Q&A With Chris Gray

The True Performance Turfgrass Program is LebanonTurf’s new, unique putting green program specifically designed to deliver the proper amount of necessary nutrients and biostimulants to effectively manage stress and provide a high quality putting surface all season long. Based on independent university research, the True Performance Turfgrass Program features Country Club MD granular fertilizers and Emerald Isle foliar products.

1 What’s the underlying philosophy behind the program?

A: Managing stress throughout an entire growing season in putting greens is one of the biggest issues that all Superintendents face. It requires a mix of both granular and foliar fertilizers, along with the stress-buffering properties of biostimulants, to successfully mitigate the effects of stress and maintain the required high quality standards of the putting surfaces at today’s golf courses. By developing a scientifically backed program, proven to accomplish just that, we’re bringing a new strategy to the industry for putting green management.

2 What universities performed the research that the program is based on?

A: We enlisted Purdue University and the University of Arkansas to conduct identical, simultaneous research studies to evaluate multiple programs containing nutrients and biostimulants to determine which ones provided the best the overall turf quality under stressful conditions. Ultimately, there was one program that performed in the best in both studies, which became the basis for the True Performance Turfgrass Program.

3 Since all golf courses aren’t the same, how can one agronomic program fit them all?

A: That’s absolutely correct; all golf courses aren’t the same. That’s why we have flexibility built in to the program. Because the True Performance Turfgrass Program utilizes both Country Club MD granular and Emerald Isle foliar products, Superintendents have the ability to customize all the granular components of the program for their specific golf course. The foliar applications don’t have this flexibility. Because the Emerald Isle foliar products contain the largest amount of biostimulants but are applied in smaller amounts more often, these specific products and number of applications are at the heart of the stress management benefits that the program delivers, as determined by the university research.

4 Is the True Performance Turfgrass Program only going to be for bentgrass greens?

A: For this year, yes. But due to the incredibly positive response from Superintendents we’ve received since its introduction, we’re already planning to expand the program. We’re in the final stages of lining up new university research to be conducted on Ultradwarf Bermudagrass using the same type of format as the previous research studies. We will have an entirely new True Performance Turfgrass Program available in 2019 for golf course managing Ultradwarf Bermudagrass. Additionally we’re already looking into developing programs for both tees and fairways in the future.

5 How is the 10% rebate provided to the golf courses who participate in the program?

A: There are two ways to for the Superintendent to choose to receive the 10% rebate on the total purchase price of the True Performance Turfgrass Program when the claim is submitted to us. They can select to receive a check directly from us that will be mailed directly to them at their golf course. Or they can select the 10% rebate as a credit with the distributor that the products were originally purchased from. This credit can used to purchase anything from that distributor, not just LebanonTurf products.