Golf course consultant Steve McDonald (Turfgrass Disease Solutions) joins Tyler to talk straight about the season that tested everyone: winter-kill into heat, high dew points, and zero recovery windows—aka environmental whiplash. They dig into why there’s no perfect time to aerify, managing member expectations (especially around rough conditions), how to see “attention to detail” through the golfer’s eyes, where autonomous mowers actually fit, and why data helps, but feel still wins. Steve closes with fall actions to set up 2026, from densifying turf now to shade/airflow fixes and disease vigilance.

Guest

Steve McDonald — Founder, Turfgrass Disease Solutions.
20+ years advising 600+ courses worldwide; conducts ~100 field trials annually for major ag chem companies; consults across pest management, fertility, construction and sports turf; producer of a weekly 15-minute agronomy video update.

Key Takeaways

• Environmental Whiplash is real: Cool/wet spring → heat spikes in late June & July with high dew points = stress without recovery. Cool-season turf can die in a day and take three months to recover.
  
• Aerification timing: There’s no universal “right week.” Choose windows based on your site’s strength heading in, recovery potential, and member calendar—then communicate trade-offs.
  
• Rough expectations: Fairways, tees, and greens keep getting better; rough is inherently variable and often under-irrigated/under-treated by design and budget. Educate golfers on water limits, cart traffic, Poa dynamics, and true costs.
  
• Attention to detail: Periodically arrive like a member—park at the lot, walk the entry, scan patio vistas, practice area, signage, irrigation heads. Small cues shape big perceptions.
  
• Data vs. feel: Moisture, speed, firmness, ET are useful, but course art is site-specific and tools vary. The best supers call audibles.
  
• Maintenance standards: Treat as guidelines, not gospel—with a big asterisk for weather, traffic, equipment.
  
• Set up 2026 now: Enter October with dense turf; address shade/airflow/drainage; be mindful of Bermudagrass winter injury risks (dry + shade); maintain fungicide discipline even in dry fall stretches.

Resources Mentioned

• Turfgrass Disease Solutions – Weekly 15-min video (spring dead spot, large patch, pre-em timing, broadleaf control): turfgrassdiseasesolutions.com
• Bloom Golf Partners Research – bloomgolfpartners.com/research
• Leadership on the Links Podcast – bloomgolfpartners.com/podcast
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mcdonald-9989a76/