A Talk With USGA Agronomist Jim Baird

USGA staff writer David Shefter talked to USGA agronomist Jim Baird about the recent initiative involving the pledge eastern Long Island golf courses have made to reduce fertilizer usage to protect excess nitrogen from infiltrating local waterways and estuaries.

Is there a target date when you will do another evaluation?

Baird: We had a meeting last November about this and the golf courses seemed very excited about this. I sat down and wrote up a plan on what (the EPA) was asking us to do, and then all of a sudden, the courses got cold feet, so we had to go back to the drawing board.

Basically, the USGA and (people from) Cornell were the ones doing the evaluations and we are, for the most part, going to do them separately. We just want to make sure we are all on the same page. The things that I think are important with regard to nitrogen use are the things that (fellow USGA agronomist) Dave (Oatis) is talking about, too.

Does the USGA's involvement with this project make it an easier sell to the golf courses?

Baird: That's definitely been the case. In fact, some of the courses - and Dave (Oatis) and I visit the majority of the clubs that are in this program (Turf Advisory Service visits) - have said that they will do this if we are involved. We're hoping that Cornell (University) will do the majority of them, but there are some courses that specifically requested that we are actually there and are part of the visit. And a lot more wouldn't have even signed up for it if we weren't involved.

What are the long-term affects of this program?

Baird: It's a good program overall in regard to the game of golf and people's concerns about what effect golf has on the environment. This is going to be a long-term project. It's not something that we are going to do once. We're going to do one site visit to each course and then they have to follow up with some documentation and every year update what is going on with their program. So it's going to be a continuous process. Obviously, there is a lot of legislation out there banning or limiting the use of pesticides. The good thing about this program is you have the heavy hitters involved. I think it's been an eye-opening experience for people like the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). They really don't know what golf is about. It's important from that standpoint. They are very involved. They are very excited. And they are talking about doing this program across the country. Since these golf courses are volunteering to do this, there's talk about how we can help them. There's talk about giving back to the golf courses for their participation; things like wash paths, recycled water, those types of things.

Isn't pesticide use a concern for all golf courses, no matter where they are located?

Baird: It is. This Peconic program happens to be very well organized. They are just not going after the golf industry. They are asking to everybody to reduce nitrogen use. It just so happens that golf has really stepped forward. They haven't had the participation and cooperation from other industries as of yet. They've done a little bit of work with the marine industry, but from what I understand, the farmers have basically said, "Go take a hike." They're very excited about golf's participation and they are hoping it will precipitate in getting these other groups involved as well. Certainly, it's been getting a lot of press across the country.

From what I understand, there is a couple of course that haven chosen not to participate?

Baird: Right now, there are three (that aren't involved). One of the private clubs, it was a matter of miscommunication and they just didn't send their paperwork in on time. That was Southampton Golf Club. I just talked with them and they are involved, so they are going to be in it. There are essentially three public courses and I don't know what is going on with those. There's private ownership and these are guys who have a background that stems from the farming community. It's that whole mentality with farmers in general: "Get away, we don't want you." That sort of thing. I've been trying to work with them and I've turned it from a no to a maybe. As of right now, they are still not involved. Of course, what some of these entities are doing that are part of this Peconic Estuary Program is that they are threatening to force them to do this with legislation. I don't know if that's ever going to transpire.

It's easier to go the volunteer rout than get into bureaucratic involvement, right?

Baird: Exactly. They are allowing the USGA and Cornell to really police this program. Yeah, we ran all this information across the EPA and everything, but basically they are allowing us to take over. We know the industry better than anyone else.

What kind of guidelines do you give each course to follow?

Baird: We have documentation. It's basically the Nitrogen Management Plan and it's a checklist of some things that we have come up with in regard to nitrogen use. It's something to work from for the golf course. So we will review that with them. And if there's a reason why something can't be done then that's fine. When you look at the program plan overall, everybody is going to be able to reduce nitrogen. It just will be a little different for each course.