FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  October 6, 2005

Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council Announces 2005 Golf Turf Conference

The Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council (PTC) and The Pennsylvania State University will host the Penn State Golf Turf Conference Tuesday, Nov. 15 through Thursday, Nov. 17 at the Nittany Lion Inn, State College .

A special feature of this year's conference will be a reception on Wednesday evening, Nov. 16, celebrating the career and life of Dr. Thomas Watschke.  The reception, which is open to everyone registered for the conference, begins at 4:30 pm , and will recognize his 35 years of turfgrass research and teaching. During his years at Penn State , Dr. Watschke taught turfgrass science and management to hundreds of students in the two-year and four-year turfgrass programs, and trained over a dozen graduate students. He assisted many of his students in obtaining internships and jobs at golf courses all over the United States , and is known and respected for his strong research programs on plant growth regulators and runoff of water, nutrients, and pesticides from lawns and fairways. He recently retired and moved to Florida .

In addition to outstanding educational speakers, the conference offers the opportunity for pesticide credit updates and a job fair, which provides networking opportunities for students and firms in the golf industry.

Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday with the conference starting with an afternoon session at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 15, and concluding at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17. 

Speakers will include outstanding presenters from within the turfgrass industry, as well as research reports from Penn State highlighting the newest developments and trends.

Sponsored by the Penn State Turf Club, the job fair takes place on Tuesday, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. , also at the Nittany Lion Inn.  Firms are encouraged to reserve tables to showcase their employment opportunities.

A Turf Club Luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 16 offers another opportunity for turfgrass professionals to meet with faculty, staff and students from Penn State .

More information on the conference and other PTC activities can be found at www.paturf.org .

Click here for additional information about this conference.

The Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council promotes professionalism in all facets of the turfgrass industry by providing educational opportunities, grants and support for education and research projects, encouraging future industry leadership through scholarship and awards, and promoting interaction with government agencies, private institutions and the general public.

Members include golf course superintendents, owners/operators of lawn care services, nurserymen, landscapers, sod growers, sports field managers and industrial representatives. For more information, contact their website at www.paturf.org.