Golfdom, April 2012

A Personal GIS Milestone After 30 years of research and two years of writing I had the honor of signing my own turf book BY ANTHONY L WILLIAMS CGCS CGM ENVIRONMENTAL EDITOR MORE VALUE For above and below ground insect control use Mallet and Menace MORE CHOICE Brown patch dollar spot Take your pick from our full line of fungicides MORE EFFECTIVE PROTECTION Promote healthy turf all season long with TM IP T Methyl and Propiconazole MORE EASE Non turf areas stay clean for months with one shot of stay put ProDeuce Collaborate Create Succeed www nufarm com usto 2012 Nufarm Important Always read and follow label instructions Mallet Menace Millennium and ProDeuce are trademarks of Nufarm PHOTO BY JOHN WALSH reduce the amount of pesticides that need to be applied There are three ways to reduce pesticide use dont spray lower the rates and extend the intervals of products Bioproducts can allow superintendents to get the same control with fungicides at a lower rate Large chemical companies are adding plant defense activators into their pesticides because bioproducts are so popular Rossi says Rossi also has been testing the reduction of preemergent herbicide applications in fairways at Bethpage State Park in New York In cases where two years of preemergent herbicides were skipped in the fairways crabgrass infestation didnt resurge If you can trim a few thousand here or there from your chemical budget you can put that money toward say labor he says Every year the GCSAA bookstore showcases select authors and their books at the GIS It is a memorable experience just standing in front of the signing table listening to tales of enlightenment The book signing is a time honored right of passage for every author Hearing the author talk about the content and processes behind the book is very motivating This year I found out what it is like to sit behind the signing table My first book The Environmental Stewardship Toolkit published by John Wiley and Sons made its debut The first copies literally shipped directly from the bindery to the bookstore tabletop The fact is you put two years of writing and editing into a book and it becomes 320 pages fresh off the presses Your thoughts race as you wonder if the book will be well received I bought a quick drying blue pen made from recycled water bottles for the occasion and faced one of the most defining moments of my life The book signing was successful I will never forget the experience nor everyone who stopped by bought a book or offered encouragement