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2 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
3PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
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Also...Presidents’ Message 4Training Opportunities 5Legislative Update 7Irrigation Water Testing and Interpretation 18Idaho Professor says Synthetic Turf is Better 21Logo Branding Entering the Golf Industry 23Study: Crumb Rubber Cancer Risk 25New Trends in Water Conserving Products 27PNWSTMA Membership Application 29PNWSTMA Board of Directors 30NTA 2017 Annual Conference 31NTA Board of Directors 322017 Buyer’s Guide 33Index to Advertisers 35COVER PHOTO: Gary Sayre
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Featured...New TrialsResearchers in Oregon explored methods for alleviating abiotic damagecaused by the use of fungicides 08ControlElimination of P. annua from golf courseturf has been an objective of turfgrassmanagers for decades 13ThoughtsLeadership is not so much a position youhold as it is a set of disciplines andbehaviors you practice
16
Table of Contents
4 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
Our two associations have a long
history together … just not
much of a recent history. We’ve
decided to change that.
The PNWSTMA and the NTA have
reached a dual membership agreement
and have committed to work together to
enhance our professions. More important-
ly, we’ll work together to share educational
opportunities and research knowledge to
ensure our clients have the best, most eco-
nomical playing conditions possible. All
the while, the two associations will work
together to maintain our roles as stewards
of the environment and continue to tout
the benefits of healthy turfgrass for
humans and wildlife alike.
The two associations used to do this on
a regular basis, but drifted apart more
than 20 years ago. It’s time to get back
together.
Members of the PNWSTMA can
become associate members of the NTA
for $20 a year. In that role, PNWSTMA
FROM THE PRESIDENTS’ DESKSTim Werner, President, Pacific Northwest Sports Turf Managers Association
Steve Link, President, Northwest Turfgrass Association
members can play a role in determining
how the NTA divides its research/educa-
tion resources, which average $50,000 a
year. Issues and concerns of PNWSTMA
members that have been ignored because
of lack of funds can now be put in front of
university researchers for study.
For $60 a year, PNWSTMA members
can become regular members of the NTA
and can be voted to the Board and hold
offices.
Moving forward, events will now be
Presidents’ Message
geared to be inclusive of both associations.
For example, the NTA Conference at
Suncadia on Oct. 1-3 will have an educa-
tion track geared toward sports turf. And
the PNWSTMA Fall Field Day will add
attractions for NTA members.
All in all, it’s a partnership that should
make everyone in the Northwest more
aware of their partners in the turfgrass
community and more knowledgeable as
well.
HistoricCollaborationAjoint statement from Tim Werner, president of the
Pacific Northwest Sports Turf ManagersAssociation, and Steve Link, president of the NorthwestTurfgrass Association:
5PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
Training Opportunities
NTA Conference Oct. 1-3Tim Werner PNWSTMA President
The past year included a training
event date that will be signifi-
cant for my family for many
years to come. On the morning of
October 22, Colson Hill Merritt arrived
into this world in Phoenix, Arizona, while
we had just started our event at Cheney
Stadium, home of the Rainiers ball club in
Tacoma, Washington. It was cold but the
rain let up, the sun came up and warmed
us some, and all had a great leaning experi-
ence in a facility that hosted the 2017
Triple-A All-Star Game on July 12.
Success of our training event was due to the
support of Ewing Irrigation and their ven-
dors along with Western Equipment/Turf
Star and, for sure, Michael Huie and the
Rainiers staff. With all of this accom-
plished, however, I’ve got to say that the
best part of the day for me was holding the
little man before midnight.
By the time you receive this magazine
the VMAC event scheduled for July 12
will be history, but it is shaping up to be a
terrific event with 66 already registered at
the writing of this article (6-28-17). The
topic of PREVENTION & TESTING
FOR CONCUSSIVE SAFETY along
with our ability to utilize both the natural
and synthetic turf portions of the facility
for training purposes is proving to create a
lot of interest.
October brings two events, one of
which will be enhanced due to our part-
nership with Northwest Turfgrass
Association, and the second being a new
offering to PNWSTMA members due to
our partnership with NTA. The Vendor
Event scheduled for October 11 will have
added vendors from the golf side of turf
management. The host site will again be
the beautiful campus at University of
Puget Sound. The second event is the
addition of the NTA conference to be
held at Suncadia Resort on October 1st
through the 3rd. The conference schedule
will be posted on our website, or you can
visit www.nwturfgass.net to view the
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6 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
Training Opportunities
agenda and register.
Last up for 2017 will be December’s
WTLS – Washington Turf and
Landscape Show – coordinated by
WWGCSA and hosted at the convention
center in Lynnwood. WWGCSA has pro-
duced this program for a number of years
and will continue to create a Sports Turf
track for the Monday program.
Photos from the 2016 Field Day at Cheney
Stadium by Gary Sayre and Tim Werner.
7PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
State PondersPesticide RulesBy the time it was over, not much
happened during the 2017 leg-
islative session that will affect turf
or sports fields.
Of course, as of this writing, it’s not quite
over. The final showdown in Olympia will
be over the two-year operating budget. It
must fully fund education as well as allow
the rest of state government to function.
The special session(s) are unlikely to gener-
ate any policy relating to turf.
That said, one persistent issue
reemerged. For the fourth year in a row, a
bill was introduced that would have
required everyone who applies pesticides
to submit all of their application records to
the Department of health every month.
These records would then be posted on a
searchable website so anyone could look
up what has been applied.
Some of you may be thinking, “I have
nothing to hide.” That’s great, but here are
some things to think about. There are
people who oppose all pesticide use
including herbicides and will protest
against any and all use. As structured, the
bill’s requirement could not be met by
merely clicking the send button.
Application records would have to be
entered into an online portal by the appli-
cator. That could take a significant
amount of time.
We expect this bill to be reintroduced
next year.
How can you help? Communicate with
people who use your field about your
maintenance plan. Explain all of the
things you do to keep the turf healthy and
why it is sometimes necessary to use pesti-
cides. Let them know you use a small
amount and are trained to use it properly
so neither staff or players are exposed. If
there is a stream on your property and you
do water testing, tell them your results.
When the time comes, communicate this
to your legislators. Open communication
can help calm concerns.
Moths and Politics
It is likely that the final budget will
include $723,000 for the Washington
State Department of Agriculture to con-
duct post-treatment trapping to monitor
the effectiveness of their Asian Gypsy
Moth eradication program conducted in
Heather HansenExecutive Director
Washington Friends ofFarms & Forests
Legislative Update
the spring of 2016 in western Washington.
This post-treatment monitoring is
required by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture to determine the effectiveness
of the treatments.
This summer, the race for the 45th
Legislative District Senate seat, and con-
trol of the State Senate, will be hot. This
seat opened up when Senator Andy Hill
passed away from cancer last October 31.
Dino Rossi was appointed to fill the seat,
but is not running for election. The politi-
cal party that wins this seat in the
November 7 special election will control
the Senate next year. The district runs
from Totem Lake to Duvall and
Sammamish to Woodinville.
FungicideAlternatives inManagement ofMicrodochiumPatch andAnthracnose
Clint MattoxAlec KowalewskiBrian McDonald Oregon State University
Previous trials indicated promising
results for the control of
Microdochium patch on Poa
annua putting greens using the combina-
tion of the mineral oil Civitas One with
sulfur and/or potassium phosphite, as well
as a sulfur and potassium phosphite com-
bination. Other previous trial results have
indicated that iron sulfate heptahydrate
has shown the potential for control of
Microdochium patch on Poa annua put-
ting greens.
However, some questions remain,
namely concerning abiotic damage that
was observed when rolling was used in
combination with Civitas One. This is a
major concern for turfgrass managers as
rolling and other forms of mechanical
stress are typical cultural practices used to
maintain high quality putting surfaces.
Another concern is turfgrass thinning
associated with frequent high rates of iron
sulfate heptahydrate.
