Green is Beautiful” ario Golf Superintendents Association Ont RNSH RNSHAAW CRESCE CRESCENT NT - ETOBIC OKE, ONTAR ETOBICOKE, IO M9C 3M4 - TEL ONTARIO TELEPHON EPHONE E 622-9929 622-99 29 JANUARY 1978 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE At this time, / would like to take this opportunity to thank the Board of Directors along with all our members for the vote of confidence given me as your new President. I would like to express my appreciation to Alan Beeney, the Past President, with all the Past Board of Directors for the successful year of 1977. To the new Board of Directors, welcome. My wishes for the New Year is that all our members of the association will continue to give their best effort so that we can continue the pro­ gress to achieve our goals in the association. Best wishes to all our members and their families for a Prosperous and Happy New Year. Sincerely, Paul Scenna President. - O.G.S.A. EXECUTIVE FOR 1978 - President, Paul Scenna..................... (519) 623-3292 Roster, Bob Brewster...................... (416) 676-9777 Vice-President, Stuart Mills........... (416) 270-0716 Symposium 1979, Al Beeney Secretary, Paul White..................... (416) 561-1216 Nominating Chairman, Al Beeney Treasurer, Ken Nelson..................... (519) 433-5136 Executive Newsletter Editor, W. Hynd 239-9630 Past President, Al Beeney............. (416) 877-2642 Social Committee, Stuart Mills Golf, Bill Bowen.............................. (705) 743-5010 Turf Research Chairman, Paul Dermott........ (416) 247-9281 Membership, Crests, Plaques, Blake McMaster................... (416) 451-1573 Welfare — East, Rusty Waskman Meetings & Speakers, John Smith . (416) 878-7923 West, Ken Nelson Bylaws, Rusty Waskman............... (416) 623-4977 Central, W. Hynd MONTHLY MEETING - OCTOBER 20th, 1977 Paul White snapped the following pictures: BRAMPTON GOLF CLUB Host: Blake McMaster We have been fortunate the past 2 years in having a good day in October for this meeting, and as usual the golf en­ thusiasts were out in full force and enjoyed the playing condition of this fine golf course. The meeting was highlighted by a colour slide show by Dave Gourlay and Bob Heron of last year's visit to Scotland and England on the occasion of the International Turf Grass Conference. This was a delightful trip obviously, and brought to a close a fine day. O.G.S.A. Hosts Alice and Bill Hynd ANNUAL MEETING - DECEMBER 13th, 1977 AURORA HIGHLANDS GOLF CLUB Host: Alan Jones This meeting had been postponed from the previous, due to a snow storm. Attendance was small but several lengthy discussions soon developed particularly on the subject of expanding the Association into Regions. John Stoughton was presented with an Honorary Membership. John has always been a regular attender of O.G.S.A. Meetings over the years and travelled further than most of us. L-R: Diana and Paul Scenna, Frances Wyllie Golf Prizes were presented as follows: Gross - 1st - Bill Bowen - Trophy - 2nd - Hugh Kirkpatrick Net - 1st - Doug Hoskins - Trophy - 2nd - Ken Wright Gross - Rod Hermitage - Green Cross Products Net - Ron Craig - Spramotor L-R: Barbara and Bob Brewster and Friend L-R: Paul Dermott and Kimmo Salonen and friends Paul Scenna presenting President's Plaque to outgoing President Al Beeney O.G.S.A CHRISTMAS PARTY ST. GEORGE'S GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB DECEMBER 2nd, 1977 Thirty-one couples had a good time in the Old World Charm of St. George's Golf Club, featuring rum punch by the fireside; turkey dinner and a live band. L-R: Bob and Daise Moote, Al Beeney EIGHTH ANNUAL MANAGEMENT SYMPOSIUM Sarnia................................................... 542-6065 HAMILTON GOLF CLUB Windsor .............................................. 969-2740 Peterborough...................................... 743-5852 JANUARY 12, 1978 Toronto.............................................. 676-3020 Host: Stuart Mills GEORGE CUMMING, Superintendent and Assistant Dir­ President, Paul Scenna, opened the proceedings with a few ector, Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington, Ontario, then brief remarks; then host, Stuart Mills, presented a brief gave us ideas on "Clubhouse Landscaping" with a colour history of the famous Hamilton Golf Club as follows: slide presentation. Welcome Gentlemen to the Hamilton Golf & Country DR. JACK EGGENS, University of Guelph, who is well- Club in Ancaster. I am pleased to be your 1978 host Super­ known to all of us concluded the morning lectures with a re­ intendent for this annual Symposium. At this time I believe port on the effects of over-seeding on Poa Annua swards. It a short history of HGCC would be of interest to you. Our appears that several cultivars of Kentucky Bluegrass com­ Club dates back to 1894 when the Hamilton Golf Club op­ peted favourably the first 50 days, but over 150 days Poa erated a Golf Links on the Central Fair grounds in Hamilton Annua was the dominant species. adjoining the former Hamilton Jockey club property. This is an