Why would a USGA Green Section Mid-Atlantic agronomist be reporting from Pebble Beach Golf Links, site of the 2010 U.S. Open Championship, this week? With the 2011 U.S. Open Championship scheduled for Congressional Country Club, the agronomist in charge of that championship works the prior year’s event to help with continuity. This helps in the learning curve for all of the necessary details that go into preparing the golf course for the national championship.
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Everything takes a great deal of maintenance in terms of planning and execution for what the viewers see on television and what the contestants experience as they play the course. It doesn’t just happen by itself; it takes volunteers, and lots of them.
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It is the combination of the on-site superintendents, assistants, mechanics, and grounds crew from the existing staff, along with all of the volunteers who ultimately produce the quality turf on which this major championship is played. Without their hard work, dedication and experience of these individuals none of the USGA championships would be as successful. While most of these individuals will never appear on television, their good works will.
The Mid-Atlantic Region agronomists are part of your agronomic support team. Call or e-mail with any questions or concerns. Stan Zontek (szontek@usga.org) and Darin Bevard (dbevard@usga.org) at 610/ 558-9066 or Keith Happ (khapp@usga.org) at 412/ 341-5922.