Using enzymes to decrease thatch
Golf Course Industry Superintendent Radio Network • April 20, 2026

From innovative origins to on-course applications, we go inside the ThatchZyme story with ZymeCO founder and CTO Dr. Tad Huber, vice president of sales and marketing Dr. Phil Dwyer, and legendary agronomist and industry search executive Armen Suny.


What can enzymes do to improve golf and turf maintenance experiences? 


ZymeCO founder and CTO Dr. Tad Huber explains the experimentation that led to the development of ThatchZyme, a sprayable solution to help golf courses manage thatch. The discovery process included plenty of conversations with his father-in-law Armen Suny, a legendary and curious agronomist.


Plus, ZymeCO vice president of sales and marketing Dr. Phil Dwyer joins Huber and Suny to reveal insights from the field.


Topics covered on this episode include:

  • ThatchZyme origins and innovation motivation
  • Field observations
  • Enzyme mechanism and design goals
  • Market discovery
  • Research & Development, portfolio expansion and positioning
  • Application strategy and seasonal considerations
  • Distribution and global reach


All Golf Course Industry podcasts can be found on the Superintendent Radio Network page of popular distribution platforms.

SOURCE: https://www.golfcourseindustry.com/media/thatch-management-golf-courses-enzymes/

ThatchZyme offers the first proven thatch control program

By ZymeCO • April 21, 2026
Turfgrass researchers at ZymeCO have developed and manufactured a proprietary sprayable enzyme now being offered as ThatchZyme to lawn care companies as an effective new solution for managing thatch in lawns.

New Hire: Michael Johnson, Regional Sales Manager

By Jennifer Phillips • April 6, 2026
ZymeCO welcomes Michael Johnson as Regional Sales Manager. Discover his experience in agronomy, biologicals, and specialty crop sales.

Real Results

By Jenny Phillips, Director of Marketing • January 26, 2026
Our partner Living Turf in Australia and New Zealand have been thrilled with the results, sharing the following: “Turf managers across the industry are seeing real results with ThatchZyme® from ZymeCO - healthier profiles, longer roots, reduced thatch, and improved turf performance."
First proven thatch degrading enzyme

Real Course Results with ThatchZyme

By Phil Dwyer, VP Sales & Marketing • November 12, 2025
Philip Beaver, Tipton Golf Course, Tipton, IN. Golf Course Superintendent, speaks about his first experience with using ThatchZyme.
Combat algal crust and improve turf performance with AlgaeZyme

Real Course Results with AlgaeZyme

By Phil Dwyer, VP Sales & Marketing • November 5, 2025
Tyler Guy, Golf Course Superintendent for Signal Mountain Golf & Country Club, speaks about his first experience with using AlgaeZyme.
Erin Ahlers

ZymeCO Appoints Erin Ahlers as Vice President of Manufacturing Operations

By PRESS RELEASE • November 3, 2025
ZymeCO announced the appointment of Erin Ahlers as Vice President, Manufacturing Operations. Ahlers brings more than three decades of agriculture industry experience spanning the full product pipeline, including early R&D, product development and field testing, manufacturing operations, and global quality assurance.

UAE Tour with Living Turf

By Phil Dwyer, VP Sales & Marketing • October 20, 2025
ThatchZyme’s customer outreach and education World Turf Tours most recently brought us to the United Arab Emirates with our hosting distribution partner Living Turf.
FulviZyme shuttles nutrients to where plants can use them.

How FulviZyme Helps Plants Eat Better

By Jenny Phillips, Director of Marketing • September 30, 2025
Nutrients often get “stuck” in the soil. FulviZyme acts like a tiny “nutrient shuttle” that grabs those nutrients and helps deliver them to the plants where they can actually use them.
thatchzt

Launching across the world: ZymeCO is proud to be exclusive partners with Living Turf of Australia and New Zealand

By Phil Dwyer, VP Sales & Marketing • September 11, 2025
Rob Cooper, Founder of Living Turf, adds “I have known Phil Dwyer, who is behind the science of ThatchZyme, for thirty years - that was the first major tick of approval for me. Now, having trialled the product, seen the data, and understand what it can do, I am eager to share it with our clients and see what it can do

Why our fungal laccases are the go-to solution for organic matter management

By Jenny Phillips, Director of Marketing • August 21, 2025
Not all enzymes are the same and where they come from makes a big difference. At ZymeCO, our laccase enzyme is derived from white rot fungi because they are more potent and stable. This means our enzymes are more effective at breaking down thatch and crop residue.