Paul Carter, the Certified Golf Course Superintendent of the Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, was named TurfNet’s Superintendent of the Year at the Golf Industry Show in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 1, 2012. Paul’s skills have been known throughout the Southeast for many years and it is nice to see him receive this recognition.
Since his arrival at Bear Trace nearly a decade ago, Paul has led numerous projects that have benefited not only those that play the course, but also the wildlife that live on the course. Below are a few of Paul’s accomplishments.
- Bentgrass to Ultradwarf Bermudagrass Putting Green Conversion – For a variety of reasons, the performance of the creeping bentgrass putting greens at Bear Trace did not meet expectations. Paul was one of the first in eastern Tennessee to make the conversion to an ultradwarf bermudagrass. Not only did he improve the quality of the putting surfaces for golfers, he has been managing the ultradwarf greens with fewer total inputs compared to creeping bentgrass. In doing so, he set a new standard for turf quality and cost effective management that other courses in the area are moving toward.
- 2012 Eagle Cam Project – No, this eagle cam project is not designed to watch golfers attempting to make eagles. Instead, this is a live Internet video feed where the general public can watch a pair of nesting eagles on the golf course at Harrison Bay. As of March 9, 2012 the mother eagle had laid two eggs and viewers are anticipating the birth of two baby eagles within the month. Check it out at http://www.harrisonbayeaglecam.org/ .
- Certified in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program in 2008
- Awarded the 2009 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award for Excellence
- Designated as a Groundwater Green Guardian Site by the Groundwater Foundation in 2008
As TurfNet’s Superintendent of the Year, Paul has won a free trip to Bandon Dunes in Bandon, OR. Paul, we hope you enjoy the trip and congratulations on your much deserved award.
Source: Chris Hartwiger, chartwiger@usga.org