OTA Members Golf and Network for April Meeting

The Ozark Turf Association enjoyed a strong turnout for its April meeting—generously sponsored by Harrell’s at Eagle Creek in Joplin on Monday, April 27. Despite an uncertain forecast, twenty-nine members came together to connect and share ideas over a taco bar with all the fixings.

After lunch, we announced pairings for the day’s play: four teams competed in a scramble, and 10 golfers played their own ball using Stableford scoring. With carts loaded, everyone headed to the course, and while the forecast stayed unpredictable, steady 20 mph winds blew all day under sunny skies.

Scramble results were as follows:

First place with a score of 69 went to team, we’ll call Harrell’s, consisting of Chris Berry, golf course superintendent at Fremont Hills Country Club, Brad Lackey, territory manager for Redexim Equipment, Andrew Mills, assistant superintendent at Ledgestone Country Club, and team anchor, Jed Spencer, Harrell’s territory manager.

Second place with a score of 71 was team Carthage golf course, with superintendent Ryan McInerney and crew members Jim and Dave. Rounding out the team was Austen Gearhart, territory manager with Advanced Turf Solutions.

In Stableford scoring, where eagles were worth four points, birdies were worth three, pars two points and bogeys were worth one point. Prizes were awarded in two flights. In First Flight there was a tie with 21 points, Sam Wineinger, territory manger with Nufarm won in a scorecard playoff, beating second place finisher, Jordan Eyster with Viridity construction. Third place with 19 points is Hidden Valley Golf Links assistant superintendent, Dustin Buckner.

In second flight we had a tie with 16 points but due to the flight breakdown, the person who lost the tie ended up in first place, Jeff Sommerer, came in first, in second with 14 points was Melvin Waldron III, CGCS, golf course superintendent at Horton Smith Golf Course, and third place with 13 points was Adam Camp, golf course superintendent at Hidden Valley Golf Links.   

Proximity winners were:

Hole # 4 – Sponsored by GreensPro – Jordan Eyster

Hole # 7 - Sponsored by Harrell’s – Sam Wineinger

Hole # 12 - Sponsored by SiteOne – Ryan McInerney

Hole # 16 – Sponsored by VanWall – Sam Wineinger

BWI Renews Silver Partnership

BWI, a valued supporter of the Ozark Turf Association, has once again renewed their Silver partnership for 2026. We are grateful for the ongoing support from our local representative, Steve Simpson and the many associates that serve our members.

BWI Companies, Inc. was founded in 1958 by Bob and Betty Bunch as a retail seed store in Texarkana, Texas. The company began wholesale operations in 1972 and has since expanded to a total of 20 locations, including 8 full line distribution centers across the Mid-south and Southeastern United States.

BWI currently distributes products for lawn and garden, animal health, horticulture, professional pest management, and turf markets to garden centers, farm and feed stores, hardware stores, grocery, regional multi-store outlets, greenhouse growers, nursery growers, landscapers, lawn and land care companies, golf courses, and other related outlets

BWI has a field sales staff of over 125 strong and makes timely deliveries with its company-owned fleet. With over 600 employees’ company-wide, BWI remains a strong and viable supplier in the marketplace. With second generation leadership provided by President and CEO, Jim Bunch, and Chief Administrative Officer and Co-President, Robert Bunch, BWI will continue to provide its customers with Top Notch service and quality products at competitive values by professional people.

Silver partnerships offer company membership and feature the company logo on both our meeting banner and website.  

OTA Facilities Participating in GCSAA Rounds 4 Research

The Ozark Turf Association has several facilities taking part in the 2026 Rounds 4 Research event, which will be held this week from Monday, April 20 through Sunday, April 26. The auction is organized by GCSAA. Items are available for viewing at the website GCSAA Foundation | BiddingForGood.

