Royal Melbourne™srenaissanceForsyth fashions Royal of oldRoyal Melbourne™s
renaissanceForsyth fashions Royal of oldDavis Cup Royal Sydney serves up a thrillerDavis Cup Royal Sydney serves up a thrillerFuture-proofingIs your club keeping up with the times?Future-proofingIs your club keeping up with the times?www.agcsa.com.auWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 13.6 NOV-DEC 2011ISSN 1442-2697Note: While FlameŽ has taken great care in preparing this artwork responsibility for the printed artwork and copy accuracy lies with the client. The printer is responsible for checking artwork before plates are made, accuracy in measurements, plates tolerance requirements, registration and construction detailing. Any questions please contact flame before proceeding with the job. Copyright 2011 Flame.Luigi Pagnozzi (account service) | Luigi@flame.com.au | +61 2 9887 8500 | flame.com.auName:  FLAME_SYN0019 Headway Max Ad-287x210Date: 19.10.11 | Round: FSize:  287mm H x 420mm WƒPythium, Dollar Spot, Brown Patch, Anthracnose, ERI and Helmo Complex and more. Syngenta Crop Protection Pty Limited, Level 1, 2-4 Lyonpark Road, Macquarie Park NSW 2113. ABN 33 002 933 717. ® Registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Ž Trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. All products written in uppercase are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. AD11-294.
®The long standing trusted fungicide  for peace of mind this season.To ˜nd your nearest Syngenta agent go to www.greencast.com.au/au/agent-contact-detailsNote: While FlameŽ has taken great care in preparing this artwork responsibility for the printed artwork and copy accuracy lies with the client. The printer is responsible for checking artwork before plates are made, accuracy in measurements, plates tolerance requirements, registration and construction detailing. Any questions please contact flame before proceeding with the job. Copyright 2011 Flame.Luigi Pagnozzi (account service) | Luigi@flame.com.au | +61 2 9887 8500 | flame.com.auName:  FLAME_SYN0019 Headway Max Ad-287x210Date: 19.10.11 | Round: FSize:  287mm H x 420mm W
The only fungicide that controls and  prevents all major turf diseases ƒ in one.Simple Solution  to the ERI ComplexPh. 03 9548 8600 Fax. 03 9548 8622 Email: andrew@agcsa.com.au;  jgeary@agcsa.com.auSuite 1, Monash Corporate Centre, 752 Blackburn Road, Clayton 3168 VicTechAnalytical, Diagnostic and Consultancy ServicesLet us provide you with a truly independent diagnostic and analytical serviceAGCSA members receive a 20% discount off all 
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services. AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     3SUBSCRIPTION 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 $95.00Prices include GST.Winner of 31 awards at the TOCA International Communicators Contest 2006 - 2011Official Guide27th Australian Turfgrass Conference and Trade ExhibitionAdelaide13-17 June 201127th Australian 
Turfgrass ConferenceYour guide to Adelaide 201127th 
Australian 
Turfgrass ConferenceYour guide to Adelaide 2011South Australian spotlightKooyonga, Adelaide Shores, Riverside, AAMI Stadium,The GrangeSouth Australian spotlightKooyonga, Adelaide Shores, Riverside, AAMI Stadium,The GrangeCleaning up ChristchurchNZ turfies rally after quakeCleaning up ChristchurchNZ turfies rally after quakeResearchWarm-season turf adaptationManaging water repellencyResearchWarm-season turf adaptationManaging water repellencyPicture perfectSanctuary Cove™s new-look Palms coursePicture perfectSanctuary Cove™s new-look Palms coursewww.agcsa.com.auWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2010 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 13.3 MAY-JUN 2011ISSN 1442-2697State of disasterQueensland™s summer of destructionState of disasterQueensland™s summer of destructionWarringah 10 years onWhat haven™t we learned?Warringah 10 years onWhat haven™t we learned?JOURNALwww.agcsa.com.auWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2010 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2010 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 13.2 MAR-APR 2011ISSN 1442-26972011 Open ChampionshipRoyal St George™s flies the flag2011 Open ChampionshipRoyal St George™s flies the flagMetricon measures upGold Coast Suns™ home turf shinesMetricon measures upGold Coast Suns™ home turf shinesBaja beautyMexico™s El Dorado  Golf and Beach ClubBaja beautyMexico™s El Dorado  Golf and Beach Club2011 AGCSA and Sports Turf AwardsFrank Dempsey, Phil Ford, Colin Morrison, Troy MacLaren, Tim Fankhauser, Dan Oswin and Rebecca Dynon2011 AGCSA and Sports Turf AwardsFrank Dempsey, Phil Ford, Colin Morrison, Troy MacLaren, Tim Fankhauser, Dan Oswin and Rebecca Dynonwww.agcsa.com.auISSN 1442-2697WINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 13.4 JUL-AUG 2011ResearchBentgrass variety trialsOrganic matter dilutionNative patch diseasesResearchBentgrass variety trialsOrganic matter dilutionNative patch diseases2011 Rugby World CupKiwi curators take centre stage2011 Rugby World CupKiwi curators take centre stagewww.agcsa.com.auWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 13.5 SEP-OCT 2011ISSN 1442-2697ORDERS 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 .......................................................... Visa .........................................................................................Card Number:  __ __ __ __   __ __ __ __   __ __ __ __   __ __ __ __ Expiry Date:_____/_____Cardholder Name: ...........................................................................................................................
Address: .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Signature:. ...............................................Funds have been paid by electronic transfer to Westpac BSB 033 380 Acc 385360Please 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  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.au   W: www.agcsa.com.auAGCSA BoardPresident:  Allan DevlinDirectors:  Darren Wilson Tony Fogarty Peter LonerganGeneral Manager 
Peter Frewinpeter@agcsa.com.auEvents and Education ManagerSimone Staplessimone@agcsa.com.auBusiness Relationship ManagerMelissa Wallacemelissa@agcsa.com.auMembership and AdministrationLyndel Conwayinfo@agcsa.com.auAdministrationAllison Jenkins
admin@agcsa.com.auAccountsPhilip Horsburghphilip@agcsa.com.auAGCSATechAndrew Peart and John Gearyandrew@agcsa.com.au
jgeary@agcsa.com.auHR & Best Practice ManagerDaryl Sellardaryl@agcsa.com.auProudly supported byPrinted ByImpact Printing69-79 Fallon StreetBrunswick, VIC 3056Copyright © 2011 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.SUBSCRIBE NOW4     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTCONTENTSCOVER: Royal Melbourne 16 East: For the second time in its prestigious history, The Presidents Cup returns to Royal Melbourne Golf Club™s Composite Course from 15-20 November, 2011.Photo: Brett Robinson.Royal Melbourne™srenaissanceForsyth fashions Royal of oldRoyal Melbourne™s
renaissanceForsyth fashions Royal of oldDavis Cup Royal Sydney serves up a thrillerDavis Cup Royal Sydney serves up a thrillerFuture-proofingIs your club keeping up with the times?Future-proofingIs your club keeping up with the times?www.agcsa.com.auWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTWINNER OF 8 AWARDS AT THE 2011 TOCA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATORS CONTESTVOLUME 13.6 NOV-DEC 2011ISSN 1442-2697FEATURESRoyal Sydney serves it up 24Renowned as one of the country™s premier championship golf venues, in September Royal 
Sydney Golf Club played host to Australia™s Davis Cup tennis tie against Switzerland. While Lleyton 
Hewitt and Bernard Tomic had their work cut out on court against the likes of Roger Federer and Stanislaw Wawrinka, ATM discovers that the turf management crew at Royal Sydney had a few challenges of their own in getting the couchgrass 
court up to tournament standard.Are you keeping up with the times? 42AGCSA HR and Best Practice Service manager Daryl Sellar asks whether golf clubs are taking 
up the challenging of meeting their obligations 
and responsibilities to the course, their staff and 
ultimately the industry in general, by planning 
effectively for the future.  Links life in Vietnam 48Lucas Skelton looks at his time as superintendent at The Montgomerie Links in Danang, Vietnam, one of a number of recent golf course developments on 
the country™s central coast which are helping to kick-
start a new wave of course construction and interest 
in the game there.COVER STORY: Royal Melbourne™s remarkable renaissance 8-22 Three years ago Royal Melbourne Golf Club was making headlines for all the wrong reasons as 
years of drought had brought one of the world™s most prestigious and treasured layouts to its knees. 
Appointed new course superintendent in March 2009 and with the 2011 Presidents Cup having only 
been announced a few months prior, the job confronting Richard Forsyth was mammoth, yet come November all the world will see just how he, his crew and the Royal Melbourne Golf Club have managed to turn around this Alister Mackenzie classic. ATM editor Brett Robinson profiles Forsyth ahead of the biggest tournament of his career and looks at the mountain of work that has gone into revitalising Royal 
Melbourne™s prized turf surfaces.TIME FOR WATER QUALITY TESTING! Let us provide you with a truly independent water quality report Send samples toPh. 03 9548 8600Fax. 03 9548 8622Email. andrew@agcsa.com.auEmail. jgeary@agcsa.com.auSuite 1, Monash Corporate Centre752 Blackburn RoadClayton 3168 VicTechAnalytical, Diagnostic and Consultancy ServicesAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     5      Contributors to Australian Turfgrass Management JournalVolume 13.6 (November-December 2011) Shaun Bilston (Kingston Links); Shane Bromfield (Royal Sydney GC); Michael Bradbery (Manly GC); Brendan Brown (Neangar Park GC); Grant Bunting (NZGCSA); Col Caulfield (Pine Rivers GC); Chris Chapman (STA NSW); Wade Cranston (Glenden 
Town Club); Peter Daly (McLeod Country GC); Allan Devlin (AGCSA); Ben Evans (Bardwell Valley GC); Richard Forsyth (Royal Melbourne GC); John Geary (AGCSATech); Charlie 
Giffard (Indooroopilly GC); Shane Greenhill (Sorrento GC); Chris Hamer (Royal Sydney GC); Scott Harris (Gold Creek CC); Steven Hewitt (VGCSA); Richard Kirkby (Pennant Hills GC); 
Peter Lawson (Wagga Wagga CC); Robert Lynas (Geraldton GC); Greg Marshall (Cronulla GC); Warren Maynard (VGA); Ian McKendry (STANZ); Dave Morrison (GCSAQ); John Neylan; 
John Odell (Royal Sydney GC); Andrew Peart (AGCSA); Des Russell (GCSAWA); Daryl Sellar (AGCSA); Lucas Skelton (Monash City Council); Tony Smith (TGCSA); Trevor Strachan 
(Lake Karrinyup CC); Wayne Tickle (Ballina GC); Nathan Tovey (TGAA VIC); and Caragh Threlfall (The University of Melbourne)There have been a few milestones in my family recently. My darling daughter Elizabeth turned one at the start of October, while at the other end of the ledger, 
on 27 September 2011 my dear grandmother Kitty notched up a century! If I make it to 70 I will be exceeding expectations, but my dear Nan is still going strong and is testament to a clean living lifestyle (so that™s where I have gone wrong) with just the 
occasional nip of medicinal sherry! By the time you read this I will be across the Ditch with 
four generations of my family celebrating Nan™s special occasion, but rather oddly we will be 
doing so a whole month after her actual birthday. Why you ask? Well, the story goes like this.Kitty was born on 27 September 1911, one of eight children to Harry and Emma Robinson. Harry was an engineer at a flourmill in Southbrook, about 30km north of Christchurch, and just days after his daughter was born was entrusted with the task of making the trek to the 
births, deaths and marriages office in Christchurch to register the birth. Somewhere along the way, however, dear old Harry got ‚distracted™, as my Nan eloquently puts it, and her birth wasn™t officially recorded until a full month later Œ 27 October 
1911! As you can imagine, 100 years later the story has become part of family folklore and 
it™s a running joke among us grandchildren that perhaps Harry stopped off for a quick pint 
en route and never quite reached the bottom...Whatever Harry™s reasoning for putting off registering the birth, 100 years on it has caused all sorts of palaver approaching Nan™s milestone birthday. In order to get all the ceremonial bits of paper Œ the letters from the Queen, the New Zealand Governor General, the local mayor etc... you have to provide an original birth certificate. Problem is that my 
Nan™s original birth certificate has 27 October 1911. Despite a mountain of correspondence 
back and forth with the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs we couldn™t get them to recognise Nan™s actual birthday. Fortunately Nan has found the whole process rather amusing and commented to me when I rang her for her birthday, fiOh well, what™s another 
month when you™re my age!fl Ah, bless!My Nan™s story provides a nice segue into Daryl Sellar™s feature which we carry in this final edition for 2011. No, Daryl isn™t turning 100, but rather his article questions whether golf clubs are taking up the challenging of meeting their obligations and responsibilities to the 
course, their staff and ultimately the industry, by planning effectively for the future. Just as 
my great grandfather did all those years ago, Daryl stresses that putting off the inevitable will 
lead to significant consequences further down the track and that in this day and age where 
golf courses are like any other business, such a mindset can spell the end for some clubs. Leading this edition we catch up with Royal Melbourne Golf Club superintendent Richard Forsyth who, having been in the position for just over two years, is steeling himself and his crew for the upcoming Presidents Cup. The amount of work that has gone into revitalising 
Royal Melbourne over the past couple of years is mindboggling and there is little doubt that 
the problems of the past decade, where it was ravaged by drought, are well behind the club.While he is one of the most modest individuals going around and will hate me for saying this, Richard is without doubt one of the finest greenkeepers of his era. Those who were fortunate to see Metropolitan Golf Club during the 2001 World Matchplay Championships 
when Richard was in charge there, will agree that he set a new benchmark when it came 
to course presentation and you can guarantee he will be striving to better that come mid-
November. I™m sure we all wish Richard and his assistants Simon Muller, Paul Thomas and Michael Love all the best for the event. Enjoy the read...Brett Robinson EditorAGCSATECH UPDATETurning brown into green 32This instalment of AGCSATech Update takes a look at golf courses in Oman and outlines the major three year biodiversity and carbon 
benefit  study about to get underway of urban golf 
courses in Melbourne.OPINIONFeeding time! 38The Pulse asks superintendents whether they have changed their fertiliser management 
practices in recent times and if so what have they 
altered and why?Also in this edition–Foreword Thinking 6Tech Talk Œ Pythium 36Regional Profile Œ Geraldton Golf Club, WA 52Around the Trade 56AGCSA Book Shop 58State Reports 60 LOOKING FOR GREENKEEPING STAFF?Advertise on the AGCSA website - the Australian turf industry™s LEADING online job resourcePost your job online now at www.agcsa.com.au/jobs or email info@agcsa.com.au6     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTFOREWORD THINKINGALLAN DEVLIN, PRESIDENT, AGCSAA lot has certainly happened since the last edition of Australian Turfgrass Management Journal, with the big news the appointment of a new AGCSA general manager. I would like to officially welcome Peter Frewin to the association and wish him all the best in his new role which he 
starts in the first week of November.Peter is no stranger to the AGCSA, being a past board member and president, and brings a wealth of 
experience to the association. I am looking forward 
to hearing Peter™s ideas for moving the AGCSA forward when we get together at the next board 
meeting. As president of the AGCSA I am committed to working with Peter and the Board to continue 
the good work the association has achieved and to 
provide our members with the best service possible. The last few months have been an extremely difficult and uncomfortable time for the association 
and I would like to thank the wonderful staff at the 
AGCSA for their dedication and hard work. Peter is very fortunate to have these great people to help him 
develop and grow our association.GMA CONFERENCEIn early October I represented the AGCSA at the GMA Conference in Melbourne. I was part of an 
industry forum that included the General Managers Association, Professional Golfers Association, Golf Australia and golf media. We were all asked what we 
felt were the five key industry challenges today and 
from an AGCSA perspective I was able to highlight the following points: WATER  The increasing shortage of and future availability of good quality water is going to have a huge 
impact on golf courses; Water licences are becoming more restrictive 
and new licences harder to obtain; and Public perception is that golf courses are water 
wasters and guzzlers.ENVIRONMENT & OH&S  Environmental management has become an integral part of golf course maintenance;  The public perception is that golf courses are environmental vandals; OH&S issues have also become a huge part 
of the golf course operation. Legislation is 
increasing and becoming stricter on a day-to-
day basis and varies significantly from state to 
state;  New Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) laws putting the onus onto committees come into 
effect on 1 January 2012; Time spent on these issues by course maintenance staff costs money and takes up a 
significant amount of working hours; and Who will be penalised and deemed responsible 
if a breach of legislation occurs. STAFF RETENTION  It is becoming increasingly difficult to attract and retain good employees;  Due to the poor wages under the Award and 
unsociable working hours, it is an industry that 
has always struggled to retain high quality staff; 
and Why are superintendents walking away from or 
being forced to leave the profession when they 
are generally well paid?ASSOCIATION COLLABORATION  There are many association bodies that are all Frewin appointment heralds new chapter for AGCSA||AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     7AGCSA MEMBERSHIPimportant in their own way to the development of golf. These associations must act more as a 
united body to have a bigger voice in promotion 
of the game; Although collaboration and respect exists 
between these various bodies, that does not 
always translate to club level between general 
manager, club pro and superintendent; and There still remains a dispute as to who is golf™s ‚peak body™.CLUB MANAGEMENT KNOWLEDGE  Most club boards and committees consist of 
people with minimal or no knowledge of golf 
course maintenance procedures; and Often unqualified and ignorant persons are 
issuing instructions to highly qualified, 
experienced professionals.I thought these five issues were very important to the future of the game, but after 90 minutes 
of discussion and debate none of these were 
really covered by the panellists and the general 
feeling was that membership growth was the most 
important challenge the industry faces. It will be interesting to see what lies ahead when golf clubs 
that have focused on growing their memberships 
have nowhere to play due to ignorance of those five 
key areas I highlighted!AGIC DELEGATIONI was also part of the Australian Golf Industry 
Council™s annual delegation to Canberra to meet 
with those wise people who run this fine country 
of ours. I took part in the inaugural Parliamentary 
Sports Day and played golf with some MPs and 
government officials at Gold Creek Country Club. We all had a great day and it was nice to see 
some of the politicians relax and enjoy a game of 
golf. I must congratulate course superintendent 
Scott Harris and his staff for the condition of the 
golf course...how they grow couch in that climate 
amazes me! Following the golf we attended a dinner in honour of the Australian Diamonds netball team, 
who recently won the World Netball Championships 
in Singapore. It was a delight to meet some of 
these young ladies who are obviously at the top of 
their sport. The MC interviewed six of the winning team on stage and the way these girls handled the 
media was a real credit to them with their quick wit 
and articulate answers. I wondered what the same 
situation would have been like with six of our top 
footy players! It was refreshing to hear the way that netball has grown as a major sport and the golf industry 
could gain a lot from listening to their experienes in 
the future. Unfortunately, several of the delegation™s 
meetings with key political figures had to be 
cancelled as Julia Gillard and her Carbon Tax were obviously of much greater importance than the 
future of golf! AUSTRALIAN GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS™ ASSOCIATIONMEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORMHelping superintendents and their staff to achieve the best possible playing surfaces and adjacent environment within the limitations of the available resourcesSurname: ...............................................First Name:..........................................................Preferred Mailing Address: .................................................................................................City/Suburb: ...........................................State: .................................Postcode: .................Position: .............................................................................................................................Club/Organisation: .............................................................................................................Phone: Landline:   ..............................................................................................................              Mobile:  ................................................Fax: ....................................................................Email: .................................................................................................................................Member Category:  ............................................................................................................State Membership: ............................................................................................................ PAYMENTPlease send me a tax invoice Please charge this purchase to my credit card account  MasterCard VisaCard Number: ................................................................................Expiry Date:  ___/___CCV No: ..............  ............... ..............Cardholder Name: Signature: ...........................................................................................................Send completed application form and payment to:Suite 1, Monash Corporate Centre, 752 Blackburn Rd, Clayton, 3168, Vic
Phone: 03 9548 8600  Fax: 03 9548 8622  Email: info@agcsa.com.auAGCSA MEMBERSHIPSuperintendent ..........................................................................................................$339Assistant Superintendent. ..........................................................................................$292Ground Staff/Foreman/Irrigation Technician/3IC/Arborist. ........................................$145Sports Turf Manager...................................................................................................$292Consultant ..................................................................................................................$339International . .............................................................................................................$195Trade ..........................................................................................................................$292Retired ........................................................................................................................$130STATE MEMBERSHIP NSW - New South Wales Golf Course Superintendents Association  .......................$88 QLD - Golf Course Superintendents Association of Queensland ..............................$88 SA - South Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association ............................. $75 TAS - Tasmania Golf Course Superintendents Association........................................$60  WA - Golf Course Superintendents Association of Western Australia .....................$110VIC - Victorian Golf Course Superintendents Association .......Please call 0408 354 100 THE NEXT GENERATION (STUDENT MEMBERSHIP)Australian Turf Industry Apprentice/Student ............................................................FREEFor superintendents and two or more staff joining AGCSA, a discounted membership rate may be available. For further information send your list of names and positions to info@agcsa.com.au8     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTHE PRESIDENTS CUPThere was little surprise among the turf industry when Royal Melbourne Golf Club announced in early 2009 that it had appointed Richard Forsyth as its new course superintendent. Arriving after a celebrated stint at Metropolitan Golf Club, Forsyth was immediately thrust into one of the most significant makeovers in Royal Melbourne™s history. As he has demonstrated many times throughout a distinguished career, Forsyth was the right man for the job and now, with The Presidents Cup just weeks away from returning Down Under, the club is set to showcase its new look as it returns to the world stage. Richard Forsyth stands on the rock hard Suttons mix green of Royal Melbourne Golf Club™s 2nd East hole and gazes back down the plunging Legend couchgrass fairway as the mid-September sun begins its slow descent towards 
the 1st East fairway in the distance. Glancing right 
there™s the sweeping vista of one of world™s most 
recognisable golf holes Π6 West Πwhile further right 
still is 5 West and its terrifyingly beautiful greenside 
bunkering.It™s a look of wonder and respect mixed with a fair amount of contentment that Forsyth has, one which only a golf course superintendent can feel 
when the piece of land that he or she is custodian 
of has transcended being a golf course and has 
touched a part of their soul.  This is Forsyth™s back yard now and although it has taken a while for him to 
settle in and appreciate his small, yet special place 
as just the club™s fifth course superintendent, Royal Melbourne finally feels like home for the 49-year-old. fiJust look at the place,fl Forsyth exclaims with arms spread wide. fiNone of the other sandbelt 
courses have this sort of movement, the size, the 
vastness, the width of the holes. I love to come out here in the evening and take the dog for a walk when 
no one is around. It™s then that you can take the time 
to truly appreciate the grandeur of the place and see 
why it is held in such high regard.flCome mid-November, for the first time since the run of Heineken Classics from 2002-2005, the 
world will again get a glimpse of just how special 
this piece of land is when the revitalised and re-routed Composite Course hosts The Presidents 
Cup. While the focus will be on whether the Greg Norman-captained International team can repeat its one and only famous victory over the US when the tournament ventured to Royal Melbourne in 1998, 
for Forsyth and the course staff this event is about more than just presenting tournament surfaces for 
24 of the world™s top golfers. Even before that last Heineken Classic, Royal Melbourne was already feeling the impact of 
Victoria™s savage drought and in the years following 
the club made the headlines for all the wrong 
reasons as water restrictions hit hard. For those on the links crew, it was a pretty demoralising time 
as the club™s famed turf withered and deteriorated 
before their eyes. To add insult to injury, some quarters unfairly blamed them for the state of the 
course. Six years on, however, and those days are hopefully well past. Massive expenditure on state-of-
the-art water production and treatment infrastructure, 
as well as a three month blitz over the summer of 
2009/2010 to drastically revive the club™s ailing turf 
surfaces, have transformed Royal Melbourne back 
into the respected championship venue that it is. Overseeing and driving this change has been Forsyth and as he steels himself and the crew for their biggest tournament yet, it™s his desire to 
showcase the monumental amount of work the club 
has instituted over the past couple of seasons and 
hopefully reinstate the club™s credentials in the eyes 
of the golfing world.AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     9CELEBRATED RISEThe Presidents Cup will be yet another highlight in a distinguished career Forsyth has forged for himself, one that started at another of Melbourne™s 
respected clubs. Growing up on a dairy farm in what 
was then the semi-rural eastern Melbourne suburb 
of Scoresby, Forsyth had never picked up a golf club or set foot on a golf course when he decided to 
respond to an ad for an apprenticeship at Riversdale 
Golf Club in January 1980. Having finished school, the thought of spending further time at university held scant appeal, as did 
the prospect of following in his father™s footsteps 
milking cows seven days a week. What he did inherit 
from his dad, however, was a meticulous work ethic 
and a love for the outdoors and it was this element 
combined with his love of machinery and growing 
things that prompted him to apply.After more than five years learning his trade under Riversdale superintendent Rob Cornell, 
Forsyth™s next move was out of town after he spotted an assistant superintendent ad for Yarrawonga 
where construction was about to start on the new 
Murray Course. Despite having just bought a house 
and tying the knot a few months earlier, Forsyth said yes to the job and ended up spending more than 
three years on the Murray River gaining valuable course construction and grow-in experience.That would hold him in perfect stead for his next appointment as superintendent of the new 
Murray Downs Golf & Country Club development a 
few hundred kilometres downstream at Swan Hill, a period of his career which he looks back on with 
great fondness.fiI loved my time there,fl reflects Forsyth. fiIt felt like we were pioneers. We were in the middle of 
a sheep station with no water supply, no bitumen 
road, no power, just this red, sandy desert. They 
were pretty tough days. We didn™t have a shed, 
instead we just camped out under a couple of trees, 
and most days it was 40 degrees in the shade. It 
was really satisfying to have been involved in that 
project and I still remember going out and cutting 
the holes on opening day and having a real sense 
of achievement because we had battled so hard to 
get it open.flAfter receiving the 1994 AGCSA Fellowship Award for his efforts at Murray Downs, Forsyth would then make a career-defining move. The display ads for course superintendent at Metropolitan Golf Club in the sports pages of The Saturday Age weren™t hard to miss and while he could have easily stayed 
at Murray Downs, the opportunity to apply for a job 
on Melbourne™s sandbelt was irresistible. Duly appointed, Forsyth would go on to enjoy a near 15 year stint as Metropolitan superintendent 
and as well as rebuilding all the greens to a USGA 
perched water table spec and most of the tees 
and bunkers, he also prepared the course to 
widespread acclaim for the 2001 World Matchplay 
Championships. Living on course and raising his family there, the emotional attachment to Metropolitan was strong, 
however, there was one job which Forsyth coveted and unexpectedly in 2008 the very rare opportunity WORDS AND PHOTOS: BRETT ROBINSONLeft: In a change to the traditional Composite Course routing, the spectacular par three 16th East replaces 4 East for The Presidents 
Cup which returns to Royal Melbourne Golf Club from 15-20 NovemberTaking charge of Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 2009, Richard 
Forsyth has overseen and driven a remarkable transformation of the club™s turf surfaces, backed by 
a management and membership which desired changefashionsof oldForsythRoyal MelbourneForsythRoyal Melbourne10     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTHE PRESIDENTS CUPpresented itself. After guiding the club expertly for more than 20 years, including through perhaps 
its toughest period with the drought, Jim Porter 
handed in his resignation at Royal Melbourne. With 
The Presidents Cup having just been announced, 
Forsyth quickly became the unbackable favourite among a who™s who of candidates to apply for 
the job and sure enough in March 2009 Royal Melbourne announced Forsyth was their man. Although appointed in March, Forsyth wouldn™t actually start until July due to contractual obligations 
at Metropolitan. The club was about to construct 
a 19th hole and was keen for Forsyth to see that through, so for a four month period he effectively 
divided his time between the two clubs.fiIt was an interesting period going back and forth and it felt like I was running two different courses,fl says Forsyth. fiAt the time I didn™t think it was ideal, but looking back now, to have been able 
to see that 19th hole through from start to finish and 
have it so well accepted by the members was a 
great way to finish.fiAll superintendents get attached to their bit of dirt and there were certainly some emotional times 
in the lead-up to finishing at Metropolitan, but from a 
timing and career perspective it was a good time to 
move. We had achieved a lot at Metropolitan and I 
was very happy to leave it in the condition it was, but 
at the same time I was also excited about coming 
here (Royal Melbourne) and the challenges ahead.fl Reflecting on those early days, Forsyth admits that it took him a good year to feel fully at home in 
his new role. No sooner than being appointed, he 
had to quickly come up to speed with the club™s 
massive water infrastructure project (see ‚When 
it rains...™, page 20), while significant plans to 
improve the turf surfaces in time for The Presidents 
Cup had begun in earnest. Following in the footsteps of illustrious predecessors like Morcom, Crockford, Williams 
and Porter, Forsyth also had the heady task of gaining an appreciation of the history behind Royal Melbourne™s unique turf surfaces, in particular the 
Suttons mix browntop bentgrass.fiYou certainly look back at the history and I™m very aware of my place in the timeline here,fl 
says Forsyth. fiIt was the same when I started at Metropolitan. You really want to understand what 
has happened in the past to help you going forward 
and never was that more important than Royal Melbourne. fiHere you have the Mick Morcom era and his expertise in construction, Claude Crockford™s 
reign and the way he managed the greens and 
the environment and, of course, the history and 
romance of the Suttons mix. I really wanted to absorb as much of that history as I could. fiOne of the things I have done is read a lot of Claude™s monthly reports which are very interesting. 
