Tails from the turfA dog™s life on courseTails from the turfA dog™s life on courseCoastal TrailsFrom Bandon Dunes to Pebble BeachNew Environmental Management SectionDome goes carbon-neutralResearchAustralian sod productionSeashore paspalumThe PulseAssistant supers have their sayCoastal TrailsFrom Bandon Dunes to Pebble BeachResearchAustralian sod production
Seashore paspalumNew Environmental Management SectionDome goes carbon-neutralThe PulseAssistant supers have their sayWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 10.2 MAR-APR 2008It™s what™s inside  that counts.Install Con˜dence.® Install Rain Bird® EAGLEŽ Series Rotors.For more than 14 years, Rain Bird EAGLE Rotors have been constantly innovated  and improved to elevate the industry standard for performance and durability.  This benchmark e˜ort continues to deliver the lowest cost of ownership, and  more importantly, best-in-class reliability. Consult with your Rain Bird distributor about all the reasons why EAGLE rotors pop up on more courses around the world every day.Rain Bird Australia10 Mareno Rd, Tullamarine, Vic, 3043.   Freecall: 1800 424 044   Freefax: 1800 424 050Contact: Wayne Brown (0419 669 679)  Troy Barbour (Vic, WA, SA, Tas 0409 123 191)  Greg Smith (NSW, QLD 0438 503 070)Dale Sta˜ord (Technical Support 0409 115 000)  Scott Johnstone (Pump Station Sales 0437 078 677)www.rainbird.com.au   Email: info@rainbird.com.au© 2007 Rain Bird Corporation   Australian Turfgrass ManagementPublished by:Australian Golf Course Superintendents' AssociationABN 96 053 205 888Production:Editor:  Brett Robinson Ph:(03) 9548 8600 brett@agcsa.com.auArt Direction & Design: Jo Corne Ph: (03) 9548 8600
jo@agcsa.com.auAdvertising: Melissa Wallace Ph:(03) 9548 8600 melissa@agcsa.com.auAGCSASuite 1, Monash Corporate Centre752 Blackburn Road, Clayton, VIC 3168P: (03) 9548 8600
F: (03) 9548 8622E: info@agcsa.com.auW: www.agcsa.com.auPresident:  Jeff GambinDirectors:  John Odell Allan Devlin Pat PauliGeneral ManagersScott Petersen (Business Development, Communications and Membership)
scott@agcsa.com.auJohn Neylan (AGCSATech, Education and Environmental Initiative)
john@agcsa.com.auInquiries and MembershipPip Dudleyinfo@agcsa.com.auAccountsPhilip Horsburghphilip@agcsa.com.auEvents ManagerSimone Staples
simone@agcsa.com.auAGCSATechAndrew Peartandrew@agcsa.com.auHR & Best Practice ManagerDaryl Sellardaryl@agcsa.com.auExecutive AssistantMelissa Wallace
melissa@agcsa.com.auPrinted ByImpact Printing69-79 Fallon StreetBrunswick, VIC 3056Proudly supported byCopyright © 2008 The AGCSA believes that material sourced and produced for Australian Turfgrass Management is accurate, but gives no warranty in relation thereto, and disclaims liability for 
all claims against the AGCSA, its subsidiary companies, its employees, agents or any other person which may arise from any person acting on the materials contained within. 
No portion, in whole or part, may be reproduced without the written permission of the AGCSA.AGCSASUBSCRIPTION FORMI wish to apply for:One year™s subscription to Australian Turfgrass Management(Six editions per year) PLEASE TICK BOXONE COPY PER EDITION $55.00  O/S ONE COPY PER EDITION $76.20   TWO COPIES PER EDITION $86.00  THREE COPIES PER EDITION $130.00  ORDERS CAN BE MADE SECURELY ONLINE THROUGH www.agcsa.com.auName: ......................................................................................................................................Company: .................................................................................................................................Postal Address: ........................................................................................................................Town/Suburb: ...........................................................................................................................State:  ......................................................................... Postcode: ............................................I enclose cheque for (amount):................................................................................................ Please charge my credit card: .................................................................................................MasterCard          VisaCard Number:  __ __ __ __   __ __ __ __   __ __ __ __   __ __ __ __
Expiry Date:  _____/_____
Cardholder Name: ....................................................................................................................
Address: ................................................................................................................................... Signature:. ............................................................................................................................... Please send me more information about becoming an AGCSA memberForward to: Australian Turfgrass Management Suite 1, Monash Corporate Centre 752 Blackburn Road Clayton, VIC 3168 FAX: (03) 9548 8622   Prices include GST.WINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTTournament TimeHuntingdale™s new masterOpen returns to RoseberyTournament TimeHuntingdale™s new master
Open returns to RoseberyNew technologyTelstra Dome sees the lightNew technologyTelstra Dome sees the lightResearchNitrogen leachingThatch or fiction?ResearchNitrogen leachingThatch or fiction?The good oilTurf techniciansThe good oilTurf techniciansWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 9.6 NOV-DEC 2007WINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTRatho™s revivalRestoring Australia™s oldest golf courseRatho™s revivalRestoring Australia™s oldest golf courseProfileBarry CoxProfileBarry CoxBusiness and the big dryHow the trade is faringBusiness and the big dryHow the trade is faringResearchOverseeding couch fairwaysFungicide application effectsResearchOverseeding couch fairwaysFungicide application effectsFlemington™s $10m flutterOn track for   Spring Carnival 2007Flemington™s $10m flutterOn track for   Spring Carnival 2007WINNER OF 4 AWARDS AT THE 1ST TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 9.3 MAY-JUNE 2007ISSN 1442-2697RRP $9.00PLUS                         GSTWINNER OF 4 AWARDS AT THE 1ST TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTInside Augusta NationalAn Aussie™s odysseyWater managementGlenelg ASR schemeThe Sands desalinationAGIC water use survey2007 AGCSA Award WinnersReg McLarenDarren WilsonStuart MoorePeter BeachKeeping it greenKooindah Waters ResearchBentgrass propagation and salinity tolerancePoa annua ecotypes and controlWater managementGlenelg ASR schemeThe Sands desalinationAGIC water use survey2007 AGCSA Award WinnersReg McLarenDarren WilsonStuart MoorePeter BeachKeeping it greenKooindah Waters Inside Augusta NationalAn Aussie™s odysseyResearchBentgrass propagation and salinity tolerancePoa annua ecotypes and controlWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 9.5 SEPT-OCT 2007WINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTRunning on emptyRiver Murray courses fight for survivalRunning on emptyRiver Murray courses fight for survivalResearchCouch wear toleranceOrganic matter removalResearchCouch wear toleranceOrganic matter removalIndia inspires2007 GCS&MAI seminarIndia inspires2007 GCS&MAI seminarThe PulseBunker battlesThe PulseBunker battlesWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 10.1 JAN-FEB 2008WINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTGreat Dividing RangeNew South WalesVictoriaSouth AustraliaAlburyCorowaYarrawongaEchucaSwan HillMilduraBerriMurray BridgeLake AlexandrinaGoolwaTocumwal23rd Australian Turfgrass ConferenceYour official 20-page guide to CairnsCairns2007Climatic Conditions     of the Modern EraClimatic Conditions     of the Modern Era23rd Australian Turfgrass Conference and Trade Exhibition24Œ26 July, 2007 Cairns23rd Australian Turfgrass Conference and Trade Exhibition24Œ26 July, 2007 CairnsPrincipal SponsorsOFFICIAL GUIDEOFFICIAL GUIDE23rd Australian Turfgrass ConferenceYour official 20-page guide to CairnsResearchKikuyu breedingBuffalograss BMPWetting agents2007 Open ChampionshipUncompromising CarnoustieCaribbean callingA super life on The Rock2007 Open ChampionshipUncompromising CarnoustieResearchKikuyu breedingBuffalograss BMPWetting agentsCaribbean callingA super life on The RockWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 9.4 JULY-AUGUST 2007WINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTEST1AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTCOVER: A dog's life:Jack, a staffie-cum-ridgeback 
calls Monash 
Country Club his 
second home. 
Owned by course 
superintendent 
Marshall Howarth, 
Jack cuts a familiar 
figure around the 
Sydney club and is 
one of many canine 
‚assistants™ in the 
turf management 
game.
Inset: Telstra Dome 
will employ artificial 
lighting rigs to aid 
surface recovery 
during the 2008 AFL 
season and beyond. 
The rigs, which cost 
$2.2 million, will be 
carbon offset.Photos: Brett Robinson contentsTails from the turf 6They say dog is man™s best friend and for a 
number of Australian superintendents that 
tenet certainly holds true.  ATM meets a pack 
of canine assistants and recounts some of the 
stories which have made them four-legged 
legends at their respective clubs.Coastal trails: From Bandon Dunes to Pebble Beach 18The American west coast boasts some of the world™s most renowned golf courses, including 
the likes of Pebble Beach, Cypress Point 
and the stunning Bandon Dunes complex in 
Oregon. Prior to attending the 2008 GCSAA 
Golf Show, AGCSATech™s Andrew Peart visited 
some of these great courses to gain an insight 
into their agronomic operations.Soil testing, interpretation and recommendations 24Dr Jim Hull takes a look into this technical and often confusing area of a turf manager™s job. PICTORIAL2007 Australian Open 30The Australian Golf Club in Sydney hosted its 17th Australian Open just before Christmas. 
Despite a challenging lead-up weather-wise, 
superintendent David Honeysett and his crew 
had the course in fine nick.OPINIONThe changing role of assistant 
superintendents 38The Pulse quizzes five assistant superintendents on how their role has evolved in line with 
industry challenges and asks what qualities 
are essential for a modern-day 2IC. RESEARCHPlacing a dollar value on Australian turf production 40A co-operative research project between the University of Melbourne and the University of 
Florida has provided the first economic and 
agronomic analysis of turfgrass sod production 
in Australia.  Seashore paspalum: Breeding a turfgrass for the future 46Initially billed as a ‚niche grass™ for use on salt-affected sites, seashore paspalum is gaining Tails from the turfA dog™s life on courseTails from the turfA dog™s life on courseCoastal TrailsFrom Bandon Dunes to Pebble BeachNew Environmental Management SectionDome goes carbon-neutralResearchAustralian sod productionSeashore paspalumThe PulseAssistant supers have their sayCoastal TrailsFrom Bandon Dunes to Pebble BeachResearchAustralian sod production
Seashore paspalumNew Environmental Management SectionDome goes carbon-neutralThe PulseAssistant supers have their sayWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE ANNUAL TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 10.2 MAR-APR 2008ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - NEW SECTIONDome flicks the switch on carbon emissions 50In the first instalment of a regular section on environmental management, ATM looks at the Telstra Dome™s efforts to become carbon-neutral. 2AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAGCSAAGCSASERVICEAGCSA advice for   superintendents and clubs 
      to improve golf course 
         maintenance practices     Contributors to Australian Turfgrass Management Volume 10.2Dr David Aldous (University of Melbourne)Andy Blacker (SAGCSA)
Martyn Black (Castle Hill CC)
Dr Kris Braman (University of Georgia)
Dr Lee Burpee (University of Georgia)
Scott Calder (The National GC)
Dr Bob Carrow (University of Georgia)Dr Zhenbang Chen (University of Georgia)Rod Cook (GCSAQ)
Jeremy Cutajar (Ringwood GC)
Ash Duncan (Croydon GC)
Gavin Darby (Telstra Dome)
Andrew Dwyer (Port Fairy GC)
Mark Everingham (Royal Adelaide GC)
Stewart Fenton (Pennant Hills GC)
Michael Freeman (VGCSA)
Mal Harris (Northbridge GC)
Justin Haslam (TGAA ACT)
Prof John Haydu (University of Florida)
Phil Hill (Barnbougle Dunes)
Marshall Howarth (Monash CC)
Andy Hugill (NSWGCSA)
Dr Jim Hull
Stephen Lewis (TGCSA)
Paul Lierse (The Glades)
Dr Tim Murphy (University of Georgia)John Neylan (AGCSATech)John Odell (Royal Sydney Golf Club)
Mark O™Sullivan (Roseville GC)
Andrew Peart (AGCSATech)
Scott Petersen (AGCSA)
John Phelan (VTETA)
Dr Paul Raymer (University of Georgia)
Matt Roche (QDPI&F)
Peter Ruscoe (TGAA WA)
Loretta Satterthwaite (University of Florida)
Travis Scott (Commonwealth GC)
Cameron Stuart (Royal Sydney Golf Club)
Rob Sundblom (TGAA VIC)Peter Svenne (Eastlake GC)Dion Warr (The Vines Resort)
David Warwick (Avondale GC)
Darren Wilson (Wembley Golf Complex)If there™s one thing you can be guaranteed of in the turf industry, it™s the love of a laugh. In a profession where superintendents and turf managers are increasingly cultivating stands of 
reports rather than stands of fine turf, there comes a time when you need a little light-hearted release from the everyday grind. Well, I™ve taken that on board for this edition and with the lead 
feature have decided to step a little outside the square.Many of us at some point in our lives would have owned a dog or had involvement with one. I was fortunate enough to grow up with a gorgeous Samoyed called Sasha who was one of the family. He was a faithful companion during my very early years, and I can still clearly remember the day we found him ‚asleep™ in his kennel. I was just six years old at the time and I think my folks 
were that heartbroken they couldn™t bring themselves to get another.  As the saying goes, dog is man™s best friend and that is certainly the case for a number of golf course superintendents. After all, you would be hard pressed to find a better place for a dog to 
let loose than a golf course Πwide open spaces, an abundance of wildlife to chase and plenty of 
golfers willing to forego part of their pie or give a scratch under the chin. In many instances these 
four-legged canine assistants have won the hearts and minds of staff and members alike and have 
written themselves into club folklore. The idea for this edition™s lead feature came when I joined the AGCSA back in 2003. I travelled to Sydney shortly after Castle Hill Country Club superintendent Martyn Black was appointed as an 
AGCSA board member. It was on that visit I had the pleasure of meeting the indomitable Vincent, a muscle-bound Jack Russell terrier with attitude to boot. I clearly recall jumping into the utility alongside Blacky only for Vincent to give me the filthiest look, as if to say, ‚Oi, that™s my spot, 
bugger off!™Throughout my many subsequent travels I have come across other supers and their dogs and gradually compiled notes and photos in order to put together such a feature. Here, finally, 
it reaches print. It is a bit of a departure from the normal turf management article, but for that I 
make no apologies. Hopefully you'll get a laugh out of it and take your mind off things for a few 
minutes.On to more serious matters, in recent editions we have incorporated a water management section and provided a forum for turf technicians to raise their profile. In this edition we continue 
to expand the magazine™s content with the inclusion of a dedicated environmental management 
section. The Australian turf industry as a whole is making serious inroads into improving its 
environmental management responsibilities and in this and future editions ATM will highlight those 
industry practitioners and facilities leading the way in this area. To kick the new section off we take a look at the amazing new artificial lighting rig system the Telstra Dome has purchased at a cost of $2.2 million. Not only will the rigs help to prevent wear 
and aid surface recovery at one of Australia™s busiest sporting arenas, the Dome has also become 
one of the first stadiums in the world using such a system to fully offset their carbon emissions.  Elsewhere in this edition, Andrew Peart recounts his recent trip to the US where he had the privilege of visiting the likes of Bandon Dunes, Cypress Point and Pebble Beach, while in our water 
management section we look at the final stages of the Pennant Hills Golf Club water reclamation 
plant which will hopefully be commissioned this month.Enjoy the read.Brett RobinsonEditorpopularity around the world on many new 
golf course developments even where salt 
and irrigation water quality are not an issue.  WATER MANAGEMENT 52Final hurdle in sight for Pennant Hills plantDespite experiencing its wettest year since 
1994, Pennant Hills Golf Club is nearing 
completion of its groundbreaking sewer 
mining plant.IN EVERY EDITIONForeword Thinking 4AGCSATech Update 32
Tech Talk - Salt-affected sites 36Turf Technicians 54News 56Around the Trade 58State Presidents™ Reports 603AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTJOHN NEYLAN AND SCOTT PETERSEN, AGCSA JOINT GENERAL MANAGERSforeword thinkingAs we move quickly into a new year, it is a good time to review the year ahead and 
reflect on the year just gone. The office of the AGCSA has undergone some significant 
changes since November 2006 and 2007 was 
full of new ideas and initiatives. Looking back on 2007, the AGCSA has worked hard at responding to member needs 
and to position itself in such a manner that 
golf course superintendents can have their 
say on a range of emerging issues that are 
challenging the golf industry.  Over the past 12 months the AGCSA has continued to play a key role within the recently 
formed Australian Golf Industry Council 
(AGIC), while the Environmental Initiative 
gained further momentum. The year also saw 
the establishment of an HR and best practice 
service, which is headed by former AGCSA 
Excellence in Golf Course Management 
award winner Daryl Sellar, while the Water 
Management Initiative was also launched. 
On top of this the association™s Australian 
Turfgrass Management magazine continued 
to go from strength to strength and there was 
the highly successful annual conference which 
went to Cairns for the first time. In addition, the AGCSA has been represented at the Golf Course Superintendents 
and Managers Association of India conference, 
attended the Asia-Pacific Golf Summit and 
attended a seminar conducted by the Thai 
Golf Course Superintendents Association. As 
a result of such activities, there has been 
increased interest from the South East Asia 
region in what we do and how we may be 
able to assist these burgeoning organisations. Much of the interest is in the area of education 
and the need for such developing regions to 
improve the education of local superintendents 
and greenkeepers.    While there are many activities that the AGCSA can become involved in, it still remains 
a relatively small organisation albeit one 
that has grown significantly in size since its 
inception in 1981. As demands for our time 
increase we need to reassess our priorities 
and consequently we will be undertaking a 
strategic review in the first half of 2008.Because of the potential opportunities, we need to assess where we commit our 
resources and what additional resources may 
be required to undertake new activities. The 
strategic review will set the platform for the 
AGCSA for the next three to five years, with the 
underlying priority always being our members 
and their needs. As an adjunct, AGCSA staff Scott Petersen and Andrew Peart recently attended the GCSAA 
conference in Orlando, gaining knowledge 
and sharing ideas with other international 
superintendent associations. The theme for 
the week was environmental management 
and it was quickly realised that Australia is not 
only leading the Asian region but the world in 
this area. These international associations are 
watching Australia closely and if we succeed 
with the likes of the Environmental Initiative 
it could become a blueprint for golf courses 
worldwide. Relating to this, the February 2008 edition of ‚Marketing™ magazine highlighted a survey 
which found that 64 per cent of the population 
would not invest in a company that damaged the environment. Such a figure shows that 
if the Australian golf industry does not place 
a significant commitment to environmental 
management within the next couple of years, 
we will have a serious problem attracting future 
generations to ‚invest™ their time in the game of 
golf based on environmental principles alone. The survey also indicated that 53 per cent of the population would pay up to five per cent 
more for a product that did good things for the 
environment, as long as the quality was the 
same. The industry therefore has a challenge 
in maintaining high quality turf conditions in 
an environmentally-friendly manner with the 
potential of having a five per cent increase in 
budgets to support such changes. So as we set about our strategic planning, the AGCSA will concentrate on providing 
whatever is required to assist the industry 
achieve its corporate and environmental 
responsibilities. The only assistance the AGCSA needs to achieve these goals is from you and your 
commitment to make it happen.AGCSA4AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTSPORTS TURF DRAINERS& CONSTRUCTIONSPECIALISTSSLIT DRAINAGESAND GROOVINGLASER LEVELLING/GRADINGLASER CONTROLLED TRENCHINGTURF DRAIN AUSTRALIABob Paddison Phone:  NSW (02) 8117 8100  VIC (03) 6328 1522Fax:    (02) 8117 8101Mobile: 0418 261 089Email: turfdrain@bigpond.comWebsite: www.turfdrain.com.auCOUNT ON THE GROUNDSMASTER 4000 MUNICIPAL CAB PAK  (BECAUSE YOU CAN™T COUNT ON THE WEATHER)HERO/TOR1943JGM 4000/4001 CAB PAK40 degrees heat? Thunderstorms? Gale force winds? When you™re safe inside the Toro Municipal Cab Pak it doesn™t matter. With commercial 
air-con, tinted glass, sound proo˜ng and fully integrated rollover 
protection, operators have never been more comfortable Πor safer. 
There™s even an air ride suspension seat, a pressurised cabin to minimise air ingestion, interior lighting and an am/fm radio. If you™re looking for a mower that will take on mother nature and get the job done, count 
on the Groundsmaster GM 400/4001 Municipal Cab Pak.For customer service call 1800 356 372 or visit  www.toro.coma dog's lifeMartyn Black can still recall the gut-wrenching feeling when he received the phone call. Working as a Course Quality Official at the 2006 Australian Open 
at Royal Sydney, the Castle Hill Country Club 
superintendent answered a call from one of 
the club™s most highly-respected members 
who was in a state of hysteria Œ fiI™ve run over 
Vinny, I™ve run over Vinny! He™s taken off and we can™t find him!fl Downing his rake, Black broke every speed limit en route back to the northern suburbs of Sydney.  By the time he had arrived at his 
house, which backed on to the course, Vinny, 
Black™s treasured Jack Russell terrier, had 
managed to limp back home before collapsing 
on the back steps.Lazing on a cart path alongside the practice putting green, Vinny had, rather foolishly, found respite from the heat under the wheel of a golf cart. As the cart was electric, when the member jumped in and took off, Vinny, who had fallen asleep, had little chance of getting out of the way.Taking him to the vet fearing the worse Πthe golf cart weighed in at around 250kg 
compared to Vinny™s small but perfectly formed seven Œ Black was elated to discover that despite suffering severe crush injuries, there were no broken bones or ruptured organs. Six months later Vinny was back to full health and running amuck on the lush kikuyu fairways 
that have been his home for seven memorable 
years.One of the main reasons he was able to recuperate so quickly from such a trauma, or 
so the vet believed, was because of his health 
and lifestyle. Tearing around a golf course six days a week chasing rabbits and birds is enough to get any pooch primed and for this 
particular Jack Russell it may well have saved 
him.It™s stories like that which have elevated Vinny, one of the most ripped specimens of 
his breed you™ll ever come across, into cult 
figure status at Castle Hill. Together with his 
companion Marley, Black™s gorgeous three-
year-old black Labrador, the two rule the roost and have become treasured fimembersfl of the club. fiThe place just wouldn™t be the same without them,fl says Black, who has been 
superintendent at Castle Hill for 19 years. fiThey 
would leave a big gap if they weren™t here. I 
know they won™t be around forever, but they™ll 
probably see me out in the greenkeeping side of things. Unless they get killed by a bloody evil golf cart, I don™t think I™ll ever have another dog after these two. They are champions.fiI told Mick, the poor chap who ran over Vinny, I never thought I™d hate carts more than 
I already did until the day he ran over my best 
dog. My hatred of golf carts reached a whole 
new level. fiThankfully Vinny was so fit the little bugger bounced right back, but I can assure you there 
were some very worrying times in the Black household when it happened.flEARNING AN HONEST KEEPVinny and Marley are what you would call true working class dogs, even if their owner now 
resides in a veritable palace befitting the status 
of a Hills district superintendent. Ever since they were each seven weeks old Black has had them on the course. Their rabbiting prowess has become legendary, both working together to flush out and catch at least a couple a week, while Marley has 
single-handedly taken ownership of the 
‚Castle Hill Wood Duck and Corella Reduction 
Programme™.Vinny has been ensconced at Castle Hill since 2000, arriving shortly before Black™s former dog, an Irish wolfhound stray named Shags (more about him later) died of old age. Vinny was a present from Black™s wife and As the saying goes a dog is man™s best friend and for a host of Australian golf course superintendents and greenkeepers, their jobs just wouldn™t be the same were it not for their canine companions. Whether working class or purely around for their uncanny ability to take the stress out of any situation, ATM pays tribute to some of the turf industry™s four-legged legends.Tails from the turfTails from the turf6AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTBY BRETT ROBINSONdaughter and he fondly recalls first meeting his little charge.fiThe females in my life saw fit to buy him without consulting me, but I™m glad they did 
because he is a dead set weapon,fl explains 
a very proud Black.  fiI expressed to (my wife) 
Deb one day that I wanted a small dog adept at catching rabbits as we were having a few problems on the course. I thought nothing 
more of it until one afternoon I got home from 
work and there was a small parcel on the 
kitchen bench.  fiI opened it and here™s this tiny Jack Russell pup, no bigger than a can of VB. He was that small we took a photo of him in the cup on the 14th green! We called him Vincent after John Travolta™s character in the movie Pulp Fiction.  fiHe has grown to be the fittest living thing in the Hills district. I would never have thought after our previous dog, Shags, who is buried 
on the course, that another dog a tenth of his 
size could come along and capture the heart of an entire club in such a short space of time. But Vincent has done just that.flFour years later, Marley (named after Jamaica™s favourite son Bob) came on the scene. Black says that initially Vinny was so jealous of Marley that he would try and prevent her from coming onto the course. As Marley quickly outgrew her pint-sized counterpart, 
Vinny reluctantly gave up trying and they have 
been thick as thieves ever since. Marley has more than earned her keep at Castle Hill and according to Black she has reduced the incidence of bird damage on the golf course by up to 90 per cent.fiAt one stage we had 300 wood ducks and 400 corellas destroying the whole course and I trained Marley inside a few months to start barrelling into the flocks,fl explains Black. fiThe birds soon realised that it wasn™t a safe place to be and they went elsewhere. Even though we superintendents love ducks 
and corellas, when they are destroying our 
crop, which is a 3mm bentgrass green, they need to be told who™s boss and Marley does the job with aplomb.flWhile feral animal control skills rank high on both their CVs, Black says having the two around has more tangible benefits. 
