Turning Stone Golf: How the Agronomy Team Delivers Tour-Level Conditions Daily

Ottawa Golf Blog · 8 months ago · 105 views

During our recent trip to Turning Stone Resort, Gus and I were blown away by the course conditions—every fairway, green, and tee box felt dialled in to a standard you don’t often see across an entire property. What impressed us even more was that one of the courses we played had recently undergone aeration, yet it still rolled better than many courses at their peak. That level of consistency doesn’t happen by accident. To get a deeper look at how Turning Stone maintains such elite playing conditions across its portfolio of courses, we sat down with the resort’s head agronomist. In this Q&A, we dig into the philosophy, planning, and behind-the-scenes dedication that keeps Turning Stone among the best-conditioned golf destinations you can play. . Q & A with Matt Flavio, Director of Agronomy for Turning Stone Flavio, Director of Agronomy for Turning Stone How do you handle the unique challenges of turfgrass management at a large resort property?  Each course has its own personality, so we tailor maintenance programs around what makes them unique from soil type and sunlight exposure to the style of play. Our superintendents and supervisors talk daily about weather, moisture, and course setup so we can stay ahead of issues and keep things consistent. It’s really about teamwork and being adaptable when things change, whether that’s a tournament week, a stretch of bad weather, or just a busy weekend with heavy play. What is your approach to water management, and how do you ensure consistency in golf course playability? Water is always one of the biggest challenges, especially when you’re trying to keep things firm and playable across multiple courses. We try to water based on what the turf actually needs, not just what the schedule says. Our team uses moisture meters and weather data every day, but a lot of it still comes down to experience and being out there seeing how the turf is reacting. We’ll hand-water greens and hot spots when things get dry instead of just running heads across the whole course. This summer was definitely challenging with the 60 days of minimal rain. When we get stretches of dry weather, the goal shifts from “making it green” to “keeping it alive.” That approach helps us stay consistent day to day and try to reach our goals of firm, fast, and healthy without overdoing it.  How do you manage wear and tear on the course from high traffic, especially during peak season? High traffic is always a challenge, especially with a busy golf season. We try to stay ahead of it by spreading out the wear by rotating hole locations, tee markers, and traffic flow patterns every day. Little adjustments like that make a big difference over time. How do you ensure a consistent level of conditioning across the entire golf course? Our team works off detailed schedules so every part of the course gets the same attention and the same standards. Even with five courses on property, we use the same products, mowing heights, and cultural practices so the look and playability are consistent everywhere. Can you provide an example of a challenging project, like a renovation, that you’ve managed and overcome obstacles during?  Our last big project was the bunker renovation at Atunyote. We planned the work for spring and fall to have the least impact on the guest experience, but that also meant dealing with some tough weather. Cold mornings, rain delays, and short daylight hours made it a challenge to stay on schedule. In the end, it all came together really well. The new bunkers look great, play great, and are much easier to maintain — a big win for both golfers and the maintenance crew. What is your overall vision for improving the golf course, and what steps would you take to achieve it? Our vision is simple — to keep elevating the guest experience while making the courses more efficient to maintain long-term. We want every golfer, whether it’s their first time here or their tenth, to feel like the course is in peak condition every day. We always tell the team being a Resort we have one chance to impress. That means focusing on the details: improving drainage, updating irrigation for better precision, refining bunker edges, and continuing to invest in new technology and equipment. Small upgrades across the property add up to a big difference in consistency and presentation.

During our recent trip to Turning Stone Resort, Gus and I were blown away by the course conditions—every fairway, green, and tee box felt dialled in to a standard you don’t often see across an entire property. What impressed us even more was that one of the courses we played had recently undergone aeration, yet it still rolled better than many courses at their peak. That level of consistency doesn’t happen by accident.

To get a deeper look at how Turning Stone maintains such elite playing conditions across its portfolio of courses, we sat down with the resort’s head agronomist. In this Q&A, we dig into the philosophy, planning, and behind-the-scenes dedication that keeps Turning Stone among the best-conditioned golf destinations you can play. . 

Q & A with Matt Flavio, Director of Agronomy for Turning Stone Flavio, Director of Agronomy for Turning Stone

How do you handle the unique challenges of turfgrass management at a large resort property?

 
Each course has its own personality, so we tailor maintenance programs around what makes them unique from soil type and sunlight exposure to the style of play. Our superintendents and supervisors talk daily about weather, moisture, and course setup so we can stay ahead of issues and keep things consistent. It’s really about teamwork and being adaptable when things change, whether that’s a tournament week, a stretch of bad weather, or just a busy weekend with heavy play.

What is your approach to water management, and how do you ensure consistency in golf course playability?

Water is always one of the biggest challenges, especially when you’re trying to keep things firm and playable across multiple courses. We try to water based on what the turf actually needs, not just what the schedule says. Our team uses moisture meters and weather data every day, but a lot of it still comes down to experience and being out there seeing how the turf is reacting. We’ll hand-water greens and hot spots when things get dry instead of just running heads across the whole course. This summer was definitely challenging with the 60 days of minimal rain. When we get stretches of dry weather, the goal shifts from “making it green” to “keeping it alive.” That approach helps us stay consistent day to day and try to reach our goals of firm, fast, and healthy without overdoing it.

 
How do you manage wear and tear on the course from high traffic, especially during peak season?

High traffic is always a challenge, especially with a busy golf season. We try to stay ahead of it by spreading out the wear by rotating hole locations, tee markers, and traffic flow patterns every day. Little adjustments like that make a big difference over time.

How do you ensure a consistent level of conditioning across the entire golf course? 

Our team works off detailed schedules so every part of the course gets the same attention and the same standards. Even with five courses on property, we use the same products, mowing heights, and cultural practices so the look and playability are consistent everywhere.

Can you provide an example of a challenging project, like a renovation, that you’ve managed and overcome obstacles during? 

Our last big project was the bunker renovation at Atunyote. We planned the work for spring and fall to have the least impact on the guest experience, but that also meant dealing with some tough weather. Cold mornings, rain delays, and short daylight hours made it a challenge to stay on schedule. In the end, it all came together really well. The new bunkers look great, play great, and are much easier to maintain — a big win for both golfers and the maintenance crew.

What is your overall vision for improving the golf course, and what steps would you take to achieve it?

Our vision is simple — to keep elevating the guest experience while making the courses more efficient to maintain long-term. We want every golfer, whether it’s their first time here or their tenth, to feel like the course is in peak condition every day. We always tell the team being a Resort we have one chance to impress.

That means focusing on the details: improving drainage, updating irrigation for better precision, refining bunker edges, and continuing to invest in new technology and equipment. Small upgrades across the property add up to a big difference in consistency and presentation.