The Overlooked Secret to Effective Year-Round Turf Management
Every winter the importance of effective communication in the turf management industry becomes abundantly clear to me.
Winter can be tough for turf managers, as it is often when our facilities are at their least impressive due to heavy usage and little to no chance of recovery until the warmth of spring arrives.
Despite all the developments in turf management techniques, skills, and knowledge, there is still a limit to what our turf surfaces can produce or tolerate at certain times of year. It can be tempting to throw our hands in the air and think there is nothing we can do.
As I heard one stadium manager say recently, we are simply managing turf decline at this time of year.
However, there are facilities that have implemented processes to help manage wear and expectations, and they are beginning to see enormous benefits. The secret ingredient – early communication.
Communicating with and educating officials, coaches, players, members, and students about the importance of managing wear and usage throughout the entire year so that in the long run they can enjoy a higher quality surface that is safer can prove invaluable.
This often means getting different sporting codes in the same room together, and developing a relationship that understands and respects each other’s needs. As a turf manager, this is a golden opportunity to explain the agronomic implications, and the processes that need to be implemented to deliver the best you can for all parties.
Winter can be tough for turf managers, but one simple measure can significantly improve year-round turf management. http://t.co/D6CglaeRB8
— Turfwise Consulting (@TurfwiseMedia) August 11, 2015
Turf managers or curators can’t be on-site 24/7, so creating a team of “disciples” that understand and respect your needs – because you understand and respect theirs – can make an enormous difference.
However it is no good going through this exercise now by trying to fix the problems you see before you.
Getting together in spring and discussing the importance of plans that need to be implemented throughout the entire year to help reduce the decline of surfaces is imperative in order to deliver noticeable results throughout autumn and winter.
Image Credit// See-ming Lee
