In September, Bethpage Black Course in Long Island became the first state-owned golf course to host the Ryder Cup tournament. It held a couple other firsts: the first attended by a sitting President, and the first in 13 years for Europe to beat the U.S. on America's home turf. And speaking of that turf, the ingenuity behind the grass on that course is thanks to engineers at Cornell, including Frank Rossi, whose influence on golf courses across the state bestows him a sort of "Pied Piper" status among turf experts. This interview is from Oct. 4, 2025, and has been edited for clarity.

Bethpage Black isn't just renowned for its beauty and its pretty challenging course -- it's also known for its sustainability, and that engineered by Cornell researchers like yourself. How was it to see "your"

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