Research Committee Members

Matt Pringle has been with the USGA since 2000 after completing his doctoral thesis at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.  Pringle’s contributions to the USGA include the invention of the pendulum test for spring effect in drivers, the USGA TruFirm turf firmness measurement system used at all USGA championships as well as many other PGA TOUR and major golf championships.  He is also the co-inventor of the USGA’s GrooveScan portable groove measurement system.  He was also a leader of the USGA and R&A’s Distance Insights project.  With the USGA’s Equipment Standards group for 16 years, Pringle launched a new group at the USGA called Research, Science, & Innovation (RSI) in 2016. 

Beginning in 2020, Pringle began leading the USGA’s Green Section as it celebrates its 100^th anniversary.  The mission of the Green Section is to help golf course improve their golf experience while reducing the consumption of critical resources such as labor, water, nutrients, pesticides, and energy. Pringle graduated from Queen’s University (1993) in Kingston, Ontario, Canada with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.  He then joined the consulting engineering firm of Hatch Associates in Toronto, Ontario, Canada prior to pursuing his doctorate. Matt is married to Dr. Tracy Clarke-Pringle a process control expert with DuPont in Wilmington, DE.  They have two young daughters, Campbell (age 14) and Reilly (age 12) and live in the historic city of Bordentown, NJ.

Dr. Cole Thompson oversees Green Section research initiatives to advance sustainable golf course management and improve playing conditions and golfer experience. Specific programs include the Mike Davis Program for Advancing Golf Course Management and the USGA’s 15/30/45 water conservation initiative. Cole determines short- and long-term research priorities, solicits and evaluates research proposals, supports cooperative research funding opportunities with federal agencies and industry, and coordinates with USGA-supported scientists to monitor the progress of current research.

Cole earned a B.S. in agriculture and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in horticulture from Kansas State University. He was a USGA Green Section intern and worked as an assistant golf course superintendent before entering graduate school. Before joining the USGA in 2018, Cole held faculty positions at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo.

Dale Bremer, Ph.D. conducts applied and basic research primarily in the areas of water conservation, drought stress, and greenhouse gas fluxes in turfgrass (for example, carbon sequestration). He investigates the use of new technologies such as drones, remote sensing, and soil moisture sensors to improve turfgrass management practices. He also advises and teaches graduate and undergraduate students in turfgrass science.

Josh joined Toro in 2014 and serves as Principal Research Scientist in the Center for Advanced Turf Technology. As a member of the CATT team, he is working to address Green Industry challenges through innovative technology and solutions. Josh completed his Ph.D. in Applied Plant Sciences at the University of Minnesota studying the impact of salt on cool-season grasses. Josh previously worked for Toro as a product evaluation engineer and actively engaged turf and landscape managers to improve product performance based on customer input. He is a native of Wisconsin and also holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State University.

Ali Harivandi, Ph.D. is an Environmental Horticulturist specializing in turf, soil and water. He joined University of California Cooperative Extension in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1980, and retired from University service in 2013. The University of California granted him an Emeritus status. He holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in turfgrass management from Colorado State University. Dr. Harivandi is internationally known for his expertise in turfgrass, soils and irrigation water conservation, salinity management and recycled water irrigation.

James Murphy, Ph.D. researches and develops best management practices that enhance the stress tolerance, persistence and environmental benefits of turf. Current research projects include developing cultural practices to reduce anthracnose and dollar spot diseases; identifying turfgrass varieties that are more tolerant of traffic; identifying grass seed mixtures that perform better under low input management; and assessing turf persistence and performance under organic management. 

Clark Throssell, Ph.D., is self-employed and works with the turfgrass industry on technical and scientific issues. He is the former director of the Purdue University turf program as well as the former director of research for GCSAA.

Scott Warnke, Ph.D. conducts research on the genetics of plants used as turfgrasses.  He identifies and develops enhanced germplasm from wild species that express improved biotic and abiotic stress resistance and develops improved turfgrasses through the use of new technologies such as molecular markers and genomics

Dr. Michael P. Kenna was the director of Green Section research  from 1990-2019 and oversaw the USGA’s turfgrass and environmental research activities, including soliciting and evaluating research proposals, grant making, and development of cooperative funding with government and commercial sources. He has worked closely with the US Department of Agriculture on water and energy conservation research that relates to golf courses and has served as editor on several books concerning turfgrass biotechnology, environmental issues and water conservation and reuse. Prior to the USGA, Dr. Kenna was an assistant professor at Oklahoma State University from 1985-1990.