Obviously I can™t use arsenate of lead in topdressing as a pre-emergent like he did, but it was interesting 
to read his management techniques for the greens 
Πlow fertility, no regular coring or scarifying and 
lifting the turf every 10-15 years to remove organic 
matter build-up. It was important to look back on 
that old documentation to get an idea of how the 
turf performed and it has certainly helped to shape 
some of my management decisions now.fl FIRM FOCUSWhen he got the job, two overriding goals were 
impressed upon Forsyth by the Council of Royal Melbourne Πkeep Poa annua out of the greens and reinstate their firmness. Just over two years on 
and with a mammoth turf improvement programme 
nearly complete, Forsyth and his staff have achieved that and more. During the summer of 2009/2010, Forsyth and his crew achieved what most clubs would be lucky 
to achieve in three decades. As well as installing a 
new irrigation system across 36 holes and bringing 
$2.2 million worth of water production and treatment 
infrastructure online, 25 greens were stripped and 
reseeded/returfed with Suttons mix, the couch/Poa surrounds were sprayed out, stripped and solid 
turfed with fine fescue, while Legend couch was line-planted on fairways, thus consigning the club™s 
famed two grass policy to history. (See ‚Royal™s 
renaissance™, page 14, for a full description of 
the turf works undertaken). As well as the sheer 
volume of reconstruction work and the grow-in, 
Forsyth also had to get to grips managing three different grass varieties which he had no previous 
experience with.fiIt has been a pretty steep learning curve,fl admits Forsyth. fiI probably didn™t fully appreciate the subtle differences of the browntop bent compared to 
the creeping bents. It™s more sensitive to certain things you apply to it, it™s not as resilient during the For the Royal Melbourne maintenance staff who weathered the worst of the drought, The Presidents Cup provides an opportunity to showcase the hard work they have put in over recent years to revitalise the courseROYAL MELBOURNECOMPOSITE COURSE  THE PRESIDENTS CUP1 3 West 10 18 West2 4 West 11 1 East3 5 West 12 2 East4 6 West 13 3 East5 7 West 14 16 East6 10 West 15 17 East7 11 West 16 18 East8 12 West 17 1 West9 17 West 18 2 West   
Tournament Heights of Cut
Greens: 2.8mm-3mmSurrounds: 6mmFairways: 11mm-12mm
Tees: 8mm
Fringe cut rough: 32mmAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     11hottest months, but it does have very good spring and autumn growth. fiI have learnt a lot in a very short time and I™m still learning. I haven™t had mature turf yet to try and 
get the best possible surface out of the greens and 
we are going into The Presidents Cup not having 
put it under tournament pressure before.  I do 
look to New Zealand to get a bit of inspiration with managing the browntop, especially about inputs, 
and I have also looked at Claude™s past practices 
and had input from Jim (Porter) as well. fiI guess what I have done is gone back to a ‚keep it simple, stupid™ method in terms of 
managing the Suttons. We can overdo the science 
of turf management a bit sometimes, but for me it 
comes down to old style nutrition using ammonium 
sulphate, keeping the water lean and doing very little 
in terms of renovating or grooming. For the moment, at least, it seems to be working well.flROYAL AS ROYALWith the biggest tournament of his career looming, 
six weeks out from The Presidents Cup Forsyth was exuding a remarkably relaxed feel, which no 
doubt comes from having been involved in major 
tournaments before and an assuredness that all the 
hard work has already been done. The usual pre-
tournament preventive applications and nutrition 
programmes were well in place, while the massive 
tournament infrastructure build, a nervous time for 
any superintendent, was being expertly overseen by 
experienced assistant Michael Love. Thanks to last summer™s wet and mild conditions followed by a relatively dry winter, the pressure 
on the turf hasn™t been high, which, given the 
immaturity of the turf, especially the Suttons, has 
been a blessing.  As Forsyth points out, although the Composite Course is steeped in decades-old 
tradition, the majority of surfaces on which this The dramatic green and surrounds of 18 East, the traditional Composite Course closing hole, which will be played as the 16th 
hole for The Presidents Cup, ensuring it will feature heavily in the outcome of the 34 matches 
scheduledGolf ShapesGOLF COURSE SHAPERS AND BUILDERSNew South Wales Golf Club 2011                Total Greens Restoration ProgrammeNew South Wales Golf Club 2011                Total Greens Restoration ProgrammeRestoring the past and shaping the futureRestoring the past and shaping the futureNSWDarby Muller0417 764 249VICBen Chambers0414 872 239See website for updateswww.golfshapes.com.au12     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTHE PRESIDENTS CUPPresidents Cup will be contested are less than two years old. They are also different varieties as in 1998 the greens were Penncross. The fact that the turf is still maturing has led to some interesting discussions with the PGA Tour agronomists who have made regular visits to the 
course in the lead-up to the tournament, but Forsyth has assured them all will be okay and that come 
the tournament the hard, fast and frightening Royal 
Melbourne of old will be ready.fiIf I wanted to prepare the best greens possible it would have been nice to have had another season 
or two under the belt, but on the positive side we 
have excellent firmness, a lack of thatch and no 
Poa,fl says Forsyth. fiThe fairways are probably similar, but given where they have been they are 
pretty good. They went into winter pretty decent 
and we have gone to a lot of effort to ensure their 
health and maintain colour over winter, as well as 
controlling spring dead spot.fiWhile the PGA guys have certain criteria when they go into tournament venues, the club has 
impressed upon them that it wants to present Royal 
Melbourne as Royal Melbourne, not something that has a US Tour look and feel and I think they understand that. They do struggle a little with 
having natural-looking rough and rugged bunkering 
which we are trying to encourage more, but they 
appreciate what we are doing.fl As for the tournament itself, the format means that the usual pressures of preparing the course ahead of each day™s play won™t be as great. The Presidents Cup comprises a total of 34 matches Œ 11 
foursomes (alternate shot) and 11 four-ball (better 
ball) matches played on Thursday, Friday and Saturday with 12 singles matches on Sunday. Apart from Saturday where there are both morning and afternoon tee times, the other days 
have either late morning or early afternoon starts. With just 24 players involved, wear and tear on the 
course will be minimal and with a maintenance crew 
set to number 65 Πmore than 35 volunteers are 
coming from as far afield as the US, Canada, the UK, Holland and New Zealand Πthe demand on staff 
won™t be as taxing. Where the pressure will come, however, is the expectation and international focus of the event 
and if Forsyth wanted a medium through which to showcase the new-look course then he couldn™t 
have picked a better event. This year™s tournament is expected to be double the size of 1998 and as 
well as the 35,000 spectators predicted to cram the 
Composite Course each day, the tournament will 
be broadcast to more than 225 countries and a TV 
audience in excess of 600 million. fiI guess the hard work has been done over the past two years and this summer is our time to 
show that off,fl says Forsyth. fiFor those guys who were on staff here back when the course was going 
through the worst of the drought, I hope they see 
this tournament as something special and unique 
and get a sense of satisfaction and achievement 
given the amount of hard work they have put in to 
get it back to this level.fiAll the staff have been sensational, but the senior guys ΠSimon Muller (West assistant), Paul 
Thomas (East assistant), Mike Love (superintendent 
of works) and Luke Spartalis (equipment technician) 
Πhave been particularly supportive and worked hard 
to implement all of the changes which has been 
integral to the success of the programme. There 
is a lot of experience and knowledge on the crew 
and this has been a great asset during the period 
of change.fiFor me, I guess I will derive most satisfaction from how the greens are judged. Royal Melbourne 
is all about the greens. The players will smash the 
ball down the fairways and make some of the holes 
look silly, but there™s still that major strategy of being 
in the right spot to attack the pin. If you have got the 
right firmness, bounce and speed in the greens the challenge will still be great. fiIt will be interesting to see some of the decision making on the short par fours, like 1 East (Composite 11), where you can easily drive the green, but if it™s 
blowing and the greens are hard you had better 
hope like hell that you pull it off or else you are 
going to be left with an impossible recovery. I™m also interested to see what influence Greg Norman 
will have and whether his knowledge of the place 
will dictate how the International team plays certain 
holes.fiSo much of our preparations will be determined by the weather, but hopefully we get the right 
conditions to produce the sort of surfaces we want 
to. The priorities for me will be firmness, smoothness 
and speed, in that order. The ultimate for me would 
be to hear that the players are delighted with the 
putting surfaces and surrounds and have been 
challenged by their bounce and firmness.flMassive expenditure on state-of-the-art water infrastructure as well as change of turf composition have helped to transform Royal Melbourne back into the respected championship venue that it is More than 35,000 spectators are expected to cram onto Royal Melbourne™s Composite Course every day of The Presidents Cup with an estimated worldwide TV audience of 600 millionIntroducing the Reel  deal in productivity.It™s about time.Australia, meet Toro™s most powerful time-saver. The new Reelmaster 7000-D is a multi-use, heavy-duty reel mower designed for increased productivity and performance in even the most extreme fairway and rough 
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systemTOR0138_Reelmaster7000D_287x210mm_FA.indd   118/10/11   9:57 AM14     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTHE PRESIDENTS CUPWhen Richard Forsyth took over at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 2009, the task confronting him would have made a lesser superintendent walk straight back out of the 
maintenance compound never to return. As well as 
the daunting prospect of hosting The Presidents 
Cup in a little over two years™ time, Forsyth, just the fifth course superintendent in the club™s illustrious 
history, was inheriting a course on its knees, having 
just gone the equivalent of 12 rounds with Mother 
Nature.Crippling drought and a lack of good quality water had seen the famous turf surfaces of the 
sandbelt club decline to the point where action had 
to be taken not only to appease a passionate and 
demanding membership but ensure the club could 
fulfil its obligations to host a tournament that it had 
proudly and successfully hosted in 1998.The issues facing Forsyth were numerous and all encompassing. Despite various strategies over 
the years, the battle to stop the spread of Poa annua in the Suttons mix bentgrass greens had become 
a lost cause and combined with the drought and 
poor water quality the greens surfaces lacked the 
firmness and bounce that the club cherished and 
desired so much. The club™s two grass policy on the fairways (native couch and Poa) had struggled with the 
drought and quality was highly variable, while the 
couch/Poa surrounds were providing an ample 
seedbank for further Poa invasion onto the greens. The tees too had their own issues with various grass 
types providing inconsistency and poor turf quality 
during summer.Prior to Forsyth starting, the club had already embarked on the first and most critical component in its fight for survival Πimproving self sufficiency in 
terms of water (see pages 20-21 for a full rundown 
on the club™s solution to its water problems). With 
that underway the focus could turn to improving 
the turf surfaces and by mid-2008 the club was 
assessing a number of options including:  Legend couchgrass in the fairways (the club had solid turfed 6 West and line-planted 12 West in 
the spring of 2008);  Fine fescue as a green surround and approach to provide a buffer to Poa tracking onto greens;  Turf replacement of the worst greens with Suttons mix from the club™s nursery;  The use of Legend couch and fine fescue on tees; and  A new irrigation system to fairways to improve 
uniformity and efficiency.STICKING WITH SUTTONSNo sooner had Forsyth been appointed as superintendent in March 2009, he was quickly 
called upon to make some pretty major decisions, 
even though he didn™t actually start on the ground 
until July 2009. There was a plan to close the entire West Course for three months and line-plant Legend 
into the fairways. A new irrigation system had been 
designed and costed, but most debate still centred 
on whether the club should persist with the unique  
Suttons mix browntop bentgrass on greens or 
switch to a new creeping bentgrass variety.  fiIt was a pretty interesting time,fl recalls Forsyth of the initial few months after being appointed 
superintendent. fiThe club asked for my thoughts 
on whether we should keep the Suttons mix and it was a very hard decision to make because I had absolutely no experience with it.To say that Richard Forsyth has hit the ground running as the new course superintendent at Royal Melbourne Golf Club would be an understatement. In just over two years in charge he has overseen some of the biggest changes in the club™s history, the most notable being a significant alteration of turf composition. ATM looks at the changes Forsyth and his team have instituted and the mountain of work they have achieved to get the club in a position to host The Presidents Cup.PHOTOS: RICHARD FORSYTH AND BRETT ROBINSONRoyal™srenaissancerenaissanceAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     15fiFrom what I saw when Jim (Porter) reinstated the Suttons back in the early 2000s and how exceptional and widely acclaimed the putting 
surfaces were during the Heineken Classics around 
that time, the Suttons was worth a second chance. As well as having the ability to provide truly great 
putting surfaces at its premium, it also had the 
romance of being attached historically to the club 
and really sets us apart from other sandbelt courses 
with creeping bentgrass greens. fiI think the Suttons mix got a bad rap for all the problems associated with the Royal Melbourne greens in recent times, but most of the issues can be attributed to water and the proximity of abundant 
Poa seed which was readily tracked onto them.fl To help eliminate that very issue, fine fescue was put up as the grass of choice for the approaches 
and surrounds and despite having never managed 
fescues before Forsyth was right behind the decision for a number of reasons. The concept of being able 
to spray two of the most invasive grasses Πcouch 
and Poa Πout of the fescue was a big attraction, while he also liked the playability and aesthetic 
characteristics of the fescue.fiAlthough we have been through a bit of pain with it establishing, the introduction of the fescue The conversion of the Royal Melbourne fairways from the existing native couch/Poa mix to Legend couch was among one of the major changes to the club™s turf composition. Pictured far left is the 2nd East fairway six weeks 
out from The Presidents Cup and, left, when line-planting started in the summer of 2009/10PROVIDING SOLUTIONS FOR TURF RENOVATIONSTerra Top Do you need to accurately Top Dress 
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debris.QTurf Machinery Pty Ltd 9 Clifford Court, Capalaba Qld 4157  Fax: +61 (0)7 3245 1340  Phone: +61 (0)7 3245 6082 terry@qturf.com.au  www.qturf.com.auFOR A DEMONSTRATION CALL TERRY GRIFFITHS ON 0428 290 00916     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTHE PRESIDENTS CUPhas been a good thing,fl says Forsyth. fiIt has great vertical growth and does not have the same propensity to form grain, which can be a problem in 
the runoff and chipping areas.  It provides a surface with characteristics in bounce similar to the green 
rather than the unpredictable nature of the bounce 
from the leafier Legend which would otherwise be 
there.  It also provides a great contrast to the putting 
surface and accentuates the green itself and, like 
the Suttons, is something else that differentiates us from other sandbelt courses.flThe final variety in the new-look Royal Melbourne composition and perhaps the most talked about, 
was Legend couchgrass. The prime goal was to introduce an improved couch that would have more 
vigorous growth and continued growth for longer in 
the cooler part of the year. Legend was ultimately 
chosen because it allowed for higher heights of 
cut and had a coarser, leafier surface which would 
reduce ball roll on sloping areas and therefore not 
artificially shorten holes.  Legend also blended in 
better with the existing native couches.fiThe club battled with its decision to choose the best quality couch,fl explains Forsyth. fiBut I think the switch to Legend was the right decision. 
The Legend suits Royal Melbourne better than say a Wintergreen or Santa ana because it has a more 
natural appearance in comparison to the carpet-like 
uniformity of those others. While I probably believed that we should have gone down that path when I first started, now that I have been here a while I think it would have looked out of character.flTHREE MONTH BLITZWhile the bulk of the Royal Melbourne grassing strategy had been determined prior to Forsyth™s arrival, the method by which it would be implemented 
was left in his hands. As mentioned, the club 
had already agreed to close the West Course to 
undertake works on the fairways, while the plan was 
to returf 3-4 greens using turf from the nursery, then 
re-sow the nursery and do another 3-4 greens with 
the view of getting all new surfaces up before the 
Presidents Cup. Forsyth, however, had other ideas.fiSeeing that we were closing the West Course for three months, I suggested why don™t we have a go at seeding all the greens,fl says Forsyth. fiThe club asked whether it could be done and I said yes 
probably without really knowing the full extent of 
what I was proposing. The reality was we were never going to get another window of opportunity where 
an established club like Royal Melbourne closes a 
course for a full three months, so with great support 
from CEO Paul Rak we said let™s just hit things hard and get it over and done with.flWith the installation of the new irrigation system already underway, the plan over late spring 2009 
and the summer of 2009/2010 was to undertake the 
following:   Close the East Course composite holes (1, 2, 3, 16, 17 and 18) on 1 November 2009, spray out 
the six fairways and line-plant Legend. Spray out the green surrounds and turf fine fescue around 
five greens. Turf three greens with Suttons from the nursery and attempt chemical control of Poa 
in the 18 East green, practice putter and 4 West green.  Close the West Course on 1 December 2009 
for three months. Spray out 13 fairways and 
line-plant with Legend couch. Strip and re-seed 14 greens, spray out and strip 15 surrounds 
and turf with fine fescue. Strip, level and returf Right: Despite various strategies, the battle to stop Poa annua invasion in the Suttons greens had become a lost cause and combined with drought and poor water quality the surfaces lacked firmness and bounceFar right: To remove as much of the old Poa seedbank in the greens as possible, the existing turf was stripped to the depth of the accumulated thatch layer and removedThe 1.8ha of couch/Poa surrounds were sprayed out, stripped and solid turfed with fine fescue that had been contract grownAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     17nine tees with Santa ana couch. Some minor enhancements were made to green contours on three holes, while some bunker reinstatement 
was carried out along with minor recontouring 
of some fairway shapes. In addition to this work, Forsyth chemically treated all of the remaining East Course greens in 
an attempt to improve the percentage of bentgrass 
and reduce Poa infestation. For a period, during December and January, Royal Melbourne™s 
members had just 11 holes out of 36 open, with 
those in play looking decidedly ordinary.  Also there 
was extensive work going on with installation of new 
bore transfer lines and installation of all of the water 
treatment equipment and control system.Given the scope of works and with little room for error, a number of techniques were employed to 
make sure that the returfing went off without a hitch. 
