Seminar brings golf, environmental community together

On Feb. 3, the Southern California Golf Course Superintendents Association (SCGCSA), the Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) and the Council for Watershed Health held a joint seminar that brought together the Southern California golf industry and environmental community. 

Hosted by the American Golf-managed Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena, Calif., the Golf & Water Evolving Best Management Practices seminar featured more than 170 municipal officials, landscape architects, golf course superintendents, water efficiency professionals, golf professionals, club managers and others in an effort to examine existing water conservation programs, highlight case studies and determine the future for sustainable golf course design and management.

The keynote speaker was Mike Huck, principal at Irrigation and Turfgrass Services.  A former USGA agronomist, Huck is one of the foremost experts on golf course water use and conservation in the country.  His topic focused on current and future use of reclaimed water on golf courses.

Other featured speakers included Ken Alperstein, golf course architect with Pinnacle Design; Jim Baird, Ph.D., assistant cooperative extension specialist at UC Riverside; Ryan Bentley, superintendent at North Ranch Country Club; John Dalman of Toro Irrigation; Deb Deets, landscape architect with the City of Los Angeles; Penny Falcon, manager of water conservation policy with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power; Pat Gross, director of the USGA West Region Green Section; Tim Jackson, golf course architect with Jackson Kahn Design; Bob Perry, adjunct professor at USC and professor emeritus at California State Polytechnic University; Kathy Ramos, associate resource specialist with the Metropolitan Water District and Jesse Seguin, Class A superintendent at Brookside Golf Club.  Seguin provided a walking tour of the recent 22 acre turf reduction project that took place at Brookside. 

Special thanks goes to Craig Kessler, director of governmental affairs with the SCGA; Council for Watershed Health founding board member Arthur Golding and SCGCSA president Nate Radwick for their efforts in putting the program together.  Cyndy Neal, SCGCSA executive director, past president D.J. Ahlstrand and Council for Watershed Health representatives Drew Ready and Margaret de Larios were all instrumental in the organization and operation of the seminar. 

The SCGCSA, SCGA and Council for Watershed Health appreciate the support of the Southern California golf and environmental community in making this seminar a success. Plans are being made for future events that will be beneficial to all involved parties.  

Pictured is Class A Superintendent Jesse Seguin of Brookside Golf Club speaking to a group of more than 170 golf and environmental professionals at the Feb. 3 Golf & Water Evolving Best Management Practices Seminar held in Pasadena, Calif.