ISSN 1442-: Ii ii\ WHERE THE TEMPLES MEET THE SEA.... ¡MietV v L,A I ^ il TORO. s uttin "The turf conditions on Pi courscs have hecn enhanced by for many years. We 're confident Toro 's innovation and leadership u iff provide the best turf solutions for th 1QQQ U.S. Open and beyond. ŠBraJ G. Kocher Director of Golf Course Maintenance for Pinehurst Resort and Country Club When it comes to large scale cutting coverage, no one offers solutions like Toro. With SReelmaster® fairway mowers from which to choose, you'll he assured the right machine for your climate and grass 
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range of products, ser-vices and irrigation, individually designed to me et the specitic needs of your course. Toro. Wh en you demand quality, precision and reliability. To finti your nearest Toro Dealer, please telephone 131 388. Toro Commercial Kt/uipment. 59 Woodlands Drive. Braeside Vie 3195. Phone (03) 9580 7355 Fax (03) 9580 7399. Offices in Sydney; Melbourne, Perth. Brisbane. Head Office. Toro Australia Pty Limited, 53 Howards Road, Beterley SA 5009. Phone (08) 8300 36.13 Fax (08) 824.12940. " 1 with Jacklin' Seed and BEST® Fertiliser For over 60 years Jacklin Seed and BEST fertilisers have built strong reputations in the turf-grass industry. Emerging as a world leader, Jacklin is involved in breeding, production and distribution of turf and forage seeds. BEST, widely recognized for their technologically advanced fertilisers, have proven themselves as a market leader with superior quality, selection and competitive prices. Our success is attributed to our distributors and you. The business units of Jacklin Seed and BEST fertilisers recently combined to form Simplot Tlirf & Horticulture Group. Together with our strong product lines and distribution networks, we provide unparalleled customer service. We remain dedicated to be the major international supplier of seed, fertiliser and technical support to the turfgrass and horticultural industries, including golf, landscape, sod farms, commercial nurseries, sports fields and general turf. Together, Simplot Tlirf and Horticulture Group is the only name you'll need to Seed It and Feed It. Coeur dAlene Resort Golf Course floating green in Coeur dAlene, Idaho The Final Word in Turfgrass Seed and Nutrition For more information regarding products, technical support and distribution, please contact our corporate offices: 5300 WEST RIVERBEND AVENUE Ł POST FALLS, ID, U.S.A. 83854-9499 Ł PHONE: 208-773-7581 Ł FAX: 208-773-4846 www.jacklin.com or www.bestfertilizer.com There's only one reason to design innovatively and manufacture with a focus on quality before cost. It works! Australian Turfgrass Management Published by: Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association ACN 053 205 888 President: Mr. Peter Frewin Directors: Mr. Mark Couchman Mr. Peter Schumacher Mr. Jeff Gambin Chief Executive Officer: Euan Laird Editorial / Advertising: Phil George Administration Manager: Virginia Thompson INTERNATIONAL "Supplying the best. Nothing less." VICTORIA: Head Office. 466 Warrigal Road, MOORABBIN, 3189 Phone: (03) 9570 2202. Greg Walker - Mobile 015 546 565 NEW SOUTH WALES: Phone: (02) 9681 6926. Phil Costa - Mobile 015 899 605 QUEENSLAND: Phone: (07) 5528 9600. Ken Robinson - Mobile 0417 511 580 SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Phone: (08) 8322 1883. John Cox - Mobile 0417 979 339 Enviromist - Australia World's best practice CDA technology. Capable of dramati-cally reducing chemical and water application rates, improving weed control and environmental safety even when spraying in windy conditions. Light-weight tractor mount or 4-wheel bike tow behind. Manufactured in 
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changerooms or adhered on external pathways. Level 1, 19 Railway Parade North Glen Waverley, 3150 Ph: (03)9886-6200 Fax: (03)9886-6400 Email: info@agcsa.com.au Website: www.agcsa.com.au Design & Production: Publicity Press Production Manager: Kristin Johnson Art Direction: David Fry Design: Duncan Grant Accounts/Subscriptions AGCSA Level 1, 19 Railway Parade North Glen Waverley, 3150 (03) 9886-6200 (03) 9886-6400 r Copyright © 1999 AGCSA believes that material sourced and produced for Australian Turfgrass Management is accurate, but give no warranty in relation thereto, and disclaim liability for all claims against the AGCSA, Publicity Press, their subsidiary companies, their 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 publishers. ATM contents >>>>>>>i volume View of second shot on the 381m par 4, 12th at Bali Nirwana Golf Club Turfgrass WHERE THE TEMPLES _ ML ' 1 1HF SL Ł Ł Ł * BALI NIRWANA, WHERE THE TEMPLES MEET THE SEA Committed to bringing you the best from overseas, ATM profiles AGCSA member Phillip Knight and the very spectacular Bali Nirwana Golf Club. HOW GOOD IS YOUR IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT? Geoff Connellan from the University of Melbourne asks the question and provides you with all the information you will need to determine if your irrigation system has what it takes to get through another long, hot summer. GPS TECHNOLOGY FOR GOLF COURSES Global Positioning System technology has found applications in a huge range of industries including golf course management. It is an incredibly interesting topic and the range of possibilities and uses of the technology in the future seem endless. ENVI ROMAN Mick Russell, winner of the 1999 AGCSA Claude Crockford Environmental Award explains the range of benefits that have come from successfully revegetating a very degraded section of Victoria's Werribee River and why winning the award has been the highlight of his career in turf. GET THE AIR IN THERE Geoff Green and David Westall discuss the benefits of including topdressing & deep tine aeration into your spring renovation program. BIOLOGICAL TURFGRASS CULTURE Ex Golf Course Superintendent and Plant Pathologist from Wisconsin USA Thomas Parent discusses how you can improve turf quality and reduce fertiliser use by following a "soils first" approach to turfgrass management. ATM Q Racing! Most are well aware of the differences in water use and drought tolerance between warm and cool season grasses. Work by Tim Colmer and Digby Short from the University of Western Australia allows us to quantify these differences and make more informed management decisions. PLAYING QUALITY AND MEASUREMENT * 36 John Neylan Senior Turf Consultant and regular feature writer for ATM reviews what is known on the evaluation and measurement of turf sporting surfaces and presents his own results of a field study completed at Melbourne's AFL Park. Well its October already and for those of you who have finished your spring renovations, you are most probably trying to catch your breath before planning a way through another summer. If that is the case then relax because in this edition Geoff Connellan from the University of Melbourne shows you how to test the uniformity and efficiency of your irrigation system. Also, we have an update on a trial running at the University of Western Australia, which compares the water use of 11 turf grass genotypes and still in the west, Dion Warr from the Vines Resort introduces us to Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and their wide range of applications. This month we feature the great work that Golf Course Superintendent Mick Russell has done at Werribee Park and we travel to "Where the Temples Meet the Sea", and discuss the finer points of golf course management in Asia with AGCSA member Phillip Knight. It seems everything needs a number these days! John Neylan discusses the evaluation and measurement of natural turf surfaces and this month in "Review" we look at the likely impact of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the turf industry. Also included in this edition is a look at a "soils first" approach with American Plant Pathologist Thomas Parent, we get deep with aeration and for a look at some AGCSA merchandise, turn to page 56. There's plenty in this one and I hope you enjoy it! Phil George Editor Ç in every edition COMPANY PROFILE (Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association) 42 AGCSA MEMBERSHIP FORM 43 AGCSA BOOKSHOP NEWS 48 50 TURF MARKET PLACE 54 AGCSA MERCHANDISE 56 NEW PRODUCTS 58 STATE REPORTS 60 ATM WARREN WILLIAMS DOOMBEN RACING CLUB 9 Bali Nirwana ^^^ Where the temples meet the seaŠ mm-A TEAM OF 20 LOOK AFTER'14HA of COMMERCIAL RICE RAODIEJ A 45 nainute scenic yet chaotic drive from Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, passing service stations selling fuel in glass bottles and the world's skinniest dogs, is Nirwana Bali Golf Club and Resort. Tanah Lot. Such is the historic and religious significance of this site, In the words of Phillip Knight, "it is like having a golf course built next to Stonehenge" and contains no less than eleven temples within its boundaries. commercial rice paddies and some through dense rain forest. It's a good driving course if you are straight and there are a number of water carries that will put your irons and short game under some pressure. This Greg Norman designed, 6805 yard (Shark Tees), par 72 course was opened in 1997 and for the last 18 months has been under the expert care of Phillip Knight, Australia's most ubiquitous Golf Course Superintendent. I am certainly no Ken Venturi but Nirwana Bali is the most visually spectacular and most "fun" golf course that I have ever played. Three or four holes play along cliffs that overhang the Indian Ocean and must surely provide some of the most spectacular views in the world of golf. Others play alongside the 14 hectares of manicured To be quite honest, if I hadn't fallen in love with the place instantly, I would have been screaming bloody social vandalism from the highest mountain top. Employed since 1996 by IMG, the worlds leading sports marketing and management company, as Director of Golf Course and Landscape Maintenance at Bali Nirwana, Phil also acts as IMG's regional Director for Golf Course Maintenance and over the past 27 years has managed courses in 6 different countries. Nirwana Bali is located just outside a small village in Tabanan Province, no more than a 2 iron from the famous Hindu temple of Although Phil's predecessor, had done a great job steering the course through the "grow-in" phase, a huge job lay ahead of Phil to take the course to the next level and VIEW OF TAN AH LOT bring it in line with the five star opulence of the Le Meridien Hotel complex that completes the resort. When Phil arrived at the course in 1998 his first task was to transform the Tifdwarf couch greens, which at the time were very thin and riddled with disease. Courtesy of a 15cm layer of impermeable volcanic peat brought in at construction, root growth was very poor and insufficient drainage meant they were virtually unplayable during the monsoon. and the greens on more than one occasion looked like 'cow paddocks', the greens have come back beautifully and putt truly. Fungicide is now applied monthly instead of weekly, light renovation is only required every three months and the greens remained in play through the entire monsoon season. Tees and fairways were also below IMG'S standards. The native 'Evergreen Bermuda' brought from Java and planted into the course of everything that goes onto the course is viewed as standard management practice. Although managing fine turf in a region with no local turf machinery and chemical distributor and in a climate that can be as unpredictable as it is beautiful, without question, the toughest part of Phil's job is managing a staff of an amazing 180 people. Approximately 100 people look after the 45 hectares of golf course, 60 take care of 40 LARGÌ "MACKENZIE" STYLE BUNKERING as sprigs was 'thatchy', spongy and virtually all stem. Tees and fairways were immediately scarified heavily in two directions and over the last eighteen months some of the worst areas have been done up to twelve times. Although they looked a little hungry when I was there, fairways were pure and provided a tight golfing surface. Fairways are fertilised with slow release fertiliser 4 times per year, tees and greens receive 1/2 kg of actual N/month in the dry season and up to 1 kg of actual N/month in the monsoon. Base slow release products are used in conjunction with of liquid organic products designed to "feed the micro organisms". Soil testing is an important part of Phil's program and maintaining detailed records hectares of landscape and a team of 20 look after 14 hectares of commercial rice paddies. If you think you've got staffing problem's, don't read on because "Mr. Phillip" has 1 Course Superintendent, 1 Assistant Superintendent, 4 course supervisors, a full time secretary, an inventory controller and driver, 7 irrigation technicians, 9 mechanics, 3 storeman, 3 cleaners, and a team of landscape supervisors. Believe it or not, in addition to this, 5 people are employed to pick coconuts before they fall on the head of unsuspecting golfers. A staff of that size sounds too good to be true but it must be remembered that the majority of them had never even seen a golf course before and previously had no concept of what is expected of a 5 star quality resort course. Re-construction should have been the option, but how do you tell the investors that they need to rebuild greens that are only 12 months old? To get the greens back from here, they were put through an intensive renovation program. Within the space of twelve months the greens were cored six times with half-inch hollow tines, twice with five eighth inch tines and were vertidrained three times with needle tines. As if that wasn't enough, greens were topdressed after each renovation and were twice scarified back to the bare dirt. Although this radical action caused numerous headaches and sleepless nights ATM Bali Nirwana Where the temples meet the sea, High on Phil's list of priorities is the revamping of much of the landscape and he has set about restoring a natural rugged beauty to the coastal holes whilst around the natural creeks, rice paddies and jungle areas, the careful addition of colorful native species is enhancing their beauty. In particular, the strong but careful use of Cymbopogon citratus (Weeping Lemon Grass) has added a new dimension to the visual appeal of the course, especially where it is planted around the coastal holes, creek banks and on the large 'Alister Mackenzie' style bunkering. I asked Phil where he was likely to go from here and he indicated that although he may be involved in a large project in Spain, it would depend on IMG. "They are such a fantastic group of professionals who understand the industry in every aspect. There are no committees, just a dynamic group of people that know how to solve problems and put ideas into reality. They truly recognize your worth, and give you the autonomy most Superintendents only dream of". Although Phils' home is where ever he lays his hat, I couldn't help but notice that over his right shoulder hangs a spectacular photograph of Grose Valley in the Blue Mountains of NSW, 5 minutes from where he grew up. This is where his heart is and where he is sure to return. PS. For those wishing to keep in contact with Phil his E-mail address is: freebird @ denpasar.wasantara.net.id PHIL KNIGHT WITH KEY STAFF MEMBERS 2ND SHOT INTO THE 9TH GREEN CADDIES ADD TO THE ENJOYMENT OF GOLF AT NIRWANA 295 Maroondah Link Highway Alexandra, 3714. Tel: (03) 5797 6203 Fax: (03) 5797 6307 IVALEEY ISEEDS The Science of Seed For assistance with your spring/summer management program talk to VALLEY SEEDS An all Australian Company, breeding and marketing in Australia for Australian conditions The true drought tolerant variety ideal for non irrigated areas. Tough turf used exclusively by Transfield on all their sportsgrounds on the Mornington Peninsula - find out how they save money and share in their success. Proud supporter of the AUSTEP Trials Ł S M % UH Elite Fineleaf Ryegrass No I for disease resistance and color. ATM 1 BBHI Nothing looks better than a course that's completely JOHN DEERE CREDIT NOTHING RUNS LIKE A DEERE® On a growing number of courses, the colour of choice in golf and turf equipment is John Deere green. And this year, we're adding three exciting new machines to enhance our full-line of quality equipment. The 2500 Tri-Plex Greens mower excels at not only the straight cut, but the cleanup cut as well. A lightweight design and low-profile tires limit ground compaction and minimise ground pressure. Coming in late 1999, the Pro-Gator Heavy Duty Utility Vehicle combines strength with versatility. With an impressive 1202 kg payload capacity, the Pro-Gator features a five-speed, fully sychronized transmission, a wide-open operator station, and hydrostatic steering for one of the tightest turning radiuses in the business. If you thought our Turf Gator® Utility Vehicle was quiet, try listening to our new Electric Turf Gator. Barely making a sound, the Electric Turf Gator® has the power to work a full shift, thanks to a separately excited controller and motor. With on-the-hour parts support and flexible leasing, John Deere is determined to give you the best tools on the course and off. For more information see your local John Deere Golf and Turf equipment specialist. Or call 1800 800 981. CP-GOLF RANGE-AUSTRALIAN TURF MANAGEMENT-5-99 A.C.N. 008-671-725. How GOOD GEOFF CONNELLAN PRINCIPAL LECTURER, BURNLEY COLLEGE. UN IVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. Ž'T MANAGEMENT? IRRIGATION IRRIGATION EVALUATION -APRIORITY The performance and management of irrigation systems should be critically evaluated on a regular basis. Many resources are involved in establishing and maintaining turf areas and water is one that is placing increasing demands on managers. There is very little evidence that irrigation in turf areas is being comprehensively evaluated. There is often reference to the need to achieve high application uniformity however analysis of the performance of existing systems appears to be very limited. Considering the critical importance of irrigation in achieving the key management objectives of organisations, this aspect of performance justifies closer scrutiny. The first step, in addressing irrigation performance is to identify the most appropriate performance indicators to use. WHICH PERFORMANCE INDICATORS? Assessment of the performance of an irrigation system should provide the manager with a numerical or quantitative measure that will allow the effectiveness and efficiency of irrigation to be evaluated and referenced to an industry standard or benchmark. In the case of sprinkler irrigation systems, it is important to consider both the operating effectiveness of the system, at any point in time and the management of the irrigation over a longer period such as the 'irrigation season'. There are two types of performance indicators. One type evaluates the effectiveness of application or the uniformity of the system and the other evaluates how well the system was managed in terms the amount of water applied compared to the amount that should have been used. IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT INDICATOR An appropriate seasonal irrigation performance indicator is the Irrigation Index (li) described by Kah and Willig, (1992). This compares the amount of water actually applied to the estimated amount of water required over the complete irrigation season. This simple measure provides the manager with a clear measure of how well or how efficiently the system is performing and how the performance compares with other sites. An irrigated area, that is being well managed, would have an Irrigation Index value of 1.0 or less. If the li value is greater than 1.0, it would suggest that water is being wasted. In a study carried out by Keig (1994), on ten irrigated sports grounds in Melbourne, Victoria, it was found that li values ranged from 0.63 to 2.75. The Irrigation Index (li) can be defined in the following way: IRRIGATION INDEX (II) = WATER APPLIED TO SITE (WA) ESTIMATED WATER REQUIRED (WB) Water Applied (WA) The amount applied, expressed in millimetres, can readily be determined from total water consumption at the site and the size of the area being irrigated. WATER APPLIED MM (WA) = VOLUME OF WATER SUPPLIED TO SITE (LLTRES) IRRIGATED AREA (M2) Note: One litre is equal to a depth of one millimetre (mm) spread over an area of one square metre. It is important to keep records of meter readings not only at the start and end of the irrigation season but also on a regular basis throughout the season. This assists with the monitoring of the site and scheduling of the irrigation and equipment. Water Required (WB) The estimation of water that should have been used by the site, over a particular period or season, involves more detailed consideration. In addition to an estimate of the water use of the turf, it is necessary to consider the benefits or contributions of any rainfall and an allowance for predicted system inefficiencies or losses. Plant water use or évapotranspiration (ET) can be estimated using local climate data, such as evaporation from the standard Class A Evaporation pan (Epan). The factor relating plant water use and evaporation readings is the Crop Factor (F). PLANT WATER USE (ET) IN MM = F X EPAN where: F - CROP FACTOR EPAN - EVAPORATION FROM CLASS A EVAPORATION PAN (MM) ATM The value of Epan, for the locality, can be obtained from the Bureau of Meteorology. The value of the Crop Factor will vary depending on several factors including turf type, available soil water, management practices and importantly, the quality of turf desired. For the purpose of establishing a performance benchmark for a particular site, a value of (F), which reflects the turf category (warm season or cool season) can be assumed. The desired quality of the surface needs to be identified. Depending on the turf quality required the value of the Crop Factor can be adjusted. Handreck and Black (1991) have proposed adjustment to the crop coefficient using three categories of turf quality; (1) Vigorous, lush growth, (2) Strong growth and (3) Moderate growth. Plant water use is often expressed as a proportion of a reference évapotrans-piration (ETo) which is the water use rate of an area of cool season grass growing in full sun. In this case, the term Crop Coefficient (Kc) is used to determine the plant water use. The following range of values of (F) for turf are presented as a guide: WARM SEASON TURFGRASSES -CROP FACTOR (F) 0.3 TOO.6 COOL SEASON TURFGRASSES -CROP FACTOR (F) 0.5 TO 0.8 Effective Rainfall The proportion of rainfall that is actually used by plants, after all rainfall losses have been taken into account, is referred to as Effective Rainfall (Peff). It is difficult to accurately determine without a full and detailed analysis. However, it can be estimated by taking into account some of the factors that will influence it. These include: 1. RAINFALL IN EXCESS OF THE AMOUNT THAT CAN BE STORED IN THE ROOT ZONE WILL BE WASTED DUE TO DEEP DRAINAGE. 2. RAINFALL INTENSITIES GREATER THAN THE SOIL INFILTRATION RATE WILL RESULT IN SOME RUNOFF. 
