r i USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD A Publication on Turf Management by the United States Golf Association USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD A Publication on Turf Management by the United States Golf Association ©1976 by United States Golf Association Permission to reproduce articles or material in the USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD is granted to publishers of newspapers and periodicals (unless specifically noted other­ wise), provided credit is given the USGA and copyright protection is afforded To reprint material in other media, written permission must be obtained from the USGA. In any case, neither articles nor other material may be copied or used for any advertising, promotion or commercial purposes. VOL. 14, No. 1 JANUARY 1976 The 150-Yard Marker by Stanley J. Zontek..................................... 1 Selecting the Right Nitrogen by A.J. Powell and J.S. Shoulders .. 5 “The Last Man Hired” by Tom Mascaro............................................ 8 Drainage—So Easy It’s Difficult by William H. Bengeyfield....... 11 Turf Twisters.........................................................................Back Cover Published six times a year in January, March, May, July, September and November by the UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION, Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931. Subscriptions: $2 a year. Single copies: 35c. 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, Suite 107, 222 Fashion Lane, Tustin, Calif. 92680. Second class postage paid at Far Hills, N.J. and other locations. Office of Publications, Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931 Cover Simple yet effective artificial marker. Editor: William H. Bengeyfield Managing Editor: Robert Sommers Art Editor: Miss Janet Seagle Green Section Committee Chairman: John L. Crist, Jr., 1850 E. Third St. (Box 4527) Charlotte. N.C. 28204 Green Section Agronomists and Offices EASTERN REGION P.O. Box 1237 Highland Park, N.J. 08904 Alexander M. Radko, Director, Eastern Region and National Research Director William G. Buchanan, Eastern Agronomist Stanley J. Zontek, Eastern Agronomist (201)572-0440 SOUTHERN REGION P.O. Box 4213 Campus Station, Athens, Ga. 30601 James B. Moncrief, Director, Southern Region (404) LI 8-2741 MID-CONTINENT REGION P.O. Box 592, Crystal Lake, III. 60014 F. Lee Record, Director, Mid-Continent Region Carl Schwartzkopf, Mid-Continent Agronomist (815) 459-3731 MID-ATLANTIC REGION P.O. Box 5563 Barracks Road Center, Charlottesville, Va. 22903 Holman M. Griffin, Mid-Atlantic Director (804)973-8400 WESTERN REGION Suite 107 222 Fashion Lane Tustin, Calif. 92680 William H. Bengeyfield, Western Director and Publications Editor (714) 544-4411 The 150-Yard Marker Figure 1. Low-growing evergreen shrub-type marker set near the fair­ way. STANLEY J. ZONTEK, Eastern Agronomist, USGA Green Section Golfers are always looking for an edge to improve their game. They like to have the latest equipment and the knowledge of the distance to the green from certain landmarks. Perhaps one of the most difficult decisions to make on a golf course (next to the size of the bet) is 'what club to use for the shot to the green. Not everyone is a good judge of distance, es­ pecially on a strange course that could be decep­ tively long or short, depending upon the terrain. So, one usually asks his caddie or partner for advice. These fellows know the course and should be able to help in club selection. Such information is fine if it is accurate. I’m certain almost everyone has played a course where he has been either well or poorly clubbed. Undoubtedly, this measurably helped or hurt your score. What happens when caddies are not well trained or simply are no longer available for advice and yard­ ages? This is becoming the case more and more with increasing use of powered golf cars. You can always legally ask your partner for such advice (but not your opponent or your opponent’s caddie, if he has one) or you could search out any established yardage markers that might exist on the hole. More and more, the latter alternative grows in popularity. THE FIXED YARDAGE MARKERS The USGA at one time was opposed to estab­ lished yardage markers intended to indicate dis­ tances from the fairway to the green. Today the USGA has no objection, except that if the markers are not natural (trees, shrubs, sand bunkers, mounds, etc.), the USGA may ask for their removal if any USGA tournament is to be held at the course. For whatever reason, yardage markers set 150 yards from the center of the green have become the arbitrary standard. The following illustrations repre­ sent some of the 150-yard markers that we have seen. None of these are recommended by us, nor will they find use on every golf course. After all, there is no substitute for individuality. In fact, such illus­ trated yardage markers only serve to tickle one’s imagination on how to best accomplish the same end. They could even be used to add a little