No. 18 on the Championship Golf Course at Grandfather Golf & Country Club in Linville, N.C. The course’s fairways, greens and tees are bentgrass/Poa annua. Photos courtesy of Pete Gerdon
Editor’s note: The following article was supplied by BASF. All product claims, research cited and other information is directly from the company.
The Linville River Valley of North Carolina is known for majestic views that include mountains, lakes and streams. It was here that respected golf course designer Ellis Maples created Grandfather Golf & Country Club, an exquisite layout where no hole could be seen from another. Between the facility’s two courses — the Championship Golf Course and the Mountain Springs Golf Course — members and visitors alike can revel in the beautiful fairways lined with towering trees, abundant water features and interesting topography that provides unique gameplay on every hole.
To keep the course in pristine condition throughout the season, the club trusts the expertise of Pete Gerdon, who joined the team as a superintendent in 1992. “I’m now the director of agronomy,” says Gerdon, a 39-year GCSAA member. “And I have a young man I’m training as the golf course superintendent. My role is to oversee all ornamental turf at Grandfather Golf & Country Club, plus 36 holes of golf.”
Because Poa annua is the native grass in the area, the turf can become highly susceptible to dollar spot, which has been one of the main challenges for Gerdon and his team in the past. However, with the help of some key turf innovations, they’ve been seeing fewer outbreaks of dollar spot, anthracnose, summer patch and other common diseases. “I really like the products that control dollar spot that have Intrinsic in them, where I’m getting a little boost of plant health,” Gerdon says. “With our fertility and disease control program, we basically have not had an outbreak of dollar spot, so evidently we’re doing something right.”
Gerdon (right) knows it’s important that the course always looks and performs its best so visitors can truly experience and appreciate everything Grandfather Golf & Country Club has to offer. That’s why, over the years, he has developed a strong relationship with BASF and has built his spray program to include a wide variety of the fungicides that work best for the course’s region, weather conditions and cool-season grasses. “I like Honor (Intrinsic brand fungicide), Lexicon (Intrinsic brand fungicide) and Navicon (Intrinsic brand fungicide),” he says. “They’re all doing a very good job for us. We also use Trinity (fungicide) and Maxtima (fungicide).”
The next generation of innovative chemistries is always top of mind for BASF, and with the Early Order Program fast approaching, the focus is on providing the solutions and support that turf professionals need to prepare for the upcoming season. “I’ve been doing the Early Order Program with BASF for many, many years,” Gerdon says. “I would recommend anybody use BASF for their needs on the golf course and for the help they can give with any problems you might run into.”
Learn more about BASF’s newest turf innovations on BASF’s website. Always read and follow label directions. Products may not be registered for sale or use in all states. Please check with your state or local Extension service.