3. VERY SMALL RAINFALL AMOUNTS MAY NOT RESULT 
IN A NET ADDITION OF WATER TO THE ROOT ZONE. IT IS LIKELY TO BE LOST BY EVAPORATION FROM VEGETATION AND THE SOIL SURFACE. RAINFALL OF LESS THAN 2 MM CAN BE IGNORED. The estimation of Effective Rainfall (Peff) should take into account the total amount of water that can actually be stored in the soil root zone. Rainfall in excess of this capacity will be wasted. Shallow rooted turfgrasses, growing in lighter soils, will have a storage capacity in the range of 10 to 20 mm. Deeper rooting species may have a total storage capacity in the vicinity of 20 to 30 mm in light soils. A characteristic of shallow rooted turf is the limited ability to capture and store rainfall. IRAINMAN LREENKEEPER RAINMAN GREENKEEPER is a flexible irrigation control system that can be customised to suit your needs. GREENKEEPER can operate as stand-alone field satellite controllers and from the central control computer. An optional hand-held unit with digital display for testing and monitoring is also available. GREENKEEPER offers both an irrigation control and monitoring solution and an effective management tool that can be as simple or advanced in its functions as you require. Ł Accepts data direct from weather stations and other monitoring devices and can be programmed to irrigate accordingly. Ł Incorporates CAD drawings of the course and each hole's irrigation 
layout. Ł Communications can be either radio, telephone or hard wire with dial out or dial in access via modem. Ł Satellites continue to operate and collect data during comms failure. 
Ł Inbuilt lightning protection of inputs and outputs at each controller. 
Ł Standard satellites can have up to 64 stations, with customised units having the option of many more. For your free copy of a RAINMAN demonstration disc contact: RAINMAN Irrigation Control Systems 7 Hector St, Osborne Park, 6017, Western Australia Tel: (08) 9242 7899 Fax: (08) 9242 7890 email: scada@mce.com.au SPRINKLERS SHOULD HAVE ADEQUATE CLEARANCE TO ACHIEVE EFFECTIVE APPLICATION ! i ATM RAt NONE Australia Pty Ltd Australian sole distributors for rain^bird Maxicom and golf irrigation products RAIN ONE Australia Pty Ltd RAIN^BlSD distributors Queensland 6 Parkview Drive. Archerfield. Qld 4108 Ph: (07) 3276 7033 Fax: (07) 3277 1066 Western Australia 6/173 Planet Street, Carlisle WA 6101 Ph: (08) 9472 5444 Fax: (08) 9472 5777 NSW and Northern Territory 
Ph/Fax: (02) 4972 2197 Mobile: 0417 405 930 South Australia, Victoria & Tasmania Ph/Fax: (08) 8576 3835 Mobile: 0408 807 711 J.TJR «eurer« Manufacturers of Custom Golf Course Products Australia Ł FLAGS Ł TOOLS Ł SIGNAGE Ł FLAG POLES Ł COMPOUND Ł TEE MARKERS Ł REEL SHARPENING Ł RUBBISH BINS Ł BALL WASHERS Ł CUPS John Broderick PH/FAX (07) 3351 6196 MOBILE 0418 750 668 Idlecliff Pty. Ltd. A.C.N. 010 710 424 45 llluta Ave. Ferny Hills 4055 Brisbane, Australia "Australian Made Products" FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED A T Irrigation Requirement The amount of water that needs to be deposited, by the irrigation system, in the root zone to satisfy plant growth is the net difference between the plant water use (ET) and the amount supplied through rainfall (Peff). NET IRRIGATION REQUIREMENT (IR) MM ET - PEFF Due to inefficiencies, the sprinkler irrigation system needs to apply more water than the estimated net irrigation requirement (IR). Some water is lost due to wind drift and evaporation, some may drain below the root zone and there is always some unevenness in the application. The system efficiency (Ns), which accounts for these losses, can range from very low values, such as 50% , to loss values up as high as 90%. An achievable or minimum acceptable system efficiency of 75%, can be selected to provide a reference performance standard for turf sprinkler systems. WATER REQUIRED (WA) MM NET IRRIGATION REQUIREMENT (IR) SYSTEM EFFICIENCY (NS) In summary, the determination of the Irrigation Index can be carried out using a relatively limited amount of data and the application of simple analysis techniques. As well as providing useful information on current performance, it provides the basis for benchmarking your irrigation against other sites and industry standards. EXAMPLE -DETERMINATION OF IRRIGATION INDEX SM AND SYSTEM DETAILS SITE: AREA: TURF: IRRIGATION PERIOD: WATER THROUOH METER: CROP FACTOR (F): PARK - TURF AND TREES 2.5 HECTARES (25,000 M2) WARM SEASON MIX OCTOBER TO MARCH 9,500 KL. 0.5 EVAPORATION - TOTAL EPAN:680 MM (NOVEMBER TO MARCH) RAINFALL - TOTAL: 260 MM (NOVEMBER TO MARCH) A. WATER APPUED BY SYSTEM (WA). WATER APPUED (WA) - 9,500,000 (LITRES) = 380 MM 25,000 (M2) B. WATER REQUIRED (WB) WATER USED BY TURFORASS (ET * F x EPAN): ET - 0.5 x 680 MM - 340 MM EFFECTIVE RAINFALL: (ASSUME 50% OF TOTAL): 
50% OF 260 MM - 130 MM NET IRRIGATION REQUIREMENT (ET - EFFECTIVE RAINFALL): - (340 -130) - 210 MM ESTIMATED WATER NET IRRIGATION REQUIREMENT 
REQUIREMENT (WA): Ł SYSTEM EFFICIENCY (%) ASSUME IRRIGATION SYSTEM APPUCATION EFFICIENCY OF 75% (0.75). - 210 MM « 280 MM 0.75 IRRIGATION WATER SUPPLIED (WA) » Ï INDEX (II) « WATER REQUIRED (WB) 380 280 1.36 AN II VALUE OF 1.36 (WHICH REPRESENTS 136%) WOULD SUGGEST THAT OVER THE IRRIGATION SEASON POTENTIALLY 36% OF THE WATER SUPPUED BY THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM 
WAS NOT REQUIRED. Don't let sand, silt and harsh chemicals get the best of your rotors. Get the rugged durability and low maintenance of Rain Bird's most advanced line of rotors. Ł The newly redesigned EAGLEŽ gear drive rotors feature the Top-Serviceable Rock Screen/Integrated Valve Seat (patent pending) that allows you to remove debris and flush pipes without digging. Ł A reinforced polypropylene case increases durability i and offers resistance to 265 chemicals. Ł The new performance nozzles improve water distribution. Give yourself a fighting chance. Get the new EAGLE rotors and leave the dirty work to us. RAIN&BIRD Introducing the New Top-Serviceable Rock Screen EAGLEM Rotor. Call Rain Bird Golf at Qld. 041 966 9679, NSW. 041 845 3189, Vic. 041 8171230, WA. 041 377 7919. Pebble Beach is a trademark of Pebble Beach Co. . . _ . Pebble Beach Co trademarks and images used under license by Rain Bird Golf OT COHtUCt US Ut OUT Web Site http'J/WWlV. rCUnbird.COm SPRINKLER UNIFORMITY PERFORMANCE USA (IA) and is available through the Irrigation Association of Australia (IAA). Distribution Uniformity Coefficient It is not possible to achieve efficient irrigation, if the sprinkler system does not apply water uniformly. The controlled even application of a predetermined depth of water to the ground is essential to ensure water is not wasted. The uniformity of a sprinkler system can be determined by placing a number of 'catch cans', at regular intervals, within the sprinkler pattern. The system is operated for a period long enough to ensure that a measurable depth of water is collected in the cans. The preferred measure of uniformity for turf is the DU (Connellan, 1997). The DU is well suited to a turf application as it places emphasis on the areas of turf that receive low amounts of water. The value of DU is determined by comparing the average of the lowest 25% of can readings to the average of all readings. A DU of 100% would indicate that the application was perfectly even. In practice, this does not happen. It is generally accepted that sprinkler systems for turf should have a DU greater than 75%. The value of Distribution Uniformity coefficient is calculated using the following expression: DU - M25 x ioo (%) M where: M - AVERAGE VALUE OF ALL CAN READINGS (MM). M25 - AVERAGE OF LOWEST 25% OF READINGS (MM). Many factors influence the uniformity of sprinkler irrigation systems. Sprinkler spacing and sprinkler head distribution profiles are two of the key influencing factors. Operating conditions, environmental (wind) and hydraulic (pressure and flow), also directly affect the evenness of application. High uniformity is the result of good design, quality equipment and ongoing system maintenance. Auditing Irrigation Systems Prior to carrying out a uniformity test on an irrigation system, it is recommended that the overall condition and effectiveness of the irrigation equipment and its operation be checked. This procedure is included, as the first step, in the Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor (CLIA) training course developed by the Irrigation Association of Some of the problems that might be identified during this process include: Malfunctioning of valves Sunken sprinkler heads Incorrect or non rotation of sprinkler heads Tilted heads Plugged or blocked nozzles Broken casings, missing parts Distorted spray distribution 
Incorrect nozzles installed Leaking pipes, valves, fittings, equipment, broken seals Cracked casings Incorrect sprinkler pressure - (high or low) Any equipment problems observed should be identified and recorded noting the position and its controller station. This information should be recorded as part of a maintenance record of the irrigation system. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS The management of an irrigation system is a key performance issue in the overall management of turf areas. The evaluation of the performance should be given a high priority. The Irrigation Index (li) and the Distribution Uniformity (DU) coefficient of a system provide a quantitative measure of the efficiency and effectiveness of irrigation. These tools can directly aid turf managers in achieving irrigation performance levels that meet industry best practice standards. LITERATURE CITED CONNELLAN G.J. (1997) TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGES IN IMPROVING WATER USE EFFICIENCY IN URBAN AREAS, PROCEEDINGS OF IRRIGATION ASSOCIATION TECHNICAL CONFERENCE, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. NOVEMBER 2-4, 1997. IRRIGATION ASSOCIATION USA. HANDRECK K. A. AND BLACK N. D. (1991) GROWING MEDIA FOR ORNAMENTAL PLANTS AND TURF, NEW SOUTH WALES UNIVERSITY PRESS, KENSINGTON, NSW. KAH G. AND WILLIO C. (1992) IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY - How TO MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU, LANDSCAPE AND IRRIGATION, PP.44&45, 1992. KEIG, S. (1994) WATER USE EFFICIENCY -EVALUATION OF SELECTED SPORTS GROUNDS, HORTICULTURAL PROJECT REPORT, BURNLEY COLLEOE (VCAH), UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, P 20. JL LEGACY bv Hunter For more information on Hunter's complete line of irrigation products, contact Hunter Industries or your local authorized Hunter distributor. Hunter Industries Unit 2, 116 Rundle Street Kent Town, S.A. 5067 Tollfree: 1800 811370 Tollfree Fax: 1800 801737 Representative: Mike Steele CSS CONTROLLED SPRINKLER SUPPLIES Authorized Legacy by Hunter Distributor ACT, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria National Free Call 1800 806 323 Tollfree Fax: 1800 444 448 Legacy Golf Representative: Andrew Price ADELAIDE Unit 3/ 10-12Carsten Rd Gepps Cross. SA 5094 Tel: 08 8349 7533 GOLD COAST 6 Goodyear Street Southport. QLD 4215 Tel: 07 5591 5255 PERTH 2/31 Ledgar Road. Balcatta, WA 6021 Tel: 08 9345 4166 MELBOURNE Waterdale Rd and Vernon Ave. Heidelberg Heights, VIC 3081 Tel: 03 9457-7500 SYDNEY 2/8 Melville Street Parramatta, NSW 2150 Tel: 02 9630 3234 IIP lw\ PRODUCTS HR PRODUCTS Authorized Legacy by Hunter Distributor Far North Coast - New South Wales, Nrthn Territory, Queensland, W.Australia National Free Call 1800 998 037 WST Tollfree Fax 1800 651 680 PERTH 207 Bannister Road Canning Vale, WA6155 Tel: 08 9455 1677 ADELAIDE 20 Wilson Street Royal Park. SA 5014 Tel: 08 8341 0008 BRISBANE 14-16 Tolmer Place Springwood. QLD 4127 Tel: 07 3290 1200 MELBOURNE 16 Capella Crescent Moorabbin. VIC 3189 Tel: 03 9532 2224 SYDNEY 11-13 Sammut Street Smithfield. NSW 2164 Tel: 02 9725 5733 NEWCASTLE Tel: 0418 292 769 TOWNSVILLE Tel: 0418 742 144 ATM LEGACY by Hiiiitei* Water Management Solutions That Meet Today's Challenges Golf course renovation and maintenance present a continuing series of challenges for today's superintendent. Environmental responsibility. Efficient irrigation. Labor and energy cost control and more. Legacy by Hunter offers a sophisticated water management system that helps you meet these challenges - with versatile Viking Decoder and Genesis Central/Satellite controllers, reliable Hunter rotors, valves and data retrieval devices - and the innovative technology that makes it all easy to operate. Your local Legacy distributor can show you the advantages. H 1 a guide to the world of opinion & ideas IMPACT OF THE GSTON THE TURF INDUSTRY BYJON GRIFFIN, GRIFFINJONES CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS If, you have a management position in the turf industry the chances are you hold the purse strings to a budget of some description. If that is the case, then read on, as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will affect you. The GST is an indirect tax that replaces the wholesale sales tax and a number of State indirect taxes. GST is levied on private consumption on goods, services and imports in Australia. It is also known as known as a "value-added" tax, which is collected at each stage in the production and distribution chain, as value is added to a product or service by manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. As part of the Howard governments' package of tax reform the GST is designed to re-apportion the tax burden from low income earners to high consumers and is the ultimate in a "user pays society". (IMPORTANT FACTS v Ł The GST will commence on the 1st July, 2000. 3 Ł On 1st July 2000 the wholesale sales tax system will cease and the GST will commence. Ł The GST is a tax to be imposed at a rate of 10 per cent on the sale of most goods and services in Australia. Ł The GST is raised every time goods and services are sold. Ł Every quarter, businesses will calculate the difference between the GST included on all their sales less the GST included in all purchases made during the quarter. The balance is then forwarded to the tax office, or a refund received if the tax included in suppliers invoices is greater than the tax collected from customers. How Will the GST work and what will it do to prices? (GOODS ) Many products currently sold into the turf industry are inclusive of 22% sales tax. From the 1st July 2000 the 22% sales tax component will be removed and a 10% GST will be applied. You may think prices will fall however, the wholesale sales tax of 22% is raised at the wholesale level whereas the GST will be raised at the retail level. As a general rule prices of most goods that currently include wholesale sales tax will decrease marginally or not at all as the 22% wholesale sales tax will come off and a 10% retail GST will go on. Prices of most goods that do not currently include wholesale sales tax will increase by no more than 10%. ATM (SERVICES Under the current system all services are exempt from wholesale sales tax. From the 1st July 2000 all services provided will include a GST of 10%. As a result services such as soil testing, electricity, rent, telephone and consulting will be approximately 10% dearer. The ACME Private Golf Club income and expenditure statement pre and post 1st July 2000: The main goods and services excluded are, salaries, medical services, interest on loans and fresh food. At this stage you have probably broken into a cold sweat wondering where the additional 10% is going to come from to pay the 10% increase in the cost of all services purchased. Do not despair the GST is a consumption tax which is ultimately paid by the consumer. Let me explain by way of an example. r 1 Column A Column B Column C Pre GST Post GST GST included In Column B Figures $ $ $ Income Subscription fees received 100,000 110,000 10,000 Other income 80,000 88,000 8,000 Total Income 180,000 18,000 Less Expenses Salaries 80,000 80,000 -Insurance 6,000 6,600 600 Chemicals 10,000 10,000 909 *1 Furniture 23,000 25,300 2,300 Instant Turf 1,000 1,100 100 Hand Tools 500 500 45 Golf Equipment (flags,cups etc) 1,000 1,000 91 *1 Rent Ł 5,000 5,500 500 Electricity 11,000 12,100 1,100 Telephone 500 550 50 Consulting 11,000 12,100 1,100 Fuel 20,000 20,000 1,818 #1 GST paid 0 9,387 -Total Expenses 169,000 184,137 8,613 Net Profit $11,000 $13,863 $ 9,387 (Difference between GST collected on sales and GST paid on all inputs is sent off to the Australian Taxation Office, ATO) I *1 Items subject to sales tax pre GST therefore prices should remain the same post GST J If the ACME Private Golf Club fees (inclusive of GST) are increased by 10% on the 1st July 2000 then it would increase its net profit by $2,863 (i.e. $13,863 - $11,000). The ACME Private Golf Club should increase its fees by less than 10% because of the credit gained in respect of the sales tax previously paid on goods which from 1st July 2000 will be replaced by the GST. The amount each golf club will increase its fees will depend on the mix of goods used which prior to 30th June 2000 included wholesale sales tax. Most organisations in the turf industry will need to register for an Australian Business Number and raise GST on all sales. When purchasing goods and services it is important that goods and services are only purchased from companies which have an Australian Business Number (ABN) on their tax invoice. The Australian Business Number invoice will allow your golf club to offset the GST included on the invoice against the GST raised by the golf club on its subscription fees and other income. CONCLUSION" Whether we agree with it or not, the GST will come into effect on the 1st July 2000. Although the overall effect of the GST is unlikely to be dramatic and should be fairly predictable, a simple understanding of the tax and its impact on certain items required for business is essential if you are to avoid being caught out in the "transition period". FOR FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT: www.ato.gov.au JON GRIFFIN IS A PARTNER WITH GRIFFIN JONES CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS GRIFFIN JONES CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS ARE AUDITORS OF THE AGCSA LTD. ¿J AUSTRALIAN OWNED OBINT AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN MADE NUMBER ONE MANUFACTURER OF GOLF COURSE EQUIPMENT Suppliers of flag sticks, flags, cups and tee markers to the PGA Tour Australasia for more information call: 02 9667 3003 or Fax: 02 9693 5837 or find us on the world wide web at www.dint.com.au ATM Turf & Irrigation Professional Products The driving force in turf and irrigation When it comes to turf and irrigation, talk to the experts at T&l. We have the experience, knowledge and products to meet your requirements. Our team of experts can offer the best advice with prompt service and the most competitive prices to meet your budget. 