Here is an interview that I did with Golfdom Magazine about golf in NC and SC, the year in review.
2019 was a year of many successes, multiple challenges and happily, a few near misses.
An inaccurately forecast hurricane saved a lot of superintendents some trouble (but not the unnecessary prep work), while floods and drought were common themes in this year’s report. The labor challenge? We had to laugh when Daniel Francis, president of the Cincinnati GCSA, said, “I’m not going to talk about labor. Everyone knows labor is a problem.”
For our 2019 State of the Industry report, sponsored by Nufarm, we once again embarked on a journey to learn what the golf season was like across the country. We talked to GCSAA chapter presidents and representatives to learn about regional weather, disease pressures, challenges and successes.
Below are additional reports to be added onto the 2019 State of the Industry report. To jump to a specific interview, click on their name below.
- Illinois: Alex J. Stuedemann, CGCS
- Kentucky: Anthony Williams, GCSAA Clas A Member
- North Carolina: Brian J. Stiehler, CGCS, MG
- Nebraska: Greg Jones, CGCS
- South Dakota: James J. Walraven, CGCS
- Arkansas: Jeff Haskins
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Brian J. Stiehler, CGCS, MG
Generally speaking, how was the golf season in your region?
Overall, the Carolinas had a great year. It was a good year for golf in the two states, as four USGA championships were held in the region: the U.S. Women’s Open, the U.S. Senior Women’s Open, the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Senior Amateur. Those four events, as well as the Wachovia Championship at Quail Hollow Club, allowed golf in the Carolinas to receive more attention. Congratulations to those greenkeeping teams for their success during those events.
How was the weather for your area this year?
North and South Carolina are different than many areas because of varying climates from one end of the Carolinas to the other. There is a hot, humid coastal region, Sandhills, Piedmont, upstate South Carolina and then western North Carolina, which all have different climates that support various turfgrasses from bermuda to bentgrass/Poa annua. For many, hot and dry summed up our year. October set records for temperatures, which reached 100 degrees during the month. In Charleston, Paul Corder and his staff dealt with 100-degree F days during the U.S. Women’s Open on Memorial Day weekend. In other areas of the chapter, superintendents dealt with too much rain at times, including over 110 inches in parts of western North Carolina. Upstate South Carolina also dealt with excessive rain at various times during the year.
What was the disease pressure like in your area in 2019?
Based on the number of samples submitted to Lee Butler and Dr. Jim Kerns at NC State University, Pythium root rot, anthracnose and summer patch were the top three submissions, in that order. Of course, spring dead spot always is an annual challenge for many superintendents who are growing bermudagrass, but research and new product development is slowly improving the control superintendents are able to achieve. Meanwhile, the top three diseases on bermudagrass putting greens in the Carolinas during 2019 were take-all root rot, mini ring and Pythium blight, respectively. It certainly wasn’t the worst year we’ve seen in terms of disease pressure, compared to years past.
What was the biggest challenge faced by your area this year?
Like most areas in the United States, labor continues to be the biggest area of concern and frustration for most superintendents. Last year, many facilities didn’t receive their H-2B seasonal staffing. In western North Carolina, this was particularly devastating for some, given the rural nature of the area and the lack of local persons available to fill those positions. This led to many going to Plan B, whatever that was — even if it meant getting a crew with no past golf course experience and starting from the ground up. Due to a currently low unemployment rate along with competition from other industries, this is sure to be a challenge that won’t go away anytime soon.
Were there any notable success stories from your area/chapter this year?
There are always success stories coming from the Carolinas. In 2019, the Country Club of Charleston hosted the U.S. Women’s Open. Also, Quail Hollow Club once again hosted the Wachovia Championship in May. In addition to those two events, the U.S. Senior Amateur was held at Old Chatham Golf Club, the U.S. Amateur was hosted at Pinehurst and the U.S. Senior Women’s Open was held at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club. Most importantly, there are everyday success stories of superintendents who do so much with few resources. Their creativity, work ethic and attitude amaze me. At the 2019 Carolinas GCSA Conference and Show, Wayne and Steve Smith received the Distinguished Service Award from the association for everything they’ve done, along with the support they continue to offer the industry through their business, Smith Turf and Irrigation. In addition, one of our own, Paul Jett, successfully qualified and participated in the U.S. Senior Amateur at Old Chatham. Also, Pat O’Brien, a longtime USGA agronomist, called it a career and is now enjoying retirement and hoping the Pittsburgh Steelers have a better season (with fewer injuries) this year. Finally, our Carolinas GCSA team — consisting of our fearless leader, Tim Kreger, who is supported by Melissa Smith, Angie Davis and Kim Clark — is a constant success story. This is a dynamic team that serves our membership well and seems to be everywhere at once. No task is too small, and they are some of the reasons for the annual success of our conference and show. In addition, they balance the everyday details of running our association like the professionals they are.
What are your expectations for 2020?
That’s a good question. Personally, I’m expecting a great season with ideal temperatures, low humidity and rain events timed with precision. My work environment will lack any politics, and new staffing candidates will be lined up outside my office door. All candidates will be willing to work outside (on holidays) in varying climatic conditions. And members will begin to fix all ball marks and replace all divots with care. Well … we all know that’s not happening. While I can’t predict the future, let me conclude by saying — as superintendents — we’ve taught ourselves to make do with what we’re given. We’re great leaders and problem solvers, and whatever Mother Nature or anyone else throws at us, we’ll deal with it. Every year is a series of wins and losses, but it’s those losses that keep me motivated to achieve some level of perfection. We keep learning and experimenting, and that adds value to every one of us.