green being , replanted KEEPING THE PLAYERS INFORMED Lee Bowman, superintendent at Cedar Crest Golf Club in Dallas, believes that players who are informed will appreciate efforts to improve the course and will not complain about the use of temporary greens. (See page 1.) u®©a ©as] 8s®ra©ia BS@©B® 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. 1, No. 4 November 1963 For Whom Do You Manage? ............................................ By David M. Lilly 1 Bermudagrass in the Northeast ........................................By Holman M. Griffin 4 A Checklist Against Adversity......................................... By James W. Holmes 6 Soil Testing Service Offered....................................................................................... 11 New Fertilizer Labels Coming........................................... ASA Farm Press News 12 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: 300. 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 University, College Station, Texas. Office of Publication: 315 Railroad Avenue, East Rutherford, N. J. Editor: Dr. Marvin H. Ferguson Managing Editor: Don Weiss 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 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. MID-CONTINENT REGION Southwestern Office: Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas Dr. Marvin H. Ferguson, Director, Mid-Continent Region and National Research Coordinator Jerry H. Chessman, Southwestern Agronomist Mid-Western Office: Room 241, LaSalle Hotel, Chicago 2, III. James L. Holmes, Mid-Western Agronomist WESTERN REGION Western Office: P.O. Box 567, Garden Grove, Calif. William H. Bengeyfield, Director, Western Region 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. For Whom Do You Manage? A Message to Golf Course Superintendents By DAVID M. LILLY “For whom do you manage?” The obvious answer is: “For the club or the park system that pays my salary.” But like most obvious answers, it does not tell the whole truth. To discover who your real bosses are, let us translate your job into business terms. The position of golf course superintendent is equivalent, in a busi­ ness, to one of the officers of a cor­ poration. You are part of the manage­ ment team and, as such, answerable to the stockholders, the true owners of a corporation. Stockholders, as long as the divi­ dends keep rolling in, are very pleasant people who remain discreetly away and make an appearance only at the annual meeting. The stockholders may also be customers for the products or services offered by the corporation, but generally they form a very small if significant portion of the customers. Let’s see how your situation com­ pares with that of the usual corpor­ ation officer. Your stockholders are the members of your golf club; your cus­ tomers are these same members. This is one case where the customer is al­ ways right. You know he is because he also is your boss. In one way, this is a desirable ar­ rangement. In a corporation the stock­ holders are interested in a healthy profit on their invested capital. To make sure of the good health of the profit, they insist on the lowest pos­ sible operating costs. The customers, on the other hand, want the best pro­ duct they can obtain—for the lowest possible price. Management is caught between these two opposing forces. For you, however, the stockholder NOVEMBER, 1963 and the customer are one and the same. If he wants new or extra services, he knows it will cost him more money. There is, then, for the golf course superintendent no real conflict of in­ terest. At least, there should not be. Your job is to develop and maintain satisfactory turfgrass. How you do the job is your concern, as long as you remain within the confines set by club policy. How well you succeed is the concern of your customer-stockholder, the golfer. In order to manage turf for the golfer, we ought to recognize that he appears in a variety of forms. Dr. J. M. Adam of Detroit recently described one type of golfer whom you know very well and have probably met most often in your nightmares. Needless to say, that type is not fa­ miliar with the superintendent’s prob- lims. He expects, when he steps on the first tee, to find tees, fairways and greens cut perfectly, traps raked, and everything in top condition. He does not care what fertilizer is used; he is unaware that there are fungi and in­ sects that attack grass. He does not even realize that an organism known as a nematode is lying in wait to destroy all the grass on the golf course. Our golfer does not realize that greens have to be aerified and spiked or topdressed. But he does know that each time he has an important client or valued friend out for a game, the greens invariably are being torn up by a machine that punches them full of holes, and then covered with a dark soil mixture that sticks to his feet and makes it impossible to putt accurately. He may not realize or care that you 1 are on a strict budget, but he is con­ vinced that he pays enough in dues to have the finest of playing conditions. His list of complaints is long and in­ cludes: lack of water in the ball washer; absence of a score card or towel, or presence of a dirty towel; workmen watering or mowing on a green or fairway; no bench at the tee; limbs, paper or other trash on the course. Many of these “beefs” are little things, but they add up to a substan­ tial part of the golfer’s picture of his course. That is a point we are apt to forget. It is his course. He is a stock­ holder, and the whole point of the op­ eration is to keep him satisfied and playing golf. The purpose of this discussion is not to tell you how to manage; rather, it is to highlight areas peculiar to your profession