132 009 ALL BRANCHES Internet: www.t-i.com.au Email: info@t-i.com.au NSW Ł Queensland Ł South Australia Ł Thomastown, Nottinghill, Cheltenham, Wodonga, North Parramatta, Coffs Harbour, Castle Hill, Cooper Plains, Aspley, Labrador, Maryborough, Mile End, Canberra, Perth DIOBY SHORT AND TIM COLMER Faculty of Agriculture, The University of WA. Nedlands, WA, 6907 comparison of Improved practice in irrigation management of turf has been identified by the WA Water Corporation and the Waters and Rivers Commission as a target area for water conservation in the Perth Metropolitan area. However, water conservation may only be achieved by: (i) increasing the knowledge on the water requirements and drought tolerance of a range of turf grass genotypes, especially when grown on sandy soils, and (ii) effective communication of such information to stakeholder groups. In order to address these issues a "Turf Industries Research Steering Committee" was established in 1995 to bring together the major stakeholders in the WA Turf Industry, Government, and Research arenas to set well-defined goals. A concern was that relevant data on turf grass water requirements were not available to aid irrigation decisions of turf growers and managers. A research proposal was developed in consultation with our industry partners and matching funds were approved from the national Horticultural Research and Development Corporation (HRDC). The main objectives of our research are to evaluate the water use, irrigation requirements and drought tolerance of 11 turf grass genotypes under conditions in southwest WA (listed in Table 1). The information gained should help to reduce water use via: (i) improvements in irrigation scheduling Turf grass Genotypes ring summer based on quantitative data, and (ii) the identification of turf grasses with lower rates of water use and/or a better tolerance Scientific name Warm-season turf grasses Cynodon dactylon C. dactylon x C. transvaalensis Paspalum vaginatum Stenotaphrum secundatum Pennisetum dandestinum Buchloe dactyloides Zoysia japónica Cool-season turf grasses Festuca arundinacea Lolium perenne Common name Couch or Bermudagrass Couch hybrid or Bermudagrass hybrid Saltene or Seashore Paspalum Buffalo or St. Augustine grass Kikuyugrass Buchloe or American Buffalograss Zoysia or Japanese lawngrass Tall Fescue Perennial Ryegrass Cultivar or selection Wintergreen/Windsor Green/CT-2 Santa Ana BT17 ZT94 Arid Accent RESEARCH METHODS AND FACILITIES A facility for turf grass research has been established at UWA's field station in Shenton Park, approximately 8 km east of Perth's CBD. The site provides the infrastructure required to evaluate turf under various management practices and includes: (i) a variable-speed precision boom irrigator, (ii) soil moisture monitoring system, (iii) weather station, and (iv) a series of field lysimeters. The site contains virgin Karrakatta sands of the Spearwood dune system. The experimental design and facilities enable comparisons of turf grass genotypes when grown under uniform management conditions. For more information on the infrastructure and the physical layout of the trials the reader is referred to Short and Colmer (1998). rs _ _ oBHK*3 SHENTON PARK FIELD STAWON The 11 turf genotypes were planted during mid-January 1997 in a series of 9m2 plots, randomised within fifteen complete blocks. After one year of establishment, five daily irrigation treatments of 100% (control), 80%, 60%, 40%, and 20% of net pan evaporation (Epan) were imposed for an 8 week period during the summer of 1997/98; Table I. Turf grasses being evaluated for water requirements and drought tolerance in field plots at the UWA Faculty of Agriculture Turf Research Facility in Shenton Park, Western Australia. of drought. each treatment was replicated three times. Plots were allowed to recover in the following autumn, winter and spring (cool-season grasses were re-seeded, warm-season plots were dethatched) and re-allocated to a second set of irrigation treatments for the summer of 1998/99. The five irrigation treatments that were imposed for a 14 week period during the second summer were: 100% (control), 60%, 50%, 40%, and 30% of Epan, again each treatment was replicated three times. All plots were re-watered at 100% Epan at the end of both summers and recoveries from water deficits were assessed. Measurements taken over both summers 
included: clipping growth (weekly), colour retention (fortnightly), plant water relations (monthly), total biomass production (seasonal), root depths and densities (seasonal), and rates of extraction of soil moisture (daily). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Growth and colour Data comparing the impact of irrigation treatments for 8 weeks on the growth of the 
turf grasses are shown in Table 2. Clipping weights were severely reduced for all grasses at 20% Epan, at 40% Epan the warm-season grasses were less affected than the cool-season grasses and at 60% or 80% Epan clippings produced were about equal to those turf grasses irrigated at 100% Epan. The exception was Ryegrass, for which growth was significantly reduced when irrigated at 60% Epan. Although the responses of the warm-season grasses were similar, the absolute growth rates differed substantially. During the second summer the responses of the 
warm-season grasses showed that the minimum 
daily irrigation required to maintain acceptable growth ranged from 50-60% of Epan. Turf colour or "greenness" depends largely on the leaf chlorophyll concentration (chlorophylls are the green pigments in plant leaves), therefore we have used a chemical assay for chlorophylls to quantify the effect of decreasing irrigation on turf colour. Table 2 shows colour retention for the grasses when irrigated for 4 weeks at 40% Epan, compared to the control plots irrigated at 100% Epan. The loss of colour was greatest for the two cool-season grasses (Ryegrass and Tall Fescue), with chlorophyll concentrations at 40% Epan being only half of the value compared to the controls. In contrast, the warm-season grasses retained 60-90% of their chlorophyll under the same 40% Epan grasses grown with non-limited water (watered daily) and limited water (draw down over 8 days). The water use rates for cool-season grasses were 31-36% higher than those for the warm-season grasses, under both non-limited and limited soil water availability. The higher rates of water use by the two cool-season types would result in these species becoming drought stressed more rapidly than most warm-season grasses. irrigation treatment. Table 2. Growth (measured as clipping dry weights over 8 weeks) and colour retention (measured as total leaf chlorophyll concentration after 4 weeks) for turf grasses irrigated at 40% Epan when compared to grasses irrigated at IOO% Epan (control). Mean are of 3 replicates. Turf grass genotype Clipping dry weight Leaf chlorophyll retention (% of control) (% of control) Couches (3 cultivars pooled) 84.5 81.3 Couch hybrid 96.1 75.7 Saltene 93.3 78.7 Buffalo 90.7 83.0 Kikuyugrass 96.7 78.9 Buchloe 81.4 90.6 Zoysia 75.2 61.6 Tall Fescue 57.2 47.7 Ryegrass 29.4 54.7 Root growth and soil water extraction Turf species that have the capacity to explore a large soil volume for water have a distinct advantage when soil moisture availability declines (Marcum, et a!., 1995; Carrow, 1996). Ryegrass, had 86% of all roots situated in the top 10 cm and no roots below 20 cm, even after 1.5 years of growth. In contrast, most warm-season grasses had 50-60% of root biomass in the top 10 cm with the remaining proportion of roots at greater depths. In some cases roots were found as deep as 100-150 cm. Consequently, as rainfall or irrigation inputs decline over summer, warm-season grasses have the capacity to survive for considerably longer periods of time f 3 weeks at 20% Epan) compared to cool-season grasses C 1 week at 20% Epan). Weighing lysimeters installed into the field plots were used to measure the rates of water use from selected turf grass genotypes. Table 4 shows the water use rates as a percentage of daily Epan for I&egj Call* t;; ATM Table 3. Ratings of turf grass root exploration based on measurements for root distribution and density Table 4. Water use rates for turf grasses grown in lysimeters in field plots in Shenton Park, Perth. Lysimeters were weighed every 24 hours and changes in weight were recorded as water use. Any through flow of water was also collected, measured and taken into account when calculating water use. Data given are means of 3 replicates. CONCLUSIONS The research to date has found that the minimum daily irrigation required to maintain acceptable growth and colour over summer (8-14 weeks) ranges from 50-60% of Epan for several warm-season grasses and 80-100% of Epan for two cool-season grasses. This general finding was supported by the data showing lower rates of evapo-transpiration and the deeper root systems in the warm-season grasses when compared to the cool-season grasses. Also, the recovery abilities of the warm-season grasses following periods of low water availability were superior to those of the cool-season grasses. It should be noted however, that the present work has been carried out on established turf plots, which were not exposed to "wear", and as such the water requirements to maintain turf in "high use areas" may be greater (Carrow and Petrovic, 1992). ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the members of the UWA "Turf Industries Research Steering Committee" for their advice and enthusiastic support during this project. The research is supported by the Horticultural Research & Development Corporation (Project TU96002), the WA Turf Growers Association, Organic 2000, Micro-Control Engineering, WA Water Corporation, and WA Waters & Rivers Commission. In-kind support from Sentek Environmental Innovations, Agrilink Water Management, The Golf Course Superintendents Association of WA, The Cities of Stirling and Melville, Turbo Mulch, Casuarina Earthmoving & Transport, ALROH Turf Machinery, Nelson Australia, Total Eden Irrigation, and Sentinel Gardens Pty. Ltd. is appreciated. * Digby Short is a Ph.D. research student and Dr. Tim Colmer is the turf grass project coordinator and a lecturer in Plant Sciences at UWA. This article is a summary taken from a presentation at the 4th National Turfgrass Seminar in Perth, Western Australia during July 1999 Fax: (08) 9380 1108; E-mail: tdcolmer@cyllene.uwa.edu.au Turf grass genotype Water use as a % of daily Water use as a % of daily Epan in non-limited Epan in limited soil moisture soil moisture Ryegrass 100 84* Tall Fescue 100 92 Buffalo 69 59 Kikuyugrass 68 58 Zoysia 68 62 Saltene 67 57 Couch (Wintergreen) 64 56 Bare sand 50 25 The water use rate of Ryegrass was lower than expected due to wilting and senescence over the 8 day draw down period. Water use results are presented as a percentage of the daily net pan evaporation (Epan). Turf grass genotype Root exploration rating Couches, Couch hybrid, Kikuyugrass, Buffalo Excellent Saltene Very good Buchloe, Zoysia, Tall Fescue Good Ryegrass Poor PERFORMANCE WITHOUT COMPROMISE If you care about your turf and OUR backyard, there is a choice. Ask your local distributor: VIC: Turfcare Supplies (03) 9587 4933 NSW: Turfcare Supplies (02) 9684 6611 WA: David Gray & Co. (08) 9337 4933 QLD: Primac-Elders (07) 5537 3688 SA: Keyeturf (08) 8381 4124 EcoWetŽ is manufactured and marketed by: Henkel (Australia) Pty. Ltd. PH: (03) 9301 9900 A The Secret of StrongerTurf Multigreen controlled release fertilizer for stronger and healthier turf. The Green Power range for professional turf management: Ł Continuous, balanced supply of nitrogen and potassium for up to 4 months. Ł Polymer coated fertilizer (Multicote") for steady release and reduced leaching. Ł Potassium derived from potassium nitrate (Multi-K*), the preferred source for fast uptake plus prevention and elimination of "black layer". Green Power products are manufactured by Haifa Chemicals Ltd., the world's leading producer of potassium nitrate and other specialty fertilizers. quality controlled release N-P-K fertilizers, chlorine-free mini-prilled potassium nitrate, water soluble N-P-K fertilizers, humus-based active soil conditioner. GET T POWE FOR STRONGER, HEALTHIER AND FASTER TURF M Haifa Chemicals Ltd. P.O.B. 10809, Haifa 26120, ISRAEL, Tel: 972-4-8469632, Fax: 972-4-8469807 Australian Agent: MULTIFERT Agencies, P.O.Box 6 8 7. Werribee Victoria 3 0 3 0 Tel: (03) 97425888, Fax: (03) 97422122 E.mail: andrew@multifert.com.au Distributor enquiries welcomed. PREPARED BY DION WARR M.AOR. (TURF MGT) SYD UNI. MAIAS, CPAO GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT Š THE VINES RESORT. PERTH }Technology for Golf ( GPS (Global Positioning System) and more importantly DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System) are now readily available at low cost and combined with a low cost CAD (Computer Aided Design) package are perfect for achieving the following on Golf Courses. Ł Distance measuring Ł Sprinkler head marking Ł Determining the exact location of the centre of a green. Ł Valve box marking Ł QCV Marking Ł As constructed drawings of Irrigation Ł Marking of 100m 150m 200m distance to Green markers Ł Area measuring Ł Location of any asset i.e. (Pumps, Bores) Ł Relocation of any recorded items (QCV, Mainline etc) Ł Can be used in construction for marking out fairways etc. Ł Provide accurate documentation and records for all underground services. Ł Calculating area of Greens, Tees, etc. Ł Location of boundaries Ł Tracking of vehicles Ł Can be combined with moving map software for visual location of position. All of these can be done with ease and all can be expected to be accurate to within 1 metre. A good DGPS system will give 1m accuracy - if you walk with one you can see the screen count down each meter as you walk. These units will also give accurate speed readings and are therefore useful for the calibrating of application equipment. WHAT IS GPS AND DGPS GPS stands for Global Positioning System. Developed by the United States Department of Defense as a 24-hour a day, 365 days a year global navigation system for the military. Civilian availability was added with less accuracy using the same satellites. Twenty-four satellites orbit the earth. Three of these satellites are spares, unused until needed. The rest virtually guarantee that at least four satellites are in view of anyplace on Earth at all times. You need three satellites to get a 2D fix and four satellites to get a 3D fix - that includes altitude. Unfortunately due to ionospheric and troposperic delays, and errors deliberately added by the Department of Defense, GPS can only be relied upon to provide accuracy of approximately 100 metres. This is of course no good for locating a valve box on a Golf Course. However if a GPS unit is installed at a known location the error can be calculated by establishing the differential between what the GPS is saying and what the actual position is. This differential can then be transmitted to a receiver in less than 1 second. The receiver can then transmit the differential correction to another GPS making that GPS accurate to within 1 metre. This is known as DGPS Differential Global Positioning System. Now with a DGPS system you can confidently measure distances and locations on Golf Courses. ATM WHAT DO YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE THIS AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Ł A computer (Pentium or higher 32Mb Ram) Ł A DGPS ready GPS Ł A DGPS Receiver 
Ł A CAD software program 
Ł Aerial Photograph Ł Utilities to upload and download from GPS to Computer Ł Subscription to a DGPS signal. The total cost including a PC is around $6,000.00. If you already have a suitable PC then you are looking at around $4,000.00 -4,500.00. If you have a PC and a digital photograph then about $2,800.00 HOW IT ALL WORKS. Once you have an aerial photograph you can have it scanned, corrected and burnt to a digital image on a Compact Disk. AutoCAD Light is a CAD program that costs around $900.00. AutoCAD can read the image from the compact disk and load the calibrated photograph onto your computer screen. Once this is done you can achieve the following. Ł Measure any distance from one point to another for example back of tee to the front of a green. Ł Calculate the area of anything on the photograph i.e. a golf green, fairway, tee etc. Ł Place your mouse cursor anywhere on the image and get the coordinates for that position. Ł Input those coordinates into a GPS and then the GPS can take you to within 1m of that spot. Store required data (overlays) over the top of the image, i.e. irrigation system. Zoom in and out to display required detail Note, to calculate the area of any object you first need to draw a line around it You can then save the line around your green on a "layer" called say "Greens". Eventually all of your greens will then be on the greens layer and you will have the most accurate area information for all greens. This then becomes a permanent record. AutoCAD will have the aerial photograph as a base and you can overlay anything over the photo like the Irrigation system - you can even print it. Combine the CAD package with a DGPS and you can then transfer information from the DGPS to the CAD package or vise versa - this means you can look up the location coordinates of a valve box on the computer then input those coordinates into the DGPS and then the DGPS unit will take you to that valve box. Ł The CAD package has precise accuracy to less than 1 mm Ł The DGPS system is accurate to 1m If you were to drive around the golf course and then download the data from the DGPS and plot it on the CAD system it niEnzAy 9 "LOVE CRICKET" "YES WE DO" "ORDER TODAY" Tow-a-tarp Take the hard work out of protecting centre squares. With drum mounted on sealed roller bearings. These provide easyŁ quick and reliable operation. Designed with occupational health and safety issues in mind. Mentay2000 The new "ride on" Mentay 2000 Wicket Roller has been designed specifically to meet the demands for a middle of the range roller to assist you in the preparation and management of 1st class turf wickets Ł Mentay custom build machines and j supply sportsfields, racecourses, tennis courts and golf courses nationally and overseas. Contact fflcilLi\y today on freecall 1800 037 075 fax (03) 53381006 Email: mentay@bigpond.com Website: www.mentay.com.au Example of measurement from back of tee to the front of a green. Rj^jfTTTTiJ ATM would show you exactly where you drove on the golf course. This can be done in a few minutes. Example of a vehicle driving on road. CONCLUSION In short the above system provides a complete management system for all measurement and location requirements for Golf Courses. In addition you can print any portion of the image at any scale. This is useful for issuing to staff or contractors. The system is compatible with most other CAD systems enabling the likes of engineers or golf course architects to e-mail you overlays that can be put directly over your images. E.g. a new hole design can be overlaid over the existing hole and viewed, compared, printed etc. CALCULATION OF THE AREA OF A CREEN METHODOLOGY FOR DETERMINING THE CENTRE OF THE GREEN AND DISTANCE MARKERS AIM IT'S HERE! IT'S DEADLY! Poa annua. You know the problem. You may also know about Scotts Fertiliser with TGR (Turf Growth Regulator). It is the ultimate Poa constrictor. Now, thanks to Scotts expertise, TGR technology is available in Australia through the release of two TGR products, HIGH K 15-0-24 with TGR and FERTILISER 31-1-7 with TGR. Both products promote the growth of desirable cool season turf whilst simultaneously suppressing growth of Poa annua. So now you can control Poa without compromising the quality of the playing surface. Scottsi HIGH K 15-0-24 with TGR FERTILISER 31-1-7 with TGR FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT YOUR SCOTTS DISTRIBUTOR OR SCOTTS AUSTRALIA ON (02) 9899 2555 At the 1995 A.G.C.S.A. National Conference in Adelaide I sat in stunned silence as Ms Penny Figgis from the Australian Conservation Foundation branded golf courses as purveyors of fenvironmental vandalism BY MICK RUSSELL, GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT AND WINNER OF THE 1999 AGCSA CLAUDE CROCKFORD ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD I could have simply dismissed these com-ments as unfair and uninformed but instead they galvanised a resolve to prove her wrong. Fours years later I feel honoured and proud to have been awarded the 1999 AGCSA Claude Crockford Environmental Award and feel as though I have found a way to prove that