 The OTA Board has authorized funding for a research initiative led by Dr. Mingying Xiang at Oklahoma State University, titled “The Impact of Fall Drought on Bermudagrass Winter Survivability and Spring Dead Spot Incidence.” This project will be conducted throughout 2026 and 2027, with an allocation of $2,500 per year by the chapter. The Board acknowledges the importance of this study for members managing Bermuda fairways and tees. Any surplus funds will be managed at the Board’s discretion. In 2025, a contribution of $750 was made to the University of Missouri to support their research farm operations. Furthermore, a final payment of $1,500 was issued to the University of Arkansas for their work on wetting agents through the GCSAA Chapter Cooperative Program.  

 This project is presently underway. During the previous autumn, Dr. Xiang prepared the field and inoculated it with spring dead spot. The subsequent phase will involve hiring a graduate student who will implement the planned irrigation treatments over the summer and evaluate disease incidence throughout the fall. The study's objective is to examine the influence of irrigation practices on the development of spring dead spot in bermudagrass.

 The OTA Facilities participating include

Crestwood Country Club – Pittsburgh Kansas

Highland Springs Country Club – Springfield Missouri

Holiday Hills Golf Club – Branson Missouri

Ledgestone Country Club – Branson West Missouri

Osage National Golf Resort – Lake Ozark Missouri

Shadow Valley Country Club – Rogers Arkansas

Springfield-Greene County Park Board MO. Courses

·       Bill and Payne Stewart Golf Course

·       Horton Smith Golf Course

·       Rivercut Golf Course

Springfield Golf and Country Club – Springfield Missouri

Triple Creek Golf Course – Cole Camp Missouri

The OTA Board of Directors thanks these courses and their management teams for donating rounds. 

Redexim renews its Silver Partnership with the OTA

For more than 45 years, we’ve built turf management equipment designed to deliver quality beneath your feet. From grassroots clubs to world-class stadiums, and from municipal parks to the most storied golf courses, we empower turf professionals to make sport happen and create unforgettable moments season after season.

What began with the Verti-Drain® has grown into a range of durable aerators, overseeders, topdressers, verticutters, renovation tools and synthetic surface cleaners. We combine decades of practical knowledge with intensive field testing and robust engineering to create equipment that delivers reliable results, healthy turf, fast drainage, lush growth, strong recovery, effective renovation and clean, safe surfaces.

These are more than just surfaces, they are stages that support people to compete, have fun, get healthy and come together. They need to be safe and in great condition, and that is something we believe everyone deserves.

Not always seen but always working, our equipment keeps pitches, greens and more prepared for action and ready for play. Quietly and consistently, we help elevate sports fields and golf courses for everyone, everywhere.

Our range includes Verti-Drain® and other aerators, overseeders, topdressers, verticutters, renovation equipment and synthetic surface cleaners, supported by knowledge, parts and expertise from a global team.

Headquartered in the Netherlands, with Redexim offices right here in Valley Park Missouri their North American location, United Kingdom and Australia, and supported by more than 200 distribution partners across more than 100 countries, we work with our customers, listen to their feedback and provide what they need to create the games we all share.

Redexim, a valued supporter of the Ozark Turf Association, has once again renewed their Silver partnership for 2026. We are grateful for the ongoing support from our local representative, Brad Lackey.

SiteOne renews its Gold Partnership with the OTA for the 2026 season

SiteOne has renewed its Gold Partnership with the Ozark Turf Association for the 2026 season and will sponsor our June meeting, as well as provide proximity prizes at the April and September meetings, in addition providing a proximity prize for our Scholarship and Research fundraiser.

SiteOne is your reliable partner and one-stop shop, offering everything your golf course requires. Whether you need turf and landscape fertilizers, plant health products, irrigation systems, lighting, nursery supplies, or a wide range of other items, SiteOne can meet all your facility’s needs.

The team’s expertise in product lines, categories, and local markets enables a comprehensive understanding of both broader strategies and intricate details, ensuring that their insights consistently surpass customer expectations.