interesting study to Superintendents, and Jack In 1895 a 9 hole course that was later expanded to 18 expects to have more on this subject at a later date. holes was laid out on Paradise Farm located where the Alan Beeney chaired the afternoon session in which six present City of Hamilton course known as Chedoke Golf golf superintendents spoke on varied problems and projects. Club is situated. The topics were very well delivered and received, and in­ In 1914 the Club purchased property here in Ancaster tend to include them in later editions of this magazine. and retained Herbert S. Colt of SunninghilI, England, to lay out a new course. John Sutherland, the course Superintendent, KEN NELSON, opened the afternoon proceedings with a cleared the grounds and seeding was completed in September talk on "Association Re-organization". This proposal was of 1914. The course formally opened for play on June 1st, well aired at our Annual General Meeting and a committee is 1916. being set up to investigate the possibilities. On August 2nd, 1975 the “new nine" was officially open­ STEVE MILLER, gave an excellent presentation on how ed and designated the East Nine. As well, several changes to go about "Building the Maintenance Facility", assisted by were made to the existing nine hole Short Course. Today, a slide presentation. we have 27 Championship holes, plus, a Short Nine, con­ JIM WYLLIE, "The Spring headache that lasted all sum­ sisting of par 3's and 4's, for a total of 36 holes for Golf. mer 1977" and "Hailstorm damage 1976" proved how fickle This Clubhouse was officially opened on June 27, 1929. Mother Nature can be. The Club at Ancaster has had only 3 professionals in it's We all know how fickle our members are and very quickly long history. The first was Nicol Thompson, whowas suc­ forget the good years. Jim was aided by colour slides. ceeded in 1945 by Dick Borthwick, who retired in 1974, and RUSTY WASKMAN, "Turf Pests" - gave an account of his was followed by Ken Steeves, who is here presently. headache with nematodes on greens last year, the job doesn't Also there have been only 4 Superintendents. The first get any easier. was John Sutherland, then Ed Walls, father of our present DOUG SUTER, "Riverbank Control" and "Bridge Con­ Senior Assistant, then Mr. John Harris, whom many of you struction". The Credit River can be a monster to the golf know. Mr. Harris retired in 1975. courses in which it passes through. It looks like Doug is grad­ Chairman, Norm McCallum, presided over the morning ually winning the battle in controlling the problems. session in his usual efficient manner. JOHN SMITH, "Golf Course Drainage". An excellent TERRY DWYER, Meterological Officer, Mount Hope Air­ account at relieving a problem efficiently and economically. port, spoke about "Understanding the Weather", and showed It is significant that all speakers had slides and graphs to an interesting film "In All Seasons". back up their talks - as the saying goes, a picture tells a For specialized weather information across the Province thousand words. of Ontario, Golf Superintendents can call: Thanks to Paul White, Symposium Chairman Host Stuart Mount Hope........................................... 679-6065 Mills and everyone involved. St. Catharines ..................................... 688-1847 Kitchener............................................. 648-2571 Altogether a great day for the seventy odd Superintend­ London.................................................. 451-3390 ents, Assistants and Associates present, and the food was Kingston................................................ 389-3252 terrific. J. L. EGGENS - ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, There was no difference (Table 2) in the ability of annual DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE bluegrass plants from #3 and #18 fairways to produce ad­ ventitious roots nor in the mean length of roots produced. As UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH the absorbing root system of annual bluegrass is produced and Annual bluegrass continues to be an unreliable grass dur­ maintained by adventitous root production, it appears that ing the middle of the growing season and the summer of 1977 the annual bluegrass on #3 fairway had as good a root sy­ was no exception. We received numerous calls about problem stem or at least the potential to develop as good a root sy­ fairways which for no apparent reason began to turn brown stem as the annual bluegrass from #18 fairway. The lack of and die out in large patches in spite of good irrigation and stress tolerance, described by Ken as an apparent drought high management. stress, is not readily correlated with a poorer root system. During a telephone conversation one day in the middle of On Monday, August 29, 48 pots each of annual bluegrass August, Mr. Ken Wright, Superintendent of the Northwood from #3 and #18 fairways were established. The method was Golf and Country Club, was expressing exasperation about to gently tease rooted tillers apart and prick them