Bulletin of the Green Section of the U. S. Golf Association Vol. II Washington, D. C., September 18, 1922 No. 9 A MONTHLY PERIODICAL TO PROMOTE THE BETTERMENT OF GOLF COURSES CONTENTS Women’s Amateur Golf Championship of the United States........................ 254 Conserve the Bent-Seed Supply. C. V. Piper and R. A. Oakley......... _.......... 255 Relieving Congestion on Short Holes.......................... 255 Some Simple Facts About Our Northern Golf Grass. C. V. Piper and R. A. Oakley...................................... ......... ................ 256 Changing the Cup. Lyman Carrier.................... 261 Success with the Fertilizer Distributor.......................... 265 Some Principles of Golf Architecture; Being the Opinions of Divers Amateurs 265 Rockefeller’s Improved and Patented Comminutor................. „.... 267 Eradication of Pearlwort..................... 269 Controlling Chickweed .................................................. 269 “The Italian Bagpipers”......................................... 269 The Importance of Proper Treatment of the Rough. Dr. Maynard M. Metcalf ................. 270 Public Golf Courses of the United States and Canada..................................... 271 New Members of the Green Section.............................................. 273 Questions and Answers..................................................... 273 Meditations of a Peripatetic Golfer......................................... 276 MEMBERS OF THE GREEN COMMITTEE OF THE GOLF ASSOCIATION: *Dr. C. V. Piper, Chairman Dr. R. A. Oakley. Vice-Chairman *E. J. Marshall. Vice-Chairman W. A. Alexander Frank B. Barrett A. C. U. Berry Wm. F. Brooks C. B. Buxton A. H. Campbell N. Stuart Campbell W. C. Ferguson Wm. C. Fownes, Jb. •Dr. Walter S. Harban Dr. Thos. P. Hinman A. J. Hood Frederic C. Hood Norman Macbeth A. E. McCordic L. C. Mf.nager Sherrill Sherman James L. Taylor •Wynant D. Vanderpool W. R. Willett •Alan D. Wilson Frank L. Woodward Inverness Club Old Elm Club Hollywood Golf Club Waverly Country Club Minikahda Club Dallas Country Club Toronto Golf Club Agawam Hunt Club Glen Echo Country Club Oakmont Country Club Columbia Country Club Druid Hills Golf Club Detroit Golf Club The Country Club Wilshire Country Club Indian Hill Club Florida Country Club Yahnundasis Golf Club Ekwanok Country Club Morris County Golf Club Louisville Country Club Pine Valley Golf Club Denver Country Club UNITED STATES Washington. D. C. Washington. D. C. Toledo. Ohio Fort Sheridan, Ill. Deal. N. J. Portland. Ore. Minneapolis, Minn. Dallas. Tex. Toronto. Ont. Providence, R. I. Normandy, Mo. Pittsburgh, Pa. Washington, D. C. Atlanta. Ga. Detroit. Mich. Brookline. Mass. Los Angeles. Calif. Winnetka. Ill. Ortega, Fla. Utica. N. Y. Manchester, Vt. Convent Station, N. J. Louisville, Ky. Clementon, N. J. Denver. Coin * Executive Committee member. PERMANENT MEMBERS Hugh I. Wilson. Merion Cricket Club Haverford, Pa. F. H. Hillman, Washington. D. C. W. H. Walton. Washington. D. C. Lyman Carrier. Washington, D. C. Published by the Green Committee of the United States Golf Association, 456 Louisiana Ave­ nue, Washington. D. C. Subscription price: To golf clubs that are members of the Green Section of the U. S. Golf Association, |4.00 per year (included in membership fee). Entered as second-class matter December 16, 1021, at the post office at Washington, D. C„ under the Art of March 3. 1879. Copyright, 1922, by the Green Committee of the U. S. Golf Association. 254 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE vol. n, n0. 9 Women’s Amateur Golf Championship of the United States September 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 1922, The Greenbrier Golf Club, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia The competition for the Women’s Amateur Golf Championship of the United States, open to all Women Amateur Golfers belonging to clubs which are mem­ bers of the United States Golf Association, and to those foreigners visiting this country who may be invited by the Executive Committee of the Association, will be played on the course of the Greenbriei- Golf Club, White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., commencing on Monday, September 25, when the Robert Cox Cup and four medals will be competed for under the rules of the United States Golf As­ sociation. The winner of the competition shall be the Champion Woman Ama­ teur Golfer for the year and the Robert Cox Cup shall be held for that year by the club from which the winner shall have entered. The winner shall receive a gold medal; the runner-up shall receive a silver medal; the other semi-finalists shall receive bronze medals. The competition shall be played in the following manner: Monday, September 25, 10:00 a. m.—Medal play round. Eighteen holes, best 32 scores to. qualify. A prize is offered by the Association for the lowest score in this competition. Tuesday, September 26. 10:00 a. m.—Women’s Championship, first match play round; 18 holes. 1:30 p. m., consolation event for the non-qualifiers. Eigh­ teen holes medal play handicap. Prizes presented by the Greenbrier Golf Club. Entries close for this event Tuesday, September 26, at 1:00 p. m. Wednesday, September 27. 10:00 a. m.—Women’s Championship, second match play round; 18 holes. 1:30 p. m., mixed foursome, medal play handicap; 18 holes. Best gross and net prizes presented by the Greenbrier Golf Club. Entries close for this event at 1:00 p. m. Thursday, September 28. ’ 10:00 a. m.—Women’s Championship, third match play round; 18 holes. 1:30 p. m., driving, approaching and putting contests. Prizes presented by the Greenbrier Golf Club. Entries can be made at the time of the event. Friday, September 29. 10:00 a. m.—Women’s Championship, semi-final match play round; 18 holes. 1:30 p. m., best ball foursome scratch; 18 holes. Prize presented by the Greenbrier Golf Club. Entries can be made at the time of the event. Saturday, September 30, 10:00 a. m.—Women’s Championship, final match play round; 36 holes. Each entry for the handicap events must be accompanied by certified handicap at the player’s home club, and the scratch score from which such handicap is made. In all special events, players must leave the first tee by 3:00 p. m. The contestants shall first play 18 holes medal play. The best 32 scores shall then be taken and the contestants making these scores shall then compete at 18 holes match play. In the event of a tie or ties for the last place on Monday, the contestants so tied shall continue to play until one of them shall have gained a lead by strokes at any hole. All disputes shall be settled by the Executive Committee of the Association, whose decision shall be final. Any player who fails to appear at the tee within fifteen minutes of the time she is called to play by the Committee shall be disqualified unless reasons satis­ factory to the officials in charge of the tournament be given. Any person paying her entrance money shall be considered thereby to have submitted herself to the rules of the Association, both as to restrictions enjoined and penalties imposed. On these conditions alone she is entitled to enjoy all the privileges and advantages of the Association Competition. &epr. is, 1922 UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION ‘ 255 Entries for the special events are opened only to contestants entered for the championship events. This applies also to the entries of women in the Mixed Foursome Handicap. All score cards in the Medal Play Rounds must be kept in strict accordance with Rule 5, Special Rules for Stroke Competitions.” Competitors failing1 to comply with the requirements of this rule will be disqualified. The privileges of the clubhouse and grounds are extended to all competitors in the Championship for one week previous to the tournament. The pairing and time of starting of each pair in the qualifying round will be announced through the press. Cornelius S. Lee, Secretary, U. S. Golf Association. Conserve the Bent Seed Supply C. V. Piper and R. A. Oakley The supply of bent seed even at high prices seems likely to be far below the demand for some years to come. At present most of the supply is the South German mixed bent from Germany, but there is some Rhode Island bent harvested in New England and a little of the same grass seed under the name Colonial bent comes from New Zealand. In view’ of the very limited supply, the good of golf demands that this seed should be used where most needed, namely on new golf courses and on the old courses that have been getting along wuth inferior turf and wish to change. There are several ways to conserve the supply. 