Their associates, many of whom are seasoned professionals with extensive field experience, are equipped to assist clients in making well-informed decisions to address their needs.

SiteOne stands as the nation’s largest wholesale supplier for the green industry, offering an extensive range of products and convenient locations. Their local team members understand your community and its needs, since it’s also their home. With top-notch efficiency, SiteOne can direct ship or deliver goods directly to your golf course. You can place orders online or visit your nearest branch to meet with local SiteOne experts such as Ryan Varns, Matt Overton, Eddie Roach Jr. CGCS, and others.  

Gold partnerships offer company membership, team entry in our scholarship and research fundraising outing, including a sponsorship tee sign—and feature the company logo on both our meeting banner and website.  

OTA Members Enjoy Indoor Golf and Networking for their March Meeting

The Ozark Turf Association convened its March meeting at X-Golf Springfield, an indoor golf simulator venue, with sponsorship provided by Advanced Turf Solutions.

About a dozen OTA members braved the air conditioning, where they played Pebble Beach.  The light turnout was partially due to the 80 plus degree weather outside, way above average for March, while earlier that week we didn’t get above freezing, so others were catching up on work that Friday afternoon. 

While most of the golf shots, players felt were realistic, some of us did have trouble with the chipping component, and we believe there were a few of us that hit into Jim Nantz backyard. 

Jon Prange, CGCS, OTA President and Highland Springs Country Club superintendent, led with a score of 79. Christopher Berry, the new superintendent at Fremont Hills Country Club, finished second.  

Appetizers and snacks for the event were generously provided by Katie Pierce of Capital Sand and Josh Thomas of Professional Turf Products. We extend our sincere thanks to X-Golf for their hospitality, as well as to Advanced Turf Solutions for serving as our event sponsor.  

Reinders renews its Gold Partnership for 2026 with the OTA

Reinders renews its Gold Partnership with the Ozark Turf Association for the 2026 season

Reinders is a family-owned, regional distribution company headquartered in Sussex, Wisconsin.  The Company’s roots run deep tracing back to a general store founded in 1866 in Elm Grove, Wisconsin.  Reinders has grown to more than 250 employees at 16 locations in 5 states.

As one of the Midwest’s largest full-service distributors of products to the commercial green industry, many customers look to them as their one-stop source for all their product and maintenance needs. 

We thank Reinders and Territory Manager Michael Mass for supporting our members and chapter. 

Gold partnerships offer company membership, team entry in our scholarship and research fundraising outing, including a sponsorship tee sign—and feature the company logo on both our meeting banner and website.  

Syngenta renews its Gold Partnership with the OTA

Syngenta is recognized not just for its products, but also for its dedication to the industry. The company values partnerships with organizations that support turf professionals and help advance their fields.

Syngenta, considering their past involvement, is once again renewing their Gold Partnership with the Ozark Turf Association, which is the GCSAA-affiliated chapter serving the Ozarks region from the Lake of the Ozarks to Northwest Arkansas.

In addition to renewing their Gold Partner plan, Syngenta will sponsor our scholarship and research fundraiser, provide lunch and hors d’oeuvres while we await scoring, and supporting the beverage cart, offering complimentary non-alcoholic drinks to all participants. Syngenta is also sponsoring our beloved Family Fun Night at the Springfield Cardinals game. This year, Royals fans can enjoy a special treat by wearing their Royals gear as the Cardinals face off against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, the AA affiliate of the Kansas City Royals.   

We thank Syngenta and territory manager Conrad Pannkuk for supporting our members and chapter.  

Gold partnerships offer company membership, team entry in our scholarship and research fundraising outing, including a sponsorship tee sign—and feature the company logo on both our meeting banner and website.  

