It is always interesting to talk to a superintendent who has worked in both a cool season climate and a warm season climate. Adam Miller, the Director of Agronomy at Berkeley Hall Golf Club in Bluffton South Carolina, started his career working with warm season grasses in South Carolina. He then spent a number of years in the Mid Atlantic working with cool season grasses before returning to South Carolina. Adam has been a “soils guy” most of his professional career and is known for his line “the soil has to breathe!” We talked about the transition from cool to warm season grasses and the challenges and differences that poses to a superintendent. We also discussed soils and what he found when he arrived at Berkeley Hall. His soils range from sand capped fairways to dense “Pluff Mud” which is really a gumbo type heavy soil. In South Carolina, where it can rain heavily throughout the summer, a heavy tight soil has drainage challenges making growing grass in that hot climate difficult. Adam also shared the challenges of managing dormant warm season grasses through the winter months when play is at its heaviest. The conversation with Adam was full of great stories and agronomic advice, well worth the listen!

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