CELEBRATING THE EFFORTS OF AUSTRALIA’S SPORTS TURF MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS ISSN 1442-2697 www.agcsa.com.au VOLUME 23.3 MAY-JUNE 2021 Welcome to the Gold Coast 2021 Australian Sports Turf Management Conference (21-24 June) Central Coast Stadium Mariners’ home turf gets a makeover De Australische Making its mark hoofdgreenkeeper Green light for Brisbane’s One super’s journey from Minnippi public golf course Bonnie Doon to Belgium It’s been a while between drinks … But we’re looking forward to seeing everyone at this year’s ASTMA conference. Be sure to drop by Syngenta’s stand to find out all the exciting things we’ve been working on: An exciting NEW FUNGICIDE RELEASE NEW to be announced! Greencast NEW Tools and Services Weather Growing Disease Calculators Degree Days Mapping Turf Fungicide Guide NEW Your knowledge. Our Science. Less Disease. Fast Recovery LOTS OF ASTMA Conference competition Follow @SyngentaTurfANZ PRIZES! on Twitter to enter Visit the Syngenta stand at the ASTMA Conference June 2021 for more details For more information ask your Syngenta Agent or go to www.greencast.com.au FLAME_SYN6265 5/21 Syngenta Australia Pty Ltd, Level 1, 2-4 Lyonpark Road, Macquarie Park NSW 2113. ABN 33 002 933 717. ®Registered trademark of Syngenta Group Company. ™Trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. All products written in uppercase are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. © 2021 Syngenta. AD 21-179. The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association is indebted to the support of the following premium partner companies JOURNAL Published by the Australian Sports PLATINUM Turf Managers Association (ASTMA) Editorial Brett Robinson Office: (03) 9548 8600 Mobile: 0434 144 779 Email: brett@agcsa.com.au PREMIUM PREMIUM PARTNERS PREMIUM PREMIUM PARTNERS PARTNERS PARTNERS PREM Advertising Pam Irvine The Australian Sports Office: (03) 9548 8600 Mobile: 0402 069 489 The Australian Sports TurfThe The AustralianManagers Australian Sports The Association Sports Turf Australian TurfisManagers Managers Sports indebted to Association Turf Managerstheis indebted Association is indebted Association to the tosupport the to the is indebted of the Email: pam@agcsa.com.au support of the following premium partner companies support of the following premium partner companies support of the following support ofpremium partner the following companies premium partner companies Art Direction & Design Jo Corne PREMIUM PREMIUM PARTNERS GOLD PARTNERS PLATINUM Printed By Southern Impact Pty Ltd The Australian Sports TheTurf PLATINUM Australian support of the following Managers support PLATINUM Sports premium PLATINUM Association Turf Managers of the partner is indebted followingcompanies Association to the is indebted to the premium partner companies PLATINUMPLATINUM SILVER GOLD GOLD GOLD GOLD Suite 1, Monash Corporate Centre 752 Blackburn Road, Clayton, VIC 3168 P: (03) 9548 8600 F: (03) 9548 8622 E: admin@agcsa.com.au W: www.agcsa.com.au ABN 96 053 205 888 ASTMA Board Peter Lonergan (president), Chris Burgess (treasurer), GOLD GOLD David Thomson, Ben Tilley and Damian Hough Chief Executive Officer Mark Unwin Office: (03) 9548 8600 SILVER SILVER SILVER Mobile: 0438 320 919 E: mark@agcsa.com.au Membership BRONZE SILVER Allison Jenkins E: admin@agcsa.com.au Accounts SILVER SILVER Philip Horsburgh E: philip@agcsa.com.au Events and Education Simone Staples E: simone@agcsa.com.au Pam Irvine E: pam@agcsa.com.au AGCSATech Bruce Macphee (Senior Agronomist) E: bruce@agcsa.com.au BRONZEBRONZE BRONZE BRONZE Tim Fankhauser (Agronomist) E: tim@agcsa.com.au BRONZE BRONZE The Australian Sports Turf Managers Association encourages all members to support Social Media these companies who support your association Keally Nankervis E: keally@agcsa.com.au www.facebook.com/TheASTMA www.linkedin.com www.instagram.com/the_astma @TheASTMA The Australian Sports Turf M these co Copyright © 2021 The ASTMA believes that material sourced and produced for Australian The Australian Sports Turf TheManagers AustralianAssociation Sports Turfencourages Managers Association all membersencourages to support all members to support The Australian SportsThe TurfAustralian Managers Association The Australian Sports Turf encourages Sports Turf Managers Thecompanies Australian all members Managers Association Sports Turf to Associationsupport encourages Managers encourages all members Association all members to support to support yourencourages all members to support Turfgrass Management is accurate, but gives no warranty in relation thereto, and disclaims liability for all claims against the ASTMA, its these who support these companies your association who support association subsidiary companies, its employees, agents or any other person which may arise from any person acting on the materials contained these companies whothese support your association these companies companies who thesesupportwhoyour companiessupport your association who association support your association within. No portion, in whole or part, may be reproduced without the written permission of the ASTMA MAY-JUNE 2021 1 CONTENTS 34 COVER STORY COOLANGATTA TWEED TEES UP 34 Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Golf Club will host the 2021 ASTMA Golf Championships, presented by Toro, for the first time when the Australian Sports Turf Management Conference returns to the Gold Coast in June. The 36-hole facility has a long and proud history when it comes to the turf management profession, with three of its superintendents, including incumbent Peter Lonergan, having held the role 8 of president of the ASTMA/AGCSA. Association life member Lonergan provides ATM readers with an insight into the busy facility as it gears up to host the hotly contested race for the Toro Red Jacket. Cover: The closing hole of the River Course at Coolangatta & Tweed Heads GC, with 18 West to the right. Photo: Brendan James, Golf Australia Magazine. 60 FEATURES ALSO IN THIS EDITION… Mariners’ home turf makeover 8 De Australische hoofdgreenkeeper 14 26 Foreword Thinking 4 Picture perfect posts 6 Minnippi set to make its mark 20 Regional Profile – Mount Compass GC, SA 60 Association Reports 66 The full treatment 26 Up the last… Tuning in 70 Your guide to Gold Coast 2021 30 Book review 72 2 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 Reconnecting on all levels I f the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us one thing (among many), it’s the importance of relationships and our connections with people. Having endured multiple lockdowns here in Melbourne, the second of which dragged on for over three months, you certainly start to appreciate the simpler things in life and just how vital every-day interactions are, whether it’s with friends, family or your work colleagues. Zoom is a fantastic medium, but it will never replace talking to someone face-to-face. The lockdowns were particularly difficult for those who had family and friends either interstate or, as in my case, overseas. Not only wasn’t I able to go and visit them due to the world shutting down, what made it even more difficult was having to watch on helplessly from afar as they dealt with some pretty serious health and personal issues. One of my best mates, a former newspaper 14 colleague, was diagnosed with myeloma, a form of blood cancer, just a week before New Zealand was plunged into its first lockdown. Another lost his job as a result of COVID and was out of work for the best part of eight months, trying to support a wife and two young boys, one of whom has autism. Then there was my old man’s ongoing health issues that come with being the ripe old age of 83 and having a body that is now feeling the full effects of a hard life, albeit one well lived. COLUMNS It was therefore an extremely emotional moment for me in early May when I was able to quickly duck back across the Ditch for a few days to catch up with some of the most important PETER MCMAUGH AM 46 people in my life. With the travel bubble finally open between the two countries, as soon as the JOHN FORREST 50 last magazine was signed off I took advantage of it and made the dash (lucky I did in light of BEN GIBSON 54 recent events). I normally keep my emotions pretty much in check, but there were tears in my TERRY MUIR 58 eyes when the Air New Zealand A320 dropped beneath the clouds and I could see my hometown of Auckland a few thousand feet below for the first time in 18 months. The next four days were food for the soul and I’m not just talking about my mum’s famous homemade pavlova which was plonked in front of me for dessert on the first night. It was an opportunity to sit and talk, reminisce and reflect, laugh and cry often over a few magnificent New Zealand craft IPAs and APAs. Being able to plug back in and reconnect with loved ones, even for just a few short days, was something that I greatly needed and one that I will look back fondly upon given the unique circumstances which surrounded it. While on a completely different level, the upcoming Australian Sports Turf Management Conference and Trade Exhibition will have a similar feeling for many as an industry prepares to meet up again for the first time in two years. The fantastic conference in Brisbane in 2019 seems like a lifetime ago and after last year’s event in Melbourne had to be called off due to the pandemic, there is a great level of anticipation for the week coming up on the Gold Coast. Yes, as I write this, the state of Victoria is three days into a circuit-breaker lockdown which threatens to throw a spanner in the works, more so for those of us coming from Victoria, but the conference will go ahead and will be good. Registration numbers have been very strong, proving that the industry and its people need this conference to connect, reconnect and reflect on what has been one of the most unique 72 periods we have ever been through. You only have to look at some of the state events already held this year to see how much such events mean. The VGCSA’s two events in March and May were fully subscribed, with numbers only capped because of COVID protocols. Contributors to Australian Turfgrass Management Journal I very much hope to see everyone on the Gold Coast from 21-24 June (and I say this with Volume 23.3 (May-June 2021): Tim Allen (CSTM, The National Golf, Belgium); Shane Baker (CSTM, GCSAWA); every finger and toe crossed). Dare I say that the education component of this year’s event will Leo Barber (Paraparaumu Beach GC, NZ); Nathan Bennett be somewhat secondary given the events of the past year. As we all know it is the networking and (CSTM, SAGCSA); Nathan Bradbury (CSTM, NSWGCSA); James Correll (STA ACT); John Forrest (Forrest and Forrest reconnecting at these events where often the most important exchange of information occurs. Horticultural Consultancy Services); Ben Gibson (The I am sure the buzz that will resonate around the education halls of the exhibition centre, on the Toolbox Team); Shane Greenhill (VGCSA); Brendan James (Golf Australia Magazine); Scott Johnstone (HydroPlan); trade show floor and in the places of gathering of an evening will again ignite the passion in many Brenton Kay (McMahons); Erik Kinlon (HG Turf Group); Peter that we have for our profession. Enjoy the read… Lonergan (CSTM, Coolangatta & Tweed Heads GC); Garry McClymont (CSTM, Twin Waters GC); Paul McLean (CSTM, GCSAQ); Peter McMaugh AM (Turfgrass Scientific Services); Terry Muir (epar); Keally Nankervis (ASTMA); Matt Overall (Mount Compass GC); Phil Ryan (Pacific Coast Design); Kate Torgersen (Environmental Golf Solutions); STA Victoria; Mark Unwin (ASTMA); Jenny Zadro (Turf Australia); ASTMA and STA Graduate of the Year finalists. Brett Robinson, Editor MAY-JUNE 2021 3 FOREWORD THINKING WITH MARK UNWIN, CEO Gold Coast 2021 – an industry prepares to re-engage A lways a highlight of the attention, both in assisting turf managers in the annual turf industry calendar short-term but also the long-term sustainability is the Australian Sports Turf of the industry. Management Conference and As an example, from 2017 to 2020 the Trade Exhibition. Perhaps more number of people working in turf management so this year than any other, due to the forced grew slightly from 18,400 to 20,300 (source: cancellation of the 2020 event because www.joboutlook.gov.au). While on the surface of COVID-19, the opportunity to continue this may be seen as a strong story for the education, network with peers and reconnect industry, it is underpinned by some concerning has seen delegate and exhibition registrations trends. Foremost among them is the reduction near all-time highs. in the numbers of qualified staff, which have The four-day event, to be held this year In other ASTMA news, a significant fallen from 62 per cent to 48 per cent over the at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition pillar of the association’s five-year Strategic same period. This indicates that the number Centre from 21-24 June, promises to be an Plan was to support and prioritise initiatives of qualified turf managers in the industry has outstanding event, with a number of keynote that promote best practice education for fallen dramatically over the past three years speakers involved to share their experiences environmental management and sustainability and facilities are straining to retain or attract and learnings, combined with over 100 hours programmes. Two of the larger initiatives qualified staff. Couple this with declining of management education related to agronomy well underway reflecting this priority are the education enrolments and worryingly low and leadership across golf, sportsfields and Golf Course 2030 programme (with input completion rates, prospects for industry labour management streams. More information on and representation from each of the state rates over the long-term are concerning. the conference education and networking associations) and the Environment and In the second half of this year, the ASTMA sessions, as well as information pertaining to Sustainability Program in conjunction with is undertaking an employment initiative the two-day trade exhibition, is highlighted in GEO and 25 golf clubs across Australia. in conjunction with all state and territory this edition’s Conference Guide which runs With thanks to the clubs and turf managers governments, in particular each of the state across pages 30-45. involved for their time and input into the Golf Departments of Sport & Recreation, Education Always a highlight of the conference is Course 2030 programme working groups, and Employment, to help address this critically the National Turf Industry Awards, where these initiatives are well advanced and further important short- and long-term issue. outstanding achievement in the profession is updates will be delivered at the conference. This is a quite detailed programme related recognised on the opening night of the week. Another focus of the Strategic Plan was to to attracting future talent into sports turf This year the ASTMA Awards programme has continue and expand the level of support to the management and the retention programmes been expanded with the introduction of two state associations. We have recently worked to train and develop qualified turf managers new awards – the Excellence in Sportsfields through some significant developments in and keep qualified and trained staff in the & Grounds Management Award (presented this area and in the early weeks of June industry. While the initial components to the by Toro) and the Sports Turf Management announced an important partnership with programme and facilitated meetings have been Team of the Year Award (presented by Repco, offering discounted products and undertaken with department representatives, it Nuturf) – completing the recognition of services to all association members. Such a is envisaged that this initiative will be a multi- exceptional performance and achievement partnership has at its core an approach for year programme combining a range of short- by Australian sports turf managers. For sustained long-term support for members term programmes and continuous initiatives to those unable to make the event, a full write and each of the state associations to assist drive outcomes for the years to come. up on the conference will be included in in continued delivery of education, events Forming part of the initial stages will the July-August 2021 edition of Australian and research. For more information on this be determining an industry baseline and Turfgrass Management Journal, along with partnership and benefits, visit the ASTMA identifying areas of opportunity. As such, the a comprehensive review of all 2021 award website or discuss with your state association. ASTMA will be sending out a detailed survey winners. to members in relation to employment issues, While the focus is very much on delivering EMPLOYMENT CHALLENGES trends and workforce participation numbers an exceptional experience on the Gold Coast While the above are all great news for during July. I would ask that members set in the coming weeks, looking ahead many Australian sports turf managers, the sobering aside some time to complete the survey, which will have seen the announcement regarding fact remains of the considerable challenges will give us a highly comprehensive overview a change for the 2022 conference. The faced by the industry. One of the most of the industry. Results will be combined for ASTMA has signed a partnership with Golf significant, without question, is employment. an Australia-wide perspective, while state- Management Australia (GMA) to combine While this impacts some states more than based insights and localised information will education conferences into a united event to others, many turf managers I speak to indicate be used to determine and prioritise itemised be held next June, further strengthening the that staff and labour shortages is the most approaches with each state. Please keep relationship between the two associations. The pressing challenge faced at their facility. an eye out for the employment survey in the 2022 event will be held in Melbourne and will Involving both the difficulties in attracting new weeks ahead. make it Australia’s largest golf industry event talent and challenges of retaining talent, this I look forward to reconnecting with you all and one that is not to be missed. is a major issue that requires considerable on the Gold Coast for the 2021 conference. 4 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 The smart play Introducing Tetrino, a new insect control solution from Bayer, offering an unmatched combination of performance, ease of use and efficiency. Delivering fast control and lasting protection against a broad-spectrum of turf insect pests with a low rate of active ingredient, Tetrino is the smart play for flexible and sustainable insect control. LAUNCHING AT THE 2021 ASTMA CONFERENCE ALWAYS USE ACCORDING TO PRODUCT LABEL Bayer CropScience Pty. Ltd., Environmental Science, Level 1, 8 Redfern Road, Hawthorn East, Vic. 3123 Technical Enquiries: 1800 804 479 // es.bayer.com.au Tetrino® is a Registered Trademark of the Bayer Group © 2021 SOCIAL MEDIA PGA OF AUSTRALIA Turf managers appreciation post. Here’s to the countless hours and total dedication of the maintenance staff keeping our fairways looking immaculate (This photo, re-posted by the PGA, was taken by Ballarat Golf Club superintendent and ASTMA member Jeff Powell @jefpow63) Picture perfect posts ATM scrolls through its social media feeds to curate some of the best (and BRENTON CLARKE First Warrnambool Golf Club Championships out the way. Couldn’t be prouder how four staff presented interesting) images recently snapped by our many talented turf managers the course and one hound! Great results (Clarke was appointed new Warrnambool superintendent in and industry professionals. September 2020. Pictured is Rama, Clarke’s five-year-old black Labrador and assistant hole changer.) 6 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 TYLER WILLOUGHBY 1 April to 24 May. All greens back in play from the flood damage as of last Friday. (The nine-hole public access Rum Corps Barracks Golf Club west of Sydney, where Willoughby is superintendent, was one of the hardest hit during the March floods. Photos show the 1st green immediately after the floods and seven weeks later after reseeding.) COLIN FOSTER Had a few checking out the course this morning. At one stage we almost needed to get air traffic control in! (A beautiful late autumn morning at Barwon Valley Golf Course just out of Geelong, Vic captured by course superintendent Colin Foster.) BRANDON WILLIAMS Yowani CC leading into winter (Canberra’s Yowani Country Club striping up nicely as the temperatures start heading south. Pictured is the 1st hole taken by third year apprentice Brandon Williams.) IDRIS EVANS Well this just made my morning. #grumpysuper (Western Australian Golf Club superintendent Idris Evans unwittingly strikes a buried golf ball while solid tining one of his greens in late April) MAY-JUNE 2021 7 STADIUMS Mariners’ home gets a makeover turf It boasts one of the most picturesque outlooks of any stadium in Australia and to accompany that it now also has one of the most state-of-the-art pitches. HG Turf Group’s Erik Kinlon looks back at the project to resurface Gosford’s Central Coast Stadium, the home turf of A-League side Central Coast Mariners. A mong Australia’s ever-evolving The stadium design called for the southern in 2013 and are now hoping for a return to stadium landscape rests Central end of the ground to remain open, affording such glory days with a new HERO Hybrid Turf Coast Stadium, situated in amazing views of the adjacent Brisbane pitch which went down this past summer. Grahame Park, Gosford on the Water harbour through a row of palm trees. It central NSW coast. The stadium certainly boasts one of the most picturesque SHOWING ITS AGE is immediately recognisable globally due to its outlooks of any stadium in the country. Central Coast Stadium is perfectly located in idyllic location and stunning backdrop. Since 2004, Central Coast Stadium has Gosford, a bustling town with a continually Although various sports have been played been home to the Central Coast Mariners, one growing population and a demand for year- on the site since the reclamation of land in of the original eight founding clubs that kicked round entertainment in the form of sport, live the early 1900s, it didn’t come into being as a off in the new A-League competition that same music and events. Given the existing playing stadium until 1999. A rectangular stadium with year. It is one of the smaller stadium venues surface was over 20 years old and suffering seating and stands only constructed on three in the league with an all-seater capacity of just from problems inherent with a pitch of that sides, it opened in 2000 as the host venue for over 20,000. The Mariners have tasted success age, in 2019 the decision was made to lay a the now dissolved Northern Eagles NRL team. at the top echelon, winning the A-League title new surface. 8 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 Over a four week period in February and early natural grass cultivars, including warm and March, the pitch at Gosford’s Central Coast Stadium cool-season varieties. Hybrid turf like the was replaced with HG Turf Group’s new HERO Hybrid Grass product HERO system is a long-term solution with a 10-plus year life for stadium pitches and for multi-functional stadia like Central Coast Stadium which is backed up with additional replacement turf for concerts and events. GREEN SIDE UP With contracts finalised, HG set about laying the 12,000m2 of HERO hybrid carpet at a turf farm in Windsor, NSW in April 2020. HG rents some property off Michael Muscat, owner of GreenLife Turf Group, and has developed a strong relationship with the Muscat family, growing its hybrid turf products for many other stadiums there, including ANZ Stadium and Bankwest Stadium. The nursery pad was trimmed and prepared to specific design grades and a team of eight from HG installed, sewed together and infilled the hybrid carpet to a depth of 35mm with a USGA sand over the course of 10 days. Prior to laying the carpet, a layer of thin plastic was placed followed by a layer of geofabric. The reason for this was to limit the amount of rooting into the underlying profile and create its own enclosed environment for the turf to grow and mature in. Such a growing environment can be tricky, as the profile depth is only 35-40mm thick. At the time of harvest, the plastic layer remains and the HG patented removable geofabric backing that has attached to the product via root growth is separated mechanically. Removing the geofabric root prunes the product and ensures there is no PHOTOS: HG TURF GROUP root balling, contamination or migration of undesirable material into the stadium when it is installed. By pruning the roots, any decaying or deleterious root matter is removed, leaving strong white roots that are ready to fire into the new growing medium profile of the stadium In late 2019, following a robust tender the playing surface and protects the natural environment. process, stadium owners Central Coast grass, increasing the durability of the turf. Particular care is taken with the infilling Council awarded the contract to HG Turf It is designed to suit different sports and process to ensure that the synthetic fibres in Group. At the heart of HG’s bid for the project was the inclusion of their HERO Hybrid Grass ‘ready-to-play’ product, a system that is in use at some of the world’s best soccer stadiums and clubs, including Real Madrid’s Cicaud Training Facility and Manchester City’s CFA Academy. It was also recently used in the resurfacing of Auckland’s Eden Park which was covered in the last edition of Australian Turfgrass Management Journal. Launched in 2016, the HERO system grass is anchored to a grid via a knitting process. The artificial grass is five per cent of The crew responsible for transforming the Central Coast Stadium surface, with HG Turf Group project manager Nathan Humphreys (far left) and Green Options turf manager Tom Jenkin (third from left) MAY-JUNE 2021 9 STADIUMS The 12,000m2 of AgriDark couchgrass destined for Central Coast Stadium was initially grown at QualTurf before being sprigged into the HERO carpet and grown in at a separate turf farm west of Sydney Montreal Protocol, which was an agreement designed to stop the production and import of ozone-depleting substances and to reduce Due to high existing nematode numbers, prior to resurfacing the stadium’s profile was fumigated by Melbourne- based Draslovka Services using a product called EDN their concentrations in the atmosphere, methyl bromide has now been phased out. Following the HERO carpet do not get buried. The sand contract for stadiums, dedicated, experienced many detailed conversations and group is placed in specific 5mm layers and after and qualified turf managers were on hand to Zoom calls with Draslovka Services, they had each layer of dressing is applied the fibres are manage the grow-in and establishment right a product called ‘EDN’ that would give the brushed, raked and groomed with specialist through until harvest. Due to the aggressive results needed. equipment to ensure that they are upright. This establishment and growing characteristics of “EDN fumigant (C2N2) is a rapid acting, same process is continued until the desired AgriDark, the turf nursery achieved 70 per cent volatile, colourless, flammable, broad spectrum infill depth has been achieved. Following substantial cover prior to winter which was a chemical used for fumigation of soil prior nutrient testing of the sand, applications of great result. to planting certain crops and, in the timber amendments and pre-start fertilisers are made industry, to control various insect pests and per the requirements to give a nutritional OUT WITH THE OLD… pathogens, nematodes and weeds,” explains kickstart for the new turf. With the turf farm works completed, attention Draslovka Services’ technical sales specialist AgriDark couchgrass was the specified turned to the detailing work required prior to Simon Schifferle. “CSIRO Australia invented variety which had been grown locally by physically turning up on site to complete the EDN as a replacement to methyl bromide. QualTurf. With the planting stock approved and resurfacing works. The existing turf surface EDN is not a new molecule. It was discovered certified by the client consultant, the process at Central Coast Stadium had a mixture of in 1815 but was not manufactured on a large to propagate the field could then begin. The grasses and agronomically was proving harder scale until the early 21st Century. 