unique­ ness to the course besides helping to speed play (??!) and helping guests puzzle out an unfamiliar course. NATURAL MARKERS Figure 1 (Rhode Island CO, West Barrington, R.l.) illustrates a type of low-growing evergreen shrub that is planted in the rough on one or both sides of the fairway to show yardage to the green. The natural markers have the advantage of being perma­ nent, looking part of the course landscaping, and being almost vandal-proof. If the plant species is carefully chosen and placed well in the rough for the larger growing ones, such markers can even add to the aesthetics of the golf hole and indeed the whole course. This is especially true when the more unusual colored and foliaged or flowering varieties are used. In the Northeast, any number of ornamental trees or shrubs could be used: 1) Betula papyrifera— Paper Birch or other Birch species. 2) Acer species like the Crimson King Maple variety. 3) Cornus Florida—Flowering dogwood, or JANUARY 1976 1 Figure 2. Larger evergreen shrub marker set well off the fairway. other dogwood species. 11) Pinus mugo mughus— Mugho pine, or other 4) Ilex opaca—American holly, or other holly pine species. hybrids or species. 5) Taxus cuspidata— Upright Japanese yew. Taxus cuspidata nana— Dwarf Japanese yew, or other yew species. 6) Picea pungens glauca—B\ue Colorado spruce. Picea pungens gtauca compacta—Dwarf blue Colorado spruce. Picea glauca—White spruce. Picea abies pendula— Weeping Norway spruce, or other spruce species. 7) Tsuga canadensis— Canada hemlock, or other hemlock species. 8) Juniperus species—Especially the low- growing varieties. 9) Azalea species—Many different ones avail­ able. These are only a few examples of plant materials available through local nurserymen. Additional sug­ gestions may be obtained from your local County Agent. This does not preclude the use of other plant materials that might suit the purpose. Individual choices however, are often limited by the region of adaptation for the various plants, membership likes and dislikes, finances, and even the imagination of the people planting the project. Figure 2 (St. Davids Golf Club, Wayne, Pa.) shows another species of evergreen that serves the same purpose ... i.e., indicating a set yardage to the putting green. Note that it was planted some dis­ tance off the fairway in the rough so that the shrub can grow unrestricted and have little affect on play except for poorly directed shots that should be penalized anyway. 10) Thuja species—Various arborvitae available. Figure 3 illustrates a similar type of large shrub Figure 3. Marker type and placement must be well considered so mainte­ nance and play are little affected. 2 Figure 5. Imbedded type fairway marker. Figure 6. Easily movable and replaceable artificial marker. yard point ... which is arbitrary anyway. The sprinkler heads could be trimmed and distinctively painted so they will stand out. Figure 6 (from the Briar Hall Golf and Country Club, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.) illustrates another ar­ tificial and inexpensive fairway yardage marker. It is simply a brightly colored pipe resting in another Figure 7. Inexpensive yet effective wooden yardage marker. situation except this particular shrub could cause a problem for play from the bunker, especially as it continues to grow in the future. When such naturally growing and spreading materials are used be sure they are either continually trimmed to maintain a small size (as in the case of Figure 1) or placed deep enough into the rough so when they do enlarge they will little affect play (as in the case of Figure 2). ARTIFICIAL YARDAGE MARKERS On many courses we have seen non-living yar­ dage markers used to good advantage. They do not have the problem of growing or dying, are usually less expensive, and can be easily removed and replaced as the need dictates. However, this type of marker can be made so attractive as to be vandal and theft-prone unless it is very well secured. Cover photograph (Blind Brook Club, Port Chester, N.Y.) illustrates a simple, good looking marker that shows exactly what it is ... placed 150 yards from the center of the green. In the case of this particular marker, it is simply stuck in the ground and easily movable for mowing equipment and play. Figure 5 (Old Oaks Country Club, Purchase, N.Y.) shows another type of marker that is simply imbed­ ded in the center of the fairway 150 yards from the green. Because it lies flat, its effect on play and maintenance is minimal. Similarly, center row fairway irrigation heads could also serve this same purpose because they are usually uniformly placed out from the green, but not necessarily at exactly the 150- JANUARY1976 hole for even a more complete aid in determining yardage to the green. Figure 9 illustrates another alternative that could be used on a score card to aid the golfer in deter­ mining yardage and thus what club to select. As in the above method, it involves no on-course plan­ nings or artificial markers but does require