Considering these concerns, in the fall
of 2015 and 2016 a series of new trials
were initiated to explore methods for alle-
viating abiotic damage caused by these
fungicide alternative methods for
Microdochium patch management. The
first goal of these trials was to identify
minimum effective rates using alternative
product combinations and rotations of
Civitas One, phosphite and sulfur
(Experiments 1-3). The second goal was
to determine if increased water carrier vol-
umes or application timing intervals of
iron sulfate heptahydrate would continue
to suppress Microdochium patch while
alleviating turfgrass thinning compared to
the original two-week interval or 2 gal/M
carrier volume (Experiments 4 and 5). In
addition, a trial exploring the combination
of a phosphite product and iron sulfate
heptahydrate, an alternative product com-
bination not previously explored, was also
8 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
9PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
initiated (Experiment 6). Other new trials
include exploring alternative crop oils;
Civitas One, Superior Oil and TriTek Oil
(Experiment 7), and phosphite products,
PK Plus vs. Duraphite 12 used in combi-
nation with sulfur (Experiment 8).
Experiments 1-4, 6 and 7 all receive repli-
cated golfer traffic in order to mimic real-
world conditions and assess any abiotic
damage that may result.
Finally, a previous trial using the wet-
ting agent “Revolution” to control the tur-
fgrass disease anthracnose on Poa annua
putting greens without fungicides has
shown promising results (Experiment 9).
This trial concluded in September 2016
and preliminary results are included.
Research on all of the following nine
experiments is being conducted on Poa
annua putting greens at the Lewis-Brown
Turf Farm, Corvallis, Oregon, that were
constructed in either 2009 or 2013 using
the California method consisting of 100%
USGA specified sand established vegeta-
tively using aerification cores.
Experiment 1
Objective: Determine the most reliable
and cost-effective rate of the combination
of the mineral oil Civitas One, sulfur DF
and the potassium phosphite product PK
Plus to control Microdochium patch on
Poa annua putting greens, while assessing
abiotic damage under replicated golfer
traffic.
Treatments were applied every other
week from Sept. 2015 to May 2016 and
replicated from Sept. 2016 to May 2017.
The most striking damage was observed
whenever Civitas One was applied with
Sulfur regardless of rates although all
applications, including Civitas One at the
8.5 oz./M every two weeks, had unaccept-
able abiotic damage during the winter
months. Microdochium patch disease was
greatly suppressed by all applications com-
pared to the control treatment.
Experiment 2
Objective: Determine if applications of
the combinations of Civitas One and
Sulfur DF or Civitas One and PK Plus in
rotation with Sulfur DF and PK Plus will
lead to acceptable control of
Microdochium patch on Poa annua put-
ting greens while lessening any effects of
abiotic damage previously observed in bi-
weekly combinations of the mineral oil
Civitas One.
The following treatments were applied
every other week from September 2015 to
May 2016 and replicated from Sept. 2016
to May 2017:
1a. 8.50 oz/M Civitas One + 0.25 lbs.
S/M every four weeks (M = 1 000ft2)
1b.0.25 lbs. S/M + 6.0 oz/M PK Plus
every four weeks
2a. 8.50 oz/M Civitas One + 6.0 oz/M
PK Plus every four weeks
2b.0.25 lbs. S/M + 6.0 oz/M PK Plus
every four weeks
3. 0.25 lbs. S/M + 6.0 oz/M PK Plus
every two weeks
4. Control (Not treated)
As was shown in Experiment 1, when-
ever Civitas One was applied in combina-
tion with sulfur, abiotic damage occurred
in the winter months. The treatment 2
rotation (2a & 2b) showed very promising
results with no winter damage and very
good Microdochium patch suppression in
the first year of this experiment in
Corvallis.
Effects of high rates of Civitas One + sulfur (left), and Civitas One + PK Plus (right).
10 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
Experiment 3
Objective: Determine if alternative
product rotations avoiding winter applica-
tion of Civitas One can reduce abiotic
damage caused by this product.
The treatments in Table 1 were applied
accordingly from September 2016 to May
2017 and are to be repeated in September
2017 to May 2018.
Experiment 4
Objective: Compare different water
carrier volumes for iron sulfate heptahy-
drate applications in order to assess if a
higher dilution will lead to less turfgrass
thinning while at the same time continue
to manage Microdochium patch on Poa
annua putting greens.
The following treatments were applied
every other week from September 2015 to
May 2016 and replicated from September
2016 to May 2017.
1. 2.0 #/M FeSO4 Heptahydrate applied
using a 2.5 gal/M spray volume every
two weeks (M = 1 000ft2)
2. 2.0 #/M FeSO4 Heptahydrate applied
using a 5.0 gal/M spray volume every
two weeks
3. 2.0 #/M FeSO4 Heptahydrate applied
using a 7.5 gal/M spray volume every
two weeks
4. 2.0 #/M FeSO4 Heptahydrate applied
using a 10.0 gal/M spray volume every
two weeks
5. Control (Not treated)
Trial update: The first year of the
experiment was successfully implemented
and the second year of applications was
begun in September 2016. There is sug-
gestion that the water carrier volume does
not play a large role in the ability of the
application of 2 # FeSO4 / M every two
weeks to suppress Microdochium patch.
There is suggestion that there is a minor
advantage of using a larger water carrier to
decrease the blackening of the turfgrass
leaves and to have a slight reduction in
turfgrass thinning due to the frequent
applications of iron sulfate.
Experiment 5
Objective: Compare application tim-
ings of iron sulfate heptahydrate to quan-
Results from Civitas + Sulfur treatment rotated with Sulfur+ PK Plus (left); control patch on right.
Table 1: Experiment 3 Treatments, September 2016 to May 2017
11PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
tify the minimum application intervals
necessary to suppress Microdochium
patch on Poa annua putting greens.
The following treatments were applied
according to the schedule below from
October 2015 to May 2016 and are cur-
rently being replicated from October 2016
to May 2017
1. 2.0 #/M FeSO4 Heptahydrate applied
using a 5.0 gal/M spray volume every 2
weeks (M = 1 000ft2)
2. 2.0 #/M FeSO4 Heptahydrate applied
using a 5.0 gal/M spray volume every 4
weeks
3. 2.0 #/M FeSO4 Heptahydrate applied
using a 5.0 gal/M spray volume every 6
weeks
4. 2.0 #/M FeSO4 Heptahydrate applied
using a 5.0 gal/M spray volume every 8
weeks5. Control (Not treated)
Trial update: The first year of the
experiment was successfully implemented
and the second year of applications was
begun in October 2016. There is sugges-
tion that the application frequency of
every two weeks (treatment 1) is the only
treatment that provided acceptable disease
suppression, although turfgrass thinning
was also observed leading to unacceptable
turfgrass quality.
Experiment 6
Objective: Evaluate the effects of phos-
phite applied in combination with varying
rates of iron sulfate on an annual bluegrass
putting green without fungicides.
Materials: Combinations of phosphite
and iron sulfate are currently being
applied at the following treatment levels
from September 2016 to May 2017 and
will be replicated from September 2017 to
May 2018.
Factors in this research include the fol-
lowing phosphite and iron sulfate rates
Factor 1: Phosphite
• Duraphite 12 applied at 3.14 oz/M
every two weeks
• No phosphite applications
Factor 2: Iron sulfate
• No iron sulfate
• 0.25 # FeSO4 / M applied every two
weeks
• 0.5 # FeSO4 / M applied every two
weeks
• 1.0 # FeSO4 / M applied every two
weeks
• 2.0 # FeSO4 / M applied every two
weeks
Experiment 7
Objective: Compare three different
mineral oils in combination with potassi-
Effects of 2.5 (left) and 10.0 gallon/M carrier volume when applying iron sulfate heptahydrate compared to the control (right) in March 2016.
Control (left) versus treatment with iron sulfate + Duraphite (right)
12 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
um phosphite in their ability to control
Microdochium patch on Poa annua put-
ting greens under replicated golfer traffic
in order to determine if there are differ-
ences in abiotic damage observed and per-
haps lead to more cost effective product
choices.
The following treatments were applied
every other week from September 2015 to
May 2016 and are currently being repli-
cated from Sept. 2016 to May 2017.