golf can be of benefit to the community and the environment. Built mainly by volunteers on 75.5 hectares of land, which had previously been used as grazing land for cattle and sheep, Werribee Park Golf Club was officially opened in December 1976. It is situated 35km south west of Melbourne and 3 kms south of the Werribee Township within the rapidly expanding City of Wyndham. Positioned adjacent to Werribee River the course is regularly flooded. Reputedly one of the fastest flowing rivers in flood in the Southern Hemisphere, flooding results in the wash-out of bunkers and greens, deposits of silt and weed species, loss of remnant vegetation (i.e. redgums) and damage to irrigation. In addition, areas of the river bank were eroding by up to one meter per year, prompting the club in conjunction with the City of Wyndham and Natural Resources and Environment to embark on a large-scale riverbank re-establishment project along the 14th fairway. This was extremely successful but it wasn't until hearing a presentation given by Landcare and Land for Wildlife at a State Superintendents' meeting that I became interested in the Land for Wildlife 'concept'. After speaking with representatives from Land for Wildlife and getting an outline of the processes the club was required to go through, I presented the idea to the Club Manager and Committee. Some initial con-cerns regarding loss of control of the land were raised but eventually it was decided to continue with the process and apply for registration. The first step was to organise an inspection of the site with representatives from the Land for Wildlife group to inspect the site and log all points of interest such as vegeta-tion, habitat, animal species and numbers. Some weeks later we received a report from Land for Wildlife to say that the assessment had determined that the site would be a valuable contributor to Land for Wildlife and that the remnant vegetation and habitat areas were of great value. The report also stipulated that we would require a long-term environmental management plan before the registration could be accepted. After reading this report I sat back and thought that's easy enough I'll whip up a plan in a couple of weeks and we can get started. How wrong I was. After looking at what was required to do the job properly I realised that this was not going to be a simple task. During the next couple of months I attended environmental seminars to learn about revegetation techniques, plant identification, weed control and planning. The more information I gathered the more I felt I needed but it was a tremendously interesting process and I became increasingly excited about preparing a comprehensive, meaningful environmental management plan which addressed a range of issues such as habitat maintenance, Redgum management and waste disposal. Nine months later the management plan was completed and in October 1998 the 'Werribee Park Golf Club Environmental Management Plan' was accepted by both the Club and Land for Wildlife and the site approved and registered on the Land for Wildlife program. The plan has a 'vision' and that is to bring neighbouring properties and community groups together in restoring and enhancing the wildlife corridor along one of the most degraded river systems in Victoria, the Werribee River. Registration with the program and subse-quent restoration work has generated tremendous interest from the local media and developed an awareness amongst members and public golfers of the value of golf courses in providing habitat for flora and fauna. Where once revegetation work had drawn criticism from members who thought time would be better utilised by mowing greens and fairways, education and 'selling' the benefits of what is being done has encour-aged members to be supportive and take an active interest in the environmental health of the course. Although an increase in wildlife is an obvious benefit of revegetation, establish-ment of these areas allows us to spend more time on maintaining and improving the golf course. This is not just good for the environment it is good for the business of golf as well. As the native vegetation matures self-regeneration of various species becomes evident and it begins to out-compete weed species. Native birds such as grass parrots like Red Rumps and Purple Banded Lorikeets are returning to the area to feed on native grass planting's. They then spread seed along riverbank areas where they nest in tree hollows. Birds of prey such as Whistling Kites and Falcons are also returning in significant numbers due to the abundance of smaller birds and reptiles. A platypus colony located along the riverbank of the 7th fairway has created a great deal of interest and has provided the impetus to apply for various funding grants to assist with revegetation and restoration of this significant area. The Club has recently received notification that at least one of these applications has been successful. Looking for this years PREMIER I I P,ERENNIAL/RYEGRASS -Top rated for overall turf quality in the recent USA NTEP trials Aggressive tillering restricts poa invasion and gives excellent wear tolerance - Excellent winter vigour - Very dark green r A V /A w ^ Melbourne: (03) 9561 9222 Fax: (03) 9561 9333 Mobile: 0418 399 518 email: michael@heritageseeds.com.au »nviroman Dictated by available finances, revegetation work has been carried out in a variety of ways. Most work is undertaken by clearing unwanted plant material and replanting with tubestock grown on from seed collec-ted on site. Methods of weed control range from chemical control, manual removal and the use of old carpet and mulch to provide weed barriers. Other areas have been designated as 'no mow' areas to provide an opportunity for germination of indigenous seed already in the soil. This has also proven very successful but does look untidy until some germination becomes evident. These areas are usually limited to out of play areas to minimise prob-lems associated with lost balls. This whole process has brought me into con-tact with many different groups of people and has given me an opportunity to speak at the meetings of various organisations inter-ested in what is happening at the club and what we have learned. I was nominated for the 1999 AGCSA Claude Crockford Award by my club manager but thinking that we had no real hope of winning I didn't give it too much thought. It was not until I read the nomination letter and received notification that I was a finalist that the importance of this award started to sink in. Whilst preparing all the documentation required for the Award interview I began to realise just how much had been achieved and how much of the work we do as superintendents goes unnoticed even by ourselves. Winning the 1999 AGCSA Claude Crockford Environmental Award is the highlight of my career in the turf industry and has given me confidence and belief that the work we do as superintendents can be extremely beneficial to the environment, community and the golf industry. It also helps in raising the profile of our profession and I would like to encourage all superintendents to nomin-ate for this award. For me it has been a tremendous learning process and can only be of benefit to your career. Acknowledgments: For their help and support I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following; Ł My wife and family. Ł Long time members of the Club Alan Thompson and Brian Candy. Ł John Geary, Steve Tuckett and Rod Fenton. Ł Werribee Park Golf Club Directors and 1985 Members for giving me the opportunity to undertake this work and their support during my employment at the Club. Ł CHIPCO AND THE AGCSA - SPONSORS OF THE CLAUDE CROCKFORD ENVIRON-MENTAL AWARD. WHERE WE GO, OTHERS FOLLOW There is no substitute for Ttichoprotection ® - accept nothong less For your customised program and technical support please contact GREENGROUP Contact: Rob Stanic Phone: 0412 550 250 Fax: 9578 7680 Email: greenpenguin@bigpond.com ATM Green team goes for sold For more than 35 years, right We've blazed new turf trails with T ESCO around Australia, the advanced products and new ' Ł C * o » WITH U » *" CHEMTURF team has rtiti^^ - ^ technology and there's earned a big ^jjiSSrfSSfa^j^J^j^j^ more in store for '99. reputation for ^Hjlj CHEMTURF As turf specialists, excellence in the HNMds^B ImHk __ . r were totally DAQUATROLS business of making committed " ^»r-««Š« greens greener... ŁTd^^. ' responsible for U^RWOOD** We were the first to ' ^^^ 11 - making Australia's introduce CHEMTURF greens greener. {!> NOVARTIS Stores-on-Wheels, bringing the rucMn idc i . . 6 .6, CHEMTURFs success is simply the rrnnflar* latest in turf technology right . , ... , . . u — urupuire 6 result of our specialist people doing what to your door. . , ' they love most. We partnered Turfgrass Technology Want tQ ^ turf? Ta|k tQ Qne of ^ and introduced Australia s most switched /-IICM-H IDC. ^ A t t f Ł Ł CHEMTURF team today. n on soil and leaf analysis service. n, ŠJ ŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁŁIIHHHHHHHi f¿S.W. 02 9604 7200 QLO. 1800 631 008 VIC. 03 9584 3444 SJL 08 8277 9494 WJL 0418 955 127 CHEMTURF LEADERS IN TURF INNOVATION, TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICE reating and managing kealtky turf. How Ckipco® kelps you run an integrated system. Turf does not live in insolation from its' environment. Soil and climate create the circumstances for healthy grasses. In turning these grasses into special surfaces for special activities - turf - the natural processes can no longer be left to their own devices. Now some plants 
become weeds. Some insects become pests. Some fungi and moulds become disease. Professional turf management is simply the controlled process of intervention to alter what would otherwise be the natural cycle. Intervention becomes complex because the age-old rule remains inviolate - for every action there is an 
equal and opposite reaction. Temperature. Sunlight. Cloud. Rain. Wind. Animals. Insects. Birds. Weeds. Fungi. KfA INPUTS Water. Fertilizer. Pest, Weed & Disease Control. s / INTERVENTION MECHANICAL Aerate. Mow. Drain. Topdress. Š JVJIL "MnIAG^ Type. Structure. Depth. Compaction. One thing leads to another. Professional turf management describes the 
techniques of intervention 
that maximise turf 
health and minimise pest, weed and disease attack. Turf playing surfaces are busy all year and must 
be strong and healthy all year, which is not necessarily natural. It is immediately obvious that management intervention has the greatest potential for success if it is integrated - it recognises that intervention in one area 
may need a compensating effect in another. An outbreak of disease may be directly attributable to earlier - even months earlier -
interventions of fertiliser or irrigation. ©Registered trademark of Rhône-Poulenc #Registered trademark of Bayer, Germany *Registered trademark of Rohm Haas Company How Joes Ch i peo integrate itself into the intervention process ? In two distinct and vital ways. First Chipco chemical technology has a deserved reputation for superior control of weeds, pests and diseases in turf. Many of our products, MERIT TURF, CHOICE®, ROVRAL* GREEN, and DIMENSION' 
among them are unsurpassed 
and are household names in the professional turf management industry. Perhaps just as important, we recognise that our chemical controls are not separate from the entire process. This is why our field technical people - and we have more of them than any other - involve them-selves with all the issues of turf management. This is why we seek to work so closely with our customers to learn from them and impart knowledge to 
them. Professional turf 
management continues to evolve its' techniques and we pride ourselves on being in the forefront of this evolution. This is why we sponsor the AGCSA Claude Crochford Awards and champion the issues of stewardship and safety. THE SILVER PARTNERSHIP RPRA 0479 Get the Air Many playing fields, golf course fairways, racecourses and 'passive' turf areas have experienced severe soil compaction and surface damage. This is increasingly the case on sports fields in particular as timetables become more demanding and less flexible, often forcing play onto grounds that are simply not suitable for play. Although only part of the solution, soil aeration is a well known remedy to these types of problems. Accepted techniques include: coring, spiking, slicing and deep tine aerating. For the purposes of this article we will discuss in more detail deep tine aerating (often referred to as vertidraining), coupled with topdressing to gain the maximum benefit and recovery from damage to your turfed area. Deep tine aeration using solid or hollow tines has the potential of penetrating the soil to a depth of up to 400mm. Once the tine has reached maximum depth of penetration, most deep tine aerators perform a 'heaving' action which helps to shatter deep seated compaction and hard pan layers, thus improving the water to air ratio or 'aeration porosity' of the soil root zone. Since the 'heaving' action is undertaken under the surface and the tine is withdrawn from the same hole that it entered, disturbance to the surface can be minimal. Given adequate soil temperature, day length (hours of sunlight) and nutrient levels increased aeration porosity generally promotes a significantly improved root system. This results in a plant much better equiped to cope with and recover from wear and pest and disease invasion and is able to make more efficient use of water and fertiliser. The net result of all these things is of course a more aesthetically pleasing surface that provides a superior playing surface. Deep tine aeration is also known to improve drainage and reduce the ponding of water on the surface, which reduces the grounds' susceptibility to damage sustained by traffic from people or machinery. Top dressing is also well documented to have multiple benefits to turf areas. These include, reducing surface undulations and filling 'potholes' thus restoring the original surface configuration that should allow for the surface drainage (run off) of excessive water. Topdressing with a relatively course material such as sand when done in conjunction with deep tine aeration i.e., filling the tine holes with sand can be beneficial in that improved aeration and drainage may be maintained for longer. One word of caution though! Topdressing with a material that is incompatible with the original surface can lead to quite significant problems. For example, topdressing a sports ground built from a fine soil that has poor drainage and poor surface configuration with a sand will result in a distict layer that is likely to become unstable and 'soupy' when it is wet. Conversely, in hot dry conditions the top sand layer will dry out much quicker than the underlying material. Topdressing a sports ground that has a sand profile with a fine type material can result in 'surface sealing' that will restrict the penetration of water and air and could result in poor root growth and 'black layer'. For these reasons it is important that all topdressing material be thoroughly tested for compatibility by approved laboratories that will also check pH and salt levels which could have a negative impact on plant growth if these levels are not within a range suited to the particular turf species. It is also important to source any topdressing material from a trusted supplier so as to ensure uniformity. It is also prudent to inquire as to the availability of the material in the future so as to avoid having to go through another searching and testing program that can be time consuming and expensive after only one or two seasons. If done correctly with carefully selected and tested products and with specialized machinery, deep tine aeration and topdressing will combine to facilitate optimum soil aeration and drainage thereby, gaining maximum benefit for your turf area. GEOFF GREEN IS THE PRINCIPAL OF THE GREEN HORTICULTURAL GROUP AND DAVID WESTALL IS THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS CONSULTANTS A VERTI-DRAIN MUSTANG THE FASTEST AERATOR ON EARTH* TILL 150mm DEEP The Verti-Drain Mustang is as fast run with tractors as small as 25 as a horse, while at the same time it goes deeper than conventional coring machines: 150 nun's. HP, so the Mustang can be used with confidence on fine textured greens as well. It can aerate an oval or fairway in the minimal amount of time. The Verti-Drain Mustangs lipht weight of 700 Kgs makes it suitable to be Verti-Drain built with pride and strength, the name you've come to trust. * If spikers and slitters are not taken into account. Verti-Drain's patented parallelogram design shatters the soil The tine angle lever allows easy fine adjustment to the degree of ground shatter intensity, and quick setting to the vertical position for conventional coring. VERTI-DRAIN' Redexim Ł Charterhouse y m E-mail Verti-drain@redexim.com http : //www. Redexi m. com NSW : VIC : QLD : SA WA TAS Verti-Drain NSW West Ryde 
Glenmac Sales ana Service.'Knoxfield J.B. Scott, Geelong G.L. Palm Equipment, Acacia Ridge Ireland Farm & Lawn, Cairns Squiers Sales & Service, Summertown 
Mcintosh & Son. Penh Wcstco, Cambridge 02-98074377 03-97638255 03-52779366 