and to emphasize the uniqueness of your position as a mana­ ger of an operation in which owners and customers are one and the same. This is true whether you are employed by a private or a public golf course. Perhaps another way of looking at your position is to place yourself in the shoes of the sole owner of a private or semi-private course. As an owner­ operator, you must compete with all other clubs in the area for business, for customers, for golfers. This must be done in such a manner that you produce a reasonable profit—first, as salary for your time; secondly, as a return on your investment. Efficient management and improvement of your assets is mandatory. As 0. J. Noer has so often said, “The golf course is no place to save money.” Such a philosophy automati­ cally would lead you to certain de­ cisions. For example, you would pur­ chase equipment and materials on the basis of their quality and known per­ 2 formance. You could not afford to risk the purchase of inferior products or products of doubtful benefit. You would purchase as economically as possible just as long as the cheaper product or material was consistent with the quality demanded. The key here is that you must knoiv. Similarly, you could not afford to experiment on your greens. If experi­ mentation were necessary, this would be done on a nursery area. Even better, you might let the producer prove per­ formance and the state experiment station evaluate. Many other examples might be cited to illustrate the viewpoint of the owner­ operator whose very livelihood depends on attracting and serving customers with a satisfactory product—a golf course in such a condition that it is the first course the customer wants to play. The advancement of golf course maintenance practices over the last 10 to 15 years has been revolutionary. Today’s golfer expects, in fact de­ mands, a degree of conditioning or manicuring that would have been vir­ tually impossible to attain a decade or so ago. The fact that you have kept abreast of developments and still hold a position as golf course superintendent is, in itself, a tribute to your mana­ gerial abilities. When it is also recog­ nized that many of the management practices you appy are in direct con­ flict with sound agronomic principles, it is easy to understand why you hold an important position on the golf course management team. Unfortun­ ately, your customer may not recognize or appreciate this cardinal point. As a customer, he does not recognize or care that bluegrass fairways or tees demand a height of cut of 1 12 inches. He wants to play from a tee cut at 1/2 inch, and he does not expect a cuppy lie on the fairway. He wants his USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD fairway cut at 1/2 to 3/4 inch. From an agronomic standpoint, this simply means substituting bentgrass for blue­ grass on tees and fairways. It is your responsibility, as manager in charge of maintaining turfgrass, to take the steps necessary to provide weed-free turf that plays in accordance with the golfers’ demands. Further, it is your responsibility to advise those for whom you manage (through their duly elected representatives) what will be the consequences of subjecting blue­ grass tees and fairways to a 1/2 inch height of cut. This involves a pre­ sentation of why a grass like bent must be introduced, what this will mean in terms of additional mainten­ ance, and how this will require an in­ crease in budget. At this point, the “owners” must decide whether, in order to play at the height of cut which as customers they have de­ manded, they are ready to provide the additional capital required to support the project. It is equally important that you study and evaluate your entire opera­ tion in order to ensure that every phase is being accomplished in the most effi­ cient manner. It may be opportune to prepare a careful cost analysis to de­ termine if now is the time to automate your irrigation system and to purchase hydraulically operated mowers and other equipment that will cut more acres per day per man. The point is that it is your respon­ sibility to keep the owners apprised of the impact that the customers’ de­ mands have on the over-all operation. Certainly, you should not permit the continued low cutting of bluegrass, nor should you permit reseeding of these areas with more bluegrass and fescue without calling the situation to the attention of those for whom you manage. You may think that such a situation would not occur in this day and age— yet, Dr. Smith, reporting in a survey conducted by Charles Chapman, of De­ troit, wrote: “The study showed that in spite of the well-known fact that bluegrasses and fescues do not thrive with short cutting heights, or 40 clubs surveyed in one of the major metro­ politan areas, 10 with substantial per­ centages of bluegrass and three with fescue on their fairways cut them at 3/4 of an inch or less. One course, with 100 percent bluegrass fairways, was cutting at 1/2 inch. Two courses who cut their fairways at 3/4 of an inch reseeded them in 1961 with blue­ grass. The same paradox exhibited it­ self on tees, where 10 clubs with major proportions of bluegrass were cutting their tees at 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch.” Another case in point has to do with play in late fall-early winter and late winter-early spring. From an agron­ omic standpoint, play at such times may be quite damaging, especially if frost is present or if the ground is partially frozen. All of the damage may not be visible immediately. Some, such as that resulting from soil compaction, may not become apparent until midsummer. Prevention of all traffic during these periods would eliminate any problems, but there