1. 8.50 oz/M Civitas One + 6.0 oz/M PK
Plus every two weeks (M = 1 000ft2)
2. 7.92 oz/M Superior Oil + 6.0 oz/M PK
Plus + 0.37 oz/M of the pigment PAR
every two weeks
3. 7.92 oz/M Superior Oil + 6.0 oz/M PK
Plus every two weeks
4. 9.80 oz/M TriTek Oil + 6.0 oz/M PK
Plus + 0.37 oz/M of the pigment PAR
every two weeks
5. Control (Not treated)
Trial update: The first year of the
experiment was successfully implemented
and the second year of applications was
begun in September 2016. Preliminary
results suggest that all mineral oils tested
have the potential to suppress
Microdochium patch when used in com-
bination with PK Plus. Abiotic damage
due to repeated applications every two
weeks throughout the winter is still a con-
cern with all products tested.
Experiment 8
Objective: Compare two phosphite
products alone and in combination with
Sulfur DF in order to quantify their abili-
ty to control Microdochium patch on Poa
annua putting greens.
The following treatments were applied
every other week from October 2015 to
May 2016 and are currently being repli-
cated from October 2016 to May 2017.
1. 6.0 oz/M PK Plus every two weeks (M
= 1 000ft2)
2. 3.14 oz/M Duraphite 12 every two
weeks
3. 6.0 oz/M PK Plus + 0.25 lbs. S/M
every two weeks
4. 3.14 oz/M Duraphite 12 + 0.25 lbs.
S/M every two weeks
5. 0.25 lbs. S/M every two weeks
6. Control (Not treated)
Trial update: The first year of the
experiment was successfully implemented
and the second year of applications was
begun in September 2016. There is sug-
gestion that all treatments suppress
Microdochium patch compared to the
control with better disease control
observed when either phosphite product is
used in combination with sulfur.
Experiment 9
Objective: To confirm previous results
concerning the application of the wetting
agent “Revolution” to control anthracnose
on Poa annua putting greens.
Trial update: The second year of the
experiment was successfully implemented
with the trial applications concluding in
September 2016. Initial results suggest
that when disease pressure was high, as in
2015; treatment 1, followed by treatment
2, followed by treatment 6 and finally by
treatment 3 provided significant suppres-
sion of anthracnose compared to the con-
trol as measured using the area under dis-
ease progress curve analysis. In 2016, the
disease pressure was lower and all treat-
ments were able to significantly suppress
anthracnose compared to the control.
Table 8: Area under disease progress curve results for year one (2015) and year two(2016) in Corvallis. The 2015 trial began on Feb. 03, 2015 and ended on Sep. 28,
2015. The 2016 trial began on Feb. 02, 2016 and ended on Sep. 27, 2016.
13PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
Elimination of P. annua from golf
course turf has been an objective
of turfgrass managers and
research personnel for decades. Its elimi-
nation from golf course fairways will
enhance aesthetics and playability, save
money and labor, and make the game a
more positive experience for golfers. The
use of a biological control to achieve this
objective will be proactive environmental
stewardship by the turfgrass industry.
Showing promise and warranting addi-
tional turf research is Pseudomonas fluo-
rescens strain D7, a deleterious rhizos-
phere bacteria has been registered by
Verdesian Life Sciences primarily as a bio-
logical control (herbicide) in the agricul-
tural sector for the control of downy
brome (Bromus tectorum). Limited
research has been done on turfgrasses.
Kennedy et al. (2001) in a laboratory study
showed D7 did not inhibit the growth or
germination of tall fescue, perennial rye-
grass, or Kentucky bluegrass. In a silt loam
soil in the growth chamber, D7 did not
inhibit the root growth or germination of
tall fescue, but did inhibit the germination
(but not root growth) of perennial rye-
grass. No research has been conducted to
date on the effect of D7 on P. annua.
D7 shows promise as a biological con-
trol of weeds in the PNW. It was devel-
oped at WSU, has been under ongoing
WSU research for over 20 years, and has
been tested on numerous soils in the
region. Anecdotal observations have indi-
cated that D7 might have some control of
annual bluegrass ( Jim Connolly, personal
communication, 2015); however, research
data and findings are now needed to con-
firm, or dispute, the potential of this new
biological product for the control of P.
annua in turf.
Uniqueness of the study:
1. Potentially identify a biological control
Biological Controlof Poa annua inFairways NTA Research Report
William Johnston & Charles Golob Department of Crop and Soils SciencesWashington State University
14 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
of P. annua.
2. A single application of D7 may provide
long-term control (see Fig. 1).
3. D7 could provided control of P. annua
presently in the seed bank over time,
which is not possible with currently
available herbicides.
Research Objectives:
1. Golf course study to determine the
effects of timing and rates of D7 (fall
only vs. fall + spring) on P. annua con-
trol in a mix P. annua/Kentucky blue-
grass fairway over several years.
2. Effect of herbicide treatments (Tenacity
+ Xonerate and PoaCure) to initially
knock down the P. annua population
followed by D7 applications for long-
term control. Biological controls typi-
cally start slow, giving essentially unac-
ceptable control compared to chemical
treatments; however, as the microorgan-
ism increases over several years it is
anticipated it will eventually provide
acceptable, continuous P. annua control
(Fig. 1). Thus, with the combination
there will initially be less P. annua to
deal with and acceptable early control
followed by later biological control.
Experimental Design & Methods:
Field studies were initiated at the WSU
Palouse Ridge Golf Course in late fall
2015 with applications of D7 to a
Kentucky bluegrass/P. annua fairway.
Study 1 — evaluate timing and rates of
D7 (D7 applied only in year 1) for P.
annua control over three years. D7 timings
were fall only (11/16/15) and fall
(11/16/15) + spring (4/6/16). D7 rates
were 0, 2, 10, or 30 g/acre. PoaCure was
also applied at 1.26 fl oz per 1,000 square
feet for a chemical treatment for compari-
son. Fall only PoaCure was applied
11/16/15. Fall + spring PoaCure was
applied 11/16/15 and 4/6/16, 4/20/16 and
5/4/16.
Study 2 — evaluate applications of her-
bicides (to initially knock back the P.
annua population) followed by D7 appli-
cations over the top of the initial herbicide
treatments. Herbicide treatments were: 1)
PoaCure at 1.26 fl oz/1000 ft2 in 3 appli-
cations spring 2016 (4/20/16, 5/4/16, and
5/18/15) and 3 applications fall 2016
(10/5/16, 10/19/16/, and 11/2/16) and 2)
Tenacity (4 fl oz/1000 ft2) + Xonerate (1.4
fl oz/1000 ft2) in 3 applications fall 2016
(9/7/16, 9/21/16, and 10/5/16). D7 was
applied at 2, 10, or 30 g/acre on 11/17/16.
PoaCure and Tenacity + Xonerate will be
applied spring 2017 and D7 will be
applied in the fall 2017 and 2018. Plots
will be evaluated for P. annua control, turf-
grass quality, etc. for 2 additional years.
Results:
Study 1. The initial percentage of P.
annua in the fairway was visually estimat-
ed at 30-35% (11/16/15). There was no
statistical difference in P. annua control in
either the fall only or the fall + spring
treatments. This is somewhat to be
expected as the D7 applications have the-
oretically not yet had time to be effective
and the PoaCure treatments were primari-
ly applied in the spring 2016 just prior to
15PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
the 5/26/16 rating date. However, it had
been anticipated that the single fall
PoaCure application on 11/16/15 would
have had some reduction in P. annua (see
below Study 2). It is anticipated that con-
tinued PoaCure applications in 2017 will
show a reduction in P. annua.
Study 2. The initial percentage of P.
annua in the fairway was 35% (5/26/16),
which was prior to application of D7
(11/17/16). The percentage of P. annua
was again rated on 8/24/16 and 9/21/16.
Unlike in study 1, the reduction in P.
annua compared to the check by both
Tenacity + Xonerate and PoaCure treat-
ments was evident (Fig. 2). Compared to
the initial rating (5/26/16) on 9/21/16 the
P. annua in the check had increased 38%
while P. annua in the Tenacity + Xonerate
plots had decreased 11% and the PoaCure
plots had a decrease in P. annua of 32%.