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03-62485304 Lan.rt MAINTENANCE m EQUIPMENT INCLUDES Ł latest model Verti-Drain 7212 x 3 Ł John Deer 955 Tractors x 3 Ł Core Masters x 2 Ł Toro 2300 Top Dresser Ł 12 years experience in golf course maintenance Contact Mick - All Hours - Mobile GREENS, TÉÇS, ^ I SURROUNDS 8r FAIRWAYS \GV/LS (arks &13\WNf * 1 oc kMVVii^-^ lV BOWLING GrfEENS. ^ \ . ^ - vTÉips coy^Š 0418 566102 ATM PLAYING QUALITY & MEASUREMENT There are increasing pressures being placed on turf managers to improve and maintain high quality sporting surfaces. With many sporting surfaces now being maintained by contractors, it is important to have some form of objective method to assess performance. The Australian Football League has a set of criteria with which they assess the safety of the playing surface. As a result these standards are working their way down to the lower levels of sport. This has in fact resulted in the closure of some suburban grounds. Although subjective, it does at least provide a systematic method of assessment. To achieve a high standard of player safety, the quality of the sportsfield is of paramount importance. A sportsturf surface should be judged by how well it plays as well as its overall appearance, turf cover and colour. The playing quality is dependent upon the physical properties of both the immediate surface layer and the underlying material i.e., soil and sward characteristics. The two main factors effecting playing quality are player-surface interactions and ball-surface interactions, which are made up of several components including: Bell et al (1985) and Baker and Canaway (1993) both provide an excellent review on these interactions and associated testing procedures. Player-surface interactions Friction and traction Ball bounce resilience Ball-surface interactions Hardness and resilience Rolling resistance Friction and spin PLAYER-SURFACE INTERACTIONS Friction and traction Friction and traction allow the necessary player movements without excessive slipping. Friction applies to smooth soled shoes and traction to shoes having studs, spikes or cleats which provide extra grip. Excessive friction/traction is undesirable, as there is a risk of knee and ankle injuries. Too little friction/traction is also undesirable, as there will be increased slipping and falling. There are numerous test procedures used to measure surface friction and traction. These include; pendulum tests to measure translation^ friction, towed sledges to measure friction on artificial surfaces, the distance a trolley with a test foot slides after being released down a ramp and the measurement of the torque required to cause slippage of a studded disc. Hardness and resilience The hardness of a surface is defined as the ratio of an applied force to the amount of surface deformation (ie. stiffness). ATM Resilience is a measure of the amount of energy returned to the player from the surface after impact, as a proportion of the energy put in before impact. Both these factors are important in respect to running, falling and injury potential. Hard surfaces can cause jarring of limbs and muscle soreness and increase the risk of injury from falls while a surface that has low resilience can cause player fatigue. The Clegg Impact Soil Tester (CIT) which measures the deceleration of a weight dropped from a fixed height is the most common method used for testing surface hardness. In 1996 the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) adopted a standard procedure for determining the shock-attenuation characteristics of natural turfgrass surfaces using the CIT (ASTM F1702-96). Other test methods that have been employed use the penetrometer, and the Stuttgart and Berlin Artificial Athlete. Both measure surface deflection under a falling weight. The Clegg Impact Soil Tester has been used extensively on cricket pitches. Clegg (unpublished, 1982) used a 0.5kg hammer released from a height of 300mm at the Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) Ground in Perth, during a 3 day match and produced the following values as a guide for grounds preparation (Table 1 ). Table I. Clegg Impact Test (CIT) values on a cricket pitch at the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) ground. 2 days prior to game M 1 day prior to game 1 st day of game 2nd day of game 3rd day of game Day after game (pitch watered) These results were related to soil moisture content and ball bounce and are similar to those observed by Lush (1985). In New Zealand the penetrometer has been used as an aid to preparing cricket pitches by measuring soil hardness and relating this to soil moisture content and ball bounce (McAuliffe and Tuohy, 1987). BALL-SURFACE INTERACTIONS Ball bounce resilience Ball bounce is important in many sports including Soccer, Australian Rules and Cricket. The ideal height of bounce varies for different sports with the consistency of bounce from one part of the field or pitch to another being of most interest. Ball bounce resilience is used as a measure of bounce and is the ratio of the height the ball bounces to the height from which it is dropped. The actual drop height is not important provided that the rebound height is expressed as a percentage of the drop height. However, a drop height of 3m has been found to be convenient and is widely used for soccer. Generally, ball bounce resilience is highly correlated to surface hardness measurements. AFL PARK (VICTORIA) TACKLE TURF WEAR AHR TEARc 
AT ITS ROOTS If wear and tear is knocking the stuffing out of your pitch, its time to toughen up your act with a new product from the world leaders in rootzone stabilisation fibres. The unique, crimped profile of LOKSANDŽ fibre will bring back the bounce and give long lasting durability to high-wear areas of turf. Call David Lovegrove for the very latest success story in sport Plasticisers Limited 26 Muir Avenue Mangere Bridge Auckland New Zealand. Tel: 09-6367189 / 09-6369948 Fax: 09-6367189 Mobile: 0252 959733 Email: loksand@ihug.co.nz Website: www.plast-fibres.com LOIS AND" jibre The stabilising influence ATM Stewart and Adams (1968) produced a scale relating ball bounce to cricket pitch pace. They dropped a cricket ball from a height of 4.88m and measured the rebound height (Table 2). Even though there are numerous testing procedures available there has been only minimal adoption of playing quality standards for particular sports. Test methods and performance requirements 
have been established for soccer pitches in the United Kingdom and standards based on performance have been derived for hockey, rugby, golf and lawn bowls. Table 2. Ball bounce resilience (BBR) and its relationship to cricket pitch pace. very fast 
fast moderately fast easy paced 
slow Rolling resistance The rolling resistance is a significant factor in sports where the speed of the surface is important such as golf, bowls hockey, cricket (outfields) and to a lesser extent soccer. It can be measured in terms of ball deceleration or the distance rolled by the ball. The two main measurement techniques involve propelling a ball with a standard force or releasing a ball down a ramp and then measuring the ball roll. A more sophisticated apparatus involves the use of several infrared timing gates set at standard intervals, which are then used to measure the deceleration or the change in velocity. Golf and lawn bowls are the only sports that have incorporated the measurement of ball roll into standards for rating greens. The stimpmeter is used in golf for rating green speed, while in bowls various testing ramps have been used for assessing the speed of bowling greens. Friction and spin The friction between a ball and surface is responsible for the variations in speed, direction and rate of rotation of a ball after contacting a surface. These are important properties in tennis, golf and cricket. There are many complex interactions between horizontal velocity, spin, bounce and friction thus, measurement has generally relied on video analysis or equipment capable of electronic detection. Players perception If these tests are to be useful, the results must relate to the user's opinion of the surface so that the results can be interpreted in a meaningful way (Baker and Canaway, 1993). Canaway et al (1990) used player questionnaires to interpret the results from the test measurements. They describe the players as being notoriously variable in their responses and that a large sample is very important. The results of the questionnaires then provided acceptable limits for measurements related to ball rebound, ball roll, traction, hardness and surface evenness. In relation to interpreting the physical measurements in terms of injury potential, Baker and Canaway (1993) suggest that player 
questionnaires are not particularly useful. ASSESSING PLAYING SURFACES - A FIELD STUDY Even though there are established methods for determining surface characteristics there is still a lack of information on what are considered to be acceptable limits. To develop comparative criteria requires extensive and detailed research. However, for particular situations objective assessment techniques can be used to monitor changes in the surface over time. These techniques can be used to benchmark the condition of the surface at a particular point in time for future reference. Following the resurfacing of an AFL teams training venue, the performance of the surface was monitored over a 12-month period. The assessment criteria included: % turf cover (the turf cover was determined on a 10m x 10m grid across the entire ground - about 180 observations), surface hardness (using the Clegg Impact Soil Tester), infiltration rate, traction (Canaway, 1986) and hours of usage. The Soil Reliever, Model 54 Deep Ventional Aerifier for greens. Fast, efficient, smooth, and will operate on a Cushman Truckster, a Torn Workman or a small tractor. There are deep tine aerifiers and conventional aer'h fiers, now you have both with the Soil Reliever 54. Use the 5/16"x9"solid tines to aerify your greens anytime, without disruption in play. Other solid tines available are 3/8x10", 1/2x10", coring tines available are 5/8x7", 3/4x10". Aerify any depth to 10" with the Soil Reliever 54 "deepventional" aerator. Operates on any mini tractor from 16 h.p up to 30h.p. For a demonstration call BHM Machinery at (07) 3287 3877. For more information contact BHM MACHINERY 26 OLD PACIFIC HWY, YATALA 4207 PH: (07) 3287 3877, FAX: (07) 3287 3977 "Breathin'aWhole Lot Easier!" The sportsfield is a highly used facility with an AFL team and an U18 team, which utilise the field almost on a daily basis over a 10-month period. Usage consists of both training and matches. The purpose of the study was to monitor the changes related to ground usage. The results of the monitoring did not reveal anything that we have not observed on many sportsfields, but it did allow observations to be quantified. In figure 1 the change in turf cover is compared to the hours of use. As would be expected, the rate of turf Figure I Oval Assessment Turf Cover (%) vs, 120 deterioration is greatest during the winter months. The most interesting outcome was the rapid deterioration on one weekend (5 June 1998) as a result of four games and a training session plus 45mm of rainfall. The infiltration rate was measured at six locations on the sportsfield and the results at one location are shown right in figure 2. As would be expected, towards the end of the football season, surface compaction and sealing has occurred which results in a reduced infiltration rate. Hours of Use -500 PLAYING QUALITY & MEASUREMENT Figure 2 Oval Assessment Infiltration Rate (mm/hr) vs. Hours of Use 80 70 oc 60 5 S 50 ë 40 i yŠ 30 ^ u_ Z 20 10 500 - 450 - 400 - 350 _ 300 _ 250 _ 200 _ 150 _ 100 _ 50 L. 0 Jan-98 Feb-98 Mar-98 Apr-98 May-98 Jun-98 Jul-98 Aug-98 INFILTRATION RATE " HOURS OF USE 05/12/1997 06/01/1998 18/03/1998 05/05/1998 05/06/1998 17/06/1998 15/07/1998 29/09/1998 19/11/1998 Traction was relatively consistent over the assessment period. However, the general trend was that traction was greatest where there was a good turf cover. Traction tended to be highest in the areas of low wear (figure 3) though in bare areas satisfactory traction could be achieved by maintaining high soil moisture and rolling the surface. * Ł © Turf Cover Nth Goal % Turf Cover Centre % Turf Cover Centre Half Forward % Hours of Use (hours) THE NEW TURF TIDY THE WORLD S ONLY DETHATCHER THAT'S A SWEEPER AND A FLAILMOWER ALL IN ONE EFFICIENT UNIT. The Turf Tidy's unique suck and throw developed by the Verti-Drain manufacturers ensures that the maximum amount of material is taken in every load to the dump due to the unique blow system compressing the material and completely filling the hopper. This saves its operators time, trouble and money. HYDRAULIC-LIFTING - of the machine off the ground, I sothat only a 32 HP tractor is needed. Hopper filled to its maximum SOLID PROTECTION BAR ALL AROUND-to protect the machine and its hydraulics. BIG WHEELS - to minimize the possibility of imprints in the turf. HIGHLIFT - to 2,2 m. enables the operator to discharge into trailers. To check out the Turf Tidy phone today for our informationpacket including our free video. E-mail Verti-drain@redexim.com http://www.Redexim.com Redexim+I 4 Chaiteriiouse DRAW BAR PULLED-sothat maximum turning manoevrability around trees etc. is guaranteed. FULLY FLOATING HEAD - in all directions. prevents you from scalping turf in indulated areas. Therefor ideal to climb and scarify steep tees. VERTI-DRAIN® NSW: Verti-Drain NSW. West Rydc 02-98074377 VIC : Glenmac Sales and Scrvice, Knoxfidd 03-97638255 J.B. Scott, Geelong 03-52779366 QLD : G.L. Palm Equipment, Acacia Ridge 07-32777599 Ireland Farm & Lawn, Cairns 07-40523624 SA : Squiers Sales & Service, Summertown 08-83903017 WA : Mcintosh & Son, Penh 08-94782400 TAS : Southern Turf Specialists, Cambridge 03-62485304 PLAYING QUALITY & MEASUREMENT The assessment quantified and confirmed several important factors affecting sporting surfaces used for Australian Rules football; (i) Concentrated training activities cause severe turf deterioration. (ii) The combination of wet weather and high usage causes rapid turf deterioration. (iii) Most of the wear is concentrated on a relatively small proportion of the field. (iv) Infiltration rate deteriorates with increasing hours of use. (v) Traction is best where the turf cover is highest. (vi) A good grass cover potentially reduces surface hardness. For this particular sportsfield, the ground managers were able to make management/ maintenance decisions based on the data collected. Such decisions include; rotating training locations, renovation requirements and safety. REFERENCES ASTM-designation: F1702-96. (1996). American society for testing materials. Standard test for shock attenuation characteristics of natural playing surface systems using lightweight apparatus. 65pp. Bell M.J, S.W. Baker, and P.M. Canaway. (1985). Playing quality of sports surfaces: a review. J. Sports Turf Res. Inst. Vol 61 p26-45. Canaway P.M. (1981). Wear tolerance of turfgrass species. J. Sports Turf Res. Inst. 57:65-83. Canaway, P. M. and Bell, M.J. (1986) -Technical note. An apparatus for measuring traction and friction on natural and artificial playing surfaces. J. Sports Turf Res. Inst. 62 211-215. Canaway, P. M., M.J. Bell, G. Holmes, and S.W. Baker. (1990). Standard for the playing quality of natural turf for association football. In: Schmidt, R. C., Hoerner, E. F., Milner, E. and Morehouse, C. A. (eds.) Natural and Artificial Playing Fields; Character-istics and Safety Features. American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, pp. 2447. Canaway, P.M. and S.W. Baker. (1993). Soil and turf properties governing playing quality. Inter. Turfgrass Soc. Res. J. 7:192 - 200. Lush, W.M. 1985. Objective assessment of turf cricket pitches using an impact hammer. J. Sportsturf Res. Inst. 61:71-79. McAuliffe, K. W. and M.P. Tuohy. (1987). Cricket wicket research carried out by Massey University during the 1986/87 season. New Zealand Sportsturf Journal, July, 3-9. Stewart, V.I and W.A. Adams. (1970 or 1968). Soil factors affecting the control of pace on cricket pitches. Proc. 1st Inter. Turfgrass Res. Conf., 1:533-544. ii Figure 3 Oval Assessment Traction (Nm) and Surface Hardness (Clegg Impact Value- CIV) | TRACTION (low wear) Q TRACTION (high wear) | CLEGG (low wear) | CLEGG (high wear) Ł Hours of Use Figure 4 details the wear patterns across the ground. The goal to goal line (sector G-H) exhibited the greatest turf loss with the goal squares and the center of the ground worst affected. Sector D-E was on the grandstand side of the field and locations 3-11 was where training was most concentrated. Sector K-L represents the far side of the field (low use). Figure 4 Oval Assessment Traction (Nm) and Surface Hardness (Clegg Impact Value- CIV) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 LOCATION SECTOR G-H Š SECTOR D-E SECTOR K-L Surface hardness was dependent on soil moisture content and grass cover. The most noticeable result was that towards the end of the football season surface hardness was substantially greater in the high wear areas where there was a very poor turf cover (refer to figure 3). Where there was a lack of turf cover soil moisture content and rolling dramatically affected surface hardness. ATM ON Cushman. Jacobsen. Ransomes. Ryan. The best foursome in golf. ONE goo/ Our goal is simple: Best quality. Best performance. Best support. Ol focus We do turf equipment. And we do it better than anyone else around. prom i se Tell us your expectations. We will listen and do everything in our power to exceed them. O Quality, value and serviceŠjust a phone call away. Contact your Textron Turf Care And Specialty Products dealer today. TEXTRON TURF CARE AND SPECIALTY PRODUCTS 1-888-922-TURF www.ttcsp.textron.com ACORP-0499 C 1999 Textron Turf Care And Specialty Products. Ł TIXTRON CUSHMAN JACOBSEN RANSOMES RYAN Ł HEAD OFFICE 122 Hume Highway, Lansvale, NSW 2166 Phone: (02) 9724 0344 Fax: (02) 9724 5405 Ł VICTORIA 2/10 Turbo Drive, Bayswater, Vic. 3153 
Phone (03) 9720 7622 
Fax: (03) 9720 6801 Ł QUEENSLAND 11-13 Gibbs Street, Labrador, Old. 4215 
Phone (07) 5537 7477 Fax (07) 5537 9296 Ł S.A. DISTRIBUTOR Piber Nicholls 
Phone: (08) 8445 7777 Ł W.A. DISTRIBUTOR Mcintosh & Son Phone: (08) 9478 2400 Ł TASMANIA DISTRIBUTOR Tasmania Farm Equipment Pty Ltd Ł NORTHERN TERRITORY DISTRIBUTOR Territory Earth Power AUA O In late 1991, the Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association (AGCSA) appointed its first employee with a part time administrative position operating out of the Australian Golf Union office. AGCSA STAFF Within one year a full time director was appointed and now, some eight years later, the Association employs four full time staff, has its own office and provides a wide range of services to its members and the wider turf industry. The Associations magazine ATM after only five editions already has over 6000 readers and is the leading magazine of its type in the region. A key function of the AGCSA is the provision of education to its members, achieved by staging regional workshops, annual conferences and trade shows. In collaboration with a number of other turf industry groups, the AGCSA will be staging the Millennium Turfgrass Conference in June 2000 at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. Run over 5 days the event will feature a number of local and international speakers, the largest turf trade show ever seen in Australia and is expected to attract over 3000 delegates. EUAN LAIRD - C.E.O. After completing a Diploma of Business (Tourism Management) in Adelaide, Virginia moved to Melbourne in 1991. Virginia has a wealth of administration experience and has been employed by Womans Golf Victoria, City of Camberwell, AAT Kings Tours and Peregrine Adventures. She has been employed by the AGCSA since 1998 as the Administration Manager and is the glue that holds together seamless conferences and seminars. Virginia's main aim is for her and husband Darryl to complete renovations to their home. She enjoys gardening, reading, playing golf and walking "Max" their dog. PHIL GEORGE - Publications Manager After graduating from the University of Western Australia with a Science Degree, Phil moved to Melbourne in 1995 to work as a Researcher and Consultant under John Neylan at Turfgrass Technology P/L. In January this year Phil moved to the AGCSA to create the Australian Turfgrass Management (ATM) magazine and loves the challenge of developing a quality publication that holds interest and appeal with all sectors of the turf industry. Phil loves life in Melbourne and recently picked up his second premiership medallion with the Club 18 "Crocodiles". CHRISTINE LINDSAY - Trainee Christine completed Year 12 at Maroondah Secondary College in 1998 and in late 98 she applied for a traineeship with the AFL Sports Ready Scheme. She was successful and gained a part-time position with the AGCSA.The scheme combines on-job training with days studying at the Victorian University. At the completion of 1999 Christine will gain her Certificate in Sports Administration. Her major achievements for 1999 (so far...) include appearing as AFL Trainee of the week in the AFL Footy Record, passing her driving test and holding the snake at the 4th National Turfgrass Seminar. Christine enjoys going out with her friends, loves loud music and is an enthusiastic Bombers supporter. Her ambition is to actually set foot on a golf course! After graduating from the University of Melbourne with a degree in Agricultural Science, Euan worked at the Turf Research Institute in Frankston under Terry Woodcock for 4 years and then with Turfgrass Technology P/L for another 2. Although he will say he was simply "in the right place at the right time" Euan was the perfect choice to run the Association and since 1992 he has done a tremendous job in consolidating on its sound reputation and strong supporter base. Euan is into anything outdoors and it just about to build a house and revegetate a block of land in Upper Beaconsfield. VIRGINIA THOMPSON - Administation manager Euan remains committed to the goals of broadening membership services and promoting the professionalism and skills of its members. vv«l O AO 0 J A Membership "Belong" Ł enhance your job security Ł promote your professionalism Ł recieve peer support and free legal advice Ł gain access to a range of educational opportunities and AGCSA publications AGCSA Membership Classes State Associations Class A Course Superintendent/Course Manager Class B Assistant Superintendents Class C Trade Members/Individuals $250.00 $220.00 $220.00 Ł NSWGCSA Membership Fee: Ł GCSAQ Membership Fee: $60.00 $80.00 (Plus $15 joining fee) Class C2 Retired Member Class C3 Certificate 1-3 Student Class C4 Foreman/Leading Hands/Ground Staff Class C5 Company Members - 1-3 Individuals * $90.00 $90.00 $190.00 $220.00 Ł SAGCSA Membership Fee: Ł VGCSA Membership Fee: Ł TGCSA Membership Fee: $50.00 $90.00 $60.00 4-6 Individuals ^ >6 Individuals $180.00 $160.00 Ł GCSAWA Membership Fee: $80.00 Class Al International Class A Members $295.00 Class E Life Members/Honorary Members Nil Membership Application Form Surname; First Name; Preferred Mailing Address; City/Suburb Position Postcode: Club/Qrganisation: Club Postal Address: City/Suburb: Phone: (w) Fax: -ChX_ Postcode: Mobile: Email Ł GCSAWA DCCSAQ Member Class: Tick Which Association(s)you wish to join Class Ł AGCSA DVGCSA Ł NSWGCSA DTGCSA To join the associations your application must be signed by two current Golf Course Superintendent members of the association. Signed: Signed: Date: Date: Membership Payment Membership payments for any of the above associations are to be sent to the AGCSA. Ł Please charge this purchase to my credit card account Bankcard Ł MasterCard C Visa Card Number: Expiry Date: / Cardholder Name: Address: Signature: Send completed application form and payment to: AGCSA Level 1,19 Railway Parade North Glen Waverley, 3150 Phone: 03 9886 6200 Fax: 03 9886 6400 email: info@agcsa.com.au ATM By Thomas Parent An Introduction to Biological Turfgrass Culture ¡¡äs» -.A. V '. Biological turfgrass culture involves maximising the health of your soil and the health of your turf so that reliance on pesticides can be reduced. The key is the use of soil friendly fertilisers and soil amendments. Healthy turf is more able to defend itself against predators and disease. Biological turfgrass culture can be summed up by the expression "Soil First." Biological turfgrass culture can lead to significant reductions in water usage, and up to a 70% reduction in 