out into a the difficulty of maintaining annual bluegrass on some bad Fox sandy loam soil in a 3 inch pot. Considerable attention fairways, particularly #3, while #18 fairway was compara­ was paid to the after-transplanting care. All plants established tively easy to maintain. The "bad" fairways continued to successfully. After 25 days, the vigour of each potted annual show drought stress despite a good irrigation program while bluegrass plant was evaluated by rating the plants from 1-10, the "good" remained relatively stress free and in good play­ with 10 being the largest, most vigorous plants. From the ing condition. He was under the impression that the annual problem #3 fairway, there were more smaller plants, (Figure 1) bluegrass on the "bad" fairways were of an inferior type to plants which did not produce many tillers or spread quickly, that which populated the better fairways. He felt that the than from the more easily managed #18 fairway. A large per­ tendency to overmanage the grass, because the facilities were centage of plants from #18 fairway were more vigorous and available, particularly irrigation, was promoting the growth more prostrate in habit. Perhaps poor nutrient status or some of a selection or strain of annual bluegrass which was more undetected disease or condition might have accounted for intolerant to summer stress conditions. the difference in vigour of annual bluegrass plants from #3 Ken was kind enough to provide me with representative fairway. However, any detrimental factor such as smaller samples of his good and bad fairways, particularly #3 and plants, significantly lower carbohydrate status, or disease, #18 for examination under controlled conditions. The plugs would have influenced adventitious root production. Since were potted up in a Fox sandy loam soil and grown on as the rate and quantity of adventitious root formation was not source material in the greenhouse under daily 2 cm (%") significantly different (Table 1), the rate of establishment of mowing height and good fertility using a soluble 20-20-20 at the tillers in the 3" pots should have been essentially the 200 ppm. same. During the establishment period, no different response It has been shown that while annual bluegrass is generally to stress was noted and both appeared to establish equally classified as a tufted, bunch-type annual, it will persist under well. The differences noted in Fig. 1, would appear to be as low mowing and good management as a prostrate creeping Ken Wright has suggested, a weaker, less vigorous strain of type which roots at the nodes and has a perrennial nature. annual bluegrass being promoted or developed on some fair­ Hovin (1957) in an article in the Golf Course Reporter attrib­ ways. uted this variability to its hybrid origin. Beard (1973) in his book, "Turfgrass; Science and Culture", provides a good re­ view of the characteristics of the annual and perennial types in his section on annual bluegrass. In a comprehensive paper "Poa annua" presented to the California golf course Super­ intendents in 1974, Gibeault summarized the main differences normally attributed to the annual and perennial types as follows: Table 1: "Annual" annual "Perennial" annual bluegrass bluegrass 1. Upright growth habit 1. Creeping growth habit 2. None or few secondary tillers 2. Numerous secondary tillers per per culm culm 3. Prolific seed production 3. Minimal seed production 4. Seed following formation is 4. No seed dormancy dormant What does this mean? Are the plants on #3 more 'annual' 5. Minimum rooting on tillers 5. Several adventitious roots and on #18 fairway, more 'perennial'? From Table 1, both on prostrate tillers 6. Six nodes or less per tiller 6. Greater than six nodes per tiller should be perennial as both came from consistently irrigated Turgeon, from the University of Illinois in his research on fairways. Cordukes, in the Greenmaster, reviewing his work chemical control of annual bluegrass, also noted that the per­ on annual bluegrasses collected across Canada found both the ennial biotype was more hardy, required a greater concen­ upright and the prostrate forms in his collection but "found tration of endothall to kill, tended to develop in regularly no association of growth habit with sampling site". In other irrigated areas and was more stress tolerant. words, those annual bluegrasses obtained from putting greens To determine if the apparent lack of drought stress toler­ were not mainly prostrate, perennial types and those from lower management areas were not predominently upright an­ ance on the "bad" #3 fairway was due to a reduced capacity nual types. to produce a good root system, the rate and amount of ad­ What's happening now? The plants from #3 and #18 fair­ ventitious root formation of the annual bluegrass samples was ways are being evaluated for their response to fertility levels evaluated. Some cuttings were taken Monday, August 29th and drought stress under conditions which simulate golf and rooted in petri dishes. course fairways. Bill