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Origins of the Program: #EXT100Years
In 1928, Joseph Valentine, T.L. Gustin, and James Bolton paid a call to Ralph Hetzel, president of The Pennsylvania State College, to ask for research in turfgrass.
Looking Back: #EXT100Years
The state of affairs in turfgrass management in the year 1935 was somewhat bleak as the "Great Depression" lasted nearly 15 years. Professor H.B. Musser was in charge of turfgrass research at Penn State. Dr. Fred Grau recieved his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland and was hired as Penn State's first extension agronomist in turf. His responsibilities as turf extension specialist were to evaluate problems in the field and discuss them with research personnel who would then try to solve them.
Winterkill Damage on Turfgrass in Central Pennsylvania
The bitter cold and icy conditions during the winter of 2013/14 revealed “spotty” instances of winterkill on golf courses, lawns, and sports turf this spring. While the exact cause is unclear, relatively warm temperatures in the third week of February (highs ranging from 45 to 50°F) may have allowed crown tissues of annual bluegrass and perennial ryegrass to become hydrated and thus, more susceptible to freezing injury. Unfortunately, temperatures dropped to as low as -1°F the following week, and this may have resulted in freezing of crown tissue and plant death. A brief description of the causes and management of turfgrass winterkill are provided in the following paragraphs.
Penn State Program Tries to Prevent Concussions by Examining Surfaces
What does the hardness of the football field have to do with concussions? According to a recent post in USA Football's "From the Field" blog, field density plays a sizable factor in head injuries. In fact, Penn State's Center for Sports Surface Research reported that 10 percent of concussions come from how hard the ground -- or the artificial turf -- is on a football field.
A Master’s Memory: Latshaw Recalls Ramping up The Greens for Tournament
Paul R. Latshaw served as Augusta National Golf Club’s golf course superintendent from 1986 to 1989. The late Joe Duich, the prolific turfgrass professor and researcher from Penn State University, helped recruit Latshaw to Augusta.
Augusta National Golf Club: Nothing Cosmetic
Augusta National Golf Club's fairways and tees are the greenest. The blooms on the dogwoods and azaleas are the brightest and prettiest. And the ponds that guard some of the most famous holes in golf are picture-book shades of blue. Must be an aggressive fertilization and watering program, right? Guess again.
Penn State Turf Alumna Shares her Success Story
At first I was met with some resistance upon asking to learn every piece of equipment, but was eventually trained on most due to my persistence. After several summers as a laborer, I decided on turfgrass maintenance as a career and enrolled in a two-year program. There were only a few women, but we were at the top of the class. Upon graduation, I applied for management positions, working my way up through various intern, training and technician jobs. I built my resume around mentors who were respected and knowledgeable.
2013 Superintendent of the Year
Penn State Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program alumnus Matt Shaffer has just been named a 2013 Superintendent of the Year finalist. Shaffer graduated from the program in 1974 and is currently the superintendent at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, PA. He is being recognized for the challenges he faced as at Merion during last year’s
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Thanks to Our Golf Turf Conference Sponsors
Penn State and The Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council would like to thank their 2013 Golf Turf Conference Sponsers! The Golf Turf Conference provides practical information on golf course management to practitioners, industry reps, and students. The event will include a pre-conference seminar, a job fair, the Turf Club Luncheon, and multiple educational sessions on a wide
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One More Championship for PSU Turf Alum
The name is a nod back to Scotland, where golf’s first rules were written. The inspiration draws upon Bobby Jones and Augusta National. P.G.A. But the stamp upon Muirfield Village Golf Club is wholly that of Jack Nicklaus. Muirfield Village, site of the 10th Presidents Cup this week, is but one of nearly 300 layouts
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