The Rio Grande Golf Course Superintendents Association leads the development of statewide best management practices with grant from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
Lawrence, Kan. – The work of the Rio Grande Golf Course Superintendents Association has resulted in the publication of “Best Management Practices” for New Mexico golf courses.
The New Mexico BMPs were developed in part by using the BMP Planning Guide and Template created by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and funded and supported by the USGA.
The BMPs provide guidance for New Mexico golf course maintenance professionals in 12 key areas including irrigation, water quality monitoring and management, nutrient management and pollinator protection.
The Rio Grande GCSA received $15,000 in BMP grants that GCSAA funded through the association’s Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG) in part by the PGA Tour. The BMP grant program provides funding through the EIFG to chapters for developing new guides, updating existing guides or for verification programs. GCSAA’s goal is to have all 50 states offer established BMPs by the end of 2020.
“(The BMPs) give us a leg to stand on,” said Roy Johnson, Rio Grande GCSA president and superintendent at San Juan Country Club in Farmington, N.M. “It shows we are responsible, we are protecting the environment and that we care for the environment.”
In addition to Johnson, others who served on the New Mexico BMP Steering Committee include Joseph Rodriguez III, director of golf course maintenance at Towa Golf Course in Santa Fe, N.M.; Brian Cloud, Cloud Golf and Turf Services in Fort Worth, Texas; John King, Winfield United in Los Lunas, N.M.; Karl Olson, CGCS, superintendent at New Mexico State University Golf Course in Las Cruces, N.M.; Matthew Urban, superintendent at Outlaw Club at Alto Lakes in Alto, N.M.; and Matthew Hughes, superintendent at Rockwind Community Links in Hobbs, N.M.
To read New Mexico’s “Best Management Practices” and to learn more about GCSAA’s BMP program, visit www.gcsaa.org/bmp.
About GCSAA and the EIFG
The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) is a leading golf organization in the United States. Its focus is on golf course management, and since 1926 GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the U.S. and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to nearly 19,000 members in more than 78 countries. The association’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org, or find us on Facebook or Twitter. Visit our industry-leading magazine at GCMonline.com.
The Environmental Institute for Golf is the philanthropic organization of the GCSAA. Its mission is to foster sustainability through research, awareness, education, programs and scholarships for the benefit of golf course management professionals, golf facilities and the game. Visit EIFG at www.eifg.org, or find us on Facebook or Twitter.
Contact:
Angela Hartmann
Director, Marketing and Communications
Phone: 800-472-7878, ext. 3647 or 785-393-1361 (cell)
ahartmann@gcsaa.org
Mike Strauss
Manager, Media Relations
Phone: 800-472-7878, ext. 5164
mstrauss@gcsaa.org