D7 was applied in late fall 2016 and no
results are yet available. Tenacity +
Xonerate and PoaCure treatments will
continue in 2017.
Expected Benefits:
Potentially a P. annua biocontrol pro-
gram for fairways will be identified. A sin-
gle application of D7 may provide long-
term control of P. annua. Initially the golf
course industry will benefit the most, as
with many new products and programs.
The use of a biological control will provide
turfgrass managers an additional option to
the use of chemical control measures and
will be hopefully seen as sound environ-
mental stewardship by the industry and
general public.
References:
Kennedy, A.C., B.N. Johnson, and T.L.
Stubbs. 2001. Host range of a deleterious rhi-
zobacterium for biological control of downy
brome. Weed Sci. 49(6):792-797.
Kennedy, A.C., T.L. Stubbs, and J.C.
Hansen. 2011. Microbial control of cheat-
grass, jointed goatrass, and medusahead.
www.fwaa.org/accounts/fwaa/data_docu-
ments/60/files/10b-dl-2011-12-13_130
p_kennedy.ann.pdf
Verdesian Life Sciences. 2016. Verdesian Life
Sciences announces new biological herbicide.
16 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
Twelve Thoughtson EffectiveLeadership
(Adapted from SportsTurf Online, May 2015)
1
2
3
4
LEADERSHIP BEGINS WITH PEOPLE, NOT POSITIONS
Before you can lead others, you must
first manage yourself. Leadership is not so
much a position you hold as it is a set of
disciplines and behaviors you practice, the
first and most fundamental of which is
self-discipline. A leader without self-disci-
pline is a disaster waiting to happen.
Leaders are the ones who take responsi-
bility for making decisions and bringing
change. Leaders are the ones who empow-
er people to discover and use their greatest
potential. If you want to be a leader, then
act like a leader and shape a better reality.
IT’S ABOUT INFLUENCE, NOT AUTHORITY
Leaders want to get the best out of
their teams. Here is the simple truth.
Instead of telling your team members
what to do, show it to them by example.
Practice what you preach, and the results
may astonish you. Especially during hard
times, when chances to give up are very
big, you should be the one who faces
obstacles with confidence and determina-
tion toward success.
People follow the leader first and vision
second. If people aren’t committed to you,
they will not be committed to the vision
you communicate. Always seek to have
your level of influence exceed your level of
authority. Indeed, your influence is your
authority. You establish your personal
credibility and authority by consistently
living your core values and demonstrating
that you are a person that others can trust.
Become a person that other people want
to follow.
LEADING MEANS MAKING AN IMPACT
Think about the greatest leaders in his-
tory. What was the one thing they had in
common? Yes, they all made an impact.
Leadership is not just setting goals and
effectively achieving them with your team.
You should make a positive change. A
commitment to continuous improvement
derives from the leader’s recognition that
success requires constant adjustment;
today’s world deals ruthlessly with people
and organizations who fail to adapt to
change.
LEADERSHIP IS CHASING VISION
Without a vision, your activities are
meaningless. Each person can be very busy
implementing various tasks, but the key is
devoting your efforts and time to the real-
12
17PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
5
6
7
9
10
ization of your vision. Vision is what
inspires people to take action and go for-
ward. Discover your unique vision and
coordinate all your activities towards it.
Inspire each and every member of your
team with that vision.
ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS
It’s no secret that much talking and less
acting has nothing to do with effective-
ness. What people see affects them many
times greater than what they hear. So,
choose actions. Don’t waste your and other
people’s time on endless conversations
about your plans. Just realize those plans
and be sure that everyone will see it.
FLEXIBILITY REFERS TO BEHAVIOR, NOT VALUES
Depending on circumstances you may
choose a different style of leadership or
communication. Flexibility is a truly effec-
tive trait, if it doesn’t affect your values.
Each and every decision of yours, no mat-
ter what the situation, must be based on
your value system. As long as your actions
are value-driven, you will have the trust
and respect of the people around you.
LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT PEOPLE & LISTENING TO THEMPeople want their leaders to listen.
Leaders don’t have to agree, but they do
need to listen and seek to understand.
People want to be understood at two lev-
els; intellectual and emotional. At the
intellectual level people want the leader to
understand what they are saying. At the
emotional level people want the leader to
understand what they are feeling. Again,
listening is not about agreeing with peo-
ple. It is about respecting them and paying
attention to them. People don’t care how
much you know until they know how
811
are ineffective leaders precisely because
they are not good followers.
USE YOUR “POWER” BY GIVING IT TO OTHERS
Effective leaders are a source of power
and energy for people, teams, and the
organization. They encourage the heart.
They understand that power is not a zero-
sum game. The more the leader empowers
others, the stronger and more effective the
leader and team become.
UNITY IN STRENGTH
Team is somehow the most important
resource for each leader. Embrace your
team and devote your energy to care about
its unity each and every day. As long as
your team is splendid, nothing can stay in
your way to success. Make sure that all
people in your team consider themselves
as members of a strong, unified family.
THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR GROWTH
Remember, satisfaction should be a
short-term feeling. Life would become
useless without ongoing improvement.
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t
appreciate what you have. This means that
you should be thankful for everything you
have achieved, but still try to do a little
more for this world.
much you care.
Could you be a leader in an empty
room by having profound goals and skills?
Of course not! Leading means communi-
cating, influencing and engaging.
Communication skills are the foundation
of effective leadership. Seek to constantly
improve your relationship with people.
IT IS FINE TO ADMIT MISTAKES
If everything has always been done per-
fectly, we would have somehow lost the
ability to analyze and improve. Mistakes
are proof that you are doing something.
You won’t become a worse leader if you
admit your mistakes. By doing that, you
will show that you are wise enough to
learn from your each and every experience.
There are plenty of smart people in
positions of leadership. What we need are
wise leaders. Our world has an overabun-
dance of information, but we have a
scarcity of real wisdom. Wise leaders have
real insight, that is, they see beyond the
obvious. Why? Because they are looking!
BEFORE YOU CAN LEAD, YOUMUST FIRST LEARN TO FOLLOWGreat leaders are great followers. They
are humble. They do not always need to
be in charge. They understand the impact
of great followership. If you don’t under-
stand the dynamics of following, then you
don’t understand the dynamics of leading.
Many people in positions of authority
18 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
Whether it’s your first day on
the job or your 20th year as
a sports turf manager, it’s
important to know where your irrigation
water comes from. Common irrigation
sources for sports turf managers include,
but are not limited to: surface water,
groundwater, municipal water, and recy-
cled/effluent water. Now that you know
your water source, what in the world is in
it and what does it mean? Irrigation water
management is an important component
of a successful sports turf management
program. Whatever your water source, it is
important to test your irrigation water so
you can successfully manage your field in
the best way possible. This article seeks to
educate sports turf managers on how to
properly take a water sample and what to
do once you get your irrigation report back
from the lab.
Collecting the Sample
Obtaining a proper sample is the first
step in receiving an accurate irrigation
report. Below are general guidelines for
collecting a sample. You should always
check with the lab where you are submit-
ting your sample for their specific guide-
lines. The steps below are taken from the
soil, water and forage lab at Oklahoma
State University.
1. Obtain a clean, opaque 4-ounce water
bottle from a local extension office.
2. Take the sample directly from the irri-
gation source you want to test (irriga-
tion head).
3. Fill the bottle halfway, rinse the bottle
entirely then pour it out. Repeat three
times.
4. Collect the sample.
5. Label bottles immediately.
6. Fill the bottle as full as possible with
the lid tight and submit to county
extension office or lab.
Interpreting the Report
When you first receive your irrigation
report, it can be overwhelming. Where do
you start? What should you be looking
for? Below, we will look at several parame-
ters that will give you a great start for
interpreting your water results. All param-
eters are important, but these are the best
place to begin.
• pH is the measurement of dissolved
hydronium ions in solution. Irrigation
water can be classified as alkaline or
acidic based on the pH value. The pH
values can range from 0 to 14; 7.0 is
neutral, below 7.0 is acidic, and above
7.0 is alkaline. A desirable range of pH
for most turfgrasses is 6.0 to 7.0 but
most irrigation water will range from
6.5 to 8.4. The suggested range is also
dependent upon your soil type. A pH
outside of this range may not be a direct
problem itself, but may show a need for
evaluation of other chemical compo-
nents in the irrigation water.