While not easy to measure, Black says their 
presence on the course and around the shed 
has engendered a spirit within the club and 
improved the morale of both maintenance and 
clubhouse staff.Having them on course since an early age, Black has had few issues with the dogs 
causing problems, whether it™s chasing golf 
balls, running amuck in bunkers or digging up 
turf. When they were pups Black would take 
them on the course after hours, schooling 
them in the fine art of golf course etiquette. 
Being a Jack Russell, a breed known for its intelligence, Vinny got the gist inside four goes, whereas it took Marley about 20. fiI suppose there are several clubs around where dogs wouldn™t be allowed, for a number 
of reasons, but here Vinny and Marley are 
part of the furniture,fl says Black. fiThey™re old enough now to know their boundaries. Most 
of the time they will tag along with me or go do their own thing, but if they lose me or I go away for a long period Vinny will actually go 
somewhere high on the course and start to 
whine.fiEven when you™re having a shitty time and it has been raining for two weeks and the course is rooted, these blokes don™t care. They help to take your mind off things. They™re good companions and they give you a sense of security, especially if you™re out at night hand watering or answering an alarm. And comfort too, although they™re not as warm as the missus.flSIMPLY THE BESTWhile Vinny and Marley have captured the 
imagination of Castle Hill™s membership, they 
have a little way to go before reaching the 
legendary standing of their ‚grandfather™, a 
full-blooded male Irish wolfhound by the name of Shags.An emaciated stray that wandered into the maintenance shed one day in the late 1980s, Shags would go on to grace the fairways of 
Castle Hill for 11 years. Such was his stature 
that when he pegged it from old age, the club™s 
board saw fit to erect a memorial behind the 
sixth tee.fiAs it says on the plaque, Shags was ‚simply the best™,fl recalls a wistful Black.  fiHe 
was an absolute mess when he first came into 
the shed. Our mechanic threw him a soggy 
tomato sandwich and he swallowed it in one 
gulp. He never left after that.  fiHe was so popular Πmore than I will ever be Πthat the members used to buy a pie or a sausage roll for him at the Sprig Bar. It got to the stage where it nearly killed him. He became lethargic and we took him to the vet who discovered his cholesterol level was 
way off the scale. We ended up erecting a sign 
saying ‚Don™t feed Shags™.flDespite being hopeless at nabbing rabbits Œ although Black recalls one instance when 
a rabbit ficommitted suicidefl by actually 
jumping straight into Shags™ mouth after being startled by headlights Œ Shags™ sheer size and presence warranted attention.  Living as he Vinny (left) and Marley (right), treasured possessions of superintendent Martyn Black, have become regular fixtures at Sydney™s Castle Hill Country ClubMarley tackles some irrigation work  CONTINUED ON PAGE 97AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAs you can imagine, with two dogs as shadows most days of the week, 
Castle Hill Country Club superintendent Martyn Black has been on hand to witness 
some of their fifinest momentsfl. If it™s said that a cat has nine lives, then Vincent Black, Castle Hill™s lovable Jack 
Russell, must be part feline given the amount of close calls he has had. Whether it™s getting run over by golf carts or getting taken out by 
wayward golf balls (on the day ATM visited the 
club one lady golfer skewed her tee shot within 
millimetres of Vinny™s nose Œ he didn™t even 
blink) Vinny has used up a few lives during his 
seven years on course. One of his closest calls came when he attracted the unwanted attention of a couple of pit bull terriers. Black recounts the story: fiI was talking to the young club pro in the car park and these two pit bulls came strutting in from a nearby construction site. I could see 
they were trouble and as soon as they saw 
Vinny all hell broke loose. fiBeing the aggressive little bugger he is Πsmall man syndrome I think they call it ΠVinny wanted to take them on. I panicked, as I knew they would kill him for sure, so I screamed to the pro to go to the shed and get a star picket. 
I grabbed Vinny and put him on my shoulder 
as these two pit bulls started jumping up and 
attacking us from both sides. fiMeanwhile the pro has shat himself and is standing there frozen, so I™ve kicked the 
older pit bull right under the chops. He did a backflip and came crashing down and didn™t move. I thought I™d killed him but he got back 
up and took off. fiThat wasn™t the end though. Vinny™s somehow got out my grip, and to his credit or 
stupidity, one of the two, he still wants to have 
a go at them. He™s chased the big one and 
bit him on the arse! That was it as far as the 
pit bulls were concerned and they both came back for a second shot, so I grabbed Vinny, bolted to the shed, locked him in the lunch room, grabbed the star picket Œ the young pro still hasn™t moved by this stage Œ and I™ve 
chased these two bastards the whole length 
of the car park, yelling obscenities. It was a 
tumultuous few minutes.fl Companion Marley, on the other hand, who Black refers to as a fibig, dopey, good-looking chickfl, has a far more laid back 
demeanour than her elder sibling. One of her 
more notable moments came one day when 
Black was showing the president, captain and 
chief executive of the club the dam works on 
the 17th.fiThe dam had just been pumped out for work to start and Marley was in there having a great time wallowing in the thick black mud,fl recalls Black. fiI™m showing these chaps, all 
dressed in suits, what we were doing to the 
dam and we turned to head back to the golf 
cart. Marley has twigged from 100 yards away 
that we were leaving and she™s jumped out. 
Normally when I head towards a vehicle, that™s 
her cue to come and jump on board.fiTo this day I have never seen three grown men, the grand pooh-bahs of any golf club, shit themselves as much as these blokes did when they saw this mud-covered, smelly black Lab come barrelling towards us. They knew 
what she was going to do Πjump on board 
with us Œ and they were screaming at me, ‚Get 
the hell out of here!™ I think the golf cart had a 
rush of adrenalin as we were able to get away just in time.fla dog's lifePit bulls and pooh-bahsPit bulls and pooh-bahsVinny and Marley have created more than their fair share of headlines over the years at Castle Hill Country Club8AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTdid for many years on course, if Black had to answer an alarm in the middle of the night, he 
would take two things with him Πa mattock 
handle and Shags.Famous for many things, Shags™ crowning glory came when the club hosted the first 
Canon Challenge in 1993. It was the final 
round and Black was collecting flags trailing 
the final group which contained young Kiwi pro Michael Campbell who was leading Peter Senior. Shags was in tow minding his own 
business, or so Black thought. On the par five fifth, Senior rips two perfect shots to within 10 feet, while Campbell has gone bush with his first two but is still on the green for three. Senior proceeds to hole out for an eagle, while Campbell lags his birdie attempt to five feet. While all this is happening 
Shags decides to cool off in the dam next to 
the fifth green as it was a hot day. Black takes 
up the story.fiShags was splashing around so knowing how tetchy pros can be about noise I was 
keeping a close eye on him the whole time. Fortunately he was quiet when Senior putted 
out and Campbell had his first, but just as 
Campbell is drawing back the stick for his 
par putt, Shags decides it™s time to get out. 
I™m watching Campbell, the putter, Shags, 
Campbell, the putter, Shags. Splash, splash, 
splash! The putt lips out. Campbell scores six 
and there™s a three shot swing!fiCampbell storms off to the next tee and his caddy comes over and yells to me, ‚Get 
that f*****g dog off the course™, adding that 
Shags had just cost his player a shot. I replied 
by saying that he wasn™t mine even though 
Shags is standing there dripping wet looking 
at me with his tail wagging. I said something 
smart like ‚Well, if a duck does the same thing 
do you want me to get rid of it as well?™ The 
caddy said a few more expletives and took off. fiCampbell won eventually and I went up to him in the clubhouse afterwards, introduced myself and apologised for what happened down on the fifth. He was in a good mood having won the tournament so wasn™t too bothered. fiAs most people know I™m not huge on the pros, so I said to him that if he had of lost and 
tried to blame it on the dog, it wouldn™t have 
mattered because tomorrow he would be gone 
and Shags would still be here. As far as I was 
concerned Shags was more important to the 
club than he was. It was my finest moment. 
Needless to say he didn™t stick around.fl Shags the Irish wolfhound garnered such a reputation at Castle Hill he was buried with full honours on the courseCONTINUED FROM PAGE 79AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTThe ˜ agship RS48-11C Roll ‚n™ Spike Golf Greens Roller by Tru-Turf is the culmination of 60 years design and development in the art of turf rolling. 
Our triple offset smoothing  con˚ guration allows this engineered product to 
smooth the turf by skilful design, not by weight.The RS48-11C is designed to roll your greens in any direction without line creasing. With a rolling swath of 1200mm (48fl), a split smoothing head, ˚ nger-light steering, and the patented triple offset smoothing rollers, it is 
the only roller that produces the quality of surface ˚ nished desired, without compacting the green.The RS48-11C Packed with features, not weightThe only roller in the world to have the patented triple offset smoothing roller con˚ guration·   Spikers - 11 x 8 points up to a depth of 30mm. ·   Oil Capacity Œ 6qt capacity with oil ˜ lter system.·  Roll only or Roll & Spike.·   Split, Dual contour-hugging 
smoothing heads.·  Low centre of gravity.
·  Dual drive chain.
·  Powder coated.·  Light weight.·  Built in trailer.t. 07 5594 7199 f. 07 5571 5493  e. sales@truturf.com     w. www.truturf.comA GREAT LIFEAs many who have owned a dog, or any kind of pet for that matter, will attest, their passing 
can often be a time of great sadness. When 
Shags eventually died, Black says Castle Hill 
was in mourning for months. Fellow Sydney superintendent Malcolm Harris knows just how they would have felt as 
for the past year he has been adjusting to life 
without his beloved staffie cross Jacko. In just three short years, Jacko become something of an institution at Northbridge Golf 
Club, winning not only the heart of Harris but 
the membership as well. His passing Œ he was put down in December 2006 after a stroke paralysed his back legs Œ warranted a special mention in the club™s newsletter.Harris never planned on getting a dog, but can thank his son Sam who did what all kids do best when they want something bad Œ put 
on the waterworks. fiI was reading the newspaper one Saturday and it had a Pet of the Week column,fl recalls Harris, who has been superintendent at Northbridge for 22 of his 25 years there. fiJacko was the rescue dog that week. I™m not a big dog lover but for some reason I love staffies and he was just staring out of the paper. I said 
jokingly to my five-year-old that we™d go and 
get him. fiAnyway, on the way back from soccer Sam has asked when we were going to get him. I explained that I had only been joking, but he started to ball his eyes out! So that™s how we got Jacko.flJacko had been handed into the local pound, ironically by friends of Harris™s sister who weren™t able to care for him any more. 
Apparently they had given him up as he 
suffered from an anxiety disorder which meant 
that every time they left the house he would go searching for them and get hopelessly lost. Managing to iron out those neurological kinks, Jacko™s loyal nature meant he quickly endeared himself on everyone at the club 
and soon became a regular down at the 
Northbridge shed. Harris brought him to the 
course the very first day and he never left his 
side until one day in early December 2006 when he dragged himself into Harris™s office and collapsed on his mat.fiHe was fine when we arrived at the course but next thing he comes into the office with this terrible look on his face,fl recalls Harris. fiHe 
dragged himself over to his bed in the corner 
and I could tell something wasn™t right. I took him straight down to the vet but he never got 
any better. We had him put down a week later. fiI couldn™t believe how much his death affected me. My wife said it was the saddest 
she has ever seen me. We only had him for 
three years but he become such a fixture that when he was gone it wasn™t quite right.  fiI haven™t been able to bring myself to get another dog since. Someone was offering a dog recently but it just didn™t feel right. I can™t 
explain why. I guess I just wasn™t ready. I will 
definitely get another dog, but the time isn™t 
right just yet.flHarris says the hardest adjustment has been the little things Πnot coming out of a greens committee meeting to find Jacko lying prostrate across the entrance to the clubhouse waiting for Harris return, or the incessant 
barking between the hours of 6am and 7am 
when the crew were firing up the machinery 
ready for the day™s work. fiBeing on the golf course was a great life for him,fl says Harris. fiHe was more aesthetic value than practical value and it was almost like stress relief having him around. He was such a good companion. He never got upset if the course wasn™t perfect. He was very gracious like that and loved you all the same.fl LINKS LIFEWhile Harris waits for the right time to move on, Victorian greenkeeper Andrew Dwyer is enjoying watching his six-month-old Jack Russell pup, Rioli, take his first steps on a golf course. Since last November, the unofficial a dog's lifeMal Harris™s staffie cross JackoAt just six months old, Andrew Dwyer™s Jack Russell pup Rioli is quickly gaining a reputation among the members at Port Fairy Golf Club10AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTfourth member of the Port Fairy Golf Club maintenance team has been cutting his teeth 
on the spectacular links land on which the club 
resides, chasing rabbits and the occasional 
golf ball. Growing up in an AFL-mad family, Dwyer had dogs as a kid and such was the family™s 
passion for the Richmond Football Club their 
dogs were named after  yellow and black 
greats ΠBartlett (after Kevin Bartlett) and Roach 
(after Michael Roche). Keeping with tradition, 
Dwyer named his pup Rioli, after Richmond™s 
1982 Norm Smith medallist Maurice Rioli. fiI was going to call him KB Πafter Kevin Bartlett Πbut if I did that he would never come back,fl 
quips Dwyer. Rioli™s presence at Port Fairy has quickly gained the attention of members as well as the 
editor of the club™s newsletter who featured the 
new recruit in the most recent edition.  Dwyer procured Rioli after a chance meeting with a local Port Fairy resident who 
regularly walks his dogs on the course. He informed Dwyer that his son had a litter of Jack Russell pups and that he should go down and 
pick one up. Taking his advice, Dwyer brought 
Rioli with him to work not long after and he 
hasn™t stopped running since. fiHe absolutely loves it here and he is quickly gaining a reputation among the 
members,fl says Dwyer.  fiHe™ll follow me everywhere, chase everything and even catch a ride when I™m mowing. We™ve got some big hares and rabbits on the course and he 
spends hours chasing them. He™d never get 
near them, but just the other week he caught 
his very first one. fiI was divotting tees and he comes up to me dragging this rabbit. I put him in the trailer 
and I™ve tried to grab it off him but he wouldn™t 
let go. He ate about half of it and then buried 
the rest in the sand I was using for divotting! 
He thinks he™s the big hunter now.flCANINE SEA CHANGEIf Port Fairy rates as a perfect playground for 
a young pup, then George, an eight-year-old 
Border collie has perhaps reached canine 
nirvana. Seven months ago his master Phil 
Hill was appointed superintendent at one of the country™s most talked-about golf courses, Barnbougle Dunes. Sprawling across the marram-covered dunes just outside of Bridport on the northern coast of Tasmania, there wouldn™t be anywhere 
better for a dog to run wild than the world™s 
35th ranked golf course. Hill has had dogs his entire 25-year career as a greenkeeper which started at Mowbray Golf Club in Launceston. Despite losing the first one, a golden retriever called Rebbo, due to a marriage split, Hill had a Border collie pup called Sophie who moved across 
to Launceston Golf Club when he took over as superintendent there in 1997. A full-time course dog, Sophie oversaw turf maintenance operations until her passing when she was the grand old age of 13. fiShe was very territorial with the maintenance shed and people wouldn™t come near it if they weren™t supposed to,fl says Hill. 
fiShe loved to swim in the lakes and chase 
birds. She had a fantastic personality and all 
the members loved her and looked out for her.fl Well, not quite all the members. A few of the directors didn™t quite share the same view and Sophie unwittingly came close to costing 
Hill his job back in 2000. At the time some of the directors were having issues with people walking their dogs 
around the course and their solution was to 
bring in a law banning all dogs on the course. That included Sophie so you can imagine Hill™s reaction.fiI let it be known to the club in no uncertain terms what I thought of that and said bluntly to the general manger, ‚If there™s no Sophie, 
there™s no Phil™,fl recounts Hill. fiThe matter was 
never mentioned again.fiIt was a brave call and it could have easily worked against me. But I was adamant; she 
had been there since a pup and if she wasn™t able to be with me then I was out of there. We were a team.flUnfortunately the team was forced apart for good in the middle of 2006. Suffering 
a perforated bowel, Sophie got through an 
operation but two days later her age and the 
invasiveness of the procedure finally took their 
toll. Hill says it was a very traumatic time and 
heading to work the next day without her just didn™t feel right.It wasn™t long, just three weeks in fact, until George came on the scene. Hill had been up 
to Melbourne looking at some Border collie pups and was back in Launceston collecting 
his two cats from the local cattery.  The cattery 
owner also had George and had always been 
at Hill to adopt him, knowing his love for the breed. Hill had been reluctant in the past about having two dogs on course, but with Sophie 
gone it was a no-brainer. Taking possession of George, Hill took him down to the course the 
very next day. a dog's lifePhil Hill and Border collie George now call Barnbougle Dunes their home12AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTfiHe was an absolute nut for the first few weeks,fl laughs Hill. fiHe wasn™t the most obedient of dogs and he was a bit of a handful 
with all the new smells, wildlife and bush to 
explore. But once he knew where he was and what his boundaries were, plus a few stern words, he settled down. He won™t go out of my sight now.flGeorge quickly endeared himself on the Launceston membership, in particular the maintenance staff and one of the course 
directors. fiHe™s a bit of a character is old George,fl says Hill. fiHe has a real fetish for getting into the guys™ bags and eating their lunches. If the blokes are silly enough to leave their lunch tins lying around, they™ll come back to find nothing.  If left unsupervised, George will open 
their bags Œ he™s an ace at it Œ and demolish 
everything, leaving no trace. fiOne of the course directors came down to volunteer for a few days while we were doing 
some course works. He left his knapsack with his lunch in it on the ground and sure enough he™s turned up at lunch to find it all gone. Not 
only has George scoffed his lunch, he™s then 
done what all dogs do best, cocked his leg and 
marked his territory on the director™s knapsack. 
We got plenty of mileage out of that.fl Just a year after starting his ‚apprenticeship™ at Launceston, George found himself on the 
move, and although he probably doesn™t 
appreciate it, he is now one of the luckiest 
dogs in the turf management game. In August 2007 Hill secured one of the plum jobs in the industry Πsuperintendent of Barnbougle 
Dunes Πand together with his master George 
made the move north east of Launceston. A little rattled at first considering the dramatic change in environment from his former golf course home, George soon got the lie of the land and now the wide expanse of Barnbougle™s fescue fairways are his to roam, although Hill won™t let him too far out his sights on account of the snakes which reside in the 
marram dunes.fiIt has been a bit of a sea change for George, but he loves it,fl laughs Hill.  fiIt™s 
a massive site and we™ll take him for walks 
along the beach late in the day. He couldn™t 
be happier. fiBarnbougle is an absolute gem of a course, both for George and for me as a superintendent. To tell you the truth, I don™t know which one of us is the luckier one.fl13AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTExclusive Australian Distributorwww.toro.com.auFor more information speak with your local Toro representative.For Customer Service call 1800 356 372HERO/TOR1944JWE™RE ON YOUR TURF.MAKING LIFE EASIERTHE FORMULA FOR TOP-NOTCH TURF BEGINS WITH THE MH-400 MATERIAL HANDLER AND THE PP-180 TOP DRESSER. TOP DRESS ALL YOUR  GREENS IN UNDER TWO HOURS USING THIS UNBEATABLE COMBINATION.WWW.TYCROPTURF.COMIf you™re planning a visit to Monash Country Club in the northern suburbs of Sydney, then chances are this solid unit, the star of this edition™s cover, will be there to greet you. Jack, a staffie-cum-ridgeback, has called Monash home ever since he was a pup and is 
the faithful sidekick of superintendent Marshall 
Howarth.Taken by his distinctive brown and white markings, Howarth™s wife picked up Jack 
at a local pet shop some 10 years ago. 
Living on course just a stone™s throw from the 
maintenance shed, Jack has grown up with 
the course as his backyard. As Howarth says, 
fiHe™s known no better!fl During his formative years Jack was taken under the wing of Howarth™s other dog, an 
Alsatian cross called Ellie. More of a house 
dog than a course dog, Ellie died about 14 months ago and as soon as she was gone Jack latched on to Howarth in a big way.fiHe would always come out on the course with me, but once Ellie was gone he started to follow me everywhere Œ he™s my shadow,fl 
says Howarth. fiAs soon as I step out of the 
office or head towards the utility he™ll bolt and 
jump straight into the driver™s seat, not the 
passenger™s seat. It™s rather annoying as he™s a big unit to try and shift. fiHe™ll sit right up close to you and give you a big lick right up the side of your face. He™s caught me out a few times on the course 
when he™s been playing with a dead animal. 
He™ll see me move towards the vehicle, come 
bounding over, jump up and give me a great 
big lick unbeknownst to me that he™s just had 
a face full of dead rabbit - not pleasant I can 
assure you! fiIf he hasn™t been on the vehicle for a while, he™ll start grunting which is his sign that he™s happy. If he likes something he grunts, a bit like a bullie does. His ears will flap out like 
wings too when you™re flying along. It™s quite 
a sight.flJack has become a regular fixture around the fairways of Monash, although because of his size the members still always ask Howarth™s permission before they pat him.fiIt™s quite funny. He looks a bit intimidating but he has such a great nature and would 
be more likely to lick them to death,fl laughs 
Howarth. fiHe™s more staffie in character and is 
very placid, but if anyone was to do something 
untoward to me or any of the other guys in the 
shed, he™ll let you know. fiIf someone who hasn™t been here before comes into the shed, he™ll let us know straight away. But, remarkably, if that same person comes back six months later, he won™t do a 
thing. He just knows that person™s been here 
before so they must be okay.fl  As Jack enters his twilight years Πthe average life span for his breed is around 12-13 
ΠHowarth says he has started to notice that 
the old man™s energy levels aren™t quite what they used to be and isn™t looking forward to the day when Jack™s presence will no longer grace 
the maintenance facility.fiHe™s had a good life although he™s getting on a bit now,fl says Howarth. fiSometimes he™ll 
be swimming in the dams and you can see he 
struggles to get back on shore. fiIt won™t be 
the same when he goes, but I certainly won™t 
trip over as much because he™s always at your 
feet. I™ll probably get a lot more work done.Marshall Howarth and Jack Œ Monash Country ClubJack gives his master, Monash Country Club superintendent Marshall Howarth, the usual greetinga dog's life Marshall Howarth and Jack Œ Monash Country Club14AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTCreeping BentgrassThe Masters TouchEXCELLENT YEAR ROUND PERFORMANCEUNIFORM PUTTING SURFACEEXCELLENT WEAR TOLERANCEREDUCED FUNGICIDE REQUIREMENT
FINE LEAF TEXTUREREDUCED BALL MARKSFor more information, contact Scotts  Australia Freecall 1800 789 338  www.scottsaustralia.com New Zealand (09) 299 6558  www.scottsnz.com   
To ˜nd your nearest local Distributor, go to the Scotts website.Professional Business Group, Scotts Australia Pty Ltd 11 Columbia Way, Baulkham Hills, NSW 2153 Phone (02) 8853 7300 Fax: (02) 8853 7310  ©Scotts Australia Pty Ltd 2007   ®Registered TrademarkNew Sierraform® GT is an improved,  unique formulation combining slow release potassium and nitrogen, for:  increased ef˜ciency of turf  water consumption  
maintaining a higher bank  of fiavailable Kfl optimum protection against stress  
enhanced cold, heat, drought  and wear tolerance minimised disease activity accelerated disease recovery proven minimal mower pick-upBUILDING WATER EFFICIENCY INTO YOUR GREENSA world of local knowledgeŽ5400 SierraformGT WateringCan ad1   17/12/07   4:01:34 PMHARRY™S RIGHT ROYAL ESCAPEHarry, one of two terriers owned by Royal Sydney Golf Club superintendent John Odell, 
created headlines for all the wrong reasons 
when he went missing for a day in August 
2005. Odell recounts the ‚great escape™:fiMy wife Chris took Harry and Willie out for a walk on Thursday evening and after both disappeared into the scrub on the 4th hole only Willie came out. We spent all night searching 
the course as well as neighbouring Woollahra 
GC and the surrounding district thinking he 
may have been run over, got caught down a 
fox hole, been taken by a fox or had simply 
gone AWOL. We tramped through the scrub 
until 11pm with torches and Willie on the leash 
to no avail.fiThe next morning after I gave out orders to all the boys, many suggested we all try to 
find Harry but we had a heap of work to get prepared for the weekend. Staff member Glenn 
and I took the backhoe out to see if we could 
dig up some of the fox holes. The mass of fig 
tree roots and dense leptospermum around 
the fox holes made this impossible. Misty-
eyed, the bunker crew brought in the entrails of 
what they thought was Harry but it turned out 
to be a possum that had been taken by a fox the night before.fiWhen all seemed lost irrigation technician Mark Young came to see me and said that he had rung home to tell his children Amy and 
Todd (Todd has muscular dystrophy and is 
wheelchair bound) that Harry had disappeared. 
