As winter draws near, many will say goodbye to another busy golf season and embrace the upcoming conference season. With so much time spent outdoors managing a golf course it is easy to forget that a significant amount of foundational knowledge is learned indoors at schools, conferences or seminars.
Educational sessions provide opportunities to connect with peers from around the region–and perhaps around the country–and share ideas, thoughts and lessons learned from the past year. The golf industry is dynamic and continually changing. New methods and materials are being developed to help superintendents perform tasks more effectively and with greater efficiency. Sustainability and environmentally friendly maintenance are two topics that are sure to be discussed at a local or national conference.
Staying on top of new technology is one of the best ways to ensure that the value of your maintenance dollars is maximized. Conferences are well worth the registration fees because the knowledge gained from industry leaders can help you save money and produce a better product.
Winter conferences also provide opportunities to earn state pesticide credits needed to maintain applicator licenses. Lastly, attending winter conferences is a good way to reconnect with industry friends that you might have lost contact with during a busy season. Conferences are packed with education, but they are also a good way to unwind and share a few stories.
Keep the following dates in mind as you plan your winter conference schedule:
December 4-5, 2017 – Virginia Golf Course Superintendents Association Conference; Charlottesville, Virginia
December 5, 2017 – New Hampshire Golf Course Superintendents Association Annual Turf Education Conference; Concord, New Hampshire
December 5-7, 2017 – New Jersey Turfgrass Association Green Expo; Atlantic City, NJ
January 10, 2018 – Eastern Pennsylvania Turf Conference; East Earl, Pennsylvania
January 25, 2018 – Northeast Pennsylvania Turf Conference; Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
January 29 – February 1, 2018 – Mid-Atlantic Turfgrass Expo (MATE); Fredericksburg, Virginia
Northeast Region Agronomists:
David A. Oatis, regional director – doatis@usga.org
Adam Moeller, director, Green Section Education – amoeller@usga.org
James E. Skorulski, agronomist – jskorulski@usga.org
Elliott Dowling, agronomist – edowling@usga.org
Addison Barden, agronomist – abarden@usga.org
Paul Jacobs, agronomist – pjacobs@usga.org
Information on the USGA’s Course Consulting Service