A PARKING PROBLEM A cart has been driven between a green and a bunker at the Riverdale Country Club, Little Rock, Ark. This is an unhappy moment for Harry Bryant, the Golf Course Superintendent. asm BS@©(2® Published by the United States Golf Association (C) 1963 by United States Golf Association. Permission to reprint articles or material in THE USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD is granted to publishers of newspapers, periodicals and books (unless speci­ fically noted otherwise), provided credit is given USGA and copyright protection is afforded. Neither articles nor other material may be copied or used for any advertising, promotion or commercial purpose. VOL. 7, No. 2 July 1963 Minimizing Effects of Traffic............ By A.M. Radko and Grover C. Keeton 1 Care and Handling of Golf Carts...... James L. Holmes, Charles Stewart and 3 New Subscribers to USGA Green Section Visiting Service................................ 6 Winter-Spring Injury in the East.......... A. M. Radko, Holman M. Griffin, Robert W. Willits Lee Record, Raymond E. Harman 7 Published six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November by the UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION, 40 EAST 38th ST., NEW YORK, 16, N. Y. Subscription: $2 a year. Single copies: 30g. Subscriptions and address changes should be sent to the above address. Articles, photo­ graphs, and correspondence relevant to published material should be addressed to: United States Golf Association Green Section, Texas A & M College, College Station, Texas. Second-class permit pending at Rutherford, N. J. Office of Publication: 315 Railroad Avenue, East Rutherford, N. J. Editor: Dr. Marvin H. Ferguson Managing Editor: Eddie L. Ervin, Jr. THE GREEN SECTION OF THE UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION Green Section Committee CHAIRMAN: Henry H. Russell, P.O. Box 57-697, Miami 57, Fla. DISTRICT CHAIRMEN: Northeastern: Edwin Hoyt, New Canaan, Conn., Mid-Atlantic: Martin F. McCarthy, Chevy Chase, Md.; Southeastern: El­ bert S. Jemison, Jr., Birmingham, Ala. ; Mid­ Western: Charles N. Eckstein, Chicago, Ill.; South­ western: L. A. Stemmons, Jr., Dallas, Texas; Pacific Northwest: Edward A. Dunn, Seattle, Wash.; California: Edward K. Zuckerman, Beverly Hills, Calif. ; Rocky Mountain: J. W. Richardson, Magna, Utah. Green Section Agronomists and Offices EASTERN REGION Northeastern Office: 814 Raritan Ave., Highland Park, N. J. Alexander M. Radko, Director, Eastern Region Holman M. Griffin, Northeastern Agronomist Raymond E. Harman, Northeastern Agronomist Lee Record, Northeastern Agronomist Southeastern Office: P.O. Box 4213, Campus Station, Athens, Ga. James B. Moncrief, Southeastern Agronomist MID-CONTINENT REGION Southwestern Office: Texas A. & M. College, College Station, Texas Dr. Marvin H. Ferguson, Director, Mid-Continent Region and National Research Coordinator W. Wayne Allen, Southwestern Agronomist Mid-Western Office: Room 241, LaSalle Hotel, Chicago 2, Ill. James L. Holmes, Mid-Western Agronomist WESTERN REGION Western Office: P.O. Box 567, Garden Grove, Calif. William H. Bengeyfield, Director, Western Region USGA OFFICERS AND PRESIDENT: John M. Winters, Jr., Tulsa, Okla. VICE-PRESIDENTS: Clarence W. Benedict, White Plains, N. Y. Wm. Ward Foshay, New York, N.Y. SECRETARY: Bernard H. Ridder, Jr., St. Paul, Minn. TREASURER: Hord W. Hardin, St. Louis, Mo. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: The above officers and: Fred Brand, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa.; William C. Campbell, Huntington, W. Va. ; Robert F. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Dwyer, Portland, Ore. ; Edward L. Emerson, Boston, Mass. ; Edwin R. Foley, San Francisco, Calif.; Robert K. Howse, Wichita, Kans. ; Eugene S. Pulliam, Indianapolis, Ind. ; Henry H. Rus­ sell, Miami, Fla.; Charles P. Stevenson, Buffalo, N. Y. ; Morrison Waud, Chicago, Ill. GENERAL COUNSEL: Philip H. Strubing, Phil­ adelphia, Pa. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Joseph C. Dey, Jr. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: P. J. Boatwright, Jr. USGA HEADQUARTERS: “Golf House”, 40 East 38th Street, New York 16, N. Y. Traffic on the Golf Course - Part 2 A continuation of reports from the 1963 Educational Program of the United States Golf Association Green Section. Other reports appeared in the May issue. Minimizing Effects of Traffic A PANEL DISCUSSION By A. M. Radko, Eastern Director, Green Section of the United States Golf Association, And GROVER C. KEETON, Dallas, Texas, Member USGA Green Section Committee A. M. RADKO: Growing quality turf for golf is an exacting science. “Tough” turf is the order of the day because weak turf cannot long exist in this period of accelerated play and golf turf inter­ est. Golfers today are as keenly inter­ ested in better playing conditions as they are in the game. They play at many different courses, remember the best from each course, and hope to introduce these “bests” into their home courses. These may include improvements in strains of grasses, management practices, machinery and products for use in maintenance. These all are aimed at the pursuit of the “tough” turf goal. Turfgrasses become weak or in­ jured because of a number of factors. Traffic is a major cause - traffic of golfers, utilty equipment, mainte­ nance equipment, and golf cars and carts. Heavy use of the course makes it difficult to manage for the best interest of