First Tee STEM Links seeks to grow

First Tee is an organization with international reach whose name is practically synonymous with golf. As stated, its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. And one way they are looking to achieve this mission is by leveraging golf to teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

When you think about it, these four disciplines are widely used throughout the inception, design and maintenance of a golf course. Our practicing GCSAA members are experts in applying this knowledge to their work, so whom better than to teach STEM education on the golf course than superintendents? These on-course laboratories, dubbed "STEM Links," teach a curriculum centered around soil science and agronomy, ecosystem management, plant identification, water conservation, applied sensory technology, applied math and of course, golf!

Our friends at the Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents (MAAGCS) have taken initiative to collaborate with The First Tee of Greater Baltimore to bring this program to the Mid-Atlantic. On May 23, almost 30 students attended a field trip at Waverly Woods Golf Course, home to MAAGCS president Michael Bostian, to take part in the second field trip of its kind co-hosted by these two chapters. And to say the event was a hit, well, just take a look below at the candid photographs captured throughout the day.

The field trip works by setting up "lab" stations around the golf course, each with a specific teaching topic. At this particular field trip, we had four lab stations: soils and turf ID, calculating area, water management, and golf driving range (you gotta have some fun!). The students are split in to four groups and spend 25 minutes at each lab station. While First Tee coaches typically handle the golf lab, superintendents are relied on to teach the applied sciences at the other three lab stations.

On hand to observe the day's activities was Benna Cail, First Tee's senior director of outreach programs & implementation. Benna noted the strong relationships First Tee has within schools across the country thanks to their National School Program, in which First Tee brings its curriculum to more than 9,000 elementary gym classes. Through those programs, First Tee is able to leverage its relationships in schools to organize field trips for the First Tee STEM Links Program. In essence, First Tee's multi-faceted programming creates different interfaces in which it can engage young people and get them interested in the game of golf. Whether it's STEM education or a gym class on the driving range, First Tee is finding ways to reach the future players and professionals who will carry the sport forward.

And that vision aligns nicely with The Toro Company, which has been a longtime partner of the First Tee and graciously provides funding for a grant program that helps First Tee chapters offset the costs of hosting a STEM Links field trip. However, they still need superintendents to serve as teaching experts. That's where our GCSAA chapters come in. The expertise of our members is a key element to fulfilling this program's potential. While the First Tee Chapters can handle the logistics of organizing the field trip, GCSAA members will be relied upon to help teach labs. And really, it seems to come quite naturally for our members to teach kids about the varying qualities between turfgrass species, or the critical threshold for moisture in greens, or the wildlife habitat areas around the course. It's a win-win!

So let's recap: Your local First Tee chapter organizes the field trip. Your local GCSAA chapter helps teach the on-course labs. Students come, students learn, students play some golf, everyone wins. Nice and tidy. 

Call to Action: Chapters or members interested in engaging The First Tee STEM Links program can contact Benna Cail at bcail@thefirsttee.org or reach out to your local First Tee chapter.

Students gather around in anticipation of the day's activities. 

Students in awe of a sprinkler head turned on through a walkie-talkie

Checking out the green's soil profile

Feeling the texture of the soil

Checking the moisture in the putting green

Learning moisture thresholds

Keep measuring

An end to a fun-filled day

Advocacy initiatives abound throughout the region

Spring is a beautiful time. It's an exciting time, and a busy time. Superintendents through the region are working diligently to prepare their venues for a successful golf season as we usher in the month of May. And while the demands of the job this time of a year require a big time commitment, I've been thoroughly impressed with our members' dedication to participate in numerous advocacy initiatives that aim to advance our game and our profession.

Just last week superintendents from across the country joined forces with our allied bodies to gather in our Nation's Capital for National Golf Day. This was the 10-year anniversary of this event. New this year, attendees participated in a robust community service project, helping to polish up the National Mall. The event was a huge success as golf's leaders sacrificed their time to serve in an arena unrelated to golf. 