Cordukes has sent seed of 20 of his "best" Table 2: Mean adventitious root length and root number annual bluegrasses collected from across Canada. These have after 8 davs been established in 3" pots for evaluation. One thing is for Mean Root Mean Root certain, all of the annual bluegrass plants collected from a Fairway Length (mm) Number local unirrigated site were upright, tufted plants and fitted Gibeaults "annual" description very closely. More on the pro­ #18 29.3 3.5 a* gress of this project in future newsletters. # 3 27.4 4.5 a *means followed by same letter do not differ significantly at the 5% level of probability. HOW TO BE A PROFESSIONAL To achieve professionalism at its best, we must start with It is my precept (principle) that professionalism cannot the individual. What kind of a professional is a GCS or other be taught, for example, as a down lineman can be taught to turf manager? What are his attributes? I submit that the goal block an opponent or a golfer to strike a particular shot. I of a GCS, in its whole, is SERVICE; service to the entire believe it to be inherent in the individual. There is no recipe, turf industry through his employer, the golf course. The and even if there was, it would be useless. We are all different service will be LOYAL and MORAL under any and all cir­ and each of us is capable of reaching within ourselves to do cumstances! Primarily, we must adhere to the principle that something we didn't know how to do at a moment when we the golfer must be satisfied. Without this individual we didn't know we had to do it. That requires that one always would not have a turf industry of any consequence. It doesn't be prepared for anything that may develop. A professional matter that he knows nothing about our part of the business is always prepared to move in on a problem. Lack of move­ yet thinks he does; he must be satisfied! Certainly, we won't ment, or preparedness, would indicate that one has not been condescend to his every wish but we will, subtly, educate aware of what has been going on around him. The true pro­ him into believing that he has the fairest, finest, and most en­ fessional has assembled in his mind all the events (civic, joyable track he can get for his money. It is the same with sociological and political) that daily occur around him and our administrative superiors, regardless of administrative that assemblage of information dictates automatically what structure. We will communicate with them in our best man­ his actions will be for the next minute, the next, and the next, ner all the time. and on into time. Superimposed on that, and interrelated It matters not how obstinate they are; it's up to you to with the foregoing, is his goal for his existence. If the attrac­ find and exploit the weaknesses in their defense. You don't tion of the attainment of the goal is strong enough, there become piqued and resentfully retaliate; because, if you do, will be no wavering from the course toward it. Usually, the you're no longer a professional. It may be necessary to take course for the goal is set early in life, yet, it is natural for a side track to regroup your thoughts. And it's true that you some delays to occur and some sidetracks of short duration may not be able to get out of that side track. So what? If may have to be taken. If the course is changed permanently, you did the best you could, that's all that can be asked of then the original goal must not have been very attractive. you! Anger is never to be used in our relationships with any­ The goals associated with true professionalism are like a rail­ one. Not only does it degrade, it may lead to violence and road with two termini. One starts at one terminus as the be­ most importantly, it is the best way to get a heart attack. ginning of the trip and ends at the other, perhaps having to Your job produces enough tensions leading to heart attack go "into the hole" on sidetracks at times before reaching without being helped by anger. Finally, loyalty, a two-way the other terminus. avenue, will insure the success of any enterprise in time re­ So, the true professional is in reality an actor on the stage gardless of the differences existing between administrator of life and his direction comes from forces off-stage. The and manager and othe co-workers. performance of the role which he acts out is determined by Excerpts from paper by George M. Kozelnicky, Assistant the attributes he possesses. Professor of Plant Pathology and Plant Genetics, University of Georgia at 12th Annual Wisconsin Golf Turf Symposium, October 26-27, 1977. EDITOR'S NOTE I had the occasion to play Brampton in the summer, the course was beautiful, but the most impressive feature at Bramp­ ton Golf Club is the flowers, they always look so luxuriant and brilliant. Brampton Golf Club, when seen from the air looks featureless and flat, having been built on flat, sparsely treed property. This is a deception though, the layout has always been an interesting one, with many dog legs and strong finishing holes, and