Eight RDGA Member Clubs to Receive Expert Course Advice From USGA Green Section Agronomists This Year
By DAVE EATON
A year ago, the Rochester District Golf Association introduced a new featured service for Member Clubs of the association – bringing in USGA Green Section agronomist Elliott Dowling to assess and analyze their grounds operations from top to bottom, providing invaluable advice to improve their effectiveness.
This season, the RDGA will be bringing back these fully-funded visits to select RDGA Member Clubs – a value of $2500 for each visit – providing best practices and effecient methods of course maintainence as a value-added member benefit.
In 2025, Brook-Lea Country Club, Caledonia Country Club, Canandaigua Country Club, Cobblestone Creek Country Club, Irondequoit Country Club and Sodus Bay Heights Golf Club all benefitted from these Green Section visits.
During the 2026 golf season, the RDGA will award 8 of its Member Clubs with these visits – up from 6 such visits in 2025 – with last year’s pilot program seen as a tremendous success.
The RDGA Member Clubs that have already been identified for USGA Green Section visits in 2026 include: Country Club of Rochester, Durand Eastman Golf Course, Lake Shore Country Club, Midvale Country Club, Oak Hill Country Club, Old Hickory Golf Club, Penfield Country Club and Stafford Country Club.
The RDGA is currently reviewing requests from Member Clubs for USGA Green Section visits in 2027. If you are a member of an RDGA Member Club and would like to learn more about having a USGA Green Section agronomist visit your course for a review of best practices at no additional charge, please contact RDGA Tournament Director Ty McHerron at: TyMcHerron@RDGA.org.
