Seeding is Believing

Merion GC superintendent Matt Shaffer, allergic to grass in his youth, needed grass more than ever eight years ago. The decision to grow grass helped secure his biggest reward: A U.S. Open.

Penn State turfgrass program hits trifecta of major U.S. golf events

"Trifecta" is a term usually associated with horse racing. But the turfgrass program in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences hit a trifecta of sorts this year in the world of professional golf.

Shaffer talks Penn State Turf as US Open Looms

Penn State turfgrass program turning out major-championship superintendents by Mark Wogenrich Matt Shaffer grew up working on farms but, as he said, "didn't like milking cows." He wanted to grow things.

Penn State Turfgrass Featured by Bloomberg

Mark Kuhns talks about the importance of Penn State's students at Baltusrol. For the first time, the State College, Pennsylvania, school has produced

Penn State Students Awarded Trans-Mississippi Scholarships

Congratulations to recent Penn State graduates, Logan Murphy, Christopher Konow, and Benjamin Burrill who recently became scholarship recipients of the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association, a nationally recognized organization

Penn State Daily Collegian Talks Turfgrass

During the late 1920s, the superintendent at Merion Golf Club was facing turfgrass problems that he was not equipped to deal with. His solution? Joseph Valentine drove to State College, entered the office of then-president Ralph Hetzel and demanded that Penn State develop a program to train professional turf growers.

Stanley J. Zontek (1949-2012)

Stanley J. Zontek Turfgrass Endowment Announced

On Aug. 28, the USGA, the golf turfgrass industry and the Penn State Turfgrass Program lost a dear friend and colleague, Stanley Zontek. To honor his contributions to the golf turf industry and his love for Penn State, Pennsylvania Turfgrass Research Inc. (PTRI) and Penn State named a new endowment the Stanley J. Zontek Turfgrass Endowment.

Curtis Tyrrell Preps for 2012 Ryder Cup

Curtis Tyrrell (2-year class of '96) talks about the preparation for this year's Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club. A total of 20 members of the Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program will fly out this week to volunteer for the 3-day competition.

Heading to the Ryder Cup

Next week is the 2012 Ryder Cup and 19 students in the Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program are heading to Medinah Country Club to see first hand what it takes to pull off this event.