• Bicarbonate & Carbonate are common
components of irrigation water that can
have a direct effect on turfgrass health.
If bicarbonates are >120 ppm and car-
bonates are > 15 ppm and sodium is
>100 mg/L, then there is potential to
create sodic soil conditions. This is bad
for soils and for turfgrass performance.
High concentrations of bicarbonates
and carbonates with high calcium and
magnesium can lead to deposits of cal-
cium or lime. Irrigation water with a
high pH (>8.0) often contains higher
bicarbonates.
• Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC)
allows us to find the sodium hazard of
our irrigation water. To get this parame-
Irrigation WaterTesting andInterpretationReprinted with permission from SportsTurf magazine, March 2017, www.sportsturfonline.com
Dr. Justin Quetone Moss& Chrissie A. Segars
19PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
ter bicarbonate, carbonate, calcium, and
magnesium are calculated based on an
equation and expressed to give us the
sodium hazard. An easy way to think
about this parameter is calcium and
magnesium act as a “blocker” of sodium
accumulation. If the RSC becomes too
high, the calcium and magnesium are
removed and unable to stop the accu-
mulation of sodium.
• Electrical Conductivity & Total
Dissolved Solids. Saline soil conditions
are one of the more common issues
when dealing with marginal to poor
irrigation water quality. Electrical con-
ductivity is a measure of the degree that
a water conducts electricity across 1 cm
of water. Electrical conductivity is
measured by passing an electrical cur-
rent through the water sample and
recording the resistance. Electrical con-
ductivity is used to estimate total dis-
solved solids by multiplying by 0.64
based on the units given below in
• The Sodium Adsorption Ratio is gener-
ally used to determine the ratio of sodi-
um to calcium and magnesium in soils,
which determines sodium status and
permeability hazard. Although, this is a
soil parameter, it can be used to classify
irrigation water and is typically reported
on irrigation reports.
Together, total salts and SAR are used
to help predict water infiltration rates.
Infiltration refers to the soil’s ability to
allow water through; also referred to as
soil permeability. Infiltration rates can be
improved by high total salts, but high salts
may also reduce turfgrass health.
Therefore, irrigation water with high salts
can benefit and damage turfgrass simulta-
neously. Extremely pure water can lead to
reduced infiltration, even at low SAR.
High total salts can help with infiltration
at medium to high SAR (15-20); high cal-
cium and magnesium can counterbalance
effects of high sodium.
Example Irrigation Water Reports
Let’s look at two example reports. Both
reports will come from the Oklahoma
State soil, water, and forage lab. These
irrigation reports are broken down into
categories that make it easy to see and
know what to look for. These reports also
include a paragraph that gives recommen-
dations based on the reported values. This
will not be the case for all labs, but is
becoming more common.
The pH of this water is in the upper
part of our desired range. However, a pH
of 8.4 will still allow for successful turf-
grass growth without further remediation.
A pH above 8.0 can cause higher bicar-
bonates, but in this case, since sodium is
not an issue it should be suitable for turf-
grass growth.
The bicarbonate of this irrigation water
is slightly above the threshold of 150 ppm.
However, levels of carbonates and RSC
are well within the low hazard category.
The pH of the water could be the cause of
the slightly higher bicarbonate level.
Irrigation water with these reported values
should have no concern for sodium accu-
mulation.
The EC for this irrigation water falls
into the “Excellent” range. This range sug-
gests no management concern. Remember,
EC is an indirect measurement of salt
accumulation but can still be useful for
management considerations.
The total salts reported value of 336.7
ppm falls into the “Good” range for irriga-
20 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
tion water. This water should have little
management concern especially with rain-
fall and leaching ability. The SAR of 1.5
also falls into the “Good” range. This value
is of little management concern, however,
if sodium should become a problem, gyp-
sum can be used to help remedy the con-
cern.
Now that we have looked at these two
parameters separately, let’s look at how
they will affect infiltration rates together.
When used together, these parameters fall
into the “Moderate” category for infiltra-
tion. If this water is being used on a heavy
soil system where leaching is unable to
occur, a problem could arise in the future.
However, with regular rainfall and leach-
ing occurring, no problem should be
found.
Overall, this irrigation water should be
suitable for turfgrass growth without many
problems, especially if it is on a sand based
system.
The pH of this water is in the upper
part of our desired range. However, a pH
of 8.3 will allow for successful turfgrass
growth without further remediation. A pH
above 8.0 can cause higher bicarbonates.
However, in this case, sodium is an issue
but is likely not due to pH.
The bicarbonate level of this irrigation
water is well above the recommended
threshold of 150 ppm. The carbonate level
is below the recommended threshold of 15
ppm. However, when the bicarbonates,
carbonates, calcium, and magnesium are
used to calculate the RSC, it presents an
issue. The RSC is calculated as 3.2 meq,
which falls into the “High Hazard” cate-
gory for sodium accumulation. The higher
concentrations of bicarbonates and car-
bonates have removed a lot of the calcium
and magnesium that allows for high sodi-
um accumulation.
The EC for this irrigation water falls
into the “Good” range. This range sug-
gests little management concern, especially
if rainfall and leaching can occur.
Remember, EC is an indirect measure-
ment of salt accumulation but can still be
useful for management considerations.
The total salts reported value of 865.2
ppm falls into the “Good” range for irriga-
tion water. This water should have little
management concern especially with rain-
fall and leaching ability. The SAR of 5.1
also falls into the “Poor” range. This is
cause for concern. Management recom-
mendations are aerification of the soil fol-
lowed by sand topdressing, pelletized gyp-
sum, continued soil monitoring, and
leaching when possible.
Now that we have looked at these two
parameters separately, let’s look at how they
will affect infiltration rates together. When
used together, these parameters fall into the
“Moderate” category for infiltration.
Infiltration rates should not be a problem
on well-drained soils. Soil management cul-
tural practices should allow infiltration
when using medium textured soils.
Overall, this irrigation water is of low
quality. The use of this water must be
monitored closely and is really only rec-
ommended for more salt tolerant turf-
grasses on very well drained permeable
soils and medium textured soils with care-
ful monitoring. This water is not recom-
mended on heavy soils.
As a sports turf manager, irrigation
water quality is very important to under-
stand. As we have learned, interpretation
of water quality parameters, while com-
plex, can be done if we follow written
guidelines. While management of irriga-
tion water can be done using general writ-
ten guidelines, some instances may require
more in depth analysis. Many factors con-
tribute to proper management as well as
problems that may arise. Factors such as
climate, soil type, and turfgrass
cultivar/use must be taken into considera-
tion when problems or management reme-
dies are concerned.
Dr. Justin Quetone Moss is associate
professor and Chrissie A. Segars is a Ph.D.
Candidate at Oklahoma State University.
21PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
As the era of injury prevention in
sports reaches new heights, an
Idaho State University professor
is at the forefront of injury research.
Instead of focusing on the athletes,
equipment or the way athletes get hit,
Michael Meyers, 60, is studying the sur-
faces they play on.
In 2000, at a high school football stadi-
um in Abilene, Texas, Meyers saw one of
the first-ever FieldTurf fields to be used
by players at the high school level.
A researcher at that time, Meyers’
curiosity about the new style of artificial
turf began to grow, especially after what
he believes were a series of failed experi-
ments in the 1970s with synthetic grass,
which in many cases was just carpet laid
out on concrete.
Tarkett Inc., the company that manu-
factures FieldTurf, built the brand around
the slogan “looks like grass, feels like
grass, plays like grass,” Meyers said. “I
said, ‘that’s a pretty large brag right there.
I want to find out if it’s true.’”
In 2004, Meyers, an associate professor
of sports science and physical education,
published a multi-year study comparing
the occurrence of sports injuries on natural
grass versus FieldTurf. His research, which
focused on eight high schools that used
either FieldTurf or natural grass, conclud-
ed that there fewer injuries on FieldTurf
compared to natural grass, and that the
injuries on the synthetic surface were typi-
cally less severe.