are some who like to play then. Again, you as the golf course superintendent have certain responsi­ bilities and obligations in this respect. You should (1) thoroughly acquaint the owners with the potential damage from uncontrolled traffic; (2) budget funds to provide for additional main­ tenance required to correct injury and to bring this course into top playing condition in as short a time as pos­ sible the following spring; and (3) prepare and present programs for di­ verting play to temporary greens (where such are feasible), for absolute NOVEMBER, 1963 3 control of traffic during periods of ad­ versity, and for re-routing traffic to avoid damage to critical areas. Once such information is made avail­ able to the “owners,” they must make the decision affecting themselves as players. You, as manager, must then abide by the owners’ decision and do the best with what is available. For even if you were the owner-manager, as we discussed earlier, you still would have to decide whether you could risk denying good customers the privilege of playing in order to protect your turf. In summary, always remember that the customer is the “King of the Marketplace.” Continued customer pre­ ference for a service or for a product is the key to a successful business— whether it be a golf course or the man­ ufacture of automobiles—recognizing, of course, that the product of service must be satisfactorily produced at a profit. The golf course superintendent is unique in the respect that the cus­ tomers he serves also are the owners. There are both advantages and dis­ advantages in such a situation. As customer, the golfer does not care how you do your job. As owner, he expects the maximum benefit from his invest­ ment. But first of all, and most of all, he expects to play golf under the best conditions possible. Because you know “for whom you manage,” you must know that your job is not to provide the best turf but the best playing turf. Bermudagrass in the Northeast By HOLMAN M. GRIFFIN, Northeastern Agronomist, Green Section, The United States Galt Association Since 1938, U-3 bermudagrass has found favor and has been used more and more as a fairway and tee grass in the transition zone of the Northeast. This grass is adapted to the northern extremes of the bermudagrass region where other bermuda strains winter- kill, and it works well in the southern extremes of the bluegrass-fescue- bentgrass region where cool-season grasses do poorly in summer. Although climatic factors handed U-3 bermudagrass a severe setback in many areas last winter, this grass remains a good answer to the difficult problem of what to grow where winters are too cold for warm-season grasses and the summers too hot for cool­ season grasses. Because of increasing interest in U-3 bermudagrass, is might be well to con­ sider the maintenance program it re­ quires. U-3 is not unlike other ber- 4 mudagrasses except for its cold hard­ iness and medium texture. It makes its maximum growth during the hot summer months when crabgrass is a serious pest in the cool-season grasses, and forms a dense, vigorous turf that discourages weed invasion of any type. U-3 is seldom damaged by insects or disease and is highly resistant to damage from herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides. Occasional attacks of grubs, cutworms or sod webworms are easily controlled with standard insecti­ cides on the market. Most serious of the U-3 problems is the thatch condition which develops if this material is not removed. Cutting heights above 3/4 inch tend to cause a fluffy condition and encourage thatch. Removal of thatch is a time-con­ suming and laborious task but results are rewarding. The vertical mower and the thatching machine are most fre­ USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD quently used for direct thatch removal, but aeration, frequent mowing, and liming where needed all help to dis­ courage thatch formation. These practices are best accomplished when bermudagrass is actively growing, as disturbing the soil at other times en­ courages weed invasion. In some in­ stances a drag has been helpful on fair­ ways when they are dry to break up clippings and get them down through the grass into contact with the soil. Bermudagrass begins to grow when temperature reaches 50° F. or above and will continue to grow even at cooler night temperatures provided the day­ time temperatures are sufficiently high, 70° F. or above. From this point in early spring when U-3 begins to grow, it needs feeding and will require about 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet at 20 to 30-day intervals for the period when it is actively growing. No quick release or soluble nitrogen should be applied to the grass for approximately three weeks before frost to allow the grass to harden off before it becomes dormant. Normally about 4 to 5 pounds of ni­ trogen per 1,000 square feet per season is sufficient and approximately one-half of this amount should be supplied in the form of a complete fertilizer con­ taining phosphorus and potash. For best results the complete fertilizers should be applied in spring and fall. The spring application will increase root growth and make the plant more vigorous to compete with spring weeds, and the fall application will strengthen the plant going into winter. Although the U-3 is a drought- tolerant grass as compared with the cool-season grasses normally grown in this area, good watering practices are essential. When watering U-3, adequate moisture should be applied to soak into the soil to a depth of 6 or 8 inches, and NOVEMBER, 1963 no more water should be applied until the turf begins to exhibit signs of moisture stress during the warmest part of the