Using Moisture Mapping to Improve Greens Management

Anyone managing bentgrass in the transition zone knows that moisture management can make or break greens during the summer. At our course we maintain about 4.5 acres of bentgrass greens, and keeping moisture levels consistent while still maintaining firm conditions is something we focus on every day. Our goal most days is to keep the greens as dry as possible while still protecting the plant. Over the past year we’ve started using a system that has helped us improve how we manage moisture across our greens. Like many courses, we previously relied on a handheld moisture meter to check conditions and guide hand watering. Recently we switched to using the Pogo Pro moisture sensor and mapping software from Pogo TurfPro, which allows us to map the entire green instead of just pulling a few individual readings. Each morning one of our assistants gets out ahead of course setup and maps every green with the Pogo unit. As he walks the surface taking readings, the sensor connects to his phone and the software builds a moisture map in real time. By the time he finishes, we have a clear visual showing how moisture is distributed across the putting surface. Our hand watering crew follows behind the setup team and can view those same maps on two iPads we keep with the water crew. With cell reception, the maps load immediately and show exactly where the dry areas are on each green. This has really helped tighten up our hand watering. Instead of watering larger areas just to be safe, we can target the specific spots that need moisture and leave the rest of the surface alone. Before switching to this system, we used a FieldScout TDR 350 moisture meter, which provided accurate point readings but didn’t always give a full picture of how moisture varied across the green. The mapping software makes it much easier to identify dry areas and communicate that information to the crew. Since implementing this process, we’ve been able to keep our greens slightly drier overall while still protecting localized stress areas, helping us maintain firmer and more consistent putting surfaces. In the transition zone, having better information about moisture distribution has been a big help. At the end of the day, it’s just another tool, but for us it has become a valuable part of our daily routine for managing greens moisture.

Miles Carlson Director of Agronomy Blessings Golf Club

Miles Carlson is the Director of Agronomy at Blessings Golf Club in Johnson Arkansas and is home to the University of Arkansas Men’s and Women’s golf teams. Miles and his staff recently became members of the Ozark Turf Association, an affiliated chapter of the Golf Course Superintendent Association of America

OTA Members Enjoy Bowling and Networking

The Ozark Turf Association hosted its annual bowling event, generously sponsored by Knox Fertilizer Company.

Just over 20 OTA members joined in, with 15 taking to the lanes while others networked, enjoyed lunch and drinks, and steered clear of any bowling-related mishaps.

The tournament followed 9-pin no tap rules, and each team counted their best three out of four scores per game.

Team One was captained by Gary Nichols, assistant superintendent at Schifferdecker Golf Course, who bowled an impressive series of 778 pins. His teammates included Andrew Mills, assistant superintendent at Ledgestone Country Club, and Conner Antonetti, assistant superintendent at Hickory Hills Country Club. Together, they achieved a team total of 1,583 pins.

Team Two was led by Joey Johnson from Clear Creek Golf Cars and Utility Vehicles, who delivered the second-best series at 626 pins. He was joined by Sam Richart, superintendent at Fremont Hills Country Club; Kolby Armbruster, superintendent at Ledgestone Country Club; and Alex Guerra-Rivera from Carthage Golf Course. This team’s combined efforts earned them a total of 1,526 pins.

We would like to thank Enterprise Park Lanes for their excellent hospitality and Knox Fertilizer for their support as our event sponsor.

Envu Renews its Gold Partnership with the OTA

Envu, known for its innovative plant health products, has renewed its Gold Partnership with the Ozark Turf Association. As longstanding supporters of our chapter, we are grateful for their ongoing commitment. In addition to continuing as a gold partner, Envu will also sponsor a proximity prize at this year's OTA Scholarship and Research event.  

With the support of our area representative Wes Kleffner, Green Team Solutions partner Dr. Zach Reicher, and the expertise of the entire Green Team colleagues, our members receive valuable education and effective solutions to turf management challenges. We appreciate their ongoing commitment and assistance.  

Gold partnerships offer company membership, team entry in our scholarship and research fundraising outing—including a sponsorship tee sign—and feature the company logo on both our meeting banner and website.  

