“This article was originally published in the March 27, 2017 Golf Course Management magazine Blog Post.” 

It was five years ago that the Oregon GCSA took a leap of faith and decided to help fund a research assistant position at Oregon State University.

Today, Brian McDonald (pictured above) is grateful for the chance to continue studying conditions that directly affect golf course superintendents in the Northwest, such as moss control on putting greens and bluegrass control in cool-season grasses.

“Brian’s research has helped us in dealing with Microdochium patch, which is a serious turf disease here in the Northwest,” said Chuck Wolsborn, president of the Oregon GCSA and superintendent and general manager at Gresham Golf Course, an 18-hole facility east of Portland. “Research funds are drying up, and our commitment to research is important to us because we benefit directly from Brian’s work.”

Each year since 2013, the Oregon GCSA has contributed $25,000 toward the salaried position that McDonald has held for almost two decades. In 2016, $3,500 of that total was earned through Rounds 4 Research, the national tee time donation program administered by the Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG), the philanthropic arm of the GCSAA. The program also has the support of The Toro Company, which donates $50,000 annually.