day. Too much water can cause shallow rooting with resulting droughty turf and may cause rotting of roots and rhizomes under conditions of poor drainage. During the past few years many different methods of planting U-3 ber­ mudagrass have been used and there are numerous machines manufactured for this purpose. U-3 is propagated by vegetative means only and may be planted by strip sodding, plugging or sprigging. Of the three methods, sprig­ ging is by far the most popular because it gives the most efficient use of plant­ ing material, produces a fast cover and offers very little interference to play. Ideally, sprigs should be chopped up into lengths which have a minimum of three nodes and planted so that about one-third of the sprig remains above ground. Since air spaces around the sprig can cause rotting of the sprig, it is necessary to insure firm contact with the soil. U-3 probably will find its greatest use throughout the “crabgrass belt” but there are indications that it will do well beyond this point. It would be foolish to disregard the possibility of winterkill in the northern extremes of the bermudagrass zone; however, this condition is not usually produced by cold weather alone. U-3 bermudagrass has withstood freezing tests to 28° below zero, so from this we can only suspect that actual winterkill must come from a poor combination of cli­ matic factors such as cold weather and a lack of moisture such as experienced in the Philadelphia area this year. We would do well to remember that U-3 is not a miracle grass, but with good management practices we can expect a very rewarding turf. 5 A Checklist Against Adversity By JAMES L. HOLMES, Mid-Western Agronomist, Green Section, The United States Golf Association. There have been numerous “check­ lists” with regard to anticipating turf maladies resulting from various fungi, nematodes, and men. Such lists are merely guides, as both authors and users are well aware that fungi, nematodes, and many men do not have the necessary facilities to read and understand such lists. Nonetheless, quite accurate predic­ tions can be made concerning factors likely to exist under a given set of conditions, and the influence of these factors on the wellbeing of the turf. One of the simplest systems of check­ listing, and perhaps the most accurate, is concerned with the seasons of the year. Of course, a knowledge of the disease syndrome is necessary. Let’s establish the distinct seasons, then check-list what can be expected when adversity comes: I. Cold—Wet II. Cold—Dry III. Cool to Warm—Wet IV. Cool to Warm—Dry V. Warm to Hot—Wet VI. Warm to Hot—Dry VII. The Entire Season I. SEASON: COLD—WET. A. Fungi: The checklist for proper procedure here is more accurate and well understood than it is for any other season because the environment can be more closely predicted. 1. Insure drainage, both surface and sub-surface. Puddled water (or ice) can be devastating. 2. Do not allow greens to “go into winter” in a lush, overfed condition. Preferably turf should be slightly on the hungry side. 3. Continue regular short height of cut until turf growth ceases. 6 4. Most golf course superintendents advocate an early fall aeration. This should be done early enough so that Poa annua is not encouraged at the expense of bent, and early enough to insure that aerator holes will heal prior to cold weather. 5. Thoroughly irrigate greens prior to closing and draining the watering system. 6. Apply a snow mold preventive fungicide according to manufacturer’s recommendations. Make a second ap­ plication during a mid-winter thaw. 7. Do not allow a continuous ice sheet (from the soil upward) to re­ main in place for longer than 21 days. If an ice sheet is present for this length of time, it must be removed. Under extreme cold conditions, me­ chanical removal is recommended. Loose snow cover or an ice cover which has a layer of snow beneath is not considered dangerous. 8. Apply the snow mold fungicide again when turf begins to grow in the spring. This application may be of far greater importance than realized by many. 9. Commence mowing as soon as turf initiates growth. 10. As is the case at all times, fol­ low proper maintenance practices. B. Nematodes: 1. Eelworms are either dormant or in the egg stage during cold weather. To date our knowledge indicates that nothing can be done in regard to their control at this time. However, if top­ dressing is prepared during cold months, it should be sterilized if at all possible. If soil is too cold for steril­ ization, it should be treated as soon as the soil temperature allows. USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD C. Man 1. The “adversity checklist” here usually concerns a biped known as homo sapiens carrying a sled or to­ boggan. Various practices designed to counteract this malady have been em­ ployed, such as fences, brush piles, mean dogs, and shot guns, usually with limited success. Winter sport en­ thusiasts can be extremely damaging to greens and other turf areas. Good fences are about the best deterrent. Occasionally law enforcement officials are employed. 2. Turf can be damaged excessively if play is allowed when the soil has thawed to a depth of 1 or 2 inches. Either play should be restricted at these times or alternate tees and greens should be made available. An excellent practice to follow is “keep as much traffic as possible off greens and tees during cold—freezing weath­ er.” II. SEASON: COLD—DRY A. Fungi: If one could be assured that an open, dry winter were ahead, there would be much less need for taking the many precautions listed in Fungi- Wet above. However, there is never a guarantee of this, so such precau­ tions must be taken. Furthermore, where open, dry winters are frequent: 1. Either place snow fence in prop­ er places around greens, or pile brush on greens, or both. Considerable work has been done with regard to placing clear plastic on putting surfaces when drought conditions are expected. This definitely eliminates desiccation damage. However, few clubs have been able to afford this practice except in limited, small areas such as on a new­ ly established green. 