Singapore: Fred Yelverton, a global authority on turfgrass science, will share his wisdom in next week’s edition of the Asian Golf Industry Federation’s (AGIF) webinar Sustainability Series.

A faculty member at North Carolina State University (NCSU) for 36 years, Yelverton’s specialties include turfgrass weed management, turfgrass management, fate and behaviour of pesticides, plant growth regulators, and weed biology and ecology.

Since 1995, he has been a professor of turfgrass science in the NCSU’s Crop Science department and now holds the title of Professor & Extension Specialist, Department of Crop Science Co-Director, Centre for Turfgrass Environmental Research and Education.

To be broadcast live on Thursday, November 5 (10 am Singapore time), Yelverton will focus on the topic of weed management.

Eric Lynge, the AGIF’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “The subject of turfgrass weed management is one that affects every course superintendent at every golf club in the region. In Fred Yelverton, we have one of the foremost experts in this field, to present on this important topic.”

Following an hour-long presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and seek advice from Yelverton, named among the Ten Most Influential People in the Green Industry in 2011.

During his illustrious career, Yelverton’s speaking engagements and consulting activities have taken him to six continents and included invited presentations in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and Singapore.

Furthermore, his professional memberships include the European Turfgrass Society, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, United States Golf Association, Weed Science Society of America, American Society for Horticultural Science and the American Society of Agronomy, for whom he has acted as Associate Editor for its Crop Science publication since 2003.

Veteran Royal Selangor Golf Club Course Superintendent Jack Cheong teed-off the second AGIF Sustainable Series in early October, addressing the topic: Attaining the Suitable Green Speed for Your Facility, Your Members and Guests. The session was sponsored by The Toro Company

Adopting an innovative budgeting philosophy was the theme of Hazeltine National Golf Club General Manager Eric Rule’s presentation three weeks ago.

A fortnight ago, Thomas Nikolai, world renowned as the ‘Doctor of Green Speed’, shared the secrets of putting surface maintenance. Senior Turfgrass Academic Specialist, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences at Michigan State University, Nikolai’s session on The A, B, Cs of Putting Green Maintenance was sponsored by The Toro Company, Syngenta and True-Surface.

Last week’s webinar focused on Sentosa Golf Club’s journey to becoming the first golf club in the world to join the United Nations’ Sports for Climate Action initiative.

The discussion featured Andy Johnston, General Manager and Director of Agronomy at Sentosa Golf Club, Jonathan Smith, Executive Director, Golf Environment Organisation (GEO) Foundation, the international not-for-profit dedicated to helping advance sustainability in and through golf, and Antony Scanlon, Executive Director of the International Golf Federation (IGF), who’s responsible for the promotion of golf as an Olympic sport and the international development of golf.

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, PGA of Japan 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  

Schedule of Events

Turf Management Series  
November 5 (Thursday): 10 am to 11:30 am (Singapore time)
Topic: Turfgrass Weed Management
Presenter: Fred Yelverton, PHD, Professor and Extension Specialist – Department of Crop Science Co-Director, Centre for Turfgrass Environmental Research and Education, North Carolina State University

Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_s97luvkUTBKlh1LP8MbUBQ

Club Management Series  
November 12 (Thursday): 10 am to 11:30 am (Singapore time)
Topic: Building Membership and Membership Activity in City Club Location
Presenter: Vijaykumar Raj, CCM, General Manager, The Metropolitan, Chicago

Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0EV8aMytQYWSPh_qhm1Iaw