If It's Not Written Down, It Didn't Happen

As the golf course industry struggles to prove to it's detractors that we are doing good things for the environment and creating wildlife habitats on our properties we are constantly being asked one question, "Can you prove it?".

The time has come where golf course superintendents are not only needing to maintain golf courses in a an environmentally sensitive way but we must also be able to prove it. The easiest and most effective way of doing this is through documentation. Similar to the health and safety movement in the 90's where documentation is the only way to prove you are in compliance the environmental movement is going along those same lines.

I understand that superintendents are extremely busy but the reality of the situation is that everything that you do on your golf course must be documented or it will not count. For instance you must record all fertilizer and pesticide applications in a chart that can be easily retrieved if required by an officer of the Ministry of the Environment.

You must also keep accurate records of any calibrations done to fertilizing and spray equipment. This is all part of Integrated Pest Management. It is a forgone conclusion that accreditation in IPM will be mandatory for every golf course. You might as well get on board now and start recording everything you are doing on the golf course.

Along with records of fertilizer and pesticide applications you must also keep written records of your evaluation of the efficacy of the application. Scouting and monitoring records must also be maintained. Each time you apply a pesticide to your golf course you will need to have a small booklet of the application. The booklet must contain the information that led to the spray decision including the scouting and monitoring that alerted you to the problem, the weather conditions that prevailed and the damage done prior to the application. You need to have thresholds identified to prove that they were breached leading to the application decision.

After you apply you must fill out on a daily basis the condition of the damaged turf as it recovers due to the application.

I know this all sounds very labour intensive and maybe even over the top but it will be required in the near future. We must conform to these rules if we want to keep pesticides in our tool box.

Start now with your IPM programs so that it will be easier to adapt when it becomes law.