maturing tree plantings. The O.G.S.A. have had meetings at this Club since the course was built in the early 1960's, host Superintendents being Roy Cornfield, Bob Heron, Ross Haines and now Blake McMaster. It seems a shame that during this time of active participation, there are many golf clubs in the area which have never host­ ed an O.G.S.A. meeting during this time. GREEN IS NOT GREAT done. One was the Zoysia plot, it's green, it's alive; if it's any other By Alexander M. Radko which happened to be bleached color, it's dead or dying! Many tan in color because it was late people also have the mistaken no­ group from Britain visited October and Zoysia was dormant. tion that the greener the grass, the A the Green Section research grounds at Beltsville, Md., early in After Dr. Grau finished his glow­ ing discourse on Zoysia, one vis­ healthier the turf. Unfortunately this notion is especially strong the 1950s when interest was high itor, whose voice was exceptionally among golfers. They equate dark in the warm-season grasses in that heavy and whose whisper could green with good playing turf, and area. Dr. Fred V. Grau, who was carry a long way, said, "That's the they often refer to it as beautifully Green Section Director at the time, first bloody time I've heard so lush turf! Those trained in the escorted the visitors through the elegant an address on dead grass!" study of turfgrass cringe at this de­ grounds and enthusiastically de­ This remark typifies what most scription. To them lush means un­ scribed the studies that were being people think about turfgrass—if desirable, soft, succulent, out of condition, filled with juice or that's what they want, that's what attempts to force growth or to force liquid—as the case may be. A lush we have to give them." It takes a color can have only a harmful effect growth often results from the need­ very strong personality to stand up on their healthful growth. In less race for color despite the fact to 300 members and say, "You are spring, therefore, cool-season gras­ that color has minimal effect on wrong! My program is the best ses take time to regain their normal turfgrass quality for golf. long-range direction for the club, color. Don't hurry it by watering Nature has provided grasses we'll do it my way completely and and fertilizing too early. These with much genetic diversity. This totally!" The usual result is a com­ practices weaken the turf, make it includes wide differences in color, promise in program, sometimes soft and succulent, and more often ranging from dark blue-green to doing things more for cosmetic than not impose a greater stress on light yellow-green and every in­ purposes and not because it's the the turf during difficult periods of termediate shade. It is interesting best thing to do. summer. to note that Europeans prefer the The pressure of a membership Early watering is difficult to jus­ light green grasses while Ameri­ indeed has great bearing on the tify. Grasses don't die in the spring cans very definitely favor a deep golf course management scene. It from lack of water! Normally, blue-green, similar to the dark has spawned Poa annua-oriented winter and early spring precipita­ color of Merion bluegrass. There thinking because in reality this is tion is adequate to provide for are bentgrasses referred to as the what some memberships want. early season grass needs. It is at Washington types that take on a (Poa annua, an unreliable annual this time that grasses have the op­ purple cast with cold weather. grass, is considered a weed by portunity to develop deep root sys­ Cohansey (C-7) creeping bentgrass some, but a good turf cover by tems that are so necessary for is an example of yellow-green, and others.) The result is a forced healthful growth throughout the although it makes an outstanding growth of grasses that makes them rest of the growing year. Early irri­ putting turf, it isn't widely ac­ uniformly greener, but this does gation encourages shallow roots. cepted because of its very light not necessarily mean the condition Grasses are much the same as hu­ color. is better for golf. A forced growth mans; they, too, can be con­ Grasses also turn tan with cold is not a healthy growth! Without ditioned to a way of life and never weather. During the winter, north­ question it is also a large part of the know any other. The time to be ern and southern grasses turn dif­ reason why so-called "winter rough and still get away with it is fering shades of tan depending rules" prevail at many golf courses in the early spring. What is done upon the location where they are today despite adequate budget ex­ during this stage of growth has a grown. Despite this, even the most penditure. If memberships occa­ strong bearing on how the grasses drastic color change does not affect sionally would accept off-color perform during the rest of the year, the playing quality of well­ areas throughout their courses dur­ especially during stress periods. managed turf, a fact that is strik­ ing the playing season, they would