Then, for the official National Golf Day event on April 26, we took to Capitol Hill to share with Congressional leaders the benefits of golf. We shared with them the economic impact of golf –
almost 70 billion dollars across the U.S. Likewise, we promoted the charitable impact of golf – almost 4 billion dollars annually, mostly to charities outside of golf, and more than all other major spectator sports combined. And the environmental and physical benefits our courses provide. Furthermore, we discussed our position on legislation that affects our ability to do business – namely WOTUS, H-2B, and more. 

But that isn't all that is going on in the spirit of advocacy. This week, I will be participating in the 2nd First Green field trip hosted by the Mid-Atlantic AGCS. Our initial field trip was hosted last fall at Westminster National Golf Course in Westminster, Maryland. That event was such a success that the MAAGCS board of directors almost immediately got the ball rolling on hosting another field trip this spring. Not only does this program promote STEM learning in the context of golf course management, it also allows us to showcase our profession and the game of golf to young inquisitive minds who may find their interests piqued by participating in such an event. 

Later this month, MAAGCS is at it again with their second First Tee STEM field trip, hosted at Waverly Woods Golf Course. First Tee STEM is also a program that aims to leverage golf course management to teach students about STEM education and introduce them to the game. 

All these initiatives highlight our commitment to growing the game and managing our government affairs. I am also working with chapters through the region to continue our development of BMP programs for each state as we strive to reach the goal of 50 states with BMP programs in place by the year 2020. 

Thank you to leaders throughout the region and industry who see the value in advocacy and sacrifice their time for the benefit of not only our industry, but also the benefit for others outside the industry that these initiatives help serve. If you would like to get more involved in these projects, please give me a call or reach out to your local chapter. 

Hearing scheduled to challenge Montgomery County pesticide ban

On May 17 at 9:30 a.m., the Circuit Court for Montgomery County will hear oral arguments challenging part of bill 52-14, which prohibits the use of certain “cosmetic” pesticides on private lawns and is scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2018. Although golf received an exemption from this ban, the industry still needs to have a bead on such legislation that bans products that are otherwise approved by the EPA for labeled use.

The hearing is expected to last about 1.5 hours, and Judge Terrence McGann will hear arguments. The plaintiffs include six local businesses and seven residents. On January 18, the judge ordered that this case be consolidated with a similar case filed by Scotts, et al.

RISE (Responsible Industry for Sound Environment) has been organizing a grassroots effort to oppose this bill since the bill’s introduction back in 2015. While the bill was ultimately passed later that year, RISE has since been working with local stakeholders to challenge it.

The complaint put forward by the plaintiffs is that the bill is pre-empted by state law, which makes the ban illegal. Likewise, the plaintiffs cite that this bill, if it were to go in to effect, could damage homeowners, state-certified pesticide applicators, small businesses and their employees, and others who have depended on these pesticides to maintain healthy lawns and control insect and weed pests.

Maryland law comprehensively regulates the sale and use of pesticides across the state, and the pesticides banned in bill 52-14 have been licensed and approved by state regulators. Furthermore, the Montgomery County Council passed this bill despite having been advised by the Office of the Maryland Attorney General that the ban was likely preempted by state law.

RISE advises that, while appearing in the court room is different than appearing in a county hearing, it is important that concerned parties have a strong and visible presence of residents and businesses in the courtroom to support the plaintiffs. The County Circuit Courthouse is located at 50 Maryland Avenue, across from the County Council Building and next to the Executive Building in downtown Rockville. Judge McGann’s courtroom is 8C on the 8^th floor of the North Tower of the courthouse.

Depending on the court’s schedule, a decision on the case is expected sometime in August. 

Pennsylvania chapters collaborate for BMPs

Implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs)/BMP based plans are the standard route for protecting or improving the environment and water quality. Spend any time on the EPA’s website and you’ll find BMPs for agriculture, protecting pollinators, watershed models and determining nutrient loads. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) relies heavily on BMPs within agriculture as well as many other industries which have their BMPs. They are the actions by which progress is achieved.