1. Do not sow bent seed on greens already covered with bent. Prac­ tically all seed thus used is w’asted. Much greater improvement* wrill be secured by proper feeding of the greens. Save the seed for the fellow who really needs it. 2. On many courses large areas of the fairway are covered with ex­ cellent bent turf. It is economical and efficient to use this to sod new' greens. Much inferior turf may be used to replace the scalped places in the fairways. 3. Vegetatively planted greens give the highest quality of putting green turf. If a club has a good bent nursery it never need be bothered about lack of seed. 4. When bent fairways are desired, seed them to fifty per cent, bent and fifty per cent, redtop. The redtop comes quickly and practically dis­ appears after tw’o years, leaving the bent for permanent turf. 5. This might also be tried: Put in plugs of bent at frequent intervals on greens only partly covered with bent, or dibble in pieces of bent stolons. Such plugs or stolons spread quite rapidly. Have a heart, fellows, and do not use any bent seed that is not neces­ sary. Let the other fellow, who really needs it, have a chance to get some. Relieving congestion on short holes.—Congestion of players on a short hole may sometimes be relieved by requiring players ready to putt to stand aside until those following have played their tee shots. In this way, while one match is putting, another match is walking to the green, and the third match is getting ready to play. This plan works best on holes that are from 175 to 225 yards in length, as on these a large amount of time is consumed walking from tee to green. 256 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE Vol. n, No. 9 Some Simple Facts About Our Northern Golf Grasses C. V. Piper and R. A. Oakley Every day brings evidence of the need for plain statements of fact regarding our northern turf grasses and their use on the golf course. Such evidence comes directly in inquiries from those who are new at the game and who ■wish to avoid mistakes in selecting species for their particular conditions; and it comes indirectly from those who, year after year, use grasses that in the very nature of things can not do otherwise than fail to give results that come up to expectations. The first group recognizes its need for help; the second, may or may not recognize it; but the need for assistance is there nevertheless. This constitutes the justification for pounding away on a much-discussed and to some a threadbare subject. The list of our important northern golf grasses is not long, thanks to the common sense tendency to eliminate valueless species that lay claim to place through their behavior abroad and also the tendency to do away with those whose places can be filled better by others. This sane course of elimination leaves us with Kentucky bluegrass, redtop, the bents, and red fescue as our important species. Canada bluegrass and sheep’s fescue also may be included—not because of any extensive use to which they might be put but because >u the special purposes they fulfill. Rough-stalked blue­ grass or bird grass is the most desirable of all shade grasses, and well to the northward is also valuable in the fairway. There are also other species, but they play decidedly minor parts. That there may be no misunderstanding of the term northern as applied to golf grasses and golf courses, it is used here broadly to mean that part of the golf belt that lies north of the latitude of central Virginia. The Bluegrasses The grasses belonging to the genus Poa are commonly called blue- grasses. There are many of them, but only one (Kentucky bluegrass) is purposely cultivated to any considerable extent on our northern golf courses. Canada bluegrass, however, is valuable, but only for the rough. Annual bluegrass (Poa annua) is a very common species on putting greens, where it volunteers abundantly and is largely regarded as a weed; however, it is not without merit. Kentucky Bluegrass Because of its wide range of adaptation and the character of its turf, Kentucky bluegrass tops the list of fairway grasses for northern courses. It requires fairly rich soil for its best growth, and when given such soil the other perennial turf grasses can scarcely compete with it under fairway conditions. Kentucky bluegrass should be used as an important constitu­ ent of fairway mixtures on all northern golf courses. On very sandy soils, red fescue may sometimes do better, but such soils to produce really good turf should be top-dressed with clay and manure; when so treated they will produce better turf of Kentucky bluegrass than of red fescue. In the Northeast (partcularly in New England) the bents make excellent fairway turf. But even here for original seedings, at least while the supply of bent aept. is, 1922 UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 257 seed is far from plentiful, Kentucky bluegrass should always be used. It should not, however, be sown alone, since the seed is slow to germinate, and it usually takes a year or more from the time of seeding until it produces good playable turf. This fact has given rise to the well-known bluegrass- redtop mixture. These two grasses make an almost ideal fairway combina­ tion. Redtop is an excellent starter but a poor finisher. Kentucky blue­ grass is the reverse—it starts slowly but finishes well. The first year from time of seeding, redtop is the dominant grass; after that, Kentucky blue­ grass characterizes the turf. It is a vital mistake therefore to sow Ken­ tucky bluegrass seed alone on fairways or lawns. Redtop seed should always be sown with it. Four pounds of the former to one pound of the latter is the standard proportion, and the rate of sowing should be 100 to 150 pounds to an acre of well-prepared seed bed. In the Northeast, especially in New England, ’some bent seed, as much as ten pounds to the acre, should be added if available, since conditions there in general favor the ultimate dominancy of the bents. Seeding should always be done in the late summer or early fall. Kentucky bluegrass is generally regarded as a lime-loving grass. It is probable that because it requires a rich soil (most limestone soils where bluegrass luxuriates are rich soils) it has acquired much of its reputation as a calcophile or lime-lover. Really poor soils must have added to them something besides lime before they will grow good bluegrass, but rich soils will produce excellent bluegrass .turf, other conditions being favorable, even though they be low' in their lime content. Kentucky bluegrass is not at its best during the hot, dry periods of summer, but over much of the area where it is used as a fairway grass, summer annual grasses, including crab grass, come in to produce playable turf. When the long days and cool weather of fall arrive, bluegrass asserts itself and produces turf of almost ideal quality, so that the weedy summer grasses often really are a benefit rather than a detriment. Good Kentucky bluegrass seed should weigh approximately 22 pounds to the bushel and should not have more than 13 per cent, of inert matter (chaff and trash). It should have less than 2 per cent, of weed seeds, and it should germinate not less than SO per cent. However, new-crop seed, as it is called, may be potentially viable but because of its freshness may not germinate as high as it will one year later. Conditions of harvesting and curing being satisfactory, seed one year old, if properly stored, will usually germinate appreciably higher than new-crop seed. Canada Bluegrass While often recommended for the fairway and frequently included as a constituent of fairway and putting green mixtures, Canada bluegrass has no place on the fairway proper- in any part of this country. The stubbly nature of its turf makes it undesirable as a fairway or putting green grass. For the rough, however, it is very good, especially south and west of New England, on clay soils. Canada bluegrass does not require as rich soil as does Kentucky bluegrass; in fact, it will make better rough on poor clay soil than on good soil. It fits in well with sheep’s fescue, and the combina­ tion makes an almost ideal one for the rough. For original seedings of the rough, 30 to 40 pounds of Canada bluegrass, and 40 to 50 pounds of sheep’s 258 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE Vol. II, No. o fescue are sufficient for one acre of well prepared soil. The seed of Canada bluegrass closely resembles that of Kentucky bluegrass, but specialists can easily tell one from the other. Rough-Stalked Bluegrass or Bird Grass Rough-stalked bluegrass or bird grass is a beautiful turf grass of a lively apple-green color, very unlike the color of Kentucky bluegrass. It makes exquisite turf and is the best of all shade turf formers. There is much of it on the lawns and golf courses of Canada and New York. Seed comes from Europe and is usually of good quality. It may be seeded at about half the rate indicated for Kentucky bluegrass, as it spreads more rapidly. Redtop ' ■ In the language of Ingalls, redtop is a “valuable servant.” In making turf on northern golf courses its chief function is to supplement other grasses. Although very closely related to the bents botanically, it is quite different from them in its turf-forming habits. Used alone it makes good turf only in the early stages of its development. After the first year it becomes too coarse and open in its habit of growth to make turf of satis­ factory quality. Redtop should never be sown alone on the fairway or elsewhere where permanent turf is desired. It is an ideal grass to mix with bluegrass for seeding fairways, since it makes up the turf for the first year, or until bluegrass becomes established. Usually after the first year it gives way almost completely to bluegrass where the conditions are even fairly well suited to the latter. The great value of redtop lies in the ability of its seed to germinate quickly and produce vigorous seedlings. It is because of this that it should be used extensively with other grasses, particularly Kentucky bluegrass, for the original seeding of fairways. The bents have the same character­ istic, but their seed is too scarce to be used extensively on fairways at this time. One pound of recleaned redtop seed to 4 pounds of Kentucky blue­ grass is the standard mixture, but considerable latitude may be allowed in the proportions. Where red fescue is used either on the fairways or greens, redtop helps out greatly. Red fescue does not form close turf quickly and needs a grass of the habits of redtop as a temporary filler. The usual proportions of the red-fescue-redtop mixture, either for fairways or greens, is approximately 4 pounds of the former to 1 pound of the latter. Under putting green conditions redtop disappears relatively quickly. It can not stand the close cutting that is necessary for the making of a good putting surface. In the South it has become quite a common practice to sow’ redtop seed in the fall for w'inter putting greens. This is done either on newly pre­ pared seed bed or on old Bermuda turf. Redtop seed is always abundant, relatively cheap, and of good quality. Recleaned redtop seed should weigh approximately 40 pounds to the bushel. The Bents The present market names for the bents are as follows: South German mixed or creeping bent, Rhode Island bent, and Colonial bent. South German mixed bent seed, as the name implies, comes from Germany. It is Sept. is. 1922 UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 259 composed of a small percentage of seed of true creeping bent or carpet bent, and usually from a trace to a small percentage of seed of velvet bent. The remainder, excluding weed seeds and redtop, if present, is seed of the same species as that commercially called Rhode Island bent. Rhode Island bent seed at present is harvested only in Rhode Island, although the grass is very abundant in the northeastern part of the United States. Colonial bent seed comes from New Zealand, and botanically is the same as Rhode Island bent—that is, it produces the same kind of plants and turf. How­ ever, the seed of Colonial bent as it is now on the market contains very much less chaff and other inert matter than does commercial seed of Rhode Island bent. The bents taken collectively are by far the best of our northern putting green grasses. There are few that will dispute this. They make playable turf quickly from seeding and produce permanent turf that resists un­ favorable conditions imposed by soil, climate, disease, and play better than does red fescue—their closest competitor for putting green honors. There is scarcely a place where red fescue does well that the bents will not do equally well or better, and there are many places where the bents thrive but where red fescue practically fails. The bents will withstand poor drainage better than red fescue, and likewise continuously high tempera­ tures; consequently, they can be used farther south than can red fescue. Furthermore, the bents seem to be more resistant to the brown-patch dis­ ease, which is a very important characteristic. The question frequently has been asked, “Why are the bents so enthu­ siastically recommended when the seed supply is insufficient to meet the present demand?” An answer to this question, if one is needed, might well be that the condition of the seed supply does not affect the relative merits of these grasses. It might surprise some to know that between November 1, 1921, and September 1, 1922, approximately 103,000 pounds of bent seed have been imported and actually put on the market in this country. If this quantity had been used as it should have been used there would have been enough bent seed for all legitimate needs. Creeping (or carpet) bent and velvet bent can be propagated vegeta­ tively. The former lends itself better to this method than does the latter, because it spreads much more quickly by runners or stolons. This year for the first time the supply of bent seed is being appreciably augmented by the use of bent runners as substitutes. There ■will probably be nearly 200 new greens planted by the vegetative method this fall. Preference has been expressed for German bent seed as compared with seed of Rhode Island or Colonial bent. This is due to the fact that it contains a small percentage each of creeping bent and velvet bent seed, while commercial seed of the other bents does not contain them. Creeping bent and velvet bent are regarded as exceedingly valuable in putting green turf. On old greens that have been sown with German mixed bent seed there will be found distinct patches of creeping bent and velvet bent a foot or more in diameter. Some greens are made up almost completely of these patches. On some of the New England courses velvet bent constitutes most of the turf of the greens, and also covers large areas of fairway. The reason for this is not known. Southward creeping bent predominates over velvet bent where the two are found together. The species of bent com­ 260 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE Vol. n. Xo. » monly known as Rhode Island bent and the seed of which makes up the great bulk of seed of all commercial bents, makes an excellent turf for putting greens or fairways. The plants of this species spread but not so rapidly or in quite the same manner as those of creeping bent or velvet bent. Trained seed analysts now can tell the seed of the bents from that of redtop. The ultimate user therefore may be fully protected if he will take the trouble to send samples to be properly examined before he makes his purchases. The Fescues The common fescues of our northern golf courses are red fescue and sheep’s fescue. There are several others that occur to some extent but they are relatively unimportant. In the past considerable quantities of meadow’ fescue seed were used in fairway mixtures, and even now’ there are some who recommend this grass for the fairway. It is a serious mis­ take to use meadow fescue on any part of the golf course, since it is a relatively coarse, tufted grass and not a turf former. The name “fescue” doubtless has aided in placing it among the golf turf grasses, w’here it clearly does not belong. Red Fescue Seed of red fescue is on the market under tw’o designations, namely, European red fescue, and Cheicings’ (or New Zealand} red fescue. The former is produced mostly in Germany and the latter in New’ Zealand. Whatever their botanical differences may be, they appear to have essen­ tially the same characteristics so far as their turf-making habits are con­ cerned; therefore the single designation red fescue is used here to include both. The seed of the variety known as Chew’ings’ fescue (named for a Mr. Chew’ings) is the kind now’ most abundant on our market. A careful, extensive, and unprejudiced study of golf grasses