a redesign of the existing score card to include a map of the course layout. As the illustration shows, this map includes arcs from prominent hole landmarks listing the appropriate yardages to the green. Such a map can also aid the flow of play if the golf course is often used by many unfamiliar with it. SUMMARY This article is an attempt to update the situation on the usage of yardage markers on the course, if in­ deed the club feels they want to use them, and, ad­ mittedly many do not. It has also included some ex­ amples with associated pros and cons of the various types of markers seen in our visits to Green Section Turfgrass Service subscribing clubs. These exam­ ples and illustrations are by no means complete as this is usually a function of the tradition, industrious­ ness, imagination, and ingenuity of the course and the individuals involved with the project. By having a better idea as to the specific yard­ age, all the golfer now has to do is to hit the ball properly ... and, “therein lies the rub.” Figure 9. Score card designed with the layout of the course and each hole’s de­ sign with respective yardages from pro­ minent hole landmarks to the green. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 SOMERSET HILLS COUNTRY CLUB GOLF COURSE DISTANCE CHART Hole Point of Measurement to Center of Green Yards 1 Center of First Left Hand Trap.................. 222 Big Cherry Tree on Left............................. 125 3 Front of Trap Left Fairway........................ 145 4 End of Dolomites on Left........................... 176 Middle Fairway Bunker & Mound............. 84 5 End of Mound on Right............................. 131 6 Back of Racetrack Dip............................. 192 Last Dogwood on Right............................. 121 7 Furthest Dogwood on Left......................... 215 Middle of Trap Left Fairway...................... 161 9 Lone Cedar Tree on Right......................... 140 10 First Maple Tree on Left Opposite Bunker 204 Tall Tulip Tree on Left............................. 77 11 Direction Flag............................................. 170 Brook .......................................................... 115 13 Large Oak in Clump of Trees on Right . . . 150 14 First Pine Tree on Right........................... 166 15 Front of Road............................................. 141 17 Last Spruce Tree in Left Rough................ 170 18 First Old Apple Tree on Right..................... 164 Front End of Bunker, Left Fairway........... 116 Figure 8. Separate card with yardages to the green from prominent hole landmarks. larger diametered pipe sunk into the soil 150 yards from the green. This arrangement facilitates the marker’s movement during maintenance or play and also assures that the distance will not be changed when the marker is replaced. Figure 7 shows another inexpensive yet effective 150-yard marker (that is used at the Old Orchard Country Club, Eatontown, N.J.). This marker is a 4 x 4 piece of wood painted other than white so it is not confused with out-of-bounds markers and labeled with the appropriate yardage and placed in the rough along the fairway. OTHER ALTERNATIVES TO YARDAGE MARKERS The question can be asked ... “Why indeed does the course need such markers that can be rather ex­ pensive to purchase, install, maintain, replace through vandalism, theft, or plant death?’’ We have seen several cases where the same end is ac­ complished by other means. Figure 8 shows how a club (Somerset Hills Coun­ try Club, Bernardsville, N.J.) simply printed a sepa­ rate card with yardages on it to be used in conjunc­ tion with the regular score card. This supplementary card uses already existing and prominent course landmarks, like mounds, trees, sand bunkers, brooks, etc. ... to accomplish the same as a yar­ dage marker installation program. The only cost is in the card itself. The card also has the advantages of listing two or perhaps more points of reference per 4 cost? Bo.n Potent ReSi°'Ua'«esPOn i? flower Pick up* o "°ose? Selecting the Right Nitrogen _ A3™ by A. J. POWELL and J F. SHOULDERS, Turfgrass Extension Specialists V.P.I. and S.U., Blacksburg, Va. o /CaWon Questions about nitrogen fertilizers are easy to ask, but the world needs answers. Shortages and in­ creased costs have now made us fully aware of the importance and dependence of nitrogen in our turf management programs. It is necessary for the organ­ ic chemist to completely understand N fertilizer be­ fore he can effectively and safely grow quality turf. Certainly nitrogen is the TNT of turf management. Many turf superintendents are presently purchas­ ing specialty turf fertilizers with which they are not totally familiar. Results have often been less than de­ sirable. Burn, streaking, lush turf, hungry turf and mower pick-up have been encountered. What does one do about these problems? Should he switch to another fertilizer, or maybe go back to the one he previously used? Regardless of what fertilizers you may have in your storage area, they can be