3200 6488 Fax (07) 3200 3822
Email info@brownbros.com.auWeb Site www.brownbros.com.auWe installed a Lowara Hydrovar system 3 years ago but unfortunately only had one 
season of use before the bushfires destroyed 
everything. One of the first priorities was to 
reinstate the irrigation system and we had no 
hesitation in installing the exact same pumpset. 
The Hydrovar system has proven to be more 
efficient, user friendly, reliable and cost-
effective than any other system I have worked 
with. The after sales service from Brown 
Brothers Engineers has been outstanding, as 
has the quality of the installation and backup 
from Jim Waring (Tee™s & Greens).
Rob Christie Course Superintendent Marysville 
Community Golf & Bowls ClubWhat is The Hydrovar?The Hydrovar has gained a reputation as THE pump mounted microprocessor pumping system controller. But it does much more 
than just change motor speed.It actually manages the performance of the pump to match a wide range of system conditions and requirements.The Hydrovar is fully programmable on site as it incorporates the microprocessor and the variable drive in one compact and 
unique packageHow The Hydrovar reduces energy consumptionMost applications involve the pump operating either along its full speed performance curve or the pumps performance is throttled 
or regulated by a valve. The Hydrovar eliminates these operating 
methods by regulating pump speed and hence output to match the 
system demand. This saves wasted energy traditionally lost in these 
conventional pump systems. Energy savings of up to 70% can be 
realized. (figure 1)