in America leads to the definite conclusion that red fescue is a much overrated grass so far as its use in this country is concerned. The reputation which it enjoys abroad and the shortage of good bent seed doubtless has helped to make it easily possible to extend the use of red fescue here. Those w'ho are making a careful study of golf turf grasses are coming to realize that it is not all that its advocates have claimed for it. Red fescue, under the best con­ ditions, makes excellent turf. Its leaves are unusually fine, but they are somewhat wiry in texture. This is particularly noticeable in hot, dry W’eather of summer, and although not seriously objectionable it is not a very desirable characteristic. Red fescue is capable of making both good greens and fairuvays. It can withstand more shade than can our other common golf turf grasses, and it has the ability to grow’ on very sandy soil in the northeastern part of the United States. This, how’ever, is not a great asset, as the turf it forms on such soils is not first-class fairway turf. The chief objection to red fescue is that it forms close turf very slowly; and on poor soils, especially poor sandy soils, it has a decided tendency to become bunchy. It is largely because of this fact that Kentucky bluegrass and the bents are very generally preferred to it. Where red fescue has made euppy or bunchy turf it is a very difficult matter to get it or other grasses to fill in successfully. Hot w’eather affects red fescue much more *pt. 18, 1922 UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 261 adversely than it does Kentucky bluegrass, redtop, or the bents; therefore it can not be used successfully on courses as far south as Washington, D. C. Brown-patch also seems to attack it more severely than it does the bents. Kentucky bluegrass, it will be remembered, is practically immune to this disease. Everything considered, red fescue is decidedly second to Kentucky bluegrass as a fairway grass and to the bents on the putting greens. The cases where it is superior to these grasses are very few indeed. It is by no means uncommon for the bents to crowd out red fescue on the greens and for Kentucky bluegrass to overrun it on the fairways; but no cases have been noted where red fescue has replaced either the bents or Kentucky bluegrass. The germinability of red fescue seed is not very dependable. The seed loses its vitality quickly. It does not remain viable as long in storage as does seed of the bluegrasses, bents, or redtop. Every lot, therefore, should be tested before it is sowm. Most of the seed that is on the market is relatively free from other seeds and inert matter; this is particularly true of seed of Chewings’ fescue. Sheep’s Fescue As a grass for the rough on northern golf courses, sheep’s fescue is nearly ideal, especially if it is grown upon poor soil. It forms just about the right kind of bunches to afford the proper penalty to the player. It is also useful on bunkers to produce what is commonly called “whiskers.” On most of the older courses in the North there is more or less sheep’s fescue on the fairways and some even on the greens. Many of the fairway and putting green mixtures formerly used contain seed of it. It should never be sown on either fairway or green, as it is not a turf-forming species. The use of sheep’s fescue should be confined strictly to the rough and bunkers. For the rough it should be sown at the rate of about 50 to 70 pounds to the acre. Seed of Canada bluegrass can be sown with it to advantage. The commercial seed of sheep’s fescue is difficult to distinguish from that of red fescue. Changing the Cup Lyman Carrier The question was asked us recently why the plugs of turf transplanted in changing the cup on putting greens often die. We have noticed these dead and brown spots of turf on the greens of several golf courses mark- ii g the previous locations of the cup, and wondered why, as we often use a hole cutter to patch bare spots, or replace weeds with turf without having any trouble from the plugs dying. An experiment was started to try everything we could imagine a greenkeeper might do in changing the location of a cup. Plugs were taken to the full depth of the hole cutter. With some all of the soil was knocked loose, leaving just the turf about three-fourths of an inch in thickness. The loose soil was then put back in the hole, tamped slightly, more soil added to bring it to the proper height, and lastly the piece of turf was put 262 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE vd. n, No. 9 Figurel—Removing the cup from the old hole Figurt 2—Cutting the new hole Figure 3—Putting the sod or the bottom soil into the pail Sept. 18, 1922 UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 263 Figure 4—Tamping soil into the old hole Figure 5—Putting sod plug in place Figure 6—Watering the plug. Note the neatness of the finished job 264 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE vol. 11, No. 9 in place. Then plugs were taken out and put right back. Others were taken out and the holes allowed to dry for three days, and were then filled with fresh plugs. Water was used in some cases in the holes, and in others on top after the plugs had been put in place. Some were not watered at all. To sum up the experiment: all of the plugs lived except the ones we left out on top of the ground for three days to dry, and even they were not entirely killed. From the standpoint of what we were trying to find out the experiment -was a failure. But having the grass live is only one feature in the matter of the proper changing of cups. The plug of grass should be so replaced that it will be even with the surround­ ing turf. It should'be impossible to find the old cup marks after the plugs have had a few days to grow. Every greenkeeper knows that, the soil removed with a hole cutter will not completely fill the hole if- it is stamped in place when putting it back. There is food for thought ih this fact, which we recommend to the attention of the advocates of subsurface “‘ventilation.” In order to avoid having a depression of from? one-half to an inch in depth, it is necessary to have some extra soil handy to-fill the hole to the proper height. Of course it is just as bad to put in too much soil, thereby making a mound, as it is to leave a hollow. The writer was recently on the Seaview course, where the piactice is to change the cups three times a week. This operation had been so skillfully performed that it was impossible to find any of the previous locations of the cup that were more than a w’eek old, except where grass of a different texture than the adjoining turf had been transplanted. It is thought that an illustrated article showing the successive steps in changing a cup as practiced by an experienced greenkeeper might be valuable. Mr. William Connellan, of Friendship, Washington, D. C., kindly consented to stage a demonstration before the camera. It is not intended to convey the idea that this is the only method which can be followed. There are other greenkeepers who get satisfactory results and who do the work differently. This article was not prepared for them, and we will not be offended if they do not adopt the following suggestions: Equipment Mr. Connellan recommends the following outfit, .which the man car­ ries with him as he goes about the course to change the cups: (1) hole cutter, (2) hook for removing the cup, (3) a two-gallon pail half full of good natural topsoil, (4) a hammer or mallet, (5) a stout piece of wood about eighteen inches long and two inches thick (a piece of a pick handle will answer), (6) a quart-cup or tin can to carry water. (See illustra­ tions.) Procedure The successive steps in the operation are given in their proper order, as there is often much lost motion and consequently more time consumed than is necessary to do this work correctly. 1. Remove the cup from the old hole. Figure 1. 2. Take the hole cutter and pail of soil and go to the new location. Cut the plug of turf about two inches thick. Be sure to turn the cutter without wobbling. Rest the body on the handle if necessary to hold it sept, is, 1922 UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 265 steady. Put this piece of turf in the pail, being careful not to injure it in any way. Figure 2. 3. With the hole cutter remove the rest of the soil to proper depth, and empty this into the pail. Figure 3. 4. Put the cup in the new hole and drive it down solid with the top of the cup at least 114 inches below the surface. 