The term “best management practice” has many different connotations. Best Management Practices can range from “structural or engineered features” such as a detention pond or vegetated swales to “non-structural” agronomic practices [fertilization, integrated pest management (IPM), and irrigation] that are deemed “best” for the management of a particular venue. Most often, BMPs within the regulatory framework are linked to the passing of the 1973 Clean Water Act (CWA) by the United States Congress. Section 303(d) of the CWA requires states to establish Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for impaired waters on a prioritized schedule. TMDLs establish the maximum amount of a pollutant that a water body can assimilate without causing a violation of water quality standards. Considering the proactive nature of the golf course industry and our commitment to environmental stewardship, BMP development efforts help us adhere to TMDL standards, but they also do more.

In golf, BMPs represent a framework for a sustainable approach to golf course management. As GCSAA has established a goal of helping all 50 states create BMP models by 2020, Pennsylvania is gearing up for the process.

Like some know, we have a BMP manual that was constructed back in 2009, but with little buy-in from our members across the state. This time around, as we work on “version 2” that can be implemented with GCSAA’s new robust BMP template tool, we will work through the process with member engagement, member updates, and representation from our state regulatory agency, the Department of Environmental Protection. Representation from DEP is important so that they are bought in to our BMPs, and have documentation for how golf is addressing environmental management, TMDLs and the like. Furthermore, we will need representation from our land-grant University, Penn State, to review the science behind the BMPs and validate their credibility.

As we move forward, we will establish a BMP steering committee comprised of representation from all six chapters, myself, a PSU Turf Professor, and a representative from DEP. GCSAA will be distributing grants later this year to help pay for the development and publication of these BMPs, and PA plans on submitting a grant application. Fortunately, the costs associated with BMP development will be greatly minimized with the help of the GCSAA BMP Template, which is already populated with dozens and dozens of BMPs designed for golf course management.

With BMPs providing the framework for sustainability in the future, it gives us one more tool to show our communities, stakeholders, customers, and governments that we are proud land managers with a commitment to sustainability.

Note: Written in part by Mark Johnson, GCSAA Associate Director of Environmental Programs

VGCSA representatives trek to state capitol

Posting courtesy of David Norman, VGCSA

Recently, VGCSA representatives Mark Cote, Scott Mauldin, Pete Stephens, David Norman and Tyler Eastham visited with state senators and delegates at the General Assembly. They visited each representative's office, offering a gift bag with important information about our association and the industry. A thumb drive with the BMP, our mission statement and a postcard highlighting our stewardship were all included.

After the visit to the General Assembly, the VGCSA representatives headed to the House of Delegates and Senate Chambers. They were introduced to the floor by Senator David Marsden who noted the $2.5 billion economic impact to the state and the 30,000 Virginians that are employed by the industry. The annual trip is important to building and strengthening the relationships with our elected officials.

Scott Mauldin, CGCS, Mark Cote and Pete Stephens at the Rotunda 

VGCSA President Mark Cote visits with Senator David Marsden

PA golf meets with Susquehanna River Basin Commission

On January 10, the local golf community of central and eastern Pennsylvania met with staff of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) to discuss rules and regulations for “consumptive” users withdrawing from the Susquehanna River Basin. Fifteen representatives from the golf industry including golf course superintendents, owners, irrigation specialists and industry representatives were in attendance for the two-hour meeting.

The SRBC’s mission is to enhance public welfare through comprehensive planning, water supply allocation, and management of the water resources of the Susquehanna River Basin. In short, golf courses pay the SRBC for water they withdraw from the river basin. The SRBC has a responsibility to protect the water of the basin and make sure there is enough for all users, but also make sure there is enough water emptying into the Chesapeake Bay at an acceptable quality.

