TURF CULTURE

Issued By The

UNITED

STATES

GOLF

ASSOCIATION

GREEN

SECTION

P.O. Box 73, Bonj.xriii. Franklin Station 
.nshinjton, D. C.

APRIL, 1936

Vol. 1, No. 1

Executive Offices, 73 East 57th Street, Nev; York, N. Y.

C 0 M M ENTS 0 IT

TURF CULTURE

Issued by the UNITED oTATRS GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION 
P.O. Box 73, Benjamin Franklin Station, Washington, D. C.
Frank M. Hardt, Chairman of Green Section Committee 
Dr. John Monteith, Jr., in Charge of Washington Offices

Executive Offices, 73 East 57th Street,Nev York, N. Y. ,

Vol. 1, Ho. 1 

April, 1936

WINTER INJURY TO TURF

Northern Courses; The exceptionally cold weather this winter 

which prevailed for long periods over much' of the country, has caused 
considerable concern among golf course officials as, to the likelihood 
of damage to turf.

The common grasses used on golf'courses in the North are 

rarely killed.by cold weather. Therefore, even the unusually low
temperatures of recent months have in all probability not injured 
northern golf turf.

The extensive and heavy' blanket of snow that covered most 

of our northern states’did, however, provide conditions favorable for 
the development of. snowmold in many sections. This type of injury is 
discussed in a separate article below.

The extremely cold weather in sections whore there was little 
snow covering resulted in freezing the ground to unusual depths. Freez­
ing of this typo, contrary to popular belief, does not kill our common 
northern turf grasses. On the contrary, freezing of the soil has a 
decidedly beneficial effect from the grass standpoint.

Some golf club officials have entertained the hope that the 
unusually severe winter may have 'done great damage to the various posts 
of golf turf. Unfortunately, there is slim evidence to justify encourage­
ment of that hope. No doubt all the little bugs and the fungi that cause 
diseases of turf during the playing.’'season will bo ready when the time 
comes to toe up for the usual summer’s match against the greenkccpcr and 
his team.

Injury to turf often occurs whon ice forms in pools of water 

collected in poorly drained areas. This type of .injury is expected to 
bo loss than that which occurs in years of frequent thaws. However, 
some of such damage may still develop on northern courses.

Southern Courses; Southern golf clubs, particularly those along 

the northern border of the Bermuda grass belt, are likely to find that 
the unusually cold weather this winter has killed much of the Bermuda 
grass. This injury is likely to bo most common in turf that is-kept cut 
close, as in the putting greens and the toes. Fortunately, in many 
sections the grass was protected from the most intense cold by a blanket 
of snow.

Clubs located in the regions where unusually cold weather 
prevailed without snow protection should be prepared to do extensive 
reseeding as soon as it-is .evident how much of the BQmUda grass has 
been killed*

in early application of.fertilizer will prove of much value 

in thickening the injured Bermuda grass where the damage’ has not' boon 
severe enough to require reseeding.. Light discing with the discs set 
as straight as possible, followed by dragging with a brush-harrow or 
other ■ smoothing ’deviceand- then' rolling; .’Till also, serve to-speed 
recovery.

SNOWOLD DISEASE

It is likely that the injur;/ from snowmold on golf courses 

will be far more extensive this year than it has :beon for several 
years. It has occurred this year on courses much farther•south than 
'where it is commonly found. The continuous cold no doubt prevented 
far greater damage to turf than might have occurred had there been 
the customary prolonged and gradual thaws during the winter. If 
ground is well frozen ’when the first snow arrives and the snow melts 
little during the ’winter, the lsnowmold has almost no opportunity to 
develop. Therefore, courses where this condition prevailed in 
general have suffered little from, this disease this year.

In some sections of the country snow fell before the ground 

’was frozen and the subsequent heavy-falls served to insulate the ground 
from the extreme cold, with the result that the temperature at the 
surface of the soil was sufficiently high to permit the mold to develop 
This was particularly the case under heavy drifts of snow'. In such 
instances snowmold injury has been common.