5. Fill the hole with the soil from the new one, using the piece of wood and mallet to tamp it down firmly. Add more soil, and tamp it until the hole is filled to within the thickness of the plug of turf from the top. Figure 4. 6. Put the plug of turf in the hole and press it firmly in place with the foot. If the top of this plug is not perfectly even with the adjoining turf remove it and add more soil, or remove the surplus, as the case may be. Figure 5. 7. Pour about a quart of water on the plug. This watering should always be done last and not put in the hole before it is filled and tamped. Figure 6. Success With the Fertilizer Distributor Under date of July 27, 1922, Mr. Harry F. Collis, of the Flossmoor Country Club, Flossmoor, Illinois, submits the following contribution: “I thought the readers of the Bulletin would be interested in a new way of applying sulphate of ammonia and other liquid fertilizers. At Flossmoor I used to employ three men when I gave the greens an appli­ cation of sulphate of ammonia, two men being used to operate the pumping of the liquid from a fifty-gallon barrel, and one man spraying the green. The cost for spraying the eighteen greens was about $35.0*0. Now I give the greens a thorough sprinkling once a week, without entailing any extra cost for labor. I have three fertilizer distributors, which are attached to the hydrant, and also the sprinkler. The water coming from the hydrant is run through the distributor, and the sulphate of ammonia is put on the green through the sprinklers. In this way three greens are sprayed in a night. We have to change our sprinklers four times to cover the green, and the man who does the sprinkling puts five pounds of sulphate of am­ monia in the distributor every time he changes his sprinklers. This is the ideal way of applying any liquid fertilizer, as it gives an even dis­ tribution and is washed down to the roots of the grass.” Some Principles of Golf Architecture; Being the Opinions of Divers Amateurs No two golf courses are alike. There is room for infinite variety. To some degree the extent of the variety is limited by the tendency to standardization in the modern so-called championship course of 18 holes. No matter how simple or how complex the construction may be, the players derive plenty of wholesome sport from playing any course. Even though this may be true, the evolution of the game and the opinions of the players point to some features of golf course construction as most desirable and to others as having little merit. Golf architecture will improve more 266 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE vol. n, no. b rapidly if golfers devote more attention to the principles involved. Even where there is disagreement, discussion will be helpful. As long as golfers remain ignorant of or indifferent to golf architecture, just so long -will freaky holes be built. General 1. Construction should harmonize or blend with the general topog­ raphy. 2. Construction that permits of “tricky” shots is to be avoided. 3. Visibility is always desirable. Blind or half-blind shots should be avoided wherever possible. On a rolling terrain there will be enough blind shots that are unavoidable. 4. Some architecture is very deceptive. This is not desirable, as at best it can affect only the players new to the course. 5. Two short holes in succession are not advisable. 6. The theory of the rough most defensible is that it should be such as ordinarily to compel the use of a mashie or a niblick, but not to pen­ alize more than this. 7. Out-of-bounds limits very close to a fairway are not desirable. 8. Dog-leg holes give much greater opportunity for desirable construc­ tion than do straight holes. 9. Desirable types of holes are as follows: One-shot mashie; one-shot midiron; one-shot wooden club; drive and pitch; two full shots; three shots, usually two full shots and a mashie or midiron approach. Interme­ diate lengths are as a rule objectionable. 10. Factors that influence the length of a hole are sloping ground, up or down; prevailing wind; and to a slight extent the kind of soil. 11. Shots that are too long, on a full 2-shot hole especially, should not be penalized more heavily by bunkers around the green than those that are too short. Bunkers and Hazards 12. Blind bunkers are not desirable. A bunker should be both a guide and a chastener. 13. A cross bunker guarding the approach to a green is good archi­ tecture only when the normal shot to the green is a pitch shot, either of a mashie or of a spoon. It is hardly defensible in a full two-shot hole. 14. Cross bunkers on the fairway are commendable only in excep­ tional cases, such as a hazard for the second shot ih a three-shot hole. 15. Bunkers which never catch shots are useless. 16. Hazards should be in proportion to the advantage to be gained from a shot, but hazards should never be unduly difficult. Putting Greens 17. Putting greens should be approximately level or, better still, slope toward the approach. They should never fall away from the approach. 18. Putting greens on the extreme top of a hill or ridge with sur­ rounding ground sloping away steeply are undesirable. 19. Putting greens for mashie shots or drive-and-pitch holes should be smaller than other greens. Very large putting greens are rarely com­ mendable. Sept, is, 1922 UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 267 20. Putting greens should never slope so sharply that a putted ball, will continue to gain momentum. 21. Mounds or ridges to make a border of the green should be near the back. If near the front they often cause fluky shots. Rockefeller’s Improved and Patented Comminutor The outfit illustrated above was made out of an old thrashing ma­ chine which was purchased for $35. The Green Committee of Inverness got more in weight and volume for this particular $35 than it ever got for any other expenditure of double the amount of money. It certainly looked ROCKEFELLER'S COMPOST COMMINUTOR like an awful lot of stuff for $35 and the purchase looked so attractive that the Committee with great reluctance permitted the machine to be torn down to be made into a comminutor. The thrashing machine was torn down to the sills, leaving the main shaft and the cylinder. A hopper was built over the cylinder and the straw shaker was replaced with a wire screen, which was carried on the hangers and operated from the crank shaft that had originally carried and operated the shaker. The rig was shortened up and the wheels were put back under. It was necessary to buy one belt to connect the main shaft 268 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE Vol. II, No. 9 with the pulley driving the shaker and another belt to connect the rig with the club thrasher. This rig will break up and screen all the material that can be shoveled in it. In other words, all the men that can work around the machine can not shovel in more material than it will take care of. It is not very pretty but it is effective. The total cost of the outfit was about $75. On the 1923 model the wheels will be reversed. Instead of having the tongue at the front end, as it was on the thrashing machine, it will be put on the rear end, so that the cylinder end can be backed up to the compost pile. The 1923 model will also have an apron chute under the screen and between the wheels so that the finished material will slide out from under the rig, where it can be handled easily, and in the next model the screens will be built of stouter and heavier material so that they will stand the wear and tear. An interesting booklet.—Brooks Brothers, of New York City, have issued an interesting booklet, entitled A Box of Matches, Containing Forty Ways to Play Golf, or the Handicapper’s Hoyle, by H. B. Fenn. It includes every sort of golf match we have ever heard of and de­ fines such terms as pterodactyl, bisque, syndicate, ringer, swatfest, octo­ pus, etc. It is a very useful little compendium for the golf player. A new compost grinder and separator recently put upon the market (the shields over the pulverizing cylinder and the feed hooper having been removed to give a better view of the apparatus). It looks like an efficient machine, and one of our members reports it to be very satisfactory Sept, is, 1922 UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 269 Controlling chickweed.