Mark said they were in tears and implored him 
to tell me not to stop searching. So Glenn and 
I went back out to the 4th hole at about midday with shovels to see what we could find. fiAfter about 20 minutes and six metres of digging along the first fox hole we saw, we thought we had come to a dead end. I said to Glenn that was probably all we could do and 
that Harry could be anywhere or may have 
been run over after all. So I pulled the shovel 
out of the ground and with a flick and a shake 
out popped Harry covered in sooty black sand 
and blinking like Blinky Bill! Willie jumped 
in and licked the sand out of Harry™s eyes and both proceeded to have a rumble which suggested that Harry was okay.fiIt might sound corny and some might say Harry is only a dog, but I couldn™t help 
but feel that were it not for the collective well 
wishes and positive thinking from my crew, 
the members who knew, Chris (who had 
been crying all night) and Todd and Amy, the 
outcome may not have been so good. I don™t think it bothered Willie too much whether Harry came back because he got a double helping 
for dinner that night!fla dog's lifeDAVID WARWICK AND MO Œ AVONDALE GOLF CLUBOf all the dogs in the turf management caper, David Warwick™s corgi-fox terrier cross wins 
the gong for having the most original name. 
Known as Mo, his full name is Helmo after the leaf spot disease helminthosporium. Warwick, superintendent at Sydney™s Avondale Golf Club, gave his little charge 
the name on account of the sole brownish spot on his back which bears an uncanny 
resemblance to helmo.Seven years going on one, Helmo is a part-time course dog who joins Warwick 
after hours and on weekends. A prolific ball chaser, Warwick hasn™t been game to bring him in on members comp days as he can clearly predict what would happen.fiIf you say the word golf course at home he just goes ballistic,fl says Warwick. fiRunning in freshly manicured bunkers is 
a favourite past-time and doing circle work 
on greens and scuffing them up is another 
guilty pleasure of his. He loves chasing 
birds, but if he got one he wouldn™t know what to do with it. fiThe only nuisance with Mo is that he won™t get in a golf cart Œ you have to grab him and chuck him on Œ and when you take 
off he will bark like crazy. As soon as the 
accelerator revs he just goes off.  fiHis turf diagnostic skills are pretty good though. He seems to know exactly when the greens are stressed because as soon as I get home he can sense that™s dad™s cranky and he shoots through.flDavid Warwick and Helmo16AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTus tourBANDON DUNES Bandon Dunes consists of three courses Œ Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes and Bandon 
Trails Πand in 2006 US-based Golf magazine 
rated all three in the top 10 public access 
courses in the United States, with Pacific 
Dunes ranked No.1.The property is 2500 acres and was purchased in the early 1990s by Michael Keiser who enlisted three different but highly qualified golf course architects to design the courses.Bandon Dunes, the first of the three to be constructed which opened in 1999, was designed by David McLay Kidd. Pacific Dunes 
was designed by Tom Doak and opened in 
2001, while the third course ΠBandon Trails 
Πwas designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill 
Coore and opened in 2005. At present work 
has just started on a fourth course to open in 
2010 called ‚Old McDonald™ and again will be designed by Tom Doak.Bandon Dunes is located in the small coastal town of Bandon, Oregon. Bandon was previously well-known for its fishing 
and logging industries, however, due to 
environmental pressures became solely reliant 
on the summer tourist season until the opening 
of the golf resort which has been a life-line.Bandon™s temperature generally ranges from highs of 45-75oF (7-24oC) from winter to summer with frosts occurring seldom over the 
winter months, although this last winter has 
been particularly bad. The annual rainfall is 
around 65 inches (1650mm). Bandon Dunes is links golf in its truest form, or very close to it. Both Bandon Dunes 
and Pacific Dunes have holes adjacent to the Pacific Ocean and the vegetation is dominated by fine fescue, European beach grass (Marram grass) and gorse. Bandon Trails on the other hand, apart from the two opening holes and closing hole, is nestled in a woodland environment with fir and 
pine trees dominating the landscape. However, 
the natural undulations in the landforms still 
remain and have been unaltered in the design 
of the course.Playing surfaces on all three courses are dominated by fine fescues (slender creeping 
red and chewings). The greens on Bandon 
Dunes were also sown with a small percentage 
of colonial bentgrass, however, the rate has 
been reduced on Pacific Dunes and Bandon 
Trails to the extent where the Old MacDonald 
course will be sown with 100 per cent fine 
fescues. The west coast of the United States boasts some of the most talked-about golf courses in the world. Prior to attending the 2008 GCSAA conference, AGCSA™s Andrew Peart was able to visit two of the region™s great golfing destinations Œ the Monterey Peninsula, which is home to the likes of Peeble Beach, and the new Bandon Dunes complex in Oregon Œ to gain an insight into their turf management operations.Coastal Trails Œ from Bandon Dunes to Pebble BeachCoastal Trails Œ from Bandon Dunes to Pebble BeachThe stunning Bandon Dunes complex on the coast of Oregon consists of three courses Œ Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes and Bandon Trails Œ and will be joined by a fourth course 
which is due to open in 2010. Pictured is the 14th hole on Bandon Trails18AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTBY ANDREW PEARTPoa annua remains a perennial weed problem on the fescue playing surfaces, particularly the greens during the winter 
months. It can be transitioned (baked) out in 
the summer, however, the cool moist weather over the winter provides a perfect environment for its reappearance.  Proxy selective herbicide is used to eliminate its seedhead during the transition stage to minimise the disruption to the putting 
surface as well as limit the seedbank. No 
other herbicide programme has produced 
significant results despite extensive trials being conducted on the practice facility by Oregon State University.Regular topdressing (dusting) is a key component in the management of the fine fescue putting surfaces. Greens are dusted 
every two to three weeks through spring to 
autumn and even monthly dustings in winter. 
On average a full hopper of sand is used 
(0.76m3) per green. Dusting is done with two hoppers at 3.30am in the morning, rubbed in at 5.30am, 
watered and greens mown before golfers have 
teed off. A similar operation is conducted when the greens are solid tyned with half inch cores, oversown and topdressed. According to Jeff Sutherland, course superintendent of Pacific Dunes, fifescue loves 
sandfl. There is no thatch on the fescue greens at Pacific Dunes and likewise on the other 
two courses and this can be attributed to the 
regular topdressing programme as well as a 
lean fertility programme.The annual nitrogen regime is 0.5lb-1.0lb/1000sq.ft (0.25-0.5kg/100m2) and the primary source of nitrogen is ammonium 
sulphate. Other nutrients consist of magnesium 
(Epsom salts) and some calcium, generally 
gypsum during the winter to leach salts (ocean interaction) through the profile. Greens are mown at 6mm in height with walk-behind mowers on an as needs basis Π
this can be limited depending on the number of frosts.The fairways receive a similar amount of annual fertility which is delivered primarily through an organic based fertiliser derived from aerobically composted chicken manure and ammonium sulfate. There are incidences of low fertility disease outbreaks on the fairways such as red thread (Laerisaria spp.), however, as these tend not 
to affect the playability of the surface they are 
generally left to grow out.The tees are the most heavily fertilised area of the course with double the fertility of 
the fairways. This is due to the increased wear on these areas and the need for a quicker recovery time.Coastal Trails Πfrom Bandon Dunes to Pebble BeachCoastal Trails Πfrom Bandon Dunes to Pebble BeachAll playing surfaces on the three Bandon Dunes courses are dominated by fine fescues (slender creeping red and chewings) 19AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTus tourThe biggest maintenance issue at Pacific Dunes is the management of gorse. Annually, gorse is cut and removed from the fairways 
adjacent to the ocean as it tends to grow 
unimpeded up the banks from the sand below. 
Also, individual areas on the golf course are 
identified and selectively removed. Removing is conducted by cutting them out and burning in-situ. Some effectiveness is 
also achieved through the use of the herbicide 
Crossbow which is best applied to new growth 
that may have re-shot from older material.Chemical inputs are very minor at Pacific Dunes with the only fungicide ever to be 
sprayed on the greens being Prostar for some 
fairy ring/thatch collapse. As mentioned, red 
thread may sometimes be evident on both fairways and greens but this is generally left to ‚run its course™ and seen as an indication that the nutritional programme is lean. Bandon Dunes relies on bore water for irrigation. With so much yearly rainfall it would be conceivable that run-off would be the main 
source, however, due to the deep coastal 
sands there is very little surface run-off. The bore water is stored in plastic-lined dams and is generally of very good quality with a slightly alkaline pH, which offsets the acid sandy soils due to the fir trees and iron levels. The complex™s resort (which can sleep up to 400 guests) also has its own treatment plant 
in which all the waste water is treated and then 
used to irrigate Bandon Dunes. Water usage is only minimal due to the predominance of fescue surfaces and the attempts to ‚bake out™ the Poa annua in the greens. One of the assistant professionals made the comment that the bunkers appeared to receive more water in the summer than the 
greens!Last year Pacific Dunes hosted 46,000 rounds of golf, but it is not just the number of golfers that place pressure on the fescue surfaces, as caddies are available for all players. Caddies are readily used over the summer with numbers as high as 400, however, in the winter 
the numbers tend to drop to around 50. MONTEREY PENINSULAFrom the fescue-dominated playing surfaces 
at Bandon Dunes, the Monterey Peninsula 
could arguably be said to be the Poa annua centre of northern California. While many believe Poa annua is one of the more challenging weeds on a golf course, it appears to be a very logical choice for the climate and playing requirements of the area. The climate is very mild to say the least with 
less than half a dozen days in summer getting 
into the 80™s (27-32oC). The Peninsula consists of six golf courses within the gated community of Pebble Beach 
ΠPebble Beach, Cypress Point, Spyglass Hill, Poppy Hills, The Links at Spanish Bay and Monterey Peninsula Country Club (two 18-hole courses). All courses are open to the public with the exception of Cypress Point and the Monterey Peninsula Country Club.The Pebble Beach Company owns three of the courses ΠPebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and 
The Links at Spanish Bay Πas well as another course close by known as Del Monte.PEBBLE BEACH GOLF LINKSPebble Beach is arguably the best known 
golf course in the world and hosts a US PGA Tour event each year, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Grass species throughout the course are dominated by Poa annua, with ryegrass also persisting on the tees, fairways and roughs. The greens at Pebble Beach are very small 
and the majority are still constructed with 
native sandy soil. Pebble Beach endures about 
70,000 rounds of golf per year which does not include additional wear from caddies or other organised tournaments.Greens are regularly dusted, about every two weeks, with hand spreaders and bagged 
kiln-dried sand. As a result of the large number 
of rounds, the greens are regularly fertilised 
with high rates of nitrogen and higher rates of 
potassium, around 6-10lbN and 20lbK/1000sq.
ft/year (3-5kgN and 10kgK/100m2 /year). Fungicide applications also occur on a regular basis to ensure disease problems are 
few and far between. Pebble Beach has also 
just begun using an Irish seaweed extract 
on a regular basis to aid with root system sustainability. Aeration of greens is via a Planet Air which has vertical blades that leave a small incision in the turf but cause some cracking beneath 
the surface to increase air movement. Some 
greens also have the SubAir system within 
the profile that allows the profile to be cooled 
by injecting air or can pull out excessive moisture.Greens are mown daily with Jacobsen electric mowers at an average height of 
3.2mm but raised in the winter and lowered for tournaments to around 2.5mm. Fairways are 
mown every day at 12.5mm and the rough is 
cut twice a week. Pebble Beach™s famous 7th holeTurf surfaces at Cypress Point are dominated by Poa annua, however, fairways are oversown with perennial ryegrass on an annual basis20AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTThe rough also contains large areas of kikuyu and it is anticipated that there are more than 10 acres in total around the course. Kikuyu was first introduced to help stabilise the shoreline and has done an excellent job, but as 
a result has migrated onto the golf course. Attempts have been undertaken to rid the course of kikuyu and a programme has been 
devised. However, with the need to keep the course in pristine condition year round, a broad spectrum application hasn't been made. The cost for a round at Pebble Beach is US$500 and to guarantee a tee time in the summer golfers must stay in The Lodge a 
minimum of two nights at $800 per night. It 
is understandable with the public paying this 
amount there is a large expectation on course 
quality and the inputs are a reflection of that.SPYGLASS HILL AND THE LINKS AT SPANISH BAYSpyglass was designed by Robert Trent Jones Snr with the first five holes set among the 
rolling sand dunes and the last 15 among the 
Monterey pines.  The Links at Spanish Bay 
was designed by Tom Watson, Sandy Tatum and Trent Jones Jr. and is set in one of the more environmentally sensitive areas of the Del Monte forest.CYPRESS POINTUnlike the previous three courses, Cypress Point is a member™s only course and as such 
receives far less traffic. The day before I visited 
Cypress Point it was reported that there were 
only 12 rounds of golf played the entire day. Being a members course the fertility inputs are not as intensive as Pebble Beach as the 
numbers of rounds are far less, and being a private club members can access the course all year round rather than maybe just once in 
a lifetime. Unlike Pebble, dusting of greens is irregular as incorporation into the lower cut sward is more difficult.Designed by Alister MacKenzie and constructed in 1928, it is a classic golf course highlighted by the ocean holes 15, 16 and 17, along with some other great sand dune holes further inland. Most turf surfaces are again dominated by Poa annua, however, fairways are oversown with perennial ryegrass on an 
annual basis. Fine fescue has been laid around 
all greenside bunkers to aid with reduced water requirements in the summer. Bentgrass is being considered as an option instead of Poa annua on the greens at Cypress Point due to constant pressure from a parasitic nematode known as Anguina pacificae. 
The Monterey cypress trees (Cupressus macrocarpa) throughout the course are a 
definite highlight, particularly on the 18th hole.21AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT  MROReliable N--K delivery, balanced secondary elements and micronutrients, predictable response and  consistent results are what you will see every time you apply BEertilisers. Research has shown that the maximum in˜uence of nitrogen occurs when the nitrogen and phosphate are intimately associated together through a process known as positive nutrient interaction. Inside of every BEef˚ciency of each of these important turfgrass nutrients.  LEIGH N GREENNK GREENIGH K GREENRMAXX is a uniquely formulated combination of N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide, (NBnitri˚cation inhibitor, and urea. NBIt also greatly reduces the leaching of nitrates that can contaminate ground water.  CCADEOLMLLOREENOEREENOE  GREENOE 19Inc. (I) advanced polyurethane coating technology, which is speci˚cally designed to meet the nutritional requirements of turf grass and horticultural growers. olyon coated nutrients feature an extremely durable ultra-thin polyurethane coating that provides nutrition at precisely the right time when plants need Major, Minor Eolyon coating is chemically bonded to nutrient granules, creating an extremely durable and reliable granule for 100% controlled release.   GORprofessional turf or landscape planting. Either way, plants receive all the nitrogen needed for months of uninterrupted feeding without 
the unpredictable release characteristics common with many olymer CCoated rea (s).  GREEN KINGR KINGseason. Insuf˚cient nitrogen can reduce plant colour and vigor, which may lead to other problems, including disease, weeds and poor plant performance. Excessive nitrogen can over-stimulate growth, and might lead to stresses on turf with extra mowing and heavy 
clippings. RALENE slow-release nitrogen provides just the right amount of fispoon-feedingfl for turf.us tourMONTEREY PENINSULA CCMPCC consists of two contrasting 18-hole golf courses, the Dunes course and the Shore course. Both were recently remodeled with Rees Jones carrying out work on the Dunes course which was originally constructed in 1926 and designed by Seth Raynor. Michael 
Strantz remodelled the Shore course which 
was initially constructed in 1962 and designed 
by Bob Baldock.The major difference between these two courses compared with the other five in the 
region is that MPCC is actively pursuing 
growing bentgrass as its preferred greens playing surface. The successful transition back to bentgrass has been attributed to a high iron sulphate regime as well as other sulphate-based 
fertilisers, namely potassium, magnesium and 
manganese. A nitrogen-based fertiliser is generally applied on alternate weeks with an annual 
nitrogen regime of 6-7lb/1000sq.ft compared with iron that is in the vicinity of 32-40lb iron sulfate heptahydrate.They have also actively sprayed out the Poa annua in the fairways on the Dunes 
course with ethofumesate and oversown with 
ryegrass. The major reason for this is not only aesthetic but to create firmer fairways during the winter.The fairways on the Shore course are a mix of colonial bentgrass and fine fescue. At the moment the bentgrass appears to be dominating, however in areas, especially around collars, the fescue is providing a very good surface.NEMATODESAs mentioned, one of the major threats to the pristine Poa annua putting surfaces on the Peninsula is the presence of the parasitic nematode known as Anguina pacificae.At the moment this is causing large amounts of damage to all courses but in particular 
Cypress Point. The Northern California Golf 
Association has conducted trials at Cypress 
Point to achieve adequate control but as yet 
nothing has provided acceptable results.The Pebble Beach Company is about to start a trial on greens height turf at Spanish 
Bay on the right hand side of the 13th fairway. It consists of one bentgrass plot of numerous varieties as well as four Poa annua plots created by extracting cores from the four Pebble Beach 
Company golf courses. Products to be trialled 
will be:  AgroNeem;Cleary™s 3336 (a fungicide);CPR (an organic product);Algi-green (Irish kelp);Fertility programme;Neemex/Trilogy; andPrimoWhile the greens are under attack, so too is the Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) which is the dominant species on nearly all courses. This species is under serious threat from an 
introduced fungal disease known as pine pitch 
canker caused by fusarium circinatum.As a result many trees are dying leaving some golf holes without a strategic play, so in many cases the Monterey pine is being replaced with cypress trees that are not susceptible to the disease.  All courses on the Peninsula are watered with treated effluent supplied from a 325 acre foot (400 megalitre) dam in the Del Monte 
Forest. However, they complain about its poor 
quality, although the salinity is probably less 
than 1dS/m. The Pebble Beach Company has 
just completed constructing a desalination 
plant that will supply water to all six courses within the Peninsula. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSI would like to thank those that gave up their time to show me around their respective venues. Jeff 
Sutherland, superintendent at Pacific Dunes, 
Mike McCollough at the Northern California 
Golf Association who organised visits to all the golf clubs I visited on the Monterey Peninsula, as well as the assistant superintendents - Billy Hausch (Pebble Beach), Akoni Ganir (Cypress Point) and Earl Kennel (MPCC). I would also like 
to acknowledge Horticulture Australia Limited 
for its assistance in this trip and subsequent 
attendance at the 2008 GCSAA conference. The Shore course is one of two 18-hole layouts that makes up Monterey Peninsula Country ClubOne of the major threats to the Poa annua surfaces on the Monterey Peninsula is the presence of a species of parasitic nematodes Anguina pacificae22AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTSoil testing, interpretation and 
recommendationssoilsBefore the mid 1800s, agricultural researchers experimented with methods of extracting plant nutrients from the soil and measuring the amounts. These methods were often aggressive procedures such as 
boiling in strong acid. Unfortunately the results of the soil tests often did not correlate very well with the 
response of the plant to fertiliser application. 
For example the test might indicate that the 
soil had plenty of a nutrient but the plants grew much faster when fertiliser was added. The reverse could also happen; that the test 
showed little nutrient but the application of 
more fertiliser made no difference. In 1845 Charles Daubeny proposed that in soils there were ‚active™ and ‚dormant™ 
nutrients, with the active nutrients taking part 
in soil reactions and being available to plants, 
and the dormant nutrients being inactive in the soil. The concepts were taken up by others and soil nutrients were defined as ‚available™ and ‚unavailable™ or ‚sparingly available™.Available nutrients are those forms of the soil nutrient that are able to be accessed by the plant in some reasonable period of time. Nutrients that are dissolved in the soil solution are immediately available to the plant as are those that are readily exchanged from cation exchange sites. Other nutrient forms are not so readily available, but can be accessed by the plant over time. Minerals that are only slightly 
soluble, ions bonded to mineral surfaces and 
nutrients bound in degradable organic matter 
are a part of this slowly available fraction. 
Most things dissolve or degrade eventually but some stubborn mineral or organic nutrient forms play no realistic part in the nutrient 
supply of plants.DEVELOPMENT OF PLANT NUTRIENT EXTRACTSOnce soil scientist recognised the concept of ‚available™ plant nutrients, they had to develop 
methods that replicate the plant™s ability to 
access this amount of nutrient. The previous 
practice of using strong extractants released all of the nutrient and did not give a very good estimate of how much was plant available. Daubeny proposed an extractant of carbonic acid because plant roots expel carbon dioxide into the soil during respiration and this forms weak carbonic acid in the soil. 
Daubeny therefore proposed that shaking soil 
in this weak acid would give a good estimation 
of how much nutrient the plant could access. 
Due to analytical problems this test method 
was never widely used. The first widely used extractant was the one per cent citric acid extract for phosphorus 
proposed by Bernard Dyer. He analysed 
the sap of plants and thought that it was 
approximated by one per cent citric acid. Other test methods followed and many are specific to certain nutrient elements. Others, 
such as ammonium acetate and the Mehlich III extract, are designed to be used in multi-element tests.It is very important to note that not all methods will extract the same amount of a nutrient. For instance, in most soils the 
Colwell method will extract about twice as 
much phosphorus as the Bray 2 method, and several times as much as the Olsen method. The Olsen and Colwell tests actually use the same liquid as an extractant but the shaking time and ratio of soil to liquid varies.Soil testing, interpretation and 
recommendationsOne of the more confusing areas of turf management is the interpretation of soil test results. With names like Colwell, Bray, Mehlich and Skene next to them, and fertiliser recommendations that the experts argue over, the average turf manager can be forgiven for sometimes being confused. Jim Hull provides some background information on the aims of soil testing and what the tests are designed to tell turfies.BY DR JIM HULL24AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTWhen we look at various recommendations (e.g.: in Carrow et al, 2001) we can estimate that the Mehlich III test extracts about 0.75 
times as much calcium, about the same amount of magnesium, and about 20 per cent more potassium than the ammonium acetate method, which is one of the more commonly used soil tests. CORRELATION, CALIBRATION AND RECOMMENDATIONWhen a new test is developed for a soil nutrient, or an existing test is applied to a new 
situation, it needs to be ‚correlated™ to plant 
response, normally measured as plant growth. 
This means that an increase in the amount of nutrient extracted from the soil by the test is accompanied by an increase in plant growth rate. The above diagram represents a good correlation between soil test result and growth 
response. This soil test would be a good choice of method in soils similar to those used 
in the tests that produced this data. The same 
test method may be completely inappropriate 
for a different soil type. The diagram next to 
it shows a poor correlation between soil test 
result and growth response. This test method 
would not be appropriate for use for the tested 
soil type and crop.The process of correlating a soil test to an increase in plant growth must be carried out for each soil test in each type of soil. CALIBRATIONOnce it is established that a soil nutrient test is 
well correlated to plant growth, the test needs to be ‚calibrated™ to the relevant plant species. This process of calibration defines how much nutrient is sufficient for the desired growth rate, what level of nutrient is deficient and what level 
might induce toxicity. Needless to say this calibration is only really accurate on the soil and plant species 
that the calibration was carried out on. 
