The Whiteboard

{ Editor’s Notebook }

Start off with science

Interns from Baltusrol Golf Club visit FMC research lab.

By Guy Cipriano

Lab coats, gloves, goggles and closed-toe footwear were the required attire at the FMC Red Carpet Tour.

The tour, held at the FMC Global Innovation Center in Ewing, N.J., gave eight interns from Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J., director of grounds Mark Kuhns and assistant superintendent Chris Moffat a firsthand look at the pesticide research and development process.

After the required safety presentations – no photos or cellphone usage inside the lab, please – FMC Director of Product Development Robin Slatter introduced the company’s history, global profile and how products reach market. How does 10 years and $200 million sound? The process brings frustrations, including product eliminations and alterations, and lengthy waits for federal and state label approval.

The overview filtered into decisions superintendents make when purchasing pesticides. The interns, who hailed from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Wisconsin and Canada, haven’t reached the purchasing stage. But Kuhns has spent nearly four decades making key decisions for prestigious golf courses and the tour might lead to changes in his own practices. “I have been doing this for 38 years and you’re always learning something new,” he says. “I keep an open mind. There are things we saw here that we will try.”

Inside the lab, interns received images of product testing. Outside the lab, they learned the value of establishing relationships with a company that develops products used on golf courses.

Adam Manwarren, FMC brand manager for turf and ornamental products, related many of the conversations to the golf industry. Before anybody entered the lab, Manwarren performed brief market research, asking the interns where they obtain information on pesticides. Trade publications, Twitter, blogs, distributors and field days such as the Red Carpet Tour were popular answers.

The college students working at Baltusrol are in fortuitous spots. Not only are they learning on two storied and plush golf courses maintained by a 75-worker crew, they take detours from manicuring and mowing to visit universities performing turfgrass research and companies developing products. “We had a lot of information that we gave them,” Slatter says. “They are going to obviously need to reflect and they may circle back. It’s part of a process of building up their knowledge base through these visits.”

The interns were required to dispose of gloves and return lab coats and goggles following the tour. Besides the attire, everything else about the field day represented the turfgrass version of red-carpet treatment.

“I think it was an excellent educational day for them,” Slatter says. “We’re happy to do it.”
 

Pat Jones inducted into TOCA Hall of Fame

GCI Publisher/Editorial Director honored for contributions to green industry.

Golf Course Industry Publisher/Editorial Director Pat Jones was inducted into the TOCA Hall of Fame in May for his long service and dedication to the green industry.

TOCA – a trade group for editors, publishers and other communicators in the turf and ornamental industries – inducted Jones during its 25th annual meeting in New Orleans.

“TOCA celebrating 25 years makes me feel really old,” Jones said. “I will always remember the people who have come and gone. Especially all of their passion and good ideas. It’s amazing to me how much has changed in the past 25 years, but my job remains the same… to help other people every single day through communications.”

Jones was one of the founding members of TOCA, serving twice as the organization’s president. He began his career with GCSAA, eventually serving as its communications director. He also spent time working in public relations at a leading marketing communications agency and as a consultant.

“One of the best things I can say about him is he’s a ‘real person.’ He’s learned the business step by step – some steps back with downturns (like all of us), yet more steps upward. And of course he’s ended on the upside,” said Jose Milan, director of green business operations at Bayer. “Now, if only his golf game were a little better… He is a unique individual and one that’s great for this industry.”
 

Podcast pick of the month

As the season heats up, it’s easy to focus on maintaining a strong stand of turf rather than building bridges. Bruce Williams reminds us of the importance of working with your general manager to cultivate a relationship as a team. Head to http://bit.ly/Sfe8pf to hear it.
 

From the feed

Rain, more rain and even more rain are common throughout spring. But flooding? Hail? Snow? In some parts of the country, April showers brought more May showers. A wet spring after a frigid winter challenged superintendents and crews. Twitter provided the ideal forum to describe their respective plights – or just vent.
 

Chris Cook @brgsuper
Pretty much sums up how the course is 2day. .75” of rain y’day on top of 2” Sunday. More expected 2day.

Matt Powell @MPowell_4
Advance week hail! #crazyweather

Dave Turner @tiltturner
#flood. Just a wee bit if excess water. Raining for 36 hrs now

James Hempfling @JamesHempfling
Not many things in this world bring me more joy than getting a sand topdressing application out just before the rain. #turfnerd

Scott Hillyard @hillyardturf
So if April showers bring May flowers, what does this bring?

Michael Benkusky @BenkuskyGolf
Somebody call Al Gore. It’s snowing out there.

Donald Cross @scc1897
This water hazard is not supposed to be here!

Rob Mason @robmasongolf
Support your golf course superintendent in the spring of 2014. They are getting our courses back in playing condition after a brutal winter

Kevin W. Frank @MSUTurf
Lack of morning sun once again outlines winterkill.

Join the conversation on Twitter @GCIMagazine!