The most critical area was the greens as Forsyth had just 50kg of Suttons mix seed available and in order to reseed the 14 West Course greens he 
needed 48kg.To begin with, removing as much of the old Poa seedbank in the greens was paramount. With no 
time to fumigate the greens, the existing turf was 
stripped to the depth of the accumulated thatch 
layer since seeding 10 years ago and removed. 
Maintaining surface contours in the greens was 
critical so the existing turf was rolled into large rolls 
by hand and removed by small frontend loaders.A recommendation was made to take some of the West Course putting surfaces out to the 
bunker edges which required a strip of bentgrass 
turf to be installed along several bunker edges. The 
perimeter of greens were maintained and protected 
by installing a 150mm plastic barrier strip and prior 
to seeding the greens were scarified to make a seed 
bed without altering contours. The Suttons mix was hydroseeded with paper mulch and stickers to ensure good coverage 
and adhesion to the relatively firm surface, with a 
fungicide also added. Plastic Evergreen turf covers 
were then laid across all seeded greens to protect 
the seed from wind and storm damage. As Forsyth says, if they lost any seed it wasn™t like they could go 
down the road and buy some more.Prior to seeding the greens were scarified to make a seed bed without altering contoursIntegrated Control  ModuleRain Bird Australia10 Mareno Rd, Tullamarine, Vic, 3043.   Freecall: 1800 424 044   Freefax: 1800 424 050www.rainbird.com.au   Email: info@rainbird.com.au© 2011 Rain Bird CorporationSimplifying irrigation to get straight to the point.That™s intelligent.Introducing the NEW Rain Bird® ICŽ System, a revolutionary control platform that directly links your rotors to your central control. Our innovative Integrated Control TechnologyŽ uses up to 90% less wire and 50% fewer splices, while eliminating satellite controllers and decoders and saving precious water. It™s also more peace of mind, simpler installation and reduced maintenance. Now that™s The Intelligent Use of Water.Ž18     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTHE PRESIDENTS CUPThe fairways were sprayed out with Roundup and Legend line-planted into the existing thatch layer, with repeat applications of Roundup and 
Fusilade required to control existing patches of hybrid couch. While not the ideal time of year, the 
1.8ha of fescue surrounds were solid turfed with turf 
that had been contract grown. Not surprisingly with a programme of this magnitude, Forsyth and his crew encountered a few problems along the way.  Control of couch in 
the greens, control of Poa in greens and fairways, 
control of other couches in fairways and control of 
summer annuals created the greatest headaches.At one stage an application of Fusilade drifted onto the greens, damaging the new Suttons mix 
seedlings, while Fusilade residual in patches of hybrid couch on fairways caused damage to some 
of the line-planted Legend couch sprigs. The 
establishment of immature fine fescue turf during 
the months of January and February was also a problem and required significant overseeding in the 
months after. And, despite the lengths to remove the existing seedbank, there was still germination of Poa in the new greens, particularly around the edges where 
there had been thinning from herbicide drift.fiIt was a massive three months,fl reflects Forsyth. fiThe biggest challenge I guess was the timeframe 
we had. The greens were our main concern and 
there was always that worry of what if the seed didn™t 
germinate or failed for some reason. That™s why we 
invested heavily in covers and barriers to avoid the 
potential for the seed to be blown away or washed 
off. We had a few hiccups along the way but we got 
it there in the end.fiThe other big unknown for me was that although we had stripped off the greens, we didn™t fumigate 
so we weren™t sure how much Poa was going to 
regenerate and whether we would be able to control 
the couch in the edges. The couch fairways were a 
sight for the members Πdead and with lines ripped 
through them Œ and I™m sure everyone was thinking, 
‚Does this guy know what he is doing?™ I had plenty 
of comments and a few members tell me it would 
never grow, but it was just a matter of being patient.fl More than 18 months on, however, Forsyth™s methods have been vindicated and while he would 
have liked another growing season under his belt 
before hosting the Presidents Cup, the new surfaces 
are in excellent shape. The greens have their trademark firmness and bounce back and, although 
still immature, the Legend fairways and fescue surrounds are providing a beautiful cover and 
contrast. fiWhen I started here, my priorities were to control the Poa in the greens and get firm greens, so by stripping them back we achieved both of those 
in the one hit,fl says Forsyth. fiWe are now waiting for feedback saying that they™re too hard! Because 
we took away that organic layer when we stripped 
them back to the base profile and seeded directly 
into that, the greens have got their bouncy hardness 
back which was a real desire for the club. The fescue has taken a while to get its bouncy characteristic CONTINUED ON PAGE 22The Suttons mix was hydroseeded with paper mulch and stickers to ensure good coverage and adhesion to the relatively firm surfaceWith very little Suttons mix seed at its disposal, the club invested heavily in protecting the newly seeded greens with perimeter barriers and turf coversJ7061 ET_Press Ad_Full Page_Trilo_OL_FA.indd   114/10/11   9:38 AM20     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTHE PRESIDENTS CUPWhen ATM visited Royal Melbourne Golf Club in the autumn of 2008 ahead of the annual Australian Turfgrass Conference, then superintendent Jim Porter told the tale of how 
that previous summer, when he had upwards of 50 
tankers each day topping up the club™s meagre 2ML 
irrigation dam with Class A recycled water, he and 
his assistants would run back and forth between the 
office and the dam checking levels and calculating 
how much they could apply in the next irrigation 
cycle. That™s how bad the water situation had got at Royal Melbourne. At the height of the drought in the 
summer of 2006/2007, the club™s then native couch 
fairways went into drought-induced dormancy by 
Christmas, while the increased reliance on poor 
quality bore water as water restrictions hit hard 
meant the greens profiles suffered greatly with the 
build up of sodium, chloride and bicarbonates. Despite looking at many alternatives over the years, it wasn™t until 2008 that things started to turn 
a corner at Royal Melbourne. Realising that storage 
was its major Achilles heel, the club embarked on 
the construction of a new 37.5ML storage dam in 
conjunction with the installation of a new stormwater 
harvesting system, both of which were up and 
running by the end of that year. In theory, it was estimated that between 50-70ML per annum could be harvested from the 1.3m 
diameter stormwater drain running through the East Course, however, in practice those figures were 
never realised and the club remained at the mercy 
of drought and ongoing water restrictions. Indeed, when it was announced that Royal Melbourne would again host the Presidents Cup in 
2011, the club sought to gain an exemption to assist 
them with preparations for the event. The Victorian 
Government granted the club a 70ML exemption for 
use on the Composite Course holes only (12 West Course holes and six East Course holes) which 
proved to be an essential element in the returfing 
work undertaken over the summer of 2009/2010.  Around the time of Richard Forsyth™s appointment as superintendent in 2009, Royal 
Melbourne had started investigating stage two of 
its water management solution which included 
optimising stormwater diversion, improving bore 
production and looking at water treatment to 
improve quality and alleviate safety issues with 
reuse of the stormwater. Permeate Partners, which was involved in the development of the state-of-the-art water reclamation 
plant at Pennant Hills Golf Club in Sydney, was 
engaged to manage this phase of the project, with 
the main components being:   Insertion of a diversion weir in the stormwater drain to redirect greater volumes. Prior to this, 
only high volume rainfall events were captured 
with low volume events simply bypassing the 
harvester. With the new weir in place the club is 
now getting about 1ML of stormwater per 10mm 
of rain.   Construction of a bioretention filter to remove 
suspended solids and other contaminants from 
the stormwater and construction of a surface 
wetland to treat the reject from the filtration 
equipment;  Installation of an ultra filtration (UF) system to remove E.Coli, viruses and algae from the 
stormwater;  Installation of a reverse osmosis (RO) system to lower salts from bore water, including sodium, 
bicarbonate and chloride;  Optimising of bore production and data collection 
to maximise flows and provide information for 
future bore drilling.  The existing nine bore 
pumps were lifted, replaced or reconditioned, 
electrical and pipe work checked, pressure 
transducers installed and Clearbore treatment 
completed.  Provision of a central system to operate and 
manage all water treatment and production 
systems. Throughout 2009 and 2010 all of these components were designed, constructed and 
brought online and now the club boasts water 
infrastructure that is worth upwards of $2.2 million. In addition to this, a new irrigation system was installed throughout all 36 holes in 2009 ahead of the 
conversion of the greens, fairways, approaches and 
tees. Key to the upgrade was improving hydraulics 
to eliminate significant drops in pressure at the 
farthest reaches of the course, as well as having 
more control over distribution. Rather than having big single row sprinklers, all fairways are now hard-lined with part circle 
sprinklers on the edges, while a similar set up has 
been incorporated into the greens. The new fescue approaches and surrounds have also had small, 
high volume sprinklers specifically installed.  Royal Melbourne™s trials and tribulations with water have been well documented and publicised over many years, but thanks to heavy investment in water production and treatment facilities and some timely assistance from Mother Nature, the future is looking a lot healthier for the 2011 Presidents Cup host.Above: Royal Melbourne has spent more than $2 million in recent years to remedy its water management issues including the installation of a reverse osmosis and ultra filtration systemWhen itrains...When itrains...AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     21fiIt has been a massive effort by the club to get this infrastructure in place,fl says Forsyth. fiIt™s a very hi-tech system and in terms of water treatment we have built the Rolls Royce model, whereby we are cleaning up the stormwater to a level where it is 
almost drinkable. fiWe now have two separate systems that mange our water and we have a more elaborate control 
system for our water production and treatment than 
we do for our irrigation system. For a bloke who is pretty challenged when it comes to computers it has 
been a big learning curve, but fortunately one of our 
senior staff members Andrew Boyle has really taken 
ownership of it and oversees the system.flAlthough in a much better position than a few years ago, Forsyth says the club is by far from drought-proof and is embarking down a third stage 
which will see the construction of a 20ML storage 
dam between the 3rd West and 6th West holes 
starting in mid-2012. fiThe problem we still have is slow producing bores not being able to give us enough during the 
height of summer,fl says Forsyth. fiWe need a bigger buffer above ground so we can fill up during winter 
and have enough water at our disposal during 
January and February.flWhile the planning and implementing of this new infrastructure has been carried out thoroughly, 
Royal™s water issues have also been alleviated by 
another simple fact Πit has rained. Forsyth jokes that the biggest thing installing the new water treatment 
infrastructure has done is to make it rain, either that 
or him starting there as superintendent. The past 12 months have been nothing short of a blessing, and after a nice wet spring in 2010 
(330mm), the rain kept coming over the summer 
months with more than 400mm recorded in the 
three months to the end of February 2011. While the past winter has been relatively dry, overall year 
to date figures have already exceeded the annual 
average and presently sit around 740mm. As well as 
taking the heat off the maturing new turf, the rain has 
provided a timely flush of the greens which will no 
doubt be of benefit with the likes of The Presidents 
Cup and 2012 Australian Women™s Open to be held 
there this summer. A new irrigation system was installed across both the East Course and West Course in 2009 to remedy issues with hydraulics 
and improve distribution˜˚˛˝˙ˆ˙ˆ˚˘˙ˆ˝˚˙ˆ˚˘˙ˆ’’’22     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTHE PRESIDENTS CUParound the greens that was there previously, but that is getting there as it starts to mature.fiThe biggest challenge we now have is weed control in all areas. You have herbicide that you put 
on the greens which the fescue doesn™t like, you 
have herbicide you put on the fescue that kills the 
Suttons and herbicide that you put on the couch 
which kills the fescue! So you™ve got these three turf 
interfaces where you have to tread a very fine line. fiThe purists would say we now have a very hard, definite line from the bentgrass to the fescue 
to the couch, when it should be seamless. But with 
the grasses we now have, if you want to do any form 
of weed control it is very hard to have them blend off 
into one another without having Poa.flBACK TO WORKWhile The Presidents Cup will give Forsyth and his crew the opportunity to showcase their hard work 
of the previous couple of years, there won™t be too 
much time to reflect. As soon as the tournament 
infrastructure is torn down, the crew will be gearing 
up for another busy summer of reconstruction.For two months from 12 December, the remaining East Course holes Π5 through 15 Πwill 
be closed and greens, fairways, surrounds and tees 
returfed along similar lines to the rest of the course. 
In between all this the crew will have to prepare 
the West Course for the Australian Master of the 
Amateurs tournament (10-13 January) and then a 
month later the original Composite Course (4 East 
will come back in place of 16 East) will play host to the Australian Women™s Open (9-12 February).As well as the returfing works and finalising the irrigation system upgrade to the East Course, some 
subtle changes to greens contours and bunkering 
will be made to holes 6, 7, 8, 10 and 15 which have 
been made by the club™s newly appointed course 
architect Tom Doak.fiIt™s going to be another intense summer for the staff, but it™s all good stuff,fl says Forsyth. fiThe crew and the club have been fantastic and the success of 
all the work we have done in recent times can be put 
down to the dedication and professional work of the 
staff, suppliers and contractors involved.  fiAssistants Simon (Muller, West Course) and Paul (Thomas, East Course) played a huge role in all 
this and approached all aspects of the project with 
enthusiasm and commitment. The management, Council of Royal Melbourne and the members 
were also incredibly supportive and strong in their 
commitment for improvement.fl SANDRINGHAM SET FOR KEY CUP ROLEJust as it did for the 1998 Presidents 
Cup, Sandringham Golf Club 
will again play an integral role in the successful hosting of the 2011 
tournament. The 18-hole public access course, just a mere lob wedge across 
Cheltenham Road from Royal Melbourne, will house practice facilities for both the 
US and International teams, act as a 
base for volunteers and become the 
tournament™s main car parking area.While a similar arrangement was used back in 1998, the one major 
change this year will be the staging of 
the opening and closing ceremonies on 
Sandringham™s 11th hole, which have 
been moved across due to the massive 
number of corporate hospitality facilities 
on the Royal Melbourne site this time (it is estimated that the 2011 tournament 
infrastructure build is double that of the 
1998 event).What is also different in 2011 is that Sandringham is now operated by its 
more prominent sandbelt neighbour. In July 2010 Royal Melbourne took over the lease of the Sandringham course, 
with Richard Forsyth overseeing the big picture when it comes to the course™s turf management and maintenance 
operations. Andrew Wells, who has 
been at Sandringham for more than two decades, still runs the day-to-day 
operations as superintendent.fiI guess the biggest impact we have had since taking over the lease is being 
able to help them out with equipment and 
resources that we have and getting things 
done more efficiently,fl says Forsyth. fiThe rain has made us look like heroes as 
Sandringham had water issues too and 
there is now a full grass cover back on 
fairways. In saying that though Andrew 
and his team have done a lot of work 
to improve the quality of the fairways to 
promote the couch and to manage the 
greens to favour the bentgrass over Poa.fiWe couldn™t host The Presidents Cup without Sandringham. Each team has its own practice fairway and green 
and we have resurfaced the 9th green, 
which will act as a chipping green, with 
Suttons mix and put fescue around it and 
rebuilt the bunker to match the conditions 
over on the Composite Course. We have 
also put Legend couch on the practice tees, while the clubhouse will be the base 
for more than 2000 volunteers.fl CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18More than 18 months after the works were completed, the greens have their trademark firmness and bounce back and, although still immature, the Legend fairways and fescue surrounds are providing a beautiful cover and contrast24     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTDAVIS CUPIt was the sort of chance encounter that Royal Sydney Golf Club foreman Chris Hamer won™t forget in a hurry. Going about his business washing down a mower in the club™s northern area maintenance compound, Hamer™s attention was 
grabbed by a gentleman in his mid-60s who had 
managed to poke his head through the brush fence 
and was waving vigorously. Asking whether he could come in and inspect the club™s grass tennis courts, Hamer initially thought 
it was just a curious member. However, when the 
man introduced himself as Tony Roche, Australia™s Davis Cup coach and a man who has mentored 
some of the greats of tennis like Ivan Llendl, Roger Federer and Australia™s own Grand Slam champions Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt, Hamer realised this 
wasn™t just any ordinary request. Following a quick call on the two-way, a few minutes later a somewhat star-struck Shane Bromfield, Royal Sydney assistant superintendent 
and the man running the day-to-day operations of 
the club™s tennis, bowls and croquet facilities, was 
showing the 1966 French Open champion around the club™s couchgrass courts.The reason for Roche™s visit to the Rose Bay club on that last Thursday in July had its origins a few weeks earlier when the Australian Davis 
Cup team, led by Hewitt, Bernard Tomic and Chris Guccione, swept aside Group 1 Asia/Oceania rivals China 3-1 in Beijing.  In doing so the Australians, 
captained by Rafter, booked a home World Group 
playoff tie against Switzerland in mid-September. This particular match-up had a lot riding on it and a win would propel Australia back into the 
top echelon World Group (the 16 best Davis Cup 
nations) for 2012.  First however, they had to get 
over a Swiss team boasting the likes of 16-time Grand Slam winner and current world No.3 Federer and world No.20 Stanislaw Wawrinka, but being 
able to choose the surface on which the tie would 
be contested, Australia had a distinct advantage.A grass surface was always going to be the choice for a number of reasons. First, such a 
surface suited the Australian team more than their 
Swiss opponents, especially given that grass was 
Wawrinka™s least preferred surface. There was also 
the fact that Australian No.1 Hewitt was heading into 
the tie battling a recurring foot injury and playing on 
grass would be more forgiving. The problem for Tennis Australia then became finding a venue that could get a grass court up in 
the middle of winter at such short notice Πliterally 
less than six weeks. After looking at a number 
of potential grass court facilities all around the 
country, Royal Sydney quickly emerged as the most probable venue and eight days following Roche™s 
visit Tennis Australia officially announced, on 5 August, that Royal Sydney would be host venue, More renowned as a championship golf venue, in September Royal Sydney Golf Club played host to Australia™s Davis Cup tennis tie against Switzerland. While Lleyton Hewitt and Bernard Tomic had their work cut out on court against the likes of Roger Federer, as Brett Robinson discovers the turf management crew at Royal Sydney had a few challenges of their own.Royal Sydneyit upservesservesAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     25the first time in the club™s history it has staged the prestigious event.TENNIS PEDIGREEWhile the Davis Cup, initially a contest between Great 
Britain and the US, can trace its origins all the way back to 1900, tennis at Royal Sydney Golf Club has 
a similar pedigree.  As course superintendent John 
Odell will tell you, Royal Sydney is much, much more than a golf club and as well as housing one of the 
finest championship golf courses in Australia, one 
which has been the setting for 13 Australian Opens 
since 1906, Royal Sydney also boasts impressive 
tennis, bowls and croquet facilities. Although no precise date can be fixed for the start of tennis at Royal Sydney, the club™s archives reveal that in 1907 the handsome sum of 97 pounds 
was set aside to develop a new tennis and croquet 
area and at least three courts were established 
between 1907 and 1909. At its peak in 1920, Royal 
Sydney had 25 courts in play and as it stands more 
than 90 years later, there are now 18 Π11 grass 
courts (four Wintergreen couchgrass and seven 
Santa ana couchgrass) and seven synthetic courts. The courts, which nowadays entertain the club™s 600-strong tennis membership, form part of what 
the maintenance team dub the ‚northern area™ which 
also comprises a croquet lawn and, up until 2009, 
two bowling greens. (Over the past couple of years the club has had just a single Greenlees Park couch 
bowling green after the other made way for the 
construction of a multi-million dollar leisure centre 
facility. A new Tifdwarf green is currently being constructed and is expected to open in March-April 
2012).Of the grass tennis courts, there are two separate areas Œ the four Wintergreen couch ‚Birdcage™ 
courts, which were resurfaced in the mid-1990s 
using turf taken from Royal Sydney™s 11th fairway, and the seven ‚Long Row™ Santa ana couch courts which run parallel to the club™s northern boundary 
along New South Head Rd. The ‚Birdcage™ courts are deemed the club™s championship courts and are used when it hosts 
events. The Davis Cup is by no means a first for the club and back in 2001 the same centre court was 
used for Australia™s Federation Cup tie (the women™s Centre court at Royal Sydney Golf Club on the morning of the opening day of the Davis Cup tie between Australia and Switzerland. After a 
lengthy search around the country, Royal Sydney was ultimately chosen by Tennis Australia to 
host the tie, leaving the crew just six weeks to get the Wintergreen couchgrass court up to tournament 
standard Royal Sydney assistant superintendent Shane Bromfield 
and Australian Davis Cup captain Pat Rafter talk turf ahead of the opening rubber between Tomic and 
WawrinkaPHOTOS: BRETT ROBINSON AND SHANE BROMFIELD26     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTDAVIS CUPequivalent of Davis Cup) which was, coincidentally, against Switzerland. On that occasion Australia, led 
by Alicia Molik, triumphed despite rain forcing the tie 
indoors on the final day.   To oversee turf management operations at Royal Sydney, Odell operates two separate maintenance 
crews Œ the ‚links™ crew which is charged with the 
upkeep of both golf courses (the club also has the 
nine-hole Centenary Course) and the ‚northern area™ 
crew which looks after the tennis, bowls, croquet 
and clubhouse areas. Bromfield, a former Australian baseball representative who recently notched up his tenth 
year at the club, has been Odell™s assistant in 
charge of the northern area for the past three years, 
while under him is foreman Hamer who next January 
will chalk up 13 years. They are complemented by a 
further seven staff.RACE AGAINST TIMESo how do you get a Wintergreen couchgrass court 
in Sydney up for one of this country™s most critical 
Davis Cup ties in years in the middle of winter? Well, 
you could forgive Odell and Bromfield for being 
slightly on edge when it was confirmed that the club would be hosting the event, however, thanks to 
some thorough planning and a little bit of luck with 
the weather, they were ultimately able to deliver a 
surface tailor-made for the Australians. fiIt™s fair to say that we were fairly anxious about hosting the tournament because we didn™t want the 
club to be held in poor regard if the whole thing 
went pear shaped,fl says Odell, who has been 
superintendent at Royal Sydney since 1988 and a veteran of five past Australian Opens. fiRoyal Sydney 
doesn™t shy away from a challenge, so when the 
club agreed to have it we had to do everything we 
could to make it a success.fiOne of the important things after the tie was announced was to get the tennis players down here 
as soon as possible. We had a very good meeting 
here a few weeks later with the likes of Pat Rafter, 
Todd Woodbridge and Tony Roche. We asked them how they wanted the ball to react and told them 
what we could do from a greenkeeping perspective 
Œ if we cut it down too short you™ll end up with 
stubble and the ball will grab, but if we kept some 
leaf the ball would skid through and keep low. fiThat meeting was really beneficial and it was important from our perspective to see if we could 
meet their expectations and be frank with them if 
we couldn™t. As it was we told them that getting a 
couchgrass court up in Sydney in winter at such 
short notice was going to be a challenge but we 
were going to do everything we could to try and get 
it as close to where they wanted it to be.flTaking the whole ‚Birdcage™ area out of play as soon as it became apparent that the Davis 
Cup was heading the club™s way, Odell together 
with Bromfield, Hamer and links crew assistant 
superintendent Cameron Stuart sat down and 
tossed around a few ideas as to how they were CONTINUED ON PAGE 26As soon as the tie was announced, the court was Hydrojected, double scarified and broomed prior to being oversown with ryegrassCarbon Trader was applied twice to give the couch a kick-start28     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTDAVIS CUPgoing to get the centre court up, as well as three practice courts on the Long Row, in such a short amount of time. The weather had done them little favours and as well as being on the cool side more than 280mm 
of rain had fallen in July, most of that coming in a 
12-day stretch towards the end of the month. The courts were also showing signs of wear thanks to a 
heavy schedule of local Badge competition and club 
championships which were also underway.At the top of the list was getting a firm surface and with the courts traditionally carrying a bit of 
thatch into winter to help keep them together, a mini-
renovation was needed immediately. The Monday 
following the Friday 5 August announcement, the northern area crew ripped into the centre court, 
Hydrojecting first before running a pedestrian 
scarifier over in two directions (east-west and west-
east) and then dragging a heavy broom over the 
surface to pull the turf back.Two days after being scarified the court was then given a foliar feed of Nutrifeed 23 at 1kg/100m2 and then oversown with Striker Gold ryegrass mix (a blend of Derby Xtreme, Premier II and BrightStar II) 
at 10kg/ha. The decision to oversow with ryegrass, 
something that hasn™t been carried out on the Royal Sydney courts for years, was more an insurance 
policy just in case the couchgrass failed to perk up 
in time.With two massive grandstands holding some 3700 spectators to be constructed either side of 
the centre court, as well as a myriad of hospitality 
marquees and other tournament infrastructure to 
cover the Birdcage area, preventative applications 
of 3Sixty5 (iprodione) and Chipco Signature (fosetyl) 
fungicides at label rates were made over the whole 
area. (Odell recalls in the club™s centenary year 
a massive marquee was set up on the Long Row 
courts for a function and after ripping up the floor 
coverings the entire area was blanketed in fungus). 
