From the desk of GCM

EIFG to take Rounds 4 Research national

Rounds 4 Research, an innovative program that raises money for agronomic research efforts through the auctioning of rounds of golf, is going national.

GCSAA's Environmental Insitute for Golf announced today that it will roll out this fall a national version of the campaign first developed by the Carolinas GCSA three years ago. In that span, the chapter raised more than $350,000 for turfgrass research in that state, as well as in Georgia, Texas and Virginia, which joined the Carolinas' efforts in 2010.

“Rounds 4 Research is the ultimate win-win for everyone involved,” Carolinas GCSA President Doug Lowe, CGCS, said. “It offers golfers both bargain opportunities at the same time it allows golf courses to invest in the future health of the game without actually spending a dime."

The complete release about Rounds 4 Research is posted below:

Golf course architect Harbottle dies

Golf course architect John Harbottle III, a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects since 1996 who earned a reputation for his environmentally friendly golf course designed, died yesterday at the age of 53.

Below is a news release from the ASGCA on Harbottle's death:

John Harbottle III, ASGCA, dies at 53

 BROOKFIELD, Wis. – John Harbottle III, an American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) Member and president of John Harbottle Design of Tacoma, Wash., died May 24, 2012. He was 53.

Harbottle was nationally recognized for his commitment to environmentally-sensitive design. His award-winning layouts included Ridgecrest Golf Course, Nampa, Idaho; Stevinson Ranch, Stevinson, Calif.; The Olympic Course, Bremerton, Wash.; and The Golf Club at Genoa Lakes, South Lake Tahoe, Nev. All were designated "Best New Courses in the United States" by “Golf Digest.”

Getting a career jump-start

What did you do during the first week after you graduated from college?

If you're like me, probably not much of anything. After I graduated from Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan. in May of (year withheld to protect the innocent), I don't recall doing much past sleeping in and sifting through four years worth of momentos that I had moved from the fraternity house to my parent's basement. I had plenty of résumés circulating through the offices of local newspapers and radio stations and was still a few weeks away from beginning a temporary job at a nearby liquor store. So, in short, my first post-college week was spent doing a whole lot of nothing.

I was reminded of that last week as I sat through a round of introductions during a welcoming reception at Jacobsen's Future Turf Managers event in Charlotte, N.C. The attendees were, for the most part, college students who were studying to be golf course superintendents or sports turf managers. As they went around the room introducing themselves to the group, many of them revealed that they were less than 48 hours removed from their own college graduations. They'd grabbed their diploma, ditched their cap and gown and, basically, hopped a plane for this three-day gathering.

Quite a comeback in Michigan

They have anticipated this week in Benton Harbor Mich., for quite a while. It appears to be worth the wait.

Less than a decade ago, the land where The Golf Club at Harbor Shores is located was a vast wasteland of trash, debris, contaminated soil, remnants of closed manufacturing plants, abandoned when the economy took a turn for the worst, a scene that played out nationwide, including Benton Harbor, 90 miles from Chicago.

Today, though, the 530 acres that include The Golf Club at Harbor Shores is a reminder of the good that can come from something so bad, when this piece of property where the golf course is now once was inundated with more than 68 tons of trash.

GCSAA Class A superintendent Brad Fry is part of the good that has occurred at Benton Harbor, where a residential, recreational and waterfront community all are part of the master plan. The golf course he manages, which is near Lake Michigan and features sand dunes and wetlands, is the center of attention this week. The Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid begins tomorrow.

"I feel good," says Fry, a 13-year GCSAA member. "It's neat to be out here, especially when you think what it used to be."

Voting for 2012 MVT Award now open

It's time to excersie your right to vote, and this is one election where we can promise absolutely no attack ads — the voting process for GCM's 2012 Most Valuable Technician Award, presented in partnership with Foley United, is now open and waiting for you to cast your ballot.

From a large field of nominations submitted by superintendents from all around the country, a panel of industry judges have narrowed the field to three finalists — Corby Coggins, the equipment technician at RedStick GC in Vero Beach, Fla.; John Patterson, the equipment director at PGA National Resorts and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; and Jim Stuart, the lead equipment technician at Stone Mountain (Ga.) GC — and now determining the overall winner is in your hands.

Through June 4, you can visit this site to read more about the candidates, including the complete entry forms submitted by their nominating superintendents, and vote for your favorite. We'll announce the winner shortly after voting closes here on the blog, and then feature that winner in the Insider Shop column in the August issue of GCM.

Must-see TV: GCSAA TV hits another milestone

Perhaps if everyone wasn’t spending so much time watching GCSAA TV, then Desperate Housewives would still be on the air.

As of yesterday, viewership of GCSAA TV eclipsed the 300,000 video mark since the launch of the project at the 2009 Golf Industry Show. In just over three years, individuals from more than 140 countries have logged onto GCSAA TV to be informed, educated and entertained. And it isn’t as if the product is a passing fad. Through the first four months of 2012, nearly 54,000 videos were viewed, compared to 33,000 for the same period last year — an increase of viewership since 72 percent.

“As they say, ‘content is king,’ and certainly the content of GCSAA TV is highly compelling and attractive to golf course management professionals worldwide,” said GCSAA chief executive officer Rhett Evans.  “The numbers speak for themselves and certainly demonstrate value for our members and our industry partners.”

USGA Museum burglarized

Two historical artifacts are missing from the United States Golf Association (USGA) Museum, which was burglarized early this morning in Far Hills, N.J.

Missing: The U.S. Amateur trophy, which was created in 1926 and retired in 1992; and a replica of legendary golfer Ben Hogan's Hickok Belt Award from 1953, which the USGA acquired from Hogan's estate in 1998.

"This is a deplorable incident, but we are thankful for the safety of our staff," says a statement from the USGA. "These historical artifacts are an important part of our collection and their loss is a great disappointment. We are working closely with the Bernards Township Police Department to aid in their recovery."