FarmLinks Golf Club, Sylacaugo, AL - research program - what can you tell me?

[Jerry Kluger]

Our golf course superintendent has been invited by BASF to FarmLinks Golf Club for a few days to learn about their research and development program and I was wondering if anyone is familiar with this Hurdzan/Fry golf course and the research and development program.  We think very highly of our superintendent so I am not questioning his motives in going but I would like to give him any insights or suggestions anyone might have who has been there.

Cheers, Jerry

[Sean Remington (SBR)]

Jerry,

   I was lucky enough to be invited for the Farm Links "Experience" about three years ago.  I highly recommend to any industry Professional or interested club Official.  I had a great experience and it's a first class experience from start to finish.  The golf course is very good.  It's a very nice property with good elevation change and a nice mix of treed and open holes.  They use the golf course as a living labratory. Part of the education includes a tour of the golf course and maintenance facilities.  On my visit they were working with a few different grass types and doing several fertilizer and pesticide trials.  At the maintenace facility we also saw two prototype pieces of equopment which have come to market since then.  The other interesting part of the visit was spending time with Superintendents from other parts of the country that were there  at the same time. They do a wonderful job of planning your visit and normally the agenda is distributed well in advance. They keep you very busy and on time. They run two groups each week, (Mon.-Wed. and Wed.- Fri.).  There is time scheduled in for you to have some recreation which can include golf, fishing, skeet shooting and quail hunting.  I was able to play a late day 18 holes and then sneek in an emergency 9 one evening but the golf was icing on the cake not the focus.  Not that it matters but the Farms Links property is "dry" and I never missed it.  I was to full of good food and sweet tea.

[Anthony_Nysse]

Jerry-Sent him and tell him to have fun! He will be exposed to some great southern cooking, networking with many other superintendents, they turfgrass research is second to none. I went about 6 years ago and had a great time and learned alot of the quality of their fertilizer and how it's made. Quite a presentation!

Tony Nysse
Pine Tree GC
Boynton Beach, FL

[Jeff_Brauer]

Jerry,

I went, learned a lot and enjoyed the course. It deserves whatever ranking it has as a top 100 modern.

[Jerry Kluger]

Anthony: He's going and I hope he has a great time and learns a great deal.  It was offered to him kind of suddenly and I wanted to give him whatever information I could in order to make his trip more enjoyable. 

[Anthony_Nysse]

Jerry,
  We'll get a yardage booklet with all 18 holes in it, BUT instead of the normal holes descriptions, it will tell you what grass is on each tee or fairway, the height of cut, the grasses on the greens, if they're testing fertilizers or chemicals on the selected surface...cool stuff.

Tony Nysse
Pine Tree GC
Boynton Beach, FL

[Mike_Young]

Do it....is a great experience and a good course....

[Mark Pritchett]

I can't speak for the program, but the course is very good.  I enjoyed the variety of the course and it is on a pretty nice piece of rolling ground.  Also the food is excellent.  I would guess it is better than any other public course and some privates in or near Birmingham.