Two years later, FieldTurf officials
reached out to Meyers and asked if he’d be
interested in researching more of the com-
pany’s products.
3 decades of researchMeyers has been researching sports-
related injuries for nearly 30 years.
Throughout his career, he has studied a
variety of sports and physical activities,
from rodeo to dance to bungee jumping.
But for the last 16 years, his focus has
been on studying injuries that occur on
grass compared to artificial surfaces in
high school and collegiate sports.
“Two things professional organizations
take into account is that as the violence of
a sport gets worse, you have greater trau-
ma,” Meyers said. “You’re not going to get
as much trauma as you would in college
Idaho Professorsays Synthetic Turfis Better than Grassfor AthletesReprinted with permission from SportsTurf magazine, March 2017, www.sportsturfonline.com
22 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
football or high school football, but men’s
soccer will have more injuries than
women’s soccer. So the big issue wasn’t the
number of injuries, it was what surface do
you find them on.”
His latest study, “Incidence,
Mechanisms, and Severity of Match-
Related Collegiate Men’s Soccer Injuries
on FieldTurf and Natural Grass Surfaces:
A 6-Year Prospective Study,” was pub-
lished in the Nov. 21 issue of The
American Journal of Sports Medicine.
“Basically, what we found out with this
study is that the artificial grass, specifically
FieldTurf, is superior to natural grass in so
many ways,” he said.
Meyers studied male soccer athletes
from 11 NCAA Division I schools over
six seasons. He evaluated 765 games for
match-related injuries played on both sur-
faces.
The study nearly evenly split the num-
ber of games played on both surfaces.
Overall, Meyers documented 722 injuries,
with 268, or 37.1 percent occurring on
FieldTurf, and 454, or 62.9 percent occur-
ring on natural grass.
Meyers’ analysis also showed signifi-
cantly less trauma for injuries that
occurred on FieldTurf. Factors in the com-
parison included severity of injury, type of
injury, time loss, player position, injury
mechanism and situation, various environ-
mental conditions, cleat design, turf age
and elective medical procedures, among
others.
A change in trendsMeyers sees a future where natural grass
is a thing of the past. “Everyone is tradi-
tionally prone to natural grass when it
comes to soccer, but as our new genera-
tions come up, they’re not going to
remember what a grass field looks like
because programs are moving toward arti-
ficial turf, whether we like it or not,” he
said.
He also believes some types of turf will
be more effective than others.
In a separate study, Meyers looked at
how the weight of turf surfaces influence
athletic injuries. As the weight of turf
increases, Meyers said the firmness of the
surface and stability also increases. As
weight increases, the density and thickness
of the turf also increases, according to
Meyers.
The study, published in 2013, looked at
52 high schools over four years and
showed that as artificial infill surface
weight decreased, the incidence of game-
related high school football trauma signifi-
cantly increased across numerous playing
conditions.
If the weight of the turf surface is less
than 6 pounds per square foot, Meyers
said injuries can increase by more than 30
percent. This is because the consistency of
infill is greater and provides more support
to the athletes’ feet.
“That being said, the majority of fields,
especially at the high school level, are 3 to
5 pounds,” Meyers said. “Why? Because
there’s less infill, so they’re cheap.”
There are more than 30 companies
competing in the synthetic turf market
these days, according to Meyers. Because
the FieldTurf brand has a majority of the
market share, Meyers focused on it specif-
ically for the study. He said the company
also invented the infield turf systems most
use today.
Meyers has also reached out to several
other companies offering to research their
product, but those companies have
declined the offer.
Because he’s a teacher, Idaho State
University supports about 60 percent of
Meyers’ research and FieldTurf accounts
for the other 40 percent. He maintains all
of the data is his, and the company doesn’t
receive any of it until his study is pub-
lished.
Though some may claim his research
holds bias, Meyers said his results are just
a testament to the increase in safety tech-
nology, despite natural grass having a few
advantages.
“If you can imagine, at the beginning of
every season natural grass is brand new.
Whereas the artificial turf sits out there,
year after year, with UV rays and it gets
pounded on,” he said. “In spite of that,
and this study being at the NCAA level
where they take very good care of their
fields, we still saw significantly lower
instances of injuries on the field turf than
we did with natural grass.”
23PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
Logo Branding Enteringthe Golf IndustryMike Hebrard Athletic Field Design
Having an athletic field-based busi-
ness, I have done work in several
sports and am adding a new one
every year.
One that keeps popping up year after year
in other venues is the golf industry. I first
started by painting a blue line around the
green for the no-cart area; I used blue
because it’s hardly noticeable from the tee
box. This led me to use blue to mark sprin-
kler heads on athletic fields as well as for
marking locations for upcoming renovation
because the color would not distract from
watching the game.
While presenting at a turf seminar about
painting for other events, I was approached by
a golf course superintendent from Roseburg
Country Club that hosts a tournament for
Abby’s Pizza, an Oregon-based pizza chain
that wanted to up their image of their event.
He handed my contact information to the
marketing company and they quickly sent me
the artwork of what they wanted painted for
their 25th annual tournament.
Though it was a three-plus-hour drive
from my city to the course in Roseburg,
Oregon, I hoped I had all the materials and
colors for the presentation. Since the
requested artwork was quite large and there
was not enough time to have a stencil made,
I used the old technique of gridding the des-
ignated area to be painted.
For years it has been a taboo to mark the
pristine turf on golf courses with decorations
or logos, but with an increase in marketing
and sponsor dollars the natural location for
them has moved to strategic viewing sites.
Most of my painting is done freehand, as
sometimes the design might not fit or the
sponsor changes the artwork.
Quite by accident, I was asked if I knew
anything about painting the Long Drive grid
and logos at the annual event. I mentioned I
had seen the event on TV but was never
involved. The thought of the process of lay-
ing out such an event piqued my interest.
Oddly enough, the next year Justin
Kupper, a paint salesman from Pioneer
Athletics, mentioned the event was being
moved to the Winstar Resort in
Thacherville, Oklahoma. He also mentioned
that one of his customers, Tim Kemp of
Devco, got the contract to lay out and paint
the grid and logos. Tim’s background was in
painting parking lots and football fields with
little experience in logos, so getting me
involved helped his confidence that he could
do the job.
They started out by laying out the grid
(much like laying out three football fields
end to end). The terrain was wavy and it
would have been difficult to keep the lines
straight using a conventional painter, so a
sled was used to slide along the grass and a
riding painter sprayed in between the rails.
Once all the lines were painted, strings were
run the entire length of the grid (usually they
start at the 200-yard distance to 420 yards);
those strings are used for the inside yard
marks and the center of the sponsor logos on
each side. Then pre-made visqueen stencils
are laid out and dotted with the color of the
outline, and the 15-foot yardmark stencil
that I designed was used to paint yard marks
on the inside and outside every yard from
200 to 420. Then another crew lays out
three-digit six-foot-high number stencils and
paints the outline in white, followed by fill-
ing them in with black. Both inverted aerosol
cans and bulk paint sprayed with an airless
painter are used to keep the job going. Then
the logos get filled in with the designated
colors. Since the event is over two weeks, the
grid gets mowed and the entire layout gets
repainted for the championship round.
Now I’m involved with other long-drive
events in Mesquite, Nevada, and Denver,
Colorado, as well as upcoming local golf
tournaments to promote the sponsors’ busi-
nesses. I have also done past golf events for a
restoration company-hosted tournament,
with their logo painted at a couple of signa-
ture holes at The Oregon Golf Club and
100-foot-high tree outlines with rolling hill
at Palo Alto Golf Club.
I have painted logos for other events on a
golf course for the Nike Cross Nationals
cross-country race at Glendoveer Golf
Course (where the runners run through a
designated course throughout the fairways)
and logos for LeMay Auto Museum in
Tacoma, Washington, in hopes of being seen
while they were taking blimp pictures of
local areas for the U.S. Open in Chambers
Bay. I have also done logos for Taylor Made
24 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
Golf Clubs at their factory driving range in
Carlsbad, California, introducing their new
driver, The Believe, and another 3D version
on their driving range in Las Vegas, the
Taylor Made Golf Experience, promoting
their new Loft club.