the grass. The timing of management practices often is thrown off because it is necessary to get work done “in between foursomes”, so to speak. Play, and not the best interests of the grass, dictates many manage­ ment practices. Increased foot traffic means more turf wear, scuffing, spike and spike shoulder marks. More play means more bruised turf due to ball marks and divots. Use of the course when it should be closed leads to compacted soils and bruised turf. Play after heavy rains, or while soil is in process of thawing in spring, or when grasses are frozen in winter, or when grasses are wilting ... all lead to trouble. Traffic injury is frequently caused by features of terrain or design which funnel players or equipment into a definite pattern around greens, aprons, tees, bunkers, or approach areas. The use of equipment or golf cars during unfavorable conditions of soil, turf, or climate greatly increases the in­ jury pattern. The human element - whether it be vandalism, an error in judgement or calculation, or the misuse of equip­ ment - also may weaken or injure the grasses. GROVER C. KEETON: In recent years practices in golf course maintenance have changed considerably. Sometimes we wonder if the initiative for these changes hasn’t come about through the player rather than through the golf super­ intendent and the management con­ trolling course maintenance. We, as superintendents and managers, are confronted with the challenge of stay­ ing ahead of the players with research work, planning, and adapting research results to our local course operations. Educational meetings result in the supervisory personnel gaining ad­ vance knowledge and taking stronger lead. Maintenance practices may be con­ JULY, 1983 1 sidered in the categories outlined in the following paragraphs. I strongly believe that one good practice which will minimize or over­ come harmful effects of traffic is main­ tenance of a proper attitude on the part of maintenance personnel toward traf­ fic on a golf course. Traffic, on coun­ try club courses and even more so on public courses, is what we want. Golf courses are closed due to lack of traf­ fic, not due to traffic. Soils What are the harmful effects of traffic on turf? What are we actually treating? Traffic is imposed at the surface; the turf shows the first ef­ fects but the soil sustains the greatest damage. The result is compaction, which simply means the reduction of pore spaces within a soil mass. Irrigation, aeration and fertiliza­ tion require one to work with soils. Soil has four functions. It provides support, nutrients, water, and air. In order to perform these functions properly, it must resist compaction under daily traffic even under adverse weather conditions. We rely to a great extent on visual symptoms of poor soils. These in­ clude: 1. Shallow root system; 2. Hard soil; 3. Algae; 4. Dry spots; 5. Layers; 6. Variation in texture. Fertilization Fertilization is one of the equalizers to traffic damage on turfgrass. In planning a fertilization program, I like to apply what Dr. William 0. Trogdon of Texas A & M College has said: “Use the right amount at the right time.” Used under this guide, fertilizer will speed the growth of turf to recover from traffic damage. Aeration and sometimes the right amount may be a factor to consider. Applying fert­ ilizers after aerification or spiking is one way of getting fertilizer down to the root zone. Spiking is also used to overcome crusting and to provide oxygen during a period of warm wea­ ther when we have heaviest play. Aerification, by itself, is helpful; but generally it should be part of an over­ all program. Irrigation Irrigation is part of the daily oper­ ation during the warm season, but experience has indicated the wisdom of heeding the admonition to“water sensibly.” Not enough water results in wilted grass and eventually loss of grass during the warm season. On the other hand, too much water aggra­ vates compaction and creates difficul­ ties. Since the object of irrigation is to get the desired amount of moisture to the roots, an effective procedure is to check this by use of the soil probe. The Department of Irrigation, University of California, made a study of watering various soils which included sands, loams and clays. Re­ sults were presented in chart form by Dr. Robert Hagan. His chart has proven very helpful. For example, if we want to wet a 12-inch depth of loam soil, 1 1/2 inches of water is required. If grass has effective roots to a 24-inch depth and soil is wet to this depth, in the case of loam, we can go approxi­ mately 21 days between irrigations. In general, the experienced irriga­ tor is trying to “connect the moist­ ures.” Too many times, watering is done by guessing. Careful observation and use of available information make this practice unnecessary. In the case of cultivation, the right time and right kind are applicable, Conclusion Golf has become tremendously pop­ 2 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD ular, and our job is not to fight traffic­ foot or equipment. As representatives of golf course management, we want to think in terms of inviting more players to play. We must study the over-all picture with a broader per­ spective. There are enough tools available to enable us, through suffi­ cient knowledge and imaginative man­ agement, to maintain good golf courses. We should consider traffic on the golf course as a challenge rather than a problem. Care and Handling