OTA Donates to the Col. John Morley Endowment Fund Through the GCSAA Foundation

The Ozark Turf Association has proudly contributed to the Col. John Morley endowment fund to celebrate the GCSAA centennial. The chapter donated as a Heritage Partner donating $1,000 at our education/annual meeting day. This will fund new and innovative initiatives for the next 100 years of the association.

Celebrating 100 years of excellence

The GCSAA Foundation has embarked on a Centennial fundraising campaign to establish a new endowment honoring GCSAA’s founder, Col. John Morley, with a goal of raising $1 million to fund new and innovative initiatives for the next 100 years.

GCSAA is filled with gratitude for the incredibly loyal members, allied and industry partnerships, and talented team members who have helped shape its success for the last century.

Join in celebrating GCSAA's monumental achievement as we look back on a century of milestones and forward to the exciting possibilities ahead. Together, the next 100 years are sure to be even more remarkable.

Van Wall Equipment Renews Gold Partnership with the OTA

Van Wall Equipment has an established legacy as a John Deere dealer, originating in 1946 with the opening of Wall Implement on Main Street in Woodward, Iowa. The company provides sales and services for a comprehensive selection of John Deere equipment, including products tailored for golf and sports turf applications.

They are renewing their Gold Partnership with the Ozark Turf Association for 2026, which includes a team in the annual scholarship and research fundraiser, and they will also partner with the OTA educational meeting in October, focused on equipment managers, assistant superintendents, and other golf staff. Additionally, they will sponsor the January 2027 education meeting and provide three proximity prizes at this year’s golf meetings.  

We thank our territory manager, Matt Strong, with Andy Klien and Richard Shumate for their support of OTA members and the chapter.

Midwest Turf Renews Gold Partnership with the OTA

Midwest Turf, longtime supporters of the Ozark Turf Association have renewed their Gold Partnership for 2026.

Since 2000, Midwest Turf, Inc. has been working to provide solutions for the challenges that golf courses superintendents in Missouri and Kansas face.  Through their relationship with Floratine Products Group, their primary focus is to create the strongest turf through proper soil and foliar nutrition.  They also represent JRM Inc., Select Source and UPI (generic chemistries), and TurfMax LLC (TurfScreen) to offer a well-rounded selection of turfgrass solutions.

We thank David Hunter, president of Midwest Turf for his generous support of the Ozark Turf Association and welcome his new associate Austin French to the OTA.

Gold Partnerships with the OTA include membership for all company employees, the company logo on the yearly meeting banner and on the OTA website, with a link to their website.  It also includes a team in the scholarship and research fundraiser and a tee sign.   

OTA Holds Education Day and Annual Meeting

Members of the Ozark Turf Association came together at Highland Springs Country Club on January 20, 2026, for their annual education day—an event sponsored by VanWall Equipment—where they enjoyed informative sessions, connected with vendor partners, and took advantage of valuable networking opportunities.

Registration began early, followed by coffee, pastries, and opportunities to connect with vendor partners.  

 OTA President Jonathan Prange, CGCS, welcomed attendees and introduced the initial speaker, Dr. Zac Reicher, a member of the Green Solutions Team at Envu. Dr. Reicher delivered a presentation titled “Don’t Do This!! Common Preventable Turf Mistakes,” addressing frequent errors encountered in turf management.  

Jonathan Prange, CGCS, golf course superintendent at Highland Springs Country Club, provided an overview of utilizing artificial intelligence for routine tasks. He has found AI particularly beneficial in composing newsletter articles and various forms of correspondence that require a polished, professional tone.

Following a brief intermission where attendees had the opportunity to network with vendors and refresh their beverages, Randy Robinson, our GCSAA Central Plains Representative, delivered a presentation addressing strategies for meeting labor demands by engaging student organizations such as the FFA. He also provided an update on the planned celebrations for GCSAA’s Centennial year.

The educational segment concluded with Dr. Mike Richardson providing a summary of the wetting agent research supported by the Ozark Turf Association along with other GCSAA chapters under the GCSAA Chapter Coop research program, followed by Dr. Wendell Hutchens delivering an overview of fungicide performance.  