12,000m2 of HERO carpet was sprigged at a and harder to manage each year and deliver “EDN is used in other industries for various rate of 15 per cent to guarantee successful an elite standard playing surface. The biggest purposes. It has been introduced into the establishment and rooting of the stolons prior issue was the presence of nematodes, with fumigation market as a viable and non-ozone to the winter. A further 5mm dressing was high threshold counts meaning that fumigation depleting alternative to the now commonly applied over the top of the stolons to give a of the playing surface was called for as part of banned methyl bromide. Although it has toxic blanket cover to protect the plant and in the the tender process. qualities, it is safe to use when applied in initial weeks constant watering by syringe HG enlisted Melbourne-based fumigation controlled environments as per the regulatory cycles through the sprinkler heads was the specialists Draslovka Services to eradicate standards which apply to all fumigants. It can main focus. and control the nematode problem. In times be applied by different methods to different As with all of HGs speciality hybrid gone by methyl bromide would have been commodities. It is registered for commercial products that are grown for projects or under used to fumigate the soil, however, due to the use in Australia, Korea and Malaysia, with many other countries having registration pending.” Once the methodology was approved by Central Coast Council, supported by all of the necessary approval, consents, OH&S and product and safety data sheets, the first phase of the works was scheduled for the first week in February 2021. As with any project delivered over the last 14 months, HG needed to have a couple of different plans and contingencies in place due to COVID-19 and the constant threat of border closures. Fortunately on this occasion all went to plan, with the works carried out in three phases over a four-week period, led by HG project manager Nathan Humphreys. Phase one was to remove and dispose of HG’s programme allowed for five days to install the new surface, with around 2500m2 of turf harvested by the crew at the farm each day and freighted the two-hour journey to Gosford the existing playing surface down to a depth 10 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 STADIUMS farm each day and freighted the two-hour journey to Gosford. Due to tight access and lack of room around the outside of the stadium, everything needed to run smoothly and on time so that there weren’t any hold ups or backlogs which created traffic issues. Central Coast Stadium is maintained under contract by NSW-based Green Options and under the watchful eye of stadium turf manager Tom Jenkin the new surface was laid, consolidated and irrigated each day before being handed over. After transplanting, the turf was monitored for a few weeks to ensure it responded well to the EDN fumigation, showed vigorous root growth and provided a healthy turf suited for elite level use. The resurfacing works were completed on 5 March 2021, with the Mariners playing their As well as being home to the A-League’s Central Coast Mariners, Central Coast Stadium has also been the home away from home for the NRL’s New Zealand Warriors during the COVID-impacted 2020 and 2021 seasons first game on the new surface just three days later. The Mariners christened the new turf of about 80mm. This would remove the turf “Working with Simon and the team from in perfect style with a 2-0 win over A-League and the underlying organic layer and bring Draslovka was great,” says HG operations newcomers Macarthur FC. What made the the surface back to original levels. Once the manager Simon Edmonds. “They had win even more memorable was that debutante surface was removed and all infrastructure everything under control and gave us great Matt Hatch, a local Central Coast lad who used in the pitch protected and lowered, the field assurance and confidence in how successful to be a ball boy for the Mariners, came off the was blecavated twice to turn over the profile the fumigation works would be. Post bench to score the home side’s second goal material to create pore spaces for the EDN completion testing has proven to be 99 per in the 81st minute with his very first touch in gas. All outlets from the pitch also had to be cent successful in the control of nematodes.” A-League football. capped to ensure that none of the EDN gas Central Coast Stadium has also continued could escape. …IN WITH THE NEW to be a home away from home for the New Phase two saw the Draslovka Services The final phase of the works was for HG to Zealand Warriors in the NRL competition. team come in and instal the plastic sheeting remobilise for the HERO installation works. Stationed there during last year’s COVID- needed for fumigation and ensure that Prior to resurfacing, the team had four days to affected season, the Warriors have again been everything was sealed and welded. With the prepare the exposed sand profile for the new using the stadium as their home venue for the plastic sheeting in place the EDN gas could turf. This included repositioning and auditing 2021 NRL season, having played five games then be applied beneath. It was decided to all of the sprinkler heads, ensuring all post on the new surface since the start of the do the works at night to reduce risk and any sockets and pitch infrastructure was in place competition on 13 March. possible interactions with the public around the and identified and final laser levelling and “We are thrilled to install the first full venue at the time of application. This process consolidation of the surface. Amendments had stadium pitch with HERO Hybrid Grass and took around eight hours to complete with the also been added to the sand profile to increase 100 per cent couchgrass here in Australia,” site then being vacated for the following 10 nutrient levels before the turf arrived. says Humphreys. “The new surface has days to allow the EDN gas to fumigate the HG’s programme allowed for five days bedded in nicely and performance testing sand profile before coming back in to remove to install the new HERO surface, with around by Labosport has shown the works to be the sheeting. 2500m2 of turf harvested by the crew at the completed to an exceptionally high standard. “We treat every project and client with the same level of importance, whether it be the MCG or Central Coast Stadium, and this project has been a great success. Working closely with our project team and, on the client side, David Langford (Central Coast Council), Kath Casey (Central Coast Stadium), Green Options and Keith McAuliffe (Labosport), has been very rewarding.” Going forward, HG will support Central Coast Stadium in developing maintenance and renovation programmes and will be engaged to complete an annual renovation of the pitch to ensure the HERO synthetic fibres are interacting at the surface. This in turn will guarantee 10-plus years and a great return on investment for the client. What a fairy tale it would be if the Mariners could go on and Central Coast Stadium is maintained under contract by Green win the A-League title this year and become Options and headed by stadium turf manager Tom Jenkin heroes on their own HERO pitch! 12 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 Researched, formulated and produced in-house by The power of Penetrates Retains Spreads H2Pro TriSmart is a high quality wetting and water conservation agent. Formulated with three water management surfactant technologies, TriSmart provides great water penetration, even water spread through the rootzone and improves the water holding capacity of rootzones. For more information visit www.icl-sf.com/au EX-PATS The National Golf Brussels was officially opened in 2017 and is part of a major residential and lifestyle development on the outskirts of the Belgian capital. Inset below: The National Golf’s Australian course superintendent (or ‘Australische hoofdgreenkeeper’ as it is said in Dutch) Tim Allen De Australische hoofdgreenkeeper Asia and the Middle East are often favourite destinations for ex-pat Australian superintendents to ply their trade overseas. Former Bonnie Doon assistant superintendent Tim Allen (M.Ag, CSTM) has taken a slightly different route, however, and now finds himself heading maintenance operations at The National Golf Brussels, one of the newest and most unique courses in Belgium. L ike most 17-year-olds, when contract for Double Bay and also Randwick my Certificate III and starting my Certificate I finished up at school on the Bowls Club at the time, with current-day Bondi IV, in early 2005 I went for a job interview at Sunshine Coast I didn’t really have Golf Club superintendent Darren Peebles also Bonnie Doon Golf Club. I remember I had much of a clue what I wanted to do working with him. been scarifying greens at Randwick all day and going forward. I eventually found It was a fascinating introduction to turf was covered in dirt and dust for the meeting. my way down to Sydney to live and one day management. Rob used traditional methods, That didn’t seem to faze superintendent was looking in the local newspaper for jobs such as washing out greens after scarifying, David Scaife who offered me a position as a and saw an ad for an apprentice greenkeeper flooding all the dead material to the surface greenkeeper which I eagerly accepted. at Double Bay Bowls Club. and pushing it off (I have never seen such a Just under a year working there I was Located in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, I clean result since). Everything was done by elevated to assistant superintendent and thought it sounded like a good thing and duly hand, except for coring. While working under having just started my Masters degree course called the number. Rob Fetherston had the Rob I attended Ryde TAFE and after finishing at the University of Sydney juggling the two 14 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 That person ended up being me after the club National Golf – that was underway just on the appointed me as acting course manager. With outskirts of Brussels. Ironically, at the time we such a strong and experienced team at the were getting ready to leave Belgium as I had time it made the transition a lot smoother. managed to get two other offers in different countries, but there was something about this TAKING A PUNT project that I found appealing. The club took a long time to appoint a new Deciding to stay in Belgium and pursue superintendent, nearly 12 months, and despite this new opportunity, I was first put on for a putting my hand up the club wanted to take short contract to assess the contracts from another direction. I ended up leaving Bonnie maintenance companies that had put in Doon near the end of 2014 and after looking tenders, as well as source more offers to around at several options my wife Anna and maintain the golf course once completed. I decided to broaden our horizons and head Contract maintenance is more common here, overseas. Based out of Poland (Anna’s home with six courses in Belgium and more than 100 country), we were travelling in Sri Lanka in neighbouring The Netherlands under such around New Years in 2014, when we both management. I was also tasked to simulate if ended up with job interviews – hers was in we did everything ourselves, so initially I spent Belgium and mine was in Norway. We went most of my time in the company’s offices in to Norway first, but Anna’s job opportunity Brussels and not at the construction site. in Belgium, working with European Union By this stage course construction was institutions, was much more interesting. well underway. The driving range, clubhouse PHOTOS: TIM ALLEN/THE NATIONAL GOLF BRUSSELS Based in Brussels and initially supposed putting green and compact course (a six-hole to be just a short placement, Anna’s contract par three course) were finishing irrigation kept getting extended. When we first came installation and fine shaping stages. The to Belgium, I was doing some freelance work championship course was just in the early online, but come spring I doorknocked several stages of bulk earthworks. It didn’t take long golf course maintenance facilities to see if I for me to get involved in the construction could get some work back on a golf course. process, working with our project manager This didn’t work. The normal reaction of who, despite being experienced, had never turning up unannounced looking for work was worked on a golf or turf project before. I was one of surprise and after talking some seemed therefore given specific tasks to handle as well interested but nothing eventuated. as generally observe the construction works as Eventually I saw an advert online and they progressed. was quite the challenge. Thankfully we had a got a five-month seasonal role at Chateau Coming onto a project late is never ideal great crew, in particular Brad Glen who was de la Bawette, in the French-speaking part and it’s far easier to come in after the fact and and still is foreman today (27 years now). I of Belgium about 30 kilometres south of say this should have been done this way or learnt a lot how to run a team working with Brussels. It was nice to get back out there this should have been executed better. As Brad over the years and a huge amount about and I didn’t care what I was doing – cutting I was representing the owner, I saw some the game of golf. tees, raking bunkers, a bit of everything. I saw construction methods and practices that Working with David was also an advantage it as good experience and an opportunity to needed to be questioned and I remember due to his bowling green background. He learn something different before going back getting into some very heated discussions with gave me a lot of rope to work with, would give to freelancing in the off season and taking the the construction foreman. me the plan for what he wanted done for the opportunity to travel through Europe. When all the numbers were crunched week and between Brad and myself we made A strange but really specific series of and tenders considered, the owners opted to it happen. We also had an excellent equipment events then occurred which would lead me go for an in-house maintenance set-up and technician in Glen Hawkins and irrigation on the path to taking on my current role. It all I was duly tasked with setting it all up and technician Martin Dyball who I learnt a lot off started with a meeting with the owners of a taking on the role of course superintendent. over the years. new large new golf course development – The Starting with literally nothing is something I In 2011 Bonnie Doon commenced a major course redevelopment to be completed in several stages over a number of years. It was an excellent learning experience to be involved with and we used a lot of different techniques. During the first stage of construction, in early 2012 David left which was a big shock to us all, especially as we had a solid team at the time. David had always said everybody was replaceable and that even if he left somebody else would soon be sitting behind his desk. Designed by Belgian architect Bruno Steensels, The National Golf Brussels is an ‘inland links’ style course with lots of man-made mounding and slopes MAY-JUNE 2021 15 EX-PATS 20ha of roughs. The course also has extensive wildflower areas, small forests, three beehives (which we maintain), as well as wheat and oat areas for native birds. An old tunnel, that entered into the centre of the old racetrack, now runs under the 8th fairway and is being used to encourage a growing population of native bats. The par three course currently measures just 508m, but there are plans to extend to a real nine holes in the near future. My role as course superintendent is not just solely focused on the golf course. I’m involved in all different aspects of the project at varying levels, so it’s always interesting to say the least. While my main focus is the golf terrain, there are some days when I don’t get to think about it at all. Still to finish as part of the overall complex is a fitness centre, hotel, tennis courts and clubhouse, offices, one apartment block and seven villas. We are also The National Golf Brussels layout is partially built on the site of an old racecourse that had been built prior to the looking into the possibility of adding a high outbreak of World War II. The course includes some three hectares of lakes and water features level football pitch. know will most likely never happen again in only the golf course and resort, but a series of There is always something happening my turf management career, but it was a great villas and apartments. here. For example, we recently had to experience. We had an empty maintenance The National Golf comprises an 18-hole rebuild our back tee on the 1st as one of the facility, no people, no tools, no equipment and championship golf course designed by Belgian swimming pool retaining walls interfered with no materials, so it was very much starting from architect Bruno Steensels, with a six-hole par- it. It involved removing and rebuilding a large scratch and adding things bit by bit. three ‘compact course’ and driving range. The natural stone wall, sewer, power and adding By far the most difficult aspect was staffing. championship course has been designed as a new path with automatic gate. And just for There is no greenkeeping school or TAFE-style an ‘inland links’ style course with lots of man- something different, we decided to reshape system in Belgium, so qualified or experienced made mounding and slopes, not to mention the 10th carry at the same time to give some people are hard to find. I ended up looking for over three hectares of water. The course greater definition. local people, ideally with some outdoor garden was officially opened in early June 2017 with work experience and began training them. top Belgian touring pros Nicolas Colsaerts, ON THE COURSE AND Most really enjoy the work and have stayed on, Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry among the IN THE SHED although we have lost some along the way as dignitaries. All grass varieties at The National Golf Brussels everybody does. From the back tees the championship come from seed company Barenbrug. course measures 6646m with two hectares The greens comprise a bentgrass mix of FROM RACECOURSE of greens, 2ha of tees, 25ha of fairways and Declaration, Ignite and L93 XD. The fairways, TO GOLF COURSE semi-roughs and tees are a rye/fescue mix The site that The National Golf resides on called BAR Intensive RPR. This particular has a very interesting history. It was originally mix has really impressed me and you can a hippodrome (racecourse) built in 1937 to treat it how you want to have either more replace another of the country’s racetracks. rye or fescue. The tees you would think are Shortly after it held its first race in 1939, pure fescue, but there is that rye underneath World War II broke out and during Germany’s which helps with divot recovery and traffic. In occupation of Belgium the Nazis used the the fairways the ryegrass dominates more, site as a horse hospital. After liberation by with the fescue there to help improve ball lie. the Allied Forces, the Americans used it as a The roughs are a mix called BAR rough (tall, prisoner of war camp and army depot. red and Chewings fescues) and are cut and Following the war, the hippodrome cleared in winter. returned to its former glory as the country’s Staffing levels at The National Golf largest racecourse, up until the 1980s when fluctuate from as low as eight and up to 14 interest in racing started to wane and the land people. We use a mixture of returning seasonal and infrastructure fell into disrepair. The site workers that come for 7-8 months and student was left untouched for years before being put workers. I have two assistants, both from up for sale in 2004 when it was purchased Ireland, and we are considering adding an by the husband and wife entrepreneur team equipment technician in 2022 (all the machines of Frank Monstrey and Petra Noé. They had are currently looked after by the dealer). We a vision for a major residential and lifestyle have a good set up of all Toro equipment, development which would become known as Husqvarna small engine stuff and John Deere The Sterea Project. In the years since, they The two hectares of greens comprise a bentgrass tractor among other items. mix of Declaration, Ignite and L93 XD. The fairways, have transformed the site, about 10km out of semi-roughs and tees are a rye/fescue mix called BAR We get four real seasons here in Belgium. Brussels, into an area that now comprises not Intensive RPR Our average yearly rainfall since opening has 16 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 been around 870mm. We have had record summers since opening, especially in 2018 where we had a string of very hot and dry days, with many hitting 40oC. By contrast, the winters are cold with average temperatures between 3-6oC. The past winter had the most snow I have seen in my time here by far, with lows of -10oC for two weeks. We open every day possible, with roughly 30 frost delays annually, and will only close for around 10 to 20 days. Our irrigation system is a Toro GDC with a Lynx central control. Water for the course is supplied from the constructed lake system. Very little water is released in the summer months and we recover as much as we can (although we are still looking at other ways to improve this). Due to the freezing temperatures Enhancing the natural environment is a very important part of operations, with the course featuring extensive that can prevail in winter, the irrigation system wildflower areas, small forests, beehives, as well as areas of wheat and oat for native birds is emptied and blown out around November and then restarted March/April. was strange to me at first, but we measure the UNIQUE CHALLENGES The weather dictates our cultural practices organic matter and other parameters with the The National Golf is a busy course and we heavily. With our cutting regimes, we can go STRI and we keep control through sanding currently have around 900 members who play from a frequency of cutting greens six days per and nutrition management. about 35,000 rounds of golf each year (this week during the height of the growing season We don’t use any granular fertiliser number doesn’t include nine-hole rounds to nothing for up to two months. Tees and products, with the possible exception of some or short course players). We have large fairways are cut 2-3 times per week at peak agricultural grade products for the roughs surfaces to maintain and with lots of water and time and rolled 3-4 times per month, but those and fairways in spring. Greens are liquid bunkers it is not the most maintenance-friendly numbers plummet when the temperatures fertilised weekly and tees and fairways roughly course. We also do everything on the driving do. Cutting heights vary too depending on 4-6 weeks depending on growth. Rates are range (collect balls, washing, cutting etc). It the season – greens 3-5mm, tees 10-12mm, adjusted as necessary. We also have an measures in at just under 3ha, is 300m long fairways and approaches 14-16mm and semi extensive wetting agent programme to get and you can hit from both ends – one end has rough/1st cut rough 38mm. the most out of our water, with everything two levels of mats while the other has a very Renovations comprise 8mm solid tines getting monthly applications April through large grass tee. across the greens every six weeks depending to September. Hotspots on greens are Like most mainland European countries, on firmness as well as spiking using a Sarel micromanaged with a GPS field scout. Belgium has very strict regulations in place roller in between if necessary. In the peak I also use software to track all of our regarding chemical usage. In the French season we sand the greens weekly, while maintenance tasks. I can pull up data on any speaking part of Belgium (the south), all tees are generally topdressed 4-5 times per area, person or task to determine labour and chemicals for golf have been banned for the year. So far we have not scarified or hollow material inputs and costs. For me this data is past 2-3 years, with some predicting our region cored the greens and don’t intend to. This priceless. will follow in a few years. There is a website Irrigation Water Systems featuring HYDROVAR® or a custom control system. Create a variable speed booster station to your technical specifications. • Maintain constant pressure • Optimized pumping efficiencies • Longer lifetime and reduced lifecycle costs Lowara’s extensive pump range together with our large selection of custom control options, offers a complete line of booster systems ideally suited for the diverse requirements of the turf, landscape and golf courses markets. Contact us to find your solution today. Ph: 1300 4 BBENG www.brownbros.com.au 05/21 DELIVERING PUMPING SOLUTIONS MAY-JUNE 2021 17 EX-PATS management. The numbers in Belgium I always try to visit as many other courses continue to fluctuate anywhere between 2000 as possible to see how they do things, but with to 5000 cases per day in recent months, with COVID that has stopped. Everybody has their little sign of getting anywhere near the levels in own way of doing things, but just because it Australia anytime soon. works for one does not mean it will work for another. Soccer is obviously huge in Belgium ADAPTING AND LEARNING and I have visited one of the football training Working in your trade in an overseas centres. Ironically, the day when the Belgium environment certainly has its challenges. As greenkeepers visited the football training greenkeepers it’s in our nature to be adaptable centre was the largest turn out they have had, and that character trait comes to the fore when showing just how popular football is. you are working overseas. The Belgian and As with every new posting, you continually Australian industries are very different and learn and adjust to the conditions. The for me it starts with education and attitude. summers I have seen here in my short time As mentioned, there is no official school for have really made me think differently about turf management, only some garden and water use – using it efficiently as possible and landscaping courses which are smaller scale. trying not to waste anything. Last summer I Adapting to a different culture and tried, unsuccessfully, to source Latitude 36 language has had its moments and can be a couchgrass stolons out of Spain which has little frustrating at times, especially in a country good cold tolerance. I still haven’t managed where there are two main languages spoken to get anything yet, but I want to try it on our – French and Dutch. All paperwork for the driving range tee to see what happens in One of the unexpected benefits Allen has had thanks to COVID has been getting the chance to spend quality government and environment organisations winter. time on the course with daughter Zofia (3) is slow too. I remember when I first came and I have now spent the best part of nearly was at a French-speaking city office to register. seven years in Belgium and the experience which tells you what you can and cannot use Somebody helped in English which was nice, to date has been wholly rewarding, albeit and it’s literally updated daily. but when I returned a week later the same challenging at times. Certainly the route I We can make just one herbicide person would only speak in French! have taken is not for everyone, but for fellow application per year, so the timing has to be Golf in Belgium is still a very small industry, Australians looking at making the leap and spot on and can only be for broadleaf weeds. especially when you compare it to the likes of working overseas, I would wholeheartedly As of two years ago all insecticides were football (soccer). It is growing but there is still recommend it. Yes, it can be a risk, but without banned. Fortunately, the only pest we see are the association that it is for the well-to-do or giving it go you will never know for sure. Be leatherjackets and the main damage we have business types. At our club we have a good open minded, look, listen and learn and try is what the birds can do to the turf trying to mix of members with a healthy contingent to connect with others in the industry locally get to them. We have no stem weevil or black of younger members and also business and get a feel for what they do in their own beetle in this climate which is a big plus. members. Due to our location and with more conditions. Fungicides such as azoxystrobin, things coming online in terms of facilities, we At the end of the day however, I will never metconazole, fluopyram, trifloxystrobin, fosetyl- won’t struggle for members or traffic. forget where it all began for me. Even now I al, boscalid and pyraclostrobin are under I am currently a member of the Belgium still think back to the days when I was a first limited use. Azoxystrobin can be applied just greenkeepers association (GAB). Before year apprentice, topdressing bowling greens four times a year and the rest once. The main COVID hit there were six or so meeting days all day, then making the 25 minute walk to disease we see is microdochium nivale and per year, one being a golf day and another Bondi Junction to catch a train for 50 minutes while we can treat with the fungicides we have combined with The Netherlands Greenkeepers before another walk home. Hard work and available, we rely more on micronutrients, Association. Again, language can be perseverance pays off in this industry and seaweeds, plant proteins and products to coat interesting and depending on who is speaking while it can be a hard job at the best of times, the leaf to keep disease at bay. and the location it can either be in French, it is ultimately one of the most rewarding and COVID has also had a significant impact Dutch or English. can certainly take you places. on our operations over the past year. At its worst, last October Belgium recorded a peak daily case load in excess of 23,000 but that has since dropped. We were closed for seven weeks when the pandemic first hit which impacted our plans a lot. My now three-year- old daughter Zofia got to spend a lot of time on the course during this period which was a lot of fun! To this day we still have the course crew split into two teams, staggering start and finish times and breaks. It has made things much more difficult to plan and has decreased efficiency and keeping good habits is hard to impossible. COVID has been very close to us, but we have dodged it so far which I Winters can get pretty cold in Belgium. Pictured is one of the centrepieces of The National Golf course – the think is more down to good luck than good two Venus De Milo-inspired sculptures which reside in the middle of the lake adjacent to the 18th green 18 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 ENVIRONMENT Once completed and open to the public in mid-2022, Minnippi Golf Course will provide many social, environmental and economic benefits for the wider Brisbane community PHOTOS: PACIFIC COAST DESIGN/MCMAHONS Minnippi on course to make a mark After many years in the planning, the long-awaited Cannon Hill public golf course in Brisbane is under construction, a public private partnership between BMD Group entity, Urbex and Brisbane City Council. As ATM’s environmental expert Kate Torgersen writes, it is set to transform what was once a degraded site into a highly sustainable public asset that has environmental best practice as a guiding philosophy. N ew golf course builds can public golf course land should best be utilised. Hill, a blend of residential homesites nestled often receive bad press if the Golf course construction projects don’t just among over 125 hectares of open space, environment isn’t put first. “The get an automatic green light. Many projects environmental habitat and parkland. construction and maintenance take decades to be approved (with many With BMD selected as the preferred of golf courses is harmful to not making the cut), often being tied down developer of Minnippi in 1999, the fragile ecosystems the world over” decried by environmental protection battles. One development has experienced significant The Guardian newspaper in 2007, while the such example has been the Minnippi Golf delays in obtaining State Government current COVID-19 pandemic has again brought Course project which forms part of a major approvals to proceed, resulting in delays from attention to the debate, especially as to how development south of Brisbane in Cannon the original anticipated timeframes. 