of Golf Carts A PANEL DISCUSSION AMONG: JAMES L. HOLMES, Moderator; Midwestern Agronomist, Green Section of the United States Golf Association CHARLES STEWART, Mississippi City, Miss.; Member USGA Green Section Committee ROBERT W. WILLITS, Kansas City, Mo.; Member USGA Sectional Affairs Committee JAMES L. HOLMES: What are the financial aspects of handling and care of golf carts? The following data are derived from: (1) “Golf Cart Usage and Control in the Metropolitan New York Area” — a survey among Member Clubs of the Metropolitan Golf Association, March, 1960; (2) Minutes of a meeting on “Golf Carts” held by the Chicago Dis­ trict Golf Association at Riverside Golf Club, January 21, 1961; (3) Per­ sonal correspondence with Oliver F. Burnett, Paradise Valley Country Club, Scottsdale, Arizona; (4) Personal ex­ perience. Installation Costs A. Club ownership: 1. Four electrically equipped ga­ rages, built to house a total of 110 cars, cost $41,000; thus, approximate cost to house one car is $375. This is for completely enclosed building in­ cluding electrical installation costs. 2. Two clubs installed electrical equipment but left cars in open. Cost $3,600 and $3,000. Unless adequate power is available to club grounds, electrical installation will probably ex­ ceed $3,000 for 25 car outlets. 3. Initial investment for electric carts and garage: If cars are pur­ chased in numbers, costs is around $1- 000 per unit. Therefore, initial invest­ ment for 20 cars is: $1,000x20 plus $375 x 20 equals $27,500. 4. Cart owners pay from $1.25 to $25 per month to store carts in club-owned property. The average of 15 clubs in New York and Chicago is about $15 per month during the season and $3 a month for winter storage. 5. An initial garage charge of $300 to $400 is assessed when a member first installs his cart at one club. This is in line with the original $375 cost to garage one electric cart. B. Rental: 1. Every conceivable arrangement has been made with rental agencies. Some clubs merely agree to use the agency’s carts, and it is the agency’s sole responsibility to deliver them to the first tee. Some clubs supply elec­ tricity, others housing and electricity, still others housing, electricity, and maintenance. Consequently, the instal­ lation cost to the club varies to such an extent among clubs that it is not practical to suggest any general esti­ mates. Profit (and Loss) A. Club (or member) Ownership: This does not include club owner­ ship whereby the club plans to make a JULY, 1963 3 profit through cart rentals. 1. Of 9 clubs in the New York area, 7 reported a profit; 2 a loss. Apparent­ ly with a reasonably sensible opera­ tion, it is not difficult to break even or show a profit. Two clubs in Chicago reported that any profits were turned over to the grounds department to im­ prove cart traffic facilities and to re­ pair any damage to the course as a result of cart usage. One Chicago club maintains a sinking fund, and any profits are used to repair carts, gar­ ages, etc. B. Club Ownership For Profit: 1. One Chicago club reported 15,311 cart rounds in 1960 with a gross in­ come of $137,790, and expected to gross $175,000 in 1961; I understand it did. Net income was not available. At this club everyone who plays must rent and use a cart. If the player desires a cad­ die, it is his responsibility to obtain one. Thus, carts can be operated at a profit at a private club if so desired. 2. My experience indicates that oth­ er private clubs are beginning to seri­ ously consider the operation of carts for a profit. C. Rental Ownership: The profit division between the rent­ al agency and the club depends upon the cost to the agency and is usually in proportion to the extent of the club’s assistance in maintaining carts. Nor­ mal splits are 70-30, 60-40, and 50-50. In all cases I have observed where it is not 50-50, the rental agency receives the larger share. Last fall I ran across a new plan: for the first 50 rounds a car operates, the rental agency re­ ceives 70% of rental income; after 50 rounds, the club receives 90% of the rental income on a seasonal basis. 1. In no instance, to my knowledge, has there been a net loss to a club as a result of using rental golf carts. 2. Three Chicago clubs reported net profits of $3,774; $5,283; $6,508. 3. Four New York clubs reported gross revenues of $8,000, $5,000, $3,100 and $1,900. Costs vary from club to club but are considerably less when rentals are used. In any event, these clubs grossed an average of $4,500 from rental carts. Net profits could not be ascertained from available data. 4. Cart rounds in the northern part of the country at private clubs figure to be around 80 per cart. One club in Arizona reported that 300 rounds per cart netted $160 per cart in 1961. One public course reported an income of $760 per cart, but this figure did not include amortization of the carts which the club owner purchased. It can be derived from this that a private club in the northern part of the country can expect to net a profit of at least $150 per cart rented if an intelligent opera­ tion is initiated and followed. A public club may expect to net a greater prof­ it, all factors considered. General Data 1. The 1963 Annual Issue of “Golf”, Vol. 5, No. 2, reports that in 1953 there were 1,000 carts in use; now there are 70,000. Manufacturers estimate 100,000 will be in use by 1965. It is a $100,000,- 000 gross business at present. 