Extrapolating the results to other soils and 
other plant species is educated guesswork 
and observation.  Regular soil testing is an invaluable aspect of a turf manager™s operations but knowing how to interpret the results and understanding the methods behind them 
can be confusing at timesxxxxxxxIncrease in soil nutrient test resultIncrease in growth ratexxxxxxxxxIncrease in soil nutrient test resultIncrease in growth rate25AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTESD Bioremediation...at it™s bestInstalled at over 800 facilities including Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass, The Ritz Carlton, Isleworth Country Club, Wimbledon Tennis Club, 
Briarwood Country Club, Merion Golf Club, The Concession, The Founders 
Club and many more throughout USA, Europe and now AustraliaSee the full product range - www.waste2water.com or call Country Club International for an information packageThe latest fully closed loop washdown system for the golf & turf industries from ESD Waste2Water USA has now
been released in Australia.ESD Waste2Water is the world™s major supplier of golf course bioremediation washdown 
systems Πnow being introduced into Australia 
and New Zealand through Country Club International.All models are closed loop systems which means all water is fully recycled and there is no 
risk of environmental contamination.25 Cumberland Drive, Seaford 3198FREECALL 1300 138804Email: infor@countryclub.com.au  Representatives available in all states for information and demonstration.Fully recycle your wash water Πup to 3 million litres PA!Fully contain & treat most chemical spills & wash residuesNOW FITTED WITH THE LATEST OZONE SYSTEMsoilThe above chart shows a calibration curve for the Bray 2 soil phosphorus test in bentgrass maintained as a putting green in a sandy soil. 
The clipping yield, in g/m2/month, increases as the amount of applied phosphorus increases. The calibration indicates that any application of phosphorus to soil that is at a level above around 12-15 mg P/kg would produce no growth response. This assumes that the other nutrients are present in sufficient amounts for the required growth rate. If the nitrogen input is increased to produce rampant growth then the phosphorus requirement is likely to increase. In this 
experiment the nitrogen input was set at 0.3kg 
N/100m2/month, which is a generous amount of nitrogen for maintenance purposes.It is critically important that each soil test method is calibrated for plant type and soil 
type. Every so often a new method of soil 
testing seems to pop up in the turf management 
area and recommendations are made with no apparent calibration. Turf managers should question these recommendations.INTERPRETATION AND RECOMMENDATIONOnce a sufficiency level or range is established, a test can be carried out on a soil sample. The 
test results can be interpreted against the 
desired level, and an estimation of deficiency 
and a fertiliser recommendation can then be 
made. The quantity of fertiliser that needs to be added to rectify a deficiency varies according 
to the nutrient and soil type. Some nutrient 
elements are almost completely soluble in soil 
solutions and a recommendation can be made 
based on a rough calculation of the amount 
of soil to be treated and the deficiency in milligrams of the nutrient per kilogram of soil. Other nutrient elements are not so easily dealt with, as they can take part in reactions in the soil that render them almost unavailable, or they can be toxic if applied in high concentration to the turf or soil surface. In agriculture, a fertiliser recommendation is often made with the intent of applying 
enough nutrient to supply the crop through its entire growth cycle until harvest. This is 
understandable as it is not really desirable to 
drive all over a crop in an attempt to top up the 
soil nutrient levels. In turf management it is normally possible (and desirable) to avoid large inputs of fertiliser 
and thus we tend to ‚spoon feed™ or use 
controlled-release nutrients. Many fertiliser 
programmes are based on ‚maintenance 
rates™ of nutrient application, adjusted for the 
deficiencies and excesses revealed by soil 
testing.PROBLEMS WITH INTERPRETATION OF SOIL TEST RESULTSThe process of the interpretation of soil test results and the recommendation of fertilisers 
can lead to controversy, mainly because there 
are two main schools of thought on how to 
interpret a soil test.The first is the Base Cation Saturation Ratio (BCSR) method and the second is the Sufficiency Level of Available Nutrient (SLAN) method. The argument over these two 
methods involves the ‚base cations™ Œ calcium 
(Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium 
(Na), and sometimes the acid cation (H).The BCSR method originated in the research of Firman Bear in New Jersey and William Albrecht in Missouri. The theory behind the BCSR method is that there is an ‚ideal™ ratio of exchangeable cations in the soil, and recommendations of fertiliser should be made to adjust the soil to this ratio. The theory states 
that of the total cation exchange capacity of a 
soil, about 65 per cent of the exchange sites 
should be occupied by calcium, 10 per cent by magnesium, and 5 per cent by potassium, with the rest being sodium and hydrogen. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) is the capacity of a soil to hold and exchange the positively charge ‚cations™. This ability comes 
about because clays and organic matter have 
negative charges and opposite charges attract 
each other. (Organic matter and some clays 
also have positively charged sites but that is 
not relevant here). The SLAN method simply states that a plant needs a certain amount of each nutrient, 
and you fertilise to correct a deficiency in that 
nutrient, regardless of other nutrients. A review of the literature has been recently carried out by the school of Land and Food 
Sciences at the University of Queensland 
(Kopittke and Menzies, 2007). They find that, 
fiThe data do not support the claims of the 
BSCR, and continued promotion of the BCSR 
will result in the inefficient use of resources in agriculture and horticulturefl. They also find that fi90-95 per cent of the soils tested by the 
turf industry in Australia are currently tested 
according to the BCSR conceptfl. Kopittke and Menzies also report on a The process of interpreting soil test results and the recommendation of fertilisers can lead to controversy, mainly because there are two main schools of thought on how to interpret such tests26AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTfield experiment conducted in Nebraska over eight years that found that the cost of fertilising according to the BCSR method was double that of the SLAN method. The turf industry is awash with products that are ‚bio-active™, ‚organically chelated™, ‚complexed™ or the like. They normally cost much more than the base fertilisers and therefore the cost difference of the Nebraska trial could be exaggerated in the turf management industry. Carrow et al. (2001) also point out deficiencies in the BCSR method of interpreting 
soil test results. It should also be noted that different testing methods extract different ratios 
of the elements. The CEC is often calculated 
simply by adding up the amounts of Ca, Mg, 
K and Na extracted, and cation ratios are 
calculated against this. A soil producing the ‚ideal™ ratio with one testing method will almost certainly not do so 
when another method is used, and therefore an 
unnecessary recommendation will be made.To summarise, it should be noted that the weight of evidence is not on the side of the 
BCSR method of soil test interpretation.WHY ARE THERE SO MANY PHOSPHORUS SOIL TESTS?Phosphorus is one element which has many 
testing methods designed for its extraction 
from soil. This is because phosphorus is not 
usually present in soils in large quantities of 
dissolved forms. Instead it is normally in very low concentration in the soil solution, and the bulk of the phosphorus is present in mineral and organic forms of varying solubility. Some soils, for instance, have significant amounts of phosphorus in forms involving calcium, while others have large amounts of 
phosphorus bound to iron or aluminium oxides. The different soil extractants are designed to extract the phosphorus from these forms in amounts that reflect the ability of the plant to eventually access this nutrient. The acid extracts such as Bray and Mehlich will do a very good job of extracting calcium phosphates, while the fluoride extracts 
are designed to extract phosphorus from 
aluminium bound forms and alkaline extracts 
such as Colwell and Olsen will extract iron 
bound forms. The complicating factor in this system is that soil factors such as pH profoundly 
affect the availability of the phosphorus forms. 
For instance some calcium phosphates are 
very insoluble in alkaline soils, but relatively 
available in acid soils. If we use an acid extractant on an alkaline soil and extract a large amount of phosphorus, are we actually extracting very insoluble calcium forms of phosphorus that are not plant available? Allan et al. (1997) note that the 
Bray test is suited to low pH soils. They also 
note that in soils with high levels of aluminium 
or reactive iron, the Colwell test tends to overestimate the availability of phosphorus. Aluminium is not usually an issue in golf greens, but reactive iron is often added in large 
amounts for aesthetic purposes. Trials have shown relatively large amounts of phosphorus 
being extracted by the Colwell extractant from 
the upper layers of greens from some Sydney 
golf courses where iron is frequently used. This 
situation was worse where iron sulphate was 
tank-mixed with fertilisers containing soluble 
phosphorus (Hull, 2005). 27AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTThese are examples of the reasons that extractants need to be carefully correlated to plant uptake in each soil type. WHY IS SOIL NITROGEN LEVEL OFTEN NOT REPORTED?There are several reasons that soil nitrogen is often not tested for in turf, some technical and one very practical. They include;  Lack of accurate correlation between soil N and plant growth;  Rapid variability of N in soil; and  Use of N as controlling nutrient.There have been some notable difficulties in calibrating nitrogen levels to plant growth, and one of the reasons is that much of the 
nitrogen in the soil at any one time is in an 
organic form. Even mineral nitrogen forms are 
rapidly taken up by plants and microbes, which 
then die and decay, releasing the nitrogen again as plant food. This cycle occurs continuously in the soil and a low soil test result does not necessarily mean that there is not a sizable amount of N 
present in the soilThe organic cycle of uptake and release described above occurs quite rapidly and therefore the nitrogen level in the soil is not very stable. By the time you get a soil test result back the level of nitrogen is likely to be quite different to when you sent it off.In the turf management industry the growth of the turf is normally regulated by nitrogen 
input. Provided levels of other nutrients are 
sufficient, soil test nitrogen results are largely irrelevant. If the turf is not growing rapidly, the turf manager fertilises. If it is growing fast enough, no further fertiliser is added. There is plenty of literature on the nitrogen requirements of turf species over a period of time, and the educated turf manager soon 
adjusts these requirements to suit the soil and 
environmental conditions at his/her facilities. 
With a bit of recordkeeping the turf manager 
soon has a functioning fertiliser programme that is tailored to the fertiliser type and fertilising method that suits him/her best.TISSUE TESTINGTissue testing has an advantage over soil testing as the levels of nutrient can be accurately 
determined, without the complications of soil chemistry and whether a nutrient is really ‚available™ or not. All of a nutrient within the 
plant is extracted by the digestion process, 
which normally involves prolonged boiling in 
hot concentrated acids. There is also very good 
research data regarding the concentrations of 
the various elements that are needed in the 
plant tissue of many of the major turf species.An example of the value of tissue testing comes from the work of researchers such as Ken Johnson and John Forrest in Western Australia, who have found that in the calcareous 
soils in that state, iron and manganese can be 
quite deficient in plants, even though soil tests 
are producing results well within the adequate 
range. This is because at the alkaline pH of those soils the iron and manganese are present in very insoluble forms. The disadvantage of tissue testing when compared to soil testing is that it cannot estimate the reserves of nutrient in the soil. 
Tissue testing is best for obtaining a ‚snapshot™ 
of the immediate availability of a nutrient. soil28AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT24th Australian Turfgrass Conference and Trade ShowMelbourne Exhibition Centre - 23-24 July 2008ON SALE NOWCall or email now for a copy of the trade exhibition brochure.For more information or to book your position contact Scott Petersen or 
Melissa Wallace on 03 9548 8600 or 
melissa@agcsa.com.au or 
scott@agcsa.com.au.Exclusive sales window for 2007 
trade exhibitors until Wednesday 21st November then open to whole industry 
to book your space at the Southern 
Hemisphere™s largest turf 
trade exhibition.100 - 21 REMAINING100 - 21 REMAINING29AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTHe won™t lie awake at night worrying about his turf, or his reputation.  Nor will you, thanks to HERITAGE MAXX from Syngenta. Designed exclusively for turf, the smaller particles of the new micro-emulsion formulation enable a 25% faster foliar intake and 100% faster root uptake producing earlier protection against disease*.  So, for peace of mind and a playing surface second to none, choose  
liquid HERITAGE MAXX.  Protect your turf and your reputation. For more information on HERITAGE MAXX please call the Syngenta Technical Product Advice line on 1800 067 108 or visit           www.greencast.com.auRest assured this winter with HERITAGE MAXX®.The liquid fungicide designed exclusively for turf.* University studies show an increase in efficacy by up to 15% against anthracnose.    ® Registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company      AD07-043Specialist against Microdochium nivale(Winter Fusarium)100 - 21 REMAINING2007 australian openPHOTOS BY BRETT ROBINSONRight: The 16th lived up to its reputation as being the hardest hole on the courseBelow: The Australian™s greens were double cut only at 3mm and were rolling between 11.5 and 12 for most of the tournamentPerfect harmony on the flymowsA small army goes to work on the mammoth fairway bunker on 14The 4th proved to be the hardest par 3 over the four days30AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTFor the second time in four years the Australian Open headed to The Australian Golf Club in Sydney last December and in a tense finale the highly popular Craig Parry collected his first Stonehaven Cup. No sooner had the final group walked off the 18th on Sunday and an emotional Parry anointed the 2007 champion, a storm front lashed the course dumping nearly 20mm in 10 minutes. While tournament organisers were counting their blessings (they had earlier that day brought forward the tee off time by half an hour due to 
BOM forecasts), so too were course superintendent David Honeysett and his crew. Conditions in the weeks leading up to the tournament proved a challenge with Sydney experiencing a very wet and humid late spring and early summer. The course, hosting its seventeenth Open, came up a treat however and lived up to its reputation as one of the best championship layouts in the country.The Australian just perfect for ‚Popeye™The Australian just perfect for ‚Popeye™Fairways were cut at 9mm and tees at 7mmThe Australian™s 7th hole proved to be one of the hardest par fours on the course during the 2007 Australian Open, giving up just eight birdies in the final round31AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT32 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTagcsatech updateALGAE IN WATER STORAGESOver the past few months we have had several enquiries at AGCSATech regarding the 
presence of algae in water storages and water 
bodies on golf courses. Prevailing conditions 
that may have contributed to these algal 
blooms include periods of low rainfall, warm 
weather and low surface flows. It would also 
appear that heavy rainfall, after extended dry 
periods, may have washed nutrients into water 
storages which stimulate algal growth.General problems caused by excessive algal growth in golf course water bodies 
include:   Unacceptable odour and appearance of 
water used for irrigation;   Clogging of filters, meters and valves;   Toxin release by some (blue-green algae in 
particular);   Corrosion of metal tanks, pipes, etc;   Production of unsightly scums on the 
surface of dams; and  Deoxygenation of water resulting from the 
decay of algae. In some cases the algae 
completes its life-cycle and then the dead 
material sinks to the bottom of the water 
storage where micro-organisms break 
down the organic matter. In the process of 
breaking down the organic matter all the 
oxygen is removed from the water causing 
eutrophication. Under these conditions 
strong odours can result.WHAT ARE ALGAE?Algae are a diverse group of water-living 
primitive plants. They multiply either through 
vegetative propagation or the production 
of spores. They may be individual cells, 
single chains of cells or branching chains of 
cells. Algae are a normal part of the aquatic 
ecosystem and require sunlight, water, carbon 
dioxide and nutrients (including phosphorous 
and nitrogen) to grow. Freshwater algae reproduce in a wide range of temperatures and they can multiply 
rapidly at moderately high temperatures if 
there is ample nutrient in the water. Freshwater 
algae are divided into four main groups as 
follows (Cummings, 2002);Flagellates: Of many shapes, sizes and colours and are capable of independent 
movement by means of flagella (whip-like tails). 
In large numbers they are often responsible for 
the tastes and odours in drinking water.
Green algae: Of various shapes and sizes. They are recognised by the long, green ribbons 
often seen in rivers and channels, on the sides 
of tanks and drinking troughs, and in thick 
tangled masses in low-lying swampy areas.
Diatoms: Microscopic and unicellular. They 
may exist as single cells or clump into filaments 
or colonies. They may be seen attached to the 
stems of other plants coating them with a 
brown slime. Some members of this family are 
planktonic, that is, they are suspended in the 
water rather than attached to anything. They 
are not usually a problem in water storages.
Blue-green algae: Occurs as single filaments 
or as clumps. Blue-green algae are capable 
of very sudden, explosive blooms and can 
produce thick scums on the down-wind 
surface of a water body. These scums have 
been described as being like a suspension 
of greenish paint, or curdled greenish milk. 
Colour can range from pale green through blue 
green, dark green to brown. There is frequently a foul odour which has been compared to raw 
sewerage. Some species of blue-green algae can produce harmful toxins and be a serious 
management problem. If such toxins 
contaminate a water supply both livestock and 
wildlife can fall ill, or die. If a blue-green algae 
outbreak is suspected, do not use the water. 
If a blue-green algae bloom is identified it is 
important that exposure to staff and golfers is 
minimised, in particular when staff are hand 
watering, when sprinklers are operating when 
the golf course is occupied or where golfers 
are tempted to retrieve golf balls from water 
storages.CONDITIONS THAT FAVOUR ALGAL BLOOMSConditions which encourage the growth 
of algae in water are (Cumming 2002 and 
Mitrovic, 2007):   High levels of nutrients (nitrogen, 
carbonates and particularly phosphorus);   Warm temperatures;  High levels of organic matter;   Direct exposure to sunlight; andBY JOHN NEYLANAlgal blooms in golf course water bodies can create a number of management headaches for superintendents. In this instalment of AGCSATech Update, John Neylan looks at the conditions likely to favour such outbreaks and ways to prevent them, as well as examines the 
impact that low salinity water has on turf.Water bodies can add to the beauty of golf courses, however they need to be constantly managed in order to prevent algal bloom outbreaksTABLE 1: LEVELS OF NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS REQUIRED TO CAUSE ALGAL BLOOMSWater body Total nitrogen (mg/L) Total phosphorus (mg/L)Lakes and reservoirs 0.1Œ0.5 0.005Œ0.05Rivers and streams 0.1Œ0.75 0.01Œ0.1(ANZECC 1992)33 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT  Still, shallow water or a dam where the surface water is strongly stratified relative 
to the lower waters (i.e. no mixing). On golf courses algal blooms generally occur in water bodies that are shallow and 
where there is poor water movement.Nutrient availability to algae is regarded as a major influence on blooms. It is important to 
note that the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus 
required to cause algal blooms are very low 
(Table 1).It only takes a careless application of fertiliser or relatively small amounts of 
contaminated stormwater runoff from urban 
areas to add sufficient nutrients to cause 
an algal bloom. Where water is taken from 
urban catchments, the first wave of drainage 
water should be diverted away from the main 
irrigation dam. This initial nutrient-enriched 
‚slug™ of water can be diverted through a 
wetland filter before entering the main water 
bodies. Where reclaimed wastewater, high in 
nutrients, is used for irrigation it is a requirement 
of the reuse licence that it is not allowed into 
any water bodies. PREVENTING ALGAL BLOOMSPreventing algal blooms from occurring is 
easier than trying to clear up a bloom once it 
has appeared. Understanding the dynamics 
of the catchment area is an important factor 
in putting in a control strategy to prevent 
future blooms from occurring. This means 
having an understanding of the predisposing 
factors for algal blooms such as depth of the 
water storage, sources of nutrients, source of 
stormwater etc. Key factors in reducing the opportunity for algal blooms include:  Minimising the flow of nutrients into the 
water storage;  Encourage diluting and flushing of water 
storages during wetter months;  Minimise sunlight load on the water 
storage through the use of colourants. It 
is important to note that there are some 
environmental regulations affecting the use 
of certain water colourants; and  Encourage mixing of dam water to avoid 
stratification. A water body becomes 
thermally stratified when two distinct temperature layers form. During spring the 
sun will warm the surface layers of water. 
They become less dense, but will be mixed 
with cooler ‚bottom™ water by wave action. 
As heating continues, the wave action 
will become less able to drive the mixing. 
When mixing ceases, the warmer surface 
water will lie over cooler, dense bottom 
waters. During summer, algal blooms often occur in the warm stable conditions of the upper 
layer. The bottom layer often has very low 
concentrations of dissolved oxygen that 
creates favourable conditions for the release 
of nutrients from the sediments. Artificial destratification involves increasing the circulation of water that circulates between 
the shallower and deeper layers of the reservoir. 
This can be achieved by introducing a plume 
of bubbles near the bottom of the reservoir or 
installing a propeller or impeller in the dam. 
A circulation pattern is set up that reduces 
the differences in temperature, oxygen and 
nutrients between the top and the bottom 
waters. Artificial destratification reduces algal blooms by reducing the sediment phosphorus 
load and mixes the algae deeper into the water 
column and starving them of light.The use of water fountains that encourage mixing of the water column have been 
successfully used on golf courses around 
Australia for controlling algae and other aquatic 
weeds. DAM DESIGNIn our experience most of the algal problems in 
water storages are as a result of fundamental 
design faults in the water storage. Water 
storages must be:   Large and deep to reduce the intensity of 
temperature stratification of the water;  Design and locate water storages so that 
they are linked, there is movement between 
water storages and regular dilution and 
flushing is encouraged;  Construct water entry path into excavation 
of the dam such that it does not cause 
excessive turbulence and scour;  Use buffer/filter zones of thick vegetation 
immediately upstream of the dam to 
minimise entry of sediment and nutrients;    Develop vegetation buffer strips around 
the perimeter of water storages to reduce 
the movement of sediments and nutrients 
into the water storage.CHEMICAL CONTROL OF ALGAL BLOOMSChemical control of algal blooms is considered to be a last resort and the primary causes must 
be addressed if a long-term solution is to be 
developed. Chemical control may be required 
for short-term control, however, there can be 
side effects such as killing aquatic life, large 
amounts of dead plant matter will rot which in 
turn will cause a sudden decrease in oxygen 
levels and when blue-green algae die they 
release toxins into the water.On golf courses algal blooms generally occur in water bodies that are shallow and where there is poor water movement34 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTagcsatech updateAn algicide is any chemical added to water which is toxic to, and kills, algae and/or cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Examples 
include copper sulphate, chelated copperŒ
based products, simazine and benzalkonium 
chloride (Mitrovic, 2007 and CRCQWT, 2002). The use of any algicide must be carefully considered to ensure there is no affect on 
beneficial aquatic life and that irrigation water 
does not contain chemical residues that 
will damage turf. While there are registered 
chemicals to kill algae, however, government 
agencies generally recommend against 
chemical control.WATER WITH NO SALTSAt a time where many golf courses and 
sportsturf areas have to make do with 
lower quality and higher salinity water, it is 
unexpected to observe difficulties associated 
with water that is ‚too pure™. With a number of desalination plants now in operation there have been some interesting 
observations where very low salinity water 
is being used. Desalination plants remove 
virtually all of the dissolved elements and 
the total dissolved salts can be less than 
75mg/L. This problem is usually most often 
associated with monsoonal rains and water 
from snowmelt.Low salinity water often causes infiltration problems within the first centimetre of soil 
regardless of the sodium absorption ratio. 
Waters are classified as low in salt when they 
contain less than 320mg/L total dissolved salts 
(0.5dS/m ECw) and these problems become more severe when the salt concentration falls 
below 130mg/L TDS (0.2dS/m ECw) (Carrow et. al. 1999). Low salinity water tends to leach surface soils free of soluble minerals and salts, 
especially calcium, reducing their strong 
stabilising influence on soil aggregates and 
soil structure. Without salts and without calcium, the soil disperses, and the dispersed finer soil particles 
fill many of the smaller pore spaces, sealing 
the surface and greatly reducing the rate at 
which water infiltrates the soil surface. When 
dry, this results in noticeable soil crusting in 
areas void of turf. In Australia, water from desalination plants is principally used on greens which have a 
sand base and where soil aggregate dispersion 
is not an issue. However, it is likely that the low 
salinity water could have a dispersive effect 
on the organic matter in the thatch layer 
and develop ‚hydrophobic™ type conditions. 
Obviously the stripping of essential cations, 
such as calcium and magnesium, will also 
have an affect on turf nutrition and health.The options for managing very low salinity water are to:  Increase the salt concentrations at the soil 
surface with soil applications of gypsum 
(soil-applied treatments can be used on 
a trial area to determine if low water 
infiltration is due to ultra-pure water or from 
another cause like soil compaction); or   Increase the salt concentration in the 
irrigation water to above 0.50dSm-1(Carrow et.al. 1999). Increasing dissolved calcium 
in low-salinity water by 1.0 to 4.0 meq Ca/l 
raises the ECw by approximately 0.075 to 0.30dSm-1. Gypsum and other soluble calcium compounds can double or triple 
the infiltration rate over that of untreated 
low-salt water. Adding gypsum directly to the water to 
increase salinity is the preferred method of 
treatment (Peacock Pub IG11-00). Calcium 
must be added continuously to the irrigation 
water in order to maximise infiltration. When 
applications of gypsum are discontinued, 
infiltration rates drop to near control levels 
within a few weeks. The occasional addition of 
calcium to the irrigation water is not effective in 
maintaining infiltration rates. Soil-applied gypsum is also effective but light and frequent applications must be made 
to avoid leaching. Once the amendment is 
leached beyond the surface, infiltration 
problems rapidly reoccur.REFERENCESDavid Cummings, 2002. Minimising algal 
growth in farm dams. LC0079 Melbourne 
September 2002.  Simon Mitrovic, 2007. Algae: Causes and control. http://naturalresources.nsw.gov.au/
water/algal.shtml
CRCQWT, 2002. Using algicides for the control 
of algae in Australia - Registered products 
for use against algae and Cyanobacteria in 
dams, potable water and irrigation water supply 
systems in Australia. CRC for Water Quality and 
Treatment, January 2002.
