Day 1
Guelph Turfgrass Institute Update - Dr. Katerina Jordan
A quick update on the education, outreach, and research from the past year at the GTI.
Diagnosing Turfgrass Problems Often Requires Some Digging – Dr. Lee Miller
While fewer diseases may afflict turfgrass when the mower blade is raised, several problems can still raise eyebrows when damaging roughs, lawns and sports fields. This seminar will discuss the thought process in diagnosing issues on higher cut turfgrasses, including how to differentiate between true diseases and abiotic disorders, which may require a closer look at soil conditions and some inquiry of your clientele.
Enhancing Turfgrass Health with Nano Silica – Dr. John Dempsy
This session dives into the rapidly advancing field of nano silica and its role in enhancing turfgrass performance. Attendees will gain insight into what sets nano silica apart from traditional forms of silica, with an overview of its distinct physical and chemical properties. The discussion highlights how nano silica can enhance resilience by improving drought tolerance, suppressing disease, and supporting more efficient nutrient use. The session also considers environmental implications, including potential benefits to soil health and water quality, alongside emerging concerns. A core focus will be real-world results from multiple independent research trials, demonstrating how nano silica performs in areas such as plant nutrition, disease reduction, and stress management. The session concludes with a look ahead to evolving technologies and new opportunities for innovation in turfgrass management.
How the Cutten Fields Renovation Transformed Playability, Pest Pressure, and Resource Use – Jeff Mingay & Bill Green
Cutten Fields in Guelph recently completed a major renovation that not only revitalized elements of the original Stanley Thompson design but also reshaped the property’s long-term management strategy. A key component of the project was the conversion of Poa annua putting greens to modern creeping bentgrass cultivars, selected for improved durability, reduced inputs, and lower susceptibility to key pests. This session will explore how strategic renovation decisions can reduce future maintenance demands and support more sustainable turf systems. We will look at how the design integrated agronomy, playability, and environmental considerations into every stage of the project. Two years after completion, Cutten Fields has seen notable shifts in pest pressure, input requirements, and day-to-day maintenance practices. This session offers an inside look at what has changed, what challenges emerged, and how the renovation has influenced the long-term stewardship and playability of the property.
Lunch time discussion session: The Next Chapter in Turf Management at the GTI with Sean Jordan
Join us over lunch for an open, conversational look at what’s new and evolving in turf management at the Guelph Turfgrass Institute. This informal session invites participants to eat, listen, and jump into the discussion as we explore how the GTI’s research fields continue to advance toward real-world performance standards. A key focus will be how the GTI is adapting management practices based on industry feedback: mowing regimes, fertility approaches, irrigation strategies, pest management philosophies, and other everyday decisions that shape field quality and stress tolerance. Participants are encouraged to bring their own experiences and ideas. What practices from your facility could help us make the GTI fields even more reflective of “true” playing conditions? What challenges should our next research projects tackle? This is your chance to help shape the next chapter of GTI turf management.
Smart Strategies for Dollar Spot Control: Integrating Prediction Models, Resistance Management, and Cultural Practices – Dr. Lee Miller
Dollar spot remains the most persistent and costly disease of cool-season turfgrass. Dr. Lee Miller of Purdue University will share the latest research-based insights into understanding dollar spot epidemiology and effective management strategies. This session will explore how environmental models can guide fungicide timing, how resistance patterns are shifting with repeated product use, and how host resistance, interseeding, and autonomous mowing may reduce reliance on chemical inputs. Attendees will leave with practical, data-driven approaches to build sustainable, season-long dollar spot programs for golf courses.