2. Depreciation of both gas and elec­ tric carts is between $250 and $300 per year. 3. Electric motors on carts run 27 to 30 minutes on an 18-hole round. Bat­ teries usually last 3 years in the north and 14 months in the South with about the same amount of use. Cost per round is 12c to 18c for electricity. Maintain­ ing exact tire pressure is vitally im­ portant. 4. Approximately % gallon of gas­ oline is used per round in gasoline carts. Installation price is cheaper than for electric carts. Low pressure, 12-inch 4 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD tires can be used more effectively on gasoline carts. Maintenance costs are somewhat higher. 5. There is a noticeable percentage increase in the use of gasoline carts. Conclusion Obviously, mechanized golf is here to stay. Clubs have learned that hand­ some profits can be obtained from cart operation. If the operation is main­ tained in a business-like fashion, each mechanical unit should net at least $150 per season in the northern part of the country for a private club operation and more for a public type of opera­ tion; farther south, net profit will be correspondingly greater. Rounds per car vary from an aver­ age of 80 in the north to 300 in the “year ’round” southern area. There is a greater emphasis on use of carts in the south and southwest. There is violent disagreement as to which is better—rental carts or club- owned carts. The rental cart school seems to be gradually gaining pupils. CHARLES STEWART: The following recommendations are offered to clubs which anticipate the acquisition of golf carts: 1. Have club appoint an efficient Golf Cart Committee that will work conscientiously with maintenance men as well as the course superintendent. 2. Have committee, after careful study, decide on make of cart. 3. Purchase number that club can afford, or assist in financing the pro­ fessional so that he may purchase the required number. 4. Hire a good maintenance man. Arrange with cart factory for main­ tenance man to visit plant to see how cart is made from start to finish and get a general schooling. Then send him to the battery distributor for like schooling. This education, which will take all of about a week, should be done before carts arrive. 5. Purchase no carts with tires smaller than 8.00 x 6. 6. All carts should have six heavy duty batteries, and definitely not the regular automobile battery. 7. No carts should be allowed to be rented that have a hydrometer reading of under 1200 (at sea level). 8. After each rental, maintenance man should be required to: (a) Hose off batteries with pres­ sure water. (b) Hose over-all cart and wipe dry. (c) Check tires for required pres­ sure. (d) Check batteries and charge not to exceed 1260 (sea level). (e) Check water in batteries. 9. Have spare parts such as batter­ ies, switches, tires, spindle, motor belts, and the like. 10. If course is wet enough to dam­ age any areas, have steadfast rule of “NO CARTS ALLOWED TODAY.” 11. Give maintenance man salary plus commission. ROBERT W. WILLITS: We have been told about the damage that normal golf cart traffic does to turfgrasses. Think, then, for a moment of what the misuse of golf carts can do to a golf course — to greens, traps, teeing areas, and particularly to those areas likely to hold moisture. The mis­ use of carts increases the golf course superintendent’s maintenance problems beyond all reason. As a direct result of misuse, we have “misetiquette” to fellow-golfers. There is the speed driver who thinks that there is only one speed—that is, with his foot through the floor. A gentle­ man anticipates an afternoon of golf, relaxing in the fresh air; and by the JULY, 1963 5 time he gets through trying to run up and down the hills with wide-open speed, he cannot get hold of the golf club because of the death grip he has had to maintain to keep himself in the golf cart. Here are a few examples of accidents: We had the Women’s District golf tournament at the club. The distance from the 14th green to the 15th tee is approximately 50 yards, with a gradual slope in which a golf cart would main­ tain a normal speed of travel without acceleration. Upon approaching the teeing area, the driver of a cart ap­ plied the throttle instead of the brake. Ten feet in front of the tee was a creek with a 6-foot drop. Off they went! Fortunately there was a 3-foot pool of water there to absorb the shock, and there were no injuries to the passengers; but there was need for one new cart. A gentleman out in our country had been in a very serious automobile ac­ cident; he was restrained from playing golf for a period of seven years. His first outing was in a golf cart. (The golf cart had come into being during his lay-off.) The driver saw a white line protecting a loosely sodded area and he made a quick turn to the right. Out went the fellow. Result, one broken ankle. Needless to say, he is not a cart enthusiast. We had another example of a fellow playing in the semi-finals of the club championship, and this might have some further ramifications. At the end of the 13th hole, the victim was 3 up. His opponent was driving him or was the operator of the vehicle, and he thought he was in reverse when he was in forward speed; he ran over the gentleman and broke his leg in two places. What do you do? The victim was 3 up with 5 holes to play. Perhaps the Rules Committee of the USGA will be asked to pass a rule, thereby put­ ting the responsibility of safe trans­ port of one’s opponent on the driver. Failure to