20 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 The Minnippi Golf Course will be Brisbane’s first 18-hole publicly-owned golf course constructed in 70 years, coming after the likes of Victoria Park and St Lucia Golf Links north of the Brisbane River. The Brisbane City Council course, designed by Pacific Coast Design (Phil Ryan and Paul Reeves) and constructed by McMahons, is located on 72 hectares of bushland. The area sits on a floodplain and the remediated Cannon Hill tip. The golf course component of the development comprises an 18-hole layout, with around 50ha of the 72ha parcel of land being used during construction. The project is being guided by Brisbane City Council to ensure that all measures, along with appropriate Due to the Minnippi course being located on a floodplain, PCD didn’t include any sand bunkers in the design, rehabilitation works, are undertaken to instead incorporating unique timber faced mounds which will act as hazards minimise environmental impacts, manage and the implementation of restricted work DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS important habitats and preserve the site’s zones. In the core habitat areas, over 30ha of Speaking to those involved with bringing the ecological features. lantana and other invasive weed species have Minnippi course to life, including McMahon’s The golf course will also get the green also been cleared. golf business manager Brenton Kay and treatment with landscaping and vegetation BMD’s delivery of these initial works and Pacific Coast Design (PCD) director Phil Ryan, plans allocated to 33ha of the public space. the construction of the residential estate have it is clear that the protection, design and Approximately 75,000 native trees and been recognised for industry awards, including ongoing maintenance of the golf course will be shrubs will be planted as part of the project’s an environmental excellence award at the 2018 centred around environmental best practice. Regeneration and Revegetation Plan. The Queensland Urban Development Institute of The project is particularly significant for Ryan plans also include the creation of a number Australia Awards and a 2017 Civil Contractors who has been involved since the Cannon Hill of lakes and billabongs which will assist in Federation Earth Award. concept was first mooted all those years ago. the maintenance of water quality and the This approach to minimising impact “Pacific Coast Design won the public conveyance of stormwater to Bulimba Creek. and maximising habitat development, along tender along with BMD Group over 24 years The protection of squirrel glider habitat has with installing nest boxes, fauna poles and ago,” reflects Ryan. “It has taken that long to been an important factor in the project. Squirrel monitoring cameras, has been undertaken to go through the process of getting a permit and glider habitat remediation works involving the minimise potential construction impacts on the I am probably one of a few from those days establishment of grasslands and wetlands, as resident squirrel glider colony. Keeping a close that still remembers the original site. well as the planting of new trees, have taken eye on the colony is Dr Ross Goldingay of “In all honesty the site was a real place so far. Southern Cross University, assisted by a PHD mess, with stock grazing resulting in major From design to delivery, BMD Group student, funded by the project for three-and- environmental damage and massive weed has enhanced, revegetated and innovatively a-half years to research and monitor the site’s problems. There were man-made ‘drains’ landscaped the site with 80,000 natives population and habitat. Upon completion, the throughout the site, major rubbish dumped in planted to date and hundreds of mature trees project will have doubled the site’s squirrel multiple areas and zones used by local trail saved through detailed earthworks modelling glider habitat to 60ha. bike riders. It has been a huge commitment Visit ADAMA.COM to learn more MAY-JUNE 2021 21 ENVIRONMENT been shaped to shed water to the sides where it is collected in swales. It then moves into a major subsurface drain system which collects the water and is then physically pumped out of the interconnected system into the irrigation lake. The system is automatically operated by a float switch and enables the recycling of water (irrigation and rainfall) from the golf course back into the lakes. This means that any potential excess nutrients will be moved back through the lake system and in turn be irrigated onto the turf which minimises the use of fertiliser and mitigates movement of any materials from the golf course into the adjacent creek, environmental zones or site drains. Several of the golf holes (10, 12 and 13) have also been designed around the site’s marine vegetation which had re-established over the 20 years since BMD took over the site. These areas have tidal influence, so the balance of enhancement, earthworks and golf finishing required careful design. The design not only took into account golf play but also traffic movement, with specialised raised ‘boardwalk’ bridges being constructed to ensure golfer movement and tidal action can coexist. The original small creeks throughout the site were destroyed in the 1940s and replaced with straighter ‘man-made drains’ by those using the site for grazing. However, in the 20 years or so since BMD took over the site, remnant vegetation areas had established along and within the drains. Holes 2, 3, 13, 14 and 17 all cross those drains so PCD had to PHOTO: NEARMAP be careful in both planning and detail design. The landing zones for golf, the shaping to contain water and hitting across the zones required specific detail design and ongoing Located 10km from the Brisbane CBD, the Brisbane City Council’s Minnippi Golf Course development at Cannon management plans. Hill is the city’s first new public golf course in 70 years and the only public course south of the Brisbane River by BMD over many years to clean the site up, sensitive areas and develop a bulk earthworks SUSTAINABILITY AND secure it, remove the stock and maintain the profile that assisted flood flows. Lakes have ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS site to allow native plants to re-establish. also been designed to both capture water In this day and age of golf course “Under three holes (14, 15 and 16) was during rainfall events and also protect and management, sustainability is a word some an old rubbish tip and as a part of the process enhance fish species within the site’s old man- may say is being overused. However, we BMD completely dug up and remediated made drains. cannot ignore it and as an industry we need the site to prevent leachate moving into the In another ‘first’ for Australian golf, the PCD to be the leaders in sports sustainability. With adjacent Bulimba Creek. What people see now team have developed a proactive, automated this in mind, the maintenance of the new on site is a lot different from the original 24 recycling/drainage system. The golf course has Minnippi course will have sustainability and years ago and a real testament to BMD. I very much doubt that such work would have been carried out if the site was not to be developed into a golf course.” Ryan notes that PCD always approaches its designs by not only trying to retain and protect environmentally sensitive zones, but to improve all zones from an environmental perspective. Together with fellow PCD director Paul Reeves, Ryan walked the site many times over to ascertain things such as retaining established trees important to squirrel glider From design to delivery BMD Group has enhanced, revegetated and innovatively landscaped the site with 80,000 movement (they fly from tree top to tree top), natives planted to date and hundreds of mature trees saved through detailed earthworks modelling and the laying out the golf holes so as to complement implementation of restricted work zones 22 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 the environment as a key day-to-day focus according to Brenton Kay who has been overseeing construction for McMahons. “All of our projects are treated with great care when it comes to the environment and none more so than this project,” says Kay. “From the very start, taking care of the natural environment is our number one priority and a close second is ensuring that everything we do is only enhancing and increasing the quality of these areas.” During the grow-in phase of the project, the focus is to grow in the fairways and roughs as quickly as possible, meaning initially an intensive fertility programme. Once coverage is McMahons is overseeing the construction of the Pacific Coast Design course which has sustainability and the achieved, those inputs will be backed off and environment as a key day-to-day focus mainly comprise foliar applications to minimise leaching and potential effects of run-off to the plant these varieties was based on agronomist minimising maintenance material uses, salinity natural environment. Once in maintenance John Neylan’s advice following his reports and flood recovery. mode, the use of chemicals on the playing on floods in Brisbane (for Golf Queensland) Further to the issue of flooding, the surfaces will be kept to a minimum, with most and also in Thailand (for The R&A) over golf course will have no sand bunkers, instead of the spraying undertaken in the native areas courses in 2011. incorporating timber faced mounds which will to control weeds. As previously mentioned, the Minnippi act as hazards, in what PCD and McMahons The project’s development approval Golf Course project is situated on a floodplain. believe to be a first for an Australian course. stated that the fairways were “to be planted Recent history shows that the site will flood Such hazards will be easy to maintain and with salt tolerant grasses which should not every few years, with 15 of the 18 holes likely won’t suffer damage like traditional sand require traditional high levels of weed control to be flood-impacted at some point. With the bunkers would during flood events. and fertiliser.” The team decided to go with wet start to 2021 in South East Queensland In regards to vegetation, a consulting Wintergreen couchgrass on tees, fairways and there have been a number of floods already ecologist had been involved in the project for roughs and 328 on the greens. The decision to and the grasses chosen are best suited to several years prior to hitting the go button. An A SOLUTION FOR EVERY Come and visit us at the ASTM Conference BOOTH 32 GOLF COURSE Get in touch with Doug Amos 0428-409-885 — damos@agleader.com MAY-JUNE 2021 23 ENVIRONMENT its nature can provide to the local community. Among these include: l Preserving open space and remnant vegetation in rural and urban environments; l Promoting indigenous flora and fauna and the Australian landscape experience; l Protecting and acting as wildlife sanctuaries; l Utilising, treating and enhancing water resources; l Rehabilitating degraded landscapes; l Improving air quality and moderating heat; l Protecting topsoil from degradation; l Beautifying the environment; and l Enhancing community education. Once completed and open to the public in mid-2022, Minnippi Golf Course will tick all the above and create many social, environmental and economic benefits for the wider Brisbane community. With 15 of the 18 holes at Minnippi likely to be flood-impacted at some point, Wintergreen couchgrass was Editor’s Note: At the conclusion of this year’s selected on tees, fairways and roughs and 328 for the greens Australian Sports Turf Management Conference extensive list of native plant species suitable In that document AGIC chair Gavin and Trade Exhibition on the Gold Coast, a tour to this particular environment was put together Kirkman stated: “We want to build community of the Minnippi Golf Course will be conducted and in a lot of cases focused on creating new awareness around the land used by golf. for delegates. The tour, to be held on Friday squirrel glider habitat and corridors for them to Golf courses are more than just an asset for 25 June and led by the team at McMahons, move through the site. community sport and recreation; they are an will aim to give attendees an insight into the Another great initiative developed more integral component of effective town planning scale of the development while discussing recently with the Port of Brisbane is the and design, offering significant environmental the various construction methodologies being harvesting of mangroves from drains in the benefits, especially in urban areas. used and environmental considerations. Buses port area that are to be cleaned out. These The Minnippi development certainly aligns will depart the Gold Coast Convention and have been transplanted into the existing and with that statement and covers off some of the Exhibition Centre at 9am for a 10am start on new marine plant zones at the Cannon Hill most important benefits that golf courses of site and arrive back at 1pm. site along with other marine plant species harvested from site. There are also many revegetation areas that are in play around the golf course, with the plant selection (being trees only) and placement of such being carefully planned and will be assessed on a hole-by-hole basis as the construction progresses. The management of retained large trees throughout the site has been a focus since clearing was completed, with extensive dead wooding and habitat pruning being undertaken for safety and playability of the golf course. This has also enhanced the visual aspect that these mainly eucalypts provide, with some magnificent specimens that only the canopy was visible prior to removing invasive undergrowth. SIGNIFICANT ASSET In July 2020, the Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) released its ‘Golf: Benefits to the Environment’ document which highlighted the range of unique ways that Australia’s golf courses contribute to the conservation and management of our natural resources. The Minnippi course development comprises an 18- hole layout, with around 50ha of the 72ha parcel of land being used during construction 24 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 IRRIGATION The full treatment Using recycled water for irrigating turf surfaces is a balancing act at the best of times. To mitigate a deteriorating recycled water supply, Twin Waters Golf Course in Queensland has invested in a state-of-the-art pump and dosing system to ensure its turf surfaces remaining in peak condition. T win Waters Golf Course is a The original Twin Waters pump station central control for advanced flow management Thomson, Wolveridge and Perrett was a single pump (75kW) fixed speed unit functions to compare database flows versus design that was constructed 30 with a manual dosing system added later and actual flows and the dosing system pump years ago at Mudjimba on the without a flow meter. The new pump station controls for automated proportional dosing. Sunshine Coast, Queensland. It has multiple pumps with variable speed drives has consistently ranked among the top 10 that can deliver constant pressure across a RECYCLED WATER QUALITY Australian resort courses over many years wide range of flows at best efficiency to ensure AND ITS CHALLENGES since. minimal water hammer, extend pipe life and There is not a lot of consistency across Recycled water is the sole water source reduce operating costs. recycled water availability or cost nationally, for the golf course and, while a valuable The pumps were selected for high which in many cases largely depends on the resource, the water quality presents several performance and their ability to handle water authorities’ licences with regulators in challenges that require careful management aggressive water, both corrosive and abrasive terms of discharge limits and reuse targets. by Twin Waters course superintendent Garry particles. The CAP Industries iCon control The recycled water classifications are McClymont to maintain a sustainable high panel has remote access for smart devices mostly concerned with public health and quality surface. and interface with central control software for environmental risks rather than in terms In 2020, Queensland-based irrigation monitoring and alarms. of agronomic elements. There are some design consultants HydroPlan was An electromagnetic flow meter was added elements that may have agronomic value if not commissioned to design a new pump station that has a high degree of accuracy across the excessive, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, fully integrated with irrigation controls along flow range and can handle aggressive water while other factors present a risk to plant with an automated dosing system to amend conditions. The flow meter is integrated with health, such as pH and toxic salts, that require the recycled water for improved plant health. the pump control panel, the Toro Lynx irrigation a higher level of management. 26 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 Twin Waters Golf Course has been able to improve the condition of its playing surfaces tee to green thanks to a greens salt mitigation plan and installing a state-of- the-art pump and dosing system The Twin Waters recycled water storage pond. Note the aerators in the pond for circulation plus Diatonix additive for pond management. Water colour variance is related to oxygen levels, reactive silica, nutrient and algae loads. The new pump station and dosing system shed can be seen bottom right WORDS: SCOTT JOHNSTONE. PHOTO: SYLVIA ABERTE/SYLVERMOMENTSPHOTOGRAPHY The pH level in the on-site storage pond tends l Acid for pH amendment to improve to rise to 8 to 8.5 in the warmer months of the availability of nutrients and microorganism year. Maintaining good water circulation and activity, reduce bicarbonates and sodicity, oxygen levels in the irrigation storage pond plus improve efficiency of some chemicals is important to prevent algae build-up and and pesticides that suffer from alkaline increased pH levels. Twin Waters has both hydrolysis. In this case ‘Irrisol Max’ is aeration and Diatomix treatment processes in applied. the storage pond to limit deterioration of the l Liquid calcium to reduce sodium toxicity, water quality. improve soil structure and reduce The level and frequency of treatment or turf associated diseases. In this case ‘Socal’ is management options will vary for different sites applied. based on a range of environmental conditions l Surfactant to combat water hardness including soil types and seasonal weather. For associated with recycled water and example, sandy soil profiles and high intensity hydrophobic surfaces, to improve seasonal rainfall may flush toxic elements absorption and water use efficiency plus better than heavy soils in low rainfall areas. reduce dry patches. In this case ‘Broadwet’ Micro-environments within a site or changing is applied. weather patterns may also have similar impact on various management or treatment DOSING SYSTEM The recycled water quality at Twin Waters strategies. The detailed design or specifications of many presents several agronomic challenges that dosing systems in the golf and sports turf are common to many sites that use recycled TURF MANAGEMENT FOR industry are often overlooked and not well water, including high salts, high pH and water RECYCLED WATER thought out, to the point where they may not hardness. Since a change of sewage treatment The elevated salt levels have prompted a more be used effectively or neglected altogether due plant over the last 10 years, the water quality rigorous salt mitigation programme at Twin to serviceability issues. Given the importance supplied to the course has deteriorated, Waters that has been provided by Greenway of the treatment to promote a healthy turf including some significant factors; Turf Solutions, plus a dosing system designed surface and the cost of the chemicals, the l Total dissolved salts (TDS) has increased by HydroPlan to cope with a range of water dosing system warrants due consideration in 24 per cent from 850ppm to 1050ppm; quality issues efficiently. design. l Sodium (Na) has increased 50 per cent The salt mitigation programme, developed The key factors in the brief for the from 200ppm to 300ppm; primarily for the greens, has a suite of turf design of the Twin Waters dosing system l Sodium Absorption Ratio has increased 43 management practices based on a monthly was to ensure the treatment solutions could per cent from 7 to 11; cycle which may incorporate; be applied automatically with maximum l Chloride (Cl) has increased 58 per cent l Broadcast granular applications; accuracy, uniformity and efficiency, while being from 300ppm to 475ppm. This is a l Boom spray foliar application; serviceable, maintaining the highest level of manageable issue from the water authority l Mechanical aeration; and safety for operators and preventing potential as a result of disinfection which can be l Irrigation water dosing. environmental risks. The result is one of the reduced while protecting public risk. For the irrigation water dosing system highest quality dosing systems currently in the Incoming pH levels have been consistent component, three key treatment requirements Australian golf course management industry Maredo verti-cutting heads were used to expose and raise any fibres that the Koro topmaker had missed around 7.5 to 8, with pHc in the 8 to 8.5 range. were identified; that meets all the required objectives. MAY-JUNE 2021 27 IRRIGATION The new multiple pump unit at Twin Waters with variable speed drives in a control panel that has remote device access which is fully interfaced with irrigation central control and advanced flow management system A dosing package was developed in and maintenance instruction manuals, full conjunction with ProMinent, with each of the safety signage, an eye wash/shower as well as three dosing pumps selected to apply the full operator training. Top: Acid dosing pump and pH analyser with Perspex required amount of solution (L/ML) adjusted The dosing skid is fitted with two 1000L doors and live extractable quills automatically to the irrigation pump station’s intermediate bulk container (IBC) shuttles Above: The surrounds of the 12th green at Twin Waters flow range. The dosing pumps are remotely and a 200L drum to supply the three dosing showing the deleterious effects that using high salinity controlled from the irrigation central control pumps. To mitigate environmental risks, the recycled water can have on turf software and associated with targeted dosing package is fully bunded to contain programmes for tees, fairways and greens potential leakage from the containers, plus a weather conditions and other management where required. The dosing system’s inputs spill kit is located within the pump shed. The plans. The initial signs of lack of treatment also reports dosing pump availability and tank containers also have level switches to raise often start with tip burn and bare patches level alarms with the irrigation control interface. level alarms and the injection quills are live which left untreated can lead to algae black HydroPlan developed a calibration extractable to allow cleaning without shutting spots and crusty hard pans which can leave chart linked to the irrigation flow meter for down or emptying the mainline. the ground under repair. Such areas take time each dosing pump to accurately determine and expense to recover or may need to be chemical application rates (L/ML) for variable BENEFITS AND CONSEQUENCES fully renovated and replaced, in which case water quality input levels and meet output When using recycled water that has issues prevention is significantly better than the cure. expectations of turf performance criteria which such as salinity and pH, there are a host of may vary between surfaces to align within the benefits in having an effective turf management Editor’s Note: Both Garry and Scott will operating budget. plan to amend the water quality using a dosing present a session at the upcoming Australian Along with performance, operator safety system alongside of producing a healthy turf Sports Turf Management Conference on and risk management were among the highest surface and environment. Among the benefits irrigation dosing and the above solutions priorities. The dosing system is designed to include savings in fertiliser, chemicals (disease/ being employed at Twin Waters (Agronomy allow for easy isolation to flush the system, pests), water, power and labour. Stream, 11am, Thursday 24 June). For more replace worn parts or perishables. Perspex The consequences of not amending information on the Twin Waters project, contact screens protect operators from potential recycled water will vary based on a range of Scott Johnstone on 0427 327 790 or email splashes, while there are detailed operations site factors including soil types, water quality, sj@hydroplan.com.au Left: Twin Waters superintendent Garry McClymont in front of the new pump shed showing bunded dosing skid, IBCs (acid, calcium), drum (surfactant), safety eye wash/shower, extra roller door height for IBC access and safety signage Below: McClymont (left) with HydroPlan principal consultant Scott Johnstone 28 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 AR530 ALL TERRAIN. ALL YOU NEED. 