In the case of many courses covered for a long period with 

a heavy blanket of snow, the cold weather continued until the rapid 
thaw in late February. This thaw removed practically all of the snow 
within a period of a few days, which permitted the disease too short 
a time to develop any serious turf injury.

where all the snow did not disappear promptly during this 

thaw, there has been far more injury since snowmold is decidedly 
encouraged by gradual thawing.

Seaside bent as usual has been injured by snowmold -in a 

general way far more seriously than have been the other bent grasses 
grown on golf courses.

At the time this is ’written the full extent of the damage 

from snowmold cannot be determined. The disease may develop' for 
several more ’weeks under favorable climatic conditions.

. Treatment for Snowmold: 

In many instances the turf has been

completely killed in patches and those areas should bo patched as 
early in the spring .as possible. If this is impractical, the dead 
areas should be raked or disced lightly and seeded as soon as possible.

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'whore tho disease has occurred it would be well to treat the 

turf with corrosive sublimate at once to kill the mold and prevent 
further spread in the event of weather favorable for its development 
within the next few weeks. This treatment will not restore turf already 
injured but will insure against extension of the damage.

Since much of the turf injured by snowmold is not completely 
killed, it will be restored as soon as new blades of grass are produced 
by the plants that have survived in the affected areas. A liberal 
application of fertilizer containing quickly available nitrogen as soon 
as growth starts will hasten the recovery of turf that has been thinned 
out by snowmold.

■ The late fall treatments with fungicides as worked out by tho 

Green Section staff a few years ago' have again demonstrated their 
effectiveness in preventing extensive damage by snowmold. It was recently 
estimated by a greonkeeper in the Twin Cities .district that 9C% of the 
putting greens in that region are given the fall preventative treatments 
as an insurance against snowmold.

Detailed directions for the prevention of snowmold are 

available in the Green Section Dulletins that have been sent to United 
States Golf Association member, clubs*

WEED CONTROL TESTS

The Green Section is conducting a series of tests with chemical 
wood-killers in cooperation with golf clubs throughout the country. Those 
tests are made principally with tho purpose of controlling fairway weeds. 
Many tests at tho Arlington turf garden and elsewhere have given results 
that warrant more extensive tests. If any member club .is' particularly 
interested' in this work and wishes to cooperate or to keep in touch with 
'the tests being conducted in its neighborhood, wo will be glad to furnish 
full information.

SEASONAL REMINDERS

Overhauling Equipment: 

On northern courses the winter is the best

time oT the- year for. overhauling and repairing equipment. Unfortunately 
on many doursos little or no provision is made for winter work of any kind. 
Where this type of work has not been done already no time should.be lost 
in attending to it. .

The best time to make major repairs .is when there is sufficient 

time to put a piece of equipment out of use long enough to do a good job. 
Thorough overhauling of equipment during the winter and spring months 
often saves much time, money and unpleasant situations caused by breakdowns 
during the busy playing season*

Tho reduced budgets of recent years have made it necessary to 

use much of the equipment on golf courses beyond its normal span of 
usefulness^

Replacing Equipments As overhauling is. being done a complete 
appraisal of equipment can bo made. Practical limitations on repairs 
should bo recognized and worn-out equipment should be replaced at once.

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It is important to recognize the possible life of machines at this time of 
year rather than to wait for them to break down just before an important 
tournament or when they are being overworked during the busiest season even 
without a tournament•

A thorough inventory not only of the major equipment but also the 

smaller items, such as flag-poles, cups and rakes, should be made. If this 
has not been done during the winter, advantage should bo taken of some of 
the bad weather in spring, when regular work is held up, to make such an 
inventory. An order for replacements now and a little repair work and paint­
ing will save many delays and complaints during the rush days soon to come.