R.N. Carrow, R.R. Duncan, and M. Huck. 
1999. Treating the Cause, Not the Symptoms 
Irrigation - Water treatment for better infiltration. 
USGA Green Section November - December 
1999.
Peacock, B. Amending soil and water chemistry 
in drip irrigated table grape vineyards. University 
of California Cooperative Extension. Pub. 
IG11-00 Department of Agriculture, University 
of California, Tulare County Cooperating.The use of water fountains that encourage mixing of the water column have been successfully used on golf courses around Australia for controlling algae and other aquatic weeds  With a number of desalination plants now in operation at golf courses, there have 
been some interesting observations where very low salinity water is being used for irrigation35 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTADVERTORIALtech talkSalt-affected turfgrass areas are becoming more abundant, especially 
with the increased use of poorer quality water mainly from recycled water treatment 
plants. Twelve countries were represented 
out of the 80 or so participants in the seminar 
indicating just how widespread the problem is 
becoming.For Australians, the most concerning aspect of our soils is that we have the largest 
area by continent of ground affected by sodic 
(>15 per cent sodium) soils, and only second 
to Asia in terms of total saline and sodic soils.Salt-affected sites are very complex and are influenced by a four-way interaction between 
the soil, water, turf species (cultivar) and 
climate. Primary problems caused by salinity 
are the initial reduced water availability or 
physiological drought induced by high saline 
soils, poor soil structure and permeability 
problems primarily caused from excessive 
sodium ions, as well as nutrient imbalances 
and a resultant loss of root volume which is the 
major reason for turfgrass decline.Secondary issues that must also be addressed include turfgrass being less 
competitive and therefore more susceptible to 
weeds and disease, more intensive cultivation 
being required to maintain acceptable 
macropores, more complex fertilisation 
programmes to ensure nutrient balances, the 
addition of soil amendments and the knowledge 
that the turfgrass will be less tolerant of other 
environmental stresses. MANAGEMENTThe management of saline sites is complex and 
there is never a silver bullet solution, especially 
if high saline water is being applied with each 
irrigation cycle. To be able to successfully 
manage salts there must be several integral 
components present:  An irrigation system with a high distribution 
efficiency;  Acceptable soil profiles;  Drainage upgrades; Cultivation equipment and proper 
scheduling;  Equipment available to deliver water and 
soil amendments; and  The possibility of a requirement to alter 
turfgrass species.The ability to move the salts through the profile is the most important aspect to 
the management of saline soils, irrespective 
of the salinity of the water being applied. 
This process involves three components Π
infiltration, percolation and drainage Πand the 
success in moving salts is directly proportional 
to maintaining all of those components.Barriers to these processes can be thatch accumulation restricting infiltration, clays or 
compacted rootzones restricting percolation 
and pans that may be present affecting the 
final drainage.IRRIGATION WATER Generally the source of all saline soil problems 
emanates from irrigation water. The first step 
in assessing the likelihood of an increasing 
salinity problem is to have the water tested on a 
regular basis throughout the irrigation season. 
Knowing the components of the water allows 
you to make informed decisions regarding 
management strategies. Key elements of water quality are its nutrient content (Ca, N, S, Mg, K), salt load 
(Na, Cl, HCO3) and to a lesser extent pH. Bicarbonates are generally regarded as one of the more detrimental components to 
irrigation water, however, it is not the absolute 
level of bicarbonates that is important but the 
relative concentrations compared with calcium 
and magnesium. It is when the bicarbonate/carbonate concentration exceeds the calcium/magnesium 
component that acidification or gypsum 
applications may be required if the residual 
sodium carbonate (RSC) value exceeds 1.25. 
RSC = (HCO3 + CO3) Π(Ca + Mg), where all components are expressed in meq/L, not 
parts per million (ppm) or milligrams per litres 
(mg/L). When the RSC value is greater than 1.25 it indicates that appreciable calcium 
and magnesium are being precipitated out 
of solution, forming insoluble calcium and 
magnesium carbonates and therefore cannot 
counteract excessive sodium ions on the 
exchange sites. If untreated, the problem 
exacerbates with every irrigation cycle. Excessive sodium ions on the cation exchange sites can therefore be either caused 
by an imbalance of bicarbonate/carbonate 
ions compared with calcium and magnesium 
or directly from high sodium ions in the water. 
This is where additional calcium must be 
applied.CALCIUMCalcium is an integral cation on sites dominated 
by excessive sodium in the water or on the soil Managing salt-affected sitesSalt-affected sites are very complex and are influenced by a four-way interaction between the soil, water, turf species and climateManaging salt-affected sitesWITH ANDREW PEARTDuring his attendance at the Golf Industry Show in Orlando, Florida in late January, Andrew Peart attended a two-day seminar conducted by 
Dr Ron Duncan and Dr Bob Carrow entitled Salt-Affected Sites: 
Assessment and Management. This edition™s Tech Talk deals with some 
of the issues discussed during this forum.36AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTexchange sites. It is very important and used most commonly as a soil amendment but can 
also be applied as a water amendment and 
where required as a nutrient or fertiliser.Calcium is a very immobile ion and therefore must be applied to the soil if it is to 
be effective at displacing the sodium ions on 
the exchange sites. If applied to the leaves only 
certain forms of calcium will be absorbed and 
only effective within the plant and will not be 
translocated down to the roots.Those forms of calcium that are foliar absorbed include calcium nitrate, calcium 
chloride, calcium citrate, calcium gluconate 
and calcium glucoheptonate. These should 
be applied as a foliar fertiliser if the plant is 
deficient in calcium for a faster response rather 
than from a source of gypsum or lime. Gypsum 
can be applied through an injection system, 
however, it will not be taken up through the 
leaves of the plant. Gypsum (calcium sulphate) applications are targeted to the soil so the calcium ions 
can displace the sodium ions and then for 
the sodium ions to bind with the sulfate ions 
to form sodium sulphate. Sodium ions on 
their own are very difficult to leach, however, 
sodium sulphate is a leachable compound 
particularly when there is an effective irrigation 
system.The minimum amount of gypsum applied to the soil must be enough to counteract 
both the residual sodium carbonates in the 
water as well as the actual amount of sodium 
being applied by the irrigation water. To be 
able to calculate this quantity, the amount of 
calcium, magnesium, sodium, bicarbonates 
and carbonates in the water, expressed in 
meq/L, must be known. The objective is to 
apply more calcium, in the form of gypsum, to 
compensate for the amount of bicarbonates, 
carbonates and sodium in the water, arguably 
the major source of sodium in the soil. LEACHINGThe ability to leach salts from the rootzone 
is the most critical aspect of remediating 
salt-affected sites. Irrespective of how much 
calcium is applied to the soil, the amount of 
sodium will not diminish unless they can be 
moved through the profile.For purely saline sites, those with high total dissolved salts but low levels of sodium, the 
best remedial action is aeration and leaching, 
while sodic soils will require the addition of 
gypsum and possibly other calcium sources.Leaching becomes more complex due to the accumulation of salts within the micropores 
of the profile. Generally salts do not accumulate 
in the macropores as they are more easily 
leached with irrigation. To effectively leach salts from the micropores it is best that pulse irrigation 
cycling occurs. Pulse irrigation is where the 
profile is saturated then stopped, allowed to 
drain and then another similar irrigation cycle 
starts. In general, 100mm of infiltrated water 
will remove 90 per cent of the salts from the 
upper 100mm of the profile.Pulsing is more likely to produce a more uniform leaching rather than a continuous 
irrigation event where the majority of water 
is either likely to run off or drain through the 
macropores and not the micropores of the 
profile. The use of a wetting agent will also 
provide more even water penetration.It must be remembered that with any leaching activity nutrients will be leached as 
well as salts. This will be particularly the case 
on low CEC soils, namely sand greens, and 
regular applications of nutrients must be applied 
to counteract those that may be leached, 
potassium being the most susceptible.NUTRIENTSFoliar applications of nutrients can be very 
important on salt-affected sites particularly in summer when the root system may be severely 
stressed. Those ions that are mobile within 
the plant and will translocate downwards are 
nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, 
chloride and sodium. Those that are somewhat 
mobile include sulphur, copper, molybdenum, 
zinc and boron. The four most immobile 
ions are calcium, (as previously stated), iron, 
manganese and silicon. Ion uptake is via stomatal pores, cuticle cracks and ectodesmata pores. Once inside 
the leaves, nutrients can pass directly into cells 
through the cell walls and plasma membrane. 
Otherwise they can enter the apoplasm (space 
between cells) and then be transported, 
depending on their mobility, up in the xylem or 
down in the phloem to other plant parts.Adequate calcium within the plant is vital to prevent potassium from being lost from 
membrane leakage due to excessive sodium. 
Potassium is vital for stomatal regulation 
maintaining a more turgid plant as well as 
increasing environmental stresses. Other nutrients to enhance salt tolerance are zinc and manganese and plant tissue analysis 
should be conducted to ensure there are 
adequate amounts of these micronutrients.Cytokinin applications, such as seaweed-based products, are also recommended to 
encourage a strong root system. They stimulate 
photosynthesis, leaf initiation as well as lateral 
root initiation when turf roots are absent, very 
short or unhealthy. SPECIESMore salt-tolerant species are becoming 
available for turf managers, however, these 
must not be seen as complete panaceas for 
salt-affected sites. They allow more flexibility 
with site management, however, if salts are not 
well managed there will come a point where 
the soil will become so salt-laden that even the 
most salt-tolerant grasses will deteriorate. 37AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTFROM A SINGLE HOLE TO A COMPLETE GOLF COURSE,  WE CAN TURN YOUR VISION  INTO REALITYPhone: (03) 5966 6251  Fax: (03) 5966 6451  Email: chris@densal.com.au 655 Little Yarra Road, Gladysdale 3797   Key Contacts: Chris Young: 0417 380 298,  Paul Reeves: 0419 895 939 or Mick O™Shannessy: 0409 231 385THE PULSEAs any golf course superintendent will attest, a top quality assistant superintendent is nothing short of gold. With a superintendent™s role becoming less hands-on and complicated by the burgeoning amount of paper work covering a plethora of fields, assistant superintendents are being called upon more and more to drive turf management operations. ATM asked five assistant superintendents exactly how their role has changed in recent times and whether the attributes of a good assistant have changed as a result.ASH DUNCANCroydon GC, VICRecently I have felt my job as assistant superintendent has 
changed into a superintendent 
type role enabling the supers 
I have worked under to 
become more like business managers. As budgets have grown and 
with higher demands to achieve OH&S and 
environmental compliancy, expectations and 
legal responsibilities of superintendents has 
increased considerably. In most cases the 
assistant superintendent now runs the day-to-
day operations, reporting issues back to the 
superintendent.  Put simply, the superintendent 
allows the process to happen and the assistant 
makes it happen.Dealing with recent industry trends, such as environment and water management, has 
become a major part of weekly planning.  
Courses that have recycled water (as we do), 
have a number of guidelines and restrictions 
that have to be followed which increases the 
workload on assistants and superintendents. 
Most assistants, including myself, would also 
be working closely in setting up procedures and 
policies on environment matters and  operating 
environmental management systems.     Important qualities for a good assistant are an ability to manage time and staff, 
and professionalism in communicating with 
committees, managers and staff.  One area 
where improvement is needed for assistants 
is more involvement on budgeting and 
communicating with committees. This is an 
area where assistants becoming supers can 
find themselves thrown in at the deep end.  The role of assistant has changed in my 13 years and for the better.  Because there 
is, at times, little movement in the industry, 
assistants are now getting the opportunity to 
have their say and are putting into practice 
their ideas which is keeping good workers in 
the industry longer.PETER SVENNEEastlake GC, NSWI have been in the industry on 20 years now and have seen 
different styles of management, 
and, accordingly, the different 
roles that assistants have 
played. An assistant now has to accept more responsibility and accountability 
and be more involved in the management 
of the course as superintendents have now 
become increasingly desk-bound, dealing with 
the many complex and sensitive issues of 
modern-day course management. My role is challenging in that I am involved with daily job allocations, supervising and 
monitoring progress of staff and their duties, 
ensuring quality of completed jobs and staff 
training. I am also on two committees and 
attend regular meetings. Limited staff numbers 
place a strain on the need to complete tasks. 
I have to be the super™s right hand man, his 
eyes and ears. We work well together. Environmentally, Eastlake is located within the Botany wetlands and we have areas of 
protected Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub. 
The need to protect these two sensitive areas 
is paramount and accordingly we have to 
be very careful with chemical applications, 
disposal, washdowns etc. These areas of scrub 
are ‚no go zones™ and are left untouched. We 
participate in e-par and are about 75 per cent 
completed with our programme. Fortunately 
our water source is from below ground aquifers 
and the allocation is generous. Quality is good, 
so no ‚mixing™ is required. I believe good attributes of an assistant need to be that you are the best operator 
and communicator on staff, as you have to 
teach the less experienced, establish and 
maintain high standards of maintenance, be 
a go-between to super and mechanic and 
ensure good staff morale. I love my work, and 
often walk away on Friday content that we 
have done our best.opinion38 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAGCSAEducationOur first dvd is NOW available for purchase‚Environmental Issues for Golf Course Architecture™Order through our Bookshop (Offshoot)$66incl gst$66incl gstMembersMembersTRAVIS SCOTTCommonwealth GC, VICIn the 18 months that I have been an assistant superintendent, 
the position and demands of 
the job are ever-increasing. I 
believe this will be a continuing 
trend as golf club management and committee expectations and demands 
grow on the superintendent.Water management is number one on the agenda at the moment and Commonwealth is 
continually trying to source water whether it is 
recycled or groundwater. Since 2006 the club 
has developed a policy of not using potable 
water on the golf course. This has ensured that 
we have a solid water management programme 
in place which includes recording flows from 
bores and pump systems. Commonwealth 
also strives to keep ahead with environmental 
management issues and we have a strong 
OH&S presence in which staff are closely 
involved. I find my role extremely challenging at Commonwealth as we are continually striving 
for the next level and to improve the condition 
of the course. I feel the areas that I need to 
be more efficient include time management 
between course and office, and budgeting 
is a skill which I think is needed to take the 
next step. I don™t believe the attributes of an 
assistant have changed; expectations certainly 
have and with minimal positions available 
clubs expect quality.The greatest asset an assistant can possess is communication skills. Being able to 
communicate with a wide variety of people and 
able to speak with them on different levels is a 
key to the position. The assistant superintendent is a vital communication link between the ground staff 
and the superintendent. If this breaks down 
the workplace can be a pretty ordinary place 
to be and an unhappy workplace can lead to 
an array of problems.CAMERON STUARTRoyal Sydney GC, NSWToday™s assistant coordinates the day-to-day maintenance 
of the golf course as the 
superintendent is now required 
to spend a lot of time away 
from the course attending meetings with management and committees, 
liaising with golfers, members, contractors, 
suppliers and other industry professionals. 
The superintendent places much trust in 
his/her assistant to ensure that the plans 
and programmes they have prepared are 
coordinated efficiently and effectively. In order 
to achieve this, the assistant needs to be 
competent in multi-tasking and process the 
different happenings on course simultaneously. 
An assistant's mind is constantly looking into 
the future and planning forward to prevent 
incidents from occurring and making sure 
everything runs smoothly.  Today™s assistant is required to remain educated and keep pace with new technological 
advances and not just within the turf industry. 
Attending seminars and conferences is required 
to keep assistants informed of the latest trends, 
in addition to liaising with other industries as 
well. Here one can acquire valuable knowledge 
in areas such as staff management, conflict 
resolution, financial acumen and planning. 
Such a multi-disciplinary approach to golf 
course management is a style that is now 
being demanded. Environmental and water management issues are now such an important part in 
managing golf courses, more so than we 
could have ever envisioned when we began 
our trade. Assistants must have a thorough 
understanding of such issues and the 
legislation that enshrouds them to competently 
carry out our duties. As the next generation 
of superintendents, today™s assistants should 
realise now that there is so much more to the 
game than just keeping it green.MARK EVERINGHAMRoyal Adelaide GC, SAOver 14 years as assistant superintendent the fundamental 
role of the position Πto 
support the course manager 
and hands-on overview of the 
daily operations Πremains unchanged.  Notwithstanding this, aspects 
within the role have evolved considerably.The level of professionalism of all within the industry has been challenged and elevated. 
Long-standing practitioners were ‚educated™ 
through practical experience and mentoring 
from crafty supers. Certification was regarded 
as a one-way trip to an institution, not a ticket to 
operate machinery. Management now requires 
a TAFE diploma or university degree and staff 
numbers have increased in line with increased 
expectations of course presentation.Water management has become a critical component of our lives.  In the past it actually 
rained in winter!  In summer we could water 
from unmetered bores without bureaucratic 
intervention - uncomplicated bliss!  Manual 
irrigation systems have been replaced by 
automated systems that require specialised 
technology and knowledge.  Alternate water 
sources, in our case an aquifer storage 
recharge (ASR), have ensured some interesting 
times during construction and commissioning.  
Ultimately management of the ASR will further 
impact on management roles.Understanding and adherence to OH&S and environmental management legislation 
have also become paramount with attendant 
documented policies and procedures 
unimagined in the not too distant past. I could go on, and on. Back in the old days when it seemed too much we could 
take a Bex and have a nap. Now we can rely 
on networking, our character and technical 
expertise to see us through. Should that fail us, 
a well-aimed size 10 at the dog™s posterior and 
a cleansing medicinal lager won™t hurt!39 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTHave you checked our pricing lately?New year round preferred pricing on Filters, Tyres Alternators and Starters.
Call Toro Commercial Equipment Spare Parts on 1800 356 372 for further information.HERO/TOR1944JresearchIn 2006, a co-operative research project between the University of Melbourne and University of Florida set out to ascertain the size, scope and market value of turfgrass sod production in Australia.  As well as providing an economic and agronomic analysis of the industry, the survey also sought to find out what firm and industry problems were confronting commercial turfgrass producers.Although there has been evidence of commercial sod production in Australia as early as the late 1970™s, there has been relatively little documentation on 
the actual size, scope and structure of the 
industry. In 1996 there was an estimated 200 turfgrass sod primary production farms 
growing over 5000 hectares in Australia.  The market value of sod production at this time was estimated to be in excess of $100 million per 
annum for the eastern Australian states. In 1998 the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that there were some 420 sod 
farms in Australia, producing over 6400ha 
of turf and generating as much as $350m per annum. Recently, turf research scientists found that there are some 225 production farms producing 4918ha valued at $235.7m per annum.  This co-operative research project between the University of Melbourne and the University 
of Florida was funded by Horticulture Australia Ltd and the Turf Producers of Australia and 
carried out over 2006. It has become the 
nation™s first economic and agronomic analysis 
of the Australian turfgrass industry.  The aim of the project was to provide reliable economic information on the Australian turfgrass industry so that individual producers, trade organisations, potential investors, academic institutions and policy makers can make better, more informed decisions.  The study had three major objectives, the first to determine the number of hectares in 
production; types and sizes of firms; number of 
employees; major grasses grown; production 
practices; harvesting methods and efficiencies; 
marketing channels and outlets; and marketing 
issues as reflected in turf quality and price.  The second objective was to identify the research and development priorities for the 
turfgrass industry and the third objective to 
assist in the determination of financial costs 
and returns for turfgrass producers. The survey started in 2006 following a number of industry meetings with turfgrass 
industry representatives. The survey went out to two primary sources Πan address list provided by Turfgrass Producers of Australia in November 2006 and an electronic address version taken of turfgrass producers by Australian Post in March 2007.Information collected from the survey was based on the 1 July-30 June fiscal-year 
basis, rather than a calendar year, and sought 
information on production and harvesting, 
labour and water, financial information, 
harvesting methods, markets and transportation as well as operational and industry problems.  A response rate of 36 per cent was achieved. For analytical purposes, farms were grouped by size Š small (0-25 ha), medium (26-50 ha) and large (51-220 ha). Placing a dollar value on  Australian turf productionPlacing a dollar value on  Australian turf production40AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTRESULTS AND DISCUSSIONFigures show that there was a total of 4918ha of turfgrass produced in Australia in 2006. 
Much of this production came from small 
farms (32 per cent) to medium-sized (28 per cent) farms throughout Australia, with the larger farms contributing some 41 per cent of production but constituting only eight per cent of turfgrass producers.  Many of these farms were responsible for growing 85 per cent of the nation™s warm-season grasses. The major warm-season 
grasses of importance were the couchgrass 
selections and hybrids (Cynodon dactylon x C. transvaalensis), buffalograss (Stenotaphrum secundatum), kikuyugrass (Pennesetum clandestinum), Queensland blue couch (Digitaria didactyla), zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) and paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum). Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and tall 
fescue (Festuca arundinaceae) dominated the 
cool-season grass market. An estimated total of 4246ha of warm-season grasses were grown in 2006 as well as a total of 671ha of cool-season grasses.  Whereas all warm-season grasses in production 
were valued at $200.9m, cool-season grass 
production was valued at $34.8m. Of the warm-season turfgrasses, the couchgrass selections and hybrids were the 
most important in terms of area in production 
(1844ha), but had only the second highest value 
($67.1m).  Buffalograss had 1374 hectares in production, but was valued considerably more at $94.7m. Kikuyugrass was ranked third in both area (655ha) and value ($22.2m) (Table 1, pg 42).   The number of hectares that were harvested of both warm- and cool-season turfgrasses is shown in Table 2.  The harvest value also 
accounts for the fact that some producers are 
able to obtain two harvests every three years; 
this would mean that for any given fiscal year, 
there could be two harvests.  Warm-season grasses, such as couchgrass, still dominate the market with buffalograss 
and kikuyugrass coming in second and third respectively in terms of area harvested and value.IRRIGATIONWith water being such a crucial factor in production, the survey asked producers how 
many hectares of turfgrass were not irrigated 
due to water restrictions.  Of the 15 per cent 
of producers that were faced with shortages, a 
total of 625ha was not irrigated.  This estimate 
represents 13 per cent of industry output, 
with medium and large growers feeling the impact more than small growers.  Assuming the industry average gross return of $48,621 
per hectare ($181.6 M/3734 ha = $48,621, see 
Table 2), non-irrigated areas represent a loss of 
$30.4m in unsold product. More recently, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics has estimated that by 2030 the effects of climate 
change on many agricultural crops may result in a 9-10 per cent loss of production if nothing is done to slow or adapt to rising temperatures.  By withholding water from areas used for turfgrass production it could be said that Australian turfgrass producers have already made that sacrifice.  Most of the water used in sod production comes from multiple sources Š either surface water, water from wells or reclaimed water.  Where only one source was used, just over half (52 per cent) used surface water, 30 per cent used water from wells and three per cent used reclaimed water.If the average revenue generated by all grass varieties of $48,621 per hectare and 
dividing this by the average water application 
of 6.5 megalitres, this calculates to $7480 
per megalitre of water used in turfgrass 
production.  Again using the 6.5M average, returns per megalitre would range from a low of $5277 
per megalitre for kikuyugrass to a high of $10,600 per megalitre for buffalograss.  How these figures compare to other segments of 
Australian agriculture would be an interesting 
inquiry, but the results of such an exercise 
would probably be quite favourable to the 
turfgrass industry.LABOUR AND INCOMEThe Australian turfgrass industry employs an 
estimated total of 1321 people in 2006, which An estimated total of 4246ha of warm-season grasses were grown in 2006 and 671ha of cool-season grasses.  Warm-season grasses were valued at $200.9 
million and cool-season $34.8 millionBY DAVID E. ALDOUS, JOHN J. HAYDU AND LORETTA N. SATTERTHWAITEThe collaborative research project showed there was a total of 4918ha of turfgrass sod produced in Australia in the 2006 
financial year41AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTERRA SPIKE ® SerieTERRA SPIKETERRA SPIKE®GXiTERRA SPIKETERRA SPIKETERRA SPIKE®®®XXX®X®®X®®X®FFFXFXXFXXFXTERRA SPIKETERRA SPIKE®®®XPXP®XP®®XP®The look of your turf lies in your handWe offer everything for turf maintenance. Please contact us for detailed information.Glenmac Sales & Service Pty Ltd.14 Rushdale St.Knoxfield, VIC 3180Phone: 03 9763 8255tony.toth@glenmac.com.au
www.glenmac.com.auMetropolitan Machinery Pty Ltd.Lot 9, McLeod Court Cavan, SA 5094Phone: 08 8349 5499mark.norsworthy@bigpond.comwww.bigpond.comTurf Link Australia Pty Ltd.Unit 2/37 William St. North Richmond, NSW 2754 Phone: 02 4571 1198mpauna@turflink.com.au
www.turflink.com.auTurf Equipment NZ Pty Ltd.358 Flaxton RoadRangiora 8254 . New ZealandPhone: + 03 3106 000 
chris@turfequipment.co.nz
www.turfequipment.co.nzT-Quip36 Abernethy RoadBelmont WA 6104Phone: 08 9478 7000 jp@tquip.com.au
www.tquip.com.auBlacktrac123 Beaty Road Archerfield QLD 4108Phone: 07 3277 7599stuart@blacktrac.com.au
www.blacktrac.com.auOur local dealers:QTurf Machinery Pty Ltd.9 Clifford Court . Capalaba Qld 4157Fax: + 61 (0) 7 3245 1340Phone: + 61 (0) 7 3245 6082terry@qturf.com.au . www.qturf.com.auresearchwas made up of 857 full-time (65 per cent), 348 part-time (26 per cent) and 116 seasonal (9 per 
cent) workers (Table 3, pg 44). Whereas the 
average turfgrass producer employs 5.1 full-
time workers, 1.9 part-time and 0.7 seasonal workers, in terms of farm size comparisons, the average small farm employs two full-time 
workers, a medium-sized farm just over six 
workers and large farms some 18 full-time 
workers.For the industry as a whole, although the majority (43 per cent) of income was derived 
from the production and sale of turfgrass, a full 27 per cent came from turf related services (i.e.: transporting turfgrass, landscape installation 
and/or maintenance).  Another 17 per cent 
was derived from food production (vegetables, 
wheat, cattle, sheep, etc.) as well as 13 per 
cent from miscellaneous business activities.  
