Most years, we celebrate the arrival of a new year because we’re hopeful that the coming year will bring exciting things, whether that is personal growth, professional/career advancement or some other positive change. We often reflect on the last year and try to discern the good and bad and take a few lessons with us in the coming year.

Then there was 2020.

Yes, there were many lessons we learned this year — some good (turfgrass IS essential) and some not so great (does gaining the “quarantine 19” mean anything to you?). But for better or worse, we’re heading into 2021 with high hopes that it will at the very least be less eventful than 2020.

Here are some takeaways from the unforgettable year of 2020:

  • We are resilient. Turfgrass professionals in all segments learned to pivot on a dime — from golf course professionals who adapted the game to reduce touch points and enable social distancing for staff and golfers, to lawn and landscape companies who adjusted crew size, vehicle occupancy and customer interface. Sports field managers who may have had entire seasons cancelled have spent those down months preparing for higher use in the coming season.
  • Setbacks make us stronger. Turfgrass managers across the country report that they have learned new practices and techniques as a response to challenges they’ve never seen before. For years, we will look back at the lessons we’ve learned from this year as a testament to the innovative nature of the turfgrass industry and the individuals who make it so.
  • The grass is still growing. Mother nature has a way of reminding us that the victories and defeats of humankind are small in the grand scheme of our planet and our history. Surely the sun will rise and set tomorrow, and when it does, we can choose to continue to grow, just like the grass.