Friends, family, parades, football, good food, reflection and planning are what New Year's Day is all about. That's what this agronomist is doing today (1/1/08), with an emphasis on reflection and planning. Life is much more about relationships than the stuff we so often surround ourselves with. My experiences to date and travel over the years point to the importance of placing relationships ahead of turf management and even the game of golf we all love; and yet, caring and communicating will serve to under gird our success and efficiency in golf turf management or whatever your career focus happens to be.

Regional travel in December centered on the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Conference and Show in Columbus. Bob Vavrek (senior agronomist in the northern tier of the North Central Region) joined me, Keith Happ (senior agronomist in the Mid-Atlantic Region) and Bill McCarthy (director, Regional Affairs Ohio Valley Region) to facilitate a "Morning with the USGA," an open discussion format on Wednesday of conference week ( 12/3 - 6). Attendance was good and the discussion was simulating. Thanks to all who attended. Bill also conducted a Rules of Golf seminar on Monday and I had the privilege of participating on a panel discussion.

Beyond USGA staff involvement at the OTF Conference and Show, there were many outstanding presentations, and the trade show clearly is one of the very best in the country. A few points of information gleaned include the following:

• Mad tiller disease causes rapid tiller elongation and is likely caused by bacterial wilt when it occurs on Poa annua .
• If greens are more than 10 years old the chances of take-all patch disease is approximately 1 in 1000.
• Thirty to fifty percent of the samples received in diagnostic laboratories have no primary pathogen.
• Eighty-five percent of pythium activity in roots is not the primary pathogen.
• Plant parasitic nematodes are always present and seldom a primary pathogen.

The next stop on the conference circuit is the Indiana Green Expo in Indianapolis on January 14 ^th and 15 ^th . In addition to an excellent lineup of presentations and the trade show, there will be a USGA Regional Seminar on Tuesday the 15 ^th at 1:00 pm. Hope to see some of you there.

We look forward to working with you and your course in 2008. In fact, now is a good time to plan/schedule on-site visits for the coming year. A mailing that outlines visit options for the coming year will be sent out over the next month or so to all courses in our database. The scheduling process can be initiated anytime with a call or email. We're here to help make your 2008 season the best yet.

Source: Bob Brame, bobbrame@usga.org or 859.356.3272