In this special episode of Frankly Speaking, the tables are turned as Paul MacCormack, the Mindful Superintendent and general manager of Fox Meadow Golf Club on Prince Edward Island, interviews longtime host Frank Rossi. 

The conversation explores Frank's journey in the turfgrass industry, from his early curiosity-driven nature to his career in academia and research. 

They discuss the evolution of science in turfgrass management, the importance of unlearning harmful work habits like the grind mentality, and Frank's personal experiences with vulnerability and life challenges.

Frank speaks with Marco Schiavon, assistant professor at UF's Fort Lauderdale Research Center, discusses water conservation in turfgrass. 

Trained in Italy, New Mexico, and California, Schiavon now researches recycled wastewater irrigation in South Florida, finding that turf intercepts most nutrients but over-irrigation causes leaching — making water management more important than fertilizer blackout periods. He's also exploring turfgrass soil microbiome, where the field lags decades behind agriculture. 

On grasses, Schiavon calls Tiftuf Bermuda a gold standard for water conservation and says St. Augustine water needs are overestimated. His top advice: Fix irrigation system efficiency first, then layer on wetting agents and PGRs.

Frank catches up with Professor Scott McElroy from Auburn University about his path to turf through the theatre, NC State, and Tennessee. Scott speaks frankly about technology from a child’s toy, Sphero, to measure smoothness and trueness of putting surfaces to now leading the turf industry considering autonomous mowing. Discussions about the big iron companies, terminology and barriers to adoption will provide insight for the average superintendent considering this technology.

Frank had a chance to sit down with David Pierce, president of Stellar Golf Advisors and former USGA research director, about his groundbreaking research on golf course playability and golfer experience. Pierce shares his unique journey from chemical engineering at Dow Chemical to golf research, explaining how his engineering background translated perfectly to systematic golf research methodologies. The conversation centers on Pierce's development of a playability index system that categorizes golf courses from introductory to formidable based on obstacles rather than just distance, stripping out length considerations to focus on hazards, bunkers, and course forgiveness factors.

Pierce reveals concerning data showing that roughly half of male golfers and three-quarters of female golfers regularly play courses too long for their skill level, despite knowing they're doing so. He discusses the psychology behind tee selection, the importance of appropriate challenge versus frustration, and how forced carries particularly impact golfer retention. The discussion covers practical applications for superintendents and PGA professionals, including hole location strategies, the benefits of firm playing conditions, and the critical relationship between course setup and golfer satisfaction.

Pierce emphasizes that while golf gained a million net golfers during COVID, five million still left the game, highlighting the ongoing need to improve the golf experience to retain players long-term.

In this episode Frank and frequent guest Brian Whitlark explore how desert golf courses are rethinking overseeding, transition, and water use through better data and improved technology. Frank and Brian discuss course care aspects of water management and playability, with short discussions on tools for water management,  rethinking irrigation system design, and shear strength as a meaningful measure of putting-green performance. They even get to discuss newton-meter measurements!

Frank had a chance to catch up Ken Rost, president of Frost Inc., based in St. Croix, MN. Ken is a nationally recognized expert in spray application technology, a discipline he has devoted much if not all of his professional life. Ken and Frank chat about differences in GPS technology across OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), challenge to adoption, making spray maps easier to make, and the many advantages of drone spraying on golf courses.  If you are considering purchasing sprayers, don’t miss this episode.

Frank had the chance to catch up with Dr. Wendell Hutchens, assistant professor of turfgrass science at the University of Arkansas, discussing his research on turfgrass disease management, particularly spring dead spot control. The conversation covers his educational background at NC State and Virginia Tech, where he worked on fungicide fate and movement in soil profiles. Dr. Hutchens explains that effective spring dead spot management requires immediate watering-in of fungicides within 30 minutes of application to move products into the root zone where pathogens are active. He details how GPS-guided sprayers combined with drone mapping can reduce fungicide usage by 40-65% while maintaining control efficacy by targeting only affected areas. The discussion also explores cultural management practices like thatch reduction, nutrition management with manganese and nitrogen sources, and the economic impact of the disease on golf courses.

Additionally, they examine the USGA's GS3 ball technology for measuring putting green quality, including smoothness and trueness metrics, and how surface disruptions from aerification and foot traffic affect ball roll for extended periods.

Dr. Hutchens was the 2023 recipient of the Musser Award, the highest honor for recently completed graduate students, recognizing their contribution to turfgrass science.

Frank catches up with F. Dan Dinelli, CGCS, recent inductee to the the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame and third generation golf course superintendent at North Shore Country Club in Chicagoland. Dan and Frank catch up on the putting surfaces that were renovated in 2017 to a creeping bentgrass blend and an innovative root zone mix with 33 ingredients!

