Continue to Learn Conference - Day 1

Why do people join and remain members of golf clubs? What role does the golf course really play in membership satisfaction levels? Armed with over 20 years of industry experience, data from over 25,000 UK golf club members and an analysis of over 200 sets of UK golf club accounts, Kevin Fish will give you the insight and information you need to keep your golf course as everybody’s number one priority, and cement your place in the club’s decision making structure.

Presented by Kevin Fish CCM, Contemporary Club Leadership

R&A Golf Course 2030 project

This discussion session, introduced by Dr Christian Spring, will provide progress updates on two of the R&A Golf Course 2030 research projects on Integrated Turf Management:

1. GB&I management of parkland greens - with Paul Woodham and Conor Nolan, STRI
2. Integrated Turf Management in Europe - with Maria Strandberg, STERF and Tanja Espevig, NIBIO

Discussing topics including challenges and opportunities, high quality playing surfaces and IPM, natural resources and climate change, regulations and the similarities and differences between the projects. Hear about the research carried out to date, early observations and future research objectives.

Presented by:

• Maria Strandberg, STERF
• Conor Nolan, Senior Turfgrass Agronomist, STRI Group
• Tanja Espevig, NIBIO
• Paul Woodham, General Manager of Agronomy, STRI Group
• Dr Christian Spring, Research Operations Manager, STRI Group

Having moved to the trade side of the industry 18 months ago after 20+ year's as a Greenkeeper it amazes me how many simple mistakes I see on a daily basis. In this session I hope to install more professionalism in the industry and help to stop people making mistakes that make life difficult for themselves and their clubs. It will cover basic greenkeeping practices, communication and resources.

Learning outcomes:

Resource management (time, staff, machinery)
Improved communication
How to avoid silly mistakes
Making the most of best practice to give you better results

Presented by Rob Welford, Consolidate Turf

Replicated trial work was carried out over two seasons in N. Europe to investigate whether there were any differences in early grass growth when using either Nitrate, Ammonium or Urea as the primary Nitrogen source. Results will be discussed and a practical strategy put forward to help the turf manager select the correct type of products.

Presented by Geoff Lloyd, Technical Consultant, Indigrow Ltd

Dr Marie Athorn of the RSPB talks to several other conservation charities to hear about the work they do with golf courses and what valuable habitats golf courses can offer to a range of species. The session will include examples of golf courses that are involved in conservation projects up and down the UK, from habitat management advice to large, landscape scale conservation projects. Pick up tips to help some of the rare wildlife that frequents golf courses and gather inspiration from the contribution of your peers to UK conservation.

Presented by  Marie Athorn, Business Conservation Adviser (R&A), RSPB

This session will help you to manage projects that achieve great results.

Learning outcomes:

How to use the correct processes for initiating and planning projects
Approaches to identify, manage and mitigate project risks
Effective tools and techniques to manage projects successfully
How to use problem solving and decision-making techniques

Presented by Phil Helmn MG

In this session Steve Chappell will share his experiences of volunteering and explain how these have influenced and shaped his career to date. This session will also look at ‘alternative volunteering’ away from tournament golf and give examples of how this can benefit your CV and ultimately your career, moving onwards and upwards.

Learning outcomes:

How to read a job advertisement
How to tailor your CV for a specific job
Choosing the right type of volunteering
Understand how to develop a career path
Making the most of the opportunities out there
How investing in yourself can pay off in the long run

Presented by Steve Chappell, Golf Course Superintendent, Royal Bled Golf Club

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading the movement against suicide. Every week 125 people in the UK take their own lives. And 75% of all UK suicides are male. CALM exists to change this. Join Rosy Candlin, from CALM as she talks through who CALM is, what they do and the importance of talking openly about mental wellbeing and suicide. She will discuss how CALM use comedy, music and sport to breakdown the taboo of suicide, and help people to stop living miserably. Find out more about the charity at www.thecalmzone.net

Presented by Rosy Candlin, CALM

An introduction and overview of the Rain Bird IC System irrigation system provide unequalled awareness and troubleshooting, system resting and fault-finding opportunities across your course irrigation. This presentation is supported by a video describing why it was selected for the Royal Norwich Golf Course.

Presented by Peter Robin, Irrigation Product Manager - Rigby Taylor Ltd

R&A Golf Course 2030 project

Many of our coastal golf course are already directly experiencing the impacts of coastal erosion and flooding and the challenges that this creates in terms of maintaining the playability and key aspects of a course and protecting key assets and infrastructure. Future changes in the climate and more climatic extremes will exacerbate these issues, and present challenges to courses that are currently not at risk. This session will provide an overview of the toolbox of methods, solutions and networks that we’re creating to allow you to actively play your role in coastal management, to create win-win solutions, and to ensure the long-term future for golf on the coast.

Presented by:

• Ray Lawrenson, Director, Siskin Asset Management
• Jaap Flikweert, Leading Professional Flood and Coastal Management, Royal Haskoning DHV
• Victoria Clipsham, Senior Consultant, Royal Haskoning DHV

Managing organic matter is fundamental to providing firm and healthy turf surfaces. This presentation will summarize the importance of OM management and what happens when OM content becomes excessive.

Presented by Paul Jacobs, North East Region Agronomist, USGA Green Section

In this session BIGGA’s James Hutchinson looks at holistic methods of water cleansing on a golf course.