Following the presentation, attendees were served a hot buffet lunch generously sponsored by Professional Turf Products.  

Following lunch, members were afforded additional time to interact with our vendor partners. We extend our sincere appreciation to the vendor partners who made the effort to attend and engage with our members, including VanWall Equipment, Envu, GreensPro, Redexim Turf Products, Harrell’s, Fehrmarket, Cortiva, SiteOne, Reinders, Advanced Turf Solutions, Syngenta, BASF, Viridity, and Precision Turf Products.

During the Annual Meeting, Jonathan Prange, CGCS, was reaffirmed for a second term as president; Kolby Armbruster was reaffirmed for a second term as vice president; and Melvin Waldron III, CGCS, was reaffirmed as secretary/treasurer.

As an additional note, I utilized Copilot to restructure my writing for a professional summary. This demonstrates that it is possible to acquire new skills regardless of experience.   

Yes old dogs can learn new tricks, but AI doesn’t like my folksy humor.  Mel

OTA Member Achieves Certification Renewal from GCSAA

The Ozark Turf Association extends its congratulations to Jonathan Prange, CGCS, on successfully finishing his initial 5-year renewal period. Jon is the golf course superintendent at Highland Springs Country Club and currently holds the position of OTA president.   

The Certified Golf Course Superintendent (CGCS) is the pinnacle of recognition for golf course superintendents, demonstrating the highest level of excellence in golf course management.

Eligibility for CGCS status requires first attaining Class A designation. Once this is achieved, applicants must successfully pass an online examination, demonstrate strong leadership and communication abilities, and have their golf course verified by two current CGCS members. Additionally, candidates must hold a valid state pesticide license or successfully complete the GCSAA IPM assessment.  

After earning certification, members can maintain it in one of two ways. They may accumulate 15 points over five years, with at least 9 points coming from educational activities, and keep their pesticide license or retake the IPM exam. Alternatively, they can simply retake and pass the certification test.

For those interested in achieving certification, please contact Cody Steiner, GCSAA Certification Manager at 1-800-472-7878 ext.3618 

OTA Member Scott Welsh Honored

Scott Welsh, golf course superintendent at Bill and Payne Stewart Golf Course, Springfield-Greene County Park Board, and Ozark Turf Association member, was honored at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame winter sports luncheon on December 16, 2025.

Welsh was recognized as part of the “Filbert Five” 2025 men’s team for excellence in basketball.  Scott played basketball along with other sports at Willard High School in Willard, Missouri.  The Filbert Five is named in honor of Gary Filbert (MSHOF Legend 2011), who was a successful basketball coach before assisting legendary Missouri Tigers coach Norm Stewart and then founding the Show-Me State Games.

Welsh was a three-time All-State selection for Willard High School for coach George Wilson (MSHOF 2008), earning Second Team honors in 1990 and First Team honors in 1991 and 1992.  In all, he scored 1,899 points on varsity.  Along the way, he helped the Tigers win the Blue and Gold Tournament in 1991, and place third in the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions a year later.  That was a fitting part of his time with Wilson, who had coached his dad, Ed, at Fair Play and coached his brother , Steve, on Willard’s 1988 state third-place team.  Welsh went on to a career in grounds, mostly as a golf course superintendent.  He has worked at Bill and Payne Stewart Golf Course in Springfield for the past five years.  Previously, he worked 10 years at Green Hills Country Club in Willard and was at Island Green Golf Club in Republic for a decade.  He got his start at Silo Ridge Golf and Country Club in Bolivar, learning under Ronnie Harmon.  He also worked grounds for the Willard School District.  Welsh and his wife, Angie, are parents to Syler, a senior at Willard High School.

Thank you to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame for supplying the article. 

OTA Celebrates Year End with Christmas Party

The Ozark Turf Association commenced the 2025 meeting season with a Christmas gathering at Ledgestone Country Club, generously sponsored by Professional Turf Products.

