Leo Feser Award

This was definitely a shocker.  I didn't expect anything like this.
-Justin
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Oct. 29, 2010
GCSAA certified golf course superintendent recognized for writing Facing Facebook, Talking Twitter

Ruiz wins GCSAA's Leo Feser Award
Justin Ruiz, CGCS, has been honored with the 2010 Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Leo Feser Award for his article, "Facing Facebook, talking Twitter," which appeared in the June 2010 issue of Golf Course Management magazine.
Ruiz is the GCSAA certified golf course superintendent at The Rim Golf Club in Payson, Ariz. His article focused on the communication advantages with golfers/members/customers that social media can provide.
The Leo Feser Award is presented annually for the best superintendent-written article published in GCM, the association's monthly magazine. The award winner is selected by members of GCSAA's Strategic Communications Committee. Ruiz, a 12-year GCSAA member, will receive the award at the 2011 GCSAA Education Conference Feb. 8 during Celebrate GCSAA! presented in partnership with Syngenta. The conference (Feb. 7-11) will be held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show (Feb. 9-10) in Orlando.
"Justin's article does a great job of simplifying social media and its relevance to our profession," said GCSAA President James R. Fitzroy, CGCS. "Through his writing he was able to help readers understand how helpful these new technologies can be to a golf facility's communication efforts."
As the Feser Award winner, Ruiz will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the GCSAA Education Conference and Golf Industry Show. Ruiz's name will also be engraved on a plaque that is on permanent display at GCSAA headquarters.
The Feser Award honors the late Leo Feser, a pioneer golf course superintendent and a charter member of GCSAA. Feser is credited with keeping the association's official publication alive during the Great Depression. For three years (1933-36), he wrote, edited, assembled and published each issue of The Greenkeepers' Report (as the association's magazine was called then) from his home in Wayzata, Minn. The award was first presented in 1956 and has been given annually since 1977.
Golf Course Management is the leading publication for golf course managers. It has a circulation of nearly 30,000 and is delivered to every golf facility in the United States.
GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 20,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA's mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. The association's philanthropic organization, The Environmental Institute for Golf, works to strengthen the compatibility of golf with the natural environment through research grants, support for education programs and outreach efforts.
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For more information contact:

Ed Hiscock, editor in chief, Golf Course Management, 800-472-7878

Frost at The Rim

It is that time of year in the Rim Country. Overnight temperatures are below freezing and frost is inevitable. Fall is a great season with many colors to look at along the forest, but it also means frost delays are here.

Photo Courtesy of Purdue University www.ppdl.purdue.edu/PPDL/images/frostdamage1.jpg
We have adjusted are start times to reduce any frost delay during the winter months. We also have had cold enough weather to have frost stick around long enough to even delay our 1000am start time. We will do our best to get the course ready during the cold weather to reduce any kind of delay that may occur.
During the times of cold winter weather we will need to delay traffic on the turf until frost is melted. We want to avoid frost damage, because recovery is very slow this time of year. Damage from a cart or a walker can take more than a week to recover. The damage will start out purple in color and turn to a straw brown as the leaves begin to dry.
I like to use the analogy of a piece of glass shattering, when I explain frost damage. When the leaf blade of the plant is frozen and becomes crushed by a tire or a shoe it is basically like a piece of glass shattering into many pieces. Microscopically when the leaf blade sustains the damage the cells shatters into pieces. The pieces move through the plant destroying cells in its path. Once the plant begins to thaw the plant fluid leaks out and the leaf blade and will look water soaked and purple. The leaf blade is now dead and will turn brown. Rarely does this damage affect the crown of the plant so the plant itself is not dead. The problem is that growth is slowed during cold weather, which makes for a slow and painstaking recovery.
With that being said, we ask that walkers and cart traffic avoid turf while it is frozen to protect the grass. If there are any questions about frost and how we make the decision to delay golf please contact me.
Justin C. Ruiz, CGCS