Insight to Impact: Why Lee McLemore Calls Signature™ XTRA Stressgard^® Liquid a "Foundation" of His Program

How do you maintain championship-quality bentgrass greens in Alabama's heat, humidity and disease pressure?

In the latest Insight to Impact video, Lee McLemore, Director of Golf Course Operations at the Country Club of Birmingham, shares how his team manages 36 holes of bentgrass putting greens in one of the most challenging environments for cool-season turf. From summer stress management to Pythium root rot prevention, McLemore discusses the agronomic strategies that have helped keep the club's greens performing at a high-level year after year.

Watch the full video to hear McLemore's firsthand experiences with Signature™ XTRA Stressgard^® Liquid fungicide and why he believes superintendents should consider adding it to their programs.

A Trusted Program Gets an Easier-to-Use Formulation

The Country Club of Birmingham has a long history with Signature™, dating back to the Aliette^® generations of the product family (Read the full History of Signature). When Envu introduced Signature™ XTRA Stressgard^® Liquid fungicide, McLemore and his team had the opportunity to test it on their course.

The feedback was immediate.

"We saw right off the bat, we saw this was good stuff. It's easy. The color is good. The mixing is good."

For McLemore, one of the biggest benefits is improved operational efficiency. Traditional tank mixing often requires close attention to product order, water volume and compatibility requirements. The liquid formulation helps simplify the process, allowing crews to spend less time worrying about mixing procedures and more time focusing on course conditions.

"It does speed that process up a little bit and gives you a little extra assurance that we're not going to make a mistake there."

Managing Bentgrass Greens Through Summer Stress

Golf course superintendents managing creeping bentgrass greens in warm-season climates understand the challenge. Heat, humidity, traffic and disease pressure can quickly impact turf performance if programs aren't established before stress arrives.

That's why McLemore emphasizes starting early.

"It doesn't do any good if you wait until you already have stress. You have to start early in the season."

His program begins in late March or early April and continues throughout the stress season, helping prepare turf for the environmental challenges that come with maintaining bentgrass in the South.

Why Pythium Management Remains a Priority

Like many golf course superintendents, McLemore considers Pythium one of the most important diseases to manage on bentgrass greens.

The Insight to Impact video explores the club's approach to Pythium root rot management, including the importance of preventative applications, fungicide rotation and building a program with multiple modes of action. McLemore and Jesse Benelli, Ph.D., green solutions team member, discuss how Signature™ XTRA Stressgard^® Liquid fungicide fits into those programs and why its unique systemic movement continues to make it an important tool for golf course superintendents.

A Foundation for Plant Health and Disease Management

Perhaps the strongest endorsement comes when McLemore is asked to describe Signature™ XTRA Stressgard^® Liquid fungicide.

"Convenient" and "efficient" are among the first words that come to mind. But ultimately, he lands on a phrase that speaks to its role in his agronomic program.

"I would say it's the foundation part of our program."

For golf course superintendents looking for practical insights on managing bentgrass greens, summer stress, Pythium root rot and plant health in warm-season environments, this Insight to Impact story offers a valuable perspective from one of the industry's most respected turf managers.

Connect with an Envu representative to learn more about Signature™ XTRA Stressgard^® Liquid at us.envu.com/lawn-and-landscape/find-your-envu-rep.