Examples of this last group include tree and 
landscape nurseries, flower production, truck 
driving, machinery rental, waste disposal, and seed and fertiliser sales.A more informed distribution of income shows that expenses are grouped under three main headings Š production (growing) related 
activities; administration, sales and marketing; 
and landscape services.  The latter category 
was included because many producers engage in landscape service activities including design, installation and maintenance.Most of the harvesting of sod (36 per cent) occurred in the spring and early summer 
months between October and December with 
some two-thirds (68 per cent) of all turfgrass 
harvested using semi-automated systems, 
meaning a fair amount of human labour was employed in the process.  Nearly all Australian producers (96 per cent) harvest their own sod, 
with very little contracting occurring.  Most markets were relatively close to producers Š 45 per cent transport turfgrass 
less than 50 kilometres and another 28 per cent 
between 50Œ100km. Interestingly, the most 
common market served by turfgrass producers 
was the homeowner retail market which accounted for 35 per cent, with the second largest the wholesale market to landscape installation or maintenance companies (20 per 
cent). Residential developers came in third (18 
per cent) with smaller sales into retail garden 
centres (11 per cent), other turfgrass farms 
(7 per cent), and golf or sportsfield venues (5 per cent).  FIRM AND INDUSTRY PROBLEMSThe final section of the survey asked producers to identify the four most important problems 
facing them from an individual business 
standpoint and industry-wide perspective. Not 
surprisingly, two issues were of over-riding importance Š water and finances.  Given that the survey was conducted in 2006, which coincided with the prolonged drought impacting many parts of Australia, 
water was the number one concern (32 per 
cent) among turfgrass producers. Concern 
over water shortages was seen to impact on 
both producers and consumers, the latter 
of which ultimately compounds producer problems. On the supply end, water shortages increase the risk that producers will not be able 
to adequately irrigate their turfgrass (indeed the survey shows that 625ha was not irrigated). On 
the demand end, producers were concerned 
about the impact that water restrictions will 
have on homeowners. Some areas of Australia are on severe water restrictions which prevent the watering of lawns.Nearly a third of turf producers highlighted water restrictions as the number one issue confronting the industry TABLE 1.  HECTARES IN PRODUCTION AND VALUE OF TURFGRASS, BY GRASS VARIETY, 2006Grass Type Small Medium Large TotalWARM SEASON Ha Value Ha Value Ha Value Ha Value Total $000 Total $000 Total $000 Total $000Couchgrass 589.4 18,981.4 527.0 19,292.6 727.4 28,796.8 1,843.8 67,070.8Queensland Blue 111.9 4,883.2 58.5 2,079.2 13.6 479.6 184.0 7,442.0Seashore Paspalum 0.6  43.3 80.0 0.0 17.4 1,086.3 18.1 1,129.6Zoysiagrass 11.3 1,030.2 29.4 1,575.1 51.7 2,424.9 92.4 5,030.3Buffalograss 538.0 37,489.6 338.3 24,532.6 497.9 32,706.2 1,374.2 94,728.4Kikuyugrass 241.7 8,049.8 285.6 9,448.9 127.7 4,725.2 655.1 22,224.0Carpetgrass 18.5 950.5 0.0 0.0 60.3 2,289.7 78.8 3,240.1Sub-total 1,511.4 71,428.0 1,238.8 56,928.4 1,496.0 72,508.7 4,246.4 200,865.2COOL SEASON Kentucky Blue 16.6 579.3 26.8 1,603.9 16.5 984.6 60.0 3,167.9Tall Fescue 37.9 1,571.8 128.8 6,623.1 444.6 23,483.0 611.4 31,677.9Sub-total 54.5 2,151.1 155.6 8,227.0 461.1 24,467.6 671.4 34,845.8Total 1,565.9 73,579.1 1,394.4 65,155.4 1,957.1 96,976.3 4,917.8 235,711.042AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAlthough water was the number one concern, financial concerns ranked very closely behind (30 per cent).  These worries 
include high operating costs (e.g.: labour, fuel, insurance, equipment, etc.) as well as over-production and competitive undercutting 
of prices. Labour ranked third (8.5 per cent) and other industry problems included production-related concerns (7 per cent) including weeds and insect problems, maintaining quality, and providing the right grass varieties for the future. Regulatory issues (6 per cent), marketing concerns (6 per cent) and the lack of industry grades and standards (4 per cent) were also areas of worry.CONCLUSIONSThis survey provides a key industry benchmark on turf production and marketing and provides 
Australia™s turf producers a means of comparing 
their firm™s operation with that of other industry firms. The study also provides current financial information to existing turf producers, outside firms interested in becoming turf producers and the wider turfgrass industry.  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThis project was facilitated by Horticulture 
Australia Limited (HAL) in partnership with the 
Turf Producers Association Ltd and was funded 
by the turf levy. The University of Melbourne 
also provided infrastructure costs and accommodation expenses and the University of Florida supplied in-kind contribution of salary and fringe benefits for one of the researchers. We are also grateful for the assistance of Ray Moir (Turfgrass Producers Australia), Rob 
Davey (Evergreen Turf), John Cotter (Anco 
Turf), Kate Casimaty (StrathAyr), Lynn Davidson 
(Jimboomba Turf), Tony Cross (Caboolture 
Turf), Doug Fleet (Marne Valley Turf), Greg 
Miller (Millers Turf) in the development of this 
project. We also appreciate the assistance Research revealed that in 2006 the industry employed 1321 people43AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT Instantly restore dormant or discoloured turf to a natural green with Green Lawnger turf colourant. Easy to apply, Green 
Lawnger blends beautifully with most types of grass by simply controlling the amount of application.GREEN LAWNGER® Fast, Economical Turf Colourant 
 
WETTASOIL®  ULTRA 
 
 
Australia™s Most Effective Wetting Agent 
Reduce water usage with Wettasoil Ultra, the industry standard in 100% non-ionic wetting agents. Newly formulated without 
harmful NPEs, Wettasoil Ultra is now even safer and more convenient to apply. It is the ideal wetting agent for parks, athletics ˜ elds, race tracks, schools, councils, lawns, golf courses and more.email: info.au@beckerunderwood.comwww.beckerunderwood.com.auNational Sales Manager Dale Skepper 0407 880 521 dale.skepper@beckerunderwood.comSpecialty Products Manager Andrew Doyle 0409 313 026 andrew.doyle@beckerunderwood.comToll Free 1800 558 399always thinking ahead.TURF MARK®Spray IndicatorTurf Mark  is an ideal temporary spray colourant that leaves a distinctive blue dye to show exactly where you™ve sprayed. Registered with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, it helps prevent skips and overlaps and assists in pinpointing drift.of Stuart Burgess and Andrew Collins from HAL in administrating the project. The full 
report ΠEconomic and Agronomic Analysis of the Australian Turfgrass Industry Πcan be obtained by corresponding with HAL, Level 1, 
50 Carrington Street Sydney NSW 2000, ph (02) 
8295 2300 or fax (02) 8295 2399. researchGrass Type Small Medium Large TotalWARM SEASON Ha Value Ha Value Ha Value Ha Value Total $000 Total $000 Total $000 Total $000Couchgrass 527.7 17,562.1 398.7 15,196.6 453.2 18,943.9 1,379.6 51,702.6Queensland Blue 103.3 4,744.6 44.0 1,606.7 10.5 370.7 157.8 6,722.0Seashore Paspalum 0.5 32.1 0.0 0.0 12.7 787.0 13.2 819.1Zoysiagrass 5.6 631.1 27.0 1,363.8 37.2 1,954.4 69.8 3,949.3Buffalograss 393.5 28,336.3 349.5 25,353.9 380.3 25,410.2 1,123.3 79,100.4Kikuyugrass 180.9 5,736.7 289.1 9,407.5 85.3 2,895.3 555.3 18,039.4Carpetgrass 15.3 784.7 0.0 0.0 48.2 1,831.8 63.5 2,616.4Sub-total 1,226.8 57,827.6 1,108.3 52,928.5 1,027.4 52,193.3 3,362.5 162,949.2COOL SEASON 
Kentucky Blue 18.6 651.8 19.1 1,145.6 3.1 165.0 40.8 1,962.4Tall Fescue 12.4 508.1 102.5 5,262.4 216.0 10,855.4 330.9 16,665.9Sub-total 31.0 1,159.8 121.6 6,408.1 219.1 11,050.4 371.8 18,618.3Total 1,257.8 58,987.4 1,229.9 59,336.6 1,246.5 63,243.7 3,734.3 181,567.5TABLE 2.  HECTARES HARVESTED AND VALUE OF TURFGRASS, BY GRASS VARIETY, 2006TABLE 3.  LABOUR USE IN THE AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS INDUSTRYFarm size Full-time Part-time Seasonal  Total Average Total Average Total Average TotalSmall 314 1.9 166 1.0 50 0.3 530Medium 236 6.4 83 2.3 32 0.9 351Large 307 18.1 99 5.8 34 2.0 440Total 857 5.1 348 1.9 116 0.7 1,32144AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAGCSATechTIME FOR SOIL TESTING! Let us provide you with a truly independent soil reportSend samples toJohn Neylan and Andrew PeartPh. 03 9548 8600 Suite 1Fax. 03 9548 8622 Monash Corporate CentreEmail. john@agcsa.com.au 752 Blackburn RoadEmail. andrew@agcsa.com.au Clayton 3168 VicMELBOURNE(03) 8586 9111Fax: (03) 8586 9186SYDNEY(02) 98213277Fax: (02) 9821 3670BRISBANE(07) 3279 1588Fax: (07) 3279 1589PERTH(08) 9309 4388Fax: (08) 93094389ADELAIDE(08) 8177 2055Fax: (08) 8177 2044NEWCASTLE(02) 4950 5845Fax: (02) 4950 5895HOBART(03) 6273 0511Fax: (03) 6273 0686TOWNSVILLE(07) 4774 8222Fax: (07) 4774 8655BUNDABERG(07) 4155 9968Fax: (07) 4155 9968DARWIN(08) 8984 1600Fax: (08) 8984 1614GOLD COAST(07) 5563 2131Fax: (07) 5563 3727www.geofabrics.com.auContact your nearest branch for further informationMegaflo® - Flat Panel drainage system, accepted as an alternative by the USGA to round pipe for draining greens. Saving money on labour, machinery and materials, while leaving your green base untouched.ELCOSEAL® - Geosynthetic Clay Liner is an impermeable layer that restricts the flow of water into the ground. The system uses sodium bentonite to provide an environmentally friendly sealing liner. BunkerMat® - 3 dimensional bunker liner. Using the highest UV stabilised fibres and a polypropylene scrim results in the requirement of less sand and maintenance on your course bunkers.In recent times USGA agronomists have noted a rapid increase in golf course 
developments placed on coastal venues.  In addition, problems associated with salinity 
have become increasingly more prevalent in 
managed turfgrass over the past decade and 
the emphasis on water conversation strategies 
that use non-potable, alternative irrigation sources has been a primary contributor (9).  Alternative irrigation water sources include recycled water, stormwater, saline ground water, and seawater blends.  Many of these 
alternative water sources contain much higher 
salt levels than traditional irrigation waters.  The trend for use of more salt-laden irrigation waters on turfgrass sites is expected 
to continue to rise at a rapid rate and to further increase interest in developing more salt-tolerant grasses, especially halophytes (1, 7, 8, 11).  These trends have created the need for a high quality turfgrass that can tolerate stresses 
associated with salt-affected sites and even 
irrigation with brackish water.WHY SEASHORE PASPALUM?Seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) 
(Swartz), is a warm-season perennial grass that is particularly well-adapted to moist and 
salt-affected areas common in coastal regions 
(3).  It tolerates sandy and infertile soils, 
high concentrations of salt and occasional 
inundation by sea water as well as water-logged 
conditions.  It also has many morphological 
characteristics that make it desirable.  researchThe University of Georgia™s seashore paspalum breeding programme began in 1993 with goals to develop new turf-type cultivars to meet the increasing demands of the golf industry for a high-quality turf that could perform on salt-affected sites and withstand irrigation with salt-laden irrigation water.  The programme is now well-positioned to further 
improve and expand the utility of this important turfgrass species.  BY P. L. RAYMER, S. K. BRAMAN, L. L. BURPEE, R. N. CARROW, Z. CHEN, AND T. R. MURPHY. Seashore paspalum: Breeding a turfgrass for the future Seashore paspalum: Breeding a turfgrass for the futureInitially billed as a ‚niche grass™ for use on salt-affected sites, seashore paspalum is now gaining popularity and becoming the turfgrass of choice on many new golf course developments even where salt and irrigation water quality are not an issue46AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTSeashore paspalum produces both stolons and rhizomes, has an intermediate to fine leaf texture, an attractive dark green colour, good 
density, and good tolerance to low mowing 
heights. It is considered to be the most salt-
tolerant warm-season turfgrass species and 
also holds great promise for reclamation and 
soil stabilisation of unmanaged salt-affected 
sites (4).  The first seashore paspalum breeding programme was initiated by Dr R. R. Duncan 
in 1993 at the University of Georgia (UGA) 
Griffin Campus.  USGA agronomists quickly 
recognised the potential of seashore paspalum 
as a species that could meet the future needs 
of the golf course industry as a high-quality 
salt-tolerant turfgrass.  During the mid 1990s, the USGA and UGA entered into a joint project to develop seashore 
paspalum as a turfgrass species suitable for 
course-wide use on golf courses with salt-
related problems. Dr Duncan led the paspalum breeding programme until his retirement in 2003 when 
Dr Paul Raymer assumed leadership.  During his 10-year tenure with this programme, Dr Duncan assembled a collection of ecotypes from around the world and began an intensive programme to assess the turf traits and genetic 
potential of this species as a turfgrass. Working 
closely with Dr Bob Carrow and other turf 
scientists, a series of management studies 
were also undertaken to determine proper 
management protocols.   The UGA seashore paspalum breeding programme is now recognised as a major 
contributor to the recent success of seashore 
paspalum as a turfgrass species.  Thus far, 
this programme has focused on development 
of cultivars suitable for use by the golf course 
industry and has released three cultivars.  Dr Duncan released two cultivars before his retirement in 2003.  SeaIsle 1 and SeaIsle 
2000 were developed as companion grasses, 
with SeaIsle 1 for use on fairways and tees, 
and SeaIsle 2000 for use on greens.  The most recent UGA release, SeaIsle Supreme, was licensed to sod producers in 
2005 and is touted as a cultivar suitable for course-wide use.  SeaIsle Supreme has even better salt tolerance than the previous releases and should be well-suited for use as a fine turf in environments where salt is a problem for 
other turfgrasses.  Supreme is a vigorous ecotype that is suitable for use on golf courses, athletic fields, 
and other recreational venues as a fine turf.  
It is a low-growing and rapidly spreading semi-dwarf type that tolerates a wide range 
of mowing heights and still maintains good 
turf density and quality.  This property makes 
Supreme attractive as a grass that can be used 
on all parts of the golf course, from roughs to 
fairways to tees and greens.  Supreme also has an extremely vigorous spreading growth habit that aids rapid 
establishment, grow-in, and recovery from any 
maintenance challenges.  Thus far, SeaIsle 
Supreme licenses have been granted to five 
US domestic growers and it is being marketed 
aggressively internationally.  CURRENT BREEDING EFFORTSThe current breeding programme is an 
interdisciplinary effort with strong collaboration 
from a host of turf scientists including 
entomologist Dr Kris Braman, plant pathologist 
Dr Lee Burpee, stress physiologist Dr Bob 
Carrow, molecular biologist Dr Zhenbang Chen 
and weed scientist Dr Tim Murphy.  Our primary objectives are to further improve salt tolerance, insect resistance and disease resistance Promising experimental lines in the UGA programme are grown in small replicated plots where they are mowed and managed similar to golf course fairways47AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTresearchas well as to improve weed management strategies and develop molecular tools to 
support breeding.  Previous research has demonstrated that seashore paspalum ecotypes vary greatly in their level of tolerance to salt (5, 6) and range from no better than the best couchgrass hybrids to highly salt-tolerant.  Therefore, it is necessary to screen potential seashore paspalum cultivars prior to their release to 
document and ensure that they have high 
levels of salt tolerance.  The existence of salt-tolerant plants (halophytes) and differences in salt tolerance 
among genotypes within plant species 
indicates that there is a genetic basis to salt 
response.  Furthermore, genetically controlled variability for salt tolerance among genotypes infers that it may be possible to further improve salt tolerance of this species through breeding and selection.  A pre-requisite for the development of new cultivars with improved salt tolerance 
is an efficient and effective salt tolerance 
screening method suitable for evaluation of large numbers of breeding lines.  Such a screening method has been developed at the 
UGA (10).   This screening technique is now 
being used as part of the breeding programme 
to attain even higher levels of salt tolerance in 
future releases.The germplasm base for the UGA paspalum breeding programme is the largest and most 
diverse collection of seashore paspalum 
ecotypes in the world. Recent research findings now allow us to better utilise this germplasm base in our cultivar development programme.  A traditional breeding approach based on hybridisation is now being used to generate 
new genetic variation through recombination.  
This approach allows us to generate thousands 
of unique individuals each year.  Individual 
plants are hand trimmed in the greenhouse and undesirable plants eliminated.  Each year more than 6000 individuals are also screened for salt tolerance in the greenhouse.  Salt-tolerant individuals are transplanted to field plots for further evaluation of turf quality and 
resistance to dollar spot.  This approach allows our breeding programme to efficiently evaluate large numbers of individuals for important traits and should ensure continued improvement in turf quality, disease resistance, and salt tolerance in our future cultivar releases.IDENTIFYING PASPALUM CULTIVARSDifferentiating seashore paspalum cultivars has been a challenge since most cultivars used 
commercially are morphologically very similar.  
The ability to accurately identify cultivars is 
useful in protecting intellectual property and provides an extremely useful tool for verifying the identity of cultivars and confirming off-types during the certification process.  Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) is currently the most commonly used method for DNA fingerprinting.  Simple 
sequence repeats (SSR) are growing in 
popularity and can be used in conjunction with 
AFLP for genotype identifications.  We have 
used AFLP and SSRs to fingerprint the most commercially available seashore paspalum cultivars as well as all accessions in the USDA 
germplasm collection (2).  The use of AFLP banding patterns has already proven to be useful as a new tool in 
resolving a number of industry issues related to 
cultivar identity and quality control (identification 
of off-types) within our commercially released cultivars.SCREENING FOR DISEASECurrently, the disease susceptibility of seashore paspalum cultivars is largely unknown.  This 
relatively new turfgrass is best adapted to 
coastal areas of the tropics and sub-tropics 
but is now being commonly used in more 
inland areas where fungal diseases may be a 
significant problem.  Dollar spot, caused by Sclerotinia homoecarpa, and brown patch, caused by Rhizoctonia solani, are likely to be major fungal 
diseases impacting turf quality of seashore 
paspalum cultivars.  A preliminary disease screening conducted at Griffin campus during autumn of 2004 indicated considerable genotypic variability for dollar spot resistance among eight standard cultivars evaluated.  This finding provides encouragement for screening efforts to identify plant germplasm with superior host plant 
resistance that can be used by the breeding 
programme to develop cultivars with improved 
resistance.Screening for resistance to dollar spot has become part of the routine evaluation protocol for our breeding programme.  Each year about 2000 individuals in the single plant evaluation nursery are artificially inoculated in mid-September with the dollar spot fungus 
by Dr Lee Burpee, UGA turfgrass research 
plant pathologist. At about one month after 
inoculation, all plots are rated for dollar spot symptoms using a modified Horsfall-Barratt disease rating scale (0 = no disease and 9 = to 100 per cent disease).  These data are used as one of the major criteria for selection of individuals for advancement in the breeding evaluation 
scheme.  Disease resistance of all selected 
individuals is also later confirmed in replicated 
field plots.  All UGA breeding lines entered 
in advanced, regional and NTEP turf field 
trials are compared to standard commercially available cultivars in replicated field disease evaluations.SUMMARYUGA patented cultivars have been well-accepted by the turf industry both domestically 
and internationally. Certainly, the recent 
success of seashore paspalum has surprised 
many in the turf industry.  The grass that was originally billed as only a ‚niche grass™ for use on salt-affected sites 
or where irrigation with brackish water was 
necessary, has suddenly become the turfgrass 
of choice on many new course installations 
where salt and irrigation water quality are not 
even an issue.  Marketers of paspalum cultivars boast a host of superior traits including multiple stress resistance and reduced requirements for water, fertilisers, and pesticides.  These claims could be influencing turfgrass selection by golf course developers.  UGA seashore paspalum breeding programme director Dr  Paul Raymer48AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTHowever, the traits of paspalum that seem to be the most critical to course owners and superintendents are the ability to retain 
colour during the winter months, better 
ball support and the overwhelming beauty 
of a well-maintained paspalum golf course.  
