In this episode, we are joined by Dr. John Sorochan, Rhys Fielder, and Dillon McCallum from the University of Tennessee. Their team has been leading UT’s efforts in preparing surfaces for the forthcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. They’ll share what they’ve learned over the past year regarding management of turfgrass to optimize playing quality and reduce pest incidence, particularly in stadium environments.

In this session we are joined by John Jeffreys, Director of Agronomy at Pinehurst #2. One the nation’s most historic golf courses, John will provide a behind the scenes look at how surfaces were managed leading up to the 2024 US Open Championship. Additionally, we’ll discuss how the traffic associated with resort play affects pest management decisions on the golf course.

In this session we are joined by Dr. Jason Henderson and Victoria Wallace from the University of Connecticut. Since a pesticide ban was enacted in school grounds in 2010, Jason and Victoria have working to aid turfgrass managers in Connecticut navigate this issue. They will share lessons learned over the past decade regarding turfgrass managers’ response to this legislation.

In this episode we are joined by Dr. Micah Woods. Through his work with the Asian Turfgrass Center and Pace Turf, Micah provides guidance to golf courses and sports fields across the globe regarding the effects of organic matter and fertilizer programs on turfgrass quality and performance. We discuss how modern measurements such as clipping volume and minimum levels for sustainable nutrition (MLSN) can facilitate growth such that pest incidence is lowered.

In this episode we are joined by Chris Hurley with Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA. As a sports field manager at Gillette Stadium, Chris is responsible for preparing high quality surfaces for both the National Football League and Major League Soccer. We’ll discuss the process of optimizing turfgrass quality and minimizing pest invasion at the professional level, balancing non-sporting events (e.g., concerts) with turfgrass maintenance practices, and more.

In this episode we are joined by Brad Jean from Crossroads Sod in Belvidere, TN. Brad shares his experiences working in sod production over the past two decades and speaks to the growth of the industry across the state. Additionally, we delve into new turfgrass cultivars being produced that offer reduced pest management inputs.

In this episode we are joined by Brad Jean from Crossroads Sod. Brad shares his experiences working in sod production over the past two decades and speak to the growth of the industry across the state. Additionally, we will delve into new turfgrass cultivars being produced that offer reduced pest management inputs.

In this episode we are joined by Mitchell Mote, from UT Extension – Rutherford County. Mitchell has over 30+ years of turfgrass management experience in Tennessee. We’ll discuss changes in pest management that have occurred over his distinguished career in Extension, particularly those pertaining to lawn care.

The 23nd FIFA World Cup will be coming to North America in 2026 and UT researchers are actively working behind the scenes to prepare fields for play. In this episode we are joined by Drs. John Sorochan, Kyley Dickson, and Rhys Fielder to learn more about on-going research in advance for the 2026 World Cup. They’ll discuss agronomic and pest management challenges associated with growing sod on plastic, maintaining turfgrasses in reduced light conditions and more.

The world of golf visited Valhalla Golf Club for the PGA Championship in May and UT alumnus, John Ballard was at the center of the action. John is the Course Superintendent at Valhalla Golf Club and lead the facility through a multi-year renovation project in advance of the PGA Championship. In this episode, he’ll discuss the agronomic practices and pest management interventions deployed in advance of the event to produce surfaces for the highest level of competition.