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For information and support: www.jacobsen.com GOLD COAST 2021 After hosting in 2010 and 2014, the Australian Sports Turf Management Conference and Trade Exhibition returns to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre from 21-24 June Welcome to the Gold Coast After missing a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a real sense of anticipation as the industry gets set to converge on the Gold Coast in late June for the 2021 Australian Sports Turf Management Conference and Trade Exhibition. Over the next 16 pages, ATM looks at some of the highlights of the week at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. T he Board of the Australian Sports Championships, presented in partnership with KURT FEARNLEY Turf Managers Association, Toro, now being played on the Monday instead Three-time Paralympic gold medallist Kurt together with staff, management of Sunday. That dovetails nicely into that Fearnley AO needs little introduction. Set to and key conference sponsors and evening’s traditional opening night highlight provide the closing address of Tuesday’s partners, welcome all delegates – the Syngenta President’s Dinner – which Plenary session, Fearnley has won over 40 to the Gold Coast for the 2021 Australian incorporates the National Turf Industry Awards. marathons, including New York, Chicago Sports Turf Management Conference and To be held at the outstanding Gold Coast and London, in a career spanning more than Trade Exhibition (21-24 June). Featuring more Convention and Exhibition Centre, which has 20 years. In 2009 Kurt crawled the Kokoda than 100 hours of education across a variety hosted the conference previously in 2010 and Track in PNG to raise awareness of men’s of streams, in addition to the industry-leading 2014, this year’s event will bring together a health. He was also a member of the winning trade exhibition and famous social functions, phenomenal line up of local and interstate Sydney to Hobart yacht crew, Investec Loyal, the conference is the not-to-be-missed event speakers, including presentations from a range in 2012. During an unforgettable presentation, for all sports turf managers in 2021, especially of experts in communication, mental health Fearnley will share tales of his sporting and life after the absence of last year’s event due to and wellbeing and leadership, as well as local accomplishments, touching on the themes of the COVID-19 pandemic. superintendents, sports turf managers and building resilience, the importance of a strong Due to the pandemic, this year’s event has agronomists. Here is just a snapshot of some team and leading through example. (Plenary, been shortened by a day, with the ASTMA Golf of the presenters and topics… Tue 22 June, 2.30pm) 30 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 JOHN BUCHANAN ERIC BAILEY BEN GIBSON The Australian cricket team coach between Former pro-basketballer Eric Bailey is a Los Leadership expert Ben Gibson is owner and 1999 and 2007, John Buchanan oversaw an Angeles native who after nominating for the managing director of The Toolbox Team and era of incredible international dominance. NBA Draft spent 13 years playing NBL in the Australia/NZ Sports Turf Leadership Forum With a team comprising many of the modern Australia throughout the mid-80s and early Series. Gibson has run education sessions day greats of Australian cricket, he coached 1990s. Following his successful professional for hundreds of turf managers and their staff the team to a world record number of straight career, Bailey turned his passion for coaching across Australia and New Zealand and has Test match victories (16 wins), consecutive into speaking engagements and has become spent his career building and leading teams. One Day International wins (21) and set an a leading authority on motivation, vision and Gibson will deliver an interactive workshop unprecedented World Cup record with two success. In addition to his Plenary session incorporating practical modern leadership World Cups and 24 games undefeated. At the address, Bailey will also conduct a workshop concepts and ready-to-use ideas that turf time of his retirement, the Australian cricket on mental health. (Plenary, Tue 22 June, managers can implement with their teams. team were the World Cup, Test and One Day 1.45pm; Workshop, Thur 24 June, 2pm) (Management Stream, Thur 24 June, 11am) International champions and also returned The Ashes to Australia in early 2007. This record of MURRAY ALTHAM RICHARD FORSYTH victories makes Buchanan the most successful Providing the opening address of this year’s After what has been a busy two-year period coach in history with a winning record of over conference, Murray Altham began his for the links crew at Royal Melbourne Golf 75 per cent. With over 30 years in international professional life as a chef before heading Club, director of courses Richard Forsyth will coaching, education and organisational into the fitness industry and becoming a look back on hosting the 2019 Presidents management, Buchanan is passionate about leading voice in the area of mental health and Cup and the concurrent works around the coaching and the striking impact that quality wellbeing. Altham energises people, teaching redevelopment of Sandringham Golf Links coaching has on peak performance for them to embrace their strengths and leaving and creation of the Australian Golf Centre. individuals, leaders and teams. (Plenary, Tue them with useful actions that will influence their In a presentation that will appeal to sports 22 June, 11am and 11.40am) life. (Plenary, Tue 22 June, 9.15am) turf managers across all sectors, Richard MONDAY 21 JUNE 10.30am-11am: Morning Tea THURSDAY 24 JUNE 10.30am: ASTMA Golf Championships (presented 11am-11.40am: Sandringham Golf Links, Australian AGRONOMY STREAM (ROOM 5) by Toro Australia) Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Golf Centre and Presidents Cup Richard Forsyth 8.30am-9am: ANTEP and ryegrass trial update Golf Club 11.40am-1pm: Construction Projects Minnippi Public Bruce Macphee 1pm-4pm: Registration Desk open Golf Course, Indooroopilly GC, Neanger Park GC 9am-9.30am: Maximising efficiency of fungicide 6.30pm-10pm: Syngenta Presidents Dinner and applications Dr Brett Morris National Turf Industry Awards Gold Coast Convention 9.30am-10am: Effective management of ERI fungi 1pm-5pm: Trade Exhibition incl. Afternoon Tea & Exhibition Centre (Foyers E&F) John Neylan TUESDAY 22 JUNE SPORTSFIELDS STREAM (ROOM 6) 10am-11am: Morning Tea 8.30am-9.10am: Herbicide resistance in sportsfields Jyri Kaapro 11am-11.40am: Irrigation and dosage systems Scott PLENARY 9.10am-9.50am: All things horticultural and Johnstone and Garry McClymont 8.30am-8.45am: Welcome to Country Parliament House Paul Janssens 11.40am-12.20pm: The benefits of oxygenated 8.45am-9.15am: Industry Update ASTMA 9.50am-10.30am: Racetrack management and water on turf surfaces Professor Greg Leslie 9.15am-10.15am: Mental health and physical maintenance practices Michael Wood 12.20pm-1pm: Soil greenhouse gas emissions from wellbeing Murray Altham Australian sportsfields David Riches 10.30am-11am: Morning Tea 10.15am-11am: Morning Tea 1pm-2.30pm: Trade Exhibition incl. Lunch 11am-11.40am: Developing a fertiliser programme 11am-11.45am: Co-operation and communication for sportsfields Dr Brett Morris John Buchanan 11.40am-12.20pm: The importance of data: MANAGEMENT STREAM (ROOM 7) 11.45am-12.15pm: Working with general managers/ Understanding the numbers Damian Hough 8.30am-10am: Jacobsen management workshop – GMA update Paul Vardy 12.20pm-1pm: Update on various warm-season Developing effective presentation skills to engage an 12.15pm-1pm: Developing and working as a team grass trials Tim Fankhauser and Matt Oliver audience Carmen Sederino Speaker TBC 11am-1pm: Modern leadership for turf managers 1pm-5pm: Trade Exhibition incl. Afternoon Tea Ben Gibson 1pm-1.45pm: Lunch WORKSHOPS (ROOMS 5, 6 & 7) PLENARY (ROOM 5) 1.45pm-2.30pm: Being a leader Eric Bailey 2.30pm-3.30pm: Inspirational final session Michael 9am-10.30am and 11am-1pm (Room 7): 2.30pm-3.30pm: Motivational guest speaker Kurt Kasprowich Construction sand and soil workshop Bruce Fearnley Macphee, John Neylan and Gary Beehag 2pm-3pm (Room 5): Mental Health: Managing your SOCIAL TRADE mindset Eric Bailey 6pm-8pm: Farewell Bash, presented by Greenway 3.30pm-5pm: VIP Trade Session (for full registered 2pm-3:30pm (Room 6): GDD Mike Deluca Turf Solutions Garden Events Lawn, Star Complex and Tuesday day delegates only) (ex-Jupiters) ASSOCIATION WEDNESDAY 23 JUNE 5pm-6pm (Room 5): ASTMA AGM FRIDAY 25 JUNE Please Note: Times, topics and speakers listed were GOLF STREAM (ROOM 5) correct at the time of this edition going to print. The TOUR 8.30am-9.50am: Regional roundup Mark Spraggs, 9am: Minnippi Public Golf Course (Cannon Hill), Technicians Stream programme was also still being Brent Hull, Simon Snedden, Chad Gilmour, Brendan Brisbane (Buses depart GCCEC at 9am for 10am finalised. Please refer to the conference app and Clark start on site and arrive back approx. 1pm) or the boards inside the GCCEC for any updates or 9.50am-10.30am: Teven Valley Paul Gumbleton changes to the programme. MAY-JUNE 2021 31 GOLD COAST 2021 will discuss the challenges related to leading PAUL JANSSENS his team through a period of significant The assistant director of Landscape Services change and the logistics and highlights of at Australian Parliament House, Paul Janssens hosting a global tournament in the midst of a has seen many changes across the site over construction zone. (Golf Stream, Wed 23 Jun, the past 25 years. In his current role, he is 11am) responsible for 20 staff, 10 hectares of turf, 13 hectares of gardens and the residence of the MICHAEL WOOD Prime Minister. Paul’s presentation will look at Racecourse manager of Sydney’s Royal some of the complexities around managing Randwick, Michael Wood has worked at the the horticultural areas of Parliament House in famed Australian Turf Club for the past eight Canberra. (Sportsfield Stream, Wed 23 June, years, rising to the top role in July 2019. Wood 9.10am) will look at the management of the Royal Randwick track and how his team go about POST CONFERENCE TOUR preparing it for its major meets during the year, The traditional Friday tour is back on the including The Championships and Everest programme in 2021 with a trip planned on Carnival. Michael will also discuss how he has 25 June to the new Minnippi Public Golf recently incorporated the use of drone imaging Course development (Cannon Hill). Project to assist in managing the track. (Sportsfield construction managers McMahons, in Stream, Wed 23 Jun, 9.50am) conjunction with Toro, will be hosting a tour Keynote speaker, Paralympian Kurt Fearnley of the site currently under construction, 10km CARMEN SEDERINO discuss the unique grass selections chosen, in from Brisbane. (Tour, Fri 25 Jun, 9am) Business and marketing professional Carmen particular the use of Sir Grange zoysia across In addition to industry-leading education Sederino will present a Jacobsen management the fairways and tees, drainage and irrigation and networking opportunities, the conference workshop on developing effective presentation solutions and environmental considerations. also includes the sports turf management trade skills to engage an audience. Sederino has (Golf Stream, Wed 23 June, 9.50am) exhibition on the Wednesday and Thursday over two decades of experience supporting (23 and 24 June). With more than 60 of the individuals and businesses through SAND WORKSHOP industry’s leading companies showcasing their communication and developing content that To be led by an expert panel containing products and services, there will be a number is both engaging and delivered with impact. ASTMA senior agronomist Bruce Macphee, of special deals for delegates as well as a (Management Stream, Thur 24 June, Sporteng senior agronomist John Neylan and number of innovative new product launches. 8.30am) Gary Beehag, the workshop will take delegates And to unwind at the end of it all, through a review of available sands, material Greenway Turf Solutions will again be TEVEN VALLEY GOLF COURSE selection, understanding and interpreting soil sponsoring the famous Farewell Bash Superintendent Paul Gumbleton will talk testing methods, moisture release curves, (Thursday from 6pm). The ASTMA looks about the transformation of Teven Valley Golf bunker sand testing and sand selection for forward to welcoming everyone to the Gold Course under the auspices of course designer various sports turf profiles. (Workshop, Wed Coast for what is set to be a great week of and pro golfer Craig Parry. Gumbleton will 23 June, 9am-10.30am and 11am-1pm) education and networking. The two-day trade exhibition will feature more than 60 leading companies cross 3500m2 of floorspace 32 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 Right Advice, Right Support, Right Products Right around Australia greenwayturfsolutions.com GOLD COAST 2021 The 36-hole Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Golf Club comprises the River and West courses. Pictured is 18 River with 18 West to the right Coolangatta Tweed tees up Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Golf Club will host the ASTMA Golf Championships, presented by Platinum Partner Toro, for the first time when the conference returns to the Gold Coast in June. Association president and life member Peter Lonergan provides ATM readers with an insight into the 36-hole facility. C oolangatta and Tweed Heads profit of £366 of which £323 came from the City shopping centre. This required a major Golf Club (CTHGC) was pokies! In 1985 the club made a profit of over modification to the West Course and these established in 1926 on land $880,000, but then in 1992 poker machines works were carried out by none other than that is now occupied by the were legalised in Queensland and, as fellow ASTMA life member Doug Robinson in Gold Coast Airport. The land happened to the Murray River courses in 1991, conjunction with Graham Papworth. was deemed unsuitable and in 1930 they the busloads of tourists stopped coming. Doug was superintendent at the club from relocated to the current site in Tweed Heads The ever-declining income from the 1980 to 1985 when he left to build Sanctuary South where nine holes was established. In pokies and increased competition for golfers Cove and was succeeded by Jeff Gambin 1951 a second nine came into play, a third was from the myriad of resort courses popping who held the position until 1991 when he left opened in 1974 and the final nine in 1979. up on the Gold Coast saw the club fall on to move to Royal Pines. So the club has had Poker machines have, until the past few some difficult financial times in the early a rich relationship with the ASTMA, with three years, always been a big income source for 1990s and four hectares of land was sold to presidents having worked here. The club also Toro’s the clubinnovative all-electric, and in 1939 the clubbattery made andan hybrid machinesallow annual are ideal thefor courses everywhere expansion of neighbouring Tweed first hosted a ‘Greenkeepers Day’ in 1951 and 34 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 The TifEagle green on 1 West gets a solid tine and roll in the last week of April were made to the design of the greens and the works were performed essentially in-house with Trevor and Scott King on the bobcat and excavator. When the West greens were converted they were essentially ‘welled out’ and taken back to their original size, with the drainage exposed and tested. Once drainage was confirmed the greens irrigation loop was replaced with all new product and then the PHOTO: BRENDAN JAMES, GOLF AUSTRALIA MAGAZINE greens were refilled with a sand that met USGA specifications. The top 100mm of the greens was amended with seven per cent zeolite, four per cent granular humate, 2.5 per cent organic compost and 14 per cent gypsand by volume. The depth of sand that was removed varied from nearly one metre on the 11th to barely 300mm on the 15th and the quality of some of what we found was questionable at best. The greens were then stolonised with TifEagle and were generally back in play 10-12 weeks after planting. (See ATM Volumes 18.6 have had many more since, so has always during the hot, humid summer months when – Nov-Dec 2016 – and 19.2 – March-April been a great supporter of course maintenance the putting surface was often unsatisfactory. In 2017 – for the full story on the conversion of staff and the turf industry. 1980 there was a recommendation from then the West Course greens to TifEagle – Ed.) In the 1980s the club hosted several course superintendent Les Neuhaus to convert televised professional tournaments that were the greens to Tifgreen 328. GO-TO GRASS won by the likes of Gary Player, Payne Stewart, It took 18 years for this to happen and in In 2007 the club joined a research project Graham Marsh, Bruce Crampton, Greg 1998 the back nine greens of the River course conducted jointly by the then AGCSA (now Norman and David Graham. The tournaments were totally reconstructed and grassed with ASTMA) and the Queensland Department of were often held in February which is the hottest 328 to a design that was done by former Royal Primary Industries trialling five new ‘ultradwarf’ and most humid month and exceptionally Melbourne superintendent Peter Williams. I varieties of couchgrass with a view to their difficult to have healthy bentgrass. It is a great arrived in 1999 and duly reconstructed three suitability as a putting green grass at CTHGC. credit to both Doug and Jeff that they were of the front nine greens and resurfaced the To their credit the club invested more than able to deliver the course in such fine fashion remaining front nine greens with 328. $30,000 in the construction of the nursery to for these events. The West course greens remained ensure that the growing medium would be bentgrass until 2016 when the club decided the same as that used in any future greens SWITCHING UP to convert to TifEagle. The back nine were resurfacing. The club originally had blue couch greens completed in 2016 and the front nine in 2017. Five varieties were planted – Champion, and these were converted to bentgrass in the Course architect Graham Papworth was Mini Verde, Flora Dwarf, Mini Supreme and 1970s and proved very difficult to maintain involved in some of the minor changes that TifEagle – with Tifgreen 328 added at our MAY-JUNE 2021 35 GOLD COAST 2021 AT A GLANCE – COOLANGATTA AND TWEED HEADS GC The 2021 ASTMA Golf Championships will be held on the West Course which boasts TifEagle couchgrass greens THE COURSES River Course: Greens Tifgreen 328 cut site for comparison. All of the dwarf varieties TifEagle and other ultradwarfs. I have at 3.5mm (summer) and 4mm (winter). proved to have a much finer leaf than 328 and travelled to the USA to further study TifEagle Fairways and tees common couch therefore provided a superior putting surface, maintenance and on each occasion I have West Course: Greens TifEagle kept at with TifEagle the standout and becoming the gone looking for answers and come back with 3.4mm year round. Fairways a mix of Santa ‘go-to’ grass for CTHGC. Hence the decision more questions. Ana, common couch and blue couch/ on the grass type wasn’t made in haste and What I most definitely have learned is kikuyu. Common couch tees. the greens have settled in well and provide a that almost everyone maintains their TifEagle Irrigation and water sources: Some firm and quite fast surface, particularly in the differently and almost all succeed with irrigation pipework and infrastructure low growth winter months. We don’t get frosts achieving a good putting surface. The main dates to the 1970s. Hydraulic system, and daytime winter temperatures average area of difference seems to be the de-thatching predominantly Toro sprinkler heads. Single between 16-20oC so we don’t really lose colour and dusting programmes. Essentially you are row 690s on the fairways. Every type of but there is very little growth. either a de-thatcher or a duster. I have lent irrigation pipe known to man! Hunter radio TifEagle is certainly a different turf to towards de-thatching for thatch control as I feel control system. Grundfos pump station maintain and there are several approaches it results in the best putting surface here. comprising 2 x 11kW pumps and 4 x 22kW that can be taken while still achieving a pumps. good putting surface. In the late 1990s the WEATHER WOES Courses utilise recycled water from guidelines for maintenance meant that a lot The weather always seems to be a dominant Tweed Shire Council. The line was installed of clubs shied away due to the high level of topic which is understandable in our sub- in 1980 which potentially makes the club work recommended. I first planted TifEagle tropical climate. We moved from the driest ever one of the longest users of recycled water. in 2005 and even by then the guidelines had July-December period in 2019 to the wettest Capacity to supply 1.2ML per day which is eased somewhat with regards to the intensive ever January-March period in 2020 and then about half of what is needed. maintenance and it has certainly been found the wettest ever December 2020-April 2021. that you don’t need the high inputs originally 1947mm of rain fell from 11 December 2020 to THE CREW suggested to achieve a result. the end of April 2021. Superintendent Peter Lonergan, assistant At a seminar I attended in the USA The course is very flat and provides superintendent Simon Walford (20 years at in 2015, the researcher opened with the very little fall, but somehow whoever did the the club), qualified greenkeepers (5), turf comment, “We got the maintenance practices drainage did an amazing job when the course equipment technician, irrigation technician, for the ultradwarfs wrong at the start.” Much was first laid out. Despite the minimal fall, groundspeople (2), apprentices (2), has changed since 2000 with regards to the water somehow moves off the courses clubhouse gardener and two casuals. maintenance practices as more and more amazingly well, albeit slowly. Having a courses have converted their greens to generally sandy soil profile helps out as well THE SHED 10 x Toro Greensmaster 3250D greens mowers (four for greens, two for tees and collars, four as dedicated de-thatchers); 2 x 7000D fairway mowers; 2 x 4700D intermediate rough mowers; 4 x John Deere 1570 outfront rough mowers; 2 x Toro 3040 Sand Pros; 3 x electric rollers; Toro Multi Pro 1750 and 5800 spray rigs; 8 x Carryalls and 2 x 4trax motorbikes; Thatchaway verticutters and scarifiers; 2 x Toro Pro Core 648s and 1298 – the latter has just been delivered, bring on spring!; 3 x compact, 2 x Lonergan has lent towards more of a de-thatching 35hp and 1 x 50hp front end loader tractors; regime as opposed to dusting to control thatch Vertiquake used as a root pruner. levels in his TifEagle greens. Pictured is 4 West 36 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 Extensive rain (1947mm from 11 December 2020 to the As I write this it is now mid-May and we end of April 2021) combined with low light conditions have started to dry out a little and the weather have made for a challenging summer and autumn has been back to somewhat normal. We lost turf in some low areas of fairways where there was water lying for up to six weeks which is disappointing, but all in all the courses are in great shape for a facility that has been getting an average of more than 200 players per course per day. The club is looking forward to welcoming the field for the ASTMA Golf Championships, proudly sponsored by Platinum Partner Toro Australia, and I trust that all players will enjoy the challenge that the West Course and its TifEagle greens will provide. Editor’s Note: Make sure you check out Lonergan’s course maintenance blog http:// coolangattatweedgolfcoursemaintenance. blogspot.com/. Lonergan updates the blog regularly and provides a fantastic insight for although there are some areas of marine restricted which impacts revenue and player members as to what’s going on maintenance mud on the West course that stays very wet contentment. We store over 300 member carts wise of the two courses as well as any for an extended period following rainfall. I onsite and the club own a fleet of 50 carts, so interesting news from across the industry. Well remember talking to Jeff Gambin when he they are a big part of our club culture. worth a read. was here and he was telling me about a drainage project they were doing at the time that utilised 900mm pipes which I could barely comprehend. We definitely need them I can assure you! The constant rain we have had this past summer has two major consequences. Firstly golf carts need to be restricted and the lack of sunlight has a deleterious effect on the turfgrass, particularly the greens. Interestingly, the West course TifEagle greens have handled the low light intensity quite well. If golf carts are restricted then our player numbers are also Coolangatta & Tweed Heads GC is a busy facility with up to 200 players out on each course every day. Pictured is 1 West MAY-JUNE 2021 37 GOLD COAST 2021 Queensland’s ASTMA Graduate of the Year representative Ryan Murphy in action volunteering at the 2019 Australian PGA Championship at RACV Royal Pines Resort stars Future J ust one of the many events Queensland and STA NSW still to name impacted by the COVID-19 their candidates. Always one of the most pandemic, it is with great prized honours during the annual National anticipation that the ASTMA and Turf Industry Awards, the ASTMA and STA STA of Australia will be able to Australia, together with award sponsor bestow their Graduate of the Year Awards in Toro Australia, congratulate the following person during this year’s Australian Sports Turf finalists and wish them all the best for the Management Conference on the Gold Coast. announcement on 21 June. With last year’s conference postponed, both The Australian Sports Turf associations had to announce their winners ASTMA GRADUATE OF THE YEAR remotely, with Angus Beasley (Scone Golf Managers Association and Club, NSWGCSA) and Matt Wolfe (City of JAMES CORRELL Albany, STA WA) adding their names to an Federal GC | STA ACT STA Australia will honour their exalted list of former recipients. Twenty-four-year-old Correll started While this year’s awards will be handed his apprenticeship in 2016 before outstanding apprentices in their out during the opening night of the conference, taking a year off and returning judging for this year’s ASTMA Graduate of in 2018 to complete his studies respective Graduate of the Year the Year Award was still conducted remotely through the Canberra Institute via Zoom on 19 and 20 May. The seven state of Technology. Once qualified he was given Awards to be announced on the finalists were asked to prepare a 10-minute the opportunity to be Federal’s irrigation presentation which provided an overview technician, a role which he continues to opening night of the Gold Coast of their role at work, commitment to work, thoroughly enjoy. From a young age Correll achievements (both at work and study) and enjoyed playing golf which got him interested conference. ATM takes a look at their future aspirations in the sports turf in how turf surfaces were looked after and management profession. Following their presented. this year’s finalists. presentation, the five-person judging panel During his time at Federal, Correll has then asked each a series of technical and been fortunate enough to be involved with general questions to further ascertain their three Federal Amateur Open tournaments level of knowledge and proficiency. which gave him a huge insight to the At the time of this edition going to print, expectations of major event preparation. From the STA of Australia was due to undertake course preparation to feedback received their judging on Thursday 3 June, with STA from the players, such experiences gave him 38 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 valuable knowledge and practices that he still student in his turf management year. He in the trial of a Para Golfer at the club. Going uses today. The one thing he enjoys most has recently taken on the role of irrigation forward, Lyon has aspirations to continually about the job and industry is the personal technician and is looking forward to the next learn and develop his skills to hopefully one reward that comes with the hard work put in, couple of years when the irrigation masterplan day become a course superintendent and a as well as the mateships gained. Correll is is completed. leader in the turf industry. currently completing a Diploma in Sports Turf Management and is also a member of the STA THOMAS LYON RYAN MURPHY ACT committee. Ballarat GC | VGCSA Lakelands GC | GCSAQ Twenty-one-year-old Thomas Lyon Queensland representative Ryan ADAM D’EVELYNES becomes the second Victorian Murphy has had an extremely Wanneroo GC | GCSAWA Graduate of the Year finalist to interesting journey in the few years Twenty-two-year-old D’Evelynes hail from Ballarat Golf Club in the he has been in turf management. started his turf management past five years. Lyon started his His very first experience in journey by taking on an apprenticeship under Ballarat superintendent greenkeeping came in 2014 and 2015 during apprenticeship at Wanneroo Jeff Powell in 2018 and attended The Gordon a working holiday in Whistler, Canada, where Golf Club in Perth’s northern TAFE. He is currently undertaking his Diploma he worked at the Nicklaus North Golf Club suburbs in 2017 under superintendent Jon also through The Gordon. during the summers. Returning to Australia in Carter, attending South Metropolitan TAFE Lyon became involved in the turf industry 2016, he entered a professional career in sales for his studies. During his time at Wanneroo, through his passion for a wide range of sports, until October 2017 when he decided to pursue D’Evelynes has been heavily involved in especially footy and golf. He says the best his love of golf and took on a mature age some key projects at the club, including the part of the turf industry is the people he gets apprenticeship at Lakelands Golf Club under lake redevelopment, construction of tees and to meet and the unique stories that they all superintendent Phil Soegaard. greens, new pump installation and finishing have, along with the wide variety of skills and Completing his apprenticeship in May of the clubhouse extension and landscape knowledge required to perform the job day- 2020, Murphy is currently working at Kingston surrounds. to-day. Heath Golf Club as a qualified greenkeeper. He also gained valuable tournament Among some of the major highlights His journey to get there was just as interesting experience when Wanneroo hosted both the during his time in the industry include being as his initial forays into the industry. Offered Australian and Western Australian Amateur involved in preparations for the ALPG’s the Kingston Heath role in February 2020, Championships in 2018 and 2019. D’Evelynes Ballarat Icons Pro Am, PGA National Futures due to COVID-19 his start date got postponed was also bestowed the Bayer Award for best Championship and being able to participate twice, the first in March and then again in July. MAY-JUNE 2021 39 GOLD COAST 2021 Murphy was actually half way from Brisbane After working 3.5 years and completing his high grades in all subjects. Since joining the to Melbourne when the Victorian capital went apprenticeship with Horizons, Peters shifted crew at the MCC Leemon has excelled, with into lockdown last July, forcing him to spend to Newcastle Golf Club at the start of 2021. a major highlight coming in the 2019-2020 three months working at Ellerston in the Hunter At the same time, Kurri