used. Your main problem is understanding how to use them; where to fit them in your management program. Nitrogen fer­ tilizers have generally been classified into catego­ ries concerning their origins: e.g. chemical (syn­ thetic) or organic (natural). Of much greater value is their classification according to their nitrogen re­ lease rate. As a general rule, the following classes can be defined: Not only should one understand the nitrogen release properties, but when using a fertilizer-pesticide combination he must also completely understand the pesticide properties and safety requirements. Among other things, serious burn and overlap problems can develop. To maintain superior color and quality throughout winter, nitrogen must be made available to the turf during the fall and winter seasons. The only difference in these plots was that the turf on the right received two addi­ tional applications of nitrogen in November and December; picture taken in January. Fast release—These include the chemical nitrogen fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate, calcium nitrate, ammonium sulphate, etc. Turf is ex­ pected to respond within two days to a week after application. Although residual response depends greatly upon soil texture, rate of plant uptake, and water movement through the soil, the response would likely be greatest within the first two to four weeks. Intermediate—These have mainly included the natural organics. The nitrogen becomes available within a few days after application and continues to release N for one to two months. Slow release—These have mainly included the 38 per cent urea-formaldehyde fertilizers; those with a low (1.3: 1) urea to formaldehyde ratio. Nitrogen becomes available within a few days after applica­ tion and continues to release nitrogen for two or even three years. This classification is simple enough, but where does urea and the new specialty turf fertilizers fit this scheme? First, look at urea. In most all turf situations urea (an organic) should be considered immediately available—very similar to the chemical fertilizers like ammonium nitrate. The wording or representa­ tion on some fertilizer tags still attempt to mislead the customer into thinking that since urea is an or­ ganic, it therefore has a slow release capability. Within a few days after urea application, a natural soil enzyme (urease) helps hydrolize the nitrogen in urea to ammonium. Further natural transformations result in nitrate nitrogen. This total process may only require two or three days. For the past several years, we have been evaluating certain N fertilizers as to their compara­ tive nitrogen release in order to better understand the specialty turf fertilizers. This has been con­ ducted on bentgrass under putting green manage­ ment. The programs have been designed to furnish most of the nitrogen to the turf during fall, winter, and late spring (mid-May to late June). The following are some comparative results of these tests: Fast release—Ammonium nitrate was used as a standard chemical fertilizer and applied during the fall, winter, and late spring in seven applications (8V2# Total N). Generally, this treatment has resulted in superior turf. Intermediate release— Milorganite, a natural or­ ganic, was applied fall, winter, and late spring in six increments (11, #N). Generally, this has resulted in A large slow-release fer­ tilizer pill that stays near the surface can burn and spot a bentgrass green. 6 slightly less color than the ammonium nitrate during the colder seasons. An exception was the 1974-75 winter (unusually mild) in which the natural organic was the superior treatment. Slow release—The 38 per cent urea-for- maldehyde treatment was applied in two increments in September and May (8# Total N). Since previous work and experience with U.F. had shown essentially no residual response during the winter, two applica­ tions of soluble N were added during winter to give 11# total N. Due to the lack of winter response of U.F. two applications of soluble N were added during winter to give 11 # total N. This treatment has also resulted in very acceptable turf quality. Although one would expect a darker green color from this source during the summer months, we actually found almost no differences between any of the programs during the past four summers. In order to assess the response of certain spe­ cialty fertilizers containing less total and differing urea-formaldehydes, we compared the Scotts Pro­ Turf with both the fast and intermediate release pro­ grams. This fertilizer contains a higher urea to for­ maldehyde ratio (2:1); more of its nitrogen is readily available and the water insoluble portion is residual for a shorter period of time. Results from the ProTurf fertilizer have been at least as good as that of the solubles or natural organic. That is, at one to IV2# N/1000 ft.2 this fertilizer can be expected to respond similar to a soluble source of N. At 2# N/1000 ft.2 you can expect a residual response similar to the natural organics as