Dan and Frank review the complex nature or plant and microbe interactions that have led to a better understanding of root zone dynamics in sand based root zones. Hold your breath as this one is a deep dive. Big congrats to Dan on being a HOFer.

Frank catches up with fellow Eastchester, NY native and Certified Golf Course Superintendent at Fairview Country Club in Greenwich, CT  Jim Pavonetti to discuss his evolution as a golf course superintendent and now leader of data driven golf course care and environmental stewardship. Jim and Frank talk about establishing standards and then using data to verify performance and meeting those standards.

Not waiting to be told to “take it to the next level” but showing your golfers what the next level can be.  A thoroughly enjoyable chat with a fellow Yankee fan and NY native that will certainly leave you thinking. 

Frank had a chance to chat with Rhett Evans, the CEO of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). Rhett and Frank discuss the path to his current role and the challenges and rewards of running large organizations and municipalities. Specifically, Frank and Rhett get a chance to dive into the GCSAA organizational efforts with partners and membership and how he established his “voice” for the golf turf industry. Eventually, the discussion of high-performance athletic endeavors including multiple Ironman events and his recent ascension to the peak of Mount Everest. A rare glimpse behind the sciences with inimitable Rhett Evans.

In this episode Frank visits with Professor Ming Yi Chou, Turfgrass Pathologist at Rutgers University, former sommelier, and expert microbial molecular biologist. He earned his B.Sc. from National Taiwan University, M.Sc. from the École Supérieure de Commerce de Dijon, and Ph.D. in Horticultural Biology from Cornell University, followed by postdoctoral work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Michigan State University.

His research explores plant–soil–microbiome interactions, develops disease-prediction models and diagnostic tools, and directs one of the nation’s largest turfgrass fungicide evaluation programs. Widely recognized for his contributions to science and extension, Dr. Chou received the 2024–2025 Merle V. Adams Award for outstanding achievement as an assistant extension faculty member.

Frank had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Jackie (Jack) Guevara to discuss her career starting in the Philippines, coming to Michigan State University, and now making it her academic home, completing her MS and Ph.D. degrees as a Spartan. During that time, she has studied the use of various soil testing methods, in particular MLSN, and found that excellent turfgrass quality and performance can achieved with significantly less fertilizer than suggested by SLAN method.

Jackie has been intimately involved in the preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup focused on accelerated sod production on plastic. A big shout out to our newest Spartan!

Frank dives deep into warm and cool season turfgrass disease management with Dr. Jim Kerns, Professor and Extension Specialist of Turfgrass Pathology and Department Extension Leader in Entomology and Plant Pathology at NC State University, where he also co-directs the Turfgrass Center for Environmental Research and Education.

Frank and Jim discuss origins of Smith-Kerns model and then go underground for an intense discussion of Pythium root rot and the “patch” disease Take-All and Summer Patch. Jim addresses the new findings and discusses insights from molecular techniques that is enhancing control programs.

Frank catches up with Mike 0’Keeffe who serves as Program Manager for The Ohio Program (TOP), Ohio State University's renowned international turfgrass internship program, a position he has held since 1990. A graduate of Warrenstown College in Ireland, Mike originally participated in the program himself as an intern from 1986-1988 before joining the staff. Under his leadership, TOP has become a globally recognized program that places 120+ international interns annually on some of the world's finest golf courses, helping young turfgrass professionals gain invaluable hands-on experience in the United States.

Frank and Mike chat about the programs background, Mike’s passion for psychology and the secret to Ohio programs success—the people!

Frank catches up with Gunnar Håkansson who serves as the General Secretary and CEO of the Swedish Golf Federation (SGF), the governing body for golf in Sweden.  The SGF was founded in 1904 and currently oversees 500 golf clubs with over 500,000 individual members. Gunnar has been actively involved in leading the federation through a period of significant change and modernization, including efforts to promote inclusivity and accessibility in Swedish golf.

Håkansson has been prominent in making decisive leadership decisions for Swedish golf, including the federation's 2022 decision to sever ties with Henrik Stenson following his move to LIV Golf, citing concerns about role model standards for junior golfers. Frank and Gunnar catch up almost 20 years since Frank spent 6 months supporting the Swedish Golf Federation and the concept of “too much grass”.

Frank chats with Chris Haspell, founder and president of Chris Haspell and Associates. Based in the UK, Chris specializes in golf course and sports turf consulting focused on end-to-end project management, construction and shaping services, grassing and grow-in expertise working with some of the biggest names in golf course architecture. Chris was involved in the 1990s with the Danish Golf Union and was one of the  “Sons of Golf” in Denmark when pesticides were banned for use.

Chris developed his construction skills on projects from Castle Stuart to Les Bourdes in France. He took some time out of his schedule to sit down and chat about his career and managing fescue golf courses.