—While duckweed can only be effectively re­ moved by cutting out and replacing with sound turf, it has been found that it can be “set back" by a process of cutting and raking. This is done by cutting the roots or runners with a pocketknife and then brushing or lightly scraping the leaves and runners away. The cuts do not have to be deep, just deep enough, say one-quarter inch, to reach the roots near the surface. A few quick strokes, first in one di­ rection. and then crosswise, will answer. The cuts should be some­ thing between one-quarter and one-half inch apart. The loose leaves and stems can be removed by brushing with the hand, or with the knife. It is believed this method is quick and gives the grass a chance to get through. This method should be used only where the quantity of chick- weed is large or where the patches are abundant, as it is better to remove the weed completely whenever that is practical. “The Italian Bagpipers’’ dusting the greens with Bordeaux at Skokie. The men sing as they work, much to the delight of the audience Eradication of pearlwort.—There is only one way to get rid of pearlwort—cut it out and replace it with good turf. The chief dif­ ficulty in handling this pest arises from the fact that there is always other work to be done, and a greenkeeper can not be running around all the time with a hole cutter in his hand to plug out pearlwort. A good idea is to sprinkle a little sulfate of ammonia, or nitrate of soda on the pearlwort spots; the burning will mark the spots, and they can then be left until it is convenient to cut them out. If the greenkeeper will thus burn each spot of pearlwort, he can trust someone else to take the hole cutter and remove the weed. Pearl wort is not removed until it is all out, otherwise it is like the mange. 270 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE vol. n. no. 9 The Importance of Proper Treatment of the Rough Dr. Maynard M. Metcalf The Orchard Laboratory, Oberlin, Ohio Many courses with fine fairways and putting-greens neglect their rough, leaving it in such condition that balls reaching the rough are very likely to be lost. Lost balls are not a desirable feature in the game of golf. A lost ball delays the immediate players, often for several min­ utes, and it usually delays the following pairs for a minute or two, for there are few players who do not wait a little while for players ahead of them to search for a lost ball. This may “gum up” the whole course, annoying many players. But delay is not the only objection to lost balls. A lost ball is an irritating thing to the one who played it, and his opponent has no satisfaction in winning a hole through his enemy-friend’s misfortune. Then, too, playing the rough is part of the game, calling for elements of skill that are an important part of golf; but a lost ball is not played. On different courses different criticisms may be made of the treat­ ment of the rough. The writer has in mind five southern courses planned by one of America’s greatest golf architests, several of them being under his supervision for upkeep. On all of these courses the rough is left un­ raked and full of dried leaves, chiefly oak leaves. A ball getting into these leaves is more than likely not to be found. The writer thinks of three New England courses open to exactly the same criticism, but, on the other hand, he remembers three in which rough of a similar character is suf­ ficiently cleaned up so that lost balls are rare. In northern New York there is a much-frequented course which illustrates two other undesirable sorts of rough. On one hole an alder thicket comes to the edge of the fair­ way throughout most of its length and a sliced ball is lost beyond all hope of finding. On another hole of this same course the approach shot is a blind one over the crest of a high transverse ridge and down to the green. Immediately beyond the green and coming to its edge is thick, high red clover and Alsike clover, in which no ball can ever be found except by pure good fortune. Clover in the rough is always an assurance to losing balls and should always be removed. . There are many sorts of rough that give a full fair penalty without in­ viting lost balls. Two of these kinds, easy to obtain, may be mentioned. One is a thick heavy turf cut with an ordinary hayfield mower. A good example of this is seen along several fairways of the Potomac Park public course in Washington. A ball does not sink out of sight into this turf, but it lies usually with about half its diameter below the surface of the turf, almost precluding the use of brassie or spoon, and requiring accurate play of a lofted metal club to get any distance. But still better rough is found on some of the Michigan courses with light soil. On some of these courses the rough is thin Canada bluegrass, thin because of the sandv soil. In this sort of rough a ball is readily found but hard to play. A newcomer on the course is likely to attempt to play out with a spoon or even a brassie, but he finds that the wiry stalks of the grass wrap around his club head and make his shot a complete failure. Next time he probably takes an iron, but after a few experiences he resorts to his niblick or mashie-niblick, which lets him come down on the ball from above and lifts the ball at once above the grass, giving no chance for the wiry grass to Sept. 18, 1922 UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 271 hinder either club or ball. A rough of this character is a great asset to a course. Golf is a sport and is for pleasure. A lost ball is an irritation; it is no part of the game, for it cannot be played; it’s a hindrance to the match directly involved and probably to several following pairs. Lost balls are a source of income to the golf professional; but this is a fault, not a virtue. A great majority of the lost balls are lost because the rough has received insufficient attention. Public Golf Courses of the United States and Canada There is no better index to the popularity of golf than the number of public courses, which is rapidly increasing. The following list of pub­ lic courses is believed to be nearly complete. It enumerates 116, divided approximately as follows according to size: 18-hole, 54; 9-hole, 41; 6-hole, 3; 12-hole, 1; no data available on the remaining 17. If any courses have been omitted from the list, the information concerning them will be ap­ preciated. CALIFORNIA Municipal Golf Course, Long Beach, 18 holes. Griffith Park Golf Course, Los Angeles, 18 Golden Hill Golf Course, Balboa Diego, 18 holes. • Lincoln Park Golf Course, San Park, San Francisc?, Del Paso Park Golf Course, Sacramento, 9 18 holes. COLORADO Municipal Golf Course, Colorado Springs, 18 ^City Park Golf Course, Denver, 18 holes, holes. holes. holes. CONNECTICUT Beardsley holes. Park Golf Course, Bridgeport, 9 • Goodwin Park Golf Course, Hartford, 18 holes. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA • East Potomac Park Golf Course, Washington, D. C„ 18 holes. FLORIDA Municipal Golf Course. Jacksonville. Municipal Golf Course, Hialeah, Miami. Palma Ceia Golf Course, Tampa, 18 holes. Rocky Point Golf Course, Tampa, 18 holes. GEORGIA • Piedmont Park Golf Course, Atlanta, 9 holes. ILLINOIS Budlong Farm Golf Course, Chicago, 18 holes. Columbus Park Golf Course, Chicago, 18 Garfield Park Golf Course, Chicago, 9 holes. Jackson Park Golf Course, Chicago (two courses; one. 18 holes; one, 9 holes). Lincoln Park Golf Course, Chicago, 18 holes. Marquette Park Golf Course, Chicago, 18 Evanston Community Course, Evanston, 18 18 holes. Edgebrook Golf Course, Forest Preserves County, 18 holes. Winnetka Community Palos Park Golf Course, Forest Preserves County, 18 holes. Glencoe Community Course. Glencoe, 9 holes. Harlem Golf Course, Harlem, 18 holes. Highland Park Community Course, Highland Park, 9 holes. • Dixmore Golf Course, Homewood, 18 holes. Municipal Golf Course, Jacksonville. Lawrence Grove Golf Course, Norwood Park, Madison Park Golf Course. Peoria, 9 holes. • Bergen Park Golf Course, Springfield, 9 holes. • Bunn Park Golf Course, Springfield, 18 holes. •se. Winnetka, 9 holes. Ellenberger Golf Course, Indianapolis, 9 * Riverside Park Golf Course, Indianapolis, Highland Golf Course, Indianapolis, 18 holes. • South Grove Golf Course, Indianapolis, 18 IOWA Credit Island Golf Course, Credit Island 9 Waveland Park Golf Course, Des Moines, 18 Park, Davenport, 12 holes. Grandview Golf Course, Des Moines, 18 holes. holes. Byrnes Park Golf Course, Waterloo. INDIANA 18 holes. holes. holes. holes. holes. holes. KANSAS Wichita Municipal Golf Course. Sun Park. Wichita, 9 holes. KENTUCKY • Cherokee Park Golf Course, Louisville, 18 holes. LOUISIANA City Park Golf Course, New Orleans, 6 holes. 