Information: 

Vfliile referring to overhauling and repairs of course
equipment, it is -well not to forgot the most important piece of equipment 
used in maintaining a modern .golf course - the groenkeepor1s mind. Perhaps 
there are a few worn-out or antiquated parts there in the form of theories 
or so-called practical ideas. Perhaps some of those ideas had better be 
scrapped and replaced, others may nocd only a few repairs.and adjustments, 
while others may need simply a little polishing and sharpening by rubbing 
against similar ideas from other minds, either-through personal contact or 
through tho printed page.

The club assumes the bill for the parts and. replacements in tho 

mowing equipment for tho course, so why not include at least part, or the 
expense involved in improvements in the mental equipment to ba used on the 
course?

Library:- It is arguod that the particular piece of ..equipment 
mentionacTabove does not belong to tho club and may leave at any time. 
Regardless of tho merits of this contention, there seems no reasonable . 
argument against tho club assuming the bill for a reasonably good 
collection of books, bulletins and pamphlets-to become a permanent part 
of the .greenkeeping equipment. Throughout the season a modern greenkeeper 
who knows how to use books will find plenty of occasions for a handy library.

The Green Section office is always glad to furnish suggestions 

as to suitable books or pamphlets on tho various subjects pertaining to 
gr conic coping.

, Pruning Trees:, There.still remains a short time to prune trees- 

before the^Toaves-"come out on our northern courses. Winter and. early 
spring are tho best times for pruning’ trees. At that season.there is 
time to do a careful job and the litter is not as objectionable then as 
in tho season of heavy play. Also, there is loss time consumed at that 
season in explaining to members that there is no intention to cut down 
everything but merely to prune to advantage.

Air Circulation: 

Liach of the extensive loss of^.turf throughout
the Middle West last summer served to omphasiz-o further tho importance 
of adequate air circulation over putting greens and tecs. Before the 
playing season is in full swing necessary tree pruning should be done 
with a view to reducing such damage to turf next summer.

Planting Trees: 

Thinking of thinning trees serves as a reminder

that there is.. sVill~time to plant a few'more'trees 4 It is not necessarily 
contradictory to.be thinning branches or even cutting "out" trees at the 
some time one is planting now ones.* There are- proper places for trees on 
every golf course.

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Drainage

Daring the wot periods in tho spring when work is
delayed there should be a thorough checking of low areas whore water 
stands on the course, particularly on putting greens. Diagrams or 
careful notes vn.ll servo to remind the greenkaepcr of tho most 
important low areas so that at the earliest opportunity they may be 
properly drained or the sod lifted and replaced after the depression 
is filled.

Lovr areas on golf courses are too often handled in much the 
same manner as the leaky roof of the shiftloss home-owner; namely, in 
wot weather the job cannot be done and in dry weather it is not needed, 
A v.rell-donc job of lifting sod and filling in low areas in the spring 
may prevent a big dead patch of turf in the middle of summer when play 
is heaviest and when there is even less tine to do the job than in tho 
spring.

Southern Greens:

On Southern courses with putting greens of

ryegrass or rodtop for winter play, brownpatch at this season becomes 
more active. Treatments with the mercury fungicides will help materially 
in retaining the winter grasses in good condition for a longer period 
until the warmer weather provides favorable growth conditions for the 
Bermuda gras s,

Spring; Seeding: 

Late summer or early full seeding of northern

grasses is much tc be preferred to spring seeding. However, good stands 
of grass may bo obtained by planting at any time of the year, Vihoro turf 
is sufficiently thin to justify reseeding, it is advisable to seed in the 
spring at as early a date as possible.

Fertilizing Fairways; Those clubs which contemplate fertilizing 
fairways this spring should do so as soon as possible, especially if the 
turf is ordinarily heavily infos bed with crabgrass. Fertiliser should be. 
applied more liberally in the fall than in the spring where crabgrass is 
an important pest.

Closing Greens; Putting greens that are not well drained and 

which are built with soil that tends to puddle badly when wet should 
be closed during the spring when soft and saturated with water. Sandy 
or well-drained greens are not seriously injured at such times, V/hcn 
not practical to close greens during wet periods, it is well to at 
least place the cup near the front corner of the green so there may be 
as little trampling ns possible across the whole green.

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