2. If desiccation has been a fre­ quent problem in the past, the super­ intendent should see to it that a large, mobile water tank is available. Dur­ NOVEMBER, 1963 ing extreme drought a minimum of 250 gallons and preferably 500 gal­ lons of water should be applied to each green. Two such applications may be necessary under severe con­ ditions. 3. Many superintendents will oper­ ate their watering system earlier than considered safe if desiccation is severe. The course is watered, then the system is redrained if necessary, in order to avoid freeze damage. They believe such a practice is preferable to taking the chance of losing considerable turf. B. Nematodes and Man behave about the same under both wet and dry con­ ditions. Man is not as active and thus not as damaging in the absence of ice or snow for sledding. Numerous nematodes may be killed if drought is severe. III. SEASON: COOL TO WARM OR WARM TO COOL—WET A. Fungi: Diseases which result from attacks by fungi are considerably more damaging in a wet enviroment. Actual­ ly all the fungi known to be pathogenic on bentgrass can be and are active under these environmental conditions. The most commonly devastating are the genera of Sclerotinia, Corticium, Fusarium, Gloeocercospora, and Hel- minthosporium. 1. In order to cope with attacks by these fungi, the turf specialist must recognize the various symptoms, be familial* with chemical control pro­ cedures and apply fungicides as needed. An adequate preventive fung­ icide program is as important during this period as any other season of the year. 2. Drainage, both surface and sub­ surface, is paramount. If drainage is not adequate, steps must be taken to insure it. 3. The soil must contain adequate 7 oxygen (air) to allow proper physio­ logical root and biological activities. The soil also must be sufficiently “loose” so the root exploration and growth are not impeded. If the soil is “tight” and compacted it must be loosened. Many tilling tools are avail­ able for this purpose. 4. An excess of organic matter (mat-thatch-grain) encourages dis­ ease development, so it must be avoided. If excess material is present, it can be removed through mechanical means and by encouraging biological activity. 5. Nutrient levels should be bal­ anced and adequate. Soil tests are usually required every 2 to 5 years. These are helpful in determining prop­ er fertilizer programs. An excess, dearth or imbalance of plant nutrients can encourage disease activity. 6. Check constantly to assure that bentgrass turf areas are not being overwatered. This is a common mis­ take and encourages disease activity. 7. Tree root competition and shade weaken turf and predispose it to the ravages of parasitic fungi. If it can be determined that trees are a factor in the disease syndrome, corrections should be made. B. Nematodes: The spring season or just when roots have initiated vigor­ ous growth is the time to attack the nematodes. Both wet and dry environ­ mental conditions are included here. 1. Presence of parasitic nematodes must first be established, then the estimated number. Obviously, nothing should be done if there are no para­ sites present. Extract pint soil sam­ ples from the entire area in question. A Vz-inch soil corer is excellent for this purpose. Take cores to a depth of 4 to 5 inches. Mail or take them immediately to a qualified nematolo- gist (most land grant colleges now employ such men) and have him re­ port the counts of parasites present. If a sufficiently large population is detected, it is suggested that test areas of 200 to 500 square feet be established as follows: a. Aerate soil. b. Apply V2 the recommended rate of nematocide. Nematocides currently in use are: Fumazone, Nemagon, and VC-13. c. Water-in deeply and thoroughly. d. In 1 week to 10 days apply the re­ maining dose. Water-in thoroughly. The following fall and again the following spring extract soil samples from the treated areas and from ad­ jacent non-treated areas. Submit these samples to the nematologist in order to determine degree of control. Also, maintain a visual check to de­ termine any continuous improvement in treated areas. If control is evident, treat entire areas. 2. The first indication of nematode- infested grass could be considered as lethargic turf or that which remained consistently diseased and “poorly” re­ gardless of the maintenance programs followed. It is likely that nematodes are responsible for considerably more troubles in turf maintenance than at­ tributed to them. C. Man: Many items in the disease checklist which appear on the detri­ mental side of the ledger can be at­ tributed to men. Examples are: 1. Dull mowing equipment. Mis­ handling of machinery and careless behavior by workmen fall into this category. Scalping is the first thing that comes to mind; surely everyone recognizes the weakening or damage to turf which results from scalping. The use of equipment in the wrong place follows as a close second. If a superintendent wishes to maintain fine bentgrass (or Poa annua) tees, 8 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD he had best keep his fairway mowers on the fairways. During periods of stress all heavy equipment should be kept off the greens except in cases of absolute necessity. 