Syngenta renews as a Gold Partner with the OTA

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The Ozark Turf Association would like to announce that Syngenta has renewed for 2021 as a Gold Partner.

Syngenta has been long time partners with the OTA, not only as a Gold Partner, but they have previously sponsored our education at meetings, and have matched our donations to the University of Missouri Turf Research Facility. They have also matched our donation last year to the Wee One Foundation.

Please thank Paul Carlson, our Syngenta Territory representative for the support Syngenta has given to our members and the chapter for these many years.

Educational Speakers Announced

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We are proud to announce our speakers for our April and June Ozark Turf Association meetings.

At the April meeting, Brad Seidt, Golf Course Superintendent at Lake Valley Golf Club will discuss their recent bunker renovation project, and their earlier conversation to Bluemuda fairways.

At the June meeting, Dr. Lee Miller, Turf Pathologist at the University of Missouri will speak. We will update his topic in the near future.

RSVP now for both of these events. Cost for members will be $20, non-members $35, (so make sure to pay your 2021 dues ASAP). You can RSVP by either emailing ozarktufassn@yahoo.com, or calling or texting Mel at 417-860-9449

You can visit the website calendar for more details.

Kansas Golf and Turf renews as a OTA Silver Partner

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The Ozark Turf Association would like to announce that Kansas Golf and Turf has renewed as a Silver Partner for 2021. Kansas Golf and Turf is a provider of many turf equipment lines including Jacobsen mowers and Cushman utility vehicles. Their support allows for us to offer networking and educational events for our members.

Please thank Sales Representative Russell Cole the next time you see him.

GreensPro renews as a Gold Partner

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GreensPro, distributor of many fertilizer, chemical, and seed products, renews as a long time Gold Partner of the Ozark Turf Association. Along with their Partnership, they will also be sponsoring the entertainment at this year’s Christmas Party to be held at Twin Oaks Country Club on December 11th. They are also sponsoring closest to the pin prizes at each of our golf meetings.

Their support of the chapter, allows our members, many educational and networking opportunities. Please thank Mark Slaughter, Tyler Fishel, and Wyatt Cantrell, as you will probably see all three, this spring, as they deliver products and take your orders.

The Ozark Turf Association Partner List Has Been Updated

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We have updated our partner list on our home page. Here you can see the logos of our partners who support our association and our members. You can click on their logo and it will take you to their websites. This can be handy when it comes to looking for product labels, or equipment specs. We expect more partners to be joining this month, so keep an eye out for them in our news feed and as we post their logos on the website.

Please thank and support these partners when you see them.

Clear Creek Golf Cars and Utility Vehicles and Club Car will present the OTA Championship

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We would like to announce that Clear Creek Golf Cars and Utility Vehicles along with Club Car will be the presenting partners again for the 2021 Ozark Turf Association Championship.

This year’s event will be held on September 21st at Old Kinderhook Golf Resort in Camdenton Missouri, where the 2020 champion Mike Irvine, Golf Facility Manager at Springfield-Greene County Park Board will defend his title.

Please thank Brian Cheever, President of Clear Creek and everyone associated with Clear Creek, for presenting this event. We also thank him for allowing other partnerships to help offset cost for our members. VanWall Turf Equipment will be sponsoring lunch (the event where I perform the best).

So start working on your game to get prepared for this fun event.

OTA Bowling Meeting Results

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We would like to thank the 26 members who attended the meeting on Friday, February 19th. We had 23 members bowl. We also would like to thank Enterprise Park Lanes for hosting us again this year and especially accommodating our date changed due to the weather. Also a big thanks go to our Gold and Silver Partners on the banner, their support allows for meetings. Our banner pictured will be retired as our new banner will show our 2021 Gold and Silver Partners. (There is still time for Partners to be added).

We played 9-pin no tap again this year, and tried to pair up teams using last year’s scores. It was amazing to see some of the improvement from last year to this year. While we also saw some big drop offs. I guess that is to be expected when we only bowl once a year. We do have to wonder if GreensPro has put a bowling lane in their warehouse along with the golf hitting net, as their A # 1 driver Wyatt Cantrell showed the 2nd biggest improvement from last year by 143 pins.