used in the intermediate release program. Commercially available IBDU (isobutylidene diurea) was compared to both the intermediate and slow release programs. Results were best when IBDU was used in multiple applications as was ac­ complished with the intermediate release program. As a result of several applications during the late fall and winter, an obvious winter color response was noted. Nitrogen from IBDU is released by a chemical hydrolysis reaction which certainly could take place (at a reduced rate) during cold weather. When ap­ plied at heavy rates according to the slow release program, it appeared to fully release its nitrogen in about three months. Therefore, when applied in Sep­ tember, the N was dissipated by winter and the spring green-up was very poor. According to this work, it appears that IBDU should be classified “in­ termediate release.” Sulphur coated urea (SCU) is a promising new source of nitrogen with several potentially different release rates. One of the SCU’s tested in this experi­ ment compared very well with U.F. except that it did give a superior winter response. What does this all mean? You can continue to argue and ask questions about which fertilizer is best. If properly used, they can all do about the same job. The solubles and some of the specialty fer­ tilizers will need to be frequently applied at low rates. The natural organics and some of the spe­ cialty materials can be applied somewhat less often and at higher rates. The straight (38%) U.F. fertilizers can be applied least often but with U.F., additional soluble N will be necessary if a late fall or winter response is desired. The highest priority in develop­ ing a nitrogen program is for one to fully understand the expected turf response to the Nitrogen source(s) he intends to use. In order to obtain a color response during cold weather, certain fertilizers such as urea-formaldehyde must be supplements with quickly available N. Note turf color in December after either a urea-formaldehyde (foreground) or ammonium nitrate (back­ ground) treatment. ttThe Last Man Hired” Golf course maintenance has become mechanized. by TOM MASCARO* ould you believe that Debbie Winters helps grow grass for a living?—the kind of grass that beautifies America and keeps people healthy. Deb­ bie works on a golf course. Golf courses have traditionally employed men only in America. This is not true in other parts of the world, but for some reason golf courses in the United States have always had all male maintenance crews. There have been a few exceptions, but these were rarities. For instance, Mildred Corrie became a tractor driver during World War II at the old Wilmington Country Club in Delaware. She moved with the club to its new location, and became the right hand man for Superintendent Gus DeFelice and then with Harry McSIoy, the present golf course su­ perintendent. Mildred is now retired. While on the job, she learned to do virtually everything. She not only drove tractors, she also repaired and kept them mechanically perfect. Gradually she took charge of the course’s maintenance shop and issued work or­ ders to the men. With her deep knowledge and love for growing good grass, Mildred unquestionably qualified to become superintendent of her own course. But she chose not to leave the club. Zelda Baxter of Keokuk, Iowa, became the first woman in the United States to reach full status as a 'Director, Marketing Relations, Safe-T-Lawn, Inc. golf course superintendent in 1954. Her husband was president of the Carthage, III. golf course, across the river from Keokuk. Zelda became familiar with club operations and then her interest turned to grass maintenance. She took over the job of super­ vising the course at Keokuk Country Club in 1959. Chet Mendenhall, Superintendent of Mission Hills C.C., Kansas City, Mo., had a lady assistant named Mrs. Barker and two girls on his work crew in 1959. But these were all unusual cases that were the main topic of conversation at many golf course su­ perintendents meetings. Now this is no longer true. Girls—girls are everywhere! They are driving trac­ tors, wheeling triplex greens mowers, raking traps, washing down equipment, digging ditches, planting trees, spraying—you name it and they can do it. South Florida apparently leads the nation’s golf courses with female maintenance crews. Larry Weber, Superintendent of Inverrary Country Club, Lauderhill, Fla., has had as high as 12, with about five or six still on the payroll. Tom Grondski, Super­ intendent of Ocean Reef courses, has four girls on his crew. Arlin Grant, Superintendent at Innisbrook Country Club, at Tarpon Springs, Fla., had at last count, 22 girls working on his course. Some golf course superintendents, like Otto 8 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Schmeisser at Indian Creek, have daughters who work on the golf course in the summertime. Wood­ lands Country Club, Ft. Lauderdale, has had as high as 25 girls, but with college terms arriving, the crew will stabilize at 11 or 12. Joe Yuzzi, golf course superintendent at Wood­ lands, looks at it this way: “The mere presence of female help on the golf course changes the total en­ vironment. Everything is cleaner and neater. The language is civil and a happier atmosphere prevails. Girls are generally perfectionists—certainly more so than men. They are neater and more careful in their work.’’ Although it may not appear so to the average golfer, maintenance of the grass on greens, tees, fairways and even roughs, is an exacting profession. Extra care is needed to determine the grass’s nutri­ tional requirements, mowing schedules, irrigation and general overall maintenance. Millions of dollars are invested in our South Florida golf courses. Pro­ fessional people are required to protect this invest­ ment, which not only provides wholesome recreation for Florida residents, but is also virtually the back­ bone of the tourist industry. Superintendent Joe Yuzzi goes on to say; “Girls seem to obey orders better than men. They listen carefully to detailed directions and then carry them out to the letter. A ten to twenty thousand dollar green leaves little room for mistakes or shoddy work.” Joe is so pleased with the work that the girls have done he promoted Debbie Winters to an assis­ tant superintendent’s position. As a result, Debbie is now a working assistant directly under Joe. She issues orders, makes decisions on her own in some areas of the operation, and shoots down problems Joe Yuzzi and Debbie Winters, assis­ tant superintendent. before they start. Three male mechanics back her up with a superb preventive equipment maintenance program. How did Debbie get into this line of work? “Just looking for something to do,” she says, “I thought I wanted to be a Physical Education teacher. After completing Broward Junior College I went to Florida Atlantic University. It looked like I was on my way to Superintendent Joe Yuzzi, Woodlands C.C., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla, and his crew. JANUARY 1976 9 Brains, rather than brawn, are now in demand. becoming a professional student. Then, I suddenly lost interest in phys. ed. I heard that Woodlands was hiring girls for golf course work, applied, and got a job on the crew.” As Debbie puts it, “All of a sudden my whole outlook on life changed. I looked forward to each day. I suppose I was out to prove something in life and here was the opportunity of a lifetime. I wanted to do everything. I drove tractors, cut grass, sprayed for insects and diseases—you name it on the golf course and I can do it.” Debbie hails from Charlotte, N.C. She has found her place in the sun, here in Florida. Like many of the other girls I have talked to that have chosen this line of work, Debbie loves the challenge of a male-domi­ nated profession. She enjoys the outdoor work, in any kind of weather. Her work day starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. In the cool of the morning, be­ fore the golfers start banging away, the big grooming jobs are completed without interference. She likes the fact that there is no pressure when you work with nature. Debbie wants to pursue this line of work until she learns it well enough to become a full fledged Golf Course Superintendent. There are, of course, many reasons why girls have chosen this field. Perhaps the biggest reason is that in the last 10 years, golf course maintenance has largely become mechanized. Slow, tedious, back-breaking hand work and walking behind ma­ chines have given way to sophisticated riding equip­ ment. Dragging and lifting heavy hoses to irrigate the grass has been replaced with automatic watering systems. There are few laborers needed on the golf courses. Trained technicians who can operate modern equipment are needed now. Brains, rather than brawn are more in demand, hence this evolution to girl operators. There are other reasons too. “Office jobs cost money,” as one girl put it. “Almost everything I made went back into clothes for the job.” The biggest at­ traction is the money. As Debbie puts it, “I’m already making twice as much as my former teacher.” Golf courses pay well, generally speaking. Opportunities are also good for summertime work, which gives some girls needed extra income to complete their college education. All the girls at Woodlands are single, with the ex­ ception of Gladys Saski. Her job is to groom the play equipment, (ball washers, tee towels, etc.) before play starts. Their ages average in the mid-twenties. The Woodlands Green Committee is also unusual in that it has two women helping make club deci­ sions. As a result, according to Superintendent Yuzzi, Debbie and her girls are well represented in policy matters. When I asked Debbie if she had any hobbies, she smiled sheepishly and said, “I paint.” “Are your preferences portrait, landscape or other areas?” I asked. She looked straight into my eyes and with a broad smile that is much a part of her personality, re­ sponded, “I didn’t mean to imply that I was an artist, I paint houses!” With this Superintendent Joe Yuzzi laughed and said, “They are all originals too—she never gets in­ vited back.” This is the kind of rapport that Yuzzi has developed with his girls and men. My own observations are that it takes a special type of personality to relate to girls in this type of work. Some superintendents have tried female help and it has not worked out for the girls or the club. It also takes a special kind of girl to become suc­ cessful in this line of work. Speaking to the gals who might read this article, “Debbie Winters has it—do you?” Note: This article originally appeared in the South Florida Green, Oct., 1974. 