Strengthening Turf Health Through Cultural Practices and Light Management - Zach Nicoludis
Healthy turf begins with strong cultural practices, and understanding how these practices interact with site conditions is essential for long-term success. This session focuses on how managers can improve turf performance by optimizing key cultural strategies and by recognizing the critical role that light availability plays in plant growth and stress tolerance. We will explore practical approaches to mowing, aeration, topdressing, traffic management, and soil improvement, along with how these practices influence turf resilience throughout the season. Light management will also be highlighted, including how shade, tree competition, and seasonal changes in sunlight can affect plant vigor, recovery, and susceptibility to pests. These concepts will be framed within the broader context of integrated pest management. By strengthening plant health and reducing environmental stress, managers can lower disease pressure, minimize weed encroachment, and reduce the need for reactive pesticide use. Real-world examples will demonstrate how better cultural practices and light-informed decisions support a proactive, sustainable IPM program. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to build stronger, more resilient turf through thoughtful cultural management and an improved understanding of light as a fundamental resource.
Safety FIRST for Sports Fields and Play Spaces - Scott Belair & Adam Bienenstock
Ensuring safe and compliant playing surfaces is a top priority for sports field managers and recreation facility professionals. This session will equip participants with practical tools and proven strategies for evaluating playgrounds and sports fields to identify risks and compliance concerns before they cause injury or impact play quality.
Participants will learn how to recognize and address surface and equipment hazards such as uneven turf, poor drainage, compaction, wear patterns, and unsafe surfacing materials, with direct reference to key standards including CSA Z614, AODA, ASTM F1936, ASTM F1292, ASTM F3313, ASTM F1951, and others.
The session will cover both visual inspection techniques and advanced assessment methods—such as Gmax testing, Head Injury Criterion (HIC) evaluations, and the use of a instrumented surface indentor (rotational penetrometer) —paired with maintenance practices that reduce liability, improve playability, and extend the service life of fields and recreation areas.
Whether you oversee a community park, a school athletic complex, or a multi-field sports facility, this session will provide actionable insights to help you deliver safer, more resilient, and more enjoyable natural grass and synthetic sports turf surfaces for athletes and children alike.
Dialing In Precision Turf Management for Sports Fields – Dr. Eric Lyons
Precision Turfgrass Management combines data-driven methods and innovative technologies to enhance the resilience of athletic fields by improving input efficiency while maintaining playability and safety. In Ontario and many municipalities across Canada, restrictions on traditional pesticides make it essential for sports field managers to focus on alternative management strategies that support healthy, pest-resistant turf. This session will explore practical approaches for optimizing sports field performance through precision management, including mowing practices that stimulate growth and improve surface recovery, and fertilizer selection tailored specifically for turf applications to ensure consistent nutrient distribution. The talk will also focus on new technologies that measure turfgrass health and performance allowing turfgrass managers to direct their management appropriately given limited resources. With a focus on efficiency, sustainability, and player safety, attendees will learn how to fine-tune their management programs to keep fields strong, sustainable, and safe for play.
How Field Variability Impacts the Athlete – Ava Veith
How Field Variability Impacts the Athlete : A safe playing surface is essential for both athlete safety and performance. This session will share results from a research study that examined how critical field characteristics—including surface hardness, rotational resistance, soil moisture, thatch depth, and synthetic turf infill depth—affect field quality. The study quantified how surface variability impacts athletes on both natural and synthetic fields. Using wearable technologies such as GPS trackers and inertial measurement units (IMUs), researchers measured how fluctuations in key surface metrics influenced athlete movement. Athlete surveys conducted before and after drills provided additional insights into how players perceive surface variability and its effect on performance. Together, these research findings support the development of evidence-based field management strategies to create safer, more consistent playing conditions and reduce the risk of injury.
Greener Cities, Healthier Communities – Peter Guinane & Alan White
Green spaces play a critical role in making cities healthier, more resilient places to live. This session will introduce the work of the Green Cities Foundation and highlight how parks and managed green spaces contribute to cleaner air, reduced urban heat, stormwater management, and improved community well-being. Attendees will learn how to access Green Cities Foundation grant funding, what makes a strong application, and see real-world examples of funded projects that are improving urban environments across Canada. The session will also include an update on the Clean Air Calculator, a science-based tool that helps quantify the environmental benefits of turfgrass, including carbon capture and air quality improvements. Participants will gain practical insight into how these tools can be used for client communication, community engagement, and demonstrating the value of professional turf management.