272 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE vol. n, No. MARYLAND * Clifton Park Golf Course, Baltimore. 18 holes. MASSACHUSETTS • Franklin Park Golf Course, Boston (two • Lincoln Street Park Golf Course, Worcester, courses, 9 and 6 holes). 9 holes. MICHIGAN Municipal Golf Course. Grand Rapids, Mich. MINNESOTA * Columbia Park Golf Course, Minneapolis, 9 •• Glenwood Park Golf Course, Minneapolis, V Swope Park Golf Course, Kansas City, 18 WForest Park Golf Course, St. Louis (two holes. holes. “Phalen Park Golf Course, St. Paul, 18 holes. MISSOURI 18 holes. courses. 9 and 18 holes). Municipal Golf Course, Springfield. NEBRASKA City Park Golf Course, Aurora. «Elmwood Park Golf Course, Omaha, 18 holes. Antelope Park Golf Course, Lincoln. 18 holes. 'Fontenelle Park Golf Course, Omaha, 9 holes. » Miller Park Golf Course, Omaha, 9 holes ♦Weequahic Park Golf Course, Newark. 9 holes. NEW JERSEY NEW YORK 1 Delaware Park Golf Course, Buffalo, 18 holes. South Park Golf Course. Buffalo, 9 holes. • Pelham Bay Park Golf Course, New York, 18 holes. >Van Cortland Park Golf Course, New York (two courses, 18 holes each). •Durand-Eastman Park Golf Course, Roches­ ' Genesee Valley Park Golf Course, Roches­ ter, 9 holes. ter, 18 holes. ‘ Burnet Park Golf Course, Syracuse, 9 holes. Avon Field Golf Course, Cincinnati, 18 holes. •Shorts Woods Golf Course, Cincinnati. 9 holes. • Highland Park Golf Course. Cleveland, 18 nHills and Dales Park Golf Course, Dayton (two courses, 18 and 9 holes). Kittaning Park Golf Course. Defiance, 9 Municipal Golf Course, Columbus, 9 rioles. Jermain Parks Golf Course, Toledo, 9 holes. * Bay View Park Golf Course, Toledo, 9 holes. 'Ottawa Park Golf Course, Toledo, 18 holes. holes. OHIO holes. OREGON Municipal Golf Course, Portland, 18 holes. OKLAHOMA Lincoln Park Golf Course, Oklahoma City, 9 holes. PENNSYLVANIA Glenwood Park Golf Course, Erie, 9 holes. Reservoir Park Golf Course, Harrisburg, 9 Long’s Park Golf Course, Lancaster, 9 holes. Williamson’s Park Golf Course, Lancaster, 9 holes. holes. 'Cobb’s Creek Park Golf Course, Cobb’s Creek. Philadelphia, 18 holes. •Schenley Park Golf Course, Pittsburgh, 18 Hollenback Park Golf Course. Wilkes-Barre, holes. 9 holes. TEXAS • Brackenridge Park Golf Course, San Antonio. 18 holes. Nibley Park Golf Course, Salt Lake City, 9 holes. UTAH WASHINGTON 5 Jefferson holes. Park Golf Course, Seattle, 18 Down River holes. Park Golf Course, Spokane. 9 WISCONSIN Golf Course, Municipal Municipal Golf Course, Municipal Golf Course. Lake Park Golf Course, Genoa Junction. Kenosha, 9 holes. Lake Geneva. Milwaukee, 6 holes. ^Lincoln Park Golf Course. Milwaukee, 9 holes. Municipal Golf Course, Minocqua. . Municipal Golf Course, Oshkosh. •Washington Park Golf Course, Racine, 9 holes. Municipal Golf Course, Sturgeon Bay. CANADA Calgary Municipal Golf Course, Calvary, Al­ Chedoke Civic Golf Course. Hamilton, On­ Edmonton Municipal Golf Course, Edmonton. Glen Stewart Golf Course, Toronto, Ontario, berta, 18 holes. Alberta, 9 holes. Municipal Golf Course. Lethbridge, Alberta. Vancouver Municipal Golf Course, Hastings Park. Vancouver, British Columbia. Winnipeg Municipal Golf Course. West Kildo- nan, Winnipeg. Manitoba. 18 holes. tario. 18 holes. 18 holes. tario. 18 holes. tario. 9 holes. wan. Humber Valley Golf Course, Toronto, On­ Devonshire Civic Golf Course. Windsor, On­ Saskatoon Golf Course, Saskatoon. Saskatche­ Banff Golf Course, Rocky Mountains National Park, Banff, Alberta. Waterton Lakes Golf Course. Waterton Lakes Park, Waterton, Alberta. PROVINCIAL GOLF COURSES CANADA Sept. 18, 1922 UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 273 New Member Clubs of the Green Section (For Previous Lists See Pages 190, 220 and 248 of This Volume) Augusta Country Club, Augusta, Maine. Kittansett Club, Watertown, Mass. Mount Kisco Golf Club, Mount Kisco, N. Y. Asbury Park Golf and Country Club, Asbury Park, N. J. Suburban Golf Club of Elizabeth, Elizabeth, N. J. Corry Country Club, Corry, Pa. Somerset Country Club, Somerset, Pa. Lakewood Country Club, Dover, Ohio. Culver Military Academy, Culver, Ind. Bryn Mawr Country Club, Morton Grove, 111. Watertown Country Club, Watertown, Wis. Wakonda Country Club, Des Moines, Iowa. Westfield Country Club, Westfield Centre, New Brunswick, Canada. Mexico City Country Club, Mexico City, Mexico. Two copies of the Bulletin are going forward regularly to each club that is a member of the Green Section. It is particularly desired that one of these copies reach the hands of the greenkeeper. If your greenkeeper’s name is not on the mailing list, please correct the mailing for your club accordingly. Additional copies may be obtained for members or em­ ployes of your club at $2.00 per year. Questions and Answers 1. Germinating ability of Kentucky bluegrass seed.—Before ordering the seed for the fairways on an eighteen-hole golf course which -we are constructing here, we would like to have your opinion as to the advisability of requiring that the Kentucky bluegrass seed be all from the present year’s crop. We under­ stand that the harvesting season was very wet and that there is a likelihood that the 1922 crop will not reach full germinating power by the first of September. In case we could get some strictly high-grade Kentucky bluegrass of the 1921 crop, which would you advise us to use?—(Ohio.) Experience and careful tests, we think, very generally have shown that bluegrass seed germinates better a year after it is harvested than it does the year in which it is harvested, provided, of course, it is properly cured and stored. We have no information as yet -with regard to the germinating ability of this year’s crop of bluegrass seed, and therefore we would hesitate to advise you as to whether it would be more eco­ nomical to buy last year’s crop than this year’s crop. We think you will find it difficult to get bluegrass seed of last year’s crop, and if you can get a supply of it we are quite sure the price will be high. Since it will soon be time to sow seed, w’e would suggest that you get samples at once and make germination tests, as indicated in the Bulletin. It takes twenty or more days to get a complete and satisfactory test of the Kentucky bluegrass seed, even when placed under the most satisfactory conditions for germination. 2. Customary percentage of germination for Colonial bent seed.—We have bought some Colonial bent seed and have had it analyzed, the analysis showing a germination of 451/2 per cent. Will you be good enough to advise us what, in your opinion, would be an average germination test for this seed?—(Penn­ sylvania.) As for the germination of Colonial bent seed, our experience indi­ cates that most of the seed imported (and all of it is imported) is suf­ ficiently viable upon arrival to germinate 75 per cent. 274 BULLETIN OF GREEN SECTION OF THE Vol. n, n0. 9 3. Crested dog’s-tail as a golf turf grass.—Crested dog’s-tail is recom­ mended as an excellent grass for tees and the rough. Is this advice sound?— (Illinois.) Crested dog’s-tail is a European grass and highly valued in Europe for the purposes you mention. The seed is cheap and of excellent quality. Thousands of pounds of it are sold in the United States annually. For some obscure reason crested dog’s-tail does not thrive in the United States. In this country the grass is really a rarity, and only now and then does one find a specimen. For use in the United States we regard crested dog’s-tail as wholly useless, and any money spent for its seed as wasted. 4. Eradication of speedwell.—We are sending you a sample of a growth which has lately appeared in round spots on our greens. So many spots have appeared, that to dig it now would make play on the greens very difficult, if not impossible. Will you kindly advise us the name of this growth and what you con­ sider to be the best way to dispose of it, whether by digging it out, or by killing it with a solution.—(Wisconsin.) The plant in question has been identified as speedwell, known botani- cally as Veronica serpyllifolia. This plant frequently gives much trouble on putting greens, and the only means of eradication we know to be practicable is to cut it out with a hole cutter or remove it by use of a chisel or spud. We think it would be unwise to dig it out of your greens at this season (July) but would suggest that you do so later and plug the spots with good bent turf, or fescue turf if your greens are made up of red fescue. Some have suggested the use of arsenite of soda, which is also used as a treatment for eradicating chickweed, but we are not at all optimistic with regard to the results of this treatment. It might be well for you, however, to try it . You will find a discussion on the use of arsenite of soda in the June number of the Bulletin. 