GCM’s Industry News Digest: April 2023

The latest golf course product and industry news, curated for golf course superintendents and other turf industry professionals.

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Editor’s note: The GCM team will be doing our best to maintain an up-to-date feed of announcements on this page. If you have news you think belongs here, please email Scott Hollister.

Monday, April 3

Syngenta business institute

  • Golf course superintendents can now apply online for the 2023 Syngenta Business Institute (SBI) professional development program, which will be in-person at the Graylyn International Conference Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Dec. 5-8. Golf course superintendents have until Monday, Aug. 21, to apply online. Register here.
  • The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Sierra Nevada Chapter, named Muhammad Ali, superintendent of Bartley Cavanaugh, Bing Maloney, and William Land Park Golf course, Turfgrass Manager of the Year. The Turfgrass Manager of the Year award is presented to a superintendent who maintains their facility to a standard that reflects consistent, high-quality playing conditions while displaying exceptional agronomic and management skills.
  • Soil Scout is pleased to announce the expansion of its dealer network in the United States with the appointment of Sierra Pacific Turf Supply to distribute Soil Scout’s real-time soil monitoring solution to golf courses and sports turf stadiums in California and northern Nevada. With their headquarters in Campbell, CA, Sierra Pacific are experts in turf, ornamental chemicals, fertilizers, golf course irrigation systems and most golf course accessories.
  • Based upon customer demand, Nufarm is launching Tourney EZ Fungicide, a new liquid formulation for the spring 2023 season. Tourney EZ provides a much-needed new tool for fungicide resistance management. The new liquid Tourney EZ is a broad-spectrum DMI fungicide lasting up to 28 days for effective preventative applications on more than 16 tough turf and ornamental diseases − including turf diseases dollar spot, brown patch and fairy ring; ornamental diseases apple scab, anthracnose, leaf spots, powdery mildew and conifer blights.

Wednesday, April 5

  • DLF is excited to announce the promotion of Brian Jaasko to senior vice president, wholesale & production for DLF’s North America business unit. Jaasko is now responsible for the overall strategic direction, growth, and development of the wholesale and production functions and teams across the U.S. and Canada including wholesale and export sales, grower services, operations, and seed enhancement.

Monday, April 17

  • Turf managers can now control a tough lineup of weeds with the powerful performance and excellent turf safety of Recognition herbicide from Syngenta. Recognition controls more than 40 weeds including all major sedges, dollarweed and clover in St. Augustinegrass, zoysiagrass, buffalograss and kikuyugrass.
  • Rain Bird Golf has introduced a rotor series designed to provide top performance, simplicity and convenience for golf courses everywhere. Featuring Rapid-Adjust and MemoryArc® technology, Rain Bird’s new 952 Series Rotors can be set at full-circle (360°) or part-circle arcs (30° to 345°) in just seconds with the turn of a screw. 

Tuesday, April 18

  • The employee-owners of PBI-Gordon Corporation announced today that Brent Flander has joined the company as national account manager. Conrad Pannkuk was promoted to sales representative for Kansas, Missouri, and Arkansas.

Friday, April 21

G.C. Duke Equipment LTD

  • Bernhard and Company, the industry-leader in fine turf management solutions, has announced a new partnership with Canadian distributor, G.C. Duke Equipment LTD. The appointment comes as Bernhard and Company looks to ensure it can service current customers more efficiently, while also helping to increase sales through improved contact with new prospects. G.C. Duke Equipment will be responsible for direct sales and customer relations within Ontario, Canada, and will demonstrate the knowledge and passion that Bernhard and Company possesses for its grinding philosophy.
  • Syngenta is excited to announce the appointment of two new territory managers and one technical service representative across its golf, lawn care and aquatics businesses. Jordan Brazinski has been appointed the territory manager for western Pennsylvania, western New York and West Virginia. Tracy Tudor has been appointed the territory manager for Indiana and northwest Ohio. Ron Townsend has been named the Western technical service representative for the turf and ornamental businesses. 

Monday, April 24

  • The United States Golf Association (USGA) announced that The Omni Homestead Resort’s Cascades Course, in Hot Springs, Va., will host the 2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and the 2029 U.S. Senior Amateur. They will be the ninth and 10th USGA championships hosted at the historic resort.

Wednesday, April 26

  • Audubon International announces that Leisure World Golf Course has achieved Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses (ACSP for Golf) certification. The course’s accomplishments include expanding native vegetation, removing invasive plant species, providing quality wildlife habitat and conducting water quality testing.