Investing in People: Training, Retention, and Workforce Development – Derek Robertson
The long-term success of a lawn care business depends on the strength and stability of its team. This session explores practical strategies to develop seasonal technicians into full-time employees and, ultimately, effective managers. We’ll discuss how structured training programs, clear performance expectations, and supportive mentorship can build confidence and competence on the job. The session also covers approaches to employee retention, including career pathways, continuing education, and creating a workplace culture where people feel valued and motivated to grow. Participants will leave with tools to strengthen workforce development, reduce turnover, and cultivate the next generation of leaders in the lawn care industry.
From Grass Cutter to Agronomist, the Road to Turfgrass Professionalism – Dr. John Dempsey
This seminar is a look back over 40 years of involvement in the turfgrass business. Beginning with ‘What was golf course maintenance like back in the last century?’ It illustrates the management procedures in place during the early 1980’s. Covering aeration, topdressing and nutritional programmes during that period, but then moves through the 1990’s, into the 2000’s and to the present day. What has made the greatest impact on turfgrass maintenance over the years? Innovations such as vertidrains, foliar nutrition, sand specifications, plant growth regulators, surfactants, moisture meters, use of robotic mowers and drone technology. I also cover the challenges turf managers faced in the 1980’s and how these evolved over the years to include golfer expectations, chemical restrictions, environmental issues, the pressures this lifestyle has on your wellbeing and family life. I make the point that the greatest impact on turf maintenance has been the role of education, describing the pathways from basic certification to a PhD in turfgrass pathology. I answer the questions: Is education worth it? How does academic study complement a position as a turfgrass manager?
Supporting Native Pollinators in Managed Landscapes – Janean Sharkey
Interest in pollinator-friendly landscaping is growing, but what does it really mean to create habitats that benefit native species? This session will introduce lawn care professionals to the diversity of native pollinators found in Ontario’s urban environments, including bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Participants will learn about their nesting and foraging preferences, how features such as flowering trees, shrubs, and tallgrass prairie ecosystems contribute to biodiversity, and how best to support these species throughout the growing season. The session will equip attendees with the knowledge to talk confidently with clients about realistic, science-based ways to enhance pollinator habitat while maintaining attractive, functional landscapes.
Day 2
Winterkill – what have we learned as far as recovery and possible best practices – Dr. Ed Nangle
Winter injury remains one of the most unpredictable and costly challenges in cool-season turf management. This session explores how winterkill develops and how it fits into a broader integrated pest management approach for the year ahead. We’ll begin by reviewing best practices heading into winter including cultural preparations, surface conditions, nutrition, covers, and other protective measures that can reduce the likelihood or severity of injury. Then we’ll explore what to do when damage occurs: early detection tools, prioritizing recovery approaches, reseeding and re-establishment strategies, and real-world examples of what has and hasn’t worked in recent years. Participants will leave with practical guidance they can apply before freeze-up, as well as a clear plan for those stressful moments when winter injury strikes and the “panic button” gets pressed. This session is designed to help managers think proactively, respond effectively, and rebuild playing quality as quickly as possible.
How do Plant Defense Activators Work against Turf Diseases? – Dr. Tom Hsiang
There is a new class of chemicals called defense activators that help plants protect themselves against stresses both biotic (such as insects and disease) and biotic (such as drought and heat). These chemicals or micro-organisms that produce such chemicals can be applied to leaves and this can increase the resistance of plant against a variety of stresses. This presentation will start by covering in very simple terms the mechanisms by which turfgrass plants can become activated for greater resistance. But how well do such compounds stack up against conventional fungicides? What types of new activator compounds are being tested, and which ones are available and might become available on the market? This presentation will discuss the use of such chemicals, and discuss their advantages and possible disadvantages for controlling turfgrass diseases.
