Sustainable Golf Courses: INTEGRATED TURF MANAGEMENT

Welcome to this event page about the meeting that was a part of the Golf Course 2030 Scandinavia program and was a joint R&A and STERF initiative.

It started with an afternoon Field Day at Sigtuna GC on September 18th that inspired us with a successful biodiversity program and sustainable course management.
  The Symposium on September 19th was a full day, organized as a number of short and sharp presentations. Results from the joint IPM-project “Integrated
management of important turfgrass diseases, and insect pests on European golf courses” was an important part of the symposium. New and ongoing
IPM-projects and practical experiences of implementing IPM were also presented.

Below you will find a fact sheet about the project "Integrated management of turfgrass diseases and insect pests on European golf courses" as well as
PDF:s of the presentations that were held on September 19th as well as the complete program, abstracts and participants list!

Watch all Symposium presentations as videos on YouTube: : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKaPDBMLBJMKu-P0MNiWQbMR-QnuX5G8C&si=AZe0J97LNivrSTvm

Watch the short interviews! 
2-3 minutes each about their key topic at the Symposium.

John Kemp, The R&A - the Golf Club 2030-project

Tatsiana Espevig, NIBIO - the research on microdochium patch and dollarspot

Patrik Niklasson, Skövde GC - collecting data for better maintenance

Karin Juul Hesselsøe, NIBIO - insect pests on golf courses

Lars Kjellberg, Sigtuna GC - successful work on sustainability and biodiversity

Valentine Godin, Swiss Golf - pesticide free treatments for dollarspot

Bruno Hedlund, STERF - the importance of research for handling climate change  

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18TH

FIELD DAY, Sigtuna Golf Club, Sigtuna

14.00 Bus pick-up Sigtuna Bus Station (see map including walk way to /from Stora Brännbo)
14.15 Arrival at Sigtuna GC and a Swedish Fika (coffe)

14.30 Introduction and welcome to Sigtuna Golf Club, Lars Kjellberg, Chairman and Martin Lundin, Club Manager
  The biodiversity project at Sigtuna GC - A project that started to help the bees on the course has turned into a beneficial program for the local environment, the cultural landscape as well as creating commitment from members and the community who help with the work. Ola Jennersten and Sven Seeman, Project managers
  Sustainable course management - Sigtuna GC’s sustainable management strategy has increased biological diversity on and off the playing field. We will hear about weed control on fairways, fertilizer strategy, investment in irrigation and drainage, minimizing energy use and carbon emission through more efficient rough mowing as well as GEO-certifiaction. Martin Lundin, Club Manager & Acting Course Manager

15.30 Field walks on course
The tour will show the efforts made with insect hotels, birdhouses, mowers, sowing of meadow flowers, grazing animals etc and show how in many places it helped the game to flow better.

16.30 Summary of the field trips.

17.00 BBQ Dinner and Networking.
19.30 Bus pick-up for transport back to Sigtuna.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 19TH

SYMPOSIUM - Hotel Stora Brännbo, Sigtuna

8.30 Registration with coffee & sandwich

MORNING SESSION
9.15 Welcome to Sigtuna and the IPM symposium, STERF, The R&A and the Swedish Golf Federation

9.30 Keynote - Developing Strategies for the Future Bruno Hedlund, Chairman, STERF
9.50 Three Actions to Implement IPM John Kemp, The R&A
10.00 Sustainable Agronomy and Golf Course 2030  John Kemp and Paul Woodham, The R&A
10.20 European Golf Turfgrass Sustainability Roadmap 2023 -2030 Niels Dokkuma, EGA

10.35 Break & Networking

11.05 IPM implementation in Sweden Philosophy – Strategy - Result Stefan Nilsson, STERF and SGF
11.25 Data collection and how it relates to IPM - Patrik Niklasson, Skövde GC
11.40 Introduction to IPM Research Programme – today and in the future Tatsiana Espevig NIBIO
12.00 Varieties and mixtures for integrated management of putting greens: Results from SCANGREEN 2019-22. Karin Juul Hesselsøe, NIBIO