Guests enjoyed a social hour featuring chicken wings, smoky sausage bites, and queso with chips, sipping drinks as they looked back on the previous year.   Following the social hour, dinner was presented featuring a menu that included garden salad, roasted chicken, a selection of sides such as a vegetable medley and macaroni and cheese, as well as a prime rib carving station for guests. Dessert consisted of a Kahlua brownie served with a scoop of ice cream.  

 After dinner, host superintendent Kolby Armbruster and his wife Katie arranged minute-to-win-it games for everyone. Teams were formed: “The Jingle Ballers,” “Tipsy Elves,” “The Fruit Cakes,” and “The Flying Santas.” The first challenge, “Jingle Bell Drop,” required rolling jingle bells down a table into Red Solo Cups—fortunately, no beverages were harmed. “The Flying Santas” took victory in this round. In the “Ornament Relay,” teammates rolled Christmas ornaments across the floor to each other, resulting in a win for “The Fruit Cakes.” For the “Santa’s Cookie Drop,” Oreos were balanced on foreheads and maneuvered into mouths without using hands; with professional cookie wrangler Jeff Sommerer absent, “Jingle Ballers” claimed the title. During the “Snowblower” relay, participants raced to knock cotton ball “snowballs” off upside-down red solo cups using party blowers, after a few close races, some requiring video replay, the “Jingle Ballers” were victorious again. The final game, “Hungry Hungry Reindeer,” had players use their “hooves” (again,red solo cups) to gather in snowballs, and “Jingle Ballers” rounded out the night with yet another win.  The biggest pattern we saw during the games was the presence of red solo cups, coincidence? 

This led to the finale where guest “wrapped” up the evening, unwrapping saran wrap balls filled with prizes while wearing oven mitts.   The “Jingle Ballers” faced off with the winless “Tipsy Elves” The saran ball started with the first player trying to unwrap the ball using the oven mitts, while the next player rolled the dice, once that player rolled a double, the ball passed to that player and the dice went to the next player. This continued around the table.  After two rounds, the gloves came “off”, and people were trying to unroll the ball with bare hands.  Different silly prizes, chocolate candy or gift cards would come out as the ball would unwrap, with the prize going to that player.  The big winner of the first ball was Judi Mills, wife of Ledgestone assistant superintendent Andrew Mills.

The second ball featured the teams of the “Flying Santas” and “Fruit Cakes”, both teams passed the ball around again trying to unwrap the ball with the oven mitts, and again after two rounds, the gloves came off.  The big winner of the second ball concluded another win for the Mills family, as Andrew got the prize from the middle of the ball. 

Everyone who attended had a wonderful time—special thanks to Professional Turf Products for sponsoring the event, Ledgestone County Club for their great food and drinks, and Katie and Kolby Armbruster for making the event enjoyable with their entertainment.  

Ozark Turf Association Announces Speaker Lineup for Education Meeting

The Ozark Turf Association, an affiliated chapter of the GCSAA has announced their speaker lineup for their yearly education meeting to be held at Highland Springs Country Club on Tuesday, January 20th, 2026.

The meeting brings together chapter members and vendor partners for one of the chapter’s largest meeting events of the year. The OTA seeks out educational speakers on a variety of topics, and vendor partners have tables set up to interact with members.

Coffee and Danish greet attendees at registration and members have time to meet with vendors to discuss products for the upcoming season. There are breaks during the presentations for attendees to meet again with vendors, and then after lunch.

After the lunch time break, the chapter holds its annual meeting. The education portion of this event has been approved for .35 education points by GCSAA. Cost of the meeting is only $40 and is free for those members who have purchased the prepaid meeting plan with their 2025 dues.

We would like to recognize meeting sponsor VanWall Equipment and our lunch sponsor, Professional Turf Products.

