Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design Has Leadership Role in ASGCA

(DUBLIN, Ohio) – Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design (www.frystraka.com), a partnership with worldwide reach in award-winning golf-course design, is playing an active leadership role in the American Association of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA), the professional organization of golf-course designers in the U.S. Jason Straka, who, with partner Dana Fry, is a longtime member of the ASGCA, led the Education Committee sessions at the 67th ASGCA annual meeting, held April 21-24 at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Ga. More than 80 ASGCA members were in attendance at the annual meeting, along with approximately 20 golf-industry suppliers and Allied Associations of Golf representatives.

Jason Straka

“I am proud to be a member of the ASGCA and part of the leadership role it takes in the golf industry,” said Straka. “To maintain that leadership role, it is important for members to participate actively and continually add to our knowledge of cutting-edge research, technology and design methodologies.”

The significance of this Education Committee session was to build on ASGCA’s commitment to provide in-depth education to its members so they may continue to practice golf-course architecture at the highest level. Enhancing education offerings is a stated goal of the ASGCA Executive Committee; the Education Committee works to identify relevant topics and secure speakers who impart valuable information to members.

Straka, assisted by Ian Andrew, ASGCA, and Jeff Blume, ASGCA, led the committee in development of the annual meeting’s opening ‘Dive Deep’ session on water quality and conservation. The session, held April 21, was titled “Protecting, Enhancing and Conserving Water Resources.” Speakers were: Stuart Cohen, Ph.D., Environmental Turf Services; Andy Staples, ASCGA Associate, Golf Resource Group; and Ronny Duncan, Ph.D., R. Duncan Eco Consulting.

The session began with Dr. Cohen describing various sources of water for golf and how water quality and quantity can be measured. Andy Staples followed with examples of ways golf courses can be helped to determine how best to irrigate and how the many irrigation scenarios can be evaluated for cost effectiveness and water conservation. Dr. Duncan finished with a look at how salt-tolerant grass cultivars function and their role in golf-course water usage.

“Water conservation and quality are critical worldwide environmental issues,” Straka said. “Golf courses can be very good stewards of this resource, and as golf-course designers, our work has a significant impact on how well water is conserved and its quality protected and improved.

“This ‘Deep Dive’ session can only increase the knowledge and tools that we as ASGCA members have at our disposal to do so.”

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