Seminar on the Best management practises for velvet bentgrass

Press Releasein Industry News

Welcome to the STERF seminar Best management practises for velvet bentgrass (Agrostis canina L. ) on golf course putting greens Hyvinkää, Finland, 16-18 June 2010

Programme:

Wednesday 16th June

Arrival at Rantasipi Hyvinkää in the afternoon (Minibus available for small groups; charter bus from the airport if necessary)

19:00: Reception / Welcome to Finland. Host: Finnish Golf Federation

Thursday 17th June

08:30: Official opening of the seminar. STERF chairman Bruno Hedlund
08:45: Origin, adaptation and breeding of velvet bentgrass.
- Jim Murphy, Rutgers University
09:15: Scandinavian testing of velvet bentgrass varieties.
- Trygve S. Aamlid, Bioforsk

09:30: Break, coffee

09:45: Velvet bentgrass management:
Nitrogen levels and mechanical / biological thatch control
- Results from STERF project: Tanja Espevig and Trygve S. Aamlid, Norway: 30 min
- Research at Rutgers University: Jim Murphy: 30 min
- Research in Wisconsin: Ben Pease. 30 min
- Research in Ontario, Canada: Katerina Jordan. 30 min
- Discussion with speakers in panel: 15 min.

12:00: Lunch

12:45: Root zone compositions, pH-levels and irrigation on velvet bentgrass greens
- Research at University of Guelph, Canada: Katerina Jordan: 15 min.
- Velvet bentgrass irrigation requirements. Michelle DaCosta: 30 min.
- Results from STERF project: Tanja Espevig and Trygve S. Aamlid, Norway: 30 min
- Discussion with speakers in panel: 15 min
14:15: Velvet bentgrass greens: Heaven or hell for the greenkeeper ?

Introduction to visit at Kytäjä GC. Kristiina Laukkanen, Finland

15:00: Departure to Kytäjä GC (25 min drive).
15:30 - 17.30: Turf walk at Kytäjä GC.

Head greenkeepers Kimmo Keihäskoski and Kai Kurikka The North West course's back nine holes will be closed for players.

Thursday evening programme options:

1. 17:30: Tee times for 24 players; colf carts and clubs provided by Kytäjä Golf. There will be enough sunlight for playing until 23:00, by carts the game takes about 4 hours. Players will have their dinner at the club house. Minibus from the clubhouse to the hotel.

2. 18:00 Bird Watching at Lake Kytäjärvi The Kytäjärvi lake is a good spot for birdwatching. If there are serious birdwatchers in the group, we will ask the local birdwatchers to guide a short trip.

3. 18:00 Riding Icelandic horses (extra charges apply) Size of the group max 9, equipment included in the charge For groups 2 and 3:

19:30-24:00 Barbeque dinner at the 'Laavu' (a hut for 20-30 persons inside) Minibus / bus from the Laavu to the hotel.

4. 19:00 Dinner at hotel.
Buses will return to the hotel after the turf walk.

Friday 18th June

08:30: Velvet bentgrass winter survival compared to other turfgrass species
- Tolerance to freezing temperatures, snow, ice and snow moulds.
Results from STERF's project: Tanja Espevig and Arne Tronsmo, Norway (30 min)
- Finnish experiences: Kristiina Laukkanen (or a Finnish greenkeeper) (15 min)
- Swedish experiences: Håkan Blusi, Timrå GC (15 min)
- Canadian experiences: Katerina Jordan (15 min)
- Discussion with speakers in the panel: 30 min

10:15: Break. Coffee.

10:30 : Velvet bentgrass - monostand or in mixture with other species
- From Poa annua to velvet bentgrass:
Henrik Norén, Bro Bålsta GK, Sweden: 15 min
- Velvet bentgrass + red fescue: The ecological alternative:
- Flemming Andreassen , Dronninglund GK, Denmark : 15 min
- Hans Beurling, Furesö GK, Denmark: 15 min
- Michael Lagestam, Samuelsdals GK: 15 min
- Discussion with speakers in panel: 30 min.
12:00: The R&A golf course data management service: past, present and future
development.
- Keith Duff, R&A.

12:30: Lunch

13:30: Departure to Peuramaa Golf (one hour drive)
14:30 - 16:30. Visit to Peuramaa Golf Head-GK: Janne Hellström
16:30 End of seminar

Transport to airport or back to hotel for those staying until Saturday
(both about 1 h)

Registration and seminar fee
The seminar is open to everyone interested in velvet bentgrass as an environment-friendly alternative for golf courses, in the Nordic countries and elsewhere.

The seminar fee has been set to 400 Euro for those staying in a single room and 330 Euro for those sharing a double room. The fee is all inclusive: Meals, transport back and forth to airport, green fee (for those playing at Kytäjä) and seminar folder with preprints of lectures.

Deadline for registrations is Tuesday 1 June.
Please fill the registration form and mail it to: kristiina.laukkanen@golf.fi.

REGISTRATION FORM

Name

Golf course / company / institute:

Address for the invoice:



Telephone (mobile):

E-mail:

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