transport an opponent safe­ ly might mean forfeiture of the match. The things that happen in the mis­ use and mishandling of golf carts are unbelievable. There is only one answer —a vigorous and constant program of indoctrination in the proper operation of these potentially lethal weapons. NEW SUBSCRIBERS TO THE USGA GREEN SECTION VISITING SERVICE EASTERN REGION Del. Fla. Md. Mass. N. H. N. J. N. Y. Tenn. III. Ky. Miss. Ohio Texas Wis. Calif. Wash. Wyo. Shawnee Country Club, Milford Breakers Golf Club, Palm Beach Clearwater Country Club, Country Club of Orlando, Clearwater Orlando Palm-Aire Country Club, Pompano Beach Columbia Country Club, Chevy Chase Chestnut Hill Country Club, Chestnut Hill Profile Club, Franconia Fairmount Country Club, Fallsview Country Club, Chatham Eilenville Rockaway Hunting Club, Cedarhurst Tam O'Shanter Golf & Turf Club, Brookville Woodcrest Club, Country Club of Bristol, Syosset Bristol MID-CONTINENT REGION Kankakee Elks Country Club, Owensboro Country Club, Country Club of Jackson, St. Anne Owensboro Jackson Forest Hills Country Club, Middletown Pharoahs Golf Club, Corpus Christi Parc-Wood Country Club, Mequon WESTERN REGION Del Norte Golf Club, Crescent City Rancho Bernardo Country Club, Turlock Golf & Country Club Visalia Country Club, Woodland Hills Country Club, Escondido Turlock Visalia Woodland Hills Fort Lewis Golf Club, Fort Lewis Old Baldy Club, Saratoga 6 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Winter-Spring Injury in the East By Members of the Staff of the USGA Green Section: ALEXANDER M. RADKO, Eastern Director HOLMAN M. GRIFFIN, Northeastern Agronomist LEE RECORD, Northeastern Agronomist RAYMOND E. HARMAN, Northeastern Agronomist To everyone but those on the Eastern Coast, July may seem an inappro­ priate time to discuss winter-spring injury. Never has weather in the East wrought so much damage to the fine turfgrasses as was done this year. Golf courses were especially hard hit. The effects will certainly be felt through the 1963 season, and this summer may prove to be one of our most trying seasons in golf course management. Again, much will depend on weather. What caused this severity of dam­ age? To explain it fully, it is neces­ sary to describe the weather we have had. Veteran superintendents, to a man, agree that the ’62-’63 winter sea­ son for turf was the most severe ever. Cold was accompanied by freezing rains which seemed to fall every few days. One freeze compounded the next, and so a total of 9 to 12 inches of solid ice accumulated on closely mowed turf. In rough areas, where turf was higher, there seemed to be enough air cushion to keep the ice from adhering strongly to the turf and so it never seemed to bother these areas. On greens and tees, however, ice was so thick, and remained so long, that superintendents and their crews could do little to encourage quick re­ moval. (See Photos 1 and 2) They could only attempt to break through the ice in several places to allow air to get through to the base so that it would be easier to remove the ice at a later date. Picks, axes, crow-bars, ’dozers, and shovels were used to little avail. The ice would not be forced un­ til it was ready to come off. It ad­ hered to the turf so strongly that large pieces of grass were torn up when attempts were made to force the ice off the green. Where did the ice form thickest and remain longest? Successive rains froze immediately upon reaching the ground, and the normal surface drain­ age channels and swales became most heavily covered with ice. It remained longest on these low areas, actually until the spring thaw. The high Photo 1. The No. 5 green at Kernwood Country Club, Salem, Mass., under solid ice. Note thickness to right of shovel and pick. Les Allen photo Photo 2. The same green at Kernwood after the ice melted. Note injury pattern in foreground — the area of natural surface drainage. mounded and contoured areas on greens thawed more quickly, but it was not until the second and third weeks of March that most superin­ tendents were able to remove the ice from the low drainage paths. Finally, during the last week of March, we experienced two days of 80-degree weather and the ice dis­ appeared entirely. It appeared at the time that all was well. The turf under the more heavily iced areas was a vivid green, while the high areas were not of as good color. The high areas were exposed to the elements earlier and so were hardened-off to take that “off-green” color which most cool­ season grasses have as they emerge from the winter. Weather Change is Deadly Then the roof fell in! After two days of summer-like temperatures, weather once more turned very cold, the winds blew incessantly, and ex­ treme drought set in. The grasses that were under ice longest and were a vivid green-soft and succulent—col­ lapsed. The effect was deadly. It was just like taking a plant out of a hot-house and placing it in freezing temper­ atures. Toxic gases such as methane and carbon dioxide may have been a contributing factor. In the pattern on surface drainage, entire areas of turf turned brown or black, took on a slimy appearance, and horrendous odors were reported. The hardened- off high areas were not affected. Men who attempted to turn on irri­ gation systems found that numerous breaks occurred due to the deep freeze, far more than in even the most severe prior year. One club re­ ported in excess of 60 breaks in its system. (See Photo 3). Others re­ ported fewer, but