Singapore: Veteran Royal Selangor Golf Club Course Superintendent Jack Cheong will tee-off the second batch of webinars in the Asian Golf Industry Federation’s (AGIF) on-going Sustainability Series.

One of the region’s most respected ‘guardians of the turf’, Cheong will share the knowledge he has gained in a distinguished career.

To be held on Thursday, October 8 (10 am Singapore time), Cheong will tackle the topic: Attaining the Suitable Green Speed for Your Facility, Your Members and Guests.

Sponsored by The Toro Company, the webinar will include time for discussion and questions from participants.

Eric Lynge, the AGIF’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “This webinar is suitable for turfgrass managers in all facilities upon the maintenance of their most important asset, the putting surface – and its most scrutinised characteristic … green speed.

“We’ve enjoyed live presentations by Jack at past AGIF educational events in Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. I’m sure the turfgrass community will now enjoy his virtual presentation and presence as he focuses on green speed and how clubs can attain optimum speeds for their facilities based on the different grasses they use.”

For more than 14 years, Cheong has acted as Course Superintendent at the venerable 36-hole Royal Selangor venue, overseeing major renovations of the courses and being among the first to plant TifEagle on the greens in Malaysia.

Holder of an MBA from Australia and a degree in Golf Course Operations from the United States, Cheong is also the Past President of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of Malaysia.

In recent years, Cheong has acted as a mentor for members of the greenkeeping staff at Royal Selangor and has been an active supporter of the AGIF’s Certificate in Greenkeeping.

Cheong said: “The Certificate in Greenkeeping provides much-needed continuing education for the golf course industry. The AGIF has been instrumental in organising this programme with the support of the industry. It’s a good combination of classroom and practical follow up work on the golf course.

“It’s been especially great to see the interaction between my assistants and students from other golf courses as well as the participation and questions I get when they are back from the course.”

Following Cheong, two other webinars in the AGIF Sustainable Series have been confirmed for October.

On October 15, the topic for Eric Rule is Nickels and Dimes. Formerly based in China, Rule is now General Manager at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota, one of only two golf clubs in the United States to have hosted every premier championship offered by the United States Golf Association and the PGA of America.

On October 22, turf management returns to the agenda with Thomas Nikolai, Senior Turfgrass Academic Specialist, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University. Revered as the ‘Doctor of Green Speed’, Nikolai will discuss The A, B, Cs of Putting Green Maintenance. This session is sponsored by The Toro Company.

The first batch of four webinars in the AGIF Sustainability Series featured presentations from Dr Larry Ross, Professor Emeritus, The Barnett School of Business & Free Enterprise, Florida Southern College; Dr Roch Gaussoin, PhD, Professor and Extension Co-ordinator, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Michael Braidwood, General Manager at Qatar’s Education City Golf Club; and Roger Goettsch, CGCS, Director of Golf Course Operations at California’s Coto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club.

Lynge said: “Targeted at both turf and club management professionals, our webinars feature respected speakers and presenters from around the world, all of whom are experts in their chosen fields.”

In addition to the exchange of information, education/association credits can be gained in Club Management Association of America (CMAA), Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), PGA of America, PGA of Great Britain and Ireland and PGA of Australia. Attendance will be tracked and a certificate of attendance will be issued, pending attendance for a minimum of one hour on the webinar.

For further details and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Gwen Ng, the AGIF’s Event and Membership Manager, at gwen.ng@agif.asia  

October Schedule of Events

Turf Management Series  
October 8 (Thursday): 10 am to 11:30 am (Singapore time)
Topic: Attaining the Suitable Green Speed for Your Facility
Presenter: Jack Cheong, Golf Course Superintendent, The Royal Selangor Golf Club, Malaysia
Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_daM71GAjS3OQpiL8sSW7dQ

Club Management Series 
October 15 (Thursday): 10 am to 11:30 am (Singapore time)
Topic: Nickels and Dimes
Presenter: Eric Rule, CCM, General Manager, Hazeltine National Golf Club, United States
Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PyhnYzW5SHe3KZfhRTbt4A

Turf Management Series  
October 22 (Thursday): 10 am to 11:30 am (Singapore time)
Topic: The A, B, Cs of Putting Green Maintenance
Presenter: Thomas Nikolai, Senior Turfgrass Academic Specialist, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University
Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uiX05OkkRRmBMAD-N-C2kg