Without a doubt, some course owners are 
using paspalum as a way to distinguish their course from others. In summary, the rapid growth in global popularity of the latest generation of seashore paspalum cultivars far exceeds early expectations. In fact, it is now safe to state that seashore paspalum has finally earned a spot 
on the list of recognised turfgrass species. Breeders of this species still face many challenges such as improving disease and insect resistance, and developing better weed management options. This seashore paspalum 
breeding programme is now well-positioned to meet many of the future challenges of the golf course industry.  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe authors wish to thank the USGA™s Turfgrass and Environmental Research Program for its 
continued support.  Also, support from the 
University of Georgia Cultivar Development 
Grant Program, the Georgia Seed Development 
Commission and the Georgia Agricultural 
Experiment Stations is gratefully acknowledged. Australian Turfgrass Management is grateful for 
the assistance of the authors and USGA TERO 
for allowing publication of this research (USGA 
TERO Vol 6 No. 21: Nov 1, 2007). A full list 
of references is available by contacting the 
AGCSA on (03) 9548 8600.Each year thousands of unique individual plants are grown in the UGA greenhouse.  Plants are hand-trimmed and undesirable plants eliminated prior to screening for salt tolerance49AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTenvironmental managementMelbourne™s Telstra Dome has become one of the first sporting arenas in the 
world to offset its carbon emissions after entering into an arrangement with 
Australian climate change company Carbon 
Planet.The announcement came as the Dome unveiled its new artificial lighting rigs which 
have been purchased from Dutch company 
Stadium Grow Light Concept (SGL) to aid 
surface wear and recovery. The Dome has become the first stadium in Australia to purchase the lighting rig 
technology which has been used by a number 
of elite sporting venues in the UK and Europe 
including English Premier League giants West Ham United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.Following extensive research into the use of artificial lighting by arena manager Gavin 
Darby and chief executive Ian Collins AM, the 
Dome purchased a total of 15 rigs from SGL at 
a cost of $2.2 million. Taking delivery of them in January, the rigs were switched on for the first time on 7 February and will be employed throughout the 2008 AFL season. The Dome set up includes 13 MU360 rigs, which illuminate an area of 360m2, and two smaller MU18 rigs which light up an area of 18m2. The larger rigs will be used down the centre of the ground and northern pockets, 
while the smaller units will be specifically used for high wear areas such as goal squares and 
the centre circle. The rigs will be officially deployed in March with three of the MU360 rigs used to cover six 
locations at the northern end of the arena. That 
will increase to seven rigs in 12 locations by 
April and come May all 13 MU360 rigs will be deployed across 24 locations.It is hoped that the lighting rigs will make a significant dent in the Dome™s turf replacement programme. Last year the Dome replaced Welcome to the first instalment of ATM™s dedicated environmental management section. In this and future editions, ATM will highlight turf industry practitioners who are making a concerted effort to improve their environmental management practices. In this opening feature, ATM looks at the lighting rigs recently purchased to aid turf recovery at Telstra Dome and the facility™s commitment to become carbon-neutral.Dome flicks the switch  on carbon emissionsDome flicks the switch 
 on carbon emissionsTelstra Dome has purchased 15 artificial lighting rigs which will be deployed throughout the 2008 AFL season to aid surface wear and recoveryArena manager Gavin Darby50AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTBY BRETT ROBINSONabout 8700m2 of turf and it is hoped that figure will reduce to around 5000m2 once the lighting rigs are fully employed.As well as the lighting rigs, the Dome has purchased an SGL Analyser which includes sensors for relative air humidity/temperature, 
soil humidity/temperature and moisture. 
Importantly, it also contains several light 
sensors, including one installed on the roof 
of the venue. This will allow the comparison of actual natural light levels against modelled data which will enable the Dome to increase or decrease lighting hours to ensure optimal use of the system. Committed to ensuring a carbon-neutral impact for the lighting rigs, Telstra Dome has entered a partnership with Carbon Planet to 
provide carbon offsets for the energy used by 
the lights. It is believed that Telstra Dome has 
become the first stadium in the world using such lighting rigs to fully offset its carbon footprint.Based on Carbon Planet figures, the annual carbon output of the lighting rigs, which will account for less than five per cent of the Dome™s energy needs, will require 2224 NGAC (NSW Greenhouse Abatement Certificate) carbon credits. NGAC™s are a particular kind of credit issued by the NSW Government and are generated, traded and regulated under NSW law. Each 
NGAC abates a single tonne of carbon dioxide 
for 100 years which is a stronger requirement 
than for a Kyoto Agreement-compliant credit. Carbon Planet is also providing additional advice on carbon reduction initiatives across the whole stadium.Collins welcomed the partnership with Carbon Planet adding it was a further step 
in maintaining responsible environmental practices at the venue which hosts upwards of 80 events annually.Editor™s Note: For a detailed account of 
the lighting rigs and how they will be used 
at the Telstra Dome, read arena manager 
Gavin Darby™s exclusive article ‚Dome sees 
a new light™ in ATM Volume 9.6 (November-
December 2007).Dome flicks the switch  on carbon emissionsDome flicks the switch 
 on carbon emissionsTelstra Dome has entered a partnership with Australian company Carbon Planet to provide carbon offsets for the energy used by the lighting rigs51AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTwater managementPennant Hills Golf Club in Sydney is hoping to flick the switch on its new 
multi-million dollar sewer mining plant this month (March). Dogged by weather-related 
delays, the Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) is nearly two months behind schedule, however the final stage of the project Œ the offtake from the sewer main located in Devlin™s Creek Œ was expected to be completed in late February.Constructing the offtake has been hampered due to high flow levels through 
the creek caused by months of wet weather. 
Ironically, 2007 was the club™s wettest since 1994, which has meant it has been near impossible to get the offtake process underway as it requires minimal flows through the water body.Building of the plant and its various components has continued unhindered, 
however, and all tanks and chambers have 
been constructed and thoroughly waterproof 
tested over January. The electrical switchboard 
has also undergone extensive testing and the PLC has been programmed ready to start producing water. At the time of this edition going to print, Pennant Hills general manager Stewart Fenton 
was waiting on final approval of the Systems 
Management Plan (SMP) from Hornsby 
Council, which was expected to get the all 
clear in late February. Such approval allows 
for formal water testing to begin, subject to the sewer offtake connection being completed. The SMP, a document which was completed totally in-house and extends to 85 pages, was part of a number of additional 
bureaucratic hurdles the club has had to clear following the release of the Interim Guidelines for Management of Private Recycled Water Schemes late in 2007. As well as the SMP, an extensive risk assessment report was 
conducted and lodged with the council.While the weather delays have been frustrating, Fenton says that the club had one bit of good news in that it has, as part of its SMP, been able to negotiate the formal 
testing period down from three months to 
one month. That should mean the club will be 
able to produce and use water on the course 
in late March, provided the weather comes to the party.     fiThe installation of the membranes will occur immediately after the sewer offtake connection is completed,fl explains Fenton. 
fiWe have also negotiated with Sydney Water 
to obtain a large quantity of ‚seed™ material (the 
bugs which eat the sludge) from one of their 
local sewage treatment plants. This will save 
time as we will not have to cultivate our own 
‚seed™ which is so pivotal to the membrane biological reactor process.fl  Elsewhere on site, work on permanent Despite delays in the construction of its groundbreaking sewer mining plant, Pennant Hills Golf Club is just a few small steps away from ending its reliance on potable water for irrigation.Final hurdle in sight for Pennant Hills plantFinal hurdle in sight for 
Pennant Hills plantMajor components of the Pennant Hills sewer mining plant, such as the balance tank, are in place and the final piece of the puzzle Πthe sewer offtake connection Πwas due to be completed by the end of February52AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTBY BRETT ROBINSON AND STEWART FENTONfencing around the plant was due to start in late February. Groundstaff have also incorporated some mounding down the right hand side of the 10th hole which will further add to the 
visual aspect of the plant which has been built 
into the natural contours of the area.  Two new bunkers have also been constructed on the right hand side of the 10th 
hole, under the direction of course architect Jim Wilcher. The bunkers have been designed to push play away from the plant but have been specifically placed to come into play for the long hitters only. They are also reasonably shallow to allow for a good shot to be played 
to the green.   Operation of the WRP will be undertaken in-house by course superintendent Richard Kirkby and his crew. The plant is fully automated with the high end technology allowing for water specifications to be fidialled infl. This enables key components of the water, such as pH and 
nitrogen levels, to be continually adjusted. It also allows a variety of operational speeds which means the club can reduce the amount 
of water produced during non-peak times, like winter. However, as the plant is a bioreactor 
and relies on ‚bugs™ to feed on the sludge, it 
will need to run all year round to keep them alive. It is anticipated that the plant will run at 15 per cent of its capacity during winter.     The project has generated widespread interest across the golf course industry and Fenton says one of his more onerous tasks will be whittling down the guest list for the official opening, with government ministers and officials lining up to be there. Fenton has also been called upon by other golfing 
associations to outline the project and in 
late February he presented to a gathering of 
Victorian golf course general managers. fiAs each day passes we are one step closer to turning the dream into reality,fl says Fenton. fiWhile most courses in Sydney are looking nice and green at the present time due to all the rain we™ve been having, we will be able to ensure ours is like this for the years to come without any reliance on weather or 
potable water supplies.fiThis is all happening at a time when Sydney Water is currently awaiting a decision from IPART in regard to a price increase from $1.38 per kilolitre of drinking water to $2.08.fiThere is no doubt that the price of water will continue to increase and golf clubs that do rely on potable water supplies will face 
significant additional financial pressures if they 
do not address the water challenge facing the 
industry.flPennant Hills Golf Club general manager Stewart Fenton53AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTHE NEW SOLUTION FOR WINTERGRASS AND RYEGRASS* CONTROL Fantastic Wintergrass and Ryegrass* control Effective on all biotypes of Poa annua Reduced tracking potentialFor more information refer to our new tech brochure in this edition of Turfgrass Magazine.2  Registration pending for use on Sir Walter Buffalo * Registration pending for Ryegrass controlColiseum HerbicideACTIVE CONSTITUENT: 250 g/kg RIMSULFURONFor the control of Wintergrass (Poa annua) and Ryegrass* (Lolium spp) in Couch and Sir Walter Buffalo2Available fromTurf Culture Pty LtdABN: 38 117 986 615PO Box 381Brighton, Vic, 3186Ph: 0413 587 682Fax: 03 8621 0095turf techniciansBY JOHN PHELANVTETA committee member and Woodlands Golf Club turf technician John Phelan continues to look at the changing role of the modern day turf equipment technician. In the last two editions we have read articles about changing technology in various parts 
of the turf industry, but the fact is that in these times turf technicians have to keep up to 
date and know a variety of information about 
many different types of equipment.Turf technicians work on, service and source parts for a diverse array of machinery 
ranging from whipper-snippers, cylinder 
mowers, tractors, trucks, wood chippers 
and excavators.  Workshops need to be well 
equipped to enable a quick and efficient 
turnaround on any work we undertake so that 
downtime is kept to a minimum.FROM MECHANIC TO EDUCATOR–On most occasions the turf technician is 
the team member responsible for ensuring 
operators are educated on how a piece of 
equipment works.  This can include oil and 
water, hydraulic oil cleaning or simply how to 
operate the machine. Time spent in this area 
can help prevent breakdowns, downtime of equipment and the time you spend in the 
workshop fixing the problem.On a recent adjustment to one of our walker mowers, a Flex 21, I discovered the 
grooved front roller completely full of gum nuts 
(see above picture). The question was asked 
‚Why had the green not been blown before the 
grass had been cut?™ and following on from 
this ‚Why had the gumnuts not been removed 
when the machine was washed?™ Normally 
grass left in the mower cylinders is the trouble.  This happened on a Monday morning and got 
the week off to a shaky start.–TO ENGINEER AND MANUFACTURERIn July 2007, Woodlands Golf Club purchased 
a Chipstar wood chipper for use on the course. 
The search then started to find a truck that 
could tow the chipper from one end of the 
course to the other, as well as carry a large 
amount of wood chips, for a reasonable cost.Changing roles down in the workshopChanging roles down in the workshopEducating equipment users on the dos and don™ts is one area that often falls on a mechanic™s shouldersThe Woodlands Golf Club chipper truck before (left) and after its makeoverAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT54A member of the club who had decided to downsize his tree lopping business offered us a good deal on his Isuzu truck.   Superintendent 
Glenn Stuart and I took a trip out to view the 
truck, but on arrival we questioned whether 
or not to even get out of the car due to its 
sorry state.  After considerable thought and 
discussion (the body was quite rusty and 
needed a large amount of time spent on it to 
bring it up to scratch) we decided to purchase 
it.My first thought on delivery was this job is going to keep me occupied for the entire 
winter, and it did! I started the job with a 9fl 
angle grinder and oxy acetylene torch, cutting 
away the rusty panels from the body.  A week 
later the only part of the body left was the 
tailgate and the front of the tipper, the rest was 
frame.The next step was to purchase 3mmx1500x3000 second grade sheets.  I 
trimmed these to 2.7m long to use for the sides 
and the tray.  The floor of the cab was also very 
rusty as the windows in the truck had long ago 
given up the ghost and stopped working.  Before any more work started the floor and windows were repaired to keep out the water 
and sawdust and the inside was cleaned up and seats recovered.  The last piece of rust 
repair was done on the cab back doors to 
finally make the machine ready for painting. 
Picking a day with no wind or rain, I gave the 
cab a coat of white paint and the body black 
paint.Mechanically the truck ran well and all it needed was the oil, filters and water changed 
and the addition of a pintle hook tow bar and 
she was ready to take her first drive around the 
golf course.The project was completed and the truck and chipper ready to go by the first week 
of November 2007.  As I had first thought, 
combined with keeping all the other course 
equipment up to standard, the job had taken 
a considerable amount of time but in the end 
was well worth the effort.Another undertaking during the winter months in the Woodlands workshop is rope 
stakes.  We have developed a jig that we 
place in a vice to hold the rods,  we then bend 
the pigtail on one end after which there is a 
position for the cross piece to sit for welding.  
The final task is to send the rope stake off to be 
powder coated or galvanised.Another interesting problem occurred during the year with a Tru-Turf roller.  A pivot axle broke on one side of the roller while the 
other side axle was bent on a 45° angle.  The 
axles on these rollers are a part of the main 
frame and cannot be removed.  To fix the problem I had to turn up a stub axle for both sides and cut off the old bent 
axles, slip on the new ones and weld them 
into place.I™m sure, like me, everyone has some interesting dilemmas in the workshop and 
ways of solving them and this is where turf 
technicians come into their own.  TETA STATE CONTACTSNSWTETA
Membership enquiries
Sam Olah
M: 0418 296 111
E: s-m-s@bigpond.com
Next event: 1 April, 2008 ΠTurflink 
Australia
VTETA
Membership enquiries
John Phelan
M: 0412 121 111
E: john@vteta.info
Next event: Early March 2008 - TBC55AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTFoley sets new standards in grindingwww.toro.com.auFor more information speak with your local Toro representative.For Customer Service call 1800 356 372Exclusive Australian DistributorWith newer grass strains, shorter cutting heights and the challenges of newer reel and traction systems, Foley United is the proven world leader in grinding solutions.
If the answer is yes to these questions you need Foley United.www.foleyunited.comHERO/TOR1944JnewsEminent Queensland turfgrass researcher Dr Don Loch has stepped down from his 
full-time position with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries 
(QDPI&F) Turf Research Group.Dr Loch has scaled down his involvement at the Redlands Research Station, finishing up 
his full-time role in late January 2008. He will 
continue to be actively involved with the group 
as part of the QDPI&F™s alumni programme 
and will work three days a week.In 2000 Dr Loch initiated and led the QDPI&F™s Turf Research Group at Redlands. 
Prior to this appointment, he worked with 
tropical grasses for 30 years at Gympie 
DPI during which time he bred two new 
Rhodes grass cultivars and registered several 
other new pasture cultivars. He was also 
instrumental in developing technology to 
support the commercialisation of many new 
tropical herbage grasses and legumes for 
northern Australia. With over 37 years of research experience in pasture and ornamental grasses, Dr Loch 
is recognised as Australia™s leading scientist 
within his field. He has built this reputation 
through academic excellence, extensive 
knowledge of tropical grasses, in particular turf 
and industry development.Since the inauguration of the turf research programme at Redlands, turf collections and 
plots were planted for observational purposes. 
In an attempt to contain the ever-growing 
collections, the concept of turf demonstration 
plots was conceived and construction/planting 
started five months after the group was 
formed. The site currently contains 138 (3mx2.5m plots) unreplicated warm-season turfgrass 
varieties from 24 taxa, providing homeowners, 
the turf industry, educational institutions and 
researchers alike with a ‚living turf library™.This display of predominantly vegetative turf cultivars growing in a subtropical location has been sourced from breeders and other research groups from within Australia 
and internationally. With an ever-growing quantity of turf varieties being released, Dr Loch has been instrumental in importing turf 
genotypes that have demonstrated potential 
in a number of areas (eg: salt and shade 
tolerance) and are of educational significance. fiIf you have had the privilege to meet Don, or held a ‚quick™ conversation with him over the phone or in person, 
you must be mistaken and we are obviously speaking of different people,fl quips fellow 
QDPI&F research scientist Matt Roche. fiDon has never been one to shy away from a lengthy conversation or debate particularly when turf is the topic of conversation. There is no such thing as a ‚quickie™ on turf with Don.fiIf you were visiting Redlands and were under the impression you could quickly check out the turf plots and obtain a quick overview of the history of selected turfgrasses, Don was always 
willing to correct that misconception.fiDon™s passion and enthusiasm is quickly realised by the touring person(s) while on one 
of his walk and talk fests. One such occasion 
that instinctively comes to mind is when Don 
was showing a sod producer and his wife 
around the plots. fiThe group had been walking and talking for several hours and I™m sure all was going 
well until the clouds opened and the rain set 
in. This would generally have most people 
ducking for cover, grabbing an umbrella or 
calling the tour off. Not this time. Neither Don, 
the sod producer nor more importantly his wife 
had an umbrella in reach– but the show kept 
on going.flDr Loch has been an integral part of the forward direction of the turfgrass industry 
within Australia over recent years and his 
knowledge, global networks and research 
skills have enabled him to position the QDPI&F 
Turf Research Group as Australia™s leading turf 
research body. The group currently consists of 10 members (principle turf scientist, four scientists, 
three technicians, an extension officer and a 
qualified greenkeeper) that have the ability 
to undertake research activities and provide 
extension on a multitude of turf disciplines 
critical to the turf industry and the amenity and 
lifestyle horticulture sectors.  Such expertise 
was achieved by Dr Loch™s forward thinking, 
interstate and international (NZSTI, Uni. 
Georgia etc...) collaborations and linkages 
with the wider turf industry. Since 2000 Dr Loch has been largely involved in successfully obtaining numerous 
Horticulture Australia Limited funded projects, a 
number of Australian Research Council grants 
and has negotiated with many government 
agencies and companies selling turf related 
products to undertake independent research 
activities with their support. fiDon has requested that he still be actively involved within the QDPI&F Turf Research 
Group and the undertaking of such a 
transitional role has been widely supported by 
management and its staff,fl says Roche. fiBoth welcome the opportunity and look forward to the future working relationship and 
how this can strengthen the activities of the 
Queensland-based research team.flLOCH SCALES DOWN QDPI&F RESEARCH ROLEOne of Australia™s leading turfgrass research scientists, Dr Don Loch, ceased his full-time position with the QDPI&F in late January56 AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTSATURATED SUPERS BATTLE THE ELEMENTSSuperintendents at a number of Queensland courses have had a start to 
2008 they would rather forget following major flooding rains which had nearly two 
thirds of the state in a state of emergency.Some areas on the Gold Coast received up to 600mm for the two months to February with 
a number of golf courses damaged by major 
floods in both January and February. Ironically, 
while most of the state was under water, 
Brisbane™s main catchment areas missed out 
with dam levels rising to just above 31 per 
cent.The monsoonal start to the year couldn™t have come at a worse time for Royal Pines 
superintendent Paul McLean. Having taken 
over from Stuart Laing in late 2007, the former 
Simplot rep had to get the course up for the 
2008 ANZ Ladies Masters which was held 
in the first week of February. In the five days 
leading up to the start of the tournament, the 
course got hammered by 217mm, eventually 
forcing organisers to call off the first round and 
reduce the tournament to 54 holes.In a novel approach, McLean resorted to sending a text message to his turf management 
colleagues on the Gold Coast asking for 
assistance in getting the course back in play, 
particularly the bunkers. The message read: 
‚U r all invited 2 the first Royal Pines working b 
just bring a shovel and a hat. Start time 4.30am 
this Thursday c u there! The ploy obviously worked as upwards of 40 superintendents and staff from nearby 
courses turned up to lend a hand, much to 
McLean™s relief.A few kilometres south of Royal Pines and Mark Hauff and his staff at The Colonial Golf 
Course had to clean up the course following 
two major flood events inside of five weeks. On Friday 4 January substantial rainfall began with just under 200mm recorded in two 
and a half days. The Colonial runs alongside 
Mudgeeraba Creek which is fed from the 
hinterland and surrounding areas to which all 
run-off eventually runs to the lowest point of 
the creek adjacent to the golf course.  Sitting 
less than one metre above a normal tide level 
from the creek, the course copped major 
damage.fiOn Friday afternoon we literally watched the creek tide rise and begin to penetrate the 
course and ultimately merge with our existing 
lakes which cover almost 15 hectares of the 
60ha property,fl recalls Hauff.fiIt was almost three days until the creek™s level subsided enough to instigate our flood 
pumps.  In those three days it gave time for 
the silt to settle and once the flood waters 
subsided, this substantially prolonged the 
clean-up process.fl Four greens were partially affected with a 2cm film of silt, with one green totally covered.  
Several fairways, tees and rough areas were 
also affected while several tonnes of debris 
were removed including pot plants, drums, 
kayaks, a small water tank and a large hay 
bale.  The Colonial course maintenance staff 
repaired the course and it was reopened a 
week later on 11 January.  Just over three weeks later, starting on 4 February, the course copped another 200mm 
in two days and flooded once again.  Although 
silt damage and debris was less severe it took 
over three days until the flood pumps could 
be used and the course eventually opened a 
week later.fiIn situations like this it makes you realise the camaraderie, support and respect staff 
can develop for each other and I couldn™t be happier with the way staff handled both these 
situations with maturity and dedication,fl says 
Hauff.Paul Lierse at The Glades was in a similar boat as the course also backs on 
to the Mudgeeraba Creek. Water levels 
peaked around 2am and by around 6am on 
5 January water had subsided enough that 
Lierse could initiate the course™s dewatering 
pumps. These pumps move 1000l/s and within 48 hours the bulk of the water was removed 
and real story unveiled. fiIt was messy,fl says Lierse. fiAll the crew came in on Sunday (6 January) and once they 
picked their jaws up out of the mud they got 
stuck in. It took four days to remove the bulk of 
the mud and our crew worked virtually around 
the clock. fiNew techniques were created to get rid of the mud that you will not find in any text 
books but were highly effective. Constant 
showers allowed nothing to dry but the crew 
toiled away and we re-opened the course on 
10 January. fiDuring adversity like that you can really see the true character of your staff and I couldn™t be prouder of ours.flFloods deposited tonnes of debris on the likes of The Colonial and The Glades, including pot plants, drums, kayaks, a small water tank and hay 
bales57AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTaround the trade GOVAN JOINS NUTURF TEAMNuturf has unveiled its new technical 
services team. Headed 
by David Worrad, 
the team comprises  Sydney-based Albie Leggett who looks 
after all analytical services, while Brisbane-
based Ramiro Martinez has a similar role for 
Queensland. Lee Govan has also joined the team and began in early February. Based in Victoria, 
Govan will service the technical support and 
product development needs of Victoria, South 
Australia and Western Australia.  For more information about the Nuturf technical services team, contact David 
Worrad on 0408 832 318.CALCIUM SOURCE FIRST FOR AUSTRALIAN TURF INDUSTRYRecently formed Victorian company Endeavour 
Turf Products has released a novel new form 
of water soluble calcium that can be applied 
through drip or irrigation lines or sprayed from 
a tank. Calcour Liquid is based on calcium thiosulphate, a highly efficient compound 
compared to industry standards such as 
calcium sulphate and the calcium EDTA complex of chelated calcium. Calcium EDTA 
complex and thiosulphate are both soluble, 
but the EDTA molecule is bulky and difficult to 
get into the plant. With calcium thiosulphate and calcium sulphate, both of their molecules are 
biologically active in the plant and easily taken 
up by the roots. The problem with calcium sulphate is that it can be difficult to apply due to tank 
compatibility and settlement issues. Calcour 
Liquid avoids these issues by being easy to 
apply and not settling out in the tank.Calcour Liquid is a combination of ammonium N, calcium, elemental sulphur 
and sulphate sulphur which are normally 
incompatible in solution. Through bacterial 
oxidation of the elemental sulphur to sulphate 
sulphur, it effectively acidifies the soil while 
adding calcium. This in turn makes ‚locked up™ 
nutrients such as P and traces more available 
to the plant. Calcour Liquid is a neutral to basic, 
chloride-free, clear liquid solution, containing 
8.8 per cent N, 6 per cent calcium and 10 per 
cent sulphur. Calcour Liquid includes four separate forms of calcium designed to improve availability 
and microbial breakdown. In the US, calcium 
thiosulphate, a clear liquid with no toxic effect, 
has been found to be effective for use in 
correcting high sodium content while acting to dechlorinate as well and has been widely 
used over the past three years in arid western 
areas.For more information about Calcour Liquid, contact Grant Greenway on 0419 527 
209 or Jerry Spencer on 0439 019 050 from 
Endeavour Turf Products.THYNNE SIGNS UP WITH TOROMariska Thynne has been appointed as Toro 
Australia™s commercial 
equipment division 
marketing manager. Thynne started her new role in early November 
2007 and takes over from Jade Gardner who 
left the company after five years last October. Thynne has an interesting background having recently completed a Masters of 
Marketing at the University of South Australia. 