The meeting was solicited by stakeholders in the golf industry as a way to touch base with the SRBC, talk about the current state of the golf industry, and share our perspective regarding irrigation withdrawals from the Susquehanna River Basin. The price of water was also discussed ($0.33/1,000 gallons of water). Since golf is a consumptive user (more than 10,000 gallons per day on a 30-day average), each course withdrawing from the basin is required to apply for a docket.

When a docket is close to expiring, the SRBC requires a complete review. New approvals are effective when old dockets expire, and new dockets last 15 years. Original dockets used to be longer, up to 25 years. In order to continue operation, new applications must be submitted six months prior to expiration. Costs to renew dockets can vary greatly. In some cases, a waiver can mitigate testing fees. Otherwise, applicants are required to perform aquifer testing and planning so starting the process years in advance is smart. Consumptive use regulations have been in place since 1971, and in the 90’s the SRBC started an effort to track down users.

The take-home message was this: Many golf courses are up for review as time nears to re-apply. The SRBC advises that conversations should begin five years prior to docket expiration. The industry also raised its concerns with the cost of this re-application for a new docket, as it can be quite a large fee for courses that may already be operating on thin margins.

Other items discussed were drought mitigation plans, the effect of oil and gas industry on the river basin’s water, and golf’s role in re-charging ground water. We hope to host similar meetings in the future.

Upcoming events

• Jan. 26: Golf. My Future. My Game. Student event, STEM education in golf, Washington, D.C.
• Jan. 30-Feb. 2: Mid-Atlantic Turfgrass Expo, Fredericksburg, Va.
• Feb. 2: Golf. My Future. My Game. Student reception celebrating STEM education, Chevy Chase, Md.
• Feb. 4-6: GCSAA Golf Championships, Orlando, Fla.
• Feb. 6-9: Golf Industry Show, Orlando, Fla.
• Feb. 22: MAAGCS Winter Education Meeting, Clarksville, Md.
• Feb. 28: Penn State Turf Club meeting

Help wanted: cultivating young professionals

GCSAA is often asked what we are doing to recruit new talent into the field, as well as what value are we providing to student members. Did you know that a student member can maintain a student membership for up to 24 months after graduation, so long as the student is not in a golf course management role? It’s true.

Furthermore, students have access to live and on-demand webinars. They have access to the job board, valuable scholarship opportunities, and an important resume critiquing service which can prove vital in landing the right job.

With regard to GIS, students are entitled to a free full registration, student hotel room block (special rates), 50-percent-off discount member pricing for seminars, access to student booth area, free professional headshots, and a student reception event.

In 2017, GCSAA is taking the following steps to enhance student engagement:

• Student recruitment before college: GCSAA staff will participate at high school, FFA National Conference and Tradeshow, Vocational Tech School career day events to inform students of golf industry careers. We will provide superintendents tools (marketing packets and PowerPoint presentations) to engage with students at their local career events. GCSAA staff will participate in First Green and First Tee events across the country.
• Mentorship program: By engaging students with assistant superintendents and superintendents, this program will facilitate career growth and upward mobility. This will be a software platform that will allow them to engage in a private arena to facilitate open communication.
• Internship program: GCSAA will provide superintendents the tools to create active learning environments for students. Students will be provided with checklists for a productive internship experience. GCSAA will provide the means for them to communicate and reach each other.
• Student Listserve: Students will be supplied with a Listserve communication tool. This will enable them to directly receive information that is pertinent to them. Student events, student internships, and networking opportunities will be communicated through the Listserve. They will also be able to network and engage with students across the globe.
• Student chapter engagement: GCSAA will be making visits to universities and colleges that have GCSAA student chapters. We will offer speakers and educational content that they can choose from for their turf club meetings. We will be working with the GCSAA affiliated superintendent chapter to engage them with their student chapter.

As we look forward, GCSAA will continue to enhance these programs as to guarantee the success of our field heading to the future.