Erin Stevens, CGCS, MG (right), Director of Agronomy at the Coral Creek Club in Placida, Fla., on course with BASF sales representative Andy Engelbrecht. Photos by BASF Turf
Editor’s note: The following article was supplied by BASF. All product claims, research cited and other information is directly from the company.
The Coral Creek Club is a 211-acre private course in Placida, Fla. This quiet coastal area is bursting with natural beauty. A 6,000-acre nature preserve borders the course on one side, and on the other side rests the Coral Creek itself — a saltwater estuary that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The picturesque settings surrounding the club are matched once you step foot on the grounds. The Tom Fazio-designed course features impeccable attention to detail, with gentle rolling hills dotted with emerald greens, southern pines, lush palms and unique water features as far as the eye can see.
As astounding as the vistas of the Coral Creek Club are, the challenges of maintaining its pristine condition are equally large — challenges that Erin Stevens, CGCS, MG, Director of Agronomy at the Coral Creek Club, has learned to tackle head-on.
At the start of 2019, Stevens was invited to come assess the course, which was suffering from mounting effects of the harsh local conditions. “At that time, they were experiencing a lot of disease and significant turf loss on all the greens. There were about five or six diseases working together,” Stevens says. “Even the new grass they were putting down was failing.”
In June of that year, Stevens and his team started using a rotation of BASF technologies to help rescue the greens. The products they deployed were Insignia fungicide, Lexicon Intrinsic brand fungicide and Xzemplar fungicide. “They really helped clean up everything so we could get back to reclaiming the turf on the greens, which we did,” says Stevens, a 22-year GCSAA member.
Erin Stevens, CGCS, MG, discusses reviving the troubled greens at Coral Creek Club and shares a look at the recently renovated golf course:
The project started in June, and by September, Stevens and his team had the course back in pristine condition — much to the delight of club membership.
The success in 2019 set the stage for an even grander project at the Coral Creek Club — a total renovation of the course. With this project, Stevens and his team were facing a task that was exciting, but daunting: Help reimagine a legendary course, but on an aggressive timeline during a pandemic.
“We had to have the grass in the ground by July,” Stevens says. “I really wanted to know I could protect the brand-new sprigs on my greens and not have to worry about being on the greens all the time.” During that time, Stevens began working two new chemistries into his rotation — Maxtima fungicide and Navicon Intrinsic brand fungicide — with incredible results. “I knew I was using some really cutting-edge DMI technology that could spray safely in any weather condition.”
When it comes to building the facility’s rotational spray programs, especially in the face of intense pressure and tough environmental challenges, Stevens and his team have found a true partner in BASF — one that works hand in hand with them to meet the high expectations of the Coral Creek Club. “I know that I can use BASF technologies with a high level of success, so I am very comfortable with their products,” Stevens says.
The Coral Creek renovation was completed in November of 2020, and the course opened to its membership with a remarkable new design and championship-level fairways and greens. Stevens and his team continue to use a rotation of BASF products to help maintain the course.
To learn how BASF can bring more CoursePower to your toolbox in the form of cutting-edge chemistries and hands-on support, visit the BASF website. Always read and follow label directions.