Carbon Trader was also applied twice at 1l/100m2 to give the couch a bit of a kick, while an application of 
Acelepryn was put out after an unseasonal outbreak 
of black beetle.While the ryegrass had an excellent strike, it didn™t get the chance to reach its full potential 
primarily due to an application of Barricade 
herbicide which had been made to the courts back 
in mid-April at 2l/ha. As soon as the ryegrass roots 
hit the Barricade their growth became stunted 
and combined with the Carbon Trader and the subsequent drying out and rolling as the tournament 
got closer, conditions weren™t exactly conducive for 
it to stick around.Following recovery from the mini-renovation, the court was cut with a Jacobsen Eclipse 122 walk-
behind at 10mm and was gradually brought down 
to 6.5mm which, as well we being the standard 
height of cut for the courts at Royal Sydney, was maintained during the tie. Despite some initial 
concerns by the players that the surface was too CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25Above: Centre court looking a picture just ahead of the grandstand buildRight: Wade Russell is a picture of concentration as he marks the court on the eve of the opening rubberForeman Chris Hamer cleans off the drum to prevent the linemarking paint transferringAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     29soft, the onset of rolling using a one tonne Wacker RD 11 the Wednesday before the tournament had 
the surface ready for the first official practice session 
on the Monday before the tie.  Ahead of those practice sessions, Odell and Bromfield met with international match referee Javier 
Moreno and had some pretty frank discussions 
regarding the amount of practice each team was 
allowed on the centre court prior to the actual tie. 
With both the Swiss and Australian teams wanting as much time on the court and Odell and Bromfield 
wanting to spare the court any wear before the tie 
started, a compromise was finally reached whereby 
each team could have three quarters of an hour 
each day.fiOur main concern was getting the soil aerated enough so we could grow the grass and once we 
got the cover then we started to worry about rolling,fl 
says Odell. fiAbout a week out they were a little 
concerned that it was too soft and too slow, but we 
knew the surface would firm up. fiAs it turned out the grass grew really well for a variety of reasons Πthe mini renovation we did, the 
oversowing with rye, the Carbon Trader and having a good crew led by Shane. We were also pretty 
lucky with the weather, especially after what had 
been a very wet July.fl fiWe really couldn™t have worked it any better,fl adds Bromfield. fiEverything went to plan and with 
the timeframe we had I think we did well to get 
where it needed to be. The time leading up to the tie 
was bedlam and I guess when we look back on it in 
a few months time this whole period will seem like 
it went in a flash.fiI think it helped that our planning was all set up and we were able to demonstrate to Tennis Australia that even though the turf might not be at its best 
because of the time of the year, we had the team that would do its best to deliver what they wanted and be 
as organised as possible. fiWe have a really good crew here and we made sure all the i™s were dotted and t™s were crossed 
which is something that is bred into you being at 
Royal Sydney. We had most things covered, even 
down to practicing getting the covers out if it rained 
and coming up with some unique ways of ensuring 
the lines didn™t transfer when we were rolling the 
court.flDOWN TO THE WIREThe one thing the northern area crew didn™t plan for, 
however, was the dramatic, somewhat controversial 
and ultimately agonising finish to the tie itself. Tomic, ranked 59 in the world, got Australia off to the perfect start in the opening rubber on the 
Friday, proving that grass was indeed Wawrinka™s Achilles heel by defeating him in four sets. Federer predictably accounted for Hewitt in the other singles 
match and then in the crucial doubles rubber on 
Saturday Hewitt and Guccione pulled off a sublime 
2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 win over Federer and Wawrinka.  Despite Tomic taking a set off six-time Wimbledon champion Federer in the first of the reverse singles on Sunday, the tie went down to the deciding fifth 
rubber between Hewitt and Wawrinka.Bromfield was all set to have a few days deserved R&R on the Monday and Tuesday immediately after the tie, however, when the Hewitt-Wawrinka match 
was sensationally halted due to bad light at 5.50pm 
on Sunday with the scores locked at two sets all 
and Hewitt down 3-5 and on serve in the final set, 
he and the crew found themselves heading back in 
early Monday to prepare the court for the deciding 
few games.Going through their pre-match maintenance routine of dewing off, cutting and rolling, it turned Above: Before each day™s play and in between ties the court was quadruple-rolledFar left: Bromfield (top) and Hamer get the court ready ahead of Friday™s opening tieLeft: Hamer and Alex Munro set up the netSixteen-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer led the Swiss team 
for the tie30     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTDAVIS CUPout the match lasted for all of three minutes. After going for and nailing two massive forehand 
winners, Hewitt proceeded to double fault twice 
which handed Wawrinka the win and Switzerland 
a 3-2 victory and qualification back into the World 
Group for 2012. Not surprisingly by the time Hewitt and Wawrinka had walked off court that Monday morning, the 
Wintergreen had deteriorated significantly, 
especially around the baselines, but considering it 
had entertained four four-setters, a five set decider 
and a total of 209 games with three sets decided by 
tiebreaker, the court held up remarkably well to the 
punishment.Indeed, right throughout the lead-up to and during the tie, the comments forthcoming from 
many quarters on the job that Odell, Bromfield and 
their team had achieved were extremely positive. 
One local Sydney radio station even proclaimed 
on the eve of the tie that Odell had fiproduced the 
second best grass court in the world this yearfl, 
behind Wimbledon one assumes.fiHearing from guys involved in the set-up of numerous Davis Cups around the world over many years saying that the grass surface was among 
the best they had seen was very satisfying,fl says 
Bromfield. fiPat (Rafter) was great too. He was very 
grateful for what we had done and was always 
asking us about the turf. He even wanted to know 
about buying a walk-behind mower for his home!flfiIt was a really solid and high pressure build up, but it was a privilege to be able to host the tie,fl 
adds Odell. fiIt was a far more mentally challenging 
event to prepare for compared to Australian Opens 
we™ve hosted in the past purely because of the 
time constraints and conditions we had to work 
with which meant there was a very narrow window 
for success. While there is just as much pressure 
to succeed with an Australian Open, at least you 
usually know a year or two out and you can put 
all your management practices well into place 
beforehand. fiThe northern area here at Royal Sydney is a very detailed and maintenance-intensive area and 
it comes under intense scrutiny by the members. 
We have very strong tennis, bowls and croquet 
memberships and for the guys working here they 
are dealing a lot more one-on-one with the members 
and presentation is extremely important. fiHowever, unlike the guys who work as part of the ‚links crew™, the northern area guys rarely get 
the big events. While they always assist when we 
have an Australian Open, the only major event of 
note recently was croquet™s Eire Cup which came 
here in 2009. Now to have hosted a Davis Cup tie on their turf, which is the first major tennis tournament 
event for a lot of the guys, it was great for them to 
experience something on this scale.flNO RESTNo sooner had the all the grandstands and 
infrastructure been pulled down and the courts 
cleaned up, Bromfield and his crew began a major 
renovation of the entire Birdcage area in late 
September. Initially it had been planned to have the courts out of action for 12 weeks in order for 
renovations and the installation of a new 90mm 
irrigation ring main, however, the decision was also 
made to strip the entire surface off with a Koro field 
topmaker.  As they were undertaking this work, it was announced that Australia, which now has to fight its 
way back through the Asia/Oceania zone to reach 
the World Group playoffs, had drawn a home tie 
against China on 10-12 February 2012. Within hours of that being broadcast, Bromfield received a text 
message half jokingly asking whether they could get 
a court up for that tie. If, by chance, Tennis Australia does decide to bring it back to Royal Sydney, they can at least be assured in that instance the season will be 
more conducive to growing couchgrass and, more 
importantly, Odell, Bromfield and the northern area 
crew will have a bit more time up their sleeve to 
prepare another championship surface.With some 209 games and a 3-2 final scoreline, the court understandably took some punishment from the likes of Swiss No. 2 Stanislaw WawrinkaBromfield puts the finishing touches to centre courtWe™re ready. Are you?At Bayer we are putting our money where our mouth is. We know our products deliver the highest performance in the business, so we™re happy to commit that if your Bayer product fails to perform to label claims, we  will provide a replacement or alternative of equivalent value*. That is why we call it the best guarantee you™ll never need. What™s more, eligible purchases of Bayer products give you the chance to join our exclusive high performance day at the V8 SuperSchool on  the Gold Coast. Visit www.bayeres.com.au or telephone 1800 804 479  for eligible products and more information. THE BEST GUARANTEE YOU WILL NEVER NEEDPERFORMANCEGUARANTEE*Terms & Conditions apply. Visit www.bayeres.com.au for details.Authorised under: NSW Permit No: LTPS/11/08161; ACT Permit No: TP 11/03671; SA Permit No: T11/1865; VIC Permit No: 11/1932. Competition commences 12/09/11 ends 12/12/11. First draw held on 21/11/11 at 1pm.  Final draw held on 19/12/11 at 1pm.  Draw held at Bayer Environmental Science, a Business Operation of Bayer CropScience Pty. Ltd., 391-393 Tooronga Road, Hawthorn East, Vic. 3123. ABN: 87 000 226 022. Winners published in The Australian 21/12/11 and noti˜ed in writing. BAYE355932     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAGCSATECH UPDATEThis instalment of AGCSATech Update takes a look at golf course developments in the Sultanate of Oman and outlines the goals of a three year biodiversity and carbon benefit study about to get underway of golf courses in Melbourne.TechAnalytical, Diagnostic and Consultancy ServicesIn mid-September, AGCSA senior agronomist Andrew Peart ventured to Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman, for an opportunity to inspect some golf courses. Oman is situated to the 
west of the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and to the east of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, in the area known as the south west of 
the Arabian Peninsula. Like many of its neighbours, oil is Oman™s major export commodity.Muscat is somewhat unique in terms of its topography compared with other cities in the region 
and even the majority of Oman itself. Muscat is 
located between the Gulf of Oman and the dramatic Al Hajar mountain range which runs the entire 
length of the northern coastline. The mountain range 
provides a stunning backdrop to the city but also 
provides some more moderate temperatures over 
the winter months, but summers (June to August) 
are still incredibly hot and humid. Along with very 
hot weather, the capital only receives an average 
rainfall of 100mm per year, generally during January 
and February.Irrigation water for vegetation is generally sourced from sewerage treatment plants and is 
locally known as TSE water (treated sewerage 
effluent). As with most effluent water it has elevated 
salinity levels, chloride, sodium, nitrogen and 
phosphorus.  The other source of irrigation water 
becoming more common is desalination. While the people of Oman are sports fanatics, with the two most popular being soccer and cricket, 
most sport is generally played on non-grassed 
surfaces with the only sign of green on many sports 
grounds being the strips of artificial turf used for 
cricket pitches. RAS AL HAMRA GOLF COURSERas Al Hamra is currently a nine-hole sand course 
that will be transformed into a grassed course 
over the next couple of years. It has spectacular backdrops of the Al Hajar mountain range which 
will be enhanced even further with the addition of 
grassed tees, fairways and greens. The course is 
presently private and exclusive to the employees of 
Petroleum Development Oman, but is expected to be 
available for play to anyone once the transformation 
has taken place.While the course will consist of just nine fairways, it will be designed to allow for a full 18 
holes to be played. This will be facilitated with the 
use of different tee complexes, separate greens on 
selected holes and in one instance the construction 
of a large double green. There will also be a driving range.  The existing oiled sand scrapes will have to be removed and it is likely the majority of the natural 
sands will be used in the rough as they are very fine, 
of inconsistent depth and highly alkaline. As with 
true desert courses, the roughs will not be grassed 
and will consist primarily of these natural sands as 
well as the existing vegetation. The course currently has mature stands of vegetation which will be kept or relocated during 
the reconstruction process. It is anticipated that the 
course and surrounding landscape will provide an 
oasis in this very rocky and dry environment.MUSCAT HILLSThe first grass golf course to be opened in Muscat 
was Muscat Hills Golf and Country Club which lies PHOTOS: ANDREW PEART AND BRETT ROBINSONFromtobrowngreenbrowngreenAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     33inland of the international airport. The natural terrain provides some stunning golf holes, with the position 
of the 10th green in particular constructed beneath 
a natural rock wall.  The course is perched high above three natural wadis (water courses) that weave throughout the 
holes. Although these wadis are dry for the majority 
of the year, they can carry large amounts of water 
during the wet season. The Muscat Hills greens and tees are grassed with Tifdwarf couchgrass, while the green surrounds, fairways and rough were sown with Princess 77 
couchgrass.  While there was an excellent cover of 
Tifdwarf on the greens, they were very spongy with evidence of scalping and wheel rutting. They had also just been cored and topdressed and with some 
more frequent renovation will produce very good 
putting surfaces. The Princess couch was generally 
providing a good golfing surface but due to some 
recent scarification they again were not as good as 
could be expected. There is one major irrigation lake on the golf course as well as three smaller lakes. The course 
is irrigated with TSE that has salinity levels around 1000ppm with sodium and chloride levels that are 
elevated but not excessive. The level of nutrients in the water would provide generally adequate levels of 
N, P, K for sustained growth. THE WAVEThe second course to open in Muscat will be a 
Greg Norman signature design within a residential 
development known as The Wave.  Adjacent to the 
international airport and on the coastline, The Wave 
will comprise more than 4000 properties, a 400-
berth marina, premier hotels, retail outlets and the 
golf course. The course is very narrow and at times no more than two fairways wide as it is squeezed between 
the Gulf of Oman and a major freeway, with some 
of the holes actually being on reclaimed land. As 
well as the 18 holes, the course will also comprise 
a dedicated academy, driving range and floodlit par 
three practice facility. It is expected to fully open in 
2012 with nine holes scheduled to be in play by the 
end of 2011.The playing surfaces are grassed with Sea Dwarf seashore paspalum while the roughs have Above: A typical sports ground in Oman. Even the artificial wicket strip looks brownLeft: The existing oiled sand scrapes at Ras Al Hamra will be removed and it is likely the 
majority of the natural sands will be used in the rough as they are very fine and highly alkalineFar left: Ras Al Hamra is currently a nine-hole sand course in the 
Omani capital of Muscat. Over the next two years it will be transformed into a Graham Marsh-
designed grass course Muscat Hills was the first grass 
course to open in Muscat and boasts Tifdwarf tees and greens and Princess 77 couchgrass 
surrounds, fairways and rough34     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAGCSATECH UPDATEbeen hydroseeded with a blend of other warm-season grasses. The Wave has established a large Sea Dwarf nursery (around 4000m2) on site to grass all the playing surfaces with the sprigs being spread 
by hand. A tremendous amount of sand has been moved to create the golf course, especially on the freeway 
side to block out the view of the road and recapture 
a sand dune type environment. The natural sands are particularly fine and while they have been used 
in construction they have been blended with a 
coarser sand, as well as an inorganic amendment, 
for the construction of the greens. It is believed a 
local supplier has been crushing marble for the 
production of the bunker sand.The location of the golf course has taken a heavy toll on machinery with ex-pat Australian 
superintendent Steve Johnston indicating that machinery only six months old appeared to be more 
like five years old.  BIODIVERSITY AND CARBON STUDYIn the coming weeks researchers from The University 
of Melbourne will embark on a major scientific study 
into the biodiversity and carbon benefits that golf 
courses provide within our cities. The intention 
of this three year project is to measure these two 
important ‚ecosystem services™ that golf courses 
provide using the same research framework. It is widely recognised that large green spaces, such as a golf course, make a big difference to 
the retention of biodiversity within urban areas. 
They provide habitat for birds, mammals, insects, 
reptiles and amphibians to inhabit and forage within. 
Golf courses also often contain some of the most 
important patches of remnant vegetation within city 
landscapes. Their role in the urban carbon balance 
is less well understood and the amount of carbon 
stored within golf courses has not previously been 
researched.After a golf course is landscaped, it takes several decades for the vegetation to establish and 
surface litter to accumulate providing a more natural ecosystem for faunal biodiversity to find refuge. As 
such, it is expected that there may well be a greater 
biodiversity benefit in older, more established golf 
courses. Concurrently, as the vegetation grows 
and establishes there will be steady increase in 
vegetation biomass and therefore above-ground 
carbon and potentially an even bigger increase in 
below-ground soil carbon, because the cultivation 
and maintenance of a productive turfgrass sward 
can support a big increase in soil organic carbon.The project aims to investigate within a given climate and soil type (Melbourne™s sandbelt) the 
strength of the link between golf course age, 
golf course biodiversity value and golf course 
carbon sequestration status. Golf courses provide 
an excellent means to investigate the ecosystem 
services provided by all large urban green spaces 
because they keep excellent records of any changes 
in landscaping and management practice. Another reason why golf courses provide a really good opportunity to investigate ecosystem 
services and ecological processes is that they 
contain the full spectrum of green space types, 
from intensively managed and manicured greens 
and mown fairways, to less managed, or passively 
managed, rough and woody vegetation patches. This provides an opportunity for this project to investigate the relationship between green space 
type (i.e.: management intensity), soil biodiversity 
(bacteria, fungal and insect) and soil carbon status. 
This has real relevance to soil health in urban green 
spaces and the influence of management practices. 
Linking soil (and surface litter) biodiversity to soil 
carbon status could provide some real indicators 
as to the value of the diverse landscape elements 
within a golf course, or any large urban green space.At this stage 11 golf clubs and courses have agreed to be a part of this groundbreaking study 
and they include Brighton Golf Course, Victoria Golf 
Club, Woodlands Golf Club, Rossdale Golf Club, Frankston Golf Club, Peninsula Country Golf Club, Centenary Park Golf Course, The Sandhurst Club, Amstel Golf Club, Ranfurlie Golf Club, Kingston 
Links and Spring Valley Golf Club. These clubs 
cover a range of ages, from less than 20 years old 
to more than 100 years old.The University of Melbourne team to undertake the collection and analysis of data includes Dr 
Stephen Livesley (soil-plant ecologist), Dr. Nick 
Williams (urban plant ecologist), Dr Caragh Threlfall 
(urban ecologist), Prof. Nigel Stork (entomologist) and Dr Amy Hahs (GIS ecologist) who will work in 
collaboration with the AGCSA. The first round of onsite research will start prior to Christmas through vegetation surveys, while in 
the New Year the soil and biodiversity elements will be surveyed which will involve PhD students and 
visiting international scientists. The project will run 
for three years in total and regular updates will be 
published in ATM and in the AGCSA™s environmental newsletter Keeping it Green.Victoria Golf Club is one of a number of Melbourne golf courses to be involved in a major three year biodiversity and carbon benefit study to be undertaken by The University of Melbourne in collaboration with the AGCSA˜˜
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spot and crown and root rot with each name referring to only one aspect of the wide spectrum 
and symptoms caused by Pythium spp. To date, there are some 45 species of Pythium recorded 
which parasitise turf (Abad et al. 1994).  Pythium root dysfunction is one particular form that is a major problem to golf green managers 
during the summer and, if left untreated or ignored, 
can quickly damage large areas of turf. It occurs 
as small patches of blighted turf that are pale 
green at first and later turn yellow. They can be 2.5cm to 10cm in size and frequently coalesce to 
produce large patches. Under warm conditions, with extremely wet soils, the turf appears reddish-brown.Turf affected by Pythium root dysfunction displays a general decline in health and symptoms 
are often non-specific. Blighted areas are thin, 
off-colour and grow slowly and the turf does not 
respond to applications of nitrogen. Infected plants 
are stunted, with leaves that are narrower than 
healthy plants.As air temperatures rise, these plants readily wilt, despite the presence of abundant moisture 
in the rootzone. Unlike foliar affecting Pythium spp., no mycelium is present on the foliage. These 
symptoms are similar of those experienced with 
basal rot of anthracnose, however, no acervuli are 
present. Upon inspection with a high powered hand lens (18x), the crowns and roots appear severely 
discoloured, with a reduction in length and number. 