So the grass isn't green! So the ingly evident with warm-season be able to play the ball as they find greens don't hold well for the first grasses during the winter. Al­ it for a greater part, if not for all the month of play! So what? This is the though dormant and off-color, golfing season. time of year for the player to work grasses hold the ball nicely for Turfgrass, as any plant, has var­ his swing into the groove for better fairway play. Color, therefore, is ied cycles of growth. Warm-season summer play; similarly, this is the not the most important considera­ grasses begin growth in the spring time for grasses to work them­ tion. GOLF IS PLAYED ON and show their strongest growth in selves out of dormancy, to condi­ GRASS, NOT ON COLOR! summer. When cold weather tion themselves for the tough road Why this obsession with color? comes they go into a period of semi- ahead. There is a big difference Golfers like to brag about the color to total dormancy, depending between growing grasses for golf of their golf course; they equate upon the degree of cold experi­ and growing grasses for exhibi­ dark green with health, they take enced in any specific location. All tions. Utility grasses must be har­ pride in saying that "our course growth begins in spring as air dened so that they can serve their looks healthier than yours!" They temperatures rise above freezing. purpose. They must be disciplined also complain about their courses; Growth is slow until the soil and conditioned for traffic, abuse they compare some neighboring warms and winter moisture disap­ and wear under trying conditions course from a distance (where, in­ pears. Cool-season grasses go into of close cut. This is tough treat­ deed, the grass always looks their stress period in summer; they ment but toughness is necessary greener) or they compare the enter a period of semi-dormancy, for their healthful performance course they played when growing which is a resting stage of reduced when the chips are down. If mem­ conditions were ideal with the metabolism, until cool nights pre­ bers would accept this as a way of condition of their own clubs at vail in late summer. Then they re­ golf course life, it would be easier times of stress when growing con­ sume good growth throughout the to develop permanent grasses in ditions are poor. Unfair? Yes, but fall. During winter they go dor­ place of Poa annua. it's difficult to overcome such pres­ mant with freezing weather and There is another fact of life in sure once it circulates within a remain in that condition until irrigating golf courses. Terrain is membership. Too often such com­ spring. This is their yearly cycle; varied. Slopes, mounds, hills and ments force management to say, "If there is no way to change it and depressions complement whatever level areas are to be found. Soils induced early in spring by applica­ turf and soil and, therefore, the vary too, in depth as well in as tions of nitrogen. This is forced golfer loses some control over his composition. Sand, gravel, rock or growth, inducing faster growth shots. A good example of this ledge permeate areas of golf course than the plant would make other­ phenomenon now exists on un­ property, and soil types vary, wise, an accepted practice, but watered rough areas. Find a spot sometimes slightly, sometimes only if it is timely and controlled. and try it for yourself. The prob­ greatly. How is it possible, there­ We have already said that grasses, lem, however, under completely fore, to irrigate uniformly when too, are creatures of habit. If you unwatered conditions is a lack of water runoff and water penetration feed them heavily, they come to turf uniformity and density. are so variable? expect it. Heavy feeding, however, Eliminating water obviously is not You can't! induces heavy and thick-bladed the answer, just as too much water If you want to keep the high growth. If grasses are overstimu­ is not the answer, either. spots and rock ledge areas green in lated and are fed too early, their The solution lies in a manage­ summer, you must overwater the growth is soft, succulent and less ment program somewhere in be­ adjacent areas. If you set your pat­ capable of supporting the golf ball. tween. The British system of tern of irrigation to favor the low Hungry grass, on the other hand, course management for the most areas, then the high spots suffer. is tough grass; blades that are hun­ part represents the least watering The point is that there is no uni­ gry and lean support the ball well principle, the tough management form way to satisfy all conditions and interfere least with the of grasses, the laissez faire doctrine of soil and terrain in irrigating golf clubhead's progress through the of allowing grasses to fend for courses. Something must suffer, ball. When the grasses are ready to themselves and encouraging the and the agronomically sound direc­ move, only a little help from fer­ fittest to survive. They describe the tion to pursue is to water only tilizer will provide healthful American way