My son Andy has even gotten into the act
by doing a logo at Fire Rock Golf course in
Fountain Hills, Arizona, for their member-
ship tournament and most recently on the
Champions Tour in Iowa for the Principal
Charity Classic. Usually those logos are
placed near the club house on a slope or hill
for the best viewing angle.
Things to consider when painting on the
nicely mowed grass on a golf course are that
white shows up well and is a good outline
contrast for darker colors. Beware of the
darker colors such as black during the hotter
times of the year as they draw in more heat
and can damage the turf much like leaving a
tarp on an infield. If you are using a stencil
to lay out a logo, beware of using a clear
visqueen material because if it is on the turf
for much more than a half-hour it can burn
and discolor the turf. So quickly dot out the
pattern and fold up and store.
It’s always good to print out and laminate
at least two copies of the artwork in case you
have another helper. It helps to dot out the
stencil with the corresponding colors so that
it is easier to connect the correct colors.
Other less intrusive methods would be to use
Green Lawnger or other turf colorants and
do a watermark method so that the image is
still viable but doesn’t distract from the
event. With green you can have a perfect
match of the grass looking into one direction
of the sun and a very dark image looking in
the opposite direction.
Now with the popular availability of
drones, the artwork can be preserved for
future archives and marketing. The angle and
site line is very important as most of the
recognition is from the paying patrons with-
out the fantastic images from a drone.
ATHLETIC FIELD DESIGN12586 SE Bluff Drive Clackham, OR 97105
(503) 698-6383
[email protected] | www.athleticfield.com
• Training • Consulting • Field layout• Laser grading • Logo painting
• Infield renovation • New infield installa-tion • Tournament & Playoff prep
• Aeration, Topdressing, Slice
25PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
Study: Crumb RubberCancer Risk ‘At orBelow 1 in a Million’Sharon Salyer The Daily HeraldEverett, Washington, 2017
Tests conducted of crumb rubber
sports fields in five cities, including
the Everett Boys &Girls Club,
found that the cancer risk for children play-
ing on the fields was “at or below one in a
million.”
That finding was part of a new study con-
ducted by Maryland-based Jenkins
Environmental Inc.
The company oversaw a nearly $200,000
project to study the fields’ safety, requested
by the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation in
Baltimore.
“We are very confident in the results,”
Steve Salem, the foundation’s chief executive,
said in an interview.
“Our role in this was to bring the right
people together, to come up with the funding
to get this done, and make sure the kids were
safe,” he said.
The foundation, named after the famous
former Baltimore Orioles manager, spon-
sored the construction of all five fields that
were tested.
The Everett ballfield is on the grounds of
the Boys &Girls Club near Hawthorne
Elementary School. Installation of the artifi-
cial turf was completed in 2014. It was paid
for by the Ripken foundation, Everett
Community College and Snohomish County
Parks and Recreation.
The college’s softball team plays on the
field.
The four other fields that were tested were
in Baltimore, Newport News, Virginia,
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Hartford,
Connecticut.
The Ripken foundation announced in
June 2015 that it would pay for testing its
sports fields.
If the tests had found reasons for concern
about the safety of the crumb rubber fields,
the foundation was prepared to remove the
material on all of its fields across the nation,
Salem said.
The foundation’s decision to test the fields
came as concern has grown over the safety of
playing on the artificial turf fields. The tiny
crumb rubber particles used for fill on the
fields are made from ground-up tires. The
particles can be accidentally inhaled or come
in contact with the skin of players.
Amy Griffin, a University of Washington
soccer coach, compiled a list of 53 people
who played on the artificial turf and who
were later diagnosed with cancer, such as
leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s and Hodgkin’s
lymphoma.
One of the cases was that of Austen
Everett, who trained with Griffin. Everett
was a goalkeeper for Seattle’s Bishop
Blanchet High School and played on teams
at the University of California Santa Barbara
and the University of Miami in Florida. She
was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lym-
phoma as a college junior in 2008. She died
four years later when she was 25.
The Edmonds City Council has banned
the installation of crumb rubber on any pub-
licly owned athletic field until Feb. 28.
The Maryland firm’s study is the second
this year that concluded that crumb rubber
sports fields are safe for children to play on.
In January, a review by the state
Department of Health found no evidence
that playing on crumb rubber sports fields
caused soccer players to get cancer.
A national investigation of the possible
health effects of playing on crumb rubber
fields is now under way, conducted by the
federal Environmental Protection Agency,
the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and the Consumer Product
Safety Commission.
Michele Twilley, an environmental scien-
tist who worked on the Ripken foundation
study, acknowledged that its conclusion on
the apparent safety of playing on crumb rub-
ber fields will likely be controversial.
“I kept looking at it as, ‘How would I feel
about my family playing on it?’” she said.
“We used the tools of the trade that we have
available to answer the question: Is it safe?”
26 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
Approximately four out of 10 people will
be diagnosed with cancer sometime in their
lifetime, the study notes. Leukemia, one of
the cancers which has affected some soccer
players, is commonly diagnosed before the
age of 20, it adds.
The Ripken foundation plans to continue
using crumb rubber in the 25 new fields now
being planned nationally, unless there are
local bans on the product, Salem said.
A plan to randomly sample the crumb
rubber before it’s applied to any of those
fields is being developed. “We want to make
sure the batches coming in meet Consumer
Product Safety Commission standards” as
well as look at the chemical profiles, Twilley
said.
The first synthetic turf fields were
installed in the 1960s. Currently, there are up
to 13,000 synthetic turf sports fields nation-
ally, with 1,200 to 1,500 new installations
each year, according to the Environmental
Protection Agency.
Local and state health officials say that
precautions that have been advised in the
past when playing on crumb rubber fields
should continue to minimize potential expo-
sure to a field’s chemicals.
The study began in August 2015. Tests
were conducted on crumb rubber from the
sports fields, the soil beneath them, and the
air around them.
Overall, 92 chemicals, compounds and
heavy metals were detected. Each was meas-
ured against EPA safety standards.
The study found that concentrations of
lead, cadmium, mercury and two other con-
taminants in the crumb rubber samples were
below Consumer Product Safety
Commission limits for children’s products.
The tests were conducted between March
24 and May 10 last year. The air sampling
included some days when field temperatures
“were hitting 100-degrees plus,” to measure
for chemicals that easily vaporize, said
Michael Cirri, president of the Maryland
firm which wrote the study.
In concluding children’s risk of getting
cancer for playing on the fields was at or
below one in a million, the report assumed
that a child would be playing on the artificial
turf fields for one to two hours per day, five
days a week, 50 weeks a year.
“We stand behind our conclusion and
have the data to stand behind our conclu-
sion,” Cirri said. “The analysis in the report
is extensive.”
27PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
New Trends in WaterConserving Products,Practices & Programs
Why, as sports turf managers, do you need to consider
water conservation in your daily responsibilities?
Because:
• we need to be proactive;
• water is in critical supply (underground aquifers are contaminat-
ed and drawing down);
• the sports turf industry is very visible;
• our fields are becoming more environmentally conscience every
day; and
• we are stewards of the most precious natural resource on Earth:
water.
There are many new water-use products offered today, and that
makes water conservation a no-brainer.
Climate-based controllers, or SMART systems, offer evapo-
transpiration-based data that automatically regulates the schedul-
ing of irrigation for landscapes and turf. Some offer a true plant,
soil and sprinkler database, thus being able to apply water during
any season, as the plant needs it.
Sensors are available which automatically turn off the irrigation
system when it is raining, windy, and/or freezing. Certainly, this
saves you from harsh calls from the public when it is raining and
the irrigation systems are running! Soil moisture can now be
measured with special devices that communicate to the controller
when the soils need more moisture.
Simple drain check valves help keep the water in the pipes
when low head runoff might take place due to elevation changes.
Lynda WightmanHunter Industries
Pressure regulation, especially in smaller fixed spray sprinklers,
can be created either in the sprinkler riser and/ or a device
attached to the electric valve. As pressure increases, so does the
amount of flow. With most sprinklers at higher pressures, there
will be smaller droplet sizes, thus a “misting” effect. Obviously,
with any wind, the water is wasted and isn’t beneficial to the plant.