2. Excessive play, especially dur­ ing periods of surplus moisture, en­ courages disease activity. However, it is your problem as to just what you are going to do about it. IV. SEASON: COOL TO WARM-DRY A. Fungi: Potential damage as a re­ sult of fungi activity is considerably decreased during periods of dry weather as stated under the Cold- Fungi-Dry heading. Here again, though, one cannot be absolutely cer­ tain that dry conditions will continue indefinitely. Therefore, the checklist specifies that all necessary precau­ tions should be followed, regardless. 1. If the superintendent is careful not to overwater greens and tees dur­ ing periods of drought, he may be­ come careless about applying fung­ icides. However, the exception to the rule is the evidence of Helminthospor- ium. This particular fungus is fre­ quently damaging on high, dry areas. Therefore, a word of caution—do not become complacent when dealing with these “chlorophyll-less” plants. B. Nematodes and Men are going to behave about the same whether it is dry or wet under conditions of golf course management. V. SEASON: WARM TO HOT-WET This includes the hot months when stress to turf is most severe. A. Fungi: As higher temperatures and excess moisture encourage devel­ opment of fungi and discourage de­ velopment of bentgrass, all known precautions must be taken to insure healthy, vigorously growing turf and to discourage development of fungi. 1. As previously stated, if adequate surface and sub-surface drainage is not assured, this condition must be corrected. Adequate drainage is of paramount importance. 2. Be familiar with both the fungi known to be damaging at this time of year (which includes practically all of the fungi known to be para­ sitic on grass) and the chemical con­ trol means for these fungi. An ade­ quate supply of fungicides must be on hand. 3. Follow a regular preventive fun­ gicide program during these periods of stress. 4. All maintenance practices be­ come more exacting at these times. Errors in judgment or mishandling of chemicals and equipment are com­ pounded. 5. Major improvement or major change should not be made at this time (with the exception of improving drainage if it is apparent that this must be done). Maintenance practices should be designed primarily to keep turf growing in as healthy condition as possible. 6. If it is apparent that disease activity is gaining the upper hand, obtain the services of an authority on turf diseases. B. Nematodes: 1. Samples can be taken at this time of year in order to determine the degree of infestation if there is reason to believe parasitic nematodes are active. However, to the best of our knowledge at the present time, treatment should be delayed until the following spring. C. Man: 1. Workmen should be made aware that turf is in its most susceptible stage during hot-wet periods. They should be taught to operate accord­ ingly. VI. SEASON: WARM TO HOT-DRY A. Fungi-Nematodes-Man: All three NOVEMBER, 1963 9 of the factors are included here as the checklists for both wet and dry and should be the same when the weather is hot. Of course, the super­ intendent can become somewhat less careful when the weather is dry. VII. THE ENTIRE SEASON The entire picture is considered here. There are certain things the su­ perintendent should checklist and be cognizant of throughout the year, such as: 1. Equipment must be constantly in good, dependable, working order. For example, if the spray machine used to treat greens were to break down on the Fourth of July, it must be either repaired or replaced immediate­ ly. Therefore, parts which experience indicates are subject to breakage should be stocked. 2. The work force should be trained and kept constantly aware of its role in the over-all course maintenance picture, especially when adversity comes. 3. An adequate supply of pesticides should be on hand, as well as neces­ sary spare parts. 4. A friendly, understanding rela­ tionship should be maintained be­ tween members (players) and the su­ perintendent. Obviously, such a rela­ tionship will be extremely helpful to both players and superintendent, if adversity does come. 5. Keep a constant check for signs of turf weakness or symptoms of di­ sease activity. If it becomes obvious that a specific area regularly shows disease symptoms, the source should be determined and a plan for cor­ rection formulated and carried to completion. 6. Specifically staying on top of the job and the use of good common sense begins and ends all checklists. We have been discussing primarily bentgrass tees and greens. However, many clubs reached such a high level of turf maintenance that bentgrass fairways are receiving similar treat­ ment. The practice of applying fung­ icides to fairway areas and in gen­ eral following similar programs as for greens is increasing. If one ex­ pects to maintain bentgrass—Poa an­ nua turf in the fine condition expected by many, it is becoming apparent that these extra steps are necessary. COMING EVENTS December 2-4 Oklahoma Turfgrass Conference Oklahoma State University Stillwater, Oklahoma December 9-11 Turfgrass Conference Texas A&M University College Station, Texas January 6-7, 1964 Turfgrass Conference Mld-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Supts. & University of Maryland Lord Baltimore Hotel Baltimore, Maryland January 8-9, 1964 Turfgrass Conference Nebraska Center for Continuing Education University of Nebraska Lincoln, Nebraska January 14-15, 1964 Virginia Turf Conference John Marshall Hotel Richmond, Virginia January 24, 1964 United States Golf Association Green Section Educational Turf Conference Biltmore Hotel New York City, N. Y. February 10-14, 1964 GCSAA’s International Turfgrass Conference and Show Philadelphia Sheraton Hotel