Indianwood Golf and Country Club Superintendent Brian Schweihofer said having quality turfgrass is as much ‘an art form? as it is science.
On Sept. 26, Indianwood will host The Big Event charity golf outing for the second year in a row. The outing will benefit turfgrass research at Michigan State University on behalf of The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation (MTF).
The foundation is a non-profit organization that started because of a need for better turfgrass and better methods of maintenance. It’s headquartered at MSU, and works closely with the university.
Schweihofer, who is in his eighth season at Indianwood, said the MTF is an invaluable resource for superintendents like himself.
‘I grew up in landscaping, and I started playing golf at an early age, so this was a natural fit,? he said of his job.
Schweihofer got his start at the Port Huron Golf Club, where he worked before earning his degree in crop, soil science and turfgrass from MSU.
‘We have 42 people on staff in the summer,? he said of Indianwood. ‘We usually start at 6 a.m., so we can get things done before the golfers are on the course.?
Schweihofer describes his department’s job as ‘preparing the golf course for daily play.?
‘We mow the greens, fairways and rough,? he said. ‘We water just about every night that it doesn’t rain.?
Schweihofer coordinates six assistants, three of them also with degrees from MSU.
They include a horticulturalist, and two mechanics who maintain the department’s fleet of mowers and other equipment.
According to Schweihofer, managing the course’s turfgrass is ‘based around a multitude of sound maintenance practices.?
‘We develop turf that can stand stress,? he said. ‘The weather is a huge factor. That’s one of the battles we fight, is with Mother Nature.?
Schweihofer believes an ideal summer would be one that is cool and wet.
‘Hot and humid, as it has been this year, is not good,? he said. ‘Ideally, you wouldn’t get a day over 75 and there would be lots of rain.?
The Big Event will generate funds that will help with research and development of better turfgrass.
‘We will find better ways to handle the pest problems,? Schweihofer said. ‘And that’s not just referring to insects…at Indianwood, probably 80 percent of our pest problem is fungal.?
The MTF is always searching for less costly and more environmentally-friendly ways to improve turfgrass, said MTF President Tim Doppel, who also owns Atwood Lawn Care in Sterling Heights and Pontiac.
‘It really does do more than just look good,? he said. ‘We’ve been told healthy turfgrass will increase the retail value of a home up to 16 percent.?
Doppel said that the foundation already knows that properly fertilizing and watering turfgrass can help reduce water pollution.
‘It grabs onto particulate matter, and prevents it from going into the drains,? he said, adding that turfgrass is a huge industry in the state of Michigan.
‘The Hancock Turfgrass Center at MSU is one of the largest in the world,? said Doppel. ‘One half of their research is dedicated to golf turf…the other half is dedicated to ‘general use turf,? which would be applicable to home lawns.?
‘MSU has the only program in Michigan,? Schweihofer said. ‘It ranks in the top of the country.
‘The science of growing grass is a big part of the job,? he added. ‘It’s pretty unnatural, to ask (the grass) to do what we ask it to do.?
At Indianwood, Schweihofer oversees 400 acres that includes two golf courses.
‘I’m full-time,? he said. ‘We have six of us that are here all year.?
Schweihofer and his full-time staff spend the winter months focusing on improving the program for next season.
‘We still get on the course as weather permits,? he said. ‘Part of my job is to actually go out and play parts of the course.?
The golf season winds down at Indianwood around the second week of November, and begins every year on April 1.
Professional organizations, like the MTF and the Golf Superintendents Association of America, offer continuing education programs, which Schweihofer said superintendents usually attend during the off-season.
‘We have a lot of knowledge at our fingertips because of organizations like that,? he said. ‘Superintendents are a tight-knit group. We openly share information between ourselves quite a bit.?