USGA Cuts Green Section Research Budget

A few weeks ago Michael Bamberger reported that there would be cuts in the USGA's generous grants program, however specifics were not known. Marisa Palmieri reports for Golf Course Industry on some of the cuts:

The USGA’s Green Section Research department suspended $300,000 in new research initiatives to lower its budget to $1 million. The USGA is delaying the projects slated to begin this year until 2010. Because of the suspension, the USGA likely won’t issue a call for proposals this year like it typically would, says Mike Kenna, director of Green Section Research.

And...

Kenna says the USGA’s budget has fluctuated a lot over the last two decades, but this year’s cuts were the biggest decline in recent years.

“But if you look at the stock market, what’s happening with corporate sponsorships and the economy as a whole, the fact the USGA is funding a $1 million in research is impressive,” he says. “There isn’t any other organization in the game of golf that funds that much research for turfgrass.”