The biggest improvement was Scott Hendrickson, assistant superintendent at Hickory Hills C. C. He won this year’s event with a 671 series and a high game of 275, a 159 pin improvement. Sam Richart, golf course superintendent at Fremont Hills C. C. came in second with a 643 series. The winning team, with a 3 game total score of 2217, consisted of Sam Richart, (643), Brian Cheever, President of Clear Creek Golf Cars and Utility Vehicles, (592), Mike Irvine, Golf Facilities Supervisor, City of Springfield/Greene County Park Board, (504), and Conner Antonette, AIT at Hickory Hills C.C. (478). They defeated the 2nd place team of Justin Thomas, golf course superintendent, Top of the Rock, (602), Jared Brewster, golf course superintendent, Highland Springs C.C., (546), Tyler Fishel, GreensPro, (506), and Tye Hiedbreider, golf course superintendent, Twin Oaks C.C. (458) by just 105 pins.

Special prizes, Toro Hats, provided by Scott Welsh, equipment territory manager of Professional Turf Products, went to the team of Scott Hendrickson, Chad Hoerschgen, golf course superintendent, Millwood Golf and Racquet Club, and Ryan McInerney, crew at Carthage Golf Course. when it was discovered, that they did not have a team of four, when someone was mistakenly put on their team who was already on another team. The fourth Toro hat, (one with the vintage Bull logo), went to the one bowler that will get mentioned, and who had regressed from last year, Aaron Borland, golf course superintendent at Carthage Golf Course for the lowest score. I might ask to have the bumpers removed from my lane next year if this vintage logo hat is a prize next year.

It appears that everyone had a great time, and we will plan this annual event for next year.

Following the bowling meeting, a group of members did head over to Uncle Bentley’s for the annual telling of tall stories, and shuffleboard. It was a home match for the local boys’ Tye Hiedbreider and his assistant Jay Butler, of Twin Oaks, which is across the street, and rumor has it there is a secret tunnel under the road for them to come practice, Jay has a dry spot on the right edge where his puck will just stop on a dime. Old stories were told to some of our new members attending. Many laughs were had.

Congratulations to Kristopher Moore for Achieving GCSAA Class A Status

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Congratulations to Kristopher Moore, Golf Course Superintendent at Twin Hills Country Club in Joplin, for achieving GCSAA Class A membership status.

Please congratulate Kristopher next time you see him!

We came across Kristopher’s achievement as we decided to go through some of our back issues of GCM magazine, during the snowy weather, and noticed it in the September issue. Don’t hesitate to contact us when you, or your staff reaches career milestones or host important events. We love to share news with our fellow members.

GCSAA Class A status is achieved by combining years as a golf course superintendent, and earning a certain number of educational points. Once a superintendent becomes a Class A member, they must continue to take numerus educational seminars and attend networking opportunities. The Ozark Turf Association, a GCSAA affiliated chapter, strives to provide almost all education points needed to maintain Class A status.

For more information on what is needed to become a class A or to maintain class A status visit the following link:

https://www.gcsaa.org/about-gcsaa/membership/membership-classifications/class-a-membership

Knox Fertilizer renews as a Gold Partner with the Ozark Turf Association

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We would like to thank and announce that Knox, has renewed again this year as a Gold Partner.

Their support for our members is welcomed and that support allows us to provide member meeting and networking opportunities. We appreciate their Partnership. Please thank Bob Brinton, Central Sales Representative, the next time you see him.

Bowling Meeting Moved to Friday February 19th

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With the recent winter weather and the forecast for more snow tomorrow, we have rescheduled the bowling meeting to this Friday, February 19th. It will be the same time, same place, check the calendar for details.

We apologize for the late notice, you hopefully have seen this update on the email we sent out earlier, and on our Facebook page, when we posted it a little after lunch.

We are appreciative that Enterprise Lanes was able to accommodate our switch. Please thank them when we arrive on Friday.

If you haven’t RSVP’d yet, and you want to attend, please send a text or call Mel.