For more information and to RSVP, email ozarkturfassn@yahoo.com

Schedule:

7:15 AM Vendor Set up.

 7:30 AM Registration – Meet with Vendors

8:00 AM Welcome and speaker introductions – Jonathan Prange, CGCS – President OTA – Golf Course Superintendent, Highland Springs Country Club   

8:00 – 9:00 AM – “Don’t Do This!! Common Preventable Turf Mistakes” – Dr. Zac Reicher – Green Solutions Team, Envu

9:00 – 9:45 AM – “Introduction into AI for Golf Maintenance” – Jonathan Prange, CGCS, golf course superintendent Highland Springs Country Club 

9:45 – 10:00 AM – “Break” – Break w/Vendors

10:00 – 10:45 AM – “Using FFA Students to Fill Labor Demand” – Randy Robinson – GCSAA Central Plains Regional Representative

10:45 – 11:45 AM – “Results of Wetting Agent Research” – Dr. Wendall Hutchens – Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas  

11:45 – 12:45 PM – Lunch and Meet with Vendors:  Lunch Sponsored by:        

1:00 – 2:00 PM – “Annual Meeting with Elections” – Jonathan Prange, CGCS – President OTA – Golf Course Superintendent, Highland Springs Country Club

OTA Holds Staff Education Event

The Ozark Turf Association held a well-attended education event for OTA members equipment managers and assistant superintendents at Fremont Hills Country Club. The meeting even included some superintendents attending with their staff.  VanWall Equipment sponsored the meeting.

OTA past president and Fremont Hills superintendent Sam Richart hosted the meeting and introduced our first speaker, Jordan Roth, Certified Turf Equipment Manager (CTEM) from Champions Club in Omaha Nebraska, where Jordan is the equipment manager.  Jordan gave a presentation to those in attendance on “Electrical Diagnostic Methods and Tools”.  After that presentation he gave a brief talk on maintenance shop set up. 

The second speaker was Matt Giese, a technical manager from Syngenta.  His presentation was on “Spreader and Sprayer Calibrations” Matt showed a power point on the reasons and method of calibration spreaders and sprayers, and after the power point, those interested in participating in actual calibration practices headed outside on a beautiful fall day.  First up was the spreader calibration portion of the demonstration.  Matt enlisted attendees in setting up the containers to catch the fertilizer from the spreader; after setting up the container boxes, Sam Richart ran the spreader back and forth a few times to distribute the product.  After collecting the product, Matt had attendees pour the fertilizer into measuring jars, where attendees were able to see the distribution pattern, showing how important overlapping plays into a proper granular fertilizer application.  The next step was to measure out a path, weigh fertilizer and load it into the spreader, Sam pushed the spreader along the measured distance, after which the remaining fertilizer was weighed and attendees worked to figure out the amount of product applied along with the percentage of nitrogen that was in the application. 

After the spreader calibration was done, the group moved over to the sprayer, Matt led them into checking for nozzle performance, where they held measuring pitchers under the nozzles collecting water.  After that process, they checked the speed of the sprayer over a measured distance, and with both the speed and the volume of water they collected in the pitchers, Matt lead the group in figuring out the gallons per acre the spray rig was putting out.  It was noted that most modern spray equipment will apply the required amount of water volume, but this exercise provided an opportunity to check and make sure the equipment is operating properly. 

While this group was participating in the calibration process, equipment managers stayed inside were Jordan lead a round table discussion, allowing the equipment managers to learn from each other and creating a networking opportunity for the group. 

Afterwards the group enjoyed some delicious smash burgers from the grill.  The OTA would like to thank Jordan Roth, CTEM, and Matt Giese for leading the education portion of the meeting, territory manager Matt Strong with VanWall Equipment for sponsoring, and Sam Richart and Fremont Hills for hosting this well attended event.  Also, thanks to Sam and Fremont for providing a tee time that some of us took advantage of, the course was in great shape and the weather was perfect. 

 Photos credited to Melvin Waldron III, CGCS