of management as enough to keep grasses alive with­ growth. It's important to wait for "the manufactured look," one that out serious regard for the de­ signs that they are ready for food. tends to favor weaker grasses velopment of off-color areas. This is good agronomic practice. through management and mainte­ Overwatering is one of the car­ This is what most superintendents nance techniques, thereby promot­ dinal sins of turfgrass manage­ would do if they managed only for ing a weak overall stand. ment. If your course doesn't have the turfgrass needs. Somewhere in between is the off-color areas under conditions Mowing also has a bearing on answer, but for better golf, in my described, then chances are your color. The higher the cut, the easier opinion, the British style of man­ turf is being overwatered to satisfy it is to keep grasses green and the agement is the system to follow. the membership's "keep it green at better the color, especially during This is especially true since all costs" edict—whether it favors periods of stress. The mowing economic, ecological and environ­ Poa annua or not! height, the mowing frequency and mental factors are now so much a This is another reason why the mowing pattern each influ­ part of golf and will become even turfgrass managers throw their ences health and color. The closer more influential in the future. hands up and sooner or later follow the grasses are cut, the better they Finally, the race for color has had the path of least resistance. Why play. The closer they are cut, the a solid impact on budgets. Water, fight it if their members play golf more difficult it is to keep them energy, fertilizer, chemicals, man­ on color? uniformly green. Again, terrain power and equipment are now Poa annua is the perfect answer and soils have a strong bearing on more costly. As grass growth is for a good portion of the year. the performance of grasses on cer­ forced with excesses of water and From the members' viewpoint tain areas. The closer the cut, the fertilizer, more disease, insect and water is the answer to keeping more difficult it is to manage water Poa annua problems result. The grass green. After all, when an ex­ properly. Water application is more the grass is forced, the more pensive system is installed, the more critical here again, if it is the need for additional man-hours members will take no excuses for pointed towards the preservation of mowing time. grasses turning off-color; if the of the permanent grasses. This Equally important are the in­ grass isn't solidly green, then the means a low amount of watering. creased time and cost of parts re­ man doesn't know his business. Poa annua always benefits from quired for conditioning and repair Let's fire him and get someone overwatering. In the days before of equipment. The race for color new! What a misconception! What fairway irrigation, grasses were has had a solid impact on golf an unfair, amateurish appraisal! often mowed at 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches. course management. It's time to However, the old axiom applies: When the grass was dry, this cut get away from the manufactured "The boss may not always be right, was not objectionable because dry look. Let's go back to emphasizing but he's always boss!" grass blades are thin and rigid and natural turf growth, to growing Fertilizer also promotes color in the clubhead can move through the tougher grasses. Let's go back to turfgrasses. Nitrogen can modify ball easily. The unwatered grass is playing golf on grass, and not on the natural color of grasses slightly, light and firm, while the watered color! making them a shade darker green grass is soft and heavy. Unwatered than normal, especially when they grass allows a firm surface; heavy ALEXANDER M. RADKO is the are heavily fertilized. Color can be watering results in a soft, spongy National Director of the USGA Green Section. President FOR SALE PAUL SCENNA Cambridge, Ontario (519) 623-3292 1977 TORO WORKMASTER Vice-President MUST BE SOLD TO STUART MILLS Ancaster, Ontario REDUCE INVENTORY (416) 270-0716 Secretary Used Only 150 Hours PAUL WHITE Hamilton, Ontario (416) 561-1216 This Machine is Virtually New at Treasurer $4,000.00 KEN NELSON London, Ontario (519) 433-5136 Apply To: Directors BILL BOWEN AL DRAPER, Peterborough, Ontario Greenhills Funland Ltd. (705) 743-5010 R.R. #3, blake McMaster Lambeth, Ontario N0L 1S0 Brampton, Ontario (416) 451-1573 Telephone: 519-652-5553 JOHN SMITH Milton, Ontario (416) 878-7923 RUSTY WASKMAN Oshawa, Ontario (416) 623-4977 BOB BREWSTER Mississauga, Ontario (416) 676-9777 - MEETING DATES - PAUL DERMOTT Etobicoke, Ontario February 12-17, 1978 G.C.S.A.A. Conference (416) 247-9281 San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A. BILL HYND Islington, Ontario (416) 239-9630 March 5-8, 1978 C.G.S.A. Conference Hotel Toronto Past President Toronto, Ontario AL BEENEY Georgetown, Ontario (416) 877-2642 ONTARIO GOLF SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION Box 63, Islington, Ontario M9A 4X1