Presented by James Hutchinson, Membership Services Manager - sustainability and ecology, BIGGA

ICL Technical Managers Dr Andy Owen and Henry Bechelet discuss the four academic research projects currently sponsored by ICL. The work at Bangor University, Lancaster University and Royal Holloway is being undertaken to provide fundamental knowledge, allowing ICL to create new, scientifically proven solutions to some of the key issues in turf management today.

Presented by Dr Andy Owen and Henry Bechelet, Technical Managers, ICL

Watch a selection of On Demand videos from the Continue to Learn archives:

• Seven things I've learned about turf around the world (NRC 2020) – Micah Woods, Chief Scientist, Asian Turfgrass Center
• The renovation of Loch Lomond - Part 1 (NRC 2020) – David Cole MG, Director of Golf Course and Estates, Loch Lomond Golf Club
• The new 7th hole at Royal Dornoch (C2L 2020) – Tom Mackenzie, Golf Course Architect, Mackenzie & Ebert and Eoin Riddell, Course Manager, Royal Dornoch Golf Club
• The Ryder Cup - past, present and future (C2L 2017) - Jim McKenzie MBE, Director of Golf Courses & Estates Management, The Celtic Manor Collection; Curtis Tyrrell MG CGCS, Director of Golf Course Operations, Medinah Country Club; Steve Chappell, Head Greenkeeper - PGA Centenary Course, Gleneagles; Chris Tritabaugh, Golf Course Superintendent, Hazeltine National Golf Club; Alejandro Reyes, Course Manager, Le Golf National
• Green speed is more than a number (C2L 2019) – Micah Woods, Chief Scientist, Asian Turfgrass Center
• Maximise your personal impact (C2L 2019) - Mark Doyle, Managing Director, The Method
• Getting Royal Portrush ready for the Open (C2L 2020) - Martin Ebert, Golf Course Architect, Mackenzie & Ebert and Graeme Beatt, Course Manager, Royal Portrush Golf Club
• Non-Chemical Management Strategies for Turf Insects - Leatherjackets and Chafer Grubs (C2L 2019) - Dr Pat Vittum, Professor to Turf Entomology, University of Massachusetts
• 80% People / 20% Turf ‑ The Importance of Creating the Right Culture in the Workplace (C2L 2020) - Craig Haldane, Golf Course Manager, The Gleneagles Hotel
• Turning the turf management dials (C2L 2015) – Chris Tritabaugh, Golf Course Superintendent, Hazeltine National Golf Club
• More than miracles (C2L 2017) – Curtis Tyrrell CGCS MG, former Director of Golf Course Operations, Medinah Country Club
• Flying Blind – Micah Woods latest video release - Micah Woods, Chief Scientist, Asian Turfgrass Center

Sunlight is one of the basic requirements for turf growth and is the most influential factor on turf health and performance. Regardless, it can be difficult to explain the need for tree removal to stakeholders because sunlight requirements can seem subjective. Recent research has quantified light requirements for various turf surfaces so growing environments can be evaluated more quantitatively.

Presented by Zach Nicoludis, Central Region Agronomist, USGA Green Section

When turf decline is investigated, a single sample represents a snapshot in time that can make interpretation difficult when it comes to nematode problems. This short session will describe on-going research into plant parasitic nematode population dynamics in golf greens to shed some light on this issue. Abundances of different plant parasitic groups, the symptoms observed and environmental data (soil temperature, moisture etc) will be summarised from a case study based in Northern Ireland. This session will provide knowledge on plant parasitic nematode life cycles in field conditions and how to optimise a sampling strategy.

Presented by Dr Deborah Cox, Lagan Valley Scientific

Giving your employees raises may temporarily help with poor morale, but raises are simply a Band-Aid that can’t fix an ailing company culture and what your workforce may perceive as antagonistic management as a result of low morale. Listen to tips to organically boost your employees’ morale and fostering a happier and healthier company culture.

Presented by Tyler Bloom, Tyler Bloom Consulting

Turf breeding programs are continually working to develop new varieties that require fewer inputs. Many of these new varieties are being used throughout the US with great success. Facilities that have established modern varieties of turf are seeing a rapid return on investment and an improved playing surface. This presentation will highlight some of the most commonly used varieties in the US and discuss how facilities are saving money by regrassing with these newer grasses.

Presented by Zach Nicoludis, Central Region Agronomist, USGA Green Section

This session will help you prepare for and successfully manage change.

Learning outcomes:

Factors which drive the need for change
How to gain commitment from others to change
How to initiate and manage change successfully
How to support, manage and measure the impact of change

Presented by Phil Helmn MG

Golf course management programs can be improved by using data that inform the superintendent on the playing conditions and translating those conditions to the golfer. How firm is too firm? How much wobble until I miss my putt? Will firm fairway into short rough be penal? Creating a language to discuss the intersection of course management with golfer play will be critical to ensuring golfer satisfaction and efficient resource use.

Presented by Dr Frank Rossi, Associate Professor of Horticulture "Grass Guy", Cornell University

Although the use of biostimulants on golf course turf has increased in recent years, minimal published research is available that describes their impacts on turfgrass. This presentation will examine previous and current biostimulant research not typically available to the public since most articles are published in scientific journals. Examples will focus on an array of biostimulant ingredients with emphasis placed on explaining their effects on turfgrass quality, root morphology, nutrient use efficiency, and stress tolerance.

Presented by Dr. Gerald Henry, Athletic Association Endowed Professor, University of Georgia

This session will review of the development of the new Royal Norwich and the lessons that can be learnt to help make a golf course redevelopment successful.

Presented by Ross McMurray, Designer, European Golf Design and Peter Todd, Director and Estate Manager, Royal Norwich Golf Club