Infected roots may have lesions or generalised, 
light-tan to brown discoloration and very few root 
hairs are seen under a microscope. When samples are examined in a laboratory, confirmation can be 
made with the presence and size of oospores on 
roots - (see photo opposite page). Pythium spp. is a water mould fungus, which means it can survive under water-logged conditions. 
The fungus is a facultative parasite where it is a 
saprophyte in the thatch layer living off the organic 
matter, however, it quickly becomes pathogenic to 
plants when favourable conditions occur.  This is ecologically and pathologically advantageous, as the fungus can rapidly infect 
plant structures which have short periods of high 
susceptibility. The oospores have thick cell walls and may survive for long periods in the thatch layer. There are many species of Pythium which infect turfgrass. The most common species associated 
with root dysfunction include P. aristosporum, P. 
catenulatum, P. irregulare, P. gramicola, P. dissotocum, 
P. rostratum, P. vexans and P. vanterpooli. Different species of Pythium will be more dominant in some 
locations compared to others.CAUSESPythium root dysfunction affects a wide range 
of hosts with all bentgrasses (Agrostis spp.) 
being susceptible. Couch (Cynodon spp.), zoysia 
(Zoysia spp.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium spp.) and 
wintergrass (Poa annua) are particularly susceptible to Pythium root dysfunction while the fine-leaf fescues (Festuca spp.) and Kentucky bluegrass 
(Poa pratensis) are least susceptible to infection. The disease occurs at any time of the year, however, it is typically associated with wet, warm 
conditions in summer. Occurrence of Pythium root dysfunction depends on the environmental 
conditions, the type of Pythium and the host. Vargas (2005) reports on a predictive model for root dysfunction with maximum air temperatures of 
30°C, minimum air temperatures of 20°C and a relative 
humidity of 90 per cent providing the best conditions 
for the disease to be most active. Close attention 
to such an environmental model is economically 
and environmentally viable, as fungicides can be 
strategically applied when environmental conditions 
for the disease are present.With the advent of hot weather the foliage dies rapidly even though it is not under any high 
temperature stress. The death of the foliage is due to the infected roots which are dysfunctional and 
impede the uptake and translocation of water. Root dysfunction is the inability of what otherwise would appear to be a healthy root system 
to adequately absorb water and mineral nutrients. 
Under microscopic examination colonies of Pythium 
are evident in the vascular cylinder and root tip. Running water transports the mycelium, sporangia, zoospores and oospores over considerable distances. Note how the spread of the disease on this green follows the surface drainage patternproblemsPythiumPythiumWith summer fast approaching, Ben Evans looks at the causes of Pythium root dysfunction which left unchecked can quickly decimate turf. Pythium root dysfunction is a debilitating disease which affects a wide range of turf species. The disease can occur at any time of the year, however, it is most commonly associated with wet, 
warm conditions in summerAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     37The fungi directly penetrate the root hairs, roots and crowns through invading hyphae from zoospores and sporangia. Running water transports the mycelium, sporangia, zoospores and oospores 
over considerable distances and the infection can 
occur a long way from where the spores originated. A common accelerant of Pythium root dysfunction is low cutting heights and low soil 
oxygen levels. Low oxygen levels affect a reduction 
in host vigour causing premature root death via 
asphyxiation. Since roots are vital in supplying 
water in periods of drought, the turf becomes more 
susceptible to wilting under these conditions. Bentgrass putting greens are often under stress in summer, which predisposes the turf to pathogen 
attack. Bentgrass roots shorten naturally as soil 
temperatures rise in summer and this decline occurs 
throughout summer until new growth resumes with a 
drop in temperature in autumn. Regular irrigation through the summer months provides Pythium with sufficient moisture 
to germinate and move about the soil. At high 
temperatures, root loss may actually begin close to 
the crown, as roots emanating from the crown are 
subject to slightly higher temperature stress than 
roots growing deeper in the soil. Root loss occurs 
more in over-watered, undrained soils and this is 
due to displacement of oxygen by water and a build-
up of carbon dioxide in the rootzone. The effect of constant, low mowing heights predisposes the turf to considerable stress. Putting 
greens demand low mowing heights to allow for 
sufficient ball roll and speed which can result in a 
restriction in root development. The dual accelerants of wet soils and low, aggressive mowing heights 
predispose putting greens to attack by Pythium, 
which is further compounded by summer stresses.MANAGEMENTThere is no substitute for good soil drainage when 
controlling Pythium root dysfunction, while the management of irrigation is also regarded as key 
to keeping the disease in check. Any practice that 
encourages greater root growth is also needed 
during times when infection can occur. Because wet soils allow the movement of spores throughout the infected area, adequate surface 
and subsurface drainage is essential to reduce the 
opportunity for infection to occur. Any low-lying 
areas on greens must be identified and re-levelled 
to allow excess water to drain away. Compacted soils restrict root growth and limit infiltration and percolation and regular aerification 
practices are required on greens affected by Pythium 
diseases. Deep coring in spring is vital to encourage 
new root growth before the onset of summer stress. Irrigation should be on an as needed basis and irrigating late in the day should be avoided. Watering 
should be infrequent, wetting the entire rootzone 
and allowing the soil to dry between watering to 
encourage greater carbon dioxide displacement. Settle (2001) found that Pythium occurrence in plots irrigated daily was higher than for plots 
irrigated infrequently. In another experiment, he reported that by reducing irrigation frequency it 
moderated Pythium development in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). A slight rise in mowing height and a reduction in mowing frequency is usually beneficial as this 
allows greater carbohydrate production which will 
promote greater root growth. Light, walk-behind 
mowers should be used, as heavier triplex mowers 
may twist and bruise leaves on the periphery as they 
turn. All mechanical stresses upon the turf should 
be delayed until cooler, favourable conditions set in. 
Topdressing, vertical mowing, double-cutting and rolling should be delayed to reduce stress on an 
already stressed plant. Nitrogen fertility should be reduced, as Pythium is favoured by lush, dense growth. In an experiment 
by Gaussoin (1999), newly constructed bentgrass greens were fertilised with an accelerated fertiliser 
programme (total 6.1 per cent N) compared to a controlled fertiliser programme (total 3.04 per cent 
N) with severe Pythium outbreak occurring in the plots with high nitrogen fertility.There are several fungicides registered for the control of Pythium root dysfunction. Because there 
are numerous species involved in root dysfunction, 
different fungicides with different modes of action 
may be required in an effort to control the disease. Although the narrow spectrum acylalanines control diseases of Pythium, failures do occur with 
the use of these fungicides. Systemic fungicides 
such as propamocarb and azoxystrobin are 
recommended for curative control, but should be 
watered in to deliver the fungicide to the root 
system. Sanders (1985) reported excellent control 
with half-rates of metalaxyl with propamocarb or 
mancozeb. Fosetyl aluminium is also an excellent fungicide for preventative control.REFERENCESFor full references, please contact the AGCSA on 
(03) 9548 8600 or email Ben Evans bennyevans_
au@yahoo.com.au The distinctive circular pattern of the Pythium oospore. When samples are examined in a laboratory, confirmation of 
Pythium can be made with the presence and size of oospores38     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTHE PULSEAlong with mowing and irrigation, fertilising is one of the primary cultural practices employed in the management of a golf course. The Pulse wanted to know whether superintendents had changed their fertiliser management practices in recent times and, if so, what have they altered and why?fiI  started at Kingston Links in March 2010 and set out to look through the fertiliser and chemical records straight away, with greens a priority. The amount of Poa seedhead was a huge problem, as was our root depth which was next to 
none. Large amounts of high nitrogen-based liquid 
fertilisers had been used in the past for long periods.  With no hand spraying at my disposal and therefore difficulties getting herbicides onto the 
greens to reduce Poa, the only way to remedy these 
issues was to set up a four month programme using 
more seaweed-based products to promote root 
depth in conjunction with mini-tine aeration. Our Poa seedhead this time last year was out of control but 
with just 5kg of ammonium sulphate applied over 
the past 12 months to our 1ha of bent greens, they 
are in far better condition this year.  I have found it works better to watch the turf and give only what is 
needed rather than to set a programme in stone.fl 
Shaun Bilston, Kingston Links, VIC~~~fiI have been experimenting with prilled fertilisers 
(Noculate) this year and have had good longer 
lasting results compared to liquids (Coron). As far 
as costs go, I think you get what you pay for. My 
choices of fertiliser used are often influenced by 
what amendments (i.e.: wetting agent) I could need to add, possibly saving me an extra application and 
time.fl Wade Cranston, Glenden Town Club, QLD ~~~fiUnfortunately, fertilising is affected by budgets. 
Most of us look after the greens first, then, if money 
is available, tees and fairways come next (in our 
case it is usually whatever is cheapest and then 
going out at low rates). This year, however, has been different and with the floods affecting the course so 
prominently we have subsequently received grants. Having some money to allocate towards fertiliser and soil amendments, like gypsum and organics, 
has seen remarkable results, with a good lush sward 
and great growth rates which is a bonus when we 
are trying to get bare areas covered. The use of slow release fertilisers on these areas has prolonged 
the growth rate and is producing good results. The only problem now is how do we get the money next 
year?fl Peter Daly, McLeod Country GC, QLD~~~fiCronulla has just started receiving recycled water 
with less than desirable levels Π164ppm sodium, 
222ppm chloride and pH of 6.5. To displace sodium, about 45kg of gypsum per ML of recycled water is 
required. I™m currently applying WDG dolomite on a 
fortnightly to monthly basis depending on irrigation 
frequency. I like the water dispensable granules and I hand water them in with a minimal amount 
of water if required and I™m using cal prill on tees 
and fairways. I will be doing more regular water and soil testing in the future and am also looking for a 
calcium product to put through my injection unit 
to help maintain the balance and reduce the SAR.fl 
Greg Marshall, Cronulla GC, NSW~~~fiI have in the past fertilised my greens with a 
combination of soluble and liquid fertilisers. I now Feedingtime!FeedingfiGiven our unique situation here at 
Indooroopilly, it is the first growth period since the devastating floods to hit Brisbane 
and I am keen to ensure the plant has the right 
nutrition. I will be carefully monitoring the turf™s 
performance and will try to ensure it has the best 
possible chance to recover. This year we will be applying more fertiliser, both straight up NPK 
and CRN types to the fairways, tees and general 
surrounds than in a normal year, endeavouring to 
get lots of initial growth in an effort to minimise the 
adverse affects of January™s untimely inundation. 
We will be also fine-tuning the nutrition strategy 
with more inputs of readily available phosphorous 
to better aid root growth especially on the 328 
greens which should combat outbreaks of ERI.fl 
Charlie Giffard, Indooroopilly GC, QLDAGCSAAGCSASERVICEProviding expert advice for  superintendents and golf clubs   to improve  course maintenance standardsContact AGCSA HR and Best Practice ManagerDaryl Sellar 0408 322 397 daryl@agcsa.com.auAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     39mainly apply a soluble fertiliser custom blended to my specifications. My method of application is with 
a fishmouth nozzle which enables me to apply more 
fertiliser to worn areas or weak spots.fl Brendan 
Brown, Neangar Park GC, VIC ~~~fiAll of Gold Creek™s fertiliser programmes have 
changed over the past four years. The major reasons 
for this include a greater understanding of soil/water 
tests, the greater variety of liquid formulations on the market, fertiliser price increases and a change of grass type on fairways. Our greens programme 
sees only two applications of granular fertiliser and 
regular applications of liquid fertiliser when required. 
We do not have a set programme for fertilising 
greens and by running them lean we have better 
root growth and less disease.Over the past three years we have changed all the fairways from ryegrass/Kentucky bluegrass 
to Transcontinental (seeded couch) which has completely changed the way we approach fertilising. 
Our fairway programme has gone from four 
applications a year with a granular to less fertiliser 
applications due to the grass being in dormancy for 
four months.fl Scott Harris, Gold Creek CC, ACT~~~fiI haven™t changed any fertiliser practices recently 
but they have changed over the longer period. 
Studying under Professor Peter Martin for my Masters gave me a good understanding of soil 
chemistry and nutrition, which helps when sorting 
through the many products on offer.  I start with the soil test and work on the soil chemistry with the basic products to amend. The 
granular ranges of limes and gypsums have been 
a benefit to apply if affordable. Fertilising on greens includes the basics of sulphates of potash and 
magnesium, slow release liquid nitrogen, light rates 
of chelated manganese and iron and liquid organics. Although the science says a balanced aerated soil should sustain a healthy microbe population, I 
do apply liquid organics such as seaweed extract 
and humic acid type products for both plant and 
microbe food. We also now use the granular slow 
release potassium to keep a good baseline of K in the greens. The use of Primo and other growth retardants would be one of the greatest advances 
in keeping nutrients in the plant longer which has 
probably been the biggest change in recent years.fl 
Michael Bradbery, Manly GC, NSW~~~fiMy modest budget ($9000) comprises applications 
to all tees, greens and fairways. It also includes 
wetting agents and growth retardants. I renovate 
greens twice a year and once they are fertilised I try to push this application for two months before 
applying a liquid. I have a minimalist approach when it comes to greens fertilising and with Tifdwarf this combination works well.fl Col Caulfield, Pine Rivers GC, QLD~~~fiOur programme has been fairly constant bar some 
minor tinkering after soil and tissue testing. The 
greens programme has been using the same type of 
slow release fertiliser for a number of years with the 
yearly N count decreasing as the A1 ages.  We employ a fairly regular spoon feeding programme over the growing months with a fertiliser 
mix that includes all nutrients as well as kelp and 
organic products. One change is a late August 
foliar feed to the couch fairways to help them out 
of dormancy.fl Shane Greenhill, Sorrento GC, VICfiPennant Hills has been using A+ recycled water since May 2008 and as a result 
our fertility programme has changed dramatically. The use of artificial nitrogen has been reduced by 75 per cent.  The soil sodium content has increased significantly which 
has necessitated regular applications of Ca, Mg and K to reduce the relative amount of 
sodium.  We have had success on greens using potassium nitrate (250g/100m2), Epsom salts (1kg/100m2) and Cal-Sap (300ml/100m2) on a fortnightly basis during the irrigation season. The greens still receive fertiliser twice a year at renovation times and also after 
prolonged rainfall. The tees and green surrounds receive fertiliser in early spring and autumn, while the fairways haven™t been fertilised since May 2008, except for a few 
shaded areas in spring and autumn.  Water sampling is carried out monthly to ensure nitrogen levels are maintained around 10-15mg/l. However, our treatment plant has the capability to increase the water™s 
nitrogen concentration which is a feature we use in spring and autumn to get the turf in 
‚grow mode™. This has proven to be very beneficial on thin tees, green surrounds and 
fairways coming out of and going into winter. Primo applications to all playing areas have 
increased by at least 30 per cent and the overall cost saving in N has been offset by the 
increased amendment applications.fl Richard Kirkby, Pennant Hills GC, NSWProviding expert advice for  superintendents and golf clubs   to improve  course maintenance standards40     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTTHE PULSEfiDuring my 35 years as a superintendent, fertilising has been one of those components that has been 
different with each course I have been at. I was fortunate at The Vines that shade was minimal and the greens were large enough to handle the traffic. 
We made four applications of a soluble fertiliser 
24:0:24 plus trace elements in spring and autumn 
at 2kg/100m2 and after topdressing in December and January at 1.5kg/100m2 before the Heineken Classic. Rates were about 1.8kg of actual N per year, 
while phosphorus was just 0.5kg/100m2. Key to the programme was using powdered fowl manure, while 
we used organics to improve CEC and retention 
of nutrients. Fortnightly foliar supplements of iron, potassium and magnesium maintained good 
appearance. Mowing was every second day in 
winter and summer and daily in autumn and spring.At Lake Karrinyup, fertiliser applications have been very different. Mowing is carried out every day 
with higher mowing heights requiring more inputs of 
fertilisers to maintain more leaf for photosynthesis. 
Other issues include shade, the smaller size of some 
greens and greater traffic. I am currently fine-tuning 
our programme since the greens were constructed 
three years ago. We are finding that fowl manure 
as an organic does not work due to the amount 
of moisture when incorporating with topdressing 
material, causing leaf burn. We are now using the 
liquid forms of organics to improve CEC.  Nitrogen levels are greater than I have used previously. We would be applying between 2.5kg 
to 2.75kg actual N per 100m2/yr. Our phosphorus levels are higher at Karrinyup to maintain root 
development due to shade issues. We still maintain 
the foliar applications as I did at The Vines as I have 
found that this helps maintain colour and hardens 
the plant to maintain green speed.I prefer to apply my fertilisers as a liquid for more even coverage. Also I have found that the Penn Series bents require more nutrients to maintain a 
dense surface.fl Trevor Strachan, Lake Karrinyup CC, WA~~~fiWe tend now to stay away from slow release and 
granulars and liquid fertilise fortnightly to control 
the growth. We only granular feed at renos or just 
prior to winter. We have also been using molasses, 
Noculate for the micro-organisms and Phosphite to 
try and build up the plant™s strength to avoid or at 
least minimise the use of fungicides in the battle with 
Take-all patch.fl Wayne Tickle, Ballina GC, NSW~~~fiWe have looked at different practices on our couch 
greens over the last two summers. One of the 
main challenges we have is thatch control and with 
limited major renovations, dethatching and dusting 
programmes, I decided to try different methods with 
fertiliser applications to see if we could keep the 
thatch from build up. Last year I decided to spoon 
feed the greens with low rates of nitrogen on a 
monthly basis. Traditionally I haven™t applied many granular fertilisers on the greens. A high K product 
normally goes out mid-year and at renos and the 
rest of fertiliser applications for the year are liquids. Late spring last year we had a pretty bad disease outbreak on several greens. After seeing 
the disease report and seeking advice, we came to 
the conclusion our fertility programme contributed to 
our disease issues. This year we have added more granular fertilisers to the greens and have increased 
liquid applications from monthly to fortnightly. The 
idea with the granular applications was to get the 
plant healthier and then regular foliars to follow 
up keeping the nutrition at the right levels.fl Dave Morrison, Windaroo Lakes GC, QLDIT PAYS TO CHECKDear Editor,
Upon reading fiDoes the Award reward?fl (The Pulse, ATM Volume 13.5), I have to point 
out an inaccuracy in relation to overtime rates for Saturdays. If the agreed working hours between an employer and an employee are either 38 hours or 40 hours with accrued 
rostered days off, Monday to Friday, then overtime rates are calculated at time and three-quarters for the first two hours and double time for all work thereafter (28.2 (b), page 33, 
Registered and Licensed Clubs Award 2010). Where the ordinary hours of work are 38 
hours worked in five and one half days in each week, then penalty rates do not apply until 
after 12 noon on Saturdays.So all those out there who work either 38 or 40 hours Monday to Friday and have not been paid overtime rates of 1.75 for the first two hours and double for all hours after that 
on Saturdays, you may be owed back pay from the first pay period of January 2010. This can be verified through your Australian Workers™ Union organiser.PETER LAWSON,COURSE SUPERINTENDENTWAGGA WAGGA COUNTRY CLUB, NSW28th Australian Turfgrass Conference and Trade ExhibitionMelbourne 4-8 June 2012˜˚˛˝˙ˆˇ˘˘˘
ˇ˘
˜˚˛˝˙ˆˇ˘˘˘˘˘“…—˚˛˙˙˚˚”€˚™™˜˚˛˝˙ˆˇ•42     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTBEST PRACTICEI have written and said many times that golf course management is an increasingly complex 
profession, which is usually met with universal agreement. However, there are concerns that within 
the golf industry we are not preparing ourselves for 
the existing and future challenges as well as we 
could be. This concern is supported by the number of calls I receive from golf clubs suffering varying degrees 
of turmoil and conflict, often with management 
unsure of how to meet the costs (financial and 
time) of managing and improving their course, or 
superintendents feeling under pressure to retain 
their positions.Time on the phone talking through the issues usually reveals some common problems centred 
around a lack of understanding of individual roles 
and responsibilities, leaving many clubs ‚sailing 
without a rudder™. This can see simple issues manifest into larger problems, which inevitably 
leads to tension and strained working relationships, 
as individuals can see their thoughts and ideas 
becoming lost in a whirlpool of confusion. So how do we stop this from happening for the benefit of 
clubs and staff?A WAY FORWARDGolf clubs are filled with people who only want to 
see the best for their club and course and thankfully 
there are usually enough that want to contribute 
in a meaningful way by taking up positions on 
committees and boards. Most clubs also have hard-working staff members who are passionate about their roles 
within the club and enjoy the relationships that are 
forged with members or regular customers. These people are fantastic resources and can contribute to 
the success of our clubs and courses into the future 
and whether we realise it or not we all want to feel 
there is a purpose to what we are doing.However, many of the conversations I have with members and clubs suggest very strongly that 
problems stem from a lack of understanding of 
what is trying to be achieved. This is always going 
to be a challenge for the traditional golf club, where 
committee/board terms are relatively short and 
therefore continuity of decision making is difficult 
to sustain.It is in everyone™s interests to address this and I have spoken on numerous occasions about the 
benefits of having the following in place;AGCSA HR and best practice manager Daryl Sellar asks whether golf clubs are moving with the times and embracing the challenge of effectively planning for the future. Historically golf clubs have operated on the basis that meeting the daily needs of golfers was the main objective. But with progress has come additional responsibility and the way we do our job is vastly different from 20 or 30 years ago. The question, however, is whether clubs are addressing these changes and the challenges they presentAre youwith the times?keeping upAre youkeeping upAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     43  Vision: Where do you see your golf course in 10-20 years™ time? What style and character will 
it have? Having a well planned and documented 
vision for the course immediately gives some 
focus for current and future decision makers.  Strategic plan: To achieve the vision for your course, what limiting factors need to be 
addressed? What challenges do you need to 
prepare for? Identifying and planning to address 
these factors immediately creates a sense of 
purpose for all involved.  Business plan: There is usually a cost 
associated with each step of a strategic plan 
and having a clear understanding of these 
costs greatly assists the long-term financial 
management of our clubs. While it is impossible to budget precisely for every situation in the golf course environment, 
it is possible to predict many of the repeatable 
maintenance and capital costs to within reasonable 
tolerances and these should be seen as the 
foundation for maintaining the course. Additional 
projects should not be at the expense of these basic 
costs, but budgeted for and undertaken when they 
can be afforded.We have all probably managed our courses successfully with reduced budgets for a year or so 
and the temptation is to continue with reduced inputs 
(fertiliser, labour, renovations etc...) or machinery 
turnover year after year to allow other new projects 
to be undertaken. However, the consequences 
become evident throughout the course soon enough 
and they are often slow to reverse. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESAn increasing number of Australian golf clubs are 
now over 50 years old, with many closing in on their 
centenaries and quite a few which have already 
surpassed that milestone. In many cases, these clubs are still on their original sites which existed 
for thousands of years before golf was ever played 
on them.Despite all the work we have done over decades, all the sleepless nights stewing over decisions 
regarding grass types and bunkering, these 
landscapes remain largely unchanged. Should we 
stop maintaining these sites as golf courses they 
would quickly return to their natural state.It is important to keep this in perspective when entrusted with a management role associated with 
a golf course. We are truly custodians of these 
sites for a very brief moment in time. But this 
custodianship should be taken seriously as it comes 
with the responsibility of ensuring these sites are 
managed appropriately.Golf courses are unique working environments. So much of what we love about our courses is 
based on the time they have taken to evolve and 
such ongoing evolution cannot be hurried. Yet, this 
conflicts with the urgency of decision making we 
find ourselves forced into to meet the demands of 
the modern golfer. It is this conflict between the urgent and the important that often leads to problems for golf 
courses. Short-term decisions often compromise the long-term management of our courses and the 
sites they occupy.With new technology and greater knowledge allowing course conditioning to improve throughout the year, many golf clubs are 
now producing what would have been tournament conditions in the 1980s on a weekly basisMost clubs have hard-working, passionate and skilled staff, however, it is important across all 
facets of golf club management that responsibilities and roles are clearly defined PHOTOS: BRETT ROBINSON44     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTWhether we take on a paid or volunteer role within a golf club, the complexity of decision-making needs to be highlighted. There needs to be some 
form of induction that outlines the need for a long-
term management strategy that looks well beyond 
the tenure of an individual™s appointment.To assist this process of people understanding their role in helping the course achieve and maintain 
its vision, the following is strongly recommended for 
every club:Position descriptions: Whether a staff member or committee/board member, every role 
should have an outline of responsibilities and 
expectations. Inductions: Having a formal induction process 
for each of these positions provides an 
opportunity for questions to be asked and 
clarified before the position is undertaken.Appraisals: The power of feeling valued should never be underestimated and a well structured 
appraisal system (carried out at least annually) 
provides the opportunity to demonstrate a 
person™s worth and identify areas where they 
may require some assistance. An effective appraisal system is only possible with something to assess performance against, 
hence the value of the position description and induction. The majority of problems that I deal with within clubs centre around a lack of these crucial 
documents, or a lack of detail within them.Problems arise when performance is being measured against an interpretation of subjective 
criteria (e.g.: ‚the course will be maintained in good 
condition throughout the year™). While challenging 
to establish, some measurable criteria are required 
for each role so that each individual™s performance 
can be assessed more objectively.COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND METHODSLike any relationship, communication between staff and management is absolutely vital in the 
management of a golf course. Everyone benefits 
from clear explanation of expectations so that 
messages do not get misinterpreted.In this day of electronic and social media, a lot is said and written about communication methods 
and styles, but let™s not lose sight of the fact that 
talking still has a pivotal role to play and it can come 
in several formats:Relaxed and respectful: Casual conversation with colleagues, committee members, shop staff 
and golfers can be very powerful in conveying 
confidence in your role and what you are 
achieving and can also help to remind others of 
the importance of what they are doing.Formal and frequent: A debrief with all staff 
or an information session with management 
can be very valuable to remind everyone of the 
direction you are taking and what is expected. 