enough to keep them from using the water system 8 Photo 3. Water line break — split in center. Many such breaks were reported — split at the bot­ tom —due to deep freeze. when it was critically needed, espe­ cially in the renovation attempts that followed. Injury was so widespread that the USGA Green Section’s Eastern Office issued the following statement in early April to USGA Member Clubs in the area affected: MEMORANDUM TO: Chairmen, Green Committees and Superintendents of USGA Member Clubs: A large amount of winter injury is prevalent on golf courses throughout the Northeastern Region. This has been due to several factors but mostly due to ice accumulation on greens, frozen soil espe­ cially in low portions of greens, also some desiccation. The lateness of the spring growing season, the high winds, the lack of warmth and rainfall have further ham­ pered recovery of injured turf. We are at least two weeks behind in growing wea­ ther, and unfortunately so, because the turf is extremely weak and play on weak turf will retard recovery. We have inspected numerous courses throughout the region and the pattern is the same . . . the turf is brown or hay colored . . . and looks absolutely dead . . . yet close inspection of injured areas shows that root systems are alive and growing points of the grasses are green. It will USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD take time, patience, some better weather, and programming but we feel that chances for recovery will be good. Steps that should prove helpful in the recovery program: (1) Apply any organic nitrogen or top­ dressing to attract the heat of the sun’s rays . . . one to one and one-half pounds of nitrogen equivalent per 1000 sq. ft. depending on products you choose, or one cubic yard of topdressing, or both for an average green. (2) Aerate the greens when roots are strong enough to keep the sod from lifting. (3) Spike the greens several times over and overseed the browned-off areas. (4) Syringe the greens lightly if high winds and/or low humidity should be a factor. In any case, attempt to keep ade­ quate moisture on the turf and in the soil without overdoing it. Remember that the surface temperature of injured turf will be higher than that of healthy growing turf and it will dry faster; therefore, sev­ eral syringings may be required daily. (5) Keep play on injured greens to a minimum, and provide temporary greens for those severely injured. This may be necessary for two to three weeks. We trust that this will be helpful . . . if we can be of further help, please write. Sodding, of course, is a method of reestablishing greens quickly. How­ ever, in many cases there was not enough nursery sod available. More­ over, it is quite difficult to do a patching job on a putting green in spring and have it turn out well. While this note pointed primarily to greens, tees and fairways also suf­ fered greatly. Many tees were lost completely, and large patches of fair­ way turf also died in low areas and depressions where ice layers formed strongest. The effect on hillsides and slopes was very similar to that damage which occurs where youngsters coast and sleigh ride over turf where the snow packs to form ice sheets. The turf beneath turns brown, and nor­ mally is the last area to green up in the spring. This year the ice on all these areas packed similarly and the “hot-house” effect mentioned earlier was disastrous. (See Photos 4 and 5). High areas, where ice melted earlier and the grasses had a chance to acclimate themselves to the cold, came through without any trouble. New turf was not injured. New courses and newly sodded areas on old courses where soil was prepared or Photo 4. No. 17 hole at Wellesley Country Club, Wellesley, Mass. — note severe injury on sloped fairway where ice remained longest. This was typ­ ical of injury pattern. Photo 5. Not ail greens were injured in areas of drainage. Supt. Nick Florio, center, makes point at Somerset Hills Country Club, Bernardsville, N. J., with Holman Griffin, USGA Green Section Agronomist, left, and Chairman of Green Commit­ tee John Winston on No. 11 green. altered prior to grass establishment came through with flying colors. It certainly appears that well aerated soils were a prime factor in survival. Of those inspected, courses 6 years old or younger didn’t show any ill effects. (See Photo 6). Some chair­ men and superintendents on older courses attributed their lack of trou­ ble to timely ice removal in the spring and/or timely aeration or cultivation in the fall. In the low areas all turf was in­ jured badly. Bentgrass was hurt in varying degrees, but Poa annua was killed out completely. (See Photo 7). Attempts to renovate were seriously hampered by high winds, lack of rainfall and lack of warm weather. Those who were most drastic in aer­ ation, thatching, spiking, and in using vertical mowers prior to seeding were more sucessful than those who tried to coax and baby the turf along. The weather was so dry, cold, and windy that even Poa annua didn’t volunteer as it normally does in spring. Recov­ ery was so slow that many clubs, for the first time in their history, closed regular greens. Officials at The Country Club, Brookline, Mass., site of the 1963 Open Championship, chose to close their course until the first week of June because of the severe setback. They could have opened earlier but they elected to remain closed in order to provide the very best possible playing conditions for the Open Champion­ ship. The pattern of injury also can be associated with heavy play. Heavily played municipal courses and private courses that have many guests were more seriously injured than others. Courses that do not allow winter play on regular greens fared better than those that do. It appeared to be the cumulative effects of traffic subtly taking its toll over the years on courses most seriously affected. Walk- off areas, where traffic is funnelled from green to tee, were seriously in­ jured. Photo 6. The 11th hole at Salem Country Club, Peabody, Mass. Note new tee to right came through un­ blemished . . old tee to left injured by winter. 