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Opening Drive
Spotlight on Turfgrass Research
The VSGA has had a long-standing, fruitful relationship with the turfgrass management program at Virginia Tech. As you may know, the VSGA-VIP Scholarship Foundation has offered grants to graduate students in the VT Turfgrass program for many years, supporting research that leads to meaningful improvements on the golf courses our members play every day.
You’ ll read plenty about grass in this issue of Virginia Golfer. We highlight the latest collaboration between the VSGA and VT Turfgrass that provides free entry-level education for employees at VSGA member clubs. You’ ll also find a feature on Virginia Tech alum and acclaimed golf course architect Andrew Green.
At the VSGA Annual Meeting in January, I had the pleasure of sitting down for dinner with Virginia Tech professor Dr. Mike Goatley, who was honored the next day with the VSGA’ s Grow The Game Award for his long-standing contributions to Tech’ s turfgrass program. One topic of discussion was how past VT Turfgrass scholarship recipients could give back by sharing their research with the broader Virginia golf community.
Dr. Goatley quickly got to work, reaching out to students for submissions that explain their research in a way that’ s accessible to the everyday golfer— someone who may not be familiar with the inner workings of turfgrass research. This issue features the first in a series of quickhit stories highlighting that dynamic research. Also in this issue:
• Put eight golf writers on a party bus rolling north through Mississippi, and some moments of insanity are bound to ensue. In late March, I joined seven other writers from across the country— along with several excellent local hosts— to explore the Magnolia State. Having only driven through the southeastern corner of the state previously, en route from Blacksburg to New Orleans for the 1995 Sugar Bowl, I went in essentially blind. What I found was a lovely intersection of golf, music history and southern hospitality at its finest. Read more in this issue’ s Explorer section.
• Ever wonder how some of the professionals at your club got their start in the industry? Arthur Utley explores a few success stories from regional Professional Golf Management( PGM) programs.
• Don’ t miss Lisa A. Mickey’ s excellent piece on the slow and steady comeback for several courses that took heavy damage last fall when Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina and southwest Virginia. As always, my inbox is open for suggestions and story ideas. Thanks for reading!
Chris Lang, Editor clang @ vsga. org by CHRIS LANG
The VSGA-VIP Scholarship Foundation has offered grants to graduate students in the VT Turfgrass program for many years, supporting research that leads to meaningful improvements on the golf courses our members play every day.
112th VSGA Amateur Championship cont’ d...
Lauren Greenlief
Scott Shingler and 2024 semifinalist Drew Brockwell. Visit VSGA. org for a full field list as the event approaches.
3rd WOMEN’ S OPEN OF VIRGINIA Site: Farmington Country Club Dates: June 23-25 Format: 54 holes of stroke play, with the field cut to the low 25 players and ties for Wednesday’ s third and final round. Defending champion: Michelle Cox Notable: After two years at Independence Golf Club, the Women’ s Open makes the move to Farmington— and for good reason. Farmington is the longtime home club of Virginia Golf Hall of Famer Robbye Unger, who will serve as event host. The tournament’ s perpetual trophy will bear Unger’ s name as well. The Women ' s Open welcomes female amateur and professional golfers of all ages and from all regions of the country. The first two winners have been out-of-state college standouts: Kaylyn Noh of California in 2023 and Michelle Cox of Penn State in 2024. One Virginian looking to notch another victory at the venerable Charlottesville course is Lauren Greenlief, the former UVA standout and past U. S. Women’ s Mid-Amateur champion. Greenlief has a track record at Farmington, topping Amanda Hollandsworth in the title match of the VSGA Women’ s Amateur in 2018. Visit VSGA. org for the most up-to-date player list as the event approaches.
CHRIS LANG
6 V IRGINIA G OLFER | M AY / J UNE 2025 vsga. org