fertiliser and pesticide use. SOIL STRUCTURE Soil has a minimum of three fractions: Ł Mineral Ł Organic Ł Biological. The goal is to bring all three into balance to provide the perfect medium in which to grow turfgrass. Traditional turfgrass culture has focussed almost exclusively on the mineral fraction and more specifically on three minerals, NPK. Biological turf culture, whilst recognising the importance of these specific elements, takes a broader view. It considers not only all of the essential minerals needed by the plants but also the soil biology. The goal is to achieve a balance of all nutrients in specific ratios to maximise plant uptake. Biological turfgrass managers analyse the amount of organic matter first and then the percent of base saturation of Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Hydrogen, and Sodium when reviewing soil tests. In particular specific ratios of the bases and of Calcium and Magnesium are looked for. Base saturation, is a measurement of how much of the soils available nutrient holding capacity is occupied by a particular base. Work at the University of Missouri by Dr. Albrecht showed that the Calcium/ Magnesium ratio was the key. This ratio governed the absorption and utilisation of many other essential minerals by the plant. Dr. Albrecht discovered that the ideal base saturation of Calcium was 60-70%, Magnesium 10-20%, Potassium 2.5-3.5% Hydrogen 10-12%, and Sodium <3%. He discovered that these ratios, if combined with ample supplies of minor minerals, phosphorous and 5% organic matter, resulted in the ideal soil to grow most crops. TEST AND BALANCE YOUR SOILS: The first step in biological turfgrass culture is to understand your existing soil conditions, and this can only be determined by undertaking rigorous soil testing. At a minimum, you would want to perform tests on your best and worst areas. Biological turfgrass management aims to provide an environment where beneficial organisms thrive to assist your plant. The first step is to open your soil as discussed in the first section by balancing the base saturations. The second is to ensure that the microorganisms have everything they need to proliferate. Microorganisms, like plants, need more than NPK to survive! Thatch accumulation is a key sign of a soil with low biological activity. Thatch often forms because earthworms and naturally occurring macro and microorganisms are poisoned to extinction. Contrary to popular belief, thatch accumulation can be worsened by collecting clippings. In removing clippings we remove a source of readily digestible organic matter, short circuiting part of the carbon cycle and we are also removing a complex array of potential nutrients. These nutrients are often replenished by adding salt based acidifying fertilisers, degrading the soil environment further. A biological turf manager does everything they can to maintain high levels of soil life whether this be destructive insects or bacteria. They realise that almost everything that is alive in the soil is for the benefit of the plant and also that if they have a problem with their turf, they have a problem with their soil. There are no soils with insecticide or fungicide deficiencies! When the ratios listed above are achieved, the pH of the soil will always be between pH 6.3 and 6.5. Here is the profound but subtle difference of the "Albrecht Method". Instead of relying on pH to determine if lime or gypsum is required, the determining factor is the ratios of base saturation. Forty years of research on the worst soils in America have proven this method. Although Dr. Albrecht did not perform his work on a golf course or sports field, the technique has been successfully adapted to turfgrass culture with great success. Your job as turf managers is to bring the soil into balance. To do this we use high calcium lime to raise the base saturation of calcium and/or to lower the levels of magnesium or sodium. If calcium levels are good and magnesium and/or sodium levels are high, which is a common occurrence, you would apply gypsum and sulfur based fertilisers. To maximise a soil you want to begin by balancing the mineral portion of the soil. A good indication your soil needs work and you need to run soil tests is if the effects of aerification are short lived. This often indicates high sodium or magnesium levels or low calcium. Remember that calcium loosens soils and the other bases tighten soils. The best aerifer in the world is no match for poor soil chemistry. BIOLOGICAL THATCH REDUCTION AND SOIL LIFE. The other half of biological turfgrass culture is the management of soil biology and organic matter. Think of the soil and its diverse mixture of life as the stomach of the o fimsmfì^ <hs¡p '¿Retuaxéaóée" I have no hesitation in recommending Kim O'Connor Corinda Bowls Club BARMAC INDUSTRIES PTY LTD 14 Annie Street ROCKLEA QLD 4106 Ph: 07 3255 6000 Fax: 07 3255 6600 ATM "Natural Bom Killers 99 Beneficial Nematodes -Under license from the CSIRO Totally Safe to use and long lasting control of: ŁAfrican Black Beetle Ł Scarab & Weevil Larvae ŁTrials prove efficacy on 2nd and 3rd instars & pupae Greennem Biological Control 03 9756 6997 mobile 0409 415 872 email greennem@netlink.com.au www.greennem.com.au il cutting scarifying cutting/scarifying blade blade blade 6' MACHINES IN ONE! >Mow mCatch ŁMulch mScarify Ł Vac and ŁRoll - together or 1Šseparately NU I UUL EASY-CHANGE BLADES allow the AMAZDME Groundkeeper to: Ł LEAF SWEEP Ł SCARIFY and COLLECT MOW, COLLECT and ROLL in one single passage Ł SCARIFY, AERATE, REGENERATE and COLLECT in one passage Ł HIGH CAPACITY i HOPPER. n AMAZDME Groundkeeper has Ł GREAT FLEXIBILITY Ł 15 MODELS to choose from. Nationally distributed by: FREECALL 1800 671 417 FREEFAX 1800 802 789 plant -DON'T" GIVE IT ANYTHING THAT WILL GIVE IT INDIGESTION! E. E. Pfeiffer who was one of the founders of biodynamic agriculture in America used the following expression:"Feed the soil and the soil will feed the plant." This is the opposite of applying "Plant Food". Most of the fertilisers used in turf today are of the plant food variety and some containing potassium chloride, are destructive to the soil. This does not mean we all need to all rush out and buy 100% certified organic fertilisers. There are a variety of products that are between "organic" soil food and NPK plant food. Products such as kelp extracts, carbohydrate fertilisers, composts etc. fill in the nutritional gaps and feed the populations of microbes waiting to work for you. Budgets vary considerably but even under the tightest budget control, biological turfgrass culture can be achieved. The key to turfgrass health under this type of low budget constraints is small doses. Putting the wrong fertiliser down in small amounts will give your soil only a small stomachache. With slightly larger budgets, the task of "feeding the soil" becomes easier. There are a variety of fertility products on the market that are more soil friendly than straight NPK. Composted products from sewage sludge to poultry litter have been available for years. Whether true compost or manures the advantage of these products is that they directly feed the soil microorganisms. The other remarkable quality of these fertilisers is that they contain a full complement of minerals and minors. Ideally, compost based fertilisers should come from a state of the art composting facility to ensure that you get a truly composted fertiliser. It is essential to avoid the most common mistake in undertaking this type of program. That is becoming a purest. Once started down this path it is easy to fall into this trap. You do not do the environment or your profession any good if you are unemployed. Creating a sustainable, biological turf maintenance program without any pesticides is nearly impossible with the conditions demanded upon by today's golfers. Our turf is simply under too much stress due to low cutting heights to achieve this goal. Reduction of all inputs is the goal not the elimination. THOMAS R. PARENT SOIL ORGANICS CONSULTING SERVICE E-MAIL tparcnt@pressenter.com E3 M BioVerm wins Randwick Trial hands down! Randwick Racetrack comparison of grass growth Richer, thicker growth without fertiliser The standard practice result using 200kg on just 2m3 of BioVerm per hectare. of Lawn Food per hectare. T3 ioVerm's a certainty. Ł We've won at Randwick, Warwick Farm and D Wyong. Ł We stand tall at Tyreel stud. Ł We hold the course record at Cyprus Lakes Golf Course. Ł Organic, odourless BioVerm is the greatest tonic turf can be fed. Paul Barnes, who supervised the Randwick test, says it makes a noticeable difference. As John Vincent at Tyreel Stud says, "You couldn't wish for a better pasture than this." Merv Haywood at Cyprus Lakes goes further: "It works in every soil. Perennials hold their Jfl^^^Ht > flowers longer. All of our grasses thrive on BioVerm. A They've grown well everywhere." FREE SOIL TEST Your information request qualifies you for a free before and after microbial soil test. T3 ioVerm's a certainty. Ł We've won at Randwick, Warwick Farm and D Wyong. Ł We stand tall at Tyreel stud. Ł We hold the course record at Cyprus Lakes Golf Course. Ł Organic, odourless BioVerm is the greatest tonic turf can be fed. Paul Barnes, who supervised the Randwick test, says it makes a noticeable difference. As John Vincent at Tyreel Stud says, "You couldn't wish for a better pasture than this." Merv Haywood at Cyprus Lakes goes further: "It works in every soil. Perennials hold their Jfl^^^Ht > flowers longer. All of our grasses thrive on BioVerm. A They've grown well everywhere." Mail coupon today! BioVerm 20 Pelican Street DARLINGHURST NSW 2010 Yes! I'm prepared to talk to a technical consultant about how BioVerm can improve our turf. Name: l~?or denser, more vigorous growth, more colour, better > X root development, a BioVerm soil enrichment program will create superior turf. "The Viagra of Agriculture " - Robyn wniiams, nY, , 9 i ne viugru uj agriculture, Show BioVerm soil enrichment from Vermitech - world leader in To order a trial BioVerm package, call (02) 9261 4045. vermiculture technology Title: Organisation: Address: l~?or denser, more vigorous growth, more colour, better > X root development, a BioVerm soil enrichment program will create superior turf. "The Viagra of Agriculture " - Robyn wniiams, nY, , 9 i ne viugru uj agriculture, Show BioVerm soil enrichment from Vermitech - world leader in To order a trial BioVerm package, call (02) 9261 4045. vermiculture technology l~?or denser, more vigorous growth, more colour, better > X root development, a BioVerm soil enrichment program will create superior turf. "The Viagra of Agriculture " - Robyn wniiams, nY, , 9 i ne viugru uj agriculture, Show BioVerm soil enrichment from Vermitech - world leader in To order a trial BioVerm package, call (02) 9261 4045. vermiculture technology P/C: l~?or denser, more vigorous growth, more colour, better > X root development, a BioVerm soil enrichment program will create superior turf. "The Viagra of Agriculture " - Robyn wniiams, nY, , 9 i ne viugru uj agriculture, Show BioVerm soil enrichment from Vermitech - world leader in To order a trial BioVerm package, call (02) 9261 4045. vermiculture technology Tel Nbr: Fax Nbr: Turf Industrv Bookshou Name: Postal Address: City/Suburb: Postcode: Daytime Phone number: Please supply the following books: QTY BOOK TITLE Please add postage ($8.00 for the first book, Each additional book $1.00 per book) Ł I enclose my cheque/money order made payable to the AGCSA, or 
Ł Please charge this purchase to my credit card account Bankcard/MasterCard/Visa Card Number: Expiry Date: / Cardholder Name: Address: Signature: AUTHOR PRICE TOTAL NOW DUE: $. Send completed order form and payments to: AGCSA Level 1,19 Railway Parade North Glen Waverley, 3150 Phone: (03)9886-6200 Fax: (03)9886-6400 Email: info@agcsa.com.au y M Tyflo irrigation cable from Tycab ensures accurate, efficient and economical control of sporting and agricultural irrigation systems. All around Australia, you'll find Tyflo at work on fairways and putting greens, racecourses, cricket and football fields, bowling greens and at most of our leading orchards. Tyflo irrigation cable features: O- Multi-strand copper conductors PVC sheaths for moisture resistance, flexibility and easy installation Ł HDPE core insulation to resist abrasion in direct burial applications Exclusive sealing system So, when you want championship results, specify the championship irrigation cable. Tyflo from Tycab. TYCAB AUSTRALIA Sales Offices - Victoria (03) 9706 9770 NSW (02) 9772 2599 QLD (07) 3848 2200 SA (08) 8244 5777 WA (08) 9353 1788 Factory (03) 9791 7988 Fax: (03) 9794 0031 Int. Fax (613) 9794 0031 
New Zealand (09) 636 9891 Tyflo cable is proudly made in Australia GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDANT JIM PORTER yal Revisits the Past In 1988 the Royal Melbourne Golf Club began replacing "Suttons mix" greens with Penncross creeping bentgrass. By 1992, all 18 greens on the composite course had been converted. Course Superintendent Jim Porter was less than satisfied with the Penncross citing susceptibility to Poa annua spp invasion, the inability to cope with the stresses of winter and excessive spiking as reasons for his loss of confidence in the grass. In 1993 the club established a trial to evaluate the performance of Egmont, SR 1020, Cobra, Penncross and the original Suttons which contains a mixture of Colonial, Brown-top and Velvet bentgrasses and a small percentage of Fine Fescue. All grasses trialed had their pro's and con's but it was the superior density, year round consistency, wear tolerance and relatively low fertility and maintenance requirements that has encouraged the club to commit to a program of converting all 36 greens to the new Suttons mix at the rate of twelve greens per year. Jim Porter enlisted the support of Wrightson Seeds to produce the seed under contract. 250 cores were taken from existing greens and became the basis of a breeding program lead by Keith Salisbury at the Kimihia Research Station in Christ Church, New Zealand. K ' V A par 3 "19th hole" has been constructed so that it can be brought into use when any of the par 3's are being rebuilt. Work on the west course started on the 30th of August with holes 1, 3, 4, 5, 12 and 17. Work is scheduled so that either the west or the east course will always have 18 holes in play. 50 kg of seed was received in the autumn of 1998 and the same quantity is expected for following years. In 1996 the club received 150 grams of the "new" Suttons mix which was established in the nursery and eventually put into a small section of the 16th green on the East Course. A further 2 kg of seed was received in the autumn of 1996 which was used to sow the 12th green East Course in the spring of the same year. I Sgu USE ONLY THE BEST FOR YOUR MAJOR PROJECT Proudly owned and run Australian company iSUIREilf^ MCCLELLAND DRIVE FRANKSTON VIC 3199 PH: 9789 8266 5 lines FAX: 9789 8810 EMAIL: www.burdetts.com.au ATM Peter Thomas Mobbs)o.A.M. 1925-1999 Peter Thomas Mobbs was born on December 22 1925 in Ballina, New South Wales, the first child of Thomas and Dorothy Mobbs. He was to be followed by 5 sisters over the next few years and the family moved several times within this period. The family eventually settled in the Sydney suburb of Boronia Park. Peter did his secondary schooling at the North Sydney Boys High School and at the age of 18 joined the RAAF as a Radar operator spending some time at bases located in Darwin, Moratai and Borneo. After the war Peter spent many years in a Clerical position at the Department of Motor Transport. Always a keen sportsman, he excelled at Tennis and met his wife Jean at the tennis club and they were married in November 1949 in Sydney. Peter and Jean later become the proud parents to son Jeffrey and daughter Kerrie. Peter eventually decided a change in career would suit him so he enrolled in and completed the 3 year Horticultural Course at a Sydney Technical College followed by a 1 year course in Greenkeeping Lawn Bowls at that time was becoming a boom sport in Sydney and a Bowling Greenkeeper was the career choice for Peter, this would change his life and lead to a passion for the turfgrass industry that would last him a lifetime. R&R PRODUCTS, INC, R QUALITY GOLF & TURF PARTS MANUFACTURER Distributed by Roy Gripske & Sons Pty Ltd 44 Beach Street Kippa-Rong Qld 4021 V^k Over 10,000 Quality Replacement Parts ^^^ all major brands <Sf WNMMHM yy.r.v*^ ALL ORDERS OVER $200 AND UNDER 20KG ARE DELIVERED FRIEGHT FREE Phone: 1300 363 004 Free Fax: 1800 636 973 email: pgripske@rgs.com.au 