Below the Surface: The Hidden Ecology Shaping Your Fairways and Greens - Dr. Kyle Wickings
Golf course turf is supported by a remarkably complex ecosystem that is often overlooked. This session explores the organisms living beneath the surface and how their interactions influence soil and turf health. The talk will examine the roles that soil arthropods play in nutrient cycling and soil fertility, thatch decay and carbon storage, and pest management. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of just how biodiverse turf soils can be, even under intensively managed systems. A key theme throughout the session is the importance of integrated pest management. We will consider the impacts of pesticide use on beneficial soil organisms and discuss strategies for managing insect pests without eroding the soil food web. We will also discuss both positive and negative impacts of earthworms in turfgrass soils and share preliminary research evaluating the use of soil vibration to manage worm castings. There is a hidden world beneath fairways and greens! Mindful management of the golf turf system can help to protect this important environmental asset and promote turf sustainability and performance for the long run.
Lunch time discussion session: Pest priorities and potential solutions with Dr. Sara Stricker
Join us over lunch for an interactive discussion on the top pest priorities facing Canada’s turfgrass industry. Each year, Dr. Sara Stricker—Chair for Turfgrass on the Minor Use Commodity Liaison Committee—coordinates a national ranking of insects, diseases, and weeds that are creating pressure across golf, sports turf, sod production, and lawncare sectors.
This session is your opportunity to weigh in. Industry members from all sectors are polled to identify emerging threats, shifts in historical pest pressure, or newly severe outbreaks. Your input helps determine whether a User Requested Minor Use Label Expansion (URMULE) is warranted to address significant pest challenges. We’ll also collect suggestions on products or tools that could benefit the industry, including chemistries not currently available in Canada, promising new active ingredients, biological controls, and non-pesticide alternatives. If you’ve heard of innovations or international options worth exploring, bring them to the table.
Grab your lunch, share your insights, and help shape the national priorities that guide research, regulatory needs, and future solutions for turfgrass pest management.
Real-World Experiences with Alternative Control Methods on the Golf Course – Pete Sinuita, Tim Muys, and Nolan Guertin
As the demand for reduced inputs and environmentally conscious management grows, many golf courses are experimenting with innovative strategies to limit pesticide use. This interactive question and answer panel features golf courses who are leading the way, using tools such as iron sulphate, enhanced composting programs, and in one case, fully organic management, to maintain playability while striving for greater sustainability. Participants will hear candid discussions about what truly happens behind the scenes when shifting away from conventional inputs. Panelists will explore the long term sustainability of alternative control methods, the agronomic realities of organic certification, and the real life challenges encountered along the way.
Tracking Take-All Patch Across Canada – Kieran Molony
Take-all patch is a destructive disease of creeping bentgrass that threatens the quality and playability of golf course turf across Canada. This research project aims to recommend sustainable, cultural methods to manage this disease. A key component of the project is surveying the presence of the two causal agents of take-all, Gaeumannomyces avenae and Slopeiomyces cylindrosporus, on golf courses nationwide. By mapping where these pathogens occur and assessing the relationship between soil characteristics and their presence, the research aims to provide golf course managers with practical, evidence-based strategies for disease prevention and control. This session will share the latest findings from the study and highlight how collaboration with superintendents across the country is advancing turfgrass disease management.
How Member-Owned Golf Club Shapes Leadership and Sustainability Decisions – Mitra Kooche Moshki
This project focuses on how member-owned (not-for-profit) golf clubs in Ontario manage to balance community goals, financial realities, and environmental responsibility. Through surveys and interviews with superintendents, golf professionals, clubhouse managers, and general managers, the study explores how leadership structures and governance processes shape real sustainability outcomes. The findings highlight the strengths of the not-for-profit model, its focus on long-term community benefit rather than short-term gain, and offer practical tools for improving communication, leadership pathways, and operational balance. Ultimately, this research aims to demonstrate that golf, when managed through shared ownership and purpose, can be a force for positive environmental and social impact, not just recreation.
Raising the Standard: How to Stand Out in Sports Field Management – Ken Hoard
The Canadian Sports Fields Association’s (formerly Sports Turf Canada) Manager of the Year Award celebrates exceptional leadership, dedication, and innovation in sports field management. This prestigious, peer-nominated honour recognizes professionals who go above and beyond to provide safe, high-quality playing surfaces for athletes and communities across Canada.
