Klippings
Summer 2026
Professional - Promote - Preserve
Presidents Letter
To Members of the KGCSA,
"April showers bring May flowers?" While April 2025 brought the Ohio River out of its banks in downtown Louisville, this year we've seen less than two inches of rain so far.
The Board of Directors recently met at Hurstbourne Country Club for a strategic planning session. My thanks to Steve Randall and Ron Prescott of the GCSAA for helping facilitate a productive day. The Board established several key goals for the coming years to strengthen our chapter:
* Support local research initiatives
* Strengthen partnerships and collaborations
* Drive membership growth and engagement
* Enhance education and professional development
* Ensure long-term financial success
I'd also like to thank every course that participated in GCSAA's Rounds 4 Research program. We had 20 foursomes donated this year-far surpassing our previous high of four. As a reminder, our chapter receives 80% of the total funds generated from those rounds.
Looking ahead, our Annual Fundraiser will once again be hosted by Frankfort Country Club on June 8. Course Superintendent Darryl Songer has promised not to schedule five inches of rain two days prior this year (fingers crossed). Be sure to sign up soon, as team spots will fill quickly.
Following the fundraiser, KGCSA will partner with the University of Kentucky and Dr. Mike Harrell at the Southeastern Turfgrass Research Center on June 30. This event will give members the opportunity to see the latest in turfgrass research and hear from university and industry professionals. It will also include an early introduction and updates from the ABW research team that KGCSA has recently committed to supporting.
Thank you for your continued support of our chapter. KGCSA remains committed to making a positive impact on every member of the association.
Professional. Promote. Preserve.
Happy Derby to all,
Matthew E. Shallock
President, KGCSA
Member Spotlight
Damon Hitti winner of the GCSAA Conference & Trade Show Scholarship
Being able to attend the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show should be on ever turf manager's bucket list. I attended the conference in the past, but this one was a special treat. It was the Centennial Celebration edition of the show. Though the official centennial date isn't until September 13, 2026, the GCSAA pulled out all the stops for the members in attendance at the show this past February. A museum of sorts was set up on the tradeshow floor filled with the tools and equipment of our trade. Some I had even used during my career! A large timeline wall was also set up to show significant dates in the GCSAA history. It was great to see when our own KGCSA came online in 1948; one of the earliest chapters! Icon Park in Orlando was reserved for our organization and was filled with great music, food, and fun for everyone. It was a time to relax, enjoy comradery, and celebrate the accomplishments of our great organization. The golf tournament, world-class education, great opening and closing ceremoies and a trade show that was listed as one of the fastest growing tradeshows are more of what you can partake in while in attendance. Besides taking a half day class on soils and soil tests, one of many additional classes you can attend, part of my time was spent receiving more education related to my Grassroots Ambassador role. There is always something new to see or learn at the show, and I always leave with at least one new item I can use right away at my course.
If I want to go the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show, I usually must pay for it myself, but this year I thought I would apply for the KGCSA Scholarship to attend the show and to my surprise, I won! This is one of the many benefits of being a member of the KGCSA and is Open to all members in good standing of the KGCSA to apply. Have you applied yet for the next show which will be in New Orleans? The application is on the KGCSA website and is easy to fill out. The trip can be part of a family vacation as well, which is what many people do. This scholarship is a direct result of proceeds from the Annual KGCSA Fundraiser so in closing, I want to thank our corporate sponsors for their generous support to our chapter. Without them this scholarship, our legacy scholarship and other member benefits would not be possible.
Damon Hitti, Past President KGCSA
Weissinger Hills GC
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Prepare Your Course for Summer Stress
This is the right time to start preparing for summer stress, if you haven't already. Building up strong, healthy plants now will help your course be ready for what's to come.
Get a Foliar Program Going
Starting a foliar program in the early summer helps build up turf plants and provides them with enough energy to make it through the season. There are three products I recommend most, especially for putting greens.
In my mind, the number one product for summer stress is Foliar-Pak Foundation Forty. It creates a better osmolyte presence by loading more osmolytes into cell vacuoles and stomatal guard cells. A better osmolyte presence produces plants that are better equipped to endure heat, drought, and other stressors. I've had a few customers deal with turf damage (including a hydraulic oil leak from a mower that left spots on a green), and combining Foundation Forty and Grow-In worked wonders to stimulate growth and recovery.
Foliar-Pak Gold Standard 45 is another product I recommend for bentgrass areas during warm and stressful periods. It is an amino acid-complexed solution containing 45% phosphite. What makes Gold Standard 45 stand out to me is the low use rate of 0.5-1.5 fluid ounces per thousand square feet. Many of my customers have noticed improved results from their tank-mixed fungicide applications when Gold Standard is in the tank.
Foliar-Pak CSi L is my third pick. It contains plant-available silicon dioxide and amino acids, which help strengthen cell walls and improve water retention. It minimizes the moisture stress of each cell and increases the overall turgor pressure of the cell, which promotes more upright growth. The big benefit here is that the upright growth leads to increased green speeds.
Keep Moisture on Your Mind
Moisture management is another area where early-season planning pays off. HydroPak Percolate is a tried-and-true hydration and infiltration surfactant and Zipline is another combination option that's getting great feedback.
Percolate is designed for fine turfgrass and sand-based root zones, making it an excellent choice on greens and tees. It reduces surface tension, and it also helps prevent localized dry spots, provides uniform soil moisture, and ensures a firm playing surface. Zipline helps move water into the turfgrass rootzone while maintaining a firm surface for players.
Both products help reduce your reliance on hand-watering, thus saving labor, time, and causing minimal disruption to players. Many surfactants have multiple label rates, often detailing a one-month rate and a two-week rate.
You're never quite sure what the weather is going to do to you a month from today. So, if you put a monthly rate down, it may not last long enough, and then you're having to make extra applications in order to maintain uniform moisture.
I prefer tighter intervals at lower use rates, since applying more frequently gives you the flexibility to adjust based on conditions. This may add a bit more labor, but I think shorter intervals can produce a more consistent surface with lighter applications. I have a number of customers who are applying wetting agents in this fashion, which helps them maintain a more consistent surface.
In addition to standard surfactants, we also have hose-end surfactant tablets like Vivax Tabs. These are a great way to treat the water that you're putting down and help it get into the soil. There's not enough active ingredient in these to treat the entire rootzone, but they're a very helpful tool when hand watering.
Don't Overlook Venting
Solid tine venting is a good way to help improve the flow of oxygen and water in the soil. This involves using an aerator with needle tines to poke holes in the soil without pulling cores. I recommend venting every three to four weeks during the summer. It's a low-disruption practice that can make a noticeable difference in overall health.
Remember that every course is different, and no two summers are alike. If you're looking for products and suggestions tailored to your course, reach out to your ATS rep today or head to advancedturf.com to find a rep near you.
Article by ATS rep Tod Fregien