10 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Deep dry wells may be needed for drain points for tile lines. DRAINAGE So Easy It’s Difficult by WILLIAM H. BENGEYFIELD, Western Director, USGA Green Section Secretly, every golf course has its own list of “Botched-up” jobs. Drainage projects must surely be at the top of at least 90 per cent of them! How can a relatively simple tile line installation turn into a dis­ appointing, poorly done, botched-up mess? Maybe it’s because it’s so easy, only a few bother to do it right! Digging a ditch and installing a tile line is not the most exciting job on the golf course. Nevertheless, the proper completion of it is essential to every su­ perintendent’s success. Ask any man on the mainte­ nance crew if he knows how to install a tile drain properly and he’ll probably answer “yes.” Inspect the job two days later and nine out of 10 times it won’t pass muster. The wet, muddy area is still there. The sod is covered with soil or mud or has died from dryness. Often times, golf cars (carts) have pounded it to death or the sod is poorly replaced or the soil below has settled unevenly. Sometimes coarse gravel is used to completely backfill the ditch and it is soon scattered in all directions. Since mowers were never intended as gravel spreaders, the entire golf course shows the results of dull equipment and a poor cut. It’s a tragic scene; seen too often. Solving drainage problems, at least in most cases, is not difficult or complex. Water still runs downhill and the best way to rid an area of it is by good surface drainage. Filling small, low areas with soil or cutting swales for surface drainage of larger ones should never be overlooked. Recontouring the surface offers a long-range, permanent solution to drainage problems. Another way to cure critically wet areas in the summer months at least, (i.e., during the irrigation season) is closer control over the irrigation program. Time after time golfers comment that their course is drier and more playable during the spring, fall and winter months (i.e., the rainy season) than during the JANUARY 1976 11 On a gravel base, the title line is then covered with more gravel. lects, traffic passes and in any number of ways, poor playing conditions result. What can be done to cor­ rect this problem? How are tile lines most effectively installed here? The following check list is offered: 1) Stake out the best location for the line, keep­ ing in mind the need for downhill flow. Too many drainlines are installed on level or even uphill flow patterns. When installing intercept tile lines, i.e., inter­ cepting an underground flow or seepage of water from higher ground, be sure to install the line across or perpendicular to the direc­ tion of the seepage. The line must also be low enough to intercept the flow. 2) At the outflow end of the tile line, be sure the water it carries has some place to go. A tile line should never deadend. It must daylight, connect to another flowing line, dump into a large dry well or in some way insure the movement of water out of the line. Pea gravel covers the coarser material to within two or three inches of the sur­ face. dry, summer season. In many cases, we cause our own drainage problems with poor irrigation control. Rather than installing tile lines, the answer lies in rearranging or reworking the irrigation schedule in areas of perpetual wetness. It will save money in many ways. But what of those areas where drainlines offer the only practical solution? There is not much, but there is a bit more to it than simply opening up a ditch, throwing tile or rock into it and backfilling. French drains, i.e., rock-filled trenches without an actual tile line installed, work fairly well but only in limited circumstances. If an area is chronically wet or if the drainway must handle any volume of water at any time of the year, French drains usually are un­ satisfactory. They easily clog, their efficiency drops to nil and their usefulness soon ends. French drains have limited value. Several years ago, we heard a great deal about slit trenches. These were sort of miniature French drains. They were made with a power chain saw cut­ ting several inches deep into a poorly drained area, usually on a putting surface. The slit was narrow and had to be backfilled with coarse sand or calcine clay. In practice, the chain saw blade usually clog­ ged or plugged rapidly and