What this award represents for recipients:
Clear validation of their excellence and professional integrity
Meaningful recognition from peers who understand the significance of their work
Greater credibility when overseeing national and international sporting events
Increased visibility within the industry and beyond
A deep sense of pride and motivation to continue advancing the profession
Join Ken, our award recipient, as he reflects on his career and shares practical strategies you can use to stand out in the sports field industry. Is success about hard work, leading and mentoring staff, raising standards, committing fully to your role, pursuing professional development, sharing your knowledge, volunteering, applying best practices—or the honesty and integrity you bring to every decision?
In this session, you’ll gain insight into the innovative solutions Ken has developed, and how his work has created value not only for his community, but also for his own growth and enjoyment in the profession.
Curious about what’s in Ken’s “bag of tricks”?
You won’t want to miss this session.
Play It Safe: Click Before You Dig – Beth Patchett
Renovating a sports field is more than what you see on the surface — what lies beneath can be just as critical. Irrigation lines, electrical conduits, drainage systems, and utility infrastructure all pose risks if not properly identified before digging begins. Striking underground utilities can delay projects, damage expensive systems, and put workers and athletes at risk. This session will walk sports field managers, contractors, and turf professionals through the Call Before You Dig process, focusing on its importance for athletic facilities. By following proper protocols, you’ll not only protect your crew and the facility but also ensure the field is ready for athletes to return to play on schedule.
Effective Lines, Better Fields: Practical Solutions for Sports Field Line Painting – Brent Baker & Joe Breedon
Want to level up your sports field line painting?
Clear, accurate painted lines are essential for defining boundaries, highlighting key areas, and ensuring fair, consistent play. From sidelines and end zones to circles and goal areas, this session will walk you through the techniques and tools that drive line accuracy and efficiency.
You’ll learn about:
Choosing the right paint for performance and durability
Sport-specific line requirements
How foot traffic and weather affect your lines
Essential techniques for consistent line painting
We’ll also explore how GPS-guided technology can streamline sports field line painting, helping you boost accuracy while reducing time.
Whether you’re painting on natural grass or artificial turf, experienced on traditional string layouts or already knowledgeable of GPS technology, this session has solutions for you.
Join us to discover practical approaches that simplify your operations and save both time and money in your line painting program.
Gearing Up For the FIFA World Cup: Putting The Finishing Touches on BMO Field – Rob Heggie
As Toronto prepares to host the world’s biggest sporting event, the team at BMO Field has undertaken an unprecedented transformation to deliver a playing surface that meets FIFA’s elite performance standards. This session takes you behind the scenes of that journey, from the early planning stages to the final touches before kickoff. We will explore how the original agronomic plan evolved to incorporate a new sod blend designed to withstand tournament-level intensity, rapid recovery demands, and international scrutiny. Participants will learn how changes to the stadium’s physical structure, including expanded seating, have reshaped turf management strategies and required innovative solutions from the grounds crew. The session will also examine the proactive measures in place to address expected wear and tear throughout the championship games. This includes strategies for repairing turf damage, ensuring consistency between matches, and maintaining safety and performance under a compressed schedule. Finally, we will look ahead to the post-tournament future and how the World Cup experience will influence BMO Field’s turf management in the years to come.
Pest Management Under Ontario’s Cosmetic Pesticide Ban – Stacey Baker
Lawn care professionals are expected to manage turf pests, biting insects, and invasive species, but face additional challenges under Ontario’s Cosmetic Pesticide Ban, which restricts the products they can use and outlines specific procedures for obtaining exemptions. This session will explore current strategies for controlling turf pests, ticks, mosquitoes, and invasive landscape threats such as box tree moth and spotted lanternfly. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of Ontario’s Cosmetic Pesticide Ban, including which products remain approved for use and the procedures required to apply controlled products under specific exemptions. With a focus on practical, legal, and environmentally responsible solutions, this talk will help lawn care professionals stay compliant while maintaining healthy, pest-free landscapes.