10 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Photo 7. Holman Griffin, USGA Green Section Agromist; Charles J. Wenzel and John O'Connor, Golf Course Superintendent of the Salem Country Club, Peabody, Mass., examine Poa annua apron that went out . . while bentgrass green came through without a blemish. How much traffic does it take to kill turf in winter? Supt. Jack Ormond of Canoe Brook Country Club, Summit N.J., can tell you. Photo 8 shows the effects of one routine treatment to one of his greens. Though other greens had thawed, this tree-protected green was still frozen at the time. A small spreader was used to apply limestone in December 1962. The picture was taken May 1, 1963. Note the footprints and wheel marks five full months after the spreader was used! The turf was se­ verely injured, and did not recover un­ til some time in June. Other greens that were limed the same day came through unscathed. The question is often asked, “How much harm can we do by playing greens in Winter?” This is very diffi­ cult to answer, but a year like this gives far more graphic answer than words. As shown in Photo 8 in­ jury occurs when grass is frozen. Photo 8. Spreader tracks and footprints show up on greens five months after being made on frozen grass. A more subtle type of injury occurs when the ground is thawed to a depth of one inch or less and the pressure of foot traffic squeezes the soil and de­ stroys its structure. The lubricating action of the moisture makes “mud pies” beneath the turf and the soil becomes severely compacted at the JULY. 1963 11 surface. February and March are the months to watch most carefully for this injury. When the ground is frozen solidly or thawed beyond one inch, there seems to be no cause for alarm regarding severe soil compac­ tion. However, one cannot be sure that conditions will not change during the course of one round - from frozen to thawed soil in the time it takes a four- ball to play 18 holes. From safe to hazardous conditions in a few hours ... so how is it pos­ sible to answer firmly and definitely the question, “Is it safe to play regular greens today?” The decision to close the course must be flexible, and it must rest with the superin­ tendent, the Green Chairman and his Committee; but their decision should be final. There are several kinds of winter problems; injury usually is due to one or more of the following: (1) Snow mold - a fungus disease. Not much snow mold was apparent this year. One can protect against this by treatment with fungicides. It normally is not a severe problem. (2) Desiccation - a dehydration of the grasses caused by high, dry winds that remove water from the plant when ground is frozen and roots can’t pick up enough water from the soil to replace the water lost through the leaves. (3) Ice damage - a smothering or suffocation of the turf due to ice remaining on it too long. (4) Excess water in upper soil fraction during thaw. (5) The “hot-house” effect we seemed to experience this year. (6) Toxic gases - methane and/or carbon dioxide. (7) Over-succulence going into the winter months. (8) Traffic when grasses are frozen - when soils are thawed in upper inch. Frequently the question is asked, “Should I remove the ice from greens?” The answer is “Yes” if you are sure that subsequent weather is going to turn and stay warmer, and “No” if the weather is going to be cold, dry, and windy. If warm weather had continued as it started in late March this year, we would have had far fewer problems. Just a simple turn of the weather caused extreme problems of almost unbelievable pro­ portions. The general geographic pat­ tern for injury to cool-season grasses was from the northern Massachusetts border to central New York State to Wilmington, Del. Injury to warm­ season grasses was reported as far south as Atlanta. Bermudagrass injury during the winter and early spring was rather severe throughout the East this year. The cause often defies explanation. In Philadelphia much of the loss can be attributed to an unusually cool spring. Superintendents reported that bermuda came through the winter COMING EVENTS August 6 — U. S. Department of Agri­ culture, Field Day, Beltsville, Md. August 7-8 — Rutgers Turfgrass Field Day, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N. J. August 27-29 — Turfgrass Manage­ ment Conference, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla. September 4 — Annual Turf Field Day, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Va. September 5-6 — Auburn Turfgrass Conference, Auburn University, Auburn, Ala. September 11-12 — Penn State Field Day, University Park, Pa. September 18-19 — Fourth Annual Lawn & Turf Conference, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo. 12 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD alive, but because of the