WSU and Palouse Ridge Golf Course (continued)

Recently, students have had a unique opportunity, gaining firsthand experience in the golf course grow in.  In May, 2008, five turfgrass internship positions were held by WSU students, with more than 12 turfgrass students being employed to date.  If this were not enough, several classes or labs have been taught at Palouse Ridge, and are often co-taught with Lupkes and Bednar.

WSU-Pullman recently moved locations of their turfgrass research area and established the WSU Turfgrass and Agronomy Research Center.  Turfgrass scientists use the center to advance turfgrass knowledge in several areas, and now have the opportunity to include real-world playing conditions in their research, while remaining close to home.  One of the purposes of this golf course is to serve as a working research location for turfgrass scientists at WSU.  Research that took place at Palouse Ridge Golf Club prior to the opening season includes the use of black sand to accelerate creeping bentgrass seed germination and emergence on a late fall planted putting green, as well as the use of experimental hydromulch products to determine their ability to effect soil water holding capacity, soil erosion, and seed germination.  Ongoing research at Palouse Ridge includes a creeping bentgrass aeration and recovery study, the use of manganese to control take-all patch on newly established greens, Poa annua control at renovation, and assessment of alternatives to PCNB for snow mold control.  There are also plans to continue and further the breadth of the research projects at Palouse Ridge in the future. 

Palouse Ridge benefits other WSU programs by providing internship opportunities to students in hospitality and business.  This golf course serves as a training ground for students in several fields of study, and has hosted field trips for students in crop science, soil science, and agriculture and food systems.  Palouse Ridge Golf Club is essentially an outdoor research and teaching laboratory with real world conditions.  The connection between WSU and Palouse Ridge Golf Club will surely strengthen not only the turfgrass research and education programs at WSU, but many other programs as well.