Courses

Welcome to My Learning Hub, powered by GCSAA's Professional Development Department.

Choose Log in in the upper right hand corner and you will be able to Register for On Demand webinars.

Events in which you’ve registered in the past appear under My Training.

Switch your catalog to Programs to find the certificates that are part of the Assistant Superintendent Certificate Series (ASCS).

The U.S. has experienced some severe storms this season with the potential for more remaining. Ron Wright, CGCS, updates this webinar from our series on disasters to help you create or update your emergency response plan.

Each webinar in the series is designed to focus on a single crisis type. You'll hear what happened, what plan was in place and what the CGCS in charge learned and now recommends. In Wright’s case, he experienced several hurricanes first hand at the Country Club of Mobile. During this quick hour, he’ll cover tips for clean-up, how best-laid plans may need to adapt, and review systems and plans you’ll want to put in place as soon as you can. 

Turf managers are inundated with product claims and testimonials that seem too good to be true. What does a turf manager need to know to critically evaluate the wealth of products available? Although the science of statistics can be cumbersome, a basic understanding will go a long way in helping turf managers make the most agronomically and economically sound decisions. In this 90-minute webinar, Roch Gaussoin, Ph.D., looks at product claims and help superintendents discern between great products and the not so great products.

At the onset of this micro learning event, Beth Guertal, Ph.D., explains, “A soil test report is supposed to give you an idea of what the nutrient status is of various soil nutrients in your soil and then give you a recommendation for how much you need to see your plant through the next cropping season.” She then proceeds to use BEER as an example to help you better understand the nuances of soil reports. Take a look to learn more about the differences between labs and how that impacts the report you receive.

In this 60-minute webinar, Beth Guertal, Ph.D., covers (briefly) the history of N fertilizers, and their use and their development. A few commonly used N fertilizers will also be discussed, with recent research in environmental fate mentioned. This is less a specific turfgrass talk (with rates and sources) but more of general background introduction to N fertilizers.

If you’ve worked with many turf researchers and scientists, you know that facts and events that can be replicated are critical to what they do. That’s partly why J. Scott McElroy, Ph.D., says he hesitates to make predictions such as those a fortune teller might reveal. Yet in this 60-minute webinar, McElroy discusses why it is highly probable that in the next 10 years autonomous technology will gain a significant portion of the professional and consumer market in the U.S.

In order for trees, shrubs, groundcovers, vines and other ornamentals to be successful on the golf course, they must be well sited, planted properly and provided with the initial appropriate care. In this 60-minute webinar, John Fech covers many components to providing a good start.

Maintained turf is critical to the playing field of golf and provides a valuable green space in urban environments. There are other elements to the golf course that can provide pollinator and wildlife habitat. You can learn more about it and what you can do from Jay McCurdy, Ph.D., as he covers interesting aspects of sustainability in this 40-minute presentation.

The Annual Bluegrass Weevil (ABW) has a known destructive preference for annual bluegrass. Can this be harnessed for good? Researchers evaluated withholding ABW control; in this 40-minute webinar, Katie Diehl explains.

Last year’s pandemic created additional stress for many, and statistics show drug use is up. Presenters from the Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative teach about the signs of substance misuse and what you can do to help others.

Proper identification of pests, including weeds, is a key first step toward control. In this 60-minute webinar, presented by PBI-Gordon, you’ll get a better understanding of the full life cycle of Goosegrass as it relates to implementing control strategies. Matt Elmore, Ph.D., discusses herbicide options for control in cool-season turfgrass, including creeping bentgrass. You’ll get tips you can use on how to best implement these herbicides into your overall weed control program. This event was approved for external education points and is available at no cost for all.

In this 60-minute webinar, presented in cooperation with the National Golf Course Owners Association, Dave Wagner and Ceri Koski, attorneys at Ogletree Deakins, provide a high-level overview and update on changes made to the H-2B program by the Department of Labor.

Over the past 30 years, turfgrass management strategies have gone from IPM to sustainability to BMP. In this 60-minute webinar, Thom Nikolai, Ph.D., covers the transition. Nikolai begins with the history of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers then moves along to their impact on the planet and the goal of decreasing irrigation inputs. He also looks at BMPs that increase turfgrass performance and minimize inputs.

Facility BMP Plans provide many benefits for the superintendent, the superintendent profession, the golf facility and the golf course industry. GCSAA has received funding from the USGA and PGA Tour, but superintendents must participate in order for the industry to be successful.  Join J. Bryan Unruh, Ph.D., for this hour-long webinar to learn why having a written facility plan is so important.

The 'Grass Roots' Initiative was started by the National Turfgrass Federation over 10 years ago and began with a 1.2-acre exhibit at the U.S. National Arboretum focusing on outreach and education on the benefits of turfgrass. In this 60-minute webinar, Harlyn Goldman, CGCS, and Geoff Rinehart discuss the genesis of the 'Grass Roots' exhibit at Needwood Golf Course, a public 27-hole facility located in Montgomery County, Md.

Ponds and other water bodies bring both beauty and benefit to the golf course. Different types of algae can disrupt that beauty and become problematic. Erwin McKone, CGCS, leads this 90-minute webinar to review the role of algae in the aquatic ecosystem. Classic and alternative treatments of algal blooms will be examined. McKone will explain ways this has changed in the ten years that have transpired since he first taught on this topic, including new permitting issues. Join us to make sure your management program is up-to-date.

Among the biggest projects any turf manager may undertake will be a new irrigation system. While many shy away from playing an active role in the system’s design, Ashley Wilkinson explains why and how you should help in planning for such a large construction project in this 90-minute webinar.
This course was Live captioned when recorded.

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The Annual Bluegrass Weevil (ABW) dates back to 1931 in Conn., but in the past ten plus years, this destructive pest continues to spread south (N.C.) and west (Ohio, Ky.) Mike Agnew, Ph.D., Matt Giese, and Lane Tredway, Ph.D. discuss ABW research findings in each of these areas as well as digital tools and controls.

Rick Fredericksen, CGCS, and assistant superintendent Ryan Ebeling share the action plan implemented at Woodhill Country Club to address impacts from COVID-19. Working in partnership with Wayzata Country Club, the team shares priorities established to address both reductions in staff and minimum maintenance practices. This 20-minute event wraps up with Woodhill’s golf pro, Paul Kelly, emphasizing the importance of communication during times of crisis and beyond.

This event is available to all at no cost.

The GCSAA Women’s Leadership Academy, held in Nov. 2023, focused on providing women in the turfgrass industry with education, mentoring and networking opportunities. In this 90-minute webinar, you’ll hear from Renee Geyer and Jill Seymour, CGCS, about their experience attending this event aimed at breaking down barriers.