1. 2011-2012 Turf Club in Review
Dan Strey
September 3, 2012
fields. The projects include Ames (game
and practice baseball fields), Gilbert
The 2011-2012 academic year proved to be (football and baseball fields), and Story City
another successful one for the Iowa State (baseball field). Several cultural practices
University Turf Club. Members participated were implemented including; grading,
in several activities ranging from fundraisers seeding, sodding, fertilizing, aerification,
to attending national conferences and infield maintenance, and topdressing.
competitions. Meetings were held every
other week and often featured guest
speakers. These were great opportunities for
students to network with industry
professionals and some even obtained
internship positions because of it.
Turf Club Fundraising
Fundraising efforts have been plentiful over
the past year. One of the primary fundraisers Club Members Working at Gilbert High Baseball Field
was applying fertilizer and herbicides at
Reiman Gardens. This upcoming year, the
club will continue the applications along
with a fall seeding project that was
completed during the week of August 27th.
The lawn surrounding the pond was killed
and then seeded with turf type tall fescue.
Dan Strey Seeding Gilbert High Baseball Field
It is because of these fundraising events that
Turf Club members are able to travel to
national conferences and represent Iowa
Spring Fertilizer Application at Reiman Gardens State.
Dr. Dave Minner has collaborated with local
high schools in an effort to renovate athletic

2. Professional Conferences & Competitions Prior to this year’s event, Iowa State has
placed first 11 times in the past 13 years. We
Throughout the course of the year, the turf all know that there is a big target on us and
club attends conferences that span the people are just waiting to see us get beat.
country. The two national meetings include This year was no exception. In fact, the
student competitions that test students on winning team won by that largest margin of
knowledge obtained from the classroom as victory in the history of the event. The
well as in the field experience. traveling trophy made its way back to Ames
along with a $4,000 check.
STMA- Sports Turf Managers
Association
The STMA Conference was held this past
January in Long Beach, California. The turf
club sent ten members that competed in the
Student Challenge. The event is a team
effort and can be compiled of four
individuals. Iowa State had two teams place
in the top ten. Our goal for this upcoming
year is to have a team on the winning
podium.
2012 Turf Bowl Champions
The success of the Iowa State Turf Club has
been gratefully acknowledged by the
University and has been in the most recent
edition of Visions Magazine and STORIES
in Agriculture and Life Sciences. The club
was also featured in the newly renovated
lower level of Curtiss Hall. Photos were
placed along the hallway, representing the
Members of the 2012 STMA Student Challenge different successes from within the college
and the ISU Turf Club was one of them.
GCSAA- Golf Course Superintendents
Association of America
The GCSAA annually hosts its golf industry
show. This past year, there were over 3,000
vendors and 16,000 in attendance. Iowa
State has established a dominant presence at
the annual Turf Bowl, which has been in
existence for 18 years. It is a four hour
management. Topics include; turfgrass
identification, weed ID, soils, water
conservation, insects, disease, and irrigation.
Image Displayed in Curtiss Hall

3. It truly has been a great year for the Iowa
State Turf Club. With the new academic
year underway, it seems that this year will
be no different. Students are excited for the
upcoming events and ready for the student
competitions. Also, within the next month,
turf club apparel will be available on the
Turf Club Blog site
(http://iowastateturfclub.blogspot.com/).
Thank you to all who have been a part of the
ISU Turf Club. It wouldn’t be possible
without your help.
Dan Strey
Turf Club President
Turf Research Specialist
Iowa State University