FEATURES
A Round with ...
Josh Owens

by Wayne Mills

Reunion Golf and Country Club, Madison, Miss.

How did you get started in golf course maintenance?

My first job was when I was 14 years old. I worked on the grounds at Mountain Ranch in Fairfield Bay, Ark. As my boss Dickie Tines told me, “You are a weed eater specialist.”

When did you decide on a career as a course superintendent?

I decided to make a career out of grounds maintenance my senior year at the University of Arkansas. I enjoyed working at the golf course more than attending class. Dennis Collins, the superintendent at Paradise Valley in Fayetteville, Ark., had a sit-down talk with me.

Where did you get your education?

I transferred to Mississippi State University and received a bachelor’s in golf and sports turf management.

Who were your mentors?

My mentors are my grandfather Charles Owens, Scott Parker, David Denley and Bob Barrett. Bob is responsible for me understanding, appreciating and embracing the whole golf picture.

What are your biggest challenges?

The biggest challenge for me is employees. Keeping a consistent, organized staff is a must for any kind of success.

How has technology changed your maintenance practices?

Technology has changed our maintenance practices the most in the field of equipment. The newer versions of equipment assist in clipping yield, irrigation management, topdressing application and efficiency in time management. We are also using a newer version of software in order to keep up with expenses and maintenance service records.

Are there any special challenges in your area?

There are two major challenges to maintaining a golf course in Madison, Miss.: labor and soils. Trying to build a consistent and organized staff provides challenges due, in part, to our location. The soils consist of Yazoo clay. This is perhaps the most challenging of all soils. The clay doesn’t drain well; it has major shifts and is very discouraging for root growth due to its lack of porosity.

What piece of equipment is the most important for you?

The one item that I could not live without would be my topdresser. We topdress anything and everything.

Has water use become an issue for you?

Water use has become more and more important. Our water source is a lake that captures all the neighborhoods runoff. Currently, we are looking into a filter system in order to separate the fines and trash from our water source. This will assist in less maintenance on our irrigation, as well as layering in our greens and discoloration of our bunker sand. We are also looking into a gypsum injector to combat some of the chemistry issues we have with our water.

What types of grasses do you have at your course?

We have TifSport bermudagrass on our tees and fairways, 419 bermudagrass in our roughs, TifEagle bermudagrass greens, and a combination of fine and Kentucky 31 fescues in our native areas.

Do you use plant growth regulators?

We use a lot of Primo. Primo isn’t called liquid gold for nothing. It may be seen as costly, but the money you save in labor is well worth it.

Being in a Southern climatic zone, what adjustments do you make to the course for the winter?

Perhaps our biggest adjustment during the winter months is watching when to cover our greens.

What are you on the lookout for in the spring for potential problems?

Nematodes. These pests are becoming more and more of an issue. The management practices for keeping firm, fast greens do not go well with nematode competition.

Have you had to reduce your budget in the past few years?

We, like many other courses, are cutting back in areas to bring relief to the club. We focus on greens, tees and fairways.

What mowing equipment do you use?

We use Toro 5510s on our fairways. On our roughs we use Toro Sidewinders and a 7-gang pull-behind, however, we are looking into the 8800 Terrain Cut from John Deere. Currently we are using the Toro 1000s for our greens, but the new 220 E-Cut walking greens mower from John Deere has me interested.

What activities do you enjoy off the golf course?

I enjoy spending time with my kids when I am away from work. I also like to hunt and fish.