12.20 Lunch & Networking

AFTERNOON SESSION
13.20 Insect pests on Scandinavian golf courses: An update on integrated management Karin Juul Hesselsøe, NIBIO
13.35 Managing important turfgrass diseases microdochium patch and dollar spot using less fungicides: Results from IPM-GOLF 2030 Tatsiana Espevig, NIBIO
13.50 Using rolling as a tool to reduce the severity of Microdochium patch on greens Martin Nilsson, Copenhagen GC
14.05 Effects of UV-C Radiation and Suståne Slow-Release Fertilizer on Turfgrass Diseases on Golf Greens,  Wolfgang Prämaßing, University of Applied Sciences Osnabrueck

14.20 Break - Coffee & Networking

14.50 Golf Course 2030 Integrated Turf/Pest Management European Project Update John Kemp, The R&A and Valentine Godin, AFGolf
15.25 Keynote - Sustainable Championship Agronomy at The Open and AIG Women’s Open Richard Windows, The R&A
15.45 Three actions to implement- conclusions John Kemp, The R&A

15.55 Thanks and Good bye!
16.00 End of the Symposium

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

REGISTRATION & FEE
Registration has closed. Last day for registration was August 27th.
The fee for attendance is 55 EURO. This includes the Field day including BBQ dinner at Sigtuna GC as well as the Symposium with morning coffee, lunch and afternoon coffee. (The fee does not include accomodation.)

ARLANDA AIRPORT - SIGTUNA
The fastest and easiest way is to take a taxi (aprox 15 minutes) from the airport. Cost aprox 350 SEK. Be sure to ask the driver for the price before you get into the car. Can get much more expensive if you don’t … Destination: Sigtuna, Stora Brännbo Hotel
You can also go by local bus no 579 buss leaving from Sky City/Terminal 5 bus station till Sigtuna Bus station. Aprox. 40 min trip. The ride fare is 159,00 kr. To go on the local buses in the area you can use any creditcard that is connected to MasterCard, Visa or American Express. You can also use digital contactless cards in digital wallets such as Samsung Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay and Fidesmo Pay. Just tap your card on the card reader, and that’s it! “
https://sl.se/en/in-english/tap-your-contactless-card-to-buy-a-single-journey-ticket

VENUE
The Symposium will be held at Hotel Stora Brännbo, Stora Brännbovägen 2, 193 33 Sigtuna. Phone: +46 8 592 575 00, Mail:info@storabrannbo.se
Homepage: www.storabrannbo.se

GOING BY LOCAL BUS IN SIGTUNA
The walk from the bus station in Sigtuna to the venue is 15--20 minutes, and quite a lot up-and downhill. So, if you carry luggage with you or are not in the best of shapes, we recommend that you catch bus 570, a five minute ride between Stora Brännbo (bus stop at the venue) and the bus station in Sigtuna, it leaves every 30 minutes on the time table.
To go on the local buses in the area you can use any creditcard that is connected to MasterCard, Visa or American Express. You can also use digital contactless cards in digital wallets such as Samsung Pay, Google Pay, Apple Pay and Fidesmo Pay. Just tap your card on the card reader, and that’s it! “
https://sl.se/en/in-english/tap-your-contactless-card-to-buy-a-single-journey-ticket

HOTELS IN SIGTUNA
If you need accommodation, it is your own responsiblity to book a room at the conference hotel or another hotel. Some rooms have been reserved at the venue hotel, Hotel Stora Brännbo and will be available until the end of June. A Single room is 1215,-SEK/night. Reference ”STERF”.
Other hotels at walking distance to the venue are: Hotel Kristina, Sigtuna Stadshotell and Sigtunastiftelsen.
For information visit Destination Sigtuna

More information

For any questions please contact: John Kemp, the R&A, JohnKemp@randa.org