On Tuesday April 21st, John Deere Golf hosted a celebration dinner for Penn State Turf Bowl Competitors, faculty, and Alumni at the Nittany Lion Inn. Alumni from Augusta National, Merion, Shelter Harbor, and Mountaintop were present. The evening kicked off with a small mixer where students and alumni met and talked turf. Before dinner, Tom Hannigan and Dave Plaster of John Deere recognized the alumni present and the success of the PSU turf teams. Three teams placed in the top ten capturing 1st, 3rd, and 9th place. After dinner, stories and memories generated laughs by all in attendance. The students presented Dr. Ben McGraw their advisor with a framed picture of the group and a card thanking him for his dedication. Many stories about the late Dr. Joe Duich were also told, demonstrating the incredible impact he had on his students. We want to extend a big thank you to John Deere for assembling a great group and evening, celebrating Penn State’s Turf Bowl success!
The Turf Club held its annual luncheon during the Golf Course Turf Conference at the Nittany Lion Inn. This year's event drew superintendents from around the country for an update from the faculty and students in the turfgrass programs.
After a great lunch, the group was given an update on the turf program from Dr. McNitt, an update on the past year's events from Turf Club President Neils Dokkuma (2-year class of 2010) and a look at what's in store for the upcoming year from new Club President James Seisun (2-year class of 2011).
The highlight of the annual event continues to be the introductions of everyone in attendance. Each person stood up and introduced themselves and gave a little bit of background on their career and what Penn State means to them. Matt Shaffer, Director of Agronomy at Merion Golf Club, told the group how important Penn State was to him and promised any students looking for an internship three things:
- ...to teach them everything he knows about being a superintendent,
- ...to overwork them,
- ...and to undercompensate them!
The Turf Club Luncheon had one of the highest attendances on record with nearly 200 people. They look to expand upon this next year to draw in even more superintendents interested in sharing their thoughts on the program and finding out more about what the Turf Club is doing to prepare students for a career in the turfgrass industry!
Check out pictures from the luncheon and the Golf Course Turf Conference below.
