UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION EASTERN REGION NORTHEASTERN DISTRICT MID-ATLANTIC DISTRICT P L A NT I N D U S T RY S T A T I ON B E L T SV I L L E, MARYLAND R U T G E RS U N I V E R S I TY NEW B R U N S W I C K. NEW J E R S EY EASTERN TURFLETTER A L E X A N D ER M. RADKO E A S T E RN D I R E C T OR C H A R L ES K. H A L L O W E LL M I D - A T L A N T IC D I R E C T OR No. 4 T. T. N O R T H E A S T E RN AGRONOMIST T A Y L OR I D E AS A ND G A D G E TS August 1958 To Spread Traffic on Fairways Many, many tractor miles are driven over fairways during the course of each year. Particularly in mowing fairways, is tractor and gang unit traffic heavy. Also as fairway outlines are fixed, mowing in the same manner each time will cause for tracking and added compaction where tractor and mower wheels move in the same lanes each time fairways are mowed. The accumulated effect of equipment traffic on fairways can cause turf injury, and we see this mainly in the narrow approach areas where the tractors with mowing units generally have to turn and in doing so the turf is bruised, torn, or otherwise injured. Throughout the rest of the fairway mechanical injury is not so acute a problem, but lesser difficulties could result. To reduce the chances of injury and to distribute tractor and gang unit weight Mr. Jack Ormond, Superintendent, Canoe Brook Country Club, Summit, New Jersey employs the following technique. Mr. Ormond mows fairways three times weekly, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Monday he uses only 5 units to make the outline cut—this is done by disengaging the two outside units and allowing them simply to ride over the rough. On Wednesday only one unit is disengaged and the outline cut is made with 6 units. On Friday the outline cut is made with all 7 units engaged and in cutting position. Once the outline cut is made, then all 7 units are engaged to mow the remainder of the fairway area. In this way Mr. Ormond distributes the tractor and mower weight throughout each fairway and lessens hazard of turf injury due to mechanical wear. For Uniform Distribution of Fertilizer on Fairways To apply fertilizer materials uniformly on fairway areas is a difficult task and one that requires a skillful operator. All sorts of techniques are employed by Superintendents and these range from using dye materials for markers, as does Mr. Frank Tull, Superintendent of Hercules Country Club, Wilmington, Delaware to following tire marks on dew. To aid with this problem, Mr. Tate Taylor of the Green Section Staff suggests that a single compartment (over one spreader hole) be built into your present fertilizer spreader (on either end) for use as a lime compartment which will lay a lime line down for marking purposes as the fertilizer in the re- mainder of the hopper is being distributed. (Note: Use free- flowing limestone.) T«p V/rcvM of N L /AJ£ sf £A/ £ G^pARtmCNf Moving Large Trees We are indebted to Mr. Jimmy Keough, Superintendent of Fresh Meadows Country Club, Great Neck, Long Island for this idea. Mov- ing large trees is always a hazardous task, also a weighty one. Once the tree is moved to the planting site, it must be properly placed in the hole. To do this, Mr. Keough places cakes of ice into the hole until ground level is reached, then the tree is placed on the ice, on which it is easy to turn to show to best advantage, and as the ice melts, the weighty tree settles into proper position. Try this next time you have a big one to move. An Exact Cubic Yard Soil sterilization of top soil is common practice among Superintendents these days. Some soil sterilants give recommenda- tions in terms of so much material per cubic yard. To measure this cubic yard exactly, Mr. Eb Steineger, Superintendent of Pine Valley Golf Club, Clementon, New Jersey uses a four sided box (no top, no bottom) which measures one cubic yard exactly. When Mr. Steineger sterilizes soil, he doesn't guess, he measures the top soil exactly, and thenmixes the correct amount of soil sterilant with the measured soil, and takes the guesswork out of this all-important phase of turf management. W - ' * -3- For Better Results in Using Greens Mower Brushes At New Haven Country Club, New Haven, Connecticut Mr, Henry Betzner constructed a special bracket of aluminum,strap metal (diagrammed below), to fit over the height of cut adjust- ing screw. The bracket can be raised or lowered by means of lock nuts. In use the brush rods are cradled in the bracket to prevent the brush from jumping or digging into the putting sur- face. During recent visit a demonstration was observed and re- sults were excellent. A simple but very effective gadget. V/tvv A CT O /U 5 For Accurate Measurement of Chemicals Fungicides and herbicides must be used in exact amounts to give desired results on fine turfgrass areas. The margin of to- lerance of grasses to chemicals is often slight; therefore, you must be sure of the amounts being applied. For dry materials, Mr. Sherwood Moore, Superintendent of Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck, New York uses a regulation Post Office scale for ac- curacy in weighing chemicals for use on greens. FIELD DAY MEETINGS August 26 - Rutgers - The State University, New Brunswick, September 3 (Noon) to September 4 (Noon) - Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania Prof. H. Burton Musser September 11 and 12 - Rhode Island University, Kingston, Rhode Island Dr. Jesse A. DeFrance Dr. Ralph E. Engel New Jersey _ _ _ _ __ Mr. Ralph i. White, Jr. Asst. Ornamental Horticulturist Dept. of Ornamental Horticulture University of Florida Gainesville, Fla. ... - - •V I 1