I spent a couple of days in the field with Campbell Cox earlier this month in the Athens/Atlanta, Ga.-area and visited with two golf course superintendents and one distributor sales rep.

Day 1 started off with a cool morning ride along with Ken Mangum of the Atlanta Athletic Club. Ken has been the superintendent there for 20 years and last year was trying out some Trinity™ fungicide. He has been pleased with the results but understandably doesn’t dive in head first with any new product on the 45 holes at his golf club. A measured approach to golf and golf course maintenance is key here.

As Ken drove us around this beautiful spot in the peach state, he shared that the Club is going to host a PGA event in 2011. Ken and his team of employees are already planning and preparing for this tournament.

That evening back in Athens, Campbell drove me by the home of one of that city’s most famous residents – Michael Stipe of R.E.M. The band’s new album is called Accelerate and is in stores now. Campbell gives it two snaps up with a circle.

Day 2 started off just as cool temperature-wise, spring is coming in fits and spurts to the Southeast, and included a visit with John McMullan at the Georgia Club in Bogart, Ga. John spent considerable time with Campbell and I, and was a pleasure to chat with about recent changes to his course and his use of BASF products including Insignia® fungicide, Trinity, and Pendulum® 3.3 EC.

Also of concern for John and other supers is spring dead spot on Bermudagrass, an ongoing problem that is difficult to control. University researchers and basic manufacturers are hard at work on this one.

Last stop for us was a visit with Joe Desirato at the John Deere/LESCO service center in Doraville, Ga. Joe is one of the most gregarious guys I’ve ever met. Lots of LCO traffic in this store and the good news for us in this business is that Georgia has gotten its share of rain this spring – that means weed and disease pressure is getting at those lawns and playgrounds.

On the product front this month it’s all about Drive® XLR8 herbicide, (pronounced accelerate) the new and improved postemergent herbicide from BASF. Drive XLR8 gained EPA approval in early April. Drive XLR8 is a liquid formulation of Drive® 75 DF. Look for more on this crabgrass killer in the coming weeks.

Until then, keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the weeds…