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Thoughts on Post Patent Chemicals for Golf Course Management

It seems most superintendents are facing the same dilemma when it comes to soaring chemical prices, course expectations and budget cuts. My use of post patent chemicals has helped me achieve balance among these three.

The Dreaded Budget Cut

My first year as a superintendent I was faced with a $30,000 chemical/fertilizer budget cut. I immediately had to look past the name brand labels I was familiar with and start from scratch for my chemical program. Here is what I soon discovered: many post patent product labels match the E.P.A. registration numbers of name brand products.

This discovery was an important selling point for me when selecting generic products because if the Environmental Protection Agency says it is the same product with a different label it has to be extremely close to being the same product.

It should be noted that I had no choice but to get creative in regards to using post patents, and trust my own research along with recommendations from fellow superintendents and other industry professionals.

The Results

To be honest, I was nervous in what the results from using post patents would bring that first year. April and May went by, then July and August. The next thing I knew it was November with no visible turf loss. The post patent chemicals worked. The turf quality improved and my costs went down!

Finishing my fourth season I still use about 90% post patent chemicals.

Here is a list of some active ingredients I have used with post patent labels:

• Chlorothalonil
• Myclobutanil
• Propiconazole
• Quinclorac
• Imidacloprid
• Iprodione
• Thiophanate Methyl
• Trinexapac-ethyl
• Lambda-cyhalothrin
• Paclobutrazol