FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2026 — DTE Golf is proud to announce that Rich Fioretto, Golf Superintendent at the Belvedere Executive Courses in The Villages, has been featured in a recent USGA Green Section article highlighting innovation, sustainability, and excellence in modern golf course management.
The USGA feature explores the unparalleled scale of golf at The Villages — home to 765 holes across 13 championship courses and 42 executive courses — and showcases how agronomy teams are leveraging advanced technology to deliver consistent playing conditions while using water more responsibly.
Central to that effort is the USGA Moisture Meter, a cutting-edge agronomic tool implemented by Fioretto and his DTE Golf team. The Moisture Meter allows superintendents to precisely measure soil moisture levels on greens, enabling data-driven irrigation decisions that protect turf health, enhance playability, and significantly reduce unnecessary water use.
“We check greens on each of the three courses we look after, looking for consistency in our numbers,” said Fioretto. “By identifying high and low moisture levels, we can dictate exactly what we need to do with our irrigation. The USGA Moisture Meter gives us the data to make each green consistent from one course to the next — and that consistency helps us use water more efficiently.”
The USGA Green Section is actively introducing this technology across the golf industry as part of its broader mission to advance sustainable turf management practices. At a community the size of The Villages, the impact of those practices is substantial.
“This tool allows us to look at real data, not guesswork,” said Greg Wiecorek, Manager of Maintenance for the Executive Courses at The Villages. “It improves the consistency of our greens and, in the long run, our cultural practices. As we build trends over time, it’s going to be a game-changer for how we manage water and maintain quality.”
As a superintendent with DTE Golf, Fioretto oversees day-to-day course conditions at the Belvedere Executive Courses, applying advanced agronomic tools, best-in-class maintenance strategies, and superintendent-led decision-making to ensure uniform turf conditions across multiple properties. His recognition reflects DTE Golf’s commitment to operational excellence, accountability, and environmental stewardship within the golf industry.
“Using objective data allows us to be confident in our decisions,” Fioretto added. “No matter which course or hole we’re working on, we know we’re doing what’s best for the turf and the resources we’re managing.”
DTE Golf is proud to partner with The Villages and the USGA in adopting innovations that elevate the golfer experience while protecting one of golf’s most valuable resources: water. This recognition underscores how modern superintendent leadership and technology-driven practices are shaping the future of sustainable golf course management.
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About DTE Golf
For more than 30 years, DTE Golf® has proudly served golf facilities across Florida and beyond as a trusted and reliable maintenance and management partner.