Philadelphia, Pennsylvania February 24-25, 1964 Southern Turfgrass Conference Memphis, Tennessee February 24-27, 1964 Turfgrass Conference Cornell University Ithaca, New York 10 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Soil Testing Service Offered by Green Section The Green Section of the United States Golf Association is now providing a soil testing service for USGA Member Clubs. The service con­ sists of laboratory studies of sands, soils, and organic materials, the syn­ thesis of trial mixtures, and recom­ mendation of a suitable mixture for putting green construction. A com­ plete study and recommendation of this kind will be available for $100. Some clubs may wish to have addi­ tional services performed. After ma­ terials are mixed according to the club’s methods, it may be desirable to have samples of the mixture checked to determine uniformity of the mix. Such samples may be checked at a cost of $25 each. Hydrometer analysis of soils by the Bouyoucous method will be $25 and sieve analysis of sands will be $10 per sample. These laboratory services will be per­ formed by a commercial laboratory under a contractual agreement. The laboratory results will be checked by Green Section staff members before being forwarded to the club. Green Section “Specifications” Greens In September, 1960, the Green Sec­ tion staff produced an article entitled “Specifications for a Method of Put­ ting Green Construction.” This article was based upon a considerable body of research information derived through the study of soil physical properties under putting green conditions. One of the fundamental premises upon which this method of construction is based is a laboratory study of the materials which are to be incorporated in the soil mixture. Without such a study the green cannot conform to the specifications outlined. Many greens have been built from the data obtained from a laboratory study of soils made for a neighboring course. In other words, the XYZ club builds its greens according to the an­ alysis made on the soil materials of the ABC club. Yet there may be con­ siderable differences in the sand, the soil, or the organic material used by the two courses. Because seemingly small differences in soil materials may sometimes produce very signifi­ cant differences in the behavior of a mixture, such practices as “borrowing” a neighbor’s formula can be misleading and may result in a completely unsatis­ factory putting green. It is the firm belief of the Green Section staff that one is better off to use no part of the Green Section speci­ fications unless he intends to follow them precisely. The various com­ ponents are designed to work together with all the other parts. Unless all parts are put together properly, one invites trouble. If any reader is not completely informed about the Green Section specifications, he may acquire a reprint of the article from any Green Section office. What is Needed? A laboratory analysis will require a minimum of one gallon of sand, soil, and organic matter available to your club. If there is a choice of sands, soils, and organic materials, send samples of each together with a note indicating your preference on account of cost, easy accessibility, etc. The laboratory will attempt to use your preferred ma­ terials in the recommended mixture. NOVEMBER, 1963 11 All materials should be packaged securely. Plastic bags inside cardboard cartons or metal cans are satisfactory. Do not put moist soil or sand in a paper bag - it rarely arrives intact. Where to Send? Soil materials should be addressed to: USGA Green Section Southwestern Office Texas A&M University College Station, Texas Time Required Because the Green Section staff members are traveling during a con­ siderable part of the year, please allow at least three weeks for a report on materials submitted for testing. Us­ ually less time will be required, but the analytical procedures require a minimum of one week even when every­ thing works properly the first time. Anticipate your need for analysis suf­ ficiently to allow time for the testing work to be done completely and thor­ oughly, and for Green Section members to study the results before relaying them to you. New Fertilizer Labels Coming Courtesy ASA Form Press News Plant food users in several parts of the country noticed two sets of numbers explaining plant nutrient (plant food) guarantees on their fer­ tilizer bags last spring. The system, called Dual Labeling, is aimed at a gradual change to a uniform method of expressing primary plant nutrients. The present system is a Mixture of elemental and oxide values (N—P2O5 —IGO). The new method will guaran­ tee all nutrients in the elemental form (N—P—K), according to the American Society of Agronomy. With dual labeling, a fertilizer tag with the numbers 5—20—20 may also have a set of numbers like 5—8.7— 16.6. The latter refers to the actual percentage by weight of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium guaran­ teed in fertilizer material. The present oxide system of label­ ing phosphorus and potassium makes percentages of these plant nutrients look higher than they really are, be­ cause it includes the weight of oxygen combined with the elements. The ele­ mental system is more meaningful and accurate and will eliminate some confusion. It will make the method of reporting phosphorus and potassium conform to that of nitrogen, which has long been reported in the element­ al form. A number of universities have started or will soon start reporting soil test results in both elemental and oxide values for phosphorus and po­ tassium. This is part of the education­ al program planned by several uni­ versities, and an example of a nation­ al approach