Web: www.rgs.com.au Visa and Master Cards Accepted HOLMESGLEN INSTITUTE OF TAFE HORTICULTURE TRAINING Holmesglen offers the following training for the Turf I Management Industry. Certificate III in Horticulture (Turf Management) Successful graduates can progress through streams of the Certificate IV and Diploma level courses. Certificate IV in Horticulture (Turf Management) Suitable for those involved in the entrepreneurial aspects of the horticulture industry. Study full time or part time. Diploma in Horticulture (Turf Management) Part time or full time study available at our Waverley campus. Recreation Turf Management Certificate One year part time evening course aimed at providing formal training to mature industry members. All courses are undertaken at Holmesglen's Waverley campus set in natural bushland on 22 acres of land. For further information call 9881 3400 585 Waverley Road. GLEN WAVERLEY 3150 www.holmesglen.vic.edu.au ATM FOR THE BEST SCORE ON A GOOD WICKET ROLLERMATIC For openers it's a real alternative to the hard work of hand rolling. The lOhp petrol or diesel motor gives you low operating costs, large diameter rollers offer flexible operating weights, 850kg to 2000kg with infinitely variable speed hydro-static transmission. Get set for a long innings with Rollermatic from Lockwood. How's that? For further information & colour brochure please contact: LOCKWOOD ROLLERS 7 Dryden Court, Woodend, Victoria 3442 PHONE: (03) 5427 3088 FAX: (03) 5427 3378 | Peter commenced Greenkeeping at the Chatswood West Bowling Club, and after several years at the club left for the position of Head Greenkeeper at the Seaforth Bowling Club where he spent a total of 6 years before arriving at his beloved Denistone Bowling Club which was much closer to home and this club was where Peter spent the next 23 years of his Greenkeeping life up to his retirement at 65 years of age. Peter was a member of the New South Wales Bowling Greenkeepers Association all of his Greenkeeping life and has held the position of Editor of the magazine -The Bowling Greenkeeper since 1963. Peter was highly regarded throughout the Turfgrass industry, not just in Bowls circles but across the entire specter that covers turf. On the Bowling Green he was a foundation member of the Putney -Tennyson Bowling Club as well as being a selector and Vice president of that club. He has held membership at the North Ryde RSL Bowling Club since 1958 and has been a National umpire for 15 years. The main interests of Peter Mobbs' life included the garden, bowls, reading, his secretarial duties and family. He was very conscientious and could be relied upon to do everything to the best of his ability. Peter Mobbs gained perhaps his greatest achievement just last year in September 1998 when awarded the Order of Australia Medal for services to Greenkeeping, a honor bestowed on a great man who was a true member of the brotherhood of Greenkeeping. The funeral of Peter Mobbs OAM was held at the North Sydney Crematorium on Tuesday August 31 1999 with representatives of the Turfgrass industry from as far as Adelaide present. Peter Mobbs OAM will be greatly missed and all Greenkeepers should never forget the man who was the Bowling Greenkeepers Association. Vale - Peter Mobbs OAM 1925 - 1999 By David McGaw - NSWGBA Racecourse Reconstructions The New South Wales racing industry continues to upgrade country racecourses with works underway at Orange and soon to be commenced at Coffs Harbour. Each of the projects has some new aspects of 
construction included in the design and more will be revealed in future issues of this magazine. The works at Orange have involved complete reshaping of the racecourse, the construction of a new, elevated chute for 1000 m starts that is around 350 metres long and will provide a great spectacle for racegoers. The new aspect of this project has been the irrigation system. Designed by Bernard Peasley, it will involve a combination of fixed irrigation for the straight sections of the chutes, and the use of the new Roberts Irriturf boom-type irrigators for the curving parts of the track. This combination will prevent the occurrence of scallops from the fixed sprinklers that bedevil many racecourses. The Coffs Harbour project has been complex because of the nature of the site. Located just above sea level, there have been a number of hurdles to jump (pardon the pun) in getting the approvals. Firstly, the site is a possible source of Acid Sulphate Soils and the determination of what treatment was necessary required extensive borehole testing. Secondly, the choice to use effluent water required a further series of tests and the adoption of some specific operational procedures. Thirdly, as the site contains wetland components, all site works had to be restored using indigenous species. But, possibly the most innovative practice on this site will be the means of excavating the borrow pit and spreading that as fill material. This will be done using a dredge and a slurry pump. Just picture a large pipe pushing along a slurry of sand and water to the area where the filling is to occur -this is the way that Coffs will be reshaped. Not your conventional dozers and scrapers for this job. More on this in following issues. By Ian Chi vers Racing Solutions ATM UHLIVY miLCU: Wli UUUl'lliLY IvCHQi Vl-LUim 'SAT1MBER HAULING Ł HILL CLIMBING¡av^ OL CARRYING PRINKLER MOVING Ł GRADE CLIMBINC^^P SPRAYING / aCOURSE \ PRINKLER INSTALUNG Ł HOLE DIGGINOhr^CH BREAKING REEK CROSSING* TRAIL BLAZING Ł STRM/v PITCHING MULE KICKING Ł MUD JUMPING Ł DEER HUNTING Ł TURFTAMING Ł DIRTMOVING Ł CROPSPRAYING Ł TOOL ARRYING Ł GRADE CLIMBING Ł GATOR BITING Ł HILL AULING Ł CREEK CROSSING Ł DIRT DUMPING Ł TIMBER 
AULING Ł HILL CLIMBING Ł TOOL CARRYING Ł SPRINKLER 10VING Ł GRADE CUMBING Ł HOLE DIGGING Ł BRANCH REAKING Ł CROPSPRAYING Ł MULE KICKING 
LAZING Ł STRAW PITCHING Ł Ml' IUNTING Ł GATOR BITING Ł TURF ;ROP SPRAYING Ł TOOL CARRYING > HILL HAULING Ł CREEK CROSSII LEAN AND MEAN HARD WORKING UTILITY VEHICLE Club Car Club Car Pty Ltd 14 Boola Place, Dee Why NSW. Freecall 1800 680 088 MARKETPLACE mmDf'jiiií Quality Turf Management Services Ł All aspects of turf maintenance, renovation, restoration and construction Ł specialists in sports ground maintenance and presentation Simon Gardini Phone: (03) 9720 8406 Mobile: 0409 500 502 email: f1turf@yahoo.com.au Part of the V.P.C.Group you have skills and experience in greenkeeping, you may be eligible for a national Certificate or Diploma in Horticulture Already many greenkeepers from across Australia have had their industry skills recognised in this way Š without enrolling in a course! For further information call Hortus Australia on 1800 233 366 or email hortus@dnrgroup.com Hortus Australia - Setting Standards Commercial Residential Golf Courses Authorised Toro Dealer with over 25 years experience in Supply & Installation. We have designed and installed over 60 Golf course Systems and more than 2000 commercial projects For your next project contact: GSB Watertechnique Pty Ltd 68-70 Magill Rd Norwood, SA 5067 Ph (08)8132 0794 Fax (08) 8132 0795 Email: gsbwater@microtronics.com.au ABOUT TO HIRE NEW STAFF ? Consider the benefits of employing an AFL SportsReady Trainee: Ł SUBSTANTIAL SUBSIDIES TO EMPLOYERS MADE AVAILABLE VIA FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (AFL SUBSIDES MAY ALSO APPLY) TO ASSIST WITH THE EMPLOYMENT COSTS. Ł TRAINEES, WITH THE SUPPORT OF AN EMPLOYER, CAN ARTICULATE INTO AN APPRENTICESHIP. IN SUCH CASES THE TIME OF THE APPRENTICESHIP IS REDUCED. Ł 12 MONTH PROBATIONARY PERIOD. gfy SPORTS READY Spfptsgpass i sport. Ł THE AFL GROUP TRAINING COMPANY IS LEGALLY THE 
EMPLOYER. Ł AFL SPORTSREADY WILL PAY THE TRAINEE WAGE AND HANDLE ALL ADMINISTRATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRAINEESHIP INCLUDING THE SUPERANNUATION, PAYROLL TAXANDWORKCOVER LEVY. Ł TRAINEES CAN BE OF ANY WORKING AGE. Ł TRAINING IS CUSTOMISED TO ORGANISATIONS NEEDS. For further information telephone: (03) 9643 1949 AGRIPOWER SPORTS FIELD DRAINAGE SPECIALISTS "for cost effective sports field drainage" call Richard Jacobs mob: 0412 323 947 A/H: (03) 95929699 fax: (03) 9592 9846 © Pty. Ltd. Coring Scarifying Sweeping Construction ATM MARKETPLACE New South Wales wrmrnwrnmrnm N £ W SOUTH W A FS TURFCARE NSW Unit 8/24 Clyde St, Rydalmere. N.S.W. 2116 Phone: 02 9684 6611 Fax: 02 9684 6633 Email: turfcare@bigpond.com.au TURFCARE NSW FOR SAME DAY DELIVERY & UNBEATABLE PRICES ON QUALITY TURF PRODUCTS Ł Best Simplot Fertiliser Ł Chipco Bayer Ł Nufarm 
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Ł Laser levelling/grading Ł Laser controlled trenching ¿VT4 » ».* TURF DRAIN AUSTRALIA Bob Paddison Ł Phone: (02) 96S2 2208 Fax: (02) 9652 2209 Nobile: 04I8 261089 NORTHSHORE MOWERS AND IRRIGATION For Expert Products and Service CALL BOB COOK ON: 0416 115 272 BECAUSE NOTALL AERATORS ARE CREATED EQUAL Land Prides AERA-vator is ideal for use on a broad range of turf sur-faces, including sporting arenas, parks and reserves, golf courses (fairways, roughs, tees and sur-rounds) racetracks, schools and general turf surfaces. LAND PRIDE Call now for a demonstration on your turf - Telephone 1800 640 305 Or visit our web page www.golfandturf.com.au A - ONE TURFCARE Specialists in golf course renovations Ł CORING Ł DEEP SLICING Ł SHAVING Ł LASER LEVELLING Contact Peter Thompson on 0419 205 661 or Paul Tangye on 0419 206 542 To reach over 6500 professional turf managers in this space can Phil George on 03 9886 6200 or 0413 620 252 ATM 'per Shirt (includes p&h) Ła^r CODE: W20970 SIZES: S,M,L,XL & XXL CODE: N20970 SIZES: S,M & XL CODE: W20978 SIZES: SRM,LFXL & XXL ^/ M LEFT-CODE: W20973 SIZES: S,M,L,XL & XXL RIGHT-CODE:N20975 SIZES: M & XL PLEASE DETACH AND RETURN Order Form Name: Postal Address: City/Suburb: Postcode: Phone no: (Business hours). Qty Order Code Size Price Ł I encolse my cheque/money order made payable to the AGCSA or Ł Please charge this purchase to my credit card account: Ł Bankcard Ł Mastercard Ł VISA Card Number: Expiry Date: _ _ /_ _ Cardholder Name: Address: Signature: Send completed order form to: AGCSA Level 1, 19 Railway Parade North Glen Waverley, VIC 3150 Phone: 03 9886 6200 Fax: 03 9886 6400 Australia's most popular organic fertiliser. Dynamic Lifter the 100% natural fertiliser that gives your turf a boost. It's produced from composted chicken manure which is concentrated and heat-treated to kill the weed seeds found in raw manure products and reduce the moisture content. A slow-release fertiliser activated by microbial activity, Dynamic Lifter provides essential nutrients including trace elements for sustained growth, without burning your turf. Dynamic Lifter also improves soil organic matter content resulting in increased nutrient retention and water-holding capacity, correcting pH and structure deficiencies, and encouraging microbial and earth- worm activity. Plus, Dynamic Lifter is certified by the Biological Farmers Association of Australia (BFA). It's the natural way to give your turf, and business a boost. New 3 and 4 wheel Turf-Trucksters The new fleet of Cushman® Turf-Trucksters® are stronger, versatile and more reliable than ever before. With a new front storage area, increased payload capacity, ergonomic dash-mounted gear shifter and dent resistant unibody construction, these versatile machines are built to last. Designed to handle an ever-increasing number of accessories, you can count on the Turf-Truckster to tackle your toughest jobs. Self-adjusting drum brakes and truck-type, four-speed, fully synchronized transmission or a three-speed automatic transmission will keep the new Turf-Trucksters running for years to come. With a heavy-duty welded steel chassis and independent front suspension, you'll find them easy to maneuver and hard to beat. N R . > y A ' MOW High Quality Bottom Blades and Cutting Cylinders To Suit most popular makes and models Ł Scott Bonnar Parts »Renus Hose Fittings Ł Ł Bearings »Turf Blades «Donut Trimmers Ł Ł Scarifier Blades »Turf Drills Ł Ł Grooming Blades »Grooming Heads Ł ŁBack Lapping Machine «Compounds Ł (02) 9476 4222 MOWi TURF MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT SPECIALISTS Unit 3 - 31 Salisbury Road, Hornsby NSW 2077 (02) 9476 4222 Fax: (02) 9476 5985 Mobile: 0418 675 345 The SOIL RELIEVER *Breathin' a Whole Lot Easier f Soil Reliever, Model 54 The new light-weight Soil Reliever, Model 54 from Southern Green is an aerator designed especially for use on greens. It is fast, efficient, smooth and will operate behind a Cushman Truckster, a Toro Workman or a small tractor. There are deep tine aerators and conventional aerators, now you have both with the Soil Reliever 54. Use with 5/16"x9" solid tines to aerate your greens anytime without disruption to play. Other solid tines available are 3/8x10", 1/2x10". 5/8x7" and 3/4x10" coring tines are available also and work at any depth to 10". For a demonstration or further details call BHM Machinery (see page 38) or visit Southern Green: www.soilreliever.com THE GREEN HORTICULTURAL GROUP 'Complete Sportsturf Solutions' Ph: (02) 9894 7448 We now have the new Verti-Drain 7521 which has a working width of 2.1 metres and will shatter hard pan layers up to a depth of 400mm. This Will : Ł Improve aeration and drainage Ł Build stronger root systems and improve the effectiveness of fertilisers. Bookings are being taken now for the upcoming season. We will not be beaten on price, quality or service. ATM m m G 'ŁV Aquafíex System Ł Aquafíex Handheld Reader Want to know what's going on underfoot? With the new Aquaflex Handheld Reader you'll know at the push of a button! Leeds United, the new Millennium Stadium (Rugby World Cup), York Racecourse and other leading turf professionals are all using information from Aquaflex to significantly increase quality and usability of irrigated turf. The new Aquaflex Handheld Reader combined with an Aquaflex Sensor provides an easy to operate soil moisture measurement system. The Reader is lightweight, portable and convenient for use in the field. Once connected, volumetric soil moisture content or soil temperature is displayed at the push of a button. Aquaflex is a leading international brand providing soil moisture and temperature management solutions, servicing the turf, agricultural and associated research industries. Aquaflex is manufactured by Streat Instruments Ltd, www.streats.com.nz . For further information on Aquaflex Customer Solutions contact Soil Moisture Monitoring Services on (03) 5865 5350. 5 * -(& ! * * i., * < ï J ^ Á lül 4 u y k CARRARO New model release. Antonio Carraro has announced the release on the Australian market of the new model TTR4400 HST reversible multi purpose tractor. The new model replaces the very successful Tigretrac 3800 HST and it provides the same qualities of the previous machine with several improvements in specification and design. The 3 speed hydrostatic transmission will be unchanged, and the "Revguide" turntable reverse control console remains. The new TTR 4400 will now be fitted with the Yanmar engine type "3TNE 88 CR" which is a direct injected 3 cylinder diesel providing 38 horsepower. As this engine has a larger displacement than the previous engine there is more torque available. The direct injection produces more economical 
power, with reduced emissions and it also operates at lower temperatures that will improve the tractors performance for out front mowing operations. The 4 wheel steer version of the new model, now has electronic sensing for the steering mode which is constantly self adjusting and changes from one mode to the 
other with the flick of a switch. The new models will be available in basic ROPS versions; half cabin or fully enclosed air-conditioned cabin. For further details contact Antonio Carraro on: 1800 636 929 - freecall. p.* GRÈVE Turf Construction PTY. LTD. A.C.N. 054 765 347 FOR YOUR NEXT TURF CONSTRUCTION PROJECT Golf Courses } Tee to Green Construction I All shaping Requirements 
I Lakes and Dams Built and Cleaned I Laser Leveling Ł Drainage Sports Fields (Bowling Greens, Sports Ovals, etc.) I Construction or Resurfacing 
Ł Laser Leveling I Drainage (03) 9705 2988 John: 0418 543 106 Fax: (03) 9705 2958 SMAYDO®!f SOW The Environmental Course Leader. SPRAYDOME STROLLER Envnum WCEK &KSTS IS NOW A DOOOtf! IT'S STATE-OF-THE-ART IN ENGINEERED SPRAY TECHNOLOGY. Fold-up sections for ease of transport. Ł A 6 metre coverage from 6 individually monitored Controlled Droplet Applicators. Ł The ability to isolate sections during operation Ł Shrouded covers minimise drift contamination. Ł Ultra-low volume carrying capacity means less soil compaction. Freecall: 1800 624 044 P.O. Box 1246, Berri, South Australia 5343 Strong, but light enough to be towed by ATV 4 Wheel motorbikes. Standard Enviromist replacement parts. Optional equipment available. ENVIROMIST INDUSTRIES PTY. LTD. EN/MP/Turfgrass/136 ATM REPORT Precidente Pen Australian Turfgrass Mangement continues to attract corporate support and more subscribers and I am pleased to now report that the magazine has obtained a level of advertising support, which guarantees its long-term viability. In launching ATM just eight months ago, the AGCSA Board budgeted for the magazine to reach this level by June 2000. Achieving the target, nine months ahead of schedule is an indication of the respect the magazine has gained in such a short space of time. Congratulations are extended to the AGCSA staff, particularly Phil George, our Publications Manager, who has juggled the dual responsibilities of editorial and advertising admirably. In other AGCSA news we have recently conducted the second roving workshop for the year. The latest series of workshops were jointly organised by the AGCSA in conjunction with the Australian Golf Union, the Golf Club Secretary Managers Association, and the Society of Australian Golf Course Architects. Over 200 people attended Australia wide and this will hopefully be the first of many such joint projects. In February the AGCSA will be bringing in Dr. Ali Haravandi from the University of California to tour all states and present workshops on turf water use. From November 25-28th, the 