BASF Renews Silver Partnership

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We would like to thank and announce that BASF, has renewed as a Silver Partner. They have also agreed to sponsor a tee sign at the Scholarship and Research Outing, along with sponsoring a proximity prize at the same event.

Their support for our members is welcomed and that support allows us to provide member meeting and networking opportunities. We appreciate their Partnership. Please thank Cory Bunch, Region 4, Sales Representative, the next time you see him.

Professional Turf Products Renews Gold Partnership

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We would like to thank and announce that Professional Turf Products, distributor of Toro Turf Equipment has renewed as a Gold Partner.

Their support for our members is welcomed and that support allows us to provide member meeting and networking opportunities. We appreciate their Partnership. Please thank Scott Welsh, Equipment Sales Representative, and Brad Gray, Branch Manager, the next time you see them.

Missouri Publishes BMP Guidelines - Ozark Turf Association participates in the process

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MISSOURI PUBLISHES UPDATED BMP GUIDELINES FOR GOLF COURSES

by Jan 26, 2021 | Kate Hiebert


Golf course superintendents lead the development of statewide best management practices with a grant from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America

Lawrence, Kan. (Jan. 26, 2021) – A collaborative effort by golf course superintendents in Missouri from three affiliated chapters of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and the University of Missouri, has resulted in the publication of “Missouri Best Management Practices.”

The effort was part of an initiative by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) to establish BMPs in all 50 states by the end of 2020, which has been accomplished.

The Missouri BMPs were developed in part by using the BMP Planning Guide and Template created by the GCSAA and funded and supported by the USGA. The three GCSAA-affiliated chapters involved in the effort include the Heart of America Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Missouri Valley Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Ozark Turf Association.

The group received a $10,000 BMP grant 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.

The BMPs provide guidance in 13 key areas including surface water management, groundwater protection, pesticide management and pollinator protection.

“These research-based, voluntary guidelines have been developed specifically for Missouri’s 390 golf courses,” the introduction of the manual says. “When used alongside the state’s pesticide and water quality and quantity regulations, the guidelines not only protect natural resources, they also afford the opportunity for superintendents to be recognized as environmental stewards by club members, the community at large, and state officials.”

Members of the BMP steering committee included Lee Miller, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Missouri; Matt Czarnecki, superintendent at St. Peters (Mo.) Golf Club; Eddie Roach, CGCS, superintendent at Cedar Ridge Country Club in Broken Arrow, Okla; (formerly from Hickory Hills Country Club, Springfield MO), Brent Stephenson, director of agronomy at Great Life Golf Kansas City in Liberty, Mo.; Spencer Roberts, CGCS, superintendent at Canyon Farms Golf Club in Lenexa, Kan.; Carter Demay, superintendent at Country Club of St. Albans (Mo.);a Chad Fetter, superintendent at Bogey Hills Country Club in St. Charles, Mo.; and Rachel Owen, Ph.D., owner/consultant at Horizon Soil Solutions in Columbia, Mo.

To read “Missouri Best Management Practices and to learn more about GCSAA’s BMP program, visit www.gcsaa.org/bmp.

Advanced Turf Solutions renews Gold Partnership

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We would like to thank and announce that Advanced Turf Solutions, distributor of turf products has renewed as a Gold Partner.

Their support for our members is welcomed and that support allows us to provide member meeting and networking opportunities. We appreciate their Partnership. Please thank Austen Gearhart, Sales Representative the next time you see him.

Midwest Turf Renews at Gold Partner Level

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We would like to thank and announce that Midwest Turf the exclusive Distributor of Floratine in our area, and they also distribute other turf care products, has renewed this year as a Gold Partner. They have been long time Silver partners along with supporting the Scholarship and Research Outing.

Midwest Turf will also sponsor two closest to the pin prizes this year, one at the April golf meeting, and one at the OTA Scholarship and Research outing. Check out our calendar page for the dates of these events.

Their support for our members is welcomed and that support allows us to provide member meeting and networking opportunities. We appreciate their Partnership. Please thank David Hunter, Owner, the next time you see him.