Kurri TAFE nominated cricket season when the cricket wicket and Valley before eventually making it to Melbourne him for the NSWGCSA Graduate of the Year ground he prepared and delivered each week in November. Award. Flying high, the crew at Newcastle and won the Victorian Premier Cricket ground of Over the past few years Murphy has course superintendent Earl Warmington have the year award. accrued some fantastic experience, being welcomed their new recruit with open arms. Leemon loves that his role provides him involved with course preparations at the 2018 Peters says he has learnt so much in the sho the opportunity to prepare sporting surfaces for Queensland Open (Brisbane GC), 2018 and rt period of time he has worked there, with the some of the best athletes in the world, as well 2019 Australian PGA Championships (Royal quality of the course a true reflection of the as working under some of the best curators in Pines Resort), 2019 US PGA Championship hard work and dedication of the team. the turf industry and having the opportunity to (Bethpage), 2019 Australian Open (The pick their brains on their past experiences and Australian GC) and the 2020 Commercial Bank JORDAN SHERRATT knowledge. Leemon also has a keen interest Qatar Masters at Education City GC. Thaxted Park GC | SAGCSA in new technology and equipment in the turf For as long as Sherratt can industry and one day hopes to start his own THOMAS NORTH remember his life has revolved company developing machines or equipment Royal Hobart GC | TSTMA around golf. He started playing that assist those working in the industry and North’s journey in turf management at 11 and by the age of 21 had change practices for the better. began in 2016 when he started turned professional, competing in his apprenticeship at Royal Hobart some big Tour events on some of the best golf JAMES KORBER Golf Club. Being a keen junior courses around the world. This sparked his Trinity College (Gawler) | STA SA golfer and a scholarship holder interest in the greenkeeping/turf management Korber completed his at the club, as well as growing up on a farm, side of golf and he began volunteering at apprenticeship at Trinity College’s the outdoor nature of turf management really Adelaide’s Thaxted Park Golf Club in 2016. Gawler campus, with his main role appealed and under the watchful guidance of Not long after he started a traineeship and has now looking after the college’s five long-serving superintendent Steve Lewis North now progressed up the ranks to be course sporting fields. Korber undertakes continued to excel. superintendent in a very short amount of time. all forms of turf preparation and maintenance, Completing his education through TAFE Sherratt says he finds it very rewarding from prepping cricket wickets, mowing ovals, Tasmania, North was involved in numerous when members and guests compliment the line-marking, renovations and all irrigation events during his time at Royal Hobart, among course, especially one that he has grown up work. After work hours, Korber is also the head them the Australian men’s and women’s on and is now responsible for. He believes curator of the South Gawler cricket square. Interstate Series, Tasmanian Opens, Australian that having a playing background has really Being a keen sportsman, Korber is very Left-Handed Championship, corporate days helped with his understanding of what is passionate about his job and has a high and club championships. North also played expected by golf club members and guests attention to detail that ensures he produces a part in Royal Hobart’s masterplan works, and delivering on those. He also thrives on his best regardless of the task. Making sure including the reshaping of the 7th and 8th the team atmosphere of working with his crew that everything is ‘on point’ gives him a great holes and constructing a new practice area, and together trying to get the best out of each feeling of satisfaction and he also has a huge including a chipping green and practice tee. other. Sherratt has also relished the opportunity willingness to learn new things in order to help Since finishing his apprenticeship North to volunteer at two Women’s Australian Opens, further his career. has taken on the role of superintendent at the not just for the chance to present world class nearby Llanherne Golf Club, the former home turf surfaces but to work alongside a group of KENNEDY SORRELL of 2017 TGCSA graduate finalist Brad Palmer. like-minded turf management professionals. Scotch College | STA WA During his six months at Llanherne, North The 2020 Western Australian Turf has been able to further develop his skills in STA AUSTRALIA SPORTS TURF Apprentice of the Year, Sorrell got addition to managing a large group of keen GRADUATE OF THE YEAR into the turf industry in 2017 when volunteers who assist with the maintenance of he was taken on as an apprentice the nine-hole course. COOPER LEEMON by All Saint’s College in Perth. Melbourne Cricket Club | STA Vic After completing his apprenticeship there and KURT PETERS Leemon started his apprenticeship through South West Metropolitan TAFE, he Horizons Golf Resort | NSWGCSA in September 2017 at the Sale moved across to Scotch College to focus more The 2020 Vince Church NSWGCSA Turf Club after working there as on sports turf management. Graduate of the Year winner, Peters a casual for several years while Sorrel loves the outdoor nature of his started his career as an apprentice completing high school. Following work, being involved with sports and takes at Horizons Golf Resort. The first the first year of his apprenticeship, he applied a lot of pride and satisfaction from preparing day of his apprenticeship in 2017 for and was successful in getting a job with the sports turf surfaces. He enjoys both the team was quiet daunting considering he’d never set Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC). In the two-and- and individual aspects of his roles and loves foot on a golf course or even held a golf club, a-half years since, Leemon has worked across the people he has met and worked with in the but after a few weeks he quickly grew into the all of the MCC’s venues and has become a industry to date. role and its many facets. Not long into his third valued member of the turf team. year, superintendent Duncan Begley gave him While attending his first year at Melbourne a taste of management when allocating him Polytechnic, Leemon was asked to study his to manage the weekend shifts throughout hot Diploma while completing his Certificate III. At summer periods with younger apprentices. the end of 2020 he received both, achieving 40 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 Banish Winter Fusarium from your course Cool temperatures, constant high moisture and low light are ideal conditions for Winter Fusarium (or Microdochium Patch) to develop. Symptoms are evident from May to September in the southern states of Australia or in cooler climates. It’s important to keep your turf protected through autumn and winter, as scarring will only start to recover in spring when active growth resumes. Your complete Winter Fusarium program: For more information ask your Syngenta Agent or go to syngentaturf.com.au FLAME_SYN6096_3/21 Syngenta Australia Pty Ltd, Level 1, 2-4 Lyonpark Road, Macquarie Park NSW 2113. ABN 33 002 933 717. ®Registered trademark of Syngenta Group Company. ™Trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. All products written in uppercase are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. © 2021 Syngenta. AD 21-062. GOLD COAST 2021 Best in show More than 60 of the turf industry’s leading companies will be exhibiting their wares across 3500m2 of exhibition space at the upcoming 2021 Sports Turf Management Trade Exhibition. ATM takes a look at some of the new products, services and promotions set to feature. ASTMA PLATINUM PARTNER l The all-electric Greensmaster e1021 TORO (46) mower utilises lithium-ion technology Sustainability is not a new concept for The to ensure long operation time, high Toro Company. It is deeply embedded in its productivity and reduced operating costs. purpose – to help customers enhance the l Reelmaster 5010-H uses PowerMatch value, productivity and sustainability of the technology to pair the diesel engine with a land. Toro’s innovative all-electric, battery self-charging battery pack, the industry’s and hybrid machines are ideal for courses first and only reel mower with a true hybrid everywhere, especially those near homes, drive system. resorts and anywhere with noise restrictions or l With efficient engines matched with Smart of spring dead spot and winter fusarium/ regulations in place. Power and SmartCool technology systems, microdochium patch. The latest SDHI on the Along with reducing operating costs, the the Groundsmaster 4000 and 5900 save turf market, Posterity delivers exceptional highly efficient operation with zero or low time and maintenance costs. disease control. Gain control for spring dead engine exhaust emissions also helps turf l Get quiet performance from a utility spot or use Posterity to supercharge tank managers and facilities meet environmental vehicle, too, with the Workman GTX mixes when dealing with dollar spot and winter and sustainability goals for a better future. lithium-ion. fusarium. This fungicide sets a new standard Some of Toro’s latest additions to utilise To learn more about Toro battery, all- for power that lasts. this technology are: electric and hybrid mowers and utility vehicles, Australian and USA trials have l Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 features visit the Toro ‘Club Room’ located at Stand 46. demonstrated that Posterity is the next step lithium-ion power providing quiet, efficient www.toro.com.au | 1800 356 372 in disease management, delivering superior operation. control with low use rates. Fast uptake through l Two other Greensmaster hybrid mowers ASTMA GOLD PARTNER the leaf ensures optimal distribution within are the petrol-powered TriFlex 3320 and SYNGENTA (39) the plant, plus effective, long-lasting and diesel-powered TriFlex 3420, featuring Last year, an exciting new fungicide became consistent control for foliar disease. Posterity’s an all-electric reel drive that eliminates available from Syngenta – Posterity! Now long soil residual and activity means it stays hydraulic leaks and delivers plenty of Syngenta is thrilled to announce the new where you place it – working longer and harder power. label extension on Posterity to include control on spring dead spot. Posterity offers long-lasting preventative and early curative control against difficult- to-control diseases; balanced distribution within the plant and outstanding rainfastness; excellent soil residual activity; smarter chemistry that is exempt from poison scheduling; a highly effective option at rates as low as 500mL/ha to 1L/ha; and a formulation that is compatible with a wide range of commonly used products – including PRIMO MAXX when used as a foliar application – so turf managers can supercharge their tank mix. www.syngentaturf.com.au | 1800 022 035 ASTMA SILVER PARTNERS BAYER (53) Bayer is pleased to formally launch two new products on the Gold Coast. The new products further extend Bayer’s focus on solutions to Toro’s innovative all-electric, battery and hybrid machines will be on display on the Gold Coast improve turf health and playability in the face 42 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 of the pressures applied by the demands John Deere’s extensive line-up of recognised actives chlorothalonil (Group M5), of golfers, climatic extremes and pest and innovative golf equipment is now available with iprodione (Group 2) and tebuconazole (Group disease issues. low interest finance (conditions apply). Plus 3), it brings a powerful disease control option Tetrino is a new insect control solution from it’s supported by John Deere’s team of local that covers various foliar diseases and spring Bayer, offering an unmatched combination of golf experts who are committed to helping dead spot. Visit Stand 68 for more details. performance, ease of use and efficiency, while turf managers deliver the very best golfing www.adama.com.au delivering fast control and lasting protection experience possible. The John Deere team is with a low rate of active ingredient. Bayer here to help, so come visit them at Stand 60. GTS (35) looks forward to working with its customers www.deere.com.au/en/golf-sports-turf Come and check out the quality brands from who face issues with pests such as Argentine leading manufacturers of turf maintenance stem weevil, African black beetle, billbug ASTMA BRONZE PARTNERS products at the Greenway Turf Solutions and armyworm, who will enjoy the benefits ADAMA (68) (GTS) stand (No.35). GTS is a privately owned that come from using Tetrino. Tetrino will be Adama is proud to announce Australian company with over 40 employees available in winter 2021 in a 3L pack. the launch of Quali-Pro Twister, working out of customer service centres in Dedicate FORTE Stressgard is a new turf a new combination insecticide Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and fungicide that delivers excellent disease control for the control of Argentine stem Perth. GTS specialises in providing innovative and enhanced plant health effects. Dedicate weevil, billbug and African black products, equipment and agronomic services FORTE Stressgard contains tebuconazole and beetle. Quali-Pro Twister contains of the highest quality to turf professionals is Bayer’s first DMI fungicide for Australian the active ingredients novaluron across Australia and overseas. The GTS team turf managers with Stressgard formulation and indoxacarb, with novaluron of qualified agronomists and experienced technology. Dedicate FORTE Stressgard will (Group 15) being a new active turfgrass managers work with their clients to provide an excellent tool for early season ingredient to the turf industry and deliver quality outcomes. preventative applications targeting fairy indoxacarb (Group 22A) being at a significantly greenwayturfsolutions.com | 07 3382 7187 ring. In addition, applying Dedicate FORTE higher concentration (720g/ha) compared to Stressgard in this early season application solo registrations (187.5g/ha). ALSO EXHIBITING… window will reduce inoculum of other diseases Both novaluron and indoxacarb act AG LEADER (32) that typically don’t appear until summer, mainly by ingestion during larval feeding and but become active in early spring. Dedicate are also taken up through direct contact via FORTE Stressgard will also be available winter the cuticle. Novaluron and indoxacarb have 2021 and comes in a 1L pack. similar foliar and soil residual activity, strong bayeramplifyturf.com.au | 1800 357 917 rainfastness and low volatility, which increases the likelihood of target pests ingesting both active ingredients. By combining novaluron and indoxacarb, Quali-Pro Twister brings If you are thinking, “Ag Leader is in the to the Australian turf market a brand new business of providing solutions to farming mode of action, new strategy for resistance operations, what do golf courses have to management of Argentine stem weevil, along do with that?” the answer is more than you JOHN DEERE (60) with billbug and African black beetle control. think. Both have budgets for chemicals and Committed to you. Committed to the game. Also officially launching at the conference fertilisers, both strive to be good stewards John Deere has a dedicated team whose sole is Quali-Pro Enclave, the first four active of the land and environment and turf focus is to help turf managers deliver the very ingredient and mode of action fungicide in management is farming – you are just growing best sports turf and golfing experience. The Australia to contain the new active ingredient a different crop. only thing stronger than its commitment to the thiophanate-methyl (Group 1). This new to the Working with Jay Infanti, superintendent turf manager is its commitment to the industry, Australian turf market active ingredient is well from Eastern Golf Club in Victoria’s Yarra which is why John Deere continues to invest in known in other regions for control of diseases Valley, Ag Leader was able to demonstrate pioneering technology to help keep Australian such as brown patch, fusarium, anthracnose the worth of how technology can improve turf in superb playing condition. and dollar spot. Combined with the well- efficiency, save on chemicals and relieve the stress of mower drivers striving for those perfect straight lines on the fairways. The Eastern Golf Club has 3ha of greens and Jay used to budget for 3.5ha of chemicals and fertilisers to ensure he had enough coverage. After trialling Ag Leader’s DirectCommand spray technology, Jay was confident in budgeting for the exact 3ha required. Jay also says that the spray operators are more confident to spray up to the edge of the greens due to the system’s ability to shut off nozzles that are close to or overhanging onto the green. The operators “The quality of cut that we are getting now with the John Deere equipment is second to none.” – Sam Keats, Tara Iti, NZ MAY-JUNE 2021 43 GOLD COAST 2021 also spray faster because the technology is handling spray control tasks that the operator used to have to do manually. Come and see the team at Stand 32 who look forward to showing delegates how farming and golf courses are not that dissimilar. Douglas Amos 0428 409 885 | damos@ agleader.com BROWN BROTHERS (67) The Lowara Smart Pump range incorporates state-of-the-art technology which reduces energy usage and dramatically decreases operational costs while enhancing performance. The smart, easy-to-set integrated drive can operate single, twin or multi-pump systems of up to three pumps, with no need for an external control panel or PLC. The EcoTeq’s latest offering is a range of 100 per cent electric mowers by Mean Green Smart Variable Speed Drive matches the pump operating performance to demand, reducing vacuums, each designed with the environment electric mowers are perfect for busy public energy use. And it allows smart pumps to front-of-mind. Sourced from leading and urban spaces. Innovative, technology-led communicate with other systems in real time, manufacturers in Europe and the US, EcoTeq design, quality componentry and engineering maximising efficiency. equipment is manufactured from up to 92 means there is no compromise to run time or The Lowara Smart Pump range is all about per cent recyclable materials with low-impact performance. EcoTeq is backed with over 40 the right combination of motor, variable speed manufacturing processes. Featuring innovative years of expert service and support provided drive and pump. With an integrated intelligent technology and advanced design, utilising by Conquest Equipment. pumping system with an electronically driven, quality components and engineering, EcoTeq www.ecoteq.com.au | 1800 826 789 permanent magnet motor, dubbed the ‘e-SM’, machines are robust, powerful and efficient. the Smart Pump range meets EU performance Don’t choose between the environment, OCP (7) standards with its ‘ultra-premium’ IE5 motor safety or productivity. Achieve all three with Among the products and a power drive system of IES2 (highest EcoTeq’s unique and sustainable battery- that Organic Crop efficiency class). This equates to up to a 50 powered equipment range. Built from the Protectants will be per cent savings in costs when compared to a ground up as electric vehicles, EcoTeq showcasing on the similar standard non-VSD pump. equipment is lighter weight and therefore more Gold Coast is their The e-SM has the capacity to handle efficient than machines converted from diesel. new Eco-nemguard extreme environmental temperatures from as Fully electric also allows for operation without organic nematicide. low as -20°C and up to 50°C. Product features public disturbance, delivering noise output 30 Eco-nemguard is a include an intuitive interface and integrated per cent quieter than diesel equivalents. Better registered organic control panel, low operating costs, built in still, advances in electric vehicle technology nematicide produced harmonic and electromagnetic filters and have made it possible for EcoTeq’s range from garlic extract containing a guaranteed reduced mechanical stress and wear. Visit to deliver the performance needed to power level of 26g/L of various polysulphides. Eco- Stand 67 to find out more. through a full shift. nemguard kills nematodes on contact and www.brownbros.com.au | 1300 4 BBENG EcoTeq’s latest offering is a range of 100 breaks down readily in soil leaving no residual per cent electric mowers by Mean Green effect. This is an important and positive and they are fast capturing local attention. attribute because it does not cause lasting With incredibly low noise output, commercial impacts on the beneficial soil biodiversity and fertility. No residual effects also mean TRADE EXHIBITION – that users can be confident that any potential HOURS AND REGISTRATION spills or treated soils running off into sensitive The Trade Exhibition will be open from environmental areas will not have any impacts. 9am-5pm Wednesday 23 June and Eco-nemguard is a great tool for 9am-2.30pm Thursday 24 June. It is a nematicide resistance management because ticketed event with all those attending it is a new active and does not belong to any needing to register before entering onto insecticide or fungicide group important to the trade show floor. To save time we insect or disease control in turf. It can also encourage you to pre-register via the be used with germinating seeds as it has no ASTMA website (www.agcsa.com.au) so effect on sensitive root hairs and root tips. that a QR code can be sent to your email Eco-nemguard has no withholding periods ECOTEQ (64) or mobile enabling you to scan and enter and you can re-enter sprayed areas after the Proudly Australian owned and operated, upon arrival. All full and day delegates can product is dry. Eco-nemguard is available in EcoTeq has launched a range of 100 per access the trade exhibition at any time by 10L containers as a concentrated liquid and in cent zero emission outdoor maintenance showing their delegate badge. See page 32 20kg bags as a free-flowing granular product equipment, featuring commercial mowers, for tradeshow floor plan. (Eco-nemguard G). street sweepers, street washers and litter www.ocp.com.au | 1800 634 204 44 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 PETER McMAUGH AM The Hawkesbury Valley flood this past March was the worst in three decades. While not the highest on record, it was a very fast and dirty flood and had multiple impacts on turf paddocks and farm infrastructure PHOTOS: TURF AUSTRALIA The Noah Syndrome ATM columnist Peter McMaugh AM looks back on the recent floods in NSW which had a major impact on Hawkesbury Valley’s turf production community. W hen it rains and rains, then surface erosion on the surrounding terrain tore pattern of frequency that makes the Noah’s Ark rains again, that is when literally millions of tonnes of top soil off the events look minuscule. you get floods. Floods are ground, carrying most of it out to sea. In some In the 1980s in the Sydney Basin, complex happenings and if of the tributary streams of the major rivers especially in the period from 1983-1986, there you are in tropical regions there was massive silting up. were two years in particular where for the first they are generally associated by extreme It is the massive amounts of moisture year it rained every second day and in the cyclonic weather patterns. These are sourced that these cyclonic systems suck up out of second year it rained two days out of three. by very warm ocean temperatures which the ocean and then redeposit on the land in This resulted in every farm being so totally create drops in atmospheric pressure above a single event so vast that there is no way sodden that on mine the worm casts were them and the circular wind flows which suck the land can absorb it and the extreme runoff 20mm-plus high and 150mm apart in every up the moisture from the ocean surface. causes floods. direction. While this may be a tribute to the In Australia these are generally confined There are other more subtle and less healthy worm populations of that soil, what to the northern tropics be it east or west. ferocious systems that often are brought they effectively did was prevent any farm work Sometimes the tail ends of these cyclones will about by the confluence of two depressions of any kind and a total lack of harvestable travel south, as they did in the 1950s, causing or lows travelling from different directions that grass. the massive east coast floods of that era. So will cause massive rainfall events. Sometimes This had a number of impacts on the big and so fast did the rivers flow that the these can be less than massive but follow a industry of turf farming in the Hawkesbury 46 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 region. Personally it was an economic disaster. International Turfgrass Research Conference I had the contract for the grassing of the new Journal by lead author John Neylan which Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast and I draws on the experiences of flooding in was relying on using the Hawkesbury farm to Brisbane and Thailand in 2011, some of which provide the planting stock. It couldn’t and I had he reprised in his column in the last edition of to source grass in Queensland which cost far ATM (‘Surviving inundation’, ATM Volume 23.2, more than I had costed for the project. p38-41). The second major consequence was that every time the vegetable farmers got a crop MARCH FLOODS up, they lost it to one of the six floods we had It was very interesting for me when attending a within two years. The local district agronomist flood crisis meeting of turf producers arranged at the time was a chap called Hugh Alan. His by Turf Australia at Pitt Town Sports Club in late concern for the plight of the vegetable farmers March to hear many current growers pleading of the area led him to recommend that they for help to know what to do to aid recovery try growing a small area of turf on their farms from damage sustained in the most recent which would give them the buffer of diversity flooding in March. Thirty years without major and a better recovery cycle after floods than flooding in the Hawkesbury has left a big hole vegetables. This changed the face of turf in the experience of these events. There was growing in the Hawkesbury Valley because a comparatively minor event just 12 months once the vegetable farmers realised both the ago which left severe damage, more on golf reduced manual labour input needed and the courses in the area than on farms. economic stability that turf gave them, they Many farms bordering the Hawkesbury River sustained This most recent event was far more quickly converted their farms to 100 per cent major erosion of their river embankments, especially damaging. While not being in the very big where trees were dislodged and undermined by rapidly turf. height category, it was a very fast and dirty moving water Because the majority of vegetable flood. Among its biggest impact was the crops grown in the district at this time were shown is that a properly marketed product can severe damage it did to river banks where commodity crops, the same attitude towards change the whole face of an industry.) tree growth in the riparian areas led to much turf came with this transfer group. Because Buffalo grasses, however, have one big erosion as the trees were dislodged. Areas kikuyu was easy to grow and plant and weakness in relation to being submersed. Gray where the banks had been undercut by the required less skill to produce than other leaf spot is a very severe disease of some wash from speedboats/water skiing activity grasses, it became the staple of their supply varieties, the most notable popular one being also suffered severe erosion. Interestingly, the chain. Things began to change when John the widely grown Palmetto. Any submerged areas with strong couchgrass establishment on Tebbut (Peninsula Turf) began to grow the buffalo is going to be subjected to increased the banks were the least affected. first commercial crop of Shademaster buffalo vulnerability to leaf diseases as they dry out. One of the most vocal at the meeting grass. Up until then the demand in the housing Kikuyu is also extremely susceptible to leaf was Nathan Ball, course superintendent at and landscape industry had been dominated disease after submergence. Kikuyu generally Lynwood Golf Club. His major concern was by kikuyu, but a new quality standard had has good rhizome development, so its long- how slowly the water was draining off his been established and this sparked a more term survival and recovery is reasonably course. There are two aspects which control general interest in the prospects of buffalo to assured, but you would not be able to expect a this. One of these is the condition of the flood increase the profitability of turf farming. commercial harvestable crop for one full cycle. mitigation drains that take water back into It was followed up by the short-lived There is an excellent discussion of the the river as it drops. These have not been name ‘Evergreen’ from Charlie Courtney who performance of grasses under submergence well maintained and the consequences are had cooperated with Brent Redman from the in a paper contained in Volume 12 of the now being felt. The second is that there have Hunter River, with a clone with superior quality for winter colour as well as a lower thatching and more vigorous lateral growth. Plant Breeders Rights had become a reality and I was able to put that grass into the system, achieving registration as ‘Sir Walter’. This name was no accident. In looking for a name I used the grass characteristics of ‘winter active’ and ‘low thatching’ to come up with ‘WALT’. I added ‘ER’ as ‘environmentally responsible’, even though that may be a stretch too far. So we had ‘WALTER’. I used the inspiration of the USA variety Raleigh to choose to put ‘Sir’ in front and thus ‘Sir Walter’ was born. (The whole story of the market development of Sir Walter is a totally different story for another day, but what history has Paul Saad of Southern Cross Turf in the Hawkesbury Valley talks with Federal Government Minister David Littleproud and Federal Member Susan Templeman in the aftermath of the March floods MAY-JUNE 2021 47 PETER McMAUGH AM Poorly maintained flood mitigation drains meant water been massive housing developments (and took a long time to drain off farms and golf courses still ongoing), along Killarney Chain of Ponds which now feeds much more water more quickly into the system where Lynwood is located. There are several aspects of inundation water that need to be understood. Water normally contains about 6-8 per cent oxygen which declines as it heats up. By 200C there is no oxygen left and the system becomes anaerobic. Saturated ground also contains no oxygen and this anaerobic condition causes a quick decline in plant health. In greens, black layer will develop quickly. In Neylan’s summary points in the breakout below). This so much interest from politicians at all levels in ITRC Journal article, it notes that there was was done at speed and HIA included some our industry… do I smell elections in the air? much more severe damage under water documents from the USA re: flood recovery of 500mm depth than under 300mm. The of sports fields. It was interesting that they REFERENCES authors attribute this to possible lack of light seemed totally unaware of the Australian Neylan, John J., Loch, Donald S., Biddle, penetration and that much more research is experience reported in the ITRC Journal. Shane G., Lambrides, Christopher J., and needed in this area. As a final word on the topic, I would like to Baker, Dennis E. (2013). Brisbane and As a consequence of the crisis meeting, congratulate the team at Turf Australia and Turf Bangkok 2011: A tale of two floods. ITRC I was approached by Horticulture Innovation NSW, led by Jenny Zadro and Matt Plunkett, 2013: 12th International Turfgrass Research Australia (HIA) to prepare some points for for the great job they have done in looking Conference, Beijing, China, 14-19 July 2013. growers to aid recovery (see some of the key after the growers’ interests. I have never seen Overland Park, KS, USA: Intertec Publishing. TURF AND FARM MANAGEMENT AFTER MAJOR FLOODING I n response to the recent flooding across l A 25mm layer of sand can possibly be the opportunity to re-establish surface the Australian east coast, Horticulture windrowed when dry and some 80 per uniformity on any low areas to prevent Innovation Australia, together with Peter cent removed – working the residue into a future water logging. McMaugh AM, Turf Australia and Turf NSW, mature turf with a road broom may allow put together a resource sheet identifying a harvest after recovery from damage. ON-FARM CHEMICALS number of consideration points to help assist l A 25mm layer of silt/silty sand/clay on l Check with your agronomist and read turf producers assess and manage turf-related a fully mature turf will generally mean chemical labels for pre-emergent flood issues. Key points included… the total crop will be unharvestable and chemical recommendations for sodden a quick decision to turn the crop in will ground. FLOOD DAMAGE mean a shortened recovery time and a l If chemical drums or other hazardous l Mature turf swards ready for harvest are quicker return to cash flow. substances wash up on your property, at greatest risk of damage. l Where large amounts of organic debris contact the EPA regarding appropriate l Soft grasses such as kikuyu suffer more exist (e.g. water hyacinth, pumpkin vines clean up collection. damage than stiffer grasses. and trees), remove as soon as possible to l Grasses with rhizomes have an 80 per a designated stockpile area for removal. