New a number of guys who worked the turf crew at Prairie Dunes who went up to get their degree at KSU and hired on at Colbert, they all to a man came back to PDunes for their summer work because the way they took care of (was around '01) Colbert was a joke.
There is a big reason Prairie Dunes is the top course in the state. I'm sure being private and having a much bigger budget doesn't hurt what they can do compared to Colbert. Prairie Dunes should be in much better condition and it is.
Not so sure on that _FAN, I worked on the Pd crew for a year, they used two retired guys to mow the rough and fairway surrounds, and 6 of us full-timers for the rest. I'm guessing, but I presume Colbert has many more available. The Super at Pd simply knows his hullabaloo and doesn't accept shoddy work or slacking. We very seldom used chemicals for anything outside of a little iron now and again to green it up. Again guessing, but I imagine Colbert spends much more in this regard. May have been attributable to just starting out, or whomever was in charge at that time (if it has changed) but don't believe money was the diff.
I'm not buying that PD doesn't use much chem. They have Rye FAirways and they pretty much would have to pour fugicide to it in the summer. Live in hutch, know the super and this is fact.
Then it's changed since '00 friend. The only chem applied for fungus was very limited and only spot applied to very aggressive types, which were seldom ever present. Never, ever, as you suggest. Never. The crew was very aware of what mycelium is and would spot apply on anything over a foot in diameter. Worst I remember was an area that had attacked half of one tee box, #12, which is small to begin with.
Hey _FAN, here's your in, this one knows the Super!

Though I'm not sure why he didn't mention him by his name, or at least look it up.