needed from industry and colleges. Simple fertilizer scales will make it easy to convert elemental to oxide values and vice versa. Currently, fertilizer is labeled as required by law in each state. All states require fertilizer manufactur­ ers to print a guaranteed analysis or chemical composition on the fertilizer bag and/or attached tag. In all states the analysis of complete fertilizers is expressed in percentage by weight in the order of N—P2O5—IGO. Inaccuracies Of Present Form Nitrogen is legally expressed on the elemental basis as “total nitrogen” (N). Phosphorus is legally expressed 12 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD on the oxide basis as “available phos­ phoric acid.” This term, phosphoric acid, designates the available “phos­ phorus pentoxide” (P2O5). Potassium also is legally expressed on the oxide basis as “soluble potash.” The term potash designates the soluble “potas­ sium oxide” (K2O). But, in reality, there is no P2O5 or K2O in fertilizers. Phosphorus exists most commonly as monocalcium phos­ phate but also as dicalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, calcium meta­ phosphate or one of the ammonium phosphates. Potassium ordinarily is in the form of potassium chloride or potassium sulfate. The oxide is not the basic function­ al unit from either a physical or chem­ ical standpoint. Furthermore, P2O5 and K2O are not involved in plant nutrition. Plant roots absorb most of their phosphorus in the form of an orthophosphate ion, H2PO4-, and most of their potassium as the elemental potassium ion, K+. Current oxide labeling of phosphor­ us and potassium makes percentages of these two plant nutrients look higher than they are. The chemical compound P2O5 contains 5 oxygen atoms for each 2 phosphorus atoms and has a molecular weight of 141.95 of which only 61.95 parts are actual P. The chemical compound K2O con­ tains 1 oxygen for each 2 potassium atoms and has a molecular weight of 94.2 of which only 78.2 parts are actual K. Oxygen’s weight of 16 there­ fore makes up the difference in weight (see footnote below Table 1). Nutrients cannot be put into fer­ tilizers as N, P, and K elements, but as chemical compounds which are stable. That’s why we do not and can­ not have fertilizers containing 100 percent plant nutrients. But, with the current system of expressing P and K as oxides, high-analysis fertilizers of the future could have an analysis of more than 100 percent of plant nu­ trients (plant food). The important information in a fer­ tilizer guarantee is the actual amount of plant nutrient in the bag. For this purpose the elemental system is best. CONVERSION MADE EASY P2O5—K2O conversion Table in Either Percent or Pounds* This percent or pounds as the Oxide gives This percent or pounds as P and This percent or pounds as K This percent or pounds as the Element gives This percent or pounds as P2O5 and This percent or pounds as K2O 1 5 8 10 12 14 18 20 .83 4.15 6.64 8.30 9.96 11.62 14.94 16.60 * Weight of 1 atom: Phosphorus (P) = 30.975; Potassium (K) = 39.1; 2.29 11.45 18.32 22.90 27.48 32.06 41.23 45.81 0.44 2.18 3.49 4.37 5.24 6.11 7.86 8.73 1 5 8 10 12 14 18 20 Oxygen (O) = 16.0 1.20 6.01 9.62 12.03 14.43 16.84 21.65 24.05 Weight of 1 molecule of the compound: P2O5 K2O 2 phosphorous atoms = = + 5 oxygen atoms 61.95 80.00 141.95 NOVEMBER, 1963 2 potassium atoms +1 oxygen atom = 78.2 = 16.0 94.2 13 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD 40 East 38th Street, New York 16, N. Y TURF TWISTERS SAND LAYER AND ROOTING Question: Most of our putting greens have a thin sand layer about an inch below the surface. The bentgrass roots go only as deep as the sand layer. I have been watering real often. My chairman says I am watering too much. How can I manage these greens and how can I answer my chairman’s criticism? (Indiana) Answer: You do have a serious problem, indeed. It is a tribute to your skill and ability that you kept these greens through the summer. Turf with a shallow root system certainly must be watered frequently. However, it won’t need much water at each application. The real solution to your problem is to break up the layer. We suggest you aerify these greens a couple of times in spring and again in the fall of each year. The layer is so shallow that the machine will penetrate to this depth easily. Then break up the soil cores and mat them in as a topdressing. These operations should be done in cool weather only and at a time when grass is growing rapidly enough to heal the scars quickly. Beginning in the spring, try to extend the period between irri­ gations as much as possible. A little moisture stress sometimes creates a condition conducive to a more profuse root system. As weather warms up you will have to decrease the interval between irrigations. Show your chairman the layer and explain the reason for your frequent irrigation. He’s lucky you kept the greens. We hope he’ll recognize his good fortune. SEEDLINGS AND TRAFFIC Question: When we plant our winter grass on Tifgreen greens, we get a good stand except in the center of the greens where we need it most. The greens are all seeded just alike. Why does this happen? (Arkansas) Answer: ( hances are good that traffic has damaged the young seed­ lings around the normal “cupping area.’’ The cup location always should be moved frequently, but this is especially important when new seedlings are trying to develop. While seedlings are young, we suggest you set that flagstick closer to the edge of the green. You can set it within about 15 feet of the edge of most greens without having an unfair location. Then rotate the position around the outer portion of the green. The center still will get more than its share of the wear.