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS cent higher chance of survival. l Growers of certified varieties and Plant l Buffalos susceptible to grey leaf spot WATERLOGGED SOILS AND Breeders Rights (PBR) grasses run have greater risk of damage. STAGNANT WATER increased risk of crop contamination. l Grasses with very dense verdure will stay l If stagnant water temperatures rise above l In regions with kikuyu pasture there is wet for longer and risk rotting underneath. 200C dissolved oxygen disappears. If they likely to be an increased burden of kikuyu l Turf buried under windrows will be badly rise above 300C turf will burn. seed left behind as the floods recede. damaged if left covered for more than l If soils are saturated, aeration machinery Low rates of appropriate chemicals three days. should be used with great care on mature will take out seedling weeds as they turf to avoid further damage. germinate. If the seed bands are clearly SILT AND DEBRIS l Cultivation should only occur after a defined, a Turf Vac may be appropriate l Faster floods carry increased sand and minimum of 48 hours clear of water – (when dry). silt, with increased damage if slow to cultivating wet soil will cause structural l Check lateral move and pivot electrical recede. damage. circuits before attempting to move them. l Do not traffic sodden fields with tractors l Specialist decompaction machines l Use industrial fans or heaters to dry or mowers until they are dry enough to such as Verti-drains may be the most flooded pumps – make sure silt is avoid further damage. appropriate machines for use after floods. removed. l A light cover of silt or clay (1-2mm) will l Any erosion areas requiring backfill l If moving turf, consider the limits wet turf generally wash easily off leaves. will need a period of consolidation and will cause to truck weights. l A mature crop ready for harvest will fare resettlement before regressing – to avoid l Expandable coir products are generally worse under 25mm of silt/sand or clay hollows redeveloping. the most appropriate for removing oil, than an immature crop. l If you have to regenerate crop areas, take diesel or chemical spills. 48 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 JOHN FORREST Caught in a trap PHOTOS: JOHN FORREST While bunkers can improve the look and playability of a hole, their maintenance and upkeep requirements must be factored into their design O ne of the most contentious parts Bunkers… every course sand’s ability to hold on to water. In these of any golf course are bunkers. areas when rain or irrigation lands on the They play an important role in the superintendent’s favourite word. surface, it consolidates more than sand playability and aesthetics of the with lower organic levels. course, but ask any superintendent John Forrest rakes over one of l Where the bunkers are located plays and they will tell you they take up far too much a large role in the impact on the sand time and money as the mythical outcome of the most contentious aspects surface. If it is a bunker with high use, it ‘the prefect bunker’ is sought. will have a very different surface to bunkers Televised tournament golf gives the of modern day golf course that see very little traffic. Keeping a level average golfer the opportunity to see the top base in a high use bunker is difficult as courses with their deep, treacherous and maintenance. golfers drag the sand in one direction, spectacular bunkers. Golfers competing in leading to the base sloping to the lowest the televised tournaments demonstrate an the consistency is not possible for many point which means the majority of balls roll amazing prowess for playing bunker shots, but reasons and expectations of golfers are difficult to that point, thus increasing the problem. one thing I do notice is that none of them land to meet. Unfortunately, a golfer’s skill level is l Shaded bunkers are different to drier in poorly raked bunkers or bunkers that have one of the most important ingredients to be bunkers. not been raked (not that the players rake the able to get the ball out effectively. Those who l If water pools in bunkers, then finer bunkers mind you, that’s one of the caddie’s struggle often want to blame the sand and particles such as clays, fine silts and many responsibilities). changing sand is an expensive process that organic matter can float. When the water If a footprint is left in a bunker on the US does a lot of damage to the course. drains, the fine particles remain on the PGA Tour circuit then it is traced back to who There are a number of reasons why surface, thus holding more water. left it and the player is fined. In an article by bunkers cannot be the same… One of the considerations about bunkers Sam Farmer for the Los Angeles Times in l When a golfer enters a bunker, they walk is the impact they can have on the time that February 2020, UK professional Justin Rose on the sand thus compacting it. When a round takes. Low handicappers have little commented, “If your ball plugs you accept it playing a shot, a club is used to splash difficultly playing out of bunkers, but higher as it is generally part of the game. But if you the ball out by driving the club through handicappers can have a fear of bunkers walk into the trap and see a poor rake job, it’s the sand. A rake is then used to rake out and have trouble getting out of them. Heavily frustrating for sure.” the footprints with tines entering the sand bunkered holes increase the time the hole Tournament golf presents consistent surface. Unless consistent pressure is takes to play and too many bunkers can bunkers due to the amount of maintenance applied to the rake the sand density is take the joy out of playing golf for many who that is put into them. At private clubs or public altered and cannot be the same, especially struggle with them. golf courses bunkers impact on the viability of as the sand next to the where the golfer the course and tournament golf on television has just been is left untouched. BUNKER MAINTENANCE certainly creates an unrealistic expectation. l If trees and vegetation surround bunkers, It is not unusual for a private members course There is an expectancy from club golfers then debris will fall into the bunker and to have up to 50 bunkers and such a number for all bunkers to be the same, an outcome as it is raked or blown out small pieces requires many worker hours to maintain them. difficult to achieve unless staffing and budgets will remain and accumulate in the lowest Bunker design plays an important role in are large enough. For the majority of courses, section of the bunker, increasing the the maintenance needed. Steep, large sand 50 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 Golfers are quite happy to whinge about the state of bunkers, but if they cannot leave a bunker in a condition that will not adversely impact golfers following, then blaming the sand is a poor excuse faces are difficult as often golfers walk up them to play a shot, especially if their ball has plugged. Once this occurs the face is softened, increasing the likelihood of more balls being plugged. In Australia many courses also have resident kangaroos and they can create havoc on large bunker faces. Revetted bunkers are an option if smaller bunkers are suited to the course, but they are the same as bunkers with large faces and need a sand that will hold on the face. An angular particle shape is needed to allow sand particles to lock together. One of the major issues in Western Australia is finding sand that does not have rounded particles, a result of weathering making the sand prone to moving mowing equipment cannot be used, there is who may not be so sure-footed, increasing the which results in no or limited consolidation. still a time factor in their maintenance. risk of rolling an ankle or twisting a knee. The Designs with a steep face to the bunker and further a golfer steps down into a bunker the rounded sand particles may be subjected to ENTRY AND EXIT POINTS larger the imprint into the sand, thus increasing the face being undermined to the point that the Golfers have to be able to enter bunkers from the amount of sand needed to be dragged edges of the bunker collapse. as many points as possible to minimise wear. back over the footprint to smooth the bunker Grass-faced bunkers can be used but Today’s courses often have 50,000 rounds surface. the grass has to be maintained. Even though or more per year which puts considerable Mechanical bunker rakes have reduced growth regulators can be a big help, as is pressure on entry and exit points. Steep entry the amount of time to rake bunkers but design the case with bunker tongues where ride-on points can be dangerous for elderly golfers once again impacts how they can be used. MAY-JUNE 2021 51 JOHN FORREST and another opportunity for golf architects or course designers to work with the superintendent to come up with the best solution. Minimising the size of bunkers has to be an option unless the course has the budget. They are a very important part of a golf course and there are many cases of well- designed bunkers, but before the design is finalised a consideration of the cost of upkeep is very important. Unfortunately, something that developed from where the sheep took shelter from the wind has developed into a highly manicured playing surface that all golfers have a strong opinion on. The debate needs to move on from simply whether rakes should be left in or out of the bunkers. At the end of the day if a golfer cannot leave the bunker in a condition that will not adversely impact golfers following who land in the bunker, then blaming the sand is a poor excuse. Courses with large populations of kangaroos know all too well the damage they can cause to bunkers. This bunker has the added issue of being located adjacent to a number of trees Small narrow bunker floors can make it difficult bunker day with the whole crew working on to turn without leaving an uneven finish. If there them for a total of 14 hours. Thursday sees is a drop into the bunker, damage can occur eight hours and Saturday morning three hours to the turf edge on exit where wheels may spin just on the bunker floors. Obviously, this is slightly as they try to get traction to drive the increased if large rainfall events occur. machine out. The more the bunkers are raked That is a total of 25 hours per week and the greater the damage. even then the superintendent stated that they were one of the courses that did less hours HOURS OF MAINTENANCE as the sand they used had slightly more fines Fifty bunkers for a staff of six to eight is a which held up well on the faces. Edging, huge challenge, especially with 50,000 rounds weeding and moving and replacing sand of golf. Large sand faces require sand to be occurs once per month in summer, spring kept on the face, irrigation and rainfall erodes and autumn and about every seven weeks these faces and sand has to be returned by in winter, taking about 144 worker hours at a manually dragging it back up the faces. As time. That equates to approximately 1.3 staff workers do this, they are walking on the faces members per year doing nothing but bunkers. which softens them, making them prone to ball Large bunkers require edging and plugging and accentuating the problem. THE FUTURE the distance around perimeters Large bunkers require edging and the For many golf courses to be sustainable, may be as much as 3-4km distance around the bunker perimeters may bunker design has to be well thought out be up to 3-4 kilometres. Weed spraying and physical removal is required. Moving sand to maintain level surfaces and topping up sand as it is splashed out of the bunkers all takes time. It there are bunker tongues, edging is increased and mowing has to be completed by hand. If the sand is rounded and dries, steep tongues may have sand moving from under the edges, undermining them and creating a drop for golfers if the tongues are an entry point into the bunker. It can be difficult to estimate the amount of time to maintain 50 bunkers as all bunkers and courses are different. Talking to one superintendent here in WA who has 56 bunkers on his course and has eight staff (including himself), he said bunkers are raked three times per week. Tuesday is the big Narrow bunker tongues are a maintenance nightmare, especially if they are a primary entry and exit point 52 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 MANAGEMENT Having effective communication skills will enable you to get a handle on dealing with the many conversations you have on course each day Having difficult conversations A s humans, we are hardwired to frequently delay or completely avoid difficult avoid conflict. People generally Arguably the biggest challenge for conversations altogether. do not like upsetting other Ask yourself these questions… In your life, people. This is due to a genetic turf managers in a leadership role has delaying, avoiding or ‘stuffing something disposition to connect and under the rug’ and hoping it would go away be a part of a group that stems back to the is their reluctance to have difficult ever made the situation better? Has it ever prehistoric era, in which connection with a improved the outcome for you, the team, or group meant safety from predators. We also conversations. The Toolbox Team’s other party involved? I’m guessing the answer have an innate desire to be approved of and to both is ‘No’. liked by others. Even today, we are still seeking Ben Gibson provides some tips and Over time and with experience, it becomes connection for protection whether in teams, easier to have difficult conversations with businesses, industries or countries. strategies to improve the way you others. Before approaching the conversation, it This is obviously stronger in some is beneficial to consider the following: individuals than others, but at work people can effectively approach and handle l What has led to the need to have the generally want to contribute to the overall conversation? goals of the organisation and are seeking such conversations at your facility. l Our own performance and that of the other safety through connection and conformance to party in the lead up to the conversation. team vision, values and goals. l Use empathy – put yourself in their shoes When we upset others we create to see from their angle what has led to this. potential threats, become worried or anxious l Do their actions align with the team culture about potential conflict and, as a result, and vision communicated to them? 54 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 “In leadership, sometimes you have to make the tough calls, tackle prickly subjects and stand up for what you and the team have worked so hard to achieve.” - Pat Wilson, Pambula Merimbula GC l Are they acting in their own best interest or that of the team? These are just some ideas (that can be done in a few minutes) prior to having a difficult conversation, which can provide great perspective and have a significant impact on the likelihood of a successful outcome. THE CONSEQUENCES OF DOING NOTHING Failing to have difficult conversations can do fatal damage to the team and culture you have worked so hard to develop. The damage is done to your team not by what you have said, but by what you fail to say. If you have a staff member, contractor or senior manager In former roles, I have witnessed just how One thing is certain – when having difficult in your organisation who is treating you or the damaging this behaviour is to the productivity conversations, things can sometimes get team unfairly, unethically or intentionally being and engagement of the rest of the team – heated. If you are talking to someone about disruptive, your team is watching intently to “They don’t care, so why should I?”, “They their performance, their first reaction is often to see the actions you will take. really don’t have our backs even after all we get defensive, take it personally and, at times, “In leadership, sometimes you have to have done for them”, or “They are all talk and make it a personal vendetta or grudge. make the tough calls, tackle prickly subjects no action”… the list goes on. One of the primary aims of facilitating and stand up for what you and the team have This is a huge opportunity to demonstrate difficult professional conversations is to take worked so hard to achieve,” says Pat Wilson, the ‘cut of your leadership jib’, how passionate any opportunity to keep the conversation course superintendent at Pambula Merimbula you are about the vision for the team, how factual and nonpersonal. Do not use opinions Golf Club on the NSW South Coast. “Things much you value the team’s contribution and or general consensus, but rather black-and- don’t get better if you just avoid them. I think that you have their back. white examples that are far more difficult to be the passion for what we are doing and seeing disputed. De-personalising the conversation how hard the team works to achieve it makes TAKE IT ON! has a great impact on maintaining open lines it pretty easy for me to stand up for them and Difficult conversations become easier when of communication and professionalism. the club.” you align with your why and the team’s When conversations get heated, they Taking no action just screams from the objectives. If the behaviours are damaging to can get emotional and if the other party is rafters, “I am kind of okay with this level of the hard work and culture of something you particularly upset it can be easy to get rattled performance/behaviour” or alternatively, even have poured your blood, sweat and tears into, and lose your train of thought (and importantly, worse, “I do not care enough about this team funnily enough, it gets much easier to address the objective of the conversation). If you do and what we are trying to achieve that I cannot the issue because you don’t want to see all get rattled, you can forget to raise and address have a tough conversation on their behalf.” your hard work come undone. important elements of the conversation and MAY-JUNE 2021 55 MANAGEMENT 4. CLEAR COMMITMENT Every difficult conversation must finish with a clear communication of future performance expectations and agreement from both parties to commit. “Brad, moving forward, I need you to complete a Pesticide Application Record every time you spray. Do you understand and agree to do this?” This is for a couple of reasons: l To increase the likelihood you will actually get the improvement or change being sought. l It makes any following performance management clear as they have committed to the level of performance required. Here is an example which employs the above strategies… Michael has been late for work three mornings out of the last eight. It is very out of character for a long-term, reliable team member who previously prided himself The skills of listening, using empathy and communication are the keys to being an effective leader on his punctuality. miss the opportunity to resolve the issue or creates more work for their teammates. Here’s l Facts: “Michael, on Tuesday the 15th, attain the desired outcome. an example… Friday the 18th and Monday the 21st you So, if you are like me, you do not have The correct way: “Do you understand that were more than an hour late for work” many spare hours to prepare for difficult when you fail to put the tools away properly at (factual). Not, “Michael, it seems to me conversations. But I want to share with you the end of your shift, it means the entire team you are always late for work” (personal, a simple structure, which can be done in has to stay back half an hour and put them generalised opinion). five minutes and fit on the back of a beer away for you?” The incorrect way: “It really l Concerns: “Michael, I am concerned as coaster. The benefits of allocating even a few bugs me when you don’t put the tools away at you being late is having a big impact on minutes of planning before going into your the end of your shift.” the entire team. We cannot allocate work conversation are significant. Planning helps tasks properly in the morning as we do not you: 3. IS EVERYTHING OKAY? know if you are turning up and it means l Ensure you have covered all the topics/ Remember, we trust and think the best of our we are rushing to get things done. We are elements you wanted to discuss. team, contractors and suppliers. Show them not doing the best job we can as we try to l Review the facts of the situation to avoid you are concerned about the fact that they cover for you.” opinions or generalisations. have been late, have made a mistake or have l Everything okay?: “This is really unlike l Create a structure to fall back on if the offended someone. Do this by expressing your you Michael. You have always prided other party starts getting emotional. concern – “Michael, this behaviour is really yourself on your punctuality. Is there l Ensure the conversation sticks to a unlike you. You are one of our strongest team anything preventing you from getting to practical time limit (neither party waffles off members.” We really want to give the person work on time? Is everything okay?” track). an opportunity for input here and a chance to l Clear commitment: “From here on, I need l Ensure you leave the conversation with explain their behaviour or performance and the you to be at work at 6am every day and mutual understanding of what is expected reasons for that. call me at least one hour before if you are in the future (often forgotten, but a vital If we are talking to a team member who unable to come in.” Then, importantly, part of difficult conversations). has had a distinct change in performance “Do you understand and agree to this or behaviour, in my experience, I have Michael?” 1. FACTS usually been able to identify a change in Difficult conversations become easier if we When having difficult conversations, use circumstance. They could be moving house, are clear, factual, fair, provide an opportunity only facts. Hearsay, personal opinions or broken up with their partner, working a second for input and clarify future expectations. Get a generalisations will only lead to frustration and job, struggling at TAFE etc... If you use your handle on this aspect of your leadership and emotion from the other party. That person will listening, empathy and communication skills, see improvements across your team and feel end up feeling accused and judged which is you can often get to the bottom of and resolve your stress reduce. not the basis for a successful conversation. the issue here. Unbeknownst to you, let’s say, the club Editor’s Note: Ben Gibson will be conducting 2. CONCERNS may not have paid a contractor’s last two a session at the upcoming Australian Sports This is a particularly important step in this invoices, so they have stopped attending site. Turf Management Conference titled ‘Modern process (they are all important) as this is where Being open and giving them the opportunity leadership for turf managers’ (Management you explain the impact that their behaviour for input is vital in working toward the most Stream, Thursday 11am-12.30pm). The Toolbox is having on the team (not just on you) and favourable outcome for all parties. “Oh, sorry Team will also have a Stand (No.31) in the highlighting the fact that you are not just mate. Let’s ring the club right now and get Trade Exhibition where copies of Gibson’s raising this because it annoys you personally, this cleared up!” Boom, done! But you would recently released book ‘People First: Building but because you are worried about the impact not have even known if you had not effectively an Engaged Safety Culture Through Effective on the wider group. No one wants to be the planned, used your emotional control and Leadership’ will be available. Check out ATM’s person who upsets or offends the group or communication skills as a leader. review of the book on page 72. 