5. Top-dressing greens with straw over winter.—I have read Mr. Rocke­ feller’s article on “Winter-Kill” in the March Bulletin, and I wish to express my approval of what he says on this subject. In my ten years’ experience on the grounds of our course I have never seen indications of winter-killing on a “hog­ back” green, and there were several of that type on our old course- Practically all the flat greens did “kill,” some worse than others, the degree varying with weather conditions. I am satisfied the crowning greens escaped, because the surface water ran off, -while on the flat greens it stood and froze to the ground, and then “good-bye” to the putting-green grass beneath. I don’t think covering the greens with straw or with similar material advisable for the reason pointed out in Mr. Rockefeller’s article. The greens are better off without such a cov­ ering. Cold weather does not ordinarily kill grass on the greens, but poor sur­ face drainage and the consequent accumulations of ice will do it nearly every time. Such has been my experience with the greens of our old course in a Minne­ sota winter. If the greens are built to carry off the surface water there will be practically no trouble with winter-kill. Notwithstanding this, some of the clubs here put a light covering of straw on the greens in the fall, say an inch or an inch and a half. We have a frost here from three to five feet in depth and just how a thin covering of straw protects greens I am unable to see. I wish you would explain the theory and the benefit derived from such a covering. I think a loose mulch on greens would tend to prevent or retard surface drainage and allow accumulation of ice and do more damage than good to the greens.— (Minnesota.) We are not particularly long on theory in this connection but have had some experience and have made numerous observations in connec­ tion with the covering of greens during the late fall and winter. We reached the conclusion several years ago that covering is not necessary Sept. 18, 1022 UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 275 for the well being of the grass, and in fact it may be deterimental. Those who advocate the covering of greens during winter do so, we think, on the theory that the light straw mulch or top-dressing applied will serve as a sort of insulator which reduces the fluctuations in temperature and thereby lessens heaving to some extent as well as performing other useful functions. In our opinion light top-dressing is not sufficient to have much effect from the standpoint of insulation, and it certainly is not enough to protect the grass from low temperatures. Unless the dressing is applied at a very light rate or is of such a nature as not to pack on top of the grass, it is very likely to kill the grass out in spots, at least of a small area. We do not believe that the top-dressing of greens with straw or similar material is a good practice, and we would not advise anyone to follow it without checking it up properly. To do this, it would be necessary to treat part of the green and leave the remainder untreated. 6. Preparation of top soil for a new green.—We are building a new green which we intend sowing with German bent seed. Our soil is quite heavy, a good portion of it being of a clayey nature. What is the best treatment to give our top soil?—(Ohio). In our opinion the topsoil for a putting green with a clay soil base should be at least 6 inches in depth, and this topsoil should be of a garden loam texture. This texture could be obtained approximately by mixing your top clay soil two-fifths, sand two-fifths, and well rotted manure one- fifth. These proportions may need to be modified somewhat, but by actually trying them out we think you can judge fairly correctly when you have obtained the right kind of texture. The idea, of course, is to have soil that has a certain resiliency—one that does not puddle and bake like clay. At the time you sow the seed the soil should be very firm. In other words, a firm seed bed is the best for all grasses. In the future care of this green, the top-dressings given it should be of the same char­ acter as the soil, or it would do no harm if they contained relatively more sand. We do not advise mixing manure in your clay subsoil, as the vigor of a green can be controlled by fertilizing from above. 7. Clover in greens.—We are having a great deal of difficulty with clover on our greens. Our soil has been treated this season with an acid fertilizer, but still practically all of our grounds are coming in with large amounts of clover, and it looks as if we would have an almost impossible task to keep the clover out of our greens entirely, and the expense of keeping it out at all we feel is going to be rather heavy. It has occurred to us that we might be better off, under these conditions, to attempt to develop good clover greens. Are there any clover greens in existence, or is there some real drawback to greens of this kind? Can a clover green be made as fast and true as other types of greens, and are they at all well thought of? Our greens were new last year, and we used in them the very best creeping bent seed obtainable.—(New Hampshire). We have tried to make a continuous and uniform turf of white clover but have not met with success. We do not recall having seen a pure clover green. It is very difficult to get a really true and desirable green from white clover. The bents do wonderfully well in New England, and we are strongly of the opinion that you will have greater satisfaction from your efforts to obtain good bent greens than from your efforts to get white clover on your greens. We realize that it is a very difficult task to get rid of clover, but are inclined to think that the continuous systematic use of sulfate of ammonia will do much to discourage it. Meditations of a Peripatetic Golfer How is your compost pile? Mushrooms galore in September in the fairways. Why doesn’t the house committee have them gathered and served on the club dining tables? A hilltop green i§ always at best half visible—the background offers nothing but the clear sky. Such a green can be avoided by putting it on the military crest, or, if this is too steep, by approaching the ridge on a diagonal line. It was a near cynic who called golf the “hoof-and-mouth disease.” Even that is better than calling a golfer a disappointed croquet player. I wonder why most artificial hazards (traps) are kidney-shaped. There is nothing in the rules of golf compelling an architect to favor this form. Observations all over the country indicate the benefits of frequent top­ dressing of greens. More top-dressing and less seed. Only about one per cent, of the membership of a club has any appreciation of the troubles of the greenkeeper. Most ridges backing bunkers seem to have exactly three undulations if they have any at all. This shows either a fixed habit or else lack of imagination. Wild asters aglow with bloom in the edge of the woodland bordering the course—an esthetic touch that helps the “tired business man.” Golfers beware! A well-known golfer says he used to have a handicap of 6—but since he got interested in grass turf he says it will have to be increased to at least 12. A workman is known by his chips, a greenkeeper by the skill he displays in changing the cups. Jim plays golf as well as he drives his car. A moment after he grabs the wheel he hits something. The putting-greens on one course we know measure, most of them, 8,000 square feet each; several are over 10,000 square feet; and one is 12,000 square feet. The two smallest measure about 6,000 square feet. The size of all these greens might be reduced to advantage. When a site for a golf course is being selected, don’t overlook the necessity of an ample water supply. If a golf hole is to be judged as perfect it should not favor either a hook or a slice; nor should it punish a shot that goes straight down the center. Some people seem to think that a steep bank can be successfully covered with grass by seeding. After a while they come to the safe and efficient method of sodding. 276