These sessions can be brief, but should have a 
clear structure and be undertaken regularly. Detailed and documented: Whenever actions 
are required as a result of conversation, or 
there is some detail that needs to be clarified, 
it pays to document these and ensure actions 
are agreed to by all parties. This can help to 
eliminate the inevitable finger-pointing as to who 
was responsible.It seems there is increasing reliance on written communication within golf clubs and this can be Casual conversation with colleagues, committee members and golfers can be very powerful in conveying confidence in your role and what you are trying to achieveGolf clubs around the country are now facing challenges of asset management with the likes of machinery, irrigation systems and maintenance facilities in need of significant investment to upgrade or replace themBEST PRACTICEAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     45a good thing in many cases. Too often problems arise when decisions are based on conversation alone and having written records can alleviate a lot 
of confusion. Reporting: While written reports are never high on the most attractive parts of any job, they are 
critical to clarify progress or decisions in areas 
that are critical to the vision for the golf course. A 
well structured report should reflect the structure 
of course management and the issues that 
are critical to the vision for the golf course. 
This ensures that all parties are consistently 
reminded of the importance of these matters, 
rather than getting distracted by urgent issues 
that may affect their game on the weekend.Email/Blogging: There is no doubt these have vital roles in communicating to a wide range of 
people very efficiently. However, their use should 
be well considered and probably avoided in 
moments of frustration.Pictures: We all know the saying, but because so much of what happens on a golf course has 
a visual impact to some degree, it is much easier 
to communicate the outcome by including some 
photos or plans. The inclusion of photos to 
update progress of a particular project can be 
invaluable and save committee members a lot of 
time by being kept updated without necessarily 
having to visit the site, as well as keeping them 
informed so they are better placed to answer 
questions next time they are at the course.CLARIFYING EXPECTATIONSModern ‚management speak™ has seen the term ‚key 
performance indicators (KPIs) roll off the tongue 
quicker than a ‚G™day™. Are KPIs relevant to golf 
course management? Given the diversity of skills and management areas associated with the role of 
the modern superintendent, I think they are. However, often they are confused with issues that relate directly to the course, many of which 
can be beyond a superintendent™s control (can 
someone be blamed if it doesn™t rain?). These issues are better classified as course quality objectives 
(CQOs), standards that can be adjusted as required 
depending on issues beyond our control that may 
impact on the quality of the course (e.g.: weather, 
finances, staffing levels).  Creating a distinction between the two can go a long way to clarifying expectations of the role of the 
superintendent and their team and the course itself.  OBLIGATIONSAs mentioned earlier, it is very easy to get caught up 
in the day-to-day urgency of course management 
and before we know it we have some longer term 
management challenges to contend with. There 
will always be a tendency for conflict between 
daily expectations and the important responsibilities 
and obligations we have as managers, but with 
good understanding and communication of these, 
decision making should remain consistent with the 
vision for the course.Golf clubs around the country are now facing challenges of asset management. Irrigation systems, maintenance facilities, plant and equipment are 
examples of resources that have accumulated over 
the life of our clubs but are now in need of 
significant investment to upgrade or replace them. 
Unfortunately, many clubs are not prepared for this 
and either continue to defer the work or plunge into 
significant debt to finance the projects. Clubhouse projects often take precedence over capital works for the course, as this is often an easier 
‚sell™ to the members. However, there are usually 
significant matters of work place health and safety 
(WHS) and environmental compliance that are being 
ignored by not addressing the course asset issues. Whether a paid or volunteer role, some form of induction is imperative. The AGCSA recently launched an induction manual for 
golf course general managers and committee members to assist them in their understanding of course 
maintenance operations46     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTBEST PRACTICEThis compromises the safety of staff and volunteers, as well as placing all levels of club management at 
significant risk.  Every club should have an asset replacement schedule that is documented and included in the 
induction process for all management staff and 
committee. This should highlight the essential 
elements for maintaining and managing the course 
so they receive first priority when they are due. Such 
a schedule allows for more predictable financial 
management.Every club should also adopt a systematic approach to WHS and environmental management. 
Changes to WHS legislation to be adopted in 
2012 remind us of our obligations to everyone that 
undertakes work (staff, volunteers, contractors, sub-
contractors etc) on our courses and that investment 
in these areas must be a priority and budgeted for.  
In their governance roles, Board and committee 
members need to be aware of these responsibilities 
to help them ensure sufficient resources are being 
allocated to compliance management.We all face challenges meeting budgets as well as expectations. The use of unregistered products can be very tempting to achieve both 
objectives, with pressure sometimes coming from 
committees to use these alternatives. All levels of 
club management need to think very carefully about 
the risks associated with this strategy and when 
you get a moment, stop and ask yourself fiWhy am 
I taking this risk and who could potentially be hurt 
by this decision?flReliance on practices such as the use of unregistered products also places a false value on 
our industry and the investment required to meet its 
needs into the future. We all have a responsibility to 
the game of golf. TAKE UP THE CHALLENGEHistorically golf clubs have operated on the basis 
that meeting the daily needs of the golfers was 
the main objective. But with progress has come 
additional responsibility. Times have changed and the way we do our job is in many ways vastly 
different from 20 or 30 years ago. We are proud of the progress most of our courses have made and thanks to new technology 
and greater knowledge allowing course conditioning 
to improve throughout the year, many clubs are 
now producing what would have been tournament 
conditions in the 1980s on a weekly basis.Our industry boasts a proud history of smaller clubs still operating on the goodwill of volunteers, 
working bees and donations. These clubs rely on 
the passion and community spirit of people who 
genuinely love their course and their clubs and 
usually have some ripping yarns about their past!  
But many of our clubs now have a staff structure 
that resembles a corporation, with increasing 
expectations and greater diversity of income streams 
needing specialised skills for their management. Both groups (and those in between) have the same responsibilities to ensure their clubs 
are meeting their obligations to those who work 
for them, the land the club occupies, the wider 
community and the same challenge to ensure decisions being made now are in the best interests of their clubs and courses into the future.Are we as proud of our management of every aspect of our courses as we are of the playing 
surfaces themselves? Can we clearly identify 
everyone™s roles and responsibilities to ensure 
smooth succession? How do we compare with 
other industries in our commitment to compliance 
management? In short, have we kept up with the times, or do we still fail to understand the difference 
between what is urgent and what is truly important 
for the management of our courses and clubs into 
the future?More than ever our clubs and courses need to be run like a business. Now is the time for every 
club to take up the challenge to plan effectively 
for its future, to ensure it is meeting its compliance 
obligations and that everyone understands their role 
in the process.AGCSA MODERN AWARD SURVEYIt was decided that after having the modern Award in place for some time (since 
January 2010), it was time to seek feedback from AGCSA members about certain aspects of the Award and whether it has provided suitable coverage for our industry. It must be remembered the AGCSA™s original intention prior to the modern Awards being finalised was to develop our own golf course greenkeepers Award. This 
submission, made by the AGCSA in 2009, was rejected by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission with the advice being that we would require the entire golf industry 
submitting an application for a separate award, rather than just the greenkeeping sector.The intention of the recent survey was to make it easy and quick to complete and to provide a snapshot of the feelings among AGCSA members. The survey was completed by 186 members and the results were enlightening, if not surprising.  Some of the key 
points and comments to come out of the survey were as follows:There is still a great degree of variability in working conditions throughout the 
country. This is reflected in communication with members and the disparity in pay rates. It can also make negotiation very difficult when ‚benchmark™ figures vary so 
much.A clear majority felt that work conditions had not improved under the modern Award 
across all sectors of the course management spectrum (from superintendent to 
apprentice), while 74 per cent said the Award didn™t provide suitable coverage.When asked how the award could be improved 5 per cent said they thought 
nothing needed to change; 55 per cent said pay rates needed to be reviewed (read 
increased); 17 per cent felt the Award did not provide sufficient recognition of our 
industry, or provide suitable distinction of roles and responsibilities; and 23 per cent 
felt there was a problem with the clarity/relevance/recognition of hours to be worked. 
(See The Pulse in ATM Volume 13.5 ΠDoes the Award reward? Πwhich contains 
a selection of comments from those who responded to this question.)It is felt the modern Award has failed to meet the needs of our members and the industry in general. This is not surprising and the responses support the recommendation 
of the Commission at the time of our submission that we should be working towards a 
whole of golf industry Award so that we have a better opportunity to correct some of the 
issues highlighted in the survey. In the meantime, we will work on developing some proposed amendments to the Award based on member feedback and we will keep the industry informed of any 
progress.  Œ Daryl SellarThe NEW LF550 - LF570light fairway mower from Jacobsenwww.ransomesjacobsen.comDriving Environmental PerformanceCall your local dealer for details and to set-up a demonstrationYour Course. Your Control. Your Results.The new Jacobsen LF550 - LF570 features programmable controls, added functionality and simpli˜ ed maintenance. Combined with the Jacobsen Classic XP reels and innovative fidrive by wirefl technology, you™re assured our legendary quality of cut regardless of who™s driving.KC Farm Equipment4 Kaycee PlaceYatala
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Phone: 03-9716-9000 LF500 ad - A4 VERSION GP.indd   103/10/2011   09:16:1048     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTVIETNAMWhile the Asian golf market has been booming for a number of years, it has only been in recent times that Vietnam has become a focal point for new golf course developments. In 2008, then Melbourne-based assistant superintendent Lucas Skelton became a part of that scene when he headed up the construction, grow-in and maintenance team at The Montgomerie Links in Danang. Here he looks at his time spent in Vietnam and some of the challenges he has had to face as a turf manager.Growing up playing cricket on turf at Croydon Cricket Club in Melbourne™s eastern 
suburbs, I had a very early introduction to turf maintenance. Throughout high school I assisted the curator with some extra rolling and 
Saturday morning preparations and this prompted 
me to undertake a Diploma of Horticulture at The 
University of Melbourne™s Burnley Campus.  Specialising in turf management under Dr David Aldous, I was required to complete a period of 
work placement where I was extremely fortunate to work at Metropolitan Golf Club. My time there was priceless, being involved in the reconstruction of 
greens and tees, green, tee and fairway renovations, 
bunker construction and native tree maintenance.  Learning the ropes of daily course maintenance at Metropolitan under then superintendent Richard 
Forsyth also taught me that the finer details like sprinkler edging, hole changing and bunker raking, 
to name just a few, were the elements that really 
made the difference. After completing my studies I moved to the Heritage Golf and Country Club development which 
had started and I ended up spending the next 10 
years constructing, growing-in and maintaining a 
Jack Nicklaus Signature design (the St John™s 
course) and the Tony Cashmore designed Henley course as an assistant to Sam Myott. NEW HORIZONSIn August 2008 I finished up at Heritage and 
embarked on what would be one of the most 
interesting periods of my turf management career 
to date. Along with my wife, I made the move to 
Danang, located on the central coast of Vietnam 
and the country™s fifth largest city, to work for a 
company constructing, growing-in and maintaining 
the region™s very first golf course Œ The Montgomerie 
Links. The Montgomerie Links is owned and operated by Indochina Land, a foreign-owned investment 
and development company that has committed 
hundreds of millions of dollars over the last 20 years 
of operations in Vietnam.  Indochina Land also has involvement with two of the oldest golf courses in 
Vietnam ΠDalat Palace in Dalat and Ocean Dunes 
in Phan Tiet. The Montgomerie Links was the company™s first foray into golf course construction and 
it subsequently acquired the services of Colin 
Montgomerie Design and IMG Golf Services led by Chris Gray and Laurie Walsh to design and project 
manage the construction of the course. Montgomerie™s design features a great mix of holes passing alongside local villages and rice 
fields. The design required very little earth to be 
moved in the bulk shaping phase, leaving many 
of the native plants and ground covers in original 
condition. This provided a great contrast from the 
lush, green paspalum playing surfaces. Many of 
the holes can be played several different ways 
depending on wind direction, hole location and how 
much is riding on the shot.The construction process, not surprisingly, was completely different to my previous experiences at 
Heritage and Metropolitan. Working on a full native 
sand base with hundreds of local rice farmers at 
our disposal and various local contractors with their 
armies of labour, the site required very different 
management strategies and methods to get the job 
done.  Throughout the construction we came across many reminders of the Vietnam War. Danang was 
home to one of the biggest air bases during the war 
and at varying stages throughout the earthworks 
human remains were often uncovered which were 
reclaimed by relatives for a traditional ceremony to 
mark their passing.  We also had the situation later Links life inVietnamLinks life inVietnamAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     49on where our Verti-drain speared an old grenade that was beneath the surface (see photo page 50).Tom Addis shaped the course with the blade of a D5, leaving the Vietnamese staff to smooth out 
the final contours, while planting was carried out by 
hand and sliced in with a locally fabricated roller with 
discs.  The highlight was seeing the course and the 
local staff, who were being trained in all construction 
and maintenance tasks as they went, progressing 
and developing so quickly. While there were some 
delays, the course took a little under two years to 
create from start to finish. WALL-TO-WALLSeaIsle Supreme paspalum was selected as the turf variety due to its dark green appearance which 
contrasts against the glistening white native sand, 
as well as its ability to deal with prolonged low 
light conditions and adaptation mechanisms when 
high salt content water is used for irrigation. It was 
imported from Jennings Turf farms in the USA and was used wall-to-wall throughout the course and 
driving range.  Depending on the time of year, 8-10 weeks was the average time required to bring the paspalum 
into play. Frequent grooming was then required on the greens to get them up to scratch due to the very 
coarse leaf and aggressive growth of the paspalum 
throughout most of the year. The greens were constructed to a USGA-type design with Zeoplant incorporated into the rootzone 
to assist with moisture and nutrient retention in a 
sand that had very high infiltration rates and low 
CEC values. Greens are maintained between 2.5mm 
and 3mm depending on the season and turf health, 
with regular verticutting and needle-tining a key to 
their success. Weekly dusting and Primo have also 
proved beneficial in getting a very even, true putting 
surface. Tees, fairways and approaches are all maintained at 8mm with a regular verticutting and 
topdressing programme allowing these heights of 
cut to be achieved. Being a links-type course it is 
important to keep the fairways hard and fast despite 
the aggressive growth during periods of heat and 
continual rain. LEARNING ON THE JOBManaging a new grass in a new environment was 
always going to provide some unique challenges, 
but little did I realise exactly how much I would learn about managing this type of grass and maintaining 
high quality turf in a location where it hadn™t been 
grown before. It didn™t take long after starting to come across what would become one of the most stressful, 
interesting and educational disease issues I had 
seen in my relatively short time managing turfgrass.  
What seemingly started out as everyday dollar spot 
on a couple of fairways in small patches, soon 
became large patches which then became whole 
fairways over night. The controls for dollar spot are 
well known and while the weather wasn™t helping, I 
thought I had put plans and spray applications in place to get it under control. What happened next had me extremely concerned. Rather than subsiding and growing 
out, the injury and spread of the disease increased 
and it became highly active. I was fortunate to have Dr Ron Duncan, who developed SeaIsle Supreme 
paspalum at The University of Georgia, on speed 
dial and I sent pictures through to get his thoughts 
and diagnosis. The disease was eventually labelled as ‚false dollar spot™ which had been seen on only a handful 
of courses with this type of paspalum. We found that 
normal dollar spot controls including applications of 
nitrogen would only further activate the pathogen 
similar to a pythium-type spread. After three wet 
seasons we have a much better handle on this 
pathogen and have learnt a lot about a relatively 
new type of disease. Opened in 2010, The Montgomerie Links is among a number of new golf course developments in Vietnam in recent years which 
are injecting a new interest in the gameAfter 10 years working at The Heritage in Melbourne, in 2008 Lucas Skelton joined the team at 
The Montgomerie Links. One of the most rewarding aspects of his role has been the development of 
the local Vietnamese staff and the pride they take in presenting the golf course50     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTVIETNAMThe local climate is another challenge and the course drainage system runs off into an interconnected lake system that has to deal with an 
annual average rainfall of 3-3.5m. The majority of this rain falls in the months of October and November.  The weather on the Vietnam central coast also provides its challenges with distinct changes in 
season from the heat of summer (mid-40s), the heat, 
rain and typhoons of the wet season, and the cold, 
dry conditions which prevail in winter. Managing the 
paspalum in these conditions has been a continual 
learning process with many successes and failures.In 2010 the course was turned upside down by Typhoon Mirnae which caused so many deaths and destruction in the Philippines which lies to the 
east of Vietnam.  Winds upwards of 150kph blew 
casuarinas to the ground, 2-3 inches of bunker 
sand covered greens and fairways and the roof of 
the driving range ended up on the ground. While all 
of my staff would have had their properties ruined 
by this typhoon, their first port of call was the golf 
course to repair the damage. The crew have been extremely committed to the presentation of the golf course and have become 
very proud of their patch of turf. This dedication 
was rewarded when in 2010 and again in 2011 The Montgomerie Links was named best course by 
Asian Golf Monthly magazine.The golf course is irrigated by a Watertronics pump station providing water to a Rain Bird system made up of 700 and 750 Series heads. Cirrus and Freedom central control systems have been used to monitor and control a very demanding watering 
schedule on the quick-draining dune sand.  Hand-
watering is required daily throughout the course in 
the summer months to keep any ‚hot spots™ under 
control, while wetting agents and Zeoplant are 
utilised on known dry areas. A full fleet of Toro equipment is very well maintained by head mechanic Emilliano Zarogoza and operated by the trained Vietnamese staff.  Many 
of our staff went from steering water buffalo in the 
nearby rice fields to steering Reelmaster 5410s and 
Greensmaster 1000s in straight lines over greens 
and fairways.  The maintenance crew consists of 75 Vietnamese staff from the nearby Dien Ngoc commune in the 
province of Quang Nam. The crew is mostly made 
up of women aged between 18 and 65 who are kept 
busy as the course, through its design, requires 
a high level of detailed maintenance. The team of mechanics are kept equally busy with the upkeep of 
the Toro inventory. The irrigation crew learnt their trade during construction on how to operate, service and repair 
the Rain Bird system and have one of the hardest jobs during the middle of summer in keeping 
enough water up to some of the dry areas out on 
the course. From a personal point of view, one of the biggest challenges has been the language barrier. 
While I have learnt some Vietnamese and my staff learn English, there are still many occasions 
where instructions get lost in translation and I will 
go looking for a team of people supposed to be 
topdressing the 14th green and find them on the 
sixth edging bunkers! A level of patience and a 
sense of humour are required to deal with constant 
misunderstandings from both sides. The highlights so far are many both on and off the course. The development of the local staff and 
the pride they take in the daily preparation of the 
course has been very pleasing, while for the grand 
opening Colin Montgomerie visited and shot 68, 
entertaining the members and VIPs who played 
with him. Montgomerie™s feedback and comments 
regarding the course and its ongoing management 
showed a very good understanding of the challenges 
superintendents face and what are realistic goals to 
meet for daily member play. GIVING SOMETHING BACKWhile the Vietnam golf industry is still very much 
in its infancy, many of the existing 15-20 courses 
attract decent numbers, are profitable and most 
importantly keep the playing surfaces up to 
members™ expectations.  Construction of The Montgomerie Links, as well as other courses such as Danang, Bana Hills and 
Twin Doves, has kick-started a new wave of  golf course development and interest in the game in During construction and grow-in at The Montgomerie Links there were numerous reminders of Vietnam™s troubled past. It™s not every day you spear a grenade with a Verti-drainSeaIsle Supreme paspalum was used wall-to-wall across the course for its dark green appearance, ability to deal with prolonged low light conditions and tolerance to high salt content irrigation waterAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     51Vietnam.  The quality of clubhouse, practice facilities and the golf courses has increased, setting new 
standards to be met by new and existing clubs trying 
to attract the ever-growing golf market. While golf is 
played primarily by the rich elite, there has been 
a move to promote junior golf and pricing driving 
range buckets so that middle class Vietnamese can 
be introduced to golf as well. Ex-pat superintendents are also playing their part and about three years ago the Vietnam 
Superintendents Association was informally started 
by a group of Australian superintendents, with the 
aim to bring together the superintendent community 
both local and ex-pat to share experiences and 
provide elements of training. The meetings, held quarterly, are also attended by turf suppliers working in the region including 
Sportsturf Solutions, Rain Bird, Jebsen and Jessen, Toro and Simplot who have supported the meetings both from a financial and education point of view. Through these meetings and contact with the local greenkeepers a relationship was built with the 
Chisholm Institute of TAFE in Victoria to organise for the Certificate II in Turf Management to be conducted online and onsite for the local superintendents. 
