The USGA’s agronomic map is changing.
The organization has announced the number of Green Section regions will be reduced from eight to four effective Dec. 1, 2014. The changes mark the first alterations to the Green Section regions in nearly 20 years.
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The Northeast, Southeast, Central and West comprise the new regions. Current regions include the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Florida, North-Central, Mid-Continent, Northwest and Southwest. The changes represent the mergers of regions, with the lone exception being the addition of Louisiana and Arkansas to the Southeast Region.
USGA Green Section managing director Dr. Kimberly Erusha told GCI the regions were altered following an administrative review.
“It made a lot of sense administratively to make larger regions but to be able to concentrate more people within a region,” she said. “That’s what ultimately led to the choice to take it from eight to four regions.”
Each region will be served by at least three USGA agronomists. The Northeast Region will have five agronomists, the West four, and Southeast and Central three each. Dave Oatis (Northeast), John Foy (Southeast), Keith Happ (Central) and Pat Gross (West) will serve as regional directors.
Erusha said the changes will be difficult for golf course superintendents to notice.
“They are not going to see any difference in the fact that all the offices that we have now will be up and operational and they will still be working many times with the same agronomist,” she said. “I don’t think the facilities will see that much difference, but I think what they will gain from it is that we also have more agronomists within these concentrated regions so it also gives them more access to agronomists overall.”
The USGA also promoted Darin Bevard and Chris Hartwiger to new positions. Bevard, a Mid-Atlantic Region agronomist since 1996, will serve as the director of championship agronomy, a newly created position within the Green Section. Bevard will be the lead agronomist for multiple major championships, including the U.S. Open. Hartwiger, a Southeast Region agronomist since 1995, will serve as the director of the Course Consulting Services. Hartwiger will work with Green Section agronomists on the development and dissemination of science-based and practical sustainable management practices to help golf courses.
“By having Chris dedicated to the Course Consulting Service, he will be able to focus on our efforts on the business operation of it as well as increasing the value of it,” Erusha said. “While he will still do some visits in the Southeast Region, he will be looking at expanding his work in the Course Consulting Service. Our goal is to continue getting more information to golf facilities to help promote best management practices and that will be both through science-based information through our research program as well as practical experience of our agronomists.”