AGCSA will be providing Course Quality Officials for the Holden Australian Open, supported by the Toro company. Registration forms for the CQO program will be distributed shortly and I encourage members to nominate their groundstaff or join the program themselves. It's a great way to see the golf and show the general public the correct way to repair divots and rake bunkers. The AGCSA recently mailed an information sheet to all members regarding proposed changes to the AGCSA Accreditation program and the introduction of the AGCSA Skills Recognition program. At this stage no feedback has been received from members on this vital topic. The AGCSA is planning to introduce the new structures in January 2000, and I would encourage members to review the proposal and respond. In the previous edition of ATM, readers would have seen the registration form for the upcoming Millennium Turfgrass Conference. I would encourage prospective delegates to book early. Already the trade show is selling rapidly and companies wishing to book space are asked to ring Euan Laird at the AGCSA office on (03) 9886-6200. The AGCSA has recently added a positions wanted and positions vacant section to the AGCSA Online web site. Persons wishing to advertise on this site should contact the AGCSA office. I wish all members a smooth transition to their summer turf management programs. Peter Frewin President, AGCSA FNQGCSA The Queensland Nursery Association and North Queensland Branch of the GCSAQ have once again combined to stage a successful event at Cluden Park racecourse in Townsville. This years program included presentations from Peter McMaugh, Steve Williams, Scott Taylor, Terry Woodcock and Phil Walsh. Topics included: Alternative Turfgrass Species for the tropics, and insight into the real world of project management, Qlobe continues to lead the way with environmentally friendly technology: NUTRIQROW Organic Insecti-cide, Soil Wetter and nutrient THATCH-X Microbial, Organic Thatch Reducer NEOTROL Liquid or Qranular Soil Ammendment INOCULATE Controlled Release Fertiliser, Microbial Stimulator and Soil PALAFERT Soluble Molasses Soil Ammendment Sydney Ph (02) 9522 0000 Globe Australia Pty Ltd INTERSTATE AND COUNTRY ORDERS TOLL FREE: 1800 2U 300 Newcastle Brisbane Melbourne Ph (02) 4942 3833 Ph (07) 3277 3999 Ph (03) 9380 Perth Ph (08) 9452 7777 ATM Thanks must go to our out going members, Steve Buttigeig, Glen Dunstan, Andy Date and Wayne Anderson whose efforts have been tremendous. Enough of my ramblings, good luck to you all and have a pleasant spring. Jon Penberthy President, GCSAQ construction maintenance, water conservation and golf course operation. Machinery demonstrations were performed by John Deere and Toro. Townsville turned on perfect weather for the show, and a successful and enjoyable day was had by all. The Monday night was the highlight of the social calendar with a Dinner Dance held at Townsville RSL. The 190 guests enjoyed a fantastic seafood buffet. The night also had awards, raffles and prizes going all night. Special thanks go to Vernon Jepson for his presentation and speech on the night for "FNQ Apprentice of the year" award. The next day commenced with the last speaker and seminars, and at 2.00pm "the John Deere Cup" commenced. Townsville Golf Club was in great condition (well done Andy and crew). The event was won by Rod Cades' team. Many thanks to our sponsors: Scotts, John Deere, Searles, Toro, McCrackens, Plant-it-rite-Spray pack, Yates and Rochedale. See you all next year. Paul Earnshaw President, FNQGCSA With the rain gauge registering over 1400mm far this year we are already over our annual average rainfall with the wet season still to come! The water table is so high that it takes very little rain to cause puddling and run off. We are all hoping for some dry weather for a change! News in our area is mainly concerned with a certain contracting group that has picked up courses in the southeast that have had management problems of one form or another. While it has long been a problem in Victoria this situation is different in a number of ways. Our Association intends to inform it's members of steps they can take to make themselves more competitive in the marketplace and justify the use of skilled, trained operators with more than just the bottom line figure on a balance sheet at stake in these environmentally conscious times. Our recent AGM returned a changed committee, President - Jon Penberthy, Vice President - Barry Cox, Secretary - Greg Plummer, Treasurer - Vernon Jepson, Committee men - Rod Cook, Pat Pauli, Paul Bevan and Danny Ryan. This dynamic team is committed to achieving results in the changing education area and in instigating some much needed research in this part of the world. Following an unseasonally dry winter in the west, many courses are now busy renovating and preparing for what promises to be another long hot summer. On Tuesday the 14th September our association held a "spring seminar" at the W.A.C.A. This event was well attended with member's from the Ground's Manager's Association, Bowling Green Keepers and the Secretary Manager's also invited. The seminar commenced at 10.30am with John Schlafrig from the Water and Rivers Commission discussing current and future licensing procedures, tradable water entitlements, water resource allocation, waste water reuse and irrigation auditing. John's talk was followed by Tony Dodson from Hortus Australia who covered the new national standards for trade qualifications and workplace assessment issues. After a short break Digby Short from U.W.A updated us on the latest results from the Turf water use research project and on future planned research work on nutrient and irrigation interaction. Our very popular Super Series golf event's continued to be very successful with Matthew Day of CJD machinery leading the series at this stage. On October the 19th the Toro Cup event will be played at the pristine Margaret River Golf Course. This event should not be missed and I hope to see as many members as possible supporting these day's. Rob MacDonald President, GCSAWA ATM TURF LINK AUSTRALIA PTY LTD TY-CROP MH400 MATERIAL HANDLER/TOPDRESSER LASTEC ARTICULATOR 325EF 1.82mtr CUTTING WIDTH PO Box 229 Unit 2/37 William Street NORTH RICHMOND NSW 2754 PHONE: 02 4571 1198 FAX: 02 4571 1138 Late winter provided the majority of New South Wales with reduced rainfall and mild conditions. These conditions provided the courses with Kikuyu some of the best playing surfaces produced during winter (contrary to those who believe Kikuyu is only a weed!) New South Wales held it's AGM at Pennant Hills Golf Club in late August, with only a few difficult questions from the floor, a great day was had by all. Thanks are extended to Toro for their sponsorship of the day, along with providing an overview of irrigation control system selection, and machinery demon-strations. Martyn Black (Castle Hill Country Club) was a guest speaker on the day, giving an overview of his recent tour of golf courses in Scotland and Ireland. Richard Kirkby (host superintendent) had the course looking a treat for the afternoon golf, with many enjoying late afternoon nine holes in almost summer conditions. Martyn Black has been notified that he will be hosting the Canon Classic Tournament in February. Castle Hill was the location for the inaugural Canon Tournament several years ago and its return will put the spotlight on the new construction work. Martyn has recently commenced the reconstruction of the final two holes of the Grant, Newton and Spencer master plan. The new layout will certainly test the players and should be a visual delight for all the spectators. Other construction in progress has been two new greens at Windsor Country Club (Steve Seckold GCS), continued reconstruction at Ryde-Parramatta Golf Club (Geoff Phillips GCS), who are nearing completion of their complete rebuild. Monash Country Club (Marshal Howarth GCS) is rebuilding the majority of their tees, and Mona Vale Golf Club (Scott Armstrong GCS) is commencing a major alteration to their Clubhouse surrounds incorporating several new greens and tees The next educational day for the Association will be in late October at Bankstown Golf Club. Mark Parker President, NSWGCSA The AGCSA has recently been promoting the importance of Superintendents, within their own club, operating with integrity, maintaining up-to-date technical knowledge, effectively communicating with committees and generally presenting themselves as professional resource managers. This issue has probably been brought to a head due to clubs interstate now considering alternative management options. In Victoria this has been topical for a number of years and as a Superintendent's Association, the VGCSA has been asked to address this issue by our members. The conclusion we have reached in Victoria, is the only real option for Super-intendents is to realise our positions are under scrutiny every day and like any other industry, clubs will be assessing alternative options if they are not satisfied with current arrangements. The best option for Superintendents is to strive to operate under the guidelines of best practice and promote ourselves within our own workplace. The support our Association should be providing is the opportunity for networking among members and provide educational options through seminars, conferences etc. The VGCSA country meeting in Yarrawonga in August was, from all reports, a good weekend. Numbers were a little disappointing and we apologise for not having the newsletter out earlier. Speakers Ron McCartney (Sports Turf Consultants) and local Superintendents Michael Swanwick (Host Superintendent), Ian Hancock (Jubilee), Andrew Johnson (Rich River) and David Rogers (Corowa) gave excellent presentations. Oasis Turf Supplies sponsored breakfast and golf trophies and we thank them for their involvement. Thankyou to Michael Swanwick and Yarrawonga and Border Golf Club for hosting the meeting. Our final meeting for 1999 will be held at Geelong Golf Club on Monday December ^m m m Mi For all you turf irrigation needs, remember... Hugall & Hoile - First in Irrigation! Designers, Suppliers and Installers of quality irrigation products for Residential, Commercial and Golf applications. HUGALL & HOILE "First in Irrigation" Telephone: (08) 8268 2388 Facsimile: (08) 8445 7991 906 Port Road, Woodville, South Australia 5011 I ORB Irrigation PTY LTD ACN 059 967 010 Trading as Hugall & Hoile Reticulation South Australia Sc Victoria 13. We hope to have former VGCSA member Owen Browne, now Superintendent at the Dukes Course, St. Andrews, as our guest speaker. Owen will give a presentation on construction and maintenance St. Andrews style. Richard Forsyth President, VGCSA Winter has been very dry this year with rainfall down by about 200ml. Unless we get some spring rain we will be in for some very trying times. The 4th National Turfgrass Seminar in Perth was well attended with Walter Woods being the highlight. For those of us who were able to have holidays at the same time WA is a great place. On 25th August Cooper's and Chemturf held their turf seminar, which again was very well attended, and the next day a workshop on Poa control was held. Those attending all participated and a great deal of information and experiences was shared. Our next field day will be held at North Lakes GC with Simon Foord our host super-intendent and Murtfarm Pty Ltd as sponsors. Coming events: 28th October 5th December March Bob Dellow President, SAGCSA Mount Baker Picnic Day at Belair National Park Flagstaff Hill The Launceston Country Club Casino was the venue for the AGM on 18th August. It was pleasing to see quite a few new faces, and attendance was up on previous years. A couple of changes have been made to the board this year 1999-2000 with the following positions being filled: President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Committee Phil Hill Steve Harris 
Shane Knott Danny Gilligan 
Chris Hay, Steve Lewis, Stuart Mathewson, Harry Skledar ATM Many thanks must go to the previous committee, in particular outgoing President Mark Potter for his efforts over the last two years. The success of the AGM must not go without thanking the Toro Company for once again sponsoring the day. A generous display of Toro machinery was freighted over Bass Straight for all our members to see. A presentation on each machine was well received by all members. It was amazing to find the huge contrast in climatic conditions between Hobart and Launceston over the winter period. The southerners have been irrigating well into August, which is almost unheard of. However, in the north of the State consistent rainfall over the last three months has already last years rainfall to date by over 120mm. (Currently 536mm to 31st August compared to 350mm in the south). With the fairly mild temperature, this has made disease control difficult. The Legend couchgrass trials in Hobart have revealed a somewhat negative response to our trying conditions down under. Poa annua invasion was quite extensive due to the long dormancy period, and the winter colour of the Legend, was not as favorable as we hoped. This result has not dampened our spirits and more trials on other couchgrass species is under close scrutiny. A projected format for field days and seminars will be decided at our next committee meeting and published in the next edition of ATM. Member support will be emphasised over the next twelve months. It is critical that we attend seminars and field days and get back on the map for all roving seminars and other educational opportunities. Until this happens all superintendents on the AGCSA accredit-ation program risk jeopardizing their recognition. Phil Hill President, TGCSA At our AGM on the 5th August we recognized the 10th anniversary of the TGAA (Vic) and looked back and see how rewarding it has been for all involved. Over the past year the Association has embarked on a number of successful ventures. These include: Ł Established of the TGAA Website which provides members with up to date information and the ability to communicate and research turf related topics. 3800 hits so far justifies our launch on the information super highway. Ł Another form of exposure that has added benefit to our members is the new Australian Turf grass Management magazine. After much discussion your Committee decided to support this magazine by adding a report to each edition. Our activities this year included the Jells Park Tour, Sportsgrass and Passive Turf Seminar, Xmas Break-Up, 'Superbox' Football Night, AUSTEP Trial Introduction, Bursars Field Day and the Turf Trade Fair. Having reflected on our aims and objectives the committee felt that these activities more than adequately achieved our goals. They provided a forum to promote friendship and solidarity between those involved in the Turf grass industry. On a personal note I would like to say it has been an honour to represent you and hope I have fulfilled your expectations. The Committee this past year has been tireless in their efforts and I thank them very much for their commitment and guidance. To Simone Staples our administrations Officer, thank you for your dedication in co-ordinating our activities. She has been an enormous contributor to our continued success. To our sponsors who are so important and support us each year, thank you for being part of our Association and hope our partnership continues to flourish. The future of the TGAA looks to be fruitful especially in the New Year with the forthcoming Millennium Conference. I would like to thank Bruce Stephens and Ashley Miller who have decided to stand down from the Committee. As Vice Presidents for the past few years they have lead from the front and as committeemen from inception can feel proud of all their achievements. Hope the renovations are going well and that Spring is being kind to your surfaces. Robert Savedra President, TGAA (Vic), The 8th AGM of the Association was held on the 24th August at the Ainslie Football Club with 38 members and sponsors attending. President Pat welcomed everybody, then announced that he would not be seeking reelection. Pat thanked the committee for all their hard work over the previous 12 months, especially those involved in organising the mid-year irrigation seminar. Pat had also thanked our sponsors for their ongoing support, which without the Association would struggle. Setting the Standard for Sports Turf 30 YEARS TURF PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE TURF TYPES Legend (Ci) Bosker (C3) Wintergreen Bent Varieties EasiGreen (blue/rye mix) EasiCare (tall fescue) EasiShade (fine fescue/rye mix) Other varieties available on request TURF SYSTEMS StrathAyr Turf System now in use at Stadium Australia StrathAyr SquAyrs for instant repair & field extension STAYturf for natural erosion control StrathAyr Portable Pitch as used at North Sydney Oval Telephone 1800 622 455 ikLwii^ilVAlá yAAkiÂJii\àààVkWWi k . WAliiiikkáVv, J.iWiiilk StrathAyr ATM Pat went on to thank Steven Heskett for his| work in organising a study award for CIT students. Steven was presented with the president's award and congratulated on winning the AGCSA Graduate award presented during the conference in Perth. The following people were elected unopposed Bruce Davies - President Paul Janssens - Secretary Wade Turner - Treasurer Grant King - Assistant Treasurer Committee members are Norm Dunn, Keith Mclntire, Michael Borowki, Dave Percell, Justin Haslam, Steve Heskett, Gary Dawson and Anthony Brassil. Things are gearing up for spring with turf managers throughout the district having completed or well into renovations. With new legislation concerning catchment water used for irrigation hitting the region, let's hope it will be a more forgiving summer than previously experienced. Moving into the 21st century, sources of information for the turf manager are ever increasing and one of the most valuable supplies is the World Wide Web. Just recently completed is an updated listing of relevant sites. If you wish to obtain a copy, send an e-mail to either bruce.davis@cit.act.edu.au or pat.garratt@gg.gov.au. Here's a few that may tickle your fancy: TGAA site www.tra.asn.au Turf West www.turfwest.com.au Sydney Cricket 
Ground www.scgt.oz.au/turfgrass.html. Til next time agrostologists'. Justin A K Haslam Committee, TGAA & Surrounding Region Following the AGM we are pleased to announce that both Peter Barron and Duncan Knox have been retained as president and secretary. We have also inducted 3 new life members. They are: Ian Latham, Len McKenzie and Ray Thorne, all of whom are still very active in the trade. Ian left Melbourne 2 years ago and is now enjoying life and greenkeeping in Ocean Grove. Len is tending the greens at the Victoria Bowls Club in Ballarat and remains are regular attendee at VGA events. Ray is in semi retirement but stays in touch with the industry by representing Golf & Bowls Machinery in Melton. The VGA opening Day will be our first function for the season and will be held at the Maribynong Park Bowls Club on Thursday 21st of October. There will be a guest speaker, BBQ lunch and refreshments. It is important that all members attend as awards from last season will also be presented and it is important that these awards receive the support they deserve. Toby Lumsden Vice President, VGA PACIFIC TURF EQUIPMENT PTY LTD Specialists In Used Turf Care Equipment Sales Ł Rental Ł Parts 2 Alua Close North Manly NSW 2100 PO Box 169 Brook vale NSW 2100 Call Garry Clarke Phone: (02) 9905 7759 Fax: (02) 9905 7776 Mobile: 0418 404 423 Email: pacturf@intercoast.com.au ATM Scott Williams - Course Superintendent, Coolongotta Tweed Heads Golf Club, Queensland Cuts irrigation costs Reduces run off Prevents dry spots Reduces wetting agent costs Break-Thru® is a leading edge soil wetting agent capable of spreading water up to times more than conventional wetting agents. With its unique non-ionic silicone chemistry, Break-Thru® enables the water to penetrate even hydrophobic soil and spreads for more efficient use of irrigation, preventing localised dry spots. GULLF^ BKEAKSkhH RU 2 (0 Break-ThruMakes The Best Courses Even Better "Break-Thru helps us to minimise the effects of dry spotting and also disperse morning dew quicker; providing better quality turf and playing conditions. In addition, the effectiveness of Break-Thru over other wetting agents has enabled us to make substantial savings' Distributed exclusively by Gullf Ag°Pty Ltd Phone: 03 9558 71 1 8 FERTILISER 2I-I-I6WITH DICOTWEED CONTROL KILLS WEEDS. FEEDS GRASS. KIND TO PEOPLE At last. You can hang up the plastic suits and respira-tors and breathe easy, because Scotts Fertiliser 21-1-16 with Dicot Weed Control III is here. It's easy and safe to apply, transport, handle and store, but deadly to some 17 common broadleaf weeds which inhabit turf grass and lawns. These include the problematic and unsightly Bindii, Clover and Dandelions. Fertiliser 21-1-16 with Dicot Weed Control Ill's unique granular composition combines Scotts slow release fertiliser technology with the weed-control-ling activity of a triple active herbicide. This advanced WE'RE HERE TO HELP formula means less wastage and because the granules 
sink to the soil, it's much safer and more user friend-ly than the labour-intensive, high-risk, liquid prod-
ucts. After three years in development, and extensive nationwide trials Fertiliser 21-1-16 with Dicot Weed Control III has proven safe and efficacious. Talk to a Scotts Agronomic professional about the value of a 
total turfgrass plan to suit your needs. For the safest and most effective method of weed con-trol & fertiliser on the market don't hold your breath. ETTER WAY CALL THE SCOTTS REGIONAL MANAGER OR DISTRIBUTOR IN YOUR\ QLD/NT/NSW/VIC/TAS RICHARD JAMES 0418 735 538 WA/SA PET HISCOCK 0418 918 919 NEW ZEALAND NICOLA ROCHESTER 025 908 438 Scotts.