In this EW Podcast, Jack Higgins chats with Jerad Minnick, Head Groundskeeper at the Maryland SoccerPlex about optimizing aerification for playability. 

This week we turn the tables and put Joel Simmons in the hot seat. Joel founded EarthWorks in 1988 with business partner and mentor, Jerry Brunetti. We discuss the uphill battle of building an organic based company well before it was vogue, unique product formulations, and his vision for the future of EarthWorks.

A great conversation between two friends just talking shop! Ryan tells great superintendent stories about making more with less. How many of you can relate? Can you imagine moving water on a property that has only 1 foot of fall from an 8 ft elevation to 7 ft? Ryan discusses some of the challenges and strategies to maintain a golf course in this environment. Stay tuned to the end for a midsummer update from EarthWorks.

Dean Graves spent the majority of his professional career as a golf course superintendent in the heat of the Mid-Atlantic region near Washington DC. He is currently the principal of his own consulting company and consults to golf courses all across the country. We had time to catch up and talk about his career where he was fortunate enough to work at three golf courses within miles of each other. Dean shares a lot of wisdom about everything from agronomy to managing people.

Mike Huck, owner of Irrigation and Turf Services joins Kevin Hicks to talk about his many career steps including his affiliation with an aftermarket sprinkler nozzle market, his time as an agronomist with the USGA, and finally hanging his own shingle as a consultant for water rights, irrigation auditing, and turf consulting. We discuss his early years as a course employee in Wisconsin, his venture west to Cal Poly Pomona, and some of the equipment that many of us “old timers” worked with early in our careers. Mike’s 40+ years in the golf business has impacted countless turf managers. His continued work on the state of water in the western United States will keep golf and turf at the table as tough decisions are made about who gets an ever-dwindling water supply. 

Lawrence Mayhew is generally recognized as one of the world’s premier experts in humic acids. He is a chemist and one of the founding members of the Humic Products Trade Association (HPTA) a not for profit organization set up by chemists. HPTA builds accepted standards for testing humic acids to protect all consumers. In addition they fight the over the top claims that gave humic substances a bad name and promote the value they provide to a turf soils program. Lawrence answers questions on humic acids and helps us debunk the myths and mysteries of what this powerful substance can do for any turf manager.

An enthusiastic and insightful conversation between Jack Higgins and Ryan Merriman, Golf Course Superintendent of East Hampton Golf Club. Listen in as Ryan bounces the conversation from a recent rebuild of the 17th green to the unique characteristics of the golf course. Throw in a discussion on the challenges of maintaining daily tournament conditions with a staff of sixteen and only one assistant and you’re sure to be engaged.

This EarthWorks Podcast celebrates the 29 female volunteers of the recent US Women’s Open held at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. This podcast includes three separate, but related, interviews. We begin with Troy Flanagan, The Director of Golf Maintenance discussing his historic vision to build a large team of female volunteers for the tournament grounds crew. Troy talks about how satisfying the experience was and the incredible energy that these women brought to the event.

We also have the pleasure to speak with two of the women who worked on that crew, Lorabeth West of Hillcrest CC in Los Angeles and Jessica Lenihan from Hayden Lake CC in Hayden Lake, Idaho. Lorabeth and Jessica both express what an exceptional experience this event was for all of the volunteers.

In this EW Podcast, Kevin Hicks has a great conversation with Canadian superintendent Randy Booker of Otter Creek Golf Club. Randy has been on a path to regenerative golf maintenance. The regenerative concept goes beyond the current “sustainable" buzzword to a level that has allowed Randy to not only eliminate pesticides, but to also shift turf species on his golf course.

Kevin and Randy discuss some topics not commonly heard in the turf industry: the inputs that create a fungal-dominant soil biology, the steps he took to get to where he is now, and how every superintendent can implement some of the things he’s done to improve the position of their course in the greater environment.

In Part 2 of Water Testing with Dave Wilber we go into detail about how to manage a really clean or “stripping” water. Irrigation water is the biggest input in any growing environment and can cause a lot of problems. Dave makes this report a lot easier to understand and provides tips to manage around your water. If you missed Water Testing Part 1 you may want to start there!

In this EW Podcast, Joel Simmons and Kevin Hicks chat with Dave Wilber about irrigation water — your “biggest input” and potentially your “biggest red flag”! Dave walks us through a sodium rich water sample and talks about how to manage the potential damage that this water can cause your soil and your plant material.

This in-depth conversation evaluates every line item on the water test in detail. After listening, you will better understand the importance of this report. In addition to the technical talk, there are a lot of common sense tips. This conversation will help everyone using irrigation water, regardless of crop, understand the impact that water has on your plant material.

Tap into the ancient knowledge of geopathic stress with Scott Anderson, superintendent at Huntingdon Valley Country Club outside Philadelphia. Scott talks about the William Flynn golf course where he has been the superintendent for 40 years and his philosophy on keeping the property dry to improve playing conditions... and how to grow the deepest roots in the fall and spring and keep them through the summer.

Jack and Scott also discuss one of Scott's passions, using divining rods to discover geopathic stresses and water on a property. Scott surveys Jack’s property with his divining rods and uncovers and remediates a “hot spot” of geopathic stress. Listen to the end to hear what he fixes!

Pete Wendt is one of the premier golf course superintendents in the country and is just finishing up a major renovation of the championship course at Congressional Country Club. Joel Simmons chats with Pete about the changes and the challenges of the new layout and his career as a superintendent that has spanned four decades, including building Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, VA. Throw in a little agronomy and a lot of fun!

A two part podcast with Josh Saunders of Lancaster Country Club, hosted by Joel Simmons and Jack Higgins. Josh tells stories, talks tournament prep, and updates us on the construction of a new 14,000 sq. ft. putting green.

In this EarthWorks Podcast, Joel Simmons chats with Pat Finlen, CGCS.  Pat is well known in the turf industry as a superintendent (Olympic Club and currently GM at Winchester Country Club in Meadow Vista, CA, and host of the 2012 US Open. They cover Pat’s career and talk about the state of the industry. This conversation is filled with insight for any turf manager.

Kevin Hicks chats with and Duane Sharpe, BC Sales Manager for Brett Young Canada, about his move from golf course superintendent to a position in sales, with an interesting stop or two along the way. Sharpee, as his friends know him, has become a trusted friend and partner in the industry. Join Kevin and Sharpee as they dive into how sales positions aren’t exactly what you may think.

Workforce development is a weakness for many businesses. Finding staff and crew in the turf industry may be our biggest challenge. In this Earthworks Podcast, Joel Simmons chats with Tyler Bloom of Tyler Bloom Consulting about the challenges of finding qualified employees and the steps his company is taking to make this easier.

Meet Gina Rizzi, President of Radius Sports LLC and ARCUS Marketing. Kevin Hicks talked with Gina about her business model and the various industries served by her company. The discussion then shifted to BMPs, marketing strategies for our business, and where golf goes from here. We’re thrilled to have Gina weigh in on the environmental opportunities that are available to the golf and sports turf industry.