Dr. Kenna received his B.S. degree in Ornamental Horticulture from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona. While at Oklahoma State University, he received his M.S. degree in Agronomy and Ph.D. degree in Crop Science. His graduate studies involved turf and forage grass breeding, quantitative genetics, plant physiology and turfgrass management. 

Dr. Richard Latin is a professor emeritus in plant pathology at Purdue University.  He earned his B.S. degree at Waynesburg (PA) College and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees at Penn State University.  He was recognized as a Fellow of the American Phytopathological Society and received the GCSAA John Morely distinguished career award in 2018.  During his tenure at Purdue, Dr. Latin’s research focused on contemporary issues related to turf disease control, including weather-based decision support, fungicide resistance in turf pathogens, and factors that influence fungicide performance.   He authored the industry standard textbook, A Practical Guide to Turfgrass Fungicides (2021, APS Press).  Rick currently works as an academic and industry consultant in Pinehurst, NC.

Dr. Ben McGraw is an associate professor of Turfgrass Science at Penn State University, specializing in insect pest management. He obtained his Masters of Science degree in Entomology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a doctorate in Entomology from Rutgers University. Dr. McGraw’s research focuses on understanding insect ecology and behavior to develop sustainable turf pest management practices. His current projects in the McGraw Lab combine basic and applied approaches to better understand population dynamics and outbreaks to improve cultural and chemical controls, and to develop alternative control strategies.  

Dr. Beth Guertal is the director for the Center of Excellence on Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience to Climate change in Haiti led by the Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab at Kansas State University. She supports the development of the individual university plans, oversees the capacity development of the Haitian faculty, and provides guidance of the scientific aspects of their applied research. Prior to this new appointment, Dr. Guertal was a Rowe Endowed Professor in the Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences Department at Auburn University, AL.  She received her BS and MS degrees from The Ohio State University, and her PhD from Oklahoma State University.  Her research program focuses on soil fertility issues in turfgrass management.  She has served as a Technical Editor for Crop Science, and as an Associate Editor for the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) Journal, Crop Science (CSSA) and Agronomy Journal (ASA).  She is a past-Chair of Division C-5 (Turfgrass Management, CSSA), a Fulbright Fellow and a Fellow of CSSA, SSSA and ASA.  She previously served as President of the Crop Science Society of America in 2019.

Roch Gaussoin is a Professor and Extension Coordinator in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He received his BS and MS in Agronomy from New Mexica State University and PhD in Crop and Soil Sciences from Michigan State University with generous funding from the USGA. His studies have concentrated on weed science and turfgrass rootzones. Dr. Gaussoin has conducted academic research and served as a turfgrass extension specialist for more than 25 years. He has published more than 100 scientific papers; 7 book chapters, over 150 trade journal articles and is a co-inventor on 4 plant patents. He is the Past-president of the Crop Science Society of America, the scientific society of the majority of US and international turfgrass scientists. He has also been elected as Fellow in both the Crop Science Society of America and the Agronomy Society, the highest individual recognition in both societies.

Cory brings to the USGA a strong background in academics and practical experience. He is a graduate of Oregon State University with a Bachelors in Turf Management as well as a graduate of the University of Oregon with a Bachelors in Business Administration. Cory has a distinguished career as a golf course superintendent with stops at Cordevalle in San Martin, Calif., The Preserve Club in Carmel, Calif., and most recently at The Roaring Fork Club in Basalt, Colo. Cory’s hands-on experience with the key issues facing golf facilities in the West and his passion to help others will be an asset to the USGA and the golf facilities in his territory.

Jordan Booth, Ph.D., joined the USGA Green Section in May of 2021. Based in Pinehurst, North Carolina, Jordan serves the Southeast Region. He joined the Green Section after working for Virginia Tech University in turfgrass research and extension. Prior to his time at Virginia Tech, Jordan was the golf course superintendent at Willow Oaks Country Club in Richmond, Virginia.

Jordan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in turfgrass management from Clemson University, followed by a Master of Science degree and doctorate in plant pathology, physiology and weed science at Virginia Tech.