56 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 COMPLIANCE F or years, the concept of ‘stranded assets’ in the golf sector seemed largely hypothetical and of little concern. Due to climate change, however, that is no longer the case. A stranded asset is something – a piece of equipment or a resource – that once had value but no longer does. This is due to changes in technology, markets, increased litigation, regulation and societal norms. PHOTO: RONNARONG/ADOBESTOCK.COM As a basic example, when electricity started replacing oil lamps for illuminating homes, lighting businesses suddenly found their oil lamp inventory of little use. Also the whaling industry lost a key market for whale oil which left entire fleets idle. Those unneeded lamps and ships became ‘stranded assets’. As the golf sector faces increasing environmental challenges and shifting Don’t get social norms, stranded assets will become stranded commonplace within the next five years. And, as we move deeper into this decade and progress towards a decarbonised industry, many assets in turf maintenance operations are set to become stranded in the pursuit of climate-friendly alternatives, especially so when it comes to shed design and infrastructure. There are a wide range of current and emerging risks that are poorly understood, but Compliance expert Terry Muir discusses the growing concern over climate in recent infrastructure design conversations with superintendents the following were change related ‘stranded assets’ in golf course maintenance infrastructure. identified as high risk potential stranded assets associated with course maintenance fluctuations will all impact the integrity adaptable. Creating pioneering practices that infrastructure design: of concrete slabs and their joints. If your demonstrate a new way of doing things will be l Fuel area: Is a high cost bunded, roofed club is looking to decarbonise, careful the sector’s challenge that inspires people to hardstand area, with oil water treatment assessment of concrete hardstand areas is think differently and realise new ideas. systems, and a large fuel tank likely to a must. Infrastructure design is just one aspect of become a stranded asset in an industry l Fleet and storage shed: Will your future asset stranding the sector must consider in that is transitioning to the electrification fleet be electrified and will you need analysing every golf club’s exposure to climate of its fleet as part of a decarbonising a large shed for plant and equipment change. The industry requires an ongoing shift strategy? Will fossil fuels be your primary storage? Have you considered large toward greater awareness of stranded assets energy source to power your fleet in five roof top spaces and appropriate battery and broader climate consideration. After all, years’ time? storage areas to take advantage of solar severe climate impacts are not sufficiently far l Fertiliser store: Is a large, bunded and panels? off for the golf sector to avoid scrutiny and ventilated building likely to become a l Car parking: Have you considered how infrastructure designs and investments must stranded asset in an industry that may be to future-proof parking structures as fewer now be based on a carbon-constrained future. regulated to reduce the use of nitrogen commuters drive to work? The advent of The faster the pace of decarbonisation, or to minimise its nitrous oxide emissions? electric cars, autonomous vehicles, bicycle the more pronounced the impacts of climate (Nitrous oxide gas has 310 times the and electric scooters, ride hailing/sharing change, the greater the chance of asset global warming potential of carbon needs to be considered? How big will your stranding and the higher the likelihood of dioxide). workforce be in five years’ time? economic, social and political impacts on the l Workshop: Is a hoist a necessary long- From a golf business perspective, new club. term investment given the likelihood of a infrastructure assets are highly vulnerable to By applying a future-ready lens and transition to electric vehicles? Is a spend potentially abrupt and material devaluation. integrating adaptive reuse into golf course on a containment area for waste oils, oil With critical infrastructure and millions of infrastructure design, superintendents will filter crushers and waste solvents a long- dollars across the sector at risk, managing have the flexibility to transition their new space term investment or a short-term fix? stranded asset risk from environmental to meet current and future needs. Given the l Concrete: In a climate-friendly future in drivers should be an important part of the risk climate transition trends that are evident, which golf courses want to decarbonise, management strategies adopted by every it makes sense – socially, financially and the extent of concrete hardstands will superintendent. sustainably – to future-proof the design. If not, require careful consideration. Increased Innovation is key when designing and there is a real risk of them becoming stranded temperatures, humidity and temperature building something that is new and climate assets even before they are built. 58 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 ADVERTORIAL Teven Valley Golf Course. The First Wall to Wall Sir Grange Zoysia Golf Course in Australia. The newly completed Teven Valley Golf Course offers visitors a played on it in the USA and loved it.” Teven Valley Superintendent truly unique and tranquil experience on its nine-hole boutique Paul Gumbleton said. course. Located on the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, a 20-minute drive from Byron Bay, the course becomes part of Sir Grange was chosen for this project due to its versatility to be its natural environment allowing players to enjoy and take in used across the course when mown at different heights. The Zoysia exceeded the team’s expectations of a sustainable grass, due to the stunning scenery of Teven Valley. the low inputs of fertiliser, water and chemicals required, less The 9-hole, 18- tee revamp was designed by Craig Parry, a mowing and high drought and wear tolerance. professional Australian golfer. The environmental sustainability of the Upon the completion of this project, golfers have been rushing to course remained a top priority throughout planning and it was essential the course to experience the serene and luscious landscapes. The to ensure that the turf variety chosen was going to not only look great completed course has become a hit with both locals and visitors, but require less maintenance for an environmentally friendly option. resulting in the number of memberships growing dramatically. With these environmental concerns in mind, a decision was made to use Sir Grange Zoysia (BRF Zeon Zoysia) for the course fairway, roughs, “I am really pleased that so many locals are considering the course green surrounds and tees. With TifEagle as the choice for the greens. a real gem for them and you can just feel the local community taking pride in it. This is part of their community and something that’s “Once Craig saw that Sir Grange was available, he said ‘If that’s added to it. That’s the thing that’s surprised me and one of the available here in Australia, then that’s what we want’; Craig had things that I’m really proud of.” Teven Valley Owner Curt Zuber said. P | 1300 883 711 lawnsolutionsaustralia.com.au REGIONAL PROFILE With stunning vistas like the one pictured, it is easy to see why the Mount Compass layout jumped up 23 places in Australian Golf Digest’s Top 100 Australian Courses list in 2020. Pictured is looking back across the property from behind the 10th green Just a few clicks south of Adelaide, near one of the world’s most famous wine growing regions, is Mount Compass the picturesque Mount Compass Golf Course, home to first-time superintendent Matt Overall. Superintendent: Matthew Overall (28). Adelaide CBD. It is nestled between the in the UK for six months while also working at Family: Fiancée Brooke and daughter Indi (4). McLaren Vale wine region and the very popular Foxhills Golf Club in Chertsey. Social media: Facebook (@matt.overall.18) Victor Harbor/Port Elliot beaches. It was known On my return I got into landscaping and Instagram (@moverall62). for holding Australia’s only cow race which before quickly realising it wasn’t for me. I got Period as a superintendent: Five months. happened every January – it has since been in contact with Steven Newell at Kooyonga Association involvement: ASTMA and cancelled… hoping to get my old job back. Thankfully SAGCSA. I did and was soon promoted to a senior Turf management career: Kooyonga Tell us a bit about your background and how greenkeeping role which came with a bit more GC (apprentice 2011-2015), Foxhills GC, you started out in the turf industry. I finished responsibility. I stayed in that role until April UK (casual 2015), Kooyonga GC (senior school in 2010 and played a bit of golf before 2019 when I accepted the role here at Mount greenkeeper 2015-2019), Mount Compass GC getting a job as an apprentice greenkeeper at Compass as assistant superintendent. I was (2IC 2019-2020 and superintendent December the prestigious Kooyonga Golf Club. Being a in that role until December 2020 when the 2020-present). very keen golfer, getting into an industry that I superintendent’s job opened up. Qualifications: Certificate III Sports Turf enjoyed was what I wanted. Originally I did an Management and Horticulture. apprenticeship to have something behind me You spent nine years at Kooyonga. Talk Major hobbies/past-times: Golf and cricket. as I wanted to become a professional golfer, about your time there and some of the Got to a handicap of +4 when I was younger. but the more and more I worked I realised that highlights. My time at Kooyonga definitely golf would be put on the backburner. I ended shaped me into the greenkeeper I am today. Where in Australia is Mount Compass GC? up finishing my trade in late 2014 and stayed There were many great things about working Mount Compass is located on the Fleurieu on as a qualified greenkeeper until April 2015 at Kooyonga – state-of-the-art equipment, Peninsula about 55 minutes south of the when I took up an opportunity to play cricket plenty of staff and good people to work with. The best thing was hosting a lot of big national tournaments, among them the Women’s Australian Open. There was so much planning that went into this event years in advance and to see it all come together for that one week was amazing. To this point, it was my most enjoyable time in the industry and something I’m incredibly proud to say I worked at. Who were some of your early mentors? Steven Newell was Kooyonga superintendent when I first started. He was a very good leader The Mount Compass crew (from left) comprises Chris Baker (assistant), course superintendent Matt Overall, David Roser and Tomas Vitkunas 60 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 having new machinery, a full-time mechanic Give us an overview of the Mount Compass and 14 staff, it took me a while to get used course. Mount Compass GC is a very to the hands-on approach needed at Mount challenging golf course. It has generous Compass. With four staff and a lot of area fairways, but if you do happen to miss them to cover with ageing machinery, it definitely you are more than likely to lose your ball presented its challenges, but ones we are either in a water hazard or to the South African slowly trying to rectify. lovegrass (which we call ‘yum yums’) which Stepping up into the superintendent role lines the fairways. The greens are quite large was a big step at first with a lot more added (1.5ha) which gives players the best chance responsibility, but I feel as though I have kept to hit it on the green but can also give you on top of it and been able to get some good some very long putts. The best thing about the plans in place. It hasn’t just been the golf golf course is that, depending on the weather, course that has been a big step up but also every hole can play completely different every running the water business at the golf course. day. You can attack holes and be rewarded, PHOTOS: MOUNT COMPASS GC/DAVID BRAND We supply 180 neighbouring houses with their but if you’re slightly off you can find yourself drinking water and it’s something we have to with a large number on your scorecard. There monitor and attend to whenever it’s required. are also many holes that are easy on the eye GC, SA The biggest adjustment for me was with some great views. having plans in place. Up until taking over as superintendent I was used to having someone Is it an easy/hard facility to manage? You else’s plans to work off. Now I have to put would never say anything is easy, but having together my own plans and trust that they are no golfing committee definitely makes things going to be effective. It’s still something I’m easier. Decisions are made between myself and was hard but fair. He was someone that working on to try and get the right ones in and owner Stephen Connor. Making decisions got the best out of people and especially place that best suits how we work. are quick and easy rather than having to me – I certainly owe him a lot. Adam Fry, who is currently still there as the 2IC, is someone who also taught me a lot about work ethic. He is one of the hardest and most dedicated workers I know. He gave me a lot of responsibilities and got the best out of me which I thank him for. Richard James was there towards the end of my time and he gave me a lot of new responsibilities which I hadn’t been exposed to before. They have helped a lot since. You took on the role of assistant at Mount Compass and then not long after were promoted to superintendent. How did you handle such a quick rise up the ranks? When I took the assistant role it was certainly an eye opener. Coming from the luxuries of The Mount Compass greens are Pennlinks bentgrass. Tees and fairways are predominantly Santa Ana couchgrass with the back nine oversown with ryegrass. Pictured is the 13th green MAY-JUNE 2021 61 REGIONAL PROFILE system is old and outdated. We currently use Toro SitePro on Windows 95 and haven’t been able to back up the system. We are talking with Toro at the moment who are putting together some designs and quotes to upgrade our system to the popular Lynx set up. It will go a long way to a more accurate set up and then hopefully down the track we can update the irrigation also as fairways have been widened in the past few years which has caused areas to dry out on the edges in extreme weather due to not getting enough water. A complete overhaul is what will be required. Any course works ongoing or in the pipeline? We want to upgrade our tee areas The Mount Compass layout is a challenging one. While the fairways are generous, if you happen to miss them you to give them a better surface as well as make will more than likely end up in a water hazard or losing your ball to the South African lovegrass which lines the them bigger and wider to allow the spread of fairways. Pictured is the 4th green with 2nd above wear. At the moment a lot are quite skinny and go between the board and committees and Talk through some of the unique turf not very level, so it’s something we want to getting the outcomes that improve the golf management challenges you face there. We start to alter in the short-term. We are working course. The most challenging aspect so far have a huge amount of wild animals occupying through the best course of action to take and would just be having to remember where the course, mainly kangaroos. They love freely will maybe do a couple of tees each year. everything is and the importance of them! bouncing through our freshly raked bunkers During the winter months we also have a very Still being relatively new to the course, I still and leave giant imprints in our greens. They extensive tree clearing and lifting programme. surprise myself most weeks with finding things are great animals but can frustrate you a lot A lot of trees have been left over time and I didn’t know about. I’m lucky that one of the when it comes to presenting the course. need to be tidied up or taken out. crew, David Roser, has been here 11 years and knows where and what everything does. How has COVID-19 impacted the club and How is Mount Compass GC faring in the your operations? We have tried to not let it water management stakes? We are quite What changes have you implemented affect us too much. The club overall benefitted, lucky to have three bores which pump into to during your time as superintendent and with our number of rounds since COVID-19 a dam on each side of the course. With our why? Just having proper structure with our almost doubling. We were obviously quite annual rainfall they usually hit their capacity at plans going forward. The other thing with that lucky in SA with it not getting as bad as other the end of winter which gives us enough water is having the guys across the plans so they states, but we found a lot of people new to to last a few months. But with the bores we know what we are out there trying to achieve. golf coming out and playing as their form of have the option on filling those dams up when I’m also a neat freak so I have done my best exercise and have continued to do so. required to keep them relatively full to allow us so far to tidy the place up with the spare to water the amounts that we need. time we sometimes get. The one percenters What are some of the major challenges go a long way for the eye. Now it’s about facing Mount Compass from a turf How has Mother Nature treated the course maintaining that! management perspective? Our irrigation in recent times? This year has been quite weird as it certainly hasn’t reached the highs of the summers of previous years but has still had an equal amount of rainfall. This being said, the turf has loved it and continued growing a lot later than usual and also not requiring as much irrigation throughout the summer. That also has me worried about what the future holds as it usually comes back to bite you at some point! Are expectations of course presentation and conditioning any less than that placed on your metropolitan counterparts? That’s Built on an old sand mine, Mount Compass is blessed with pure sandy soils. The greens (pictured is the 18th, with the 15th in the background) are kept at 3.25mm year round 62 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 hard to answer but what we are trying to achieve here is to be recognised up with the Tier 1 courses. We want to be the best presented and conditioned club in the public system and then aspire to be put on the same pedestal as the Tier 1s and that’s what drives us. We understand that with budgets and staff numbers that will make things difficult, but we want to set goals that we think we can achieve. It’s nice when the metropolitan courses comment on the standard we are setting with low staff numbers and smaller budgets. Our boys work extremely hard to achieve what we do each week. How important are the relationships you have with other course supers/trade reps A unique aspect of the set up at Mount Compass is that as a side business it provides drinking water to the all residences surrounding the golf course as well as the local community? Being new to the job I have had limited contacts. The golf What have you got in your shed? Toro triplex The Multi Pro spray unit is pure genius and courses down this way try to keep in contact hybrid 3240, Toro Greensmaster 3150, two can get us out of trouble when we have an where we can and form relationships to assist Toro 5510s (one AWD), Toro Workman HDX outbreak of something and can also provide a each other with knowledge that may help each and MDX utilities, Toro Sand Pro 3040, Toro pure consistent growth when you apply your course. The trade reps have been very good Multi Pro 1250, Tru Turf petrol roller, Kubota fertilisers. We are currently in the process of to me passing on their knowledge of products. rough cutter F3680, Ryan GA30, Buffalo buying a Pro Core which will be extremely We try our best in supporting local businesses turbine blower, Kubota tractor B7500, Dakota beneficial for the golf course. We have an old by buying products and equipment we need Turf Tender 410, John Deere front end loader, Ryan GA30 which has done its time, been from them and hope that they return the favour Kawasaki four-wheel motorbike, Turfmach repaired countless times and doesn’t stand up in supporting us. scarifier and Howard nugget slasher. to the work required anymore. I have a lot of AT LAST. n F s o at UR 1 e u 7 T 02 Se nd RTS E 2 a St SPO NC E ST ER A NEMATICIDE SAFE TO USE AU ONF C ANY TIME & ALMOST ANYWHERE. Microscopic view of a nematode taken from an infected root system. Introducing eco-nemguard® organic nematicide for turf. New Mode of Action to Reduce Minimal Impact on Fast re-entry when turf dries Nematicide Resistance Soil Bio-Diversity Approved as an Organic Input Fast Acting & Degrades Easy to Use in Liquid or (ACO & NOP) Naturally in the Soil Granular Form For more information call 1800 634 204 or visit ocp.com.au MAY-JUNE 2021 63 REGIONAL PROFILE The Mount Compass Golf Course is nestled between the McLaren Vale wine region and the popular Victor Harbor/Port Elliot beaches. Pictured is the 16th with 14th above What do you think is the most challenging aspect of a superintendent’s role today? Thinking about the course 24/7, whether it’s hoping things will hold up overnight or did I put enough water on last night, to worrying about the jobs required the next day/week/ month. It’s hard to stop your mind sometimes. What have you worked on personally in recent times to improve your skills as a superintendent? My communication skills and how I explain things to people. Especially with required jobs as they can easily be taken differently and you can have different outcomes at the finish. The main thing is being clear and precise. What gives you the most job satisfaction? plans for the Pro Core and I think the greens shoes that is hard to comment, but I think in a Just watching people enjoy the golf course will really improve with a regular programme. country set up it probably doesn’t quite get as we present for them. Hearing people say how stressful as what I had seen at Kooyonga. With much they enjoyed the challenge and that they Favourite spot on the golf course? It would so many projects and reconstructions in the can’t wait to play it again. It’s also nice to hear have to be the walk from the 10th green to the works, it can get quite demanding and maybe when people comment that they are liking the 11th tee. You get a view of the 1st, 7th, 8th, 9th hard to take your mind away from work, changes we are making to the course and the and 10th holes (see main photo page 60). The especially when all eyes from the outside are condition it is in. definition with the short cut grasses and the waiting for the finished product. tall South African lovegrass makes for a great Most pleasing/rewarding moment during photo. The 12th tee is also a great spot with a Best advice you have received about being your time at Mount Compass to date? large dam to clear for the 170m par three. It is a superintendent? Probably not so much Watching us climb the course rankings – in the one of the best tee shots in SA in my opinion. advice but just the leaders I have worked 2020 Australian Golf Digest Top 100 rankings under setting such a high standard with work we jumped up 23 places. Seeing how much Do you think regional superintendents ethic and presentation. It’s something that time and effort everyone puts into the place, have a better work-life balance than their drives me now as I always want the course to it’s extremely rewarding to see the guys get metro counterparts? Until I have been in their look at a high standard. the recognition they deserve. AT A GLANCE – MOUNT COMPASS GOLF COURSE, SA Course specs: Par 72, 6116m, 19 hectares two pump sheds with four Grundfos CRNE that varies each year. Currently we are in line of maintained turf. Greens are Pennlinks bent. pumps in each which were installed 2.5 years to purchase a Pro Core to be able to ninja Tees and fairways predominantly Santa Ana ago. The pumps at our desired rate usually tine and verti-drain our greens and other couchgrass with back nine oversown with use 66m3/hour and each pump will run at areas on course more often. ryegrass. around 87 per cent. We use approximately Major disease pressures: With Mount Members/annual rounds: 136/22,000. 90ML annually. Compass having more rainfall than nearby Major tournaments/events: PGA Trainee Cutting heights/regimes: Greens 3.25mm, Adelaide, we have trouble with dollar spot events. tees/surrounds/fairways 10mm and roughs and fusarium throughout the wetter months of Staff structure: Matt Overall (superintendent), 50mm. the year. We are currently more reactive than Chris Baker (assistant), David Roser and Renovations: Currently we have a major proactive due to needing to put more money Tomas Vitkunas. renovation each year in October where we into other areas. As long as we have a keen Climate/rainfall/terrain/soil types: 950mm core our greens with 5/8” tines. We have eye for any breakout, we have been able to annual rainfall. Terrain reasonably flat but contractors (Glenelg Turf Ace) come in stay on top of it before anything becomes has a few high points. Slowly getting to a with four guys and they core, harvest and major. links style course. Pure sand (built on a sand topdress for us, leaving us to rub greens and Nutrition: At the moment we have a fertiliser mine). put out granular fertiliser and gypsum. This is programme which has calcium added into Water sources/irrigation: Three bores which done to allow us to get it all completed within it for our greens that has us spraying them can pump water into two major dams. We the day as it’s the only day we close the roughly every six weeks, weather dependent. have water run offs that also fill the dams, course. We scarify our tees every year and Tees, fairways and surrounds we fertilise but if we have a dry spell we can utilise the have done the odd fairway or two in previous quarterly, but that’s also growth dependent bore pumps. Irrigation system comprises of years, but again, due to time management, and can vary. 64 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 Advertorial Lexicon® Intrinsic® Brand Fungicide ‘The Ace Up Your Sleeve this Winter’ The autumn to winter transition; a time of crisp mornings, clear days, and foliar disease. As the heat and environmental pressure of summer becomes a distant memory and we observe cool, dewy mornings with slower surface drying time, our disease issues shift as well. This slightly extended leaf wetness can leave the characteristics. Firstly, the intrinsic activity and door ajar for some pathogens to become established strong affinity of the unique strobilurin chemistry and begin impacting our turf. Often this can mean (pyraclostrobin) which binds and holds to the leaf chasing our tails with constant short-term fungicide cuticle forming a barrier to fungal infection whilst applications in an attempt to ensure back-to-back providing advanced plant health benefits. 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In addition to autumn and winter plant protection program. achieving the disease coverage you expect, Powerful residual - Lexicon Intrinsic Brand you get additional Intrinsic® plant health Fungicide controls diseases for up to 28 days, benefits aimed at optimising health, growth, providing the confidence that comes with long- and turf performance. lasting and reliable control delivered by two unique Speak to your local Nuturf Territory Manager or visit nuturf.com.au for more information on Lexicon® Intrinsic® Brand Fungicide. AS SOCIATION REPORTS STA VIC Mars Stadium in Ballarat hosted the STA Victoria Regional Seminar in May S TA Victoria wishes to congratulate Cooper Leemon who has been named as our Graduate of the Year Award recipient. We wish Cooper good luck in the final interview for the STA Australia Sports Turf Graduate of the Year Award, presented by Toro Australia, which will be announced at the Gold Coast conference in June. l Total usage in the City of Ballarat in 2016 Jessie Doull, the facilities and planning Cooper studied at Melbourne Polytechnic was 846 games, increasing to over 1100 manager at the AFL, discussed AFL Victoria’s and started his apprenticeship in September in 2019, partly spurred by an increase in investment into regional Victorian community 2017 at the Sale Turf Club as a casual for women’s matches and interstate interest. football and their priorities which include; several years. After completing his first year Attendees also heard from Dr Phil Ford l Priority 1: Increase quality/functionality he was successful in securing a job with (Melbourne Polytechnic) who shared 10 key and maximise carrying capacity of existing the Melbourne Cricket Club and since then differences between C3 and C4 turf grasses. facilities. has worked at all the club’s venues and is a Some interesting points included; l Priority 2: Plan and develop new facilities valued member of the turf team. Cooper has l C turfgrasses don’t suffer heat stress; 4 in key growth areas. gained experience from working under some l Most C turfgrasses have rhizomes; 4 l Priority 3: Capitalise on opportunities to of the best curators in the turf industry which l C turfgrasses are very inflexible regarding 3 create regional hubs, provide venues for has opened his eyes to the opportunities water budget (8ML/ha per summer). C4 talent pathways. available in the industry. Along the way turfgrasses are very flexible (0-5ML/ha per l Priority 4: Ensure facilities are catering for Cooper also achieved a Diploma of Sports Turf summer) the diversity of participants, particularly Management. l You can oversow a C with a C for better women. 