cool weather in March, April and May it was unable to produce any top growth. The spring weather was warm enough on several occasions to break the root dormancy but there was no top growth to manufacture new food, and roots began to rot. By late May, much bermudagrass appeared to be injured beyond recall even in areas which had survived the past 12 to 14 winters. Similar injury was observed as far south as Atlanta. Although much of the answer lay in the poor growing weather during the spring, this did not seem to be the sole cause of injury. Desiccation from high winds along with compaction from traffic and damage from ice and water are all sources of possible in­ jury. At least two things were evident. Where the bermudagrass was clipped higher, as in the rough, it was not as severely affected. Areas sheltered by trees or steep banks seemed to be healthier. A third factor was noted—bermuda­ grass nurseries seemed to have less damage than the course. In speculat­ ing, one might assume that lack of traffic and extra care brought nursery areas through the winter better than other sections. Many nursery areas were burned off in late fall and it is possible the dark color of the charred remains absorbed additional heat from the sun. In contrast to bermudagrass, zoysia, which has a higher minimal growing temperature and is more winter hardy, came through the winter in good con­ dition. There was much concern for all grasses during this particularly ad­ verse year, and re-seeding or, in the case of bermudagrass, re-sprigging or sodding was in order for many clubs. In past years we have learned a great deal about the management of turfgrass, but we must still have help from the natural climatic factors which ultimately control the growth of grasses. Because of the extremely cold, dry spring season, knotweed, dandelion, and plantain grew uninhibited with no competition from Poa annua or permanent grasses. Knotweed is es­ pecially abundant again on most courses, and because of the extreme drought few superintendents hazarded the chance to apply chemical controls. Courses will be plagued with this weed in ’63, and it certainly will be a problem for the next few years. If we have unfavorable climate this sum­ mer, many courses will be weak. If high temperatures and high humidity persist, we could lose a large per­ centage of the newly seeded greens because they were borderline going into June. Summary In summary, winter-spring injury was more severe - On heavily played courses. On walk-off paths from greens, tees, and in confined approach areas where traffic was funnelled. On poorly drained areas where ice remained longest - in depressions es­ pecially. On good natural surface drainage areas, too . . . where ice accumulated. On close clipped turf more so than high cut turf. On Poa annua more than on bent­ grass. Where water could not escape when soil and ice first thawed. Where toxic gases were formed under ice and water. JULY, 1963 13 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD 40 East 38th Street, New York 16, N. Y VR ROBERT R KRUMM 241 WASHINGTON A'/E CHATHAM N J TURF TWISTERS Question: Recently I read something about “powdered water.” I won­ der whether you have information regarding its use on a golf course. . . . P. W., California Answer: It seems that the National Cash Register Company has been successful in producing powdered water for industrial use. The powder is manufactured by coating tiny particles of water with gelatin. Al­ though dry to the touch, the powder can easily be crushed or dissolved to a liquid state. The producer is adapting the technique to coat bank deposit slips and other forms — so that carbon copies can be made, without the use of carbon paper. Science has indeed made some unusual advances in recent years. However, the practical use of “powdered water” on the golf course seems to be many years away if it is in the future at all. Question: We have heard favorable comments of oiled sand scrapes on country courses in California, and we ■would be interested to learn of the method of preparation and composition of the material used. Our course is situated 45 miles north of Adelaide in the Barossa Valley, a district famous for its many wineries and vineyards. We have a temperate climate, which we imagine is very similar to yours— rainfall is 22 inches, spread mainly over the five winter months, viz. May—September. Our soil is sandy loam topsoil over a clay base, varying in depth from twelve feet to a few inches in parts. The course is on an area of 160 acres, and we have no suitable water to water grass greens, and we feel that good sand scrapes are our best plan. . . . J. M. L., South Australia Answer: There are few golf courses in the United States using oiled sand scrapes as “greens.” To our knowledge, all golf courses in California now have grass greens. In the United States, grass greens are preferred by the golfer be­ cause of superior putting qualities and beauty. Bentgrass greens are found from the deserts to the mountains and from Texas to the Can­ adian border. If your area has a climate similar to California, we feel reason­ ably confident that bentgrass could be developed on your course. A reservoir or well that could furnish l1/^ inches of water per week for putting green areas is necessary. This is the maximum irrigation re­ quirement during the summertime in coastal areas of California. If at all possible, grass greens at your course should be attempted.