This education will be invaluable to many of the 
local supers whose only previous experience was 
growing rice or a vegetable crop. All of these elements will see the Vietnam golf industry continue to grow quickly with, hopefully, 
long-term benefits for all groups involved.Editor™s Note: Since writing this article Lucas has had to return to Melbourne due to family medical 
reasons. He is currently working for Monash City 
Council.The Montgomerie Links maintenance crew consists of 75 Vietnamese staff which is mostly made up of women aged between 
18 and 65The new Turf ID iphone App from Bayer includes information on: »Common Australian Turf Weeds »Turf Insect Pests »Turf DiseasesFor further information contact 1800 804 479 or view www.bayeres.com.auWhen you need answers52     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTREGIONAL PROFILEAfter growing up tending to the bents and fescues of his native Scotland, Robert Lynas now finds himself literally a world away managing seashore paspalum and couchgrass as course superintendent at Geraldton Golf Club, WA.Superintendent: Robert Lynas. Age: 38.Period as a superintendent: Three years.
Period as an AGCSA member: Three years.Turf management career: Bathgate Golf Club, 
Scotland (apprentice greenkeeper, one year); Pumpherston Golf Club, Scotland (apprentice 
greenkeeper/greenkeeper, 9.5 years); Castlewarden 
Golf Club, Ireland (greenkeeper, two years); Pumpherston Golf Club, Scotland (assistant superintendent, five years); Wonthella Bowling Club, 
Geraldton, WA (greenkeeper, two months); and 
Geraldton Golf Club, WA (superintendent, three 
years).
 
Turf management qualifications: Level 2 
greenkeeping and groundsmanship at Oatridge 
Agricultural College near Edinburgh, Scotland.Where in Australia is Geraldton and what is the town famous for? Geraldton is 450km north of 
Perth in Western Australia. It is famous for its crayfish 
industry and is home to the war memorial for HMAS 
Sydney II which honours the 645 Australian sailors who were lost off the WA coast during a World War 
II battle in November 1941. Tell us a bit about your background in turf 
management and how you came to be at 
Geraldton Golf Club? I grew up in Livingston just 
outside of Edinburgh, Scotland and with about 12 
golf courses within a 10 mile radius it wasn™t an 
unusual career path to take. I started out as an apprentice at Bathgate Golf Club east of Edinburgh before moving up the road to Pumpherston Golf 
Club where I stayed for nearly a decade. I then took up a position at Castlewarden Golf Club in County Kildare in Ireland for a two year stint. 
Moving back to Scotland I took up the assistant™s 
role at Pumpherston and after five years decided to 
move with the family to Australia. We had always wanted to come to Australia to live, but it was always the wrong time or family 
issues arose. However, when one of our friends was 
diagnosed with cancer, we decided that life was too 
short not to try so we started looking at different 
places ΠTownsville, Adelaide, Melbourne, Ballarat and Geraldton. Taking all things into consideration (wages, renting a house etc...) we thought that 
Geraldton would be a good place to stay. My first 
job in Geraldton was at Wonthella Bowling Club 
and after just a few months there was appointed 
superintendent at Geraldton Golf Club.GeraldtonGolf Club WAGeraldtonGolf ClubAbove: Geraldton Golf Club is one of two clubs in Geraldton which lies some 450km north of Perth in Western AustraliaAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     53Give us an overview of Geraldton Golf Club and some of its unique characteristics? I would 
have to say the seashore paspalum (paspalum 
vaginatum) greens are the most unique aspect of the course. We are one of only a few courses in WA that 
have this variety. As well as having it on greens, we 
also have it on tees and fairways. What are some of the unique features about Geraldton Golf Club from a turf management 
perspective? Is it an easy/hard facility to manage? 
The aggressive growth rate of the seashore 
paspalum on the greens in the summer is quite 
incredible. At first I found it hard to get to grips with, 
especially given that I had come from the Northern Hemisphere and was more used to fescues and 
bents, but despite some minor mistakes early on I 
can now say I™m a lot more comfortable with their 
management. At present we spray Primo Maxx 
every three weeks in the summer months and do a 
light verti-mow nearly every week.Take us through your turf management operations there and how you have fine-tuned them since 
starting there as superintendent?  Since I™ve 
started we have worked hard on presentation, 
getting all the little things right that make a big 
difference Πfor instance bunker maintenance and 
making sure they are weeded, edged and raked. 
Other changes include a fertiliser programme for the 
fairways, changing holes more than once a week, as 
well as having a more flexible environment for staff 
as I currently do a nine-day fortnight.Any special environmental considerations that you have to incorporate into the management of 
the course? I would like bigger water storage tanks 
which would allow us to have a shorter watering 
window. At the moment we have to stop watering 
for the tanks to refill. This would also save on power.
 
What are some of the major challenges facing 
Geraldton Golf Club both from a turf management 
perspective and general club management 
perspective?  Like most clubs, the financial belt has been tightened with memberships declining 
which has a knock-on effect with budgets. The club 
is actively looking into sponsorship deals with local 
and major businesses to erect signs around the 
perimeter of the golf course.Outline any major course improvement works completed in the past couple of years and 
highlight any ongoing or future works that the 
club is undertaking. One of the major improvements 
would have to be putting 400 tonnes of bunker sand 
into the bunkers over the last two years. This year we have also reshaped four bunkers, making them 
bigger and deeper and removing the grass faces. 
We have extended three existing tees and built three 
new tees. Ongoing work includes tree-felling.Water is obviously a critical issue for any golf 
course. How is Geraldton faring in the water 
management stakes?  For a few years now Geraldton has been using effluent water mixed with 
bore water. I would like to increase the amount of 
effluent water to 100 per cent and only use bore 
water when necessary. The one product I couldn™t manage my course without is... Rovral. The paspalum lies dormant in the winter and has a slow recovery rate from winter 
fusarium. What are some pros and cons of being a regional superintendent?  The big ‚pro™ for me is the clean country living, knowing who the people are that play 
at your course and the relaxed feeling that you get 
from the town. On the flipside, the increase in freight 
charges and the time it takes for parts to arrive. 
Education is also difficult being so far from Perth.
 
Are expectations of course presentation and 
conditioning any less than that placed on your 
metropolitan counterparts? No matter where you are, members are still paying to have the course at 
its best, but I do think country members have more patience when it comes to issues out on the course 
(i.e.: machinery breakdowns, irrigation problems).  The Geraldton crew (from left) Robert Lynas, Dylan Bentley, Leo Popelier, Brody Marsh, Richard Theiss and greens chairman Greg 
AndersonOne of the unique features of the course is its use of seashore paspalum on greens, tees and 
fairways54     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTREGIONAL PROFILEAT A GLANCE - GERALDTON GOLF CLUBDo you have to be more resourceful as a regional-based superintendent? Absolutely! Being 450km 
away from Perth means parts can take one or 
two days longer to get here. Luckily we have two 
ex-boilermakers who can manufacture things and if 
they can™t make it then they know where to go to get 
it or get it made. Having them makes my life easier.
  
If you could change one thing about your job as 
a regional superintendent what would it be and 
why? At the moment, not a thing. If I was back in 
Scotland at this time of the year it would be wet and 
cold (down to -17oC in winter). How important are the relationships you have 
with other nearby country course supers/trade 
reps?  It™s very important to have good relationships 
with nearby courses and reps. Chris Clarkson, superintendent at Spalding Park (Geraldton™s other 
major golf club), has been a great help with his 
knowledge of paspalum grasses. Thanks Chris.Given your distance from the major metro areas, 
how do you make sure you keep abreast of the 
latest turf management techniques and methods. 
The ATM Journal is a great source of information, as well as the internet and industry sales reps.What have you got in your shed?  3 Toro Greensmasters (two for greens, one for true surface roller);   Toro Reelmaster 5610 (fairways);  Toro Reelmaster Sidewinder (tees, surrounds, semi-rough);  Toro Groundsmaster 325D and 328D;  2 Toro Workman utilities;  Toro SandPro;  New Holland and John Deere tractors; and  Boom sprayer, topdresser, Verti-Drain; Turf Tec sweeper and Turf Tec verti-cutter.Which piece of machinery gets trashed the most and, if you had a wish list, what would be the next 
major ticket item you would purchase? Where do 
I start ΠI think half the shed would go, but definitely 
the 325D and 328D Groundsmasters get trashed 
(both belt driven and run down). I would love a Toro Groundsmaster 4300D.Do you have any interesting pieces of machinery which have been manufactured out of necessity Course specs:  18 holes, just under 6000 metres in length, with about 30 hectares to look after. 
Greens: Seashore paspalum maintained between 2.5m-3mm.
Tees: Seashore paspalum maintained at 9mm 
(surrounds are also maintained at this height).
Fairways and rough: A mix of seashore paspalum 
and couchgrass. Fairways kept at 13mm.Members:  Around 400. Annual rounds: 14741. 
Major tournaments/events: No major national tournaments but our big events include Country 
Week, the Geraldton Amateur Open and Easter 
Open. 
Annual course management budget: $60,000 
(wages not included).
Staff structure: 2IC Leo Popelier (Pops); third year apprentice Dylan Bently (Dill); first year 
apprentice Brody Marsh (New Borne); part-timer 
Richard Thess (Ditch); and greens chairman Greg Anderson (Stork).
Climate: Temperatures are generally between 30oC-37oC in summer with maximums up to 45oC. In the winter we can experience anywhere from 
8oC-19oC.  Soil types: The course has two different soil 
types. The flat, bottom part of the course is clay loam, while the top section is more of a sandy 
loam and has a stone ridge that runs about 8 
inches from the top of the surface.  
Water sources:  We have a series of eight water storage tanks on the course. We are contracted 
to take 50 kilolitres of effluent water from the 
Geraldton Shire Council treatment plant, with the 
remaining water coming from our four production 
bores. 
Irrigation system: We have two irrigation pump 
stations at Geraldton. At the bottom of the course we have a recently upgraded Grundfos CU351 
which runs three CR 32 pumps. The top pump 
station is a Southern Cross unit which runs one 
Southern Cross and two Grundfos CR 64 pumps.  
Renovations: Carried out twice a year. For our major reno we deep scarify and core with 3/8fl 
tines, topdress then fertilise, while for our smaller 
one we solid tine and topdress.
Major disease pressures: Winter fusarium and brown patch are our main concerns. We try to 
combat them with good irrigation management, 
an aeration programme and chemical control.Middle right: Geraldton GC™s  red shedFar right: Winter fusarium and brown patch are the major disease pressures at Geraldton. These are combated through good irrigation management, an aeration programme and chemical control A series of eight water tanks are used to store a mix of effluent water from the local treatment plant and bore waterAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     55OFF THE COURSE - ROBERT LYNASFamily: Married to Mary for six years, daughter Kaley (4), son Ryan (18 months) old and dog Benny.Claims to fame outside of turf management: I was walking the St. Andrew™s Old Course while on a field trip at college and walked in front of 007 himself Sean Connery. I have also 
meet Steve Elkington who is a life member at Pumpherston Golf Club.
Hobbies/past-times away from turf? I have just joined a gym Πtrying to get into shape. Cycling and walking the dog with the family. 
Favourite sporting team? Celtic Football Club.What book are you reading now? All the nursery rhyme books to my little girl! 
Golf handicap? Used to be 18. 
Favourite golfer? Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo.The best thing about Geraldton (aside from the golf club) is– the weather! If you come from Scotland, you™ll know what I mean!
What do you do to get away from it all? We go to Perth and catch up with friends from Scotland.or any old pieces of equipment that you keep 
alive? We have a Turf Tec verti-cutter which we have converted into a tree root pruner.Do you think regional/country superintendents have a better work-life balance than their metro 
counterparts? This is a hard question for me because I have only worked in regional areas, but 
I think the more staff and members you have the 
more trying it can be. 
 
Favourite spot on your course? It would have to be from the water tanks behind the 14th green in the 
middle of the course. You can see the entire course. Most pleasing/rewarding moment during your time as Geraldton superintendent? Having 
members who have been here for over 40 years 
telling you that you are doing a great job and that 
the course is looking the best it has ever been.Rain Bird Australia10 Mareno Rd, Tullamarine, Vic, 3043.   Freecall: 1800 424 044   Freefax: 1800 424 050www.rainbird.com.au   Email: info@rainbird.com.au© 2011 Rain Bird CorporationMaximise your investment, protect your assets and get total support for your Central Control 
with the Rain Bird Global Service Plan (GSP)GSP provides you with comprehensive back-up and support for your Central Control system ( IQ2, Site Control, Maxicom2 & Golf Central Controls ), exclusive discounts on other Rain Bird services and the peace-of-mind that Rain Bird GSP will be there when you  
need it. For more information, Free Call Rain Bird Australia 1800 424 044 or visit  
www.rainbird.com.au/services/gsp.htmRain Bird Global Service Plan (GSP)Technology guarantee to keep your           system up to dateTechnical support if things go wrong
System integrity to ensure things         don™t go wrongExtended warranty for peace of mind
Exclusive discounts to save you more56     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAROUND THE TRADEBAYER LAUNCHES TURF ID APP, PERFORMANCE GUARANTEEBayer is embracing the benefits of new technology with the launch in 
September of its new Turf ID app for iPhone and iPad. The Turf ID app retails for $4.99 + GST and 
is available to download from the 
Apple iTunes Store. Complementing Bayer™s existing suite of turf management resources and publications such as 
the Turf Technical Manual, Turf ID Poster and Turf ID e-Book, the Turf ID app illustrates 14 common weeds, seven insect pests and 14 turf diseases. Each 
high-resolution photograph shows a magnified view 
of the weed, pest or disease for easy identification 
and is captioned with both the common name and 
botanical name. The app also briefly describes three categories Œ situation, occurrence and treatment.Developed by Bayer™s turf consulting manager Jyri Kaapro, marketing and technical 
services manager John Hall and marketing and 
communications specialist Lesley Pepperell, the app 
is designed as a value-added marketing tool for turf 
managers, in particular, golf course superintendents. fiThe Turf ID app provides practical information to assist the professional turf manager and will help 
in the identification of common weeds, insect pests 
and diseases,fl says Kaapro. fiIt will prove to be an 
invaluable tool for the turf manager and will allow 
quick identification at a glance, as well as advising 
the turf manager which product solution is best.fl In other news, all Bayer products sold into the turf management and pest control markets are now 
covered by Bayer™s Performance Guarantee. Under the guarantee, if a Bayer product doesn™t meet label 
claims, Bayer will replace it or provide an alternative 
of equivalent value.  Toro has recently unveiled what it hopes will be 
the new benchmark for commercial mowers 
with the release of the Groundsmaster 360 Quad-Steer. Designed for a range of turf 
applications, whether on golf courses, municipal 
grounds and large landscaped areas, the 
Groundsmaster 360 Quad-Steer is Australia™s only 
four wheel steering commercial mower with a 
centrally mounted mowing deck.The Groundsmaster 360 Quad-Steer is available in three variants Πa two-wheel drive model, a four-
wheel drive model and a four-wheel drive model 
with a permanent all season safety cab. The latter 
variant is fitted with air conditioning and heating 
and offers opening side and rear windows, tinted 
glass, front wiper and washer, interior and side 
mirrors and an interior light.Powered by a 36 horsepower Kubota four cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine, it provides 
users with a forward speed of up to 23kph and a 
reverse speed of up to 13.7kph. All models come 
with a 183cm (72-inch) cutting width with three 
options of clipping disposal Πside discharge, rear 
discharge or Guardian Recycler configurations, where clippings are cut, recut and fed back to the 
ground as mulch. The Groundsmaster 360 Quad-Steer has a hole and pin system that enables a change of cutting 
height from 25mm to 152mm in 6mm increments 
and a transport setting that raises the deck height 
when moving between jobs. The four-wheel drive 
models also come with the ability to switch to 
two-wheel steering when not mowing, while the 
pivoting front axle and high ground clearance 
makes climbing curbs a lot easier. The Groundsmaster 360 Quad-Steer delivers fuel consumption of about 5.3 litres per hour (2.7 litres per hectare) depending on driving conditions. 
Other features include a multi-disk wet clutch 
and a direct-drive transmission that requires less 
servicing. The engine also has quick tool-free 
access to regular service points. fiThis is a revolutionary and unique design when compared to other mowers in this category, 
and is really the next generation in terms of 
efficiency and stability,fl says Toro national sales manager for equipment Robert Rein. fiHaving four 
wheel steering means the inside and outside tyres 
pivot around a common point, enabling far sharper 
turns around objects. When combined with a 
rear end that follows within the width of the deck, 
it allows users to mow in and out of tight areas 
without damaging turf, equipment or property.fl
For more information on the Groundsmaster 
360 Quad-Steer, visit www.toro.com.au to locate 
your nearest dealer.TORO 360 QUAD-STEER HITS THE GROUNDS RUNNINGToro™s new Groundsmaster 360 Quad-SteerBayer™s new Turf ID app illustrates weeds, insect pests and diseasesAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     57Among the products covered by the guarantee include 3Sixty5, Dedicate, Merit, Spearhead and Tribute and a complete list of applicable products can be found listed on www.bayeres.com.au. Customers will need to complete the online claim 
form which can also be found on the website.To coincide with the launch of the Performance Guarantee, Bayer is offering customers the chance 
to enter its V8 SuperSchool Competition. Any 
customer who purchases $2500 worth of Bayer 
products from the pest control and turf management 
ranges between 12 September and 12 December 
2011 is eligible to enter. 
For further details of the Performance Guarantee 
and the V8 SuperSchool Competition, visit www.
bayeres.com.au TORO LAUNCHES T7 SERIES ROTOR Toro Australia has introduced the T7 Series 1-inch rotor to its irrigation product range, which builds 
on the company™s success with the T5 Series rotor. 
Coming with a five-year warranty, the T7 Series design is ideal for large areas such as commercial 
sportsturf fields and municipal grounds. The T7 Series features a full 5-inch (127mm) pop which sits high above tall grasses and enables 
a good, clear throw. An arc setting indicator on top 
of the rotor makes wet or dry adjustments from 45 to 
360 degrees trouble-free. The T7 Series rotor is available in stainless steel or plastic and features debris-tolerant planetary 
gearing and a non-strippable drive mechanism 
making it resistant to vandalism and abuse. It also 
features a ‚Smart Arc™ device which returns the 
rotor to its original arc setting if tampered with. 
Dimensions of the T7 Series rotor are:   Pop-up height to nozzle: 5fl (127mm)Body height: 8.8fl (223.5mm)Rubber cover diameter: 2.2fl (55.9mm)Body diameter: 2.7fl (68.6mm) The T7 Series rotors are now available through 
Toro Irrigation dealers and for more information 
call 1300 130 898 or visit www.toro.com.au.  Toro™s T7 Series 1-inch rotor is ideal for large turf areasSTACEY NEW EVERRIS TECHNICAL MANAGER Dr. Sam Stacey has recently joined the Everris team (formerly Scotts Australia) 
as technical manager. 
Stacey has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours 
in soil science from The University of Adelaide and went on to complete a 
PhD on trace element fertilisers. Although 
very accomplished academically in the 
science field, his passion is in the practical 
application of fertilisers, specifically in 
how they can be used to sustainably 
improve crop production. Prior to joining Everris, Stacey spent five years at The University of Adelaide 
as a senior research fellow, co-managing 
the Adelaide Fertiliser Technology Research Centre. He also managed the 
Australian agronomy programme for the Mosaic Company. Some of the rewarding 
outcomes from his time with the university 
were from projects that led to three 
patents, including new chelating agents 
for trace element fertilisers and improved 
methods for adding trace elements to 
phosphates.MCLEAN JOINS NUTURFPaul McLean has left his position as course 
superintendent at RACV 
Royal Pines on the 
Gold Coast to take up a Queensland territory manager position 
with Nuturf Australia. McLean, who joined 
RACV Royal Pines in October 2007 and was a sales representative for Simplot 
Pro-Line between 2002 and 2007, started 
his new role with Nuturf in September. 
McLean can be contacted on 0488 333 
939 or paul.mclean@nuturf.com.auINDUSTRY APPOINTMENTSTechAnalytical, Diagnostic and Consultancy ServicesTechAnalytical, Diagnostic and Consultancy ServicesSuite 1, Monash Corporate Centre, 752 Blackburn Road, Clayton, 3168Phone: 03 9548 8600 Fax: 03 9548 8622STRUGGLING TO GET THE BEST OUT OF YOUR TURF SURFACES? THEN LET THE EXPERT AGCSATECH TEAM HELP YOULeading Australian agronomists Andrew Peart and John Geary can help you with any of your technical queries, whether it™s independent soil testing, disease and nematode diagnosis or on-site consultancy.  With clients ranging from many of Australia™s leading golf courses through to the AFL, AGCSATech operates all around Australia and has the expertise to help you produce optimum surfaces at your facility.FOR A FULL REVIEW OF SERVICES AVAILABLE, CALL AGCSATECH ON (03) 9548 8600 OR EMAIL andrew@agcsa.com.au or jgeary@agcsa.com.au 58     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTAGCSA BOOK SHOPTurfgrass Management (Ninth Edition)By A.J. TurgeonPrentice Hall, 2012Over the past 25 years Alfred Turgeon™s Turfgrass Management has become regarded within the industry for its thorough coverage of turfgrass science and technology and has been a principal text for many of those making their first 
foray into the world of turfgrass management.2012 will see the ninth edition of this publication released and although there have been numerous 
updates and an improvement in appearance, the 
book holds fast to its original premise of being a 
basic text for turfgrass practitioners by addressing 
the important features of turfgrass systems, 
interactions and management. Among the many updates, this new edition features expanded coverage of the history of turf, 
anatomy and morphology, climatic adaptation as 
well as soil physics. The updates and improvements 
have been based, in part, on feedback from many users of the book as well as those who have contributed to its production over the years. Many 
of the illustrations have been painstakingly redrawn 
and overall the new format from publishers Prentice 
Hall gives the book a much fresher and modern feel. The ninth edition employs the same organisational structure of the earlier editions and 
following the introductory chapter the second 
section looks at the turfgrass plant and how it 
develops into a sustainable turfgrass community. 
An expanded treatment of turfgrass physiology and 
biochemistry has been included in this chapter.The updated third chapter contains botanic descriptions, environmental adaptations, cultural 
requirements and uses of various turfgrass species. 
New information on how environmental stress tolerance can be improved has been added to 
the fourth chapter which examines the turfgrass 
environment, while chapters five and six delve into 
the array of primary and supplementary cultural 
practices for maintaining turf at desired levels. 