4 3 In May, STA Victoria hosted its first face- winter performance but not the other way l Priority 5: Enhance govt relationships. to-face event since the 2020 COVID lockdown, around for better summer performance. Andrew Pirchan, commercial partnerships with Ballarat’s Mars Stadium hosting the l There was also a discussion on the and sales manager at Western United FC, also Regional Seminar, sponsored by Mentay. traction of different grasses and ACL gave us an outline of stadium development A zero-degree day did not deter delegates injuries in AFL. The AFL theory was that and growth in Wyndham City. from attending and Mars Stadium shone couchgrass causes ACL injury because The next major STA Victoria event will be brightly and provided an excellent venue for of high rotational factor. In reality there are our 28 July Sports Turf Seminar at the MCG, networking. Dale and Tristan from Mentay set more differences between footy boots than sponsored by Bayer. We are currently putting up a ride-on roller and a pedestrian absorption between C3 and C4 grasses. together a jam-packed programme and have roller on the oval close by, enabling delegates Delegates were also treated to a Q&A the feeling that the audience will be huge, so to wander among the equipment. session with Greg Spratling and Jayde get your bookings in as soon as possible. Attendees heard from Ballarat City Council Robson (groundsperson at Ballarat CC and The member rate is worth getting, so check to stadium manager Greg Spratling on the 2019 Victorian Sports Turf Graduate of the make sure your membership is up to date. Go development of grounds in the area. Among Year). We also heard fantastic stories from to the STA Victoria website for the registration some of the information he provided included; Greg Wakeling and Jenna Fowlie of Ballarat form – www.vicsportsturf.asn.au. l Mars Stadium is a sand over gravel field, Cricket Association about the rise of women’s If you are currently a member and want to with sand depth of 300mm. Drainage cricket in the region. contribute to the turf industry, STA Victoria has comprises of lateral flat pipe spacing Paul Deller and Chris Deppeler (The a vacancy on the general committee. Please 5m, depth varying between 150-400mm. Gordon Institute of TAFE) discussed the apply to Jan Fenton via email vic@staaus.com. Irrigation – Rain Bird 8005. Santa Ana transition to the new Sports Turf Management au. Nominations must be received by 30 June. couchgrass base oversown with ryegrass Training Package and the changes made to (Colosseum and Soprano). core units and electives being taught. COMMITTEE, STA VICTORIA GCSAQ O n 10 May, the GCSAQ held its first BBQ lunch thanks to GCSAQ sponsor Nuturf, l General manager and superintendents members event of 2021 at Teven nine holes of golf and a few beverages. education and golf event: Keperra Golf Valley Golf Course. The event was a The GCSAQ committee is working on a Club, August. ‘walk ‘n’ talk’ and it was fantastic to see around number of member events over the next few Members are reminded to keep an eye on 25 turf professionals attending. Teven Valley months including: our social channels as well as their inboxes for superintendent Paul Gumbleton delivered l ASTMA conference (Gold Coast, June): further updates on social and member events. a detailed overview about how he and his The GCSAQ committee will be hosting See you all on the Gold Coast. team transformed a sleepy little nine-hole golf a private function prior to the ASTMA course into what it is today. Following the conference. Members will be invited to PAUL MCLEAN presentation, guests were treated to a delicious enjoy complimentary drinks and canapes. PRESIDENT, GCSAQ 66 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 GCSAWA A utumn is always a welcome relief in Perth, as I’m sure it is around the whole country. No overnight winds, crisp mornings, sunny days, some good rains and dew on the grass is good to have after a long summer. In mid-April the association held its first event for the year, an ‘Understanding Fertilisers’ morning hosted by John Forrest. May’s event was the annual Trade Challenge golf day. This year, 22 teams played the four- ball Ambrose event at Araluen Golf Resort which was in fantastic condition thanks to Steve Abbott and his small crew. Trade Challenge golf day winners (from left) Dave Cassidy, Stephen Dartnall, Nick Kinley and Liam Somers With a few spectators, we had 90 people in attendance which is the biggest day the and along the way stopping at courses across Coast based trades and superintendents GCSAWA has ever held. Greenworkz, led by Perth, down in the south west, before venturing signed up and making the trip west to be a Stephen Dartnall with Nick Kinley (CSTM, north all the way to Broome with a few stops part of it. We definitely appreciate the support. Hartfield CC), Dave Cassidy (CSTM, The Cut) along the way. The final event is at Wembley I look forward to seeing many of you on the and Liam Somers (Mt Lawley GC), won the Golf Complex on 6 July. Good luck to all the Gold Coast for the Australian Sports Turf day with Globe and GTS filling the places. host clubs and superintendents. Management Conference. May and June is Pro-Am season in Registrations for the Margaret River WA, kicking off with the PGA Professional conference (8-11 August) are coming in thick SHANE BAKER Championship at Mosman Park on 14 May and fast. It’s encouraging to see a lot of East PRESIDENT, GCSAWA STA ACT I t has been a dry and frosty April in the ACT On behalf of STA ACT, its members, I was very privileged to be named the with the region recording less than 5mm of sponsors and all within the turf industry across winner and will represent the association rainfall in parts. We broke records with six Australia, we would like to thank Brad for his in the ASTMA Graduate of the Year Award, consecutive nights below 0oC compared to last tireless work not only on the tools but also sponsored by Toro, at the upcoming Gold year’s five. With that in mind, the days have behind the scenes and wish him the best of Coast conference. I would like to thank Rob been brilliant with plenty of sun and warmer luck in his new career as a project manager. As Cooper (Living Turf) for the sponsorship of the temperatures – good for turf managers across Brad was the incumbent president of the STA ACT graduate award, as well as Jon Tait and the region although hand watering was still ACT, he has had to resign from the position, Scott Fogg for interviewing the nominees. happening late in April. with the committee currently in the process of The committee is in the final stages As most will know by now, long-standing appointing a new president. of planning our 2021 STA ACT Education Manuka Oval curator Brad van Dam resigned We welcome back to the ACT Tom Seminar which will be held at the Raiders Club from his role and exited the industry in late Fahey who has been appointed as Manuka Belconnen on 28 July. Speakers will include April. His turf career spanned almost three Oval’s new head curator. Funnily enough, Simon Snedden, who recently hosted the decades with 13 of those years at the reins of Tom worked as Brad’s offsider for two years Australian Junior Amateur Championships Manuka Oval. Thanks to Brad, Manuka was between 2016-2018 at Manuka. We know Tom at Gold Creek Country Club, Pat Wilson put on the sporting map, becoming the 11th will be a valuable asset yet again to the ACT (Pambula-Merimbula Golf Club) on recycled Australian Test match venue as well as playing turf industry and will carry on the fantastic water, as well as speakers on irrigation and a huge role in the Big Bash League evolution. legacy that Brad has left behind. couchgrass trials in Canberra. Our sponsors Off the field, Brad played a huge part Our 2020 Turf Graduate of the Year will also have machinery demonstrations for as president of STA ACT, liaising with STA Award interviews were held during March anyone who may be interested. Australia, the Australian Sports Turf Managers with four quality apprentices nominated by If anyone wants to attend, please contact Association and sponsors, while still looking Bruce Davies (CIT). Todd Russell (Federal Bruce Davies (brucedavies@cit.edu.au) or after one of Canberra’s major sporting assets. GC), Chris Earle (Moruya GC), Michael myself (correll_1996@hotmail.com). More Brad has played a major role in organising Jordan (Racing NSW/Queanbeyan) and information regarding online registration and association golf days and education seminars myself, James Correll (Federal GC), were the the finer details of the event will be posted on among other events for association members nominees. All held themselves very well in their the STA ACT Facebook page. to enjoy. Brad’s ‘can-do’ attitude rubbed off on interviews and should be very pleased with all who knew him and he was a huge mentor their attitude towards the industry and their JAMES CORRELL and role model to younger turfies. profession. COMMITTEE, STA ACT MAY-JUNE 2021 67 AS SOCIATION REPORTS VGCSA T he 2021 VGCSA Annual General new committee member Clint Raven, sponsors John Deere and Colin Campbell Meeting at Woodlands Golf Club in early superintendent of The Yarra Yarra Golf Club, Chemicals and a course walk by host May was a great day of golf, a course who will no doubt be a great contributor to the superintendent James Stewart. walk and lunch presentations, including guest VGCSA committee in the coming years. Final touches are also being made to the speaker Nick O’Hern. Nick’s presentation There has been an enthusiastic response August Country Meeting schedule at Murray was a real highlight and touched on his time to the introduction of the VGCSA course staff Downs Golf and Country Club from 2-4 August. as a touring professional, overcoming nerves training days to be held across two weeks The final meeting programme will be launched and anxiety and beating Tiger Woods twice in late July. Week one will present three in early July. So far our confirmed guest in match play. Thanks to host superintendent sessions on the topic of irrigation with speaker speakers are Glenelg Golf Club superintendent Barry Proctor for allowing access to Jim Waring (Tees & Greens) plus sponsor Tim Warren and Royal Melbourne Golf Club Woodlands and conducting a very informative presentations by Rain Bird and Toro Australia. director of courses Richard Forsyth. After course walk. The day was capped at 100 Week two will see two educational sessions missing out in 2020, we are looking forward attendees, with many braving Melbourne’s on turf equipment management with speakers to finally getting to Murray Downs for a terrific fickle weather to play golf. Dean Hill, Michael Licht and key presenter two-day event. At the AGM which followed, the VGCSA Todd Murphy. The high demand to attend Another bonus to the meeting is the committee was confirmed for the next 12 both events (there is currently a waiting list) introduction of a turf technicians programme. months. The committee comprises: demonstrates a need among our members. In discussions with the Victorian Turf l President: Shane Greenhill (Sorrento) These introductory sessions will make way Equipment Technicians Association, we will l Vice-president: Simon Muller (The Dunes) for a broader training programme in 2022 be running concurrent educational sessions l Secretary: Travis Scott (Riversdale) covering further topics. on day two specifically for turf equipment l Treasurer: Adam Lamb (Barwon Heads) As this edition was going to print, the technicians with presentations by ADE Turf l Committee: Hayden Mead (Kingston VGCSA was gearing up to host the 2IC/3IC/ Equipment/Jacobsen, Glenmac/John Deere Heath), Tay Wilson (Kooringal) and Clint Ground Staff Education Day at Cranbourne and Toro Australia. A focus on the day will Raven (Yarra Yarra) Golf Club on Monday 7 June. Guest speakers include both battery and hybrid machinery. We We bid goodbye to Commonwealth Golf include Guy Chapple (Well Played Golf encourage all clubs to send their technicians Club superintendent John Mann who ended Business Consultancy), Tom Bickerdike along. his term on the committee. John joined (superintendent Cheltenham GC) and in January 2017 and served as secretary Simon Blagg (assistant superintendent The from 2018-2021. We thank him sincerely Lakes Golf Club, NSW). Completing a very SHANE GREENHILL for his efforts. We are delighted to welcome informative day will be presentations from PRESIDENT, VGCSA NSWGCSA T he NSWGCSA held its Annual Ambrose NSWGCSA Board member Pat Wilson for each) who notched up a score of 14-under Event and Trade Show on 5 May at organising the event. Pat put a lot of thought to beat the team of Luke Partridge, Shane Club Catalina on the Far South Coast of and time into this event and it was evident by Summerhayes, Justin Bradbury and Chris NSW. Superintendent Dennis Grounds had how smoothly the day went. Boggs. Third place went to the team of Simon the course in fantastic condition for the event Congratulations to the winners of the Laurence, Matt White, Jeff Sherrit and Dan and the club went above and beyond to cater day Scott Fogg, Jake Gibbs, Simon Stott. Other winners on the day were: for us. Snedden and Peter Dunn ($250 voucher l NTPs: Snedden, James Newell, Lee The event saw 88 golfers tee off in groups Sutherland and Simon Blagg. of eight per hole which provided a great ON THE MOVE… l Longest drives: Trent Crittenden and Louie chance to network and socialise after what PHIL BEAL: The four-time Australian Open Sutherland. has been a pretty tough 18 months, especially host superintendent (2014, 2015, 2017 l Straightest drive: Mark Pullinger. for Dennis and the club who have not only and 2019) announced his resignation from l Raffle winner: Will Ockenden ($560 was dealt with COVID but were also impacted by The Australian Golf Club in April and will raised for Beyond Blue). bushfires and then floods. Evidence of the fires finishing up in October after 11 years at the The NSWGCSA would like to thank the was still there behind the newly constructed club. major sponsors of the event – PJC SportsTurf, 15th hole. MICHAEL DENNIS: Resigned as Turfcare Australia, Syngenta and Elite Sand The day was well supported by the trade superintendent Royal Perth GC, WA. and Soil. Also, all the tee exhibitors that took with a company representative on each tee TERRY DEWHURST: Appointed the time to set up their products to showcase displaying their products and speaking with superintendent Murray Downs G&CC, Vic. to the attendees, it was great to see everyone attendees. The event was capped off with 107 JEFF MCMANUS: Resigned as enjoying the day. attendees socialising in the clubhouse before superintendent Windsor CC, NSW. dinner and presentations, with live music TAYLOR WILLS: Appointed assistant NATHAN BRADBURY for entertainment. Special mention goes to superintendent Brookwater GC, Qld. PRESIDENT, NSWGCSA 68 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 A CUT ABOVE PERFECTION A SURFACE TO ENVY The Baroness LM551 from Kubota makes light work of golf course maintenance, delivering unwavering precision from start to finish. 0.9 % FINANCE PA U P T O 6 0 M O N T H S* ACROSS THE BARONESS RANGE See the Kubota/Baroness range at the Turf Management Conference in June 2021. LIGHT-WEIGHT LM551 FAIRWAY MOWER MOWING HEIGHT 6-20mm (LH52) and 8.45mm (LH62) UNCUT TURNING RADIUS 147cm (front inside cutting unit) LM101 L4240HDCA RTV-X900 MIN. TURNING RADIUS 180cm (front wheel, inside tyre) CUSTOM CUTTING UNIT OPTIONS Cut width - 245cm OPERATOR AREA Comfortable and ergonomic operator area FUEL TANK CAPACITY 51 litres LM315 F3690 LM2700 kubota.com.au F O R M O R E I N F O 0 4 3 7 8 14 3 9 2 P L E A S E C O N TA C T T R E N T S A U N D E R S BARONESS@KUBOTA.COM.AU *Offer is available for business borrowers only. This 0.90% p.a. finance rate offer is only available with a minimum 10% deposit, 48 monthly repayments and minimum financed amount of $4,000. Terms, conditions, fees, charges and credit criteria apply. Different term and different deposit may result in a different rate. Credit provided by Kubota Australia Pty Ltd ABN 72005300621. This finance offer is available until 30/06/21 and applies to new Baroness series models. UP THE L AST Leo Barber, general manager and superintendent at Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club in NZ, delves into the world of podcasts and highlights a few which his fellow turfies may find enlightening. W e are all acutely aware that regardless of the country we live in, right now the world is going through an unprecedented period of upheaval and this of course is bringing with it a large degree of disruption to many industries as we know it. In many ways this was Tuning in... happening prior to COVID-19 and, in some cases, the last year has simply accelerated the change due to acute financial necessity. Businesses are trying things and technology is making leaps and bounds. Last year I woke to the horrifying news that cricket was no longer going to be broadcast over the radio here in Kiwi-land with our sports channel shelving it due to increasing costs and dropping listenership. An avid listener of sport My father constantly laments the lack of Once you have downloaded the app growing up on the ‘wireless’, I look back with community sport in metropolitan newspapers (or in many cases the app is already there fondness at my childhood and, like many I am grappling with these changes in the modern on your phone), it’s as easy as searching sure, it was a part of my life since birth. world, yet via social media there has never for your subject, selecting your option and At stages the transistor radio was almost been more discussion and information on this listening. Yes, I know in many instances I will connected by an umbilical cord as it followed form of sport and faster delivery than traditional be preaching to the converted here and giving the family to the beach, the garden, the garage forms with just the simple click of a ‘follow’. away my age, but I am sure there will also be or observing a DIY project while the dulcet Golf in my part of the world (and I suspect many ‘old dogs’ looking for some new tricks. tones of often long-serving, well-known voices yours) has likewise struggled for coverage If we drill down from sport, turf kept us all company through the airwaves. in recent times, but lately (with the help management goes hand in hand and this Media, however, is one of those industries of the kids admittedly) I have discovered subject is well catered for via podcasts. The that has faced significant change and while podcasts and found that golf is incredibly following list, while by no means exhaustive, the printed news came almost exclusively well covered through this medium. Whether contains a brief summary of but a few of my through the letterbox and the cricket through you wish to listen to forums on instruction, favourites that I think would add some value the transistor, nowadays the digital world is current tour news, the personalities or my to anyone working in the turf management providing faster and more varied options for particular interests of architecture and course industry – golf, sportsfields or racing. people to digest news and information. maintenance, there is something for everyone. THE FRIED EGG The Fried Egg is one I really enjoy and hosted CHECK OUT THESE OTHER PODCASTS… by the passionate American Andy Johnson. TurPhdudes (Twitter - @TurPHDudes): Course Industry magazine. It is concentrated on course architecture and Topics focus on turf health, nutrition, control Pullin’ Weeds (Twitter @Pullin_Weeds): turf management. He interviews designers solutions and the latest in academic research. Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents and greenkeepers and those that are keen The Greening Out Podcast (Instagram Association podcast. students of discussions around playability. He @greenkeeper_jenno): NT-based Aussie Reel Turf Techs (Twitter - @reelturftechs): is currently highlighting a superintendent a greenkeeper Alex Jensen chewing the fat. US podcast dedicated to turf equipment month which are extremely relatable listens for Frankly Speaking on TurfNet (Twitter - @ technicians who are ‘keeping it reel’. all of those working on the tools. turfnet) and Cornell Turfgrass Turf Show TigerTurfgrass (Twitter - @TurfgrassTiger): (Twitter - @Cornell_Turf): The man, the Educational podcast to help students in the TURFNET RADIO/ legend that is Cornell University turf expert Dr Brentsville Turfgrass Management Program FRANKLY SPEAKING Frank Rossi. (US) learn from industry professionals by TurfNet Radio covers the spectrum and its Superintendent Radio Network (Twitter - @ discussing their careers and experiences in features are broad and wide ranging. Yes, they GCIPodcasts): Podcast from US-based Golf the industry. meet the people behind the tools, but they 70 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 and Derek Duncan for what they describe as THE SHACK SHOW one of the most eclectic golf podcasts going Whenever golf is in the news or just when he around, where golf nerds can shamelessly feels like getting something off his chest, Geoff congregate to discuss everything to do with Shackelford covers the big issues in golf, talks the game. to the smartest voices and offers insights into Considered one of original and best, The the sport’s more fascinating stories via his State of the Game podcast has been running ‘Shack Show’ podcast. Seeking to offer shorter since 2012 and is now up to 111 episodes. but more frequent podcasts in contrast to Morris is joined by fellow hosts Mike Clayton the traditional 90-minute back-and-forth, The and Geoff Shackelford in a “golf podcast that Shack Show channels Shackelford’s passion talks about stuff that matters.” The Thing About for both big picture topics and fun insider Golf features Morri on his own interviewing a fodder to inject your podcast with just enough fascinating range of people in the golf industry, foresight to spice up your lunchroom debates. from players and administrators, to general managers and course architects. THE TALKING GREENKEEPER Produced by US superintendent and BEHIND THE TURF Golfdom contributor Joe Gulotti, The Talking MAKSYM/STOCK.ADOBE.COM Produced by Nadeem Zreikat from Colin Greenkeeper is a greenkeeper’s take on Campbell (Chemicals), Behind the Turf is a everything that is happening in golf. He podcast for turf and landscape managers. conducts long form discussions with any It brings various topics from around the turf person that has an interesting or valid take world with interviews from leading university pertaining to the oldest game in the world professors, current thoughts on topics effecting – greenkeepers, golf professionals, players, get right into the management and discuss the industry as well as various interviews with general managers, consultants, bag room everything from grass selection to interviewing prominent turf managers in Australia. attendants, caddies, professors, agronomists, techniques and how to select the latest even chefs! products. It is a massive resource and features THE GOLFING GREENKEEPER US personalities Dr Frank Rossi’s Frankly This is the home-grown creation of former PLUG IN Speaking podcast and Dave Wilber’s Turfgrass Katoomba superintendent Steve Smith. His So, once you have selected your podcast from Zealot Project. The most recent Frankly podcast has a great local flavour and is about the list above, Bluetooth connection allows Speaking podcast (April 2021) features leading promoting golf courses, greenkeeping and you to play it through your car radio, which Australian agronomist John Neylan. architecture along with all the facets that make is perfect for the drive into or out of work, or up the wonderful game of golf. through headphones when you are out walking INSIDE THE ROPES and ‘getting back to nature’, or, depending on Recently celebrating its 200th episode, Golf THE ERIK ANDERS LANG SHOW your club’s policy, you could also play them Australia’s Inside the Ropes features hosts This is a further string to Erik’s impressive bow through your ear protectors on a machine as Andy Maher and experienced golf journalists that includes his very popular YouTube series you are working. Mark Hayes and Martin Blake who discuss the ‘Adventures in Golf’ that has featured golf Unfortunately, my drive to and from work game not only in Australia but right around the courses right around the world, including my is no more than three minutes and, being world. Among the regular co-hosts are Mike own track here in New Zealand. Erik is great largely desk bound in my dual role here at Clayton who, as we know, is a passionate at getting to know the person that sits behind Paraparaumu Beach, the listening while I student of the history of the game and its the story. work option also presents limitations, hence architecture and always provides a fascinating it takes me a little longer to get through an insight being both a former Tour player and a DIRT ON TURF episode. I have, however, found them a perfect course designer. The ‘Dirt on Turf’ gets its hands filthy accompaniment to a walk or a great way to interviewing turf professionals weekly right unwind before some sleep, so whatever life THE GOOD-GOOD GOLF PODCAST, across the industry. They cover off the history allows for your own personal circumstances STATE OF THE GAME AND THE of their career, the adversity faced in today’s these are well worth a dabble if you aren’t THING ABOUT GOLF turf industry, highs and lows, cultural practices listening already. All part of the Talking Golf podcast network, they live by, the importance of continuing Hopefully the above suggestions help you these three extremely insightful shows are education and much more. They interview cast your thirst for knowledge a little wider and hosted by multiple award-winning Australian sports turf managers and turf product and provide a helpful guide for easing you into golf journalist Rod Morri. In the Good-Good equipment representatives and are well worth the rapidly developing and evolving world of Golf Podcast, Morri is joined by Adrian Logue a listen. podcasts. MAY-JUNE 2021 71 BOOK REVIEW PEOPLE FIRST: DEVELOPING AN ENGAGED SAFETY CULTURE THROUGH EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP Author: Ben Gibson their superintendent and leadership journey, Hawaii’s famous North Shore is a fantastic Pages: 245 each chapter contains some really honest and way to kick off the book and throughout the Publisher: The Toolbox Team enlightening quotes by these practitioners to following pages there are further instances RRP: $25.95 + postage (incl. audiobook) back up the concepts that Gibson presents. where his exploits with the long board crop The book is presented in two distinct parts up. Gibson’s personal stories and concepts Leadership in the sports turf industry is – ‘Leadership’ and ‘Build Your Safety Culture’ are backed up, as mentioned, by his panel of challenging given its dynamic nature and – with those then broken down into specific experts, while at the end of each chapter there often stressful environment. With so much chapters. The Leadership section looks at the are handy summaries of the key points. happening at any point in time, and with so topics of what is leadership, communication, “People First should be in every turf many variables beyond a turf manager’s resilience and psychological safety, leading facility across the country,” comments Phil control, the people in their teams ultimately generations, the courage and confidence to Beal, course superintendent at The Australian determine their success or otherwise. A lead, the paradox of failure and leadership Golf Club in Sydney. “Great research, real- turf manager’s ability to lead, influence and models. The ‘Build Your Safety Culture’ world examples and a unique insight into the engage their team is essential to building a section looks at the concepts of commitment, challenges of our industry.” thriving, safe and high-performing culture. consultation, ownership, culture and data. People First is available through www. Written by The Toolbox Team principal One of the endearing qualities of the book thetoolboxteam.com.au/book. For $25.95 + Ben Gibson, ‘People First: Developing an is the manner in which Gibson intertwines postage, purchase also includes access to the engaged safety culture through effective stories and experiences from his personal life audiobook version. In another great initiative, leadership’ is designed to be a short, and relating those back to the concepts he Gibson is donating 100 per cent of the profit sharp, practical reference book to a range of presents. Indeed, his opening salvo outlining from the sale of People First to charity; even research, industry examples, leadership and his experiences surfing the big breaks on more reason to grab yourself a copy. safety management concepts for professional sports turf managers. Featuring expert commentary from more than 40 Australian and New Zealand sports turf managers and a range of practical tools for the reader to implement today in life and work, People First is ‘hands on’ leadership with real examples of success, failure, learning and vulnerability. Gibson has utilised the many interactions he and his Toolbox Team have had with sports turf managers through their workshops and leadership seminars over the years to craft a fabulous, and very affordable, resource for modern day sports turf managers. The idea for the book came about a few years ago after receiving a number of enquiries about his leadership forums from turf managers who were unable to attend. That got Gibson to thinking that if he started writing down some of the ideas discussed at the forums and invite contribution from those turf managers he had met, he might have something of interest. After four months in the planning, Gibson typed his first word on Christmas Eve 2020 and over the next 35 days smashed out what is the first such book of its kind for the Australasian sports turf industry. Put simply, it is a must-read for those who want to develop the best culture possible and engender a positive working environment through effective leadership techniques. To help him espouse such principles, the list of people that Gibson has drawn upon for the book is nothing short of impressive. In the opening pages he lists those who have contributed to the book and it is very much a ‘who’s who’ of the industry Down Under. From experienced industry veterans who have notched up decades in the game and who have had to experience many of the ups and downs that come with being a leader, through to those just starting out on 72 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 23.3 Better turf performance with less environmental impact. Every step of the way. 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