extensive cutting was impossible. Further, slit trenching was never in­ tended to solve major drainage needs. The tech­ nique has very limited application. This brings us to the final and most effective way of moving water underground; i.e., through a tile line properly installed. Actually, we should think in terms of “tile line systems,” not unlike major river systems of the world. The Mississippi River for example drains the entire central portion of our country. It starts with the smallest rill on the farthest farm in its huge basin. On a golf course, the nitty gritty of good drainage systems lies with moving excess water out of partic­ ular areas affecting play. These are usually found in front of greens, isolated fairway areas, occasionally on tees, frequently in sand bunkers, etc. Water col­ 12 This is easily done with a sod cutter stripping the grown-over sod, removing it and refilling the depression with more medium to coarse sand. Presto! the drainline is now ready to fully function once again. Someone once said, “Common sense and good drainage are the two most important elements in golf course maintenance. If you don’t have enough of Number 1 (common sense), then you had better have that much more of Number 2 (good drainage).” We agree! Good drainage simply cannot be beat when it comes to good turf for good golf. Coarse sand tops off the trench. 3) Dig the drainline ditch eight to 12 inches wide and approximately 18 to 24 inches deep. Keep downhill flow requirements in mind. Move the sod and soil directly to a wheelbarrow or truck. This keeps the job neat. 4) Place at least a 2-inch layer of gravel or coarse rock (3Ainch to 11/2-inches) in the bot­ tom of the ditch. Adjust its depth to insure downhill flow. 5) Using 3- or 4-inch tile, place it carefully on the gravel base. Plastic corrugated perfor­ ated tile is most popular today although any perforated-type drainline material will do. Clay or concrete tile for agricultural pur­ poses is good if joints are spaced about 1/4- inch apart. Cover the upper half of each joint with tarpaper. Before going to step 6, make sure all tile has a downhill pitch and flow is assured. 6) Backfill carefully around the tile and ditch with gravel or coarse rock to within 4 to 6 in­ ches of the surface. 7) Add 2 inches of pea gravel (1/4-inch material) on top of the rock. 8) Finish off to ground level with a medium to coarse sand. Avoid fine sands. 9) Rope off the area if heavy golf car traffic is expected until the fill material becomes stabilized. Tell the fairway mowerman to take it easy in the newly installed drain areas. 10) Do not sod over the drainline. It will be far more effective if it remains “open” to the sur­ face. However, if an extreme or critical con­ dition dictates the need for an immediate grass cover, use only sod with a sand base. Do not seal off the drainline with sod having a heavy clay or silt base. This destroys effec­ tive drainage from the surface. 11) Gradually, the drainline scar will cover over with grass growing from the sides. This is fine. After several years, it may be necessary to re-establish or rejuvenate the drainline. Wafer is used for settling the backfill material. USGA GREEN SECTION JANUARY, 1976 TURF TWISTERS GREAT CONFERENCE Question: Where and when will the next Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Turfgrass Conference and Show be held? (Nevada) Answer: The 47th Annual International Turfgrass Conference and Show will be held at the City Auditorium, Minneapolis, Minn., from February 10 through 13,1976. Nearly $8 million worth of golf course maintenance equipment and services will be viewed by an expected 5,000 conference registrants from throughout the world. The Educational Conference will offer more than 45 hours of educational programs, featuring 65 speakers. Further information is available from GCSAA Headquarters, 1617 St. Andrews Drive, Lawrence, Kans. 66044. SUMMER OR WINTER Question: What’s the difference between summer brown patch (Rhizoctonia solani) and winter brown patch (also Rhizoctonia spp.)? (New Hampshire) Answer: As reported by Dr. Smiley, of Cornell University, apparently only about 40-50° F. WITH EFFICIENCY AND RELIABILITY Question: The last few seasons I’ve had a lot of labor headaches from absenteeism, insubordina­ tion, slow and usually sloppy work. Next season I’m seriously considering acquiring some female labor. Do you have any comments on this subject? (New Jersey) Answer: Where we have seen the work of female employees on golf courses, their work has usually been efficient, neat, conscientious and reliable. The superintendents who are using, or have used, women on the course have generally been most pleased with the quality and quantity of their work. Legally, perhaps you should check with your insurance company for any special regulations under the OSHA standards that may exist for female labor. Also, women have the right, and should receive equal pay for equal work. (For further information, read “The Last Man Hired” in this issue.)