The section on cultivation, in particular, has been 
enhanced to reflect new techniques to remedy soil 
compaction and improve drainage. The seventh chapter examines the important aspect of turfgrass pest management, including 
those involved in the management of diseases, 
weeds, nematodes, insects and large-animal pests, 
while the penultimate chapter looks at propagation. 
The final chapter attempts to bring it all together into integrated cultural systems for sustaining specific types of turf. For the benefit of students, illustrations are widely used to demonstrate concepts, processes 
and relationships of importance in turfgrass systems, 
while at the end of each chapter there are a series 
of questions which help to focus attention on key 
concepts outlined in the chapter. 
Turfgrass Management (Ninth Edition) is now available through the AGCSA Bookshop and 
AGCSA members can purchase a copy for $247 
(non-members $284). CURRENTLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE AGCSA BOOKSHOP–.Golf Architecture: A 
Worldwide Perspective Π
Volume 5
By Paul DaleyFull Swing Golf Publishing, 2009
The fifth instalment of Paul Daley™s series 
follows very closely the successful formula 
which has made the previous volumes in this 
series such a hit with golf course architecture 
aficionados in Australia and around the 
globe.  Australian courses to feature in this 
volume include Royal Queensland as well 
as picture essays of Peterborough Golf Club 
and the new par three course at Barwon 
Heads Golf Club. As well as devoting plenty 
of space to home grown tracks, the book 
travels well outside the traditional heartlands 
of America and the UK, taking in far flung 
places such as Uruguay, which is home to Alister MacKenzie™s little known Club de Golf 
del Uruguay, Poland (Sand Valley G&CC), 
The Netherlands (Royal Hague G&CC and 
De Ullerberg), China (Weihai Point Golf & 
Resort) and Iceland (Geysir GC).Turf Maintenance Facility Design 
and Management
By John Piersol and Harry Smith
Wiley 2009Aimed at turf technicians and turf managers 
alike, this 180+page hardcover book 
examines a range of proven techniques that 
will enable them to design, build and manage 
an efficient and safe turf maintenance facility 
or overhaul an existing facility. Calling on 
nearly 50 years™ combined experience, the 
authors look at how to develop and implement 
cost effective maintenance programmes to 
help maximise the performance of plant 
equipment. The book begins by examining 
the role of the turf technician before looking 
at maintenance facility and workshop design, 
covering key areas such as site selection, 
layouts and equipment storage areas. It also 
looks at how to remodel older facilities and 
emphasises the importance of taking into 
account the possibility of future expansion. 
AGCSA members: $99Non-members: $115Tournament Management
By John C. Miller
Wiley 2009
Written for superintendents and greenkeepers of all levels and from 
all clubs, ‚Tournament Management: A Superintendent™s Guide to Preparing a Golf Course for Competition™ addresses the 
needs and challenges faced in planning and 
managing golf tournaments. Miller, an LPGA 
Tour agronomist and former superintendent, kicks off by examining the critical aspect 
of planning and communication. After 
establishing that foundation, he looks at 
implementing an effective agronomic 
programme before embarking on specific 
chapters on the management of greens, 
fairways, tees, roughs and bunkers. The final 
chapter focuses on the immediate lead-up 
to the tournament and considerations that 
need to be made, as well as post-tournament 
recovery and evaluation. 
AGCSA members: $105Non-members: $120PARTNER RECOGNITION PROGRAMMEPowered by the IndustryThank you to all the partners who help the AGCSA provide members with the greatest programmes and services the industry has to offer.PLATINUM SPONSORAGCSAGOLD SPONSORAGCSASILVER SPONSORAGCSABRONZE SPONSORAGCSAPARTNER RECOGNITION PROGRAMMEPowered by the IndustryThank you to all the partners who help the AGCSA provide members with the greatest programmes and services the industry has to offer.PLATINUM SPONSORAGCSAGOLD SPONSORAGCSASILVER SPONSORAGCSABRONZE SPONSORAGCSA60     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTSTATE REPORTSI have been given the pleasure of presenting our latest report to you while our esteemed president 
gets lost on some remote getaway off the coast of Bali. The second part of the year has been busy for the GCSAQ with a number of days happening around the state. Our annual bus trip became another ute 
trip with attendances well below previous years (an 
unfortunate clash with Father™s Day didn™t help!). Nevertheless we headed off to Byron Bay Golf Club 
and started with an enjoyable lunch before heading 
out to see what superintendent Shaun Cross had in store for us. Despite some early rain, the full field (all 
14 of us) managed to complete a round and we all 
thoroughly enjoyed the course. It was interesting to see what measures Shaun has implemented at Byron Bay to help get golf carts 
out on the course despite copping heavy rainfall. 
Rope, rope and more rope through the tree lines 
was pretty much the ploy and in doing so they have 
been able to keep the all-important revenue coming 
in. Following dinner that evening we had an open forum discussion to come up with new ideas for the 
trip and other GCSAQ events for next year.The second day of the trip saw a number head home, while the rest played at Ocean Shores Country Club where we had the chance to catch 
up with newly appointed superintendent Shane 
Heaney. The GCSAQ would like to thank Simplot Pro-Line (Colin Thorsborne and Paul Bevan) and Country Club International (Brendon Hill and Brent 
Robinson) for their support and sponsorship.In late September, the GCSAQ headed to Cairns for a field day at Paradise Palms Golf Club. This 
is the second day we have had in FNQ and 
Globe Australia continued its great support to make 
this day a success. We had guest speakers from 
Barmac, Bayer, Syngenta and, of course, Globe 
and topics ranged from the latest herbicides on the 
market through to machinery demonstrations.Globe was also able to pull some strings and present Fred Yelverton and Travis Gannon, specialists in weed science from NCSU, who were in town for a weed symposium. We held an open 
forum on weed control and the guys present were 
able to ask them plenty of questions which proved 
very beneficial. A big thank you to Chris Johnston from Globe for putting this event together.Recently the GCSAQ announced a new award as part of its annual programme Πthe Assistant 
Superintendent Recognition Award. Sponsored by Toro and Simplot, the award is due recognition for the great work our assistants do and will hopefully give 
them a boost as they move on into superintendent 
positions later in their careers. The GCSAQ received 11 nominations and they were interviewed by a panel made up of 
representatives from the association and sponsors. 
We decided on awarding three assistants this year 
Œ Ray Lawrence (Brisbane Golf Club), James Gordon (Sanctuary Cove Golf & Country Club) and Matt Duff (Bonville International) Œ who will all now attend the Barclay™s Singapore Open 2011 
Golf Course Maintenance Tournament Preparation/Education Program which will be held at Sentosa 
Golf Club in mid-November.Finally, our annual Christmas party will be held on Saturday 3 December at Wet ‚n™ Wild. For more details please contact me on 0439 284 201 or email 
windaroogolfclub@gmail.com DAVE MORRISONTREASURER, GCSAQBrisbane Golf club assistant Ray Lawrence, along with two other assistants, will be heading to the Barclay™s Singapore Open in mid-November after receiving the GCSAQ™s Assistant Superintendent Recognition AwardGCSAQThis is the first report of the newly 
formed STANZ for Australian Turfgrass Management Journal. STANZ has been established from two industry groups Πthe Sports Field Forum of New Zealand and the Turf Industry Profiling Group Πand will 
enable a nationally-recognised industry 
body to advocate for and represent the 
interests of the sports turf industry and 
turf managers in New Zealand. It also 
aligns nicely with the various Sports Turf Associations in Australia. The STANZ executive, led by chairman Dr Richard Gibbs, is made up of representatives from councils, 
consultancy groups, national sports 
bodies, trade representation and private 
enterprise.  In November we will be 
undertaking a strategic planning process 
to identify the way forward for our 
organisation, the key outcomes of which 
will be to identify our short-, medium- and 
long-term priorities for the organisation, 
as well as major projects.  Without doubt the highlight for the New Zealand sports turf industry has been 
recent Rugby World Cup. Every province across New Zealand has in some form 
been engaged in the tournament and 
the atmosphere in this rugby-mad nation 
was electric.  The turf surfaces at all stadiums and practice facilities (over 45) across 
the country were of outstanding quality. 
Playing surface performance standards 
developed in 2008 for RWC2011 Ltd were used to help guide venues in surface 
preparation and to ensure consistency of 
standards between matches and venues. 
We offer our congratulations to all NZ 
turf managers for playing their part in the 
preparation and execution of the event.STANZ looks forward to forming close ties with our ANZAC cousins in the 
world of turf management.IAN MCKENDRYVICE-CHAIRMAN, STANZ  STANZAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     61VGCSAThe lead up to the holiday season is fast approaching and with that the VGCSA committee would like to wish everyone involved in the turf industry a Merry Christmas and a 
safe and Happy New Year.  First, congratulations to Nathan Bennett for securing the position of course superintendent 
at Royal Adelaide Golf Club.  Nathan makes the 
move across the border after spending the past 
six years as superintendent at The Sands, Torquay on Victoria™s Surf Coast.  Nathan has also been an 
active member of the VGCSA committee for the past four years and as well as being treasurer most 
recently held the role of vice-president. On behalf of the committee I thank Nathan for his positive involvement with the VGCSA and the golf industry in Victoria and wish him all the best in 
his new role which he starts on 4 November.And while we are talking about new appointments, the VGCSA also would like to pass on its congratulations to former Barwon Heads 
Golf Club superintendent Peter Frewin on being appointed as general manager of the AGCSA.  The committee looks forward to his continued involvement with the VGCSA in this new role.Trevor Strachan from Lake Karrinyup Country Club in Western Australia was guest speaker at our recent spring education meeting held at 
Marysville Community Golf and Bowls Club.  Host superintendent Rob Christie excelled with the venue, the food and the perfect weather on the day.  
Globe sponsored the event which we are all very 
appreciative of.  A big thank you to Trevor for making the long trip over from Perth and his presentations were well 
received by all attendees.  The many questions 
during and after his presentation certainly indicated 
the relevance of his topics.During the day Rob was able to update on the progress in Marysville, both at the golf club and in 
the community since the devastating Black Saturday 
bushfires. There are certainly challenges that still lie ahead for the redevelopment of the township and 
associated infrastructure.  It was good to support 
Rob on the day as he has been a VGCSA member for many years.As this report goes to print the VGCSA will host its annual Turf Research Golf Day at Peninsula Country Golf Club (host superintendent Steven 
Hughes) while our end of year social function will be 
held at George™s Short Room in the Melbourne CBD.  STEVEN HEWITTPRESIDENT, VGCSARob Christie was host superintendent when the VGCSA™s recent education meeting headed to Marysville62     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTVGAGary Thurgood (right) was recently named 2011 VGA Greenkeeper of the YearDoug Agnew (right) has been bestowed life membership of the VGA  The past winter was a big one for the Victorian Greenkeepers Association and after a great 
Federation Week in Adelaide we held our AGM and Information Day at Gladstone Park Bowling 
Club on 22 June. With over 60 greenkeepers in 
attendance we had four guest speakers talking on a 
range of turf-related topics. Before the BBQ lunch we held our AGM with Dyson Appleyard retaining the position of president. 
Adam Shawcross was elected vice-president and after 10 years as secretary Alan ‚Bundy™ Elliot stepped down from the position. Bundy will still have 
a role in the VGA but with huge travel commitments 
it was getting hard for him. I have assumed the 
secretary™s position and I know I have some very big 
shoes to fill. The full VGA committee is:  President: Dyson Appleyard  Vice-president: Adam Shawcross  Secretary: Warren Maynard  Assistant secretary: Mark Colless  Treasurer: Brian Hoey  Committee: Phil Grant, Nick Scholfield, Lee Govan, Alan Mathers, Doug Agnew and Alan 
Elliot. Match committee: Tom Sculley, Alan Elliot and Mark CollessIn July, the VGA celebrated its centenary and to celebrate the occasion we organised a night that 
will hopefully be remembered for years to come.  
The VGA Centenary Celebration was held at the 
Melbourne Aquarium in what is known as ‚The 
Fish Bowl™, a windowed room surrounded by huge 
sharks, stingrays and thousands of fish. It was a very special night with life members and past and present greenkeepers and many more involved in the industry attending. Past president 
Doug Agnew was presented with life membership 
of the VGA for his many years of involvement in the 
association, while Gary Thurgood (Lalor BC) was 
named Greenkeeper of the Year. This is the second time that Gary has received the award and with the time he puts into the industry 
and the quality of his work I™m sure it won™t be his 
last. He beat home fellow finalists Adrian Marston (Middle Park BC), David Zitters (Williamstown BC), Scott Roberts (Sebastopol BC) and yours truly.With a successful night coming to an end, our eyes were set for this year™s Gudgy™s Tiff Tour. This annual event sees a busload of greenkeepers hit the 
road for a three-day educational journey looking at 
greens over the state and across the border. The 2011 tour headed up to north-west Victoria and into southern NSW visiting towns such as Ballarat, Kerang, Swan Hill, Deniliquin and Echuca. 
It is a great opportunity for greenkeepers such as 
myself who are relatively inexperienced maintaining 
couch greens, to gather information from guys who 
have years of knowledge. With the warm weather now upon us, the couch greens are starting to perk back up and 
mowing heights on the bent greens lowered all in 
preparation for what will be another busy seasons. 
So far it™s been a busy year for the VGA, but I™m sure one that that we won™t forget, especially those 
greenkeepers who have had to battle through floods 
and get their greens back to a great standard. WARREN MAYNARDSECRETARY, VGANo doubt by the time you read this the whole 
of New Zealand will be experiencing a huge 
hangover caused by the 2011 Rugby World Cup and hopefully we are celebrating an All Blacks 
victory! Even if the ABs have done the unthinkable and not brought the Webb Ellis trophy back home I am sure the whole event has made a number of us 
very proud to be a Kiwi! On behalf of the golf industry 
we would like to pass on our congratulations to all 
the stadium managers throughout New Zealand on a fantastic job. Within the golf sector, most New Zealand courses are now recovering from their scheduled 
renovations and carrying out management practices 
to get their courses ready for the onslaught of 
summer, perhaps the busiest period for most 
courses within New Zealand.The regional associations are also busy with hosting a number of workshops/field days and the 
NZGCSA would like to thank all of them for their continued work.  The Canterbury and Manawatu/Wanganui regions will be holding their respective 
interisland Fine Turf Seminars in 2012. While the South Island FTS is yet to be confirmed, Palmerston 
North will hold the North Island FTS from 18-19 
June. I encourage all to participate in these fantastic 
events.The NZGCSA Board will be meeting on 1-2 November in Auckland and I encourage any NZGCSA member to make contact with a Board member and express your views about past and 
future initiatives.  The New Zealand Open, which will be held from 1-4 December, is just around the corner and 
this year will be held at the Clearwater Resort in 
Christchurch. We wish course superintendent Ryan Adams and his team all the best and trust the event 
will be a success for the club and the city itself given 
the hardships faced by all over the past 12 months. GRANT BUNTINGPRESIDENT, NZGCSA  STATE REPORTSNZGCSAAUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT     63After a long winter, spring has finally arrived and we can all start to look forward to 
some warmer weather, longer days and some longer workings hours, not that we want too much 
of the that The TGAA VIC committee has been putting the final touches on our next event, the TGAA VIC Seminar and Trade Day at Wesley College on 23 November. This day is being held with the support of Storm Water Victoria, Australian Seed Federation, Turf Victoria and Irrigation Australia. The day will have talks from all of these organisations as well as 
a trade display showcasing what these industries 
combined have to offer.  There will also be some field demonstrations from companies, including a site visit to Mt Scopus 
Memorial College to look at the seeded couch 
trial currently underway and an irrigation audit 
conducted on site. We look forward to seeing you all there, but get in early as limited seminar seats are available.Looking into the future we will then switch our attention to our next Regional Seminar at Wangaratta Turf Club on 28 March 2012. This event will include the racing industry as well as spreading 
the TGAA to another part of Victoria. From there it will be full steam ahead to the AGCSA conference in Melbourne which we have already had discussions 
with the AGCSA regarding speakers on content. Following this will be the TGAA/Cricket Victoria Cricket Wicket Seminar at the MCG on 26 July 2012.NATHAN TOVEYPRESIDENT, TGAA VIC  STA NSWTGAA VICIt is hard to believe we are approaching 
the end of another year. At the time of 
writing this report we are preparing for our end-of-year social event which has 
had a make-over from previous years. This 
year we are taking our event outdoors with 
a focus on chilling out and catching up 
with mates.The theme for our event is a ute muster and will be held on Friday 4 November at Parramatta Stadium.  We have a great day planned with our regular 
activities of raffles, auctions, phantom 
race call etc... as well as a few new 
ones. The stadium surface will turn into a country style shindig Πthe drinks will be 
chillin™ and the spit will be roasting. We 
look forward to a great day and in this 
hectic world we live in it will be a good 
opportunity to take some time to sit back 
and smell the roses Πor in this case the 
bales of hay!2012 is looking set to be our biggest year to date. We have six events planned 
including the return of our Sydney Seminar 
and Cricket Wicket Seminar. All the details 
can be found at www.sportsturf.asn.au.CHRIS CHAPMANPRESIDENT, STA NSWwww.toro.com.auWhen you purchase Toro equipment, you know you™re getting the highest standard of technology and expertise. 
You will also have the peace of mind knowing that there™s a Toro Service Centre near you, with highly skilled mechanics ready to offer expert advice and assistance. The Toro service team is ready to respond to your needs, helping you manage your resources and budget as well as 
maximise your productivity. So get in touch with a Toro 
Service Centre, including our newest location in Newcastle.TOR0139Service Centres 53 Howards Road, Beverley SA 5009  Ph: 08 8300 3630Unit 1/13 Downard Street, Braeside VIC 3195  Ph: 03 8586 066020-21 Sleigh Place, Wetherill Park NSW 2164  Ph: 02 8787 4117Unit 4/2316 Paci˜c Highway, Heatherbrae NSW 2324 Ph: 02 4983 280710 Buchanan Road, Banyo QLD 4014  Ph: 07 3292 48483/21 Ledgar Road, Balcatta WA 6021  Ph: 08 6241 19155/4 Lea Court, Moama NSW 2731 Ph: 03 5480 9913You can count on Toro for the ultimate in Customer Service.TOR0139_Turgrass_mag_Ad_126x186mm-FA.indd   113/10/11   10:00 AM64     AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENTSTATE REPORTSTasmania Golf Club superintendent Danny GilliganThe new GCSAWA committee has started to settle down quite nicely and filling all the roles that Darren Wilson has left for us now that he has joined the Board of the AGCSA. Darren was the most central person on the old committee, so he got 
roped into all the different meetings that were set up 
over here in the West.The University of Western Australia™s Turf Research Programme is about to undertake 
a new trial on managing turfgrass on reduced 
water allocations. Such an issue should be at the forefront of the minds of all golf clubs throughout 
Western Australia in the face of the extreme climatic 
conditions we are currently experiencing. The GCSAWA together with Golf Western Australia and Golf Management Australia (WA) have agreed in principle that each club in WA will donate 
one half of a member™s fee towards the research.The GCSAWA Super Series has just about finished for the year with the last round to be held 
at Nedlands Golf Club (host superintendent Aaron Petrovski). It seems that anyone with a chance to take out the title for 2011 will need about 25 points 
for nine holes to catch our fantastic leader Peter 
Fleming from Burswood. Our only hope is that 
he will be tied up with work as he is preparing the 
course for Tiger Woods™ visit on 5 November, one of two invitational events he will play ahead of the 
Australian Open and Presidents Cup.Paul Needham (Secret Harbour) has done a great job organising some quality golf courses for 
the Super Series and we even recoded our first ever hole-in-one which went the way of Callum Hitching 
during the Mosman Park round.Our walking wounded man of the West Glenn Cross (Mt Lawley Golf Club) has taken over from 
Darren Wilson on the Water Wise Golf Course Program Committee and together with water authority representative Aaron Compton, Colin 
Campbell (Hydroplan), Corrine Lorton (Lake Karrinyup CC), John Forrest (Challenger TAFE) and Trevor Strachan (Lake Karrinyup CC) is working on 
a structure for golf courses to become ‚water wise™ 
and get recognition from the water authority. The program will provide water security for the WA golf clubs through collaboration between the 
industry and government regulators to ensure the 
efficient and sustainable use of water for golf course 
irrigation and will promote our industry as being 
responsible users of water.DES RUSSELLPRESIDENT, GCSAWAGCSAWAThe final TGCSA gathering for 2012 will be the Christmas meeting on Thursday 1 December 
at Launceston Golf Club. The day will include a BBQ lunch with a few refreshments, followed by 
nine holes of golf where the hotly contested Reg Roberts Memorial Trophy and North vs South Cup will be up for grabs. Surely the northerners can 
bring home the Cup on home soil this year after the 
southerners have claimed the last two. It should be a great day to relax ahead of the stresses of summer, 
so the committee hopes to see a good turnout.Speaking of the committee, in the last edition we reported the departure of Doug Ollington from 
the TGCSA committee. Doug was on the committee for several years during which time he was a great 
help with advice from a trade perspective. We wish 
Doug all the best as he is now returning to university to undertake some studies along with running his 
business. Special mention must also go to Tasmania Golf Club course superintendent Dan Gilligan. Dan has now been on the committee for over 22 years during 
which time he has held all office bearer positions, 
including four years as vice-president and two years 
as president.  Dan was also secretary for four years 
and up until this year™s AGM at Kingston Beach Golf Club held the treasurer portfolio for six years. Dan was made a life member of the TGCSA back in 2002 for his services to the association and 
while he stands down from an office bearer position, 
he still remains active on the committee and always 
willing to help in any way. TONY SMITHPRESIDENT, TGCSATGCSAON THE MOVEA quick wrap up of major staff movements around the country...
Nathan Bennett: From superintendent The Sands, Torquay, VIC to superintendent Royal Adelaide Golf Club, SA Ben Evans: From 3IC Woolooware Golf Club, NSW to superintendentBardwell Valley Golf Club, NSW.
Leon Hennessy: From assistant superintendent Elanora Country Club, NSW to superintendent Cromer Golf Club, NSW.
Shane Herring: From superintendent Bardwell Valley Golf Club, NSW to superintendent Camden Golf Club, NSW.
Tom Hogan: Recently appointed assistant superintendent at Barwon 
Heads Golf Club, VIC.Luke Partridge: Recently appointed assistant superintendent Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, 
United Arab Emirates.Brett Skinner: From assistant superintendent to superintendent Howlong Country Golf Club, VIC replacing Sara Hagy who is expecting a baby.Brad Sofield: From superintendent Gosnells Golf Club, WA to senior technical officer Πparks at the City of Armadale, WA.
Pat Wilson: From assistant superintendent Tura Beach Country Club, NSW to superintendent Pambula-Merimbula Golf Club, NSW. BennettEvansHow The Hydrovar reduces maintenance costThe Hydrovar software is designed specifically for centrifugal pump operation, control and protection. The Hydrovar can 
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