What's in the Bag? – Micah Gould
Choosing the right seed is one of the most important decisions for long-term turf success—but not all turf species or seed mixes are appropriate for every situation. This session will help turf managers and lawncare professionals learn how to match species and cultivars to site conditions. Participants will gain practical tools for interpreting seed labels, evaluating blends, and spotting red flags before purchase. By asking the right questions up front, you can avoid costly mistakes and set your turf up for optimal performance, durability, and appearance.
SGN and its implications for product applications and a novel approach to fertility – Dr. Ed Nangle
Innovations in fertilizer technology and application equipment are changing how lawncare operators think about product selection, spreader performance, and nutrient delivery. This session explores the role of SGN (Size Guide Number) in determining how materials behave during application and how these characteristics influence coverage, consistency, and overall turf response. We’ll examine recent advances in application equipment that allow for more precise, efficient, and targeted product placement. As these tools evolve, operators must reassess which fertilizer formulations are best suited to their programs, especially when working in sensitive areas or on sites with variable turf conditions. By the end of this session, attendees will better understand how SGN affects product applications, how new technologies are reshaping fertility programs, and how a shift toward regionally sourced inputs may support a more resilient and sustainable lawncare industry.
Balancing Turf and Trees – Jeff McMann
Lawncare problems are often symptoms of broader landscape challenges. This session will explain how to recognize when issues like thinning grass or poor growth are tied to bigger-picture factors such as shade, competition, or inappropriate plant choices. Attendees will learn how to make informed recommendations—whether it’s trimming or, in some cases, removing a tree—to improve light infiltration and give turf a fair chance to thrive. The session will also cover how to guide customers toward plant selections that support long-term sustainability, ensuring the entire landscape works together for lasting success.
Compaction and Soil Structure in Sod Farming – Alex Barrie
Soil is the foundation of every sod farm, yet the hidden world beneath the surface is often overlooked until problems arise. This session will explore how soil texture and structure influence moisture retention and plant health. Sod farms face unique challenges compared to other agricultural systems, particularly due to the frequent use of large equipment and the 18-wheeler trucks that drive directly through production fields. These heavy loads can dramatically alter soil structure, compacting pore spaces and restricting water and root movement below the surface. Attendees will gain insights into why soil compaction is a challenge to alleviate and, some thoughts about how deep tillage may alleviate compaction without disrupting natural soil horizons.
Setting Sod Up for Success – Jeff McMann
When it comes to sod, success depends on proper installation and after-care. In this session, presented by the contributor and editing of the Ontario Landscape Standards, sod growers will gain insights into how to communicate effectively with buyers about the importance of providing reasonable time, space, and resources for turf care after installation. By reinforcing the need for proper site preparation, watering, mowing, and ongoing management, sod farmers can help their clients protect their investment and ensure long-term turf success.
Optimizing Crop Rotations for Nitrogen Cycling – Dr. John Lauzon
Healthy soil is the foundation of productive cropping systems. This session explores how thoughtful crop rotations can enhance soil fertility, structure, and long-term productivity. Discussion topics will include how different crops contribute to nitrogen cycling, how long those benefits persist, and the advantages and trade-offs of various rotation strategies. We’ll also consider how cover crops can influence nutrient availability, soil organic matter, and microbial activity. Participants will leave with practical insights to guide rotation planning that supports both yield and soil health over time.
Insect pests of sod and how to manage them – Dr. Kyle Wickings
This session offers a practical, field-focused look at managing insect pests in sod production, with an emphasis on product selection, application strategies, and ongoing learning. We’ll begin by reviewing the major insect pests impacting sod farms such as white grubs, sod webworms, billbugs, and crane fly larvae and we will highlight how pest pressure varies with cultivar, soil type, and harvest timing. Participants will explore recommended control products, including newer chemistries, biological options, and how each fits into a broader integrated pest management program. A key focus will be understanding labels, re-entry intervals, timing windows, and how to use monitoring tools to ensure applications are both effective and economical. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to reduce pest losses, maintain harvest quality, and build confidence in choosing and learning about the most appropriate insect management tools.
