Yesterday I got off the convention center grounds with three busloads full of superintendents from across the globe for GCSAA's annual Turfgrass Field Seminar. Led by the University of Florida's Phil Busey, Ph.D., we visited three courses of various types, learned about the cultural practices and unique water issues specific to central Florida and also visited a sprawling sports complex of more than 40 acres of maintained athletic fields of bermudagrass at Disney's Wide World of Sports.
First stop, Shingle Creek Golf Club, where superintendent Rickey Craig gave us the scoop of the Championship resort property that was purchased from Universal and once was zoned for an amusement park. The David Harman-designed, 7,228-yard course sees up to 200 rounds a day and boasts TifEagle greens. Craig said he grooms every day and light frequent topdresses every other week. The area's water district just moved into phase three a couple of weeks ago, cutting its water consumption by 45 percent. That doesn't affect Shingle Creek too much, Craig said, because about 95 percent of the club's water comes from a reclaimed water pond. An emergency well serves as back-up. He irrigates with about 225,000 gallons a night.
Bay Hill Golf Club and Lodge's superintendent Matt Beaver gave us a tour next of the maintenance facility at Arnold Palmer's course, where he plays most every day. The 18-hole Championship Course and the 9-hole Charger Course feature TifEagle greens, an area where Beaver said nematodes have been an issue. For this reason, he stocked up on Bayer's Nemacor, since the product expires later this year. He's searching for other alternatives in the meantime. He uses a lot of liquid fertilizer, spraying on a weekly basis with either calcium or micronutrients. He also employs fertigation. Bay Hill uses reclaimed water with two wells for back-up. That means a lot of debris ends up in the irrigation heads -- he once found a cell phone and a hack saw in the filters. Here, they also showed off some new Jacobsen Eclipse electric mowers, which they had in the shop but hadn't tried out yet.
Beaver also showed off an 18,000-square-foot practice green where he tests A1, L93, G2, Champion, Mini Verde, SeaIsle Supreme and more varieties. Palmer also has urged Beaver to experiment with Sub Air's hydronics, which would allow a 10 degree change in the surface temperature by running cold or hot water through a network of underground tubes (pictured below). Several renowned courses such as Augusta and Southern Hills have used the method, but it's yet to be tested out here. 
The last but not least traditional course we visited was Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge, with 36 Championship holes. We lunched in a tent on the driving range and then got to hit some balls. The range is part of a 42-acre circular practice facility with eight separate ranges directed inward, in a semi-circle. 
Brandon Page (left), assistant superintendent of Orange County's Crooked Cat course, said all water is effluent; the water enters the golf course through three turn-outs. No fertigation takes place here without a pump station, but Page said some nitrogen is introduced to the grass through the effluent water. He aerifies everything twice a year, topdresses regularly and verticuts four to six times a year. The course hosts a number of events, including Q Schools qualifying events, the GCSAA Championship, and the PGA Merchandising Show's demo day with vendors just earlier this month. The 900-acre property includes on-site lodging and 561 acres of unmaintained natural areas.
Then we entered Disney, a vast complex with 40 acres of athletic fields and 40 acres of maintained turfgrass areas, all 419 bermudagrass, that see an unbelievable amount of wear. The Atlanta Braves play here in the pre-season, as well as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The complex also hosts the World Baseball Classic, Division I and III soccer championships, softball tournaments, college football, high school football, lacrosse, field hockey, track and more. 
In one weekend, 5,000 games were played here. Preston Courtney, sports turf manager for the complex, said 24 more fields are needed, given the wear of the existing fields. But sales are strong, and teams are on waiting lists to get in. In this industry, the event takes priority, and the goal is no injured athletes, whether it's an 8-year-old soccer player or a pro athlete worth millions, so Courtney says he has no budget; just whatever it takes. He does aerify when he has a window, but it's not often and not lengthy. He buys 400,000 pounds of ryegrass for overseeding every year and fertilizes a pound of nitrogen every month.
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