Thynne also has a Bachelor of Visual Arts 
specialising in jewellery, metal and glass, 
a degree which led her to have various 
promotions and event management roles in 
the creative industries. fiIt has been a wonderful four months since joining Toro and I am keen to learn more 
about the turf market and contribute to the 
development, promotion and marketing of 
Toro Australia,fl says Thynne.SA CLUBS WISE UP TO WATERLee GovanMariska ThynneSouth Australian golf clubs Kooyonga, Glenelg, Grange, Riverside and Royal 
Adelaide are among the first in Australia to 
adopt Waterite Irrigation System Evaluation 
(WISE).Developed and manufactured by South Australian based company Aquatek Irrigation, 
WISE uses DGPS technology to map an 
entire golf course providing information on 
key irrigation assets such as sprinklers, 
pumps, drains and outlets. fiNot knowing exactly what assets you have and where they are, irrigation planning 
becomes a hit and miss affair, something that 
has become critical with water restrictions,fl 
says Aquatek managing director Darren 
Ferber. fiWaterite Irrigation System Evaluation provides all information so that accurate 
irrigation budgets and water planning are 
easy to create and proves very useful on 
a day-to-day basis for superintendents, regulatory authorities and their equipment 
suppliers.fiWith water restrictions, a lot of golf courses have been put on notice. WISE has 
become a tool for our customers to provide 
accurate reporting but also analyse and plan 
their irrigation system so that water use is 
minimal.fiGolf customers now have a complete overview of their system, know exactly what 
assets they have in the field and can easily 
plan upgrades to achieve better irrigation 
efficiency.fl For further information on WISE technology, contact Darren Ferber on 1300 
887 448 or 0408 087 698.Royal Adelaide is one of a number of SA clubs to use Aquatek™s WISE technologyAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT58Irrigating fairways, greens and tee boxes requires real intelligence and the world™s  
most advanced soil moisture technology.The new generation of AquaSpy water management systems gives you a complete 
understanding of the turf environment right 
through the soil pro˜le. No other soil moisture 
probe in the world provides data at every 50mm 
increment through to a depth of 300mm. A modular, no-maintenance design and an  open and common platform enables plug  
and play connectivity.AquaSpy gives you the knowledge to 
promote turf health, reduce water and energy 
consumption, as well as cutting fertiliser costs.  
Competition level golf courses use AquaSpy 
systems to maximise these bene˜ts while 
improving playability and ˜ne tuning greens.   A growing distributor network means there  are AquaSpy dealers located across Australia  
Œ and 24 hour support just a phone call away.  AquaSpy - Intelligence in every drop.For more information go to www.aquaspy.com  or call (08) 8416 9900No more guesswork.Check us out at the  Irrigation Australia showMay 20 - 22, 2008. Booth #515.300mm deep. Monitor  perched water table.250mm deep. Con˜rm  
strategic leaching. 200mm deep. Prevent  
nutrient losses.150mm deep. Observe  
root zone activity.100mm deep. Monitor  
changes in in˜ltration. 50mm deep. First indication  of effective water application.123456Sensor depthstate reportsHappy New Year to everyone! New South Wales is still receiving some good 
rainfall and dam levels have reached 61 per cent. Rural NSW has also received some 
much-needed rainfall. There is not a great deal 
to report at the moment as everybody is busy 
mowing grass or installing drainage.Congratulations to David Honeysett and all the staff at The Australian Golf Club in hosting 
another successful Open Championship in 
December. It was great to see Craig Parry win 
his first Open here in Sydney. Well done to 
all superintendents and their staff who have 
held tournaments this summer; the standards 
presented were very high and all involved 
should be very proud.I would like to thank all who attended the annual Harbour Cruise on 5 December (my 
apologies as sick children stopped me from 
sampling a red or two on our fine harbour). 
Thanks to all the sponsors ΠDad and Dave 
Turf Supplies, Golf Shapes and e-par. Your 
continued support is very much appreciated. 
Well done to all directors who were involved in 
another well-organised event. The annual Rube Walkerden Day will be held at Killara Golf Club on 10 April. This is 
always a very popular event so get in early 
if you wish to play. Mandatory jacket and tie 
apply for dinner. See you there.ANDY HUGILLPRESIDENT, NSWGCSANSWGCSATGAA ACTAs many of you will no doubt be aware 
extreme weather conditions have been 
creating havoc for most of Queensland over the past couple of months. It was only 
in December that most of the state was in 
drought and receiving drought assistance, but 
by the middle of February two thirds of the 
state is flooded and receiving aid.  What™s the old advocate - it never rains, but it pours!  Unfortunately the one third of Queensland that wasn™t flooded and saw very little rainfall 
was a section in the south east corner (where 
the dams that supply Brisbane with its water) 
out to Toowoomba.  Brisbane™s water supply 
has risen from 17 per cent to 31 per cent 
during this time, while Toowoomba™s supply is 
still under the 20 per cent mark. All other major 
dams throughout the state are overflowing.  On the Gold Coast most areas have recorded over 600mm for the two months 
to February, while south of the border 
Murwillumbah was closed for close to a month, 
reopened and then flooded again.Hats off to superintendent Paul McLean and his staff at Royal Pines Resort for their 
efforts in getting the course up for the ANZ 
Ladies Masters. Royal Pines recorded 217mm 
of rain from Saturday night leading up to the 
Thursday morning of the tournament.  From the GCSAQ and Paul a huge thank you to the clubs and companies that supplied labour and machinery to bring the bunkers 
back into play.  Over 40 volunteers turned up 
to shovel, push and pump out the 68 bunkers.  This shows what our industry is made of and it 
is great to know that you are dealing with the 
type of people that will give up their time in a 
time of need. The GCSAQ committee recently held a meeting at the DPI and had a tour of the turf 
trials that are going on at Redlands.  It was great to see them all in A1 condition.  The 
interesting thing for all was how the greens 
grade grasses were going and especially the 
new varieties compared with what we have 
now.  Thank you to our tour guide, DPI™s head of facilities and head experimentalist Jon 
Penberthy and his able assistant, research 
scientist Matt Roche.  The committee is looking 
at holding a day at Redlands later in the year 
so we can all experience these trials.In other news Jason Foster has resigned as superintendent at Arundel Hills Golf Club to 
take up a position with Turf Force.  Nigel Slade, Jason™s 2IC, is moving into the superintendent 
position.  Congratulations to both and good 
luck. ROD COOKPRESIDENT, GCSAQGCSAQWith water being such a finite resource, 
the majority of turf managers 
throughout the ACT and surrounding region are taking steps to reduce their total 
water usage by either incorporating couch into 
their already established cool-season grasses, 
or totally replacing these areas with warm-
season grasses.  As many of you are aware there are hundreds of ways to skin a cat and by no 
means is there a wrong or right way.  How these 
local managers have chosen to approach their 
particular area is extremely site-specific and 
dependent on a number of issues including 
budgetary constraints.  As with many facets of turf management, results can often be a slow process.  We wish 
these turfies the best of luck and with correct 
practices I am sure that the desired outcomes 
will be achieved in good time.The Canberra region will possibly be playing host to a couch seed trial as part of a 
study programme by university student Trent 
Frazer.  The trial will hopefully be located at the Royal Canberra Golf Club and it is expected 
to be supported by the TGAA ACT and the 
Canberra Institute of Technology.  Although 
only in its infancy, we will keep you up to date 
as things progress.For anyone who may be working or interested in working in the turf industry 
and is looking for a change of scenery, the 
Canberra and surrounding region offers a 
great opportunity in employment for qualified, 
skilled and apprenticeship based schemes in 
the trade.  The turf trade is well established and has a strong base in the ACT and continues to 
supply strong support to the industry.  Please contact Bruce Davies on (02) 6207 4623 for 
more information.The past 12 months has seen the TGAA ACT expand and grow to a new level.  This is 
made possible by our benevolent sponsors 
without who all our success would not be 
possible.  It is also made possible by our 
valued member base.  As all TGAA members know, part of the benefits of being a member is that you receive 
a quarterly newsletter.  We at the TGAA ACT 
wish to invite any submissions you may 
wish to include into our next edition.  Please 
contact Gary Dawson on (02) 6207 4624 for 
prospective articles.Until next time agrostologists.JUSTIN A. K. HASLAMCOMMITTEE, TGAA ACTAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT60Christmas and January have come and gone so quickly. All at the TGAA VIC 
hope you had a great Christmas and felt the ‚pitter patter™ of little rain drops. We 
can only hope that the coming months bring 
sufficient rainfall where needed.Upcoming dates to remember include the 17 April field day at Mt Scopus Memorial College 
and, of course, the 24th Australian Turfgrass 
Conference at the Melbourne Exhibition and 
Conference Centre (21-25 July).The conference will include a dedicated sportsfield stream as well as the highly popular 
Cricket Wicket Seminar and annual general 
meeting. Information and registration forms will 
be posted to members in March and we advise 
you get in quick to take advantage of the Early 
Bird discount.By the time you receive this edition, our office will have moved. For details and new 
contact numbers, keep an eye on the TGAA 
website and our newsletter in March 2008.ROB SUNDBLOMPRESIDENT, TGAA VICTGAA VICTGAA WAThe labour shortage in Western Australia 
continues to have a serious impact on 
the turf industry. We are constantly losing skilled workers to other industries and the predictions are that it 
is likely to get worse. This places tremendous 
pressure on managers, who are responsible 
for delivering the same level of service without 
enough workers. To address the labour shortage as an industry, the Turf and Landscape Industry 
Association held a meeting in December 
with John Nicolaou, chief economist at the 
Western Australia Chamber of Commerce and 
Industry (CCI). He has experience with a range 
of industries in WA dealing with the labour 
shortage. The CCI can assist us by facilitating the production of a ‚Workforce Plan™ for the turf 
industry. They are also looking for case studies 
on the impact of the labour shortage on 
various industry sectors and presenting them 
to the government policymakers in Canberra. 
The aim is to influence government policy on 
measures to expand the workforce.Our Christmas social function at the WACA for the interstate one-day cricket match was 
very popular again last year, with about 75 
members attending. The TGAA WA has a 
number of other events planned in 2008 
including a field day at Lark Hill in April and an 
irrigation seminar in June.Finally, I™d like to acknowledge the sad passing of Kerry Coates last September. Kerry 
was a valued member of our association in 
his position as grounds manager at Methodist 
Ladies College in Claremont. Kerry was struck 
down by motor neurone disease in 2005. Kerry was well respected in the sporting community and a celebrity charity walk between 
Perth and Albany was held last October in his 
honour to raise funds for the Motor Neurone 
Disease Association of WA. Our association 
made a contribution of $500 in memory of 
Kerry.PETER RUSCOEPRESIDENT, TGAA WAAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT61state reportsGCSAWAI would like to wish everyone a wonderful and prosperous 2008 and hope all goes 
well for the year ahead. It has been a hot start to 2008 in WA with January averaging 
32 degrees. Some scorchers were thrown in 
for good measure and there was no rain at all 
(some in the know say that could be the first 
time in 15 years or so). February started the same until we received 30mm in one day, topping the averages up for 
the first two months. Why try and figure out 
these weather patterns? Hopefully we can 
have a wet 2008 with rains spread out evenly 
over the cooler months.Speaking of hot spots, spare a thought for Dion Warr at The Vines Resort. A staff member 
left the ignition on in a utility vehicle which 
started a fire in the main machinery shed. Six 
greens mowers and five utility vehicles were 
torched before the fire brigade arrived around 
midnight. I™m sure Dion would have let it burn 
a bit longer if not beaten there by the fireys, 
or push a few of the older machines into the 
fire zone! In all seriousness, however, Dion estimates about $500,000 damage to buildings and 
machines and is hopeful that part of his fleet 
will be quickly replaced.In other news, Tim Chape has resigned as superintendent at Rockingham Golf Club 
and taken up the assistant position with his 
superintendent stepson Brad Anderson at Sun 
City Country Club. Together they will hopefully 
see through major upgrades to the course, 
including the irrigation system. It was sad to hear that assistant superintendent Alan Morley had left Secret 
Harbour to pursue a new position on the docks 
at Fremantle Wharf Πmore money and less 
pressure (especially working under Devo!) and 
more free time. Alan™s departure seems to be a worrying trend within the industry, with staff leaving for 
better paid jobs and superintendents finding 
it hard to replace them with quality personnel. 
A review or shake up of our industry™s wage 
structure is needed otherwise clubs are going 
to struggle to retain workers. There have also been concerns about the quality of apprentice education at South West 
TAFE. All I can say is that if clubs take on 
apprentices it is their duty of care to ensure they 
get the best education through TAFE. From 
my experience, Murdoch TAFE has quality 
teachers, including two ex-superintendents 
of high quality, ready to help out. I know the financial costs of sending students up to Perth 
for two weeks, three times a year, but surely 
the positives must outweigh this?The GCSAWA is gearing up for the return of its bi-annual state conference at Rottnest 
Island which will be held from 11-14 May. It is 
set to be a fantastic few days at the Rottnest 
Lodge, and with numbers being limited make 
sure you have secured your spot with Craig 
New. Craig has organised a fantastic conference with some exciting guest and local speakers 
presenting an informative round of seminars 
and social activities.The Golf Masters Cup is also on again for 2008 with Brad Anderson setting up a year 
of great golf at some magnificent courses, 
so ensure you register for the six rounds 
throughout the year, as well as the other 
annual golf events such as the Toro Cup, 
Management Challenge and AGM.Elsewhere around the state, congratulations to Busselton Golf Club superintendent Callum 
Hitching after he got ‚hitched™ in March. Paul 
Needham has left The Cut to move to Secret 
Harbour under Allan Devlin, while Geoff 
Stephens is the new sales representative for 
Toro machinery in WA. Please feel free to contact me or one of the other state committee representatives in 
regards to any GCSAWA matters. Have a great 
year and I look forward to catching up with 
everyone in 2008.DARREN WILSONPRESIDENT, GCSAWAAbove and right: A fire in the maintenance facility of The Vines Resort in Perth caused about $500,000 worth of damage to the building and machinery. Six greens mowers and five utility vehicles were gutted in the blazeBelow right: The staff room and staff equipment also received extensive damage during the fire. Fortunately no staff were on site at the timeAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT62TGAA NSWThe year is flying along so fast and 2008 will be another very busy one for TGAA 
NSW. Our first event for the year is the annual golf day on 18 March at Ashlar GC. Our first seminar and tradeshow will be held on 15 May at the Sydney Showgrounds 
which will be followed by our annual Regional 
Seminar in Kurri Kurri on 19 August.  We 
will also be holding a training workshop on 
9 July and the year will conclude with our 
annual Sportsman™s Charity Luncheon on 21 
November. On Wednesday,  20 February representatives from the various TGAA regions got together for 
a meeting in Brisbane to discuss plans for 
2008 and to look at the establishment of a 
Queensland branch.  For information on any TGAA NSW event, or if you want to find out more about the 
Queensland branch, contact (02) 8883 4688 or 
email nswtgaa@bigpond.net.auGRAEME LOGAN,PRESIDENT, TGAA NSWThe summer weather certainly hasn™t 
been kind to turfies in Tassie so far this 
year. Rainfall across the state is very much below average with only 2.4mm falling 
in Hobart during January, which was on top of 
just 3mm in November. With well above average temperatures to boot it has had everyone nurturing their cool-
season grasses through summer. Hopefully 
the La Nina weather pattern will get this far 
south and give some long awaited decent 
rainfalls.Our next two TGCSA meetings will be ones not to miss. The first is on 5 March at 
the stunning Quamby Country Club and has 
been organised by Phil Hill, Peter Medwin and 
superintendent Nelson de Silva. The education 
session in the morning will look at fertiliser and 
nutrient requirements in relation to turf diseases, 
fertiliser management in combination with 
recycled water and a machinery presentation 
and demonstration by sponsor KBE. Lunch 
will be followed by nine holes of golf and a few 
quiet drinks to finish the day off.The autumn meeting will be held on 7 May at Hobart's Bellerive Oval with curator 
Cameron Hodgkins giving an insight into 
wicket and ground preparations for the 2nd 
Test between Australia and Sri Lanka held 
earlier this summer. We then move to Howrah Bowls Club to see how good everyone™s judgement is in the 
game of lawn bowls. More information will be 
made available closer to the day but please put 
this date in your diary now.On the staff movement front, Drew Ponting has left Mowbray Golf Club and Shane Knott 
has taken the reins. Chris Kline has left North 
West Bay Golf Club and the club is yet to 
confirm a replacement superintendent. The 
vacancy left by Kane McDonald at Port Sorell 
has been filled by Paul Derrell who hails 
originally from the UK.STEVE LEWISPRESIDENT, TGCSATGCSAAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT6324th Australian Turfgrass Conference and Trade ShowMelbourne Convention Centre - 21-25 July 2008Registrations are now open for the 24th Australian Turfgrass Conference.
 
Information on speakers, time tables, and 
costs can be obtained at www.agcsa.com.au 
or by contacting the AGCSA to request a full 
delegates brochure. Online registration is the easy, no fuss way 
to register for all sessions, workshops and 
social functions.  Click on the links on the 
conference page of the website and follow 
the instructions. It™s that simple 
and confirmation is immediate.
 SEE YOU IN MELBOURNECONFERENCE REGISTRATIONstate reportsVGCSASAGCSADue to ever-growing administration requirements, the SAGCSA executive 
has taken on a bookkeeper.  Jo Cowley of Office Squad (also working at Mt Barker GC) 
is now acting as our part-time administration 
support person. I would ask all SAGCSA members to direct their written communications to Jo as 
she will be organising and distributing these 
documents to the relevant parties.  Jo will also 
handle data entry, processing of payments and 
mailouts.  Please support Jo as she will be a huge asset to our association.  Jo™s contact details 
are Office Squad, P.O. Box 951, Mount Barker, 
SA 5251, ph 0422 774 715.Having the administration support person will help attract future SAGCSA executive 
committee members and aid the current 
executive to focus on pressing association 
matters.I have had several superintendents mention to me in recent times how difficult 
it is becoming to find qualified staff.  Like 
many other states we are experiencing a 
skills shortage.  If you are losing staff to other 
industries we would like to hear about it.  As 
an industry we need to be putting measures in 
place to retain the qualified staff we have and 
to attract quality young people.  The SAGCSA executive is also keen to hear the thoughts of the members on potential meeting themes and venues and in particular 
on the managers/supers meeting.  We are 
keen to provide relevant keynote speakers 
and interesting topics for all of the meetings 
we hold. We recognise that supers want a 
good return on the time they give up to attend, 
so please pass on your views when you get 
the chance to either myself or one of the 
committee members.I hope that everyone is well and that the autumn rains come early this year as most 
have suffered another long and dry irrigation 
season.  ANDREW BLACKERPRESIDENT, SAGCSAVictoria has experienced a typical 
summer with good rainfall in December, 
while January and February have been hot and dry which has tested the skills and 
patience of all superintendents. With 3a water 
restrictions in place, it makes life extremely 
tough when water quality is poor and your 
only reliance to flush imperfections out of your 
greens is rainfall.The first VGCSA meeting for the year was held on 26 February at the Northern Melbourne 
Institute of TAFE. This education day, sponsored 
by Nuturf, focused on disease identification 
and fungicide combinations. A big thank you to 
Gavin Hagan (state manager Victoria), Sherwin 
Elias (plant protection manager) and Albie Leggett (Nuturf agronomist). All panellists were 
very informative and I™m sure everyone got 
something out of the day. Water projects and 
water quality was the focus of the afternoon 
session with a passionate presentation from 
Paul Spencer from Greenway Solutions. The 
day was a great success and well supported 
by our members.With the country meeting just around the corner at Port Fairy Golf Club (6-7 April), sponsored by Globe, we are encouraging 
members to get together and head down to 
one of the hidden treasures on the Victorian 
coastline. Port Fairy, home to superintendent 
John McIlroy, has been voted 42 in Australia™s 
top 50 courses, with one panellist voting it in 
his top 16.If you love your golf or you have a passion for golf course design, Port Fairy is a must 
visit. So join your fellow superintendents, 
play golf, have a couple of beers and enjoy 
the atmosphere at Port Fairy. With Globe 
sponsoring the day in partnership with Syngenta, the focus will be on product 
development initiatives, while Syngenta will 
run a workshop on spray technology.The VGCSA is entering the final stages of putting together its OH&S DVD. With the 
filming completed, only the editing remains 
and the committee looks forward to being able to hand it out to all VGCSA members in the 
not too distant future. This DVD will also be 
available to superintendents around Australia, 
so if you are interested in purchasing a Safety 
in the Workplace DVD we will be making these 
available through the state associations and 
the AGCSA.Thank you to Trevor Uren who has worked extremely hard putting this DVD together. 
Hopefully it will be well received by the industry 
and can help employees safeguard against the 
hazards that are present in the maintenance of 
golf courses.  MICHAEL FREEMANPRESIDENT, VGCSAThe VGCSA™s country meeting will be held at picturesque Port Fairy Golf Club in early AprilPort Fairy Golf Club superintendent 
John McIlroyAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT64John Deere Greens Mowers The best greens aren™t built, they™re maintained, and no machine offers 
a smoother ˜ nish to your greens than the John Deere range of Greens 
Mowers. After years of extensive testing 
and feedback from superintendents 
worldwide, John Deere Greens Mowers 
are engineered to give an exceptional 
quality of cut, the utmost in operator 
comfort and the highest level of 
serviceability. Contact your local John Deere Golf & Turf dealer to see how John Deere can make 
a difference to your greens. A Great Start To A Smooth Finishwww.deere.com.au2500E Hybrid Greens MowerC-Series 
Greens Mowers2500B 
Greens MowerLOWARADelivering Pumping SolutionsRChristchurchPhone (03) 365 0279 Fax (03) 366 6616Auckland
Phone (09) 525 8282 Fax (09) 525 8284Melbourne
Phone (03) 9793 9999 Fax (03) 9793 0022Sydney
Phone (02) 9671 3666 Fax (02) 9671 3644Brisbane
Phone (07) 3200 6488 Fax (07) 3200 3822Email info@brownbros.com.auWeb Site www.brownbros.com.aufiThe growing-in phase of a new golf course is critical and requires detailed planning, particularly when it comes to 
irrigation.
When the new Settlers Run Golf Course at Cranbourne was in the early stages of planning we had no hesitation in recommending a Lowara pumping system because 
of its better control, long term reliability and ease of 
maintenance.
The Settlers Run pump installation incorporates 4 
variable speed Hydrovars which are uniquely linked to Toro Irrigations™ Sitepro software which delivers to the Superintendent precise information on the performance of 
the total pumping system, which is absolutely critical to the 
grow-in phase.
Combine that with Brown Brothers™ exemplary after sales 
service and Settlers Run couldn™t be in better hands.flBrendan Graham, A&M WateringHow the Hydrovar reduces energy consumption.Most applications involve the pump operating either along its full speed performance curve or the pumps performance is throttled or regulated 
by a valve. The Hydrovar eliminates these operating methods by 
regulating pump speed and hence output to match the system demand. 
This saves wasted energy traditionally lost in these conventional pump 
systems. Energy savings of up to 70% can be realized. (figure 1)What is Hydrovar?Hydrovar has gained a reputation as THE pump mounted 
microprocessor pumping system controller. But it does much more 
than just change motor speed.It actually manages the performance of the pump to match a wide range of system conditions and requirements.Hydrovar is fully programmable on site as it incorporates the microprocessor and the variable drive in one compact and unique 
packageHow Hydrovar reduces maintenance cost.Hydrovar software is designed specifically for centrifugal pump operation, control and protection. Hydrovar can thus be setup to protect 
the pump from operating under various unfavourable conditions eg. 
cavitation, operating against closed head, low NPSHa or operation 
past a pumps maximum flow rate. Hydrovar will automatically shut 
down and alarm if adverse conditions occur.Hydrovar provides the Golf Course Superintendent with the flexibility of watering required with substantial savings on installation, 
power usage and maintenance. For details about the experience of 
some of Australia and New Zealands most prestigious Golf Clubs 
who have installed Hydrovar pumping systems, contact the Lowara 
distributors nearest you.What is Flowlink?To assist green-keepers and Superintendents in the 
golf course, turf and irrigation markets,  Lowara and 
TORO Irrigation teamed up together to develop a link between the 
Toro Sitepro software  and Hydrovar.The link operates with up to 4 Hydrovar pump systems and monitor running / fault conditions and measures pressure and flow of 
the pump system.All these parameters are displayed on the central irrigation control computer