Rotator nozzles have become the sprinkler of choice for areas 8
to 35 feet. They have a lower precipitation rate and a much higher
uniformity rating that sprays used in these locations. Thus, allow-
ing water to get into the soil without runoff and also avoiding
brown doughnuts around the sprinklers (poor distribution unifor-
mity — DU). With lower flow, the water savings are dramatic
when compared to small area sprinkler use.
Uniformity is the term that describes how evenly the water is
distributed by the sprinkler. Efficiency is the ratio between how
much water the plant beneficially uses compared to how much
water the system is applying. Why is maximizing water use and
maintaining uniformity important? Water and energy conserva-
tion; eliminate nutrient leaching $$$; reduce weeds and diseases;
safety; manage salinity and poor water quality; improve playing
conditions; improve aesthetics and have overall healthier plant
material.
By conducting an irrigation audit, collect and analyze the data,
it shows the uniformity of a system, and allows the end user to
justify the cost of renovating an older system. Typically, we see
audits with DU’s of 35% to 40%! Think of how much water is
28 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
Green Roofs (on top of parking lots and sports structures) which
require optimum uniformity for irrigation and cooling. A few
other initiatives that can be accessed on the internet are:
• SWAT – Smart Water Application Technology (testing of
SMART irrigation equipment)
• EPA WaterSense program (individual certification available
with IA auditor credentials)
• Alliance for Water Efficiency
• July Smart Irrigation Month (Irrigation Association).
In conclusion, there are a tremendous amount of new trends (to
stay!), products, and programs that are available and easy to access,
which will help all of use water effectively and efficiently.
being over-applied to make the dry spots go away.
There are many legislative trends for water conservation being
implemented throughout North America. Ben Franklin has a great
quote: “When the well is dry, we learn the worth of water.” This is
happening in states such as Iowa, where contamination and quan-
tity have become issues. Some alternative types of water that are
being implemented and used are reclaimed, harvested rain,
desalinization of ocean water, and gray applications.
With the implementation of LEED (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design), and the SSI (Sustainable Sites Initiative),
water conservation is being addressed at all aspects using irriga-
tion. In the SSI point system, design, installation and management
play important parts in landscape and watering. We are also seeing
1-800-267-7763w w w . b o s s o d . c o m
SPORT SOD• Grown on washed sand • Big or small rolls
• Coastal Blend• Service to WA, OR & BC
Portland Salem & Bend OR:Kurt Wright
Portland OR & Vancouver WA:Dan Dearing
Seattle WA:Eric Thompson Erik Boley
971-270-8276 [email protected] [email protected]
For all your fertilizer, seed and soil amendment needs.
WAREHOUSE: 877-221-6491
PNWSTMA Board of Directors:
30 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
PRESIDENT:Tim Werner
[email protected](425) 587-3399
VICE PRESIDENT:Gary Sayre
[email protected](425) 257-8351
SECRETARY:Matt Johns
TREASURER:Bill Griffith
[email protected](509) 527-4269
PAST PRESIDENT:Bill Griffith
WEB PAGE:Tim Werner
[email protected](425) 587-3399
VENDOR REPRESENTATIVE:
Scott BirdEwing Irrigation Products
[email protected](509) 542-9530
K-12 REPRESENTATIVE:Vacant
MEMBERSHIP:Joe Kovolyan
CERTIFICATION:Bill Griffith
[email protected](509) 527-4269
PARKS BOARD MEMBER:Vacant
SCHOLARSHIP:Dr. Gwen Stahnke
[email protected](509) 527-4225
BETWEEN THE STRIPES:Gary Sayre
[email protected](425) 257-8351
REGIONALCHAIRPERSONS
Western Washington:Representative:Matt Wilkinson
[email protected](253) 347-5601
Eastern Washington:Shawn Harper
[email protected](509) 528-6667
PNWSTMA Board of Directors
NORTHWEST TURFGRASSASSOCIATION
2017 Annual Conference
31PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
NTA Conference
With the Pacific Northwest Sports Turf Managers Associationand the Northwest Turfgrass Association joining forces, thisyear’s NTA’s conference – October 1-3 at Suncadia Resort –will feature an educational track aimed just at sports turfprofessionals. More information, including a detailedschedule registration form, is available at www.nwturf-grass.net or through Paul Ramsdell ([email protected] 253-219-8360).
Full Package—Double Occupancy at $690• Lodging for two nights at The Lodge at Suncadia
• Two educational sessions• Two rounds of golf at Suncadia
• Two dinner receptions• One plated brunch
• One plated breakfast
Full Package—Single Occupancy at $895• Lodging for two nights at The Lodge at Suncadia
• Two educational sessions• Two rounds of golf at Suncadia
• Two dinner receptions• One plated brunch
• One plated breakfast
No-Golf Package—Double Occupancy at $575• Two nights lodging
• Two educational sessions• Two dinner receptions
• One plated brunch• One plated breakfast
Single-Day Sports Turf at $100 (Monday)• Sports Turf education sessions
• Dinner reception
Registration packages are also available for students and spouses. See www.nwturfgrass.net for more information.
NORTHWEST TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION
Board of Directors:
PRESIDENT:Steve Link
Skagit Golf & Country [email protected]
(360) 757-3434
VICE-PRESIDENT:Thaddeus Lalley
Everett Golf & Country [email protected]
(425) 652-7296
SECRETARY:Jacob Close
Sudden Valley Golf & Country Club
[email protected](360) 746-8440
TREASURER:Greg Matz
Inglewood Golf Club [email protected]
(425) 488-9808
PAST PRESIDENT:Carl Taylor
Western [email protected]
(253) 266-6052
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:Paul Ramsdell
Northwest Turfgrass Association1802 Weatherswood Dr. NW
Gig Harbor, WA [email protected]
(253) 219-8360
BOARD MEMBERS:Mike Bednar
Palouse Ridge Golf [email protected]
(509) 592-3794
Dave KennedyVancouver Golf Club
[email protected](604) 939-0677
Jason HabeckToro
[email protected](970) 901-1026
Marcus HarnessSahalee Country Club
[email protected](425) 868-1600
Russell VandeheyThe Oregon Golf [email protected]
(503) 655-4533
NTA Board of Directors
PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 201732
Covers – Field & TurfCovermaster Inc.
FertilizerSimplot Partners
Field DesignAthletic Field Design
RaincoversCovermaster Inc.
Seed/SeedingBarenbrug USASimplot Partners
Sod – Natural Bos Sod Farms Inc.
Soil ConditionersEwing Irrigation and Landscape Supply
By Category
PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017 33
34 PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
Covermaster Inc. 100 Westmore Drive – 11-D, Rexdale, ON M9V 5C3www.covermaster.comContact: Ken [email protected] more than four decadesCovermaster has been the leadingsupplier of protective sports sur-faces covers both indoors and out-doors.
Ewing Irrigation and Landscape Supply 3441 Harbour Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034www.EwingIrrigation.comContact: Tim [email protected] is the country’s largest fami-ly-owned supplier of landscapeand water management products,serving the landscaping, sportsfields and golf industries.
Simplot Partners11600 NE Marx St., Portland, OR 97220www.simplot.comContact: Erik [email protected] in sports field fertiliz-er, amendments, chemicals, andgrass seed!
Athletic Field Design12586 SE Bluff Drive, Clackamas, OR 97015www.athleticfield.comContact: Mike [email protected] in 1993, Athletic FieldDesign is recognized as the expertin athletic field design, mainte-nance and customized graphics.
Barenbrug [email protected] in 1904, we specialize inplant breeding and seed produc-tion with top quality that is appreci-ated by customers throughout theworld.
Bos Sod Farms Inc.2565 Dixon Rd., Abbotsford, BC V3G [email protected] or 604-854-1415Grown on washed sand, big orsmall rolls, Coastal Blend, servingWashington, Oregon and B.C.
By Company Name
35PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 2017
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Athletic Field Design 24
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PNWSTMA/NTA - Between The Stripes - 201736EwingIrrigation.com/locations
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