Just imagine – special arrangements have been made to grow sample plots of turfgrass in Brunei Darussalam so that superintendents attending the Campus On the Greens conference will be able to feel, touch and really experience the turf for themselves.
This is really a very special experience for Asian superintendents and it has been made possible through a tripartite arrangement involving the University of Georgia, the Asia Pacific Golf Group and the Empire Golf Club.
The Campus On The Greens will be held in conjunction with the sixth edition of the Asia Pacific Golf Summit (APGS) which will be held at Brunei’s Empire Hotel and Country Club from December 11-13.
This will be a three-day session that will be planned by superintendents, programmed by superintendents and exclusively attended by superintendents.
It will be a true cutting-edge event that will bring superintendents in the region face to face with the opportunities, challenges and problems that they encounter in conducting their work. It will also endeavour to provide them with effective solutions.
Commenting on the sample turf plots, Nigel Taylor, the club’s Golf & Country Club Operations Manager and Golf Course & Landscape Superintendent said, “We are very appreciative of the support we have received from the University of Georgia to set up these sample plots for the exclusive purpose of the Campus On The Greens conference.”
According to Smith, “We will be setting up three plots of certified TifEagle Bermudagrass, certified TifGrand Bermudagrass and certified SeaStar Paspalum”. The size of each sample plot will be 50 square metres.
“I will also likely add in a plot of 419 fairway grass and tifdwarf greens grass so that we can have more to compare with,” Smith pointed out.
The samples featured will be from the following renowned breeders:
• TifEagle – Dr. Wayne Hanna
• TifGrand – Dr. Wayne Hanna
• SeaStar – Dr. Paul Raymer
TifEagle is released by internationally recognized USDA/ARS plant geneticist Dr. Wayne Hanna, TifEagle is the third generation of bermudagrass varieties developed exclusively for golf greens. TifEagle recovers more quickly from mechanical injury, has better colour, and is extremely cold-hardy, drought-tolerant and disease-resistant. It’s qualities include:
• Improved Speed, Consistency and Overall Playability
• Superior Color Retention Under Cool Conditions
• Smooth Transitions During Overseeding And Spring Green-up
• Much Less Thatch Buildup Than Other Ultradwarfs
• Quality-Conscious Licensed Growers Association
TifGrand was developed by Dr. Wayne Hanna, professor of plant breeding and genetics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Its qualities include:
• Thrives in 60-70% continuous shade (approximately 5 hours direct sun)
• Superior quality in full sun
• Semi-dwarf nature with naturally dark green blade
• Produces a dense turf with vertical blade orientation
• Significantly reduced fertilizer (N) requirement
• Reduced water requirement
• Increased cold tolerance
• Spreads by stolons and rhizomes
• Tawny-mole cricket non-preference
• Only produced by license Certified Producers
SeaStar – is a new and improved Seashore Paspalum variety developed from a cross made by Dr. Paul Raymer at the University of Georgia in 2003. SeaStar’s outstanding turf characteristics include:
• Superior salt tolerance
•Tolerates wide range of mowing heights
• Excellent cool weather color retention
• Low nitrogen fertilization requirements
• Minimal pesticide requirements
• Retains vigor in cloudy conditions
• Attractive shiny, dark-green color
• Excellent striping characteristics
The format of the Campus On The Greens will be based on half-day workshop sessions and half-day field sessions at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Empire course.
“This way, the attending supers will be able to see and experience at first-hand how a golf course is set up for a major international tournament – the Royal Trophy match play clash between Team Asia and Team Europe that will take place from December 14-16,” explained Mike Sebastian, chief executive officer of the Asia Pacific Golf Group, the owner and producer of the Asia Pacific Golf Summit.
As well as attending the session, all participating superintendents will be given the opportunity to volunteer as helpers for the staging of the Royal Trophy which features Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal and Japan’s Naomichi ‘Joe’ Ozaki as the respective team captains.
Bob Moore, ASGCA, Principal, JMP Golf Design Group, Costello Hollinger Moore, said: “The APGS has been a trail-blazer for golf in this region and we expect this year’s Summit to continue in this fine tradition.”
Visit the Summit’s web site at http://www.golfconference.org
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