A Publication on Turf Management by the United States Golf Association September/October 1979 USGA Green Section USGA Green Section RECORD EDITOR: Alexander M. Radko MANAGING EDITOR: Robert Sommers ART EDITOR: Miss Janet Seagle Vol. 17, No. 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1979 GREEN SECTION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: William C. Campbell P.O. Box 465, Huntington, W. Va. 25709 NATIONAL DIRECTOR: Alexander M. Radko United States Golf Association, Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931 • (201) 766-7770 GREEN SECTION AGRONOMISTS AND OFFICES: Northeastern Region: United States Golf Association, Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931 • (201) 766-7770 Stanley J. Zontek, Director William S. Brewer, Jr., Agronomist James T. Snow, Agronomist Mid-Atlantic Region: Suite M, 7124 Forest Hill Avenue, Richmond, Va. 23225 • (804) 272-5553 William G. Buchanan, Director Patrick M. O’Brien, Agronomist Southeastern Region: P.O. Box 4213, Campus Station, Athens, Ga. 30602 • (404) 548-2741 James B. Moncrief, Director Charles B. White, Agronomist North-Central Region: P.O. Box 592, Crystal Lake, Ill. 60014 • (815) 459-3731 Carl H. Schwartzkopf, Director Mid-Continent Region: 17360 Coit Road, Dallas, Tx. 75252 • (214) 783-7125 Dr. Douglas T. Hawes, Director Western Region: Suite 107, 222 Fashion Lane, Tustin, Calif. 92680 • (714) 544-4411 Donald D. Hoos, Director Putting Green Complex by Stanley J. Zontek Putting Greens — Grooming The Surface by James T. Snow Form Follows Function . . . Or Does It? by Paul F. Miller 1979 U.S. Open Some Reflections by Dr. J. Robert Yoder Back ,jurf. Twjsters Cover Cover Photo: The second hole at Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio. ©1979 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 otherwise), 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. GREEN SECTION RECORD (ISSN 0041-5502) is 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 and address changes should be sent to the above address. Articles, photographs, and correspondence relevant to published material should be addressed to: United States Golf Association Green Section, Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931. Second class postage paid at Far Hills, N.J., and other locations. Office of Publication, Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931. Subscriptions $3 a year. Putting Green Complex by STANLEY J. ZONTEK Director, Northeastern Region, USGA Green Section Maintenance of today’s putting green involves more than just the putting surface; it in­ cludes the collar, the approach, and the surrounding rough areas. Bunkers are not included since, by Definition 14, they are separate areas. Each of these areas requires separate mainte­ nance, and yet each one is dependent upon the other. The Collar and Approach In 1974, the USGA Green Section, in its soil specifications for putting green construction, recommended that collar soil and putting green soil be similar. By inclusion, the collar was recognized as an important part of the putting green area and, as such, should receive the same careful preparation during construction and subsequent mainte­ nance. This is not to say that collars on greens not built to USGA specifications should receive less care and mainte­ nance than the putting green. On the contrary, collars actually can determine to some degree the maintenance prac­ tices planned for the putting green themselves .. . especially water manage­ ment. There is no formal definition of a collar in the Rules of Golf. Areas not defined are simply termed, “Through the Green.” In common usage, collars are generally considered to be approxi­ mately a three-foot-wide area of turf­ grass, mowed at an intermediate height between the putting green and fairway. However, as Figures 1 and 2 indicate, collar widths vary. Some clubs prefer broad collars, as shown in Figure 2, while others maintain them relatively narrow, as in Figure 1. The choice is the club’s and is usually determined by the equipment available to maintain these areas economically, the design of the green, and the distance the bunkers are situated away from the putting surface. In the preparation of courses for USGA championships, the collars are 36 inches or less in width. Formidable rough is usually adjacent to the collar so that only well-played shots to each green are rewarded. The Collar and the Rough For most golf courses, a 4- to 5-inch rough immediately adjacent to the col­ lar for regular membership play is too severe. There are compromises in the grass cutting heights for championships and regular play. Some turf managers and club officials believe that collars should be wide in order to ease and speed play. It is possible that just the opposite is true. For example, when a ball rolls over a wide-collared green, as in Figure 2, the ball will tend to continue to roll a greater distance from the putting green surface. Contrast this to the same shot rolling over the green onto a narrow collar (Figure 1) and stopping much more quickly in a normal rough area near the putting surface. The golfer whose ball rolled over the wide collar faces a longer chip shot. The golfer closer to the green should have a better opportunity to play his next shot close to the hole. This could mean fewer strokes and, potentially, speedier play. Narrow collars with more rough around the green also can be better for the grass and easier and more economical to maintain for the golf course superintendent. It simply stands to reason that grass maintained as rough around the green has: 1. Better resistance to wilting. 2. Better resistance to traffic. 3. Better resistance to weed infesta­ tion. 4. Less disease and thus less chemical usage. 5. Better overall vigor and competi­ tion against Poa annua, especially in the cool season grass-growing regions where there is constant competition between Kentucky bluegrass and annual bluegrass. On the collar area, Poa annua is much more competitive than Kentucky bluegrasses, and it tends to dominate. Usually only bentgrasses or perennial ryegrasses compete with the annual bluegrasses in the northern cool season turfgrass areas on collars. By narrowing the collar, the Kentucky bluegrasses will tend to dominate the annual bluegrass in closer proximity to the green. The result is grass that is better, stronger and easier to maintain. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1979 1 Typical Open Championship course set-up. Note penalizing rough just off narrow collar swath of 3 feet. A view of No. 18 at Inverness. It follows that relatively narrow col­ lars with well-maintained rough areas are good for the game and good for the maintenance of the golf course. Collar Maintenance Collars are difficult areas to maintain. In many cases, soils under collars are of a finer texture, containing more silt and clay than the greens mixture. In new construction, collars have often been considered not as important as the putting green itself; therefore, they received less attention in the attempt to save money during construction. In our refined specifications for putting green construction, the USGA Green Section has attempted to correct this notion by recommending that collars be constructed exactly the same as the putting green itself. This is fine for new construction, but many greens, especially on older golf courses, have not been constructed in this manner. This can be an impor­ 2 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Figure 1. tant factor on older greens which have been enlarged onto soil areas that were intended originally to be collar. En­ larging greens in this manner was fairly common because of demands of ever- increasing play on small greens. As a result, unmodified soils which were never intended for anything but collars now have become part of the green. This makes putting green and collar maintenance even more difficult. This all means that the collars on courses with heavier clay-silt soils tend to hold water so tenaciously that very little is available to the grass’s roots. Figure 4 illustrates what can occur. The turf on the green is in excel­ lent condition, but the collars have thoroughly wilted out. This situation is a particular problem in areas of the country where collars containing heavy soil, are compacted, and contain such high percentages of annual bluegrass that, as the photograph shows, they can die quickly. The result is not good in terms of appearance, maintenance or playability. Collars must receive the same, if not more, careful treatment than the putting green. These areas must receive a high level of aeration, topdressing, vertical mowing, spiking, seeding, fertilization, pesticide applications and irrigation. It is a false economy to defer such work to save time and materials. Collars are heavy wear areas that must withstand traffic. Collars are recognized by turf managers as very important to the over­ all appearance and playability of the golf course. They are an integral part of that critical playing area on and around the putting green. Collar Improvement Through Renovation Figures 5 and 6 illustrate one of several approaches to collar improve­ ment. The area is: 1. Stripped and the soil is worked up and modified (if necessary). (Above) By contrast, note wide collar used for the 1979 Masters. The 4th hole at Augusta National Golf Club. (Left) Total maintenance dictates that col­ lars receive almost exactly the treatments prescribed for greens. 1. The area, in this case, has been reseeded; however, other options are to sod or sprig. 3. Thereafter, the area is carefully irrigated and nurtured so that it de­ velops into the type of turf desired. Collar renovation is undertaken for several reasons: to smooth contours, to modify soils to better withstand the stresses of high traffic, to introduce new and stronger grasses, and to elimi­ nate sand buildup areas near bunkers for improvement aesthetically and from the standpoint of maintenance. How Does the Collar Affect the Management of the Putting Green? How often have you seen the entire putting green watered when only the collars needed water? This is especially true today because of the ease with SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1979 3 which water can be applied with auto­ matic irrigation. This is not meant to condemn automatic irrigation; it is merely to state that, because of the ease with which water can be applied, it is very easy to overwater. The follow­ ing problems result from overirrigation. More soil compaction. A shallower, weaker root system. Generally weaker, more succulent turfgrass cover. More traffic injury. More disease. Increased weed infestation, including Poa annua. Soft, soggy turf. If there is one area where labor can be used wisely, it is in hand watering greens and collars. Unless collars have the exact same soil mixture as the putt­ ing green, the water requirements for each will differ. Also, on high spots or areas where sand accumulates, such areas tend to dry and require more water, while low spots tend to be wetter and need much less water. Further, because the usual perimeter irrigation system design will concentrate water in the overlap areas in the center of the greens, collars generally receive less water during irrigation even though they may need it more. There is no irrigation system today that offers a perfect water distribution pattern over the entire putting green and collar area. It is a practical impossibility unless they are hand watered. Therefore, when deciding on how much water to apply, one must be care­ ful to irrigate the drier areas, giving them adequate water without over­ watering the low areas. So long as sur­ face contours are good and internal soil drainage is excellent, there is less likeli­ hood of problems, compared to the more common situations where the soil is heavy, slow-draining and surface con­ tours have pockets. In cases like this, the result is weaker turf, more disease, more weeds and generally a deteriora­ tion of the turf quality in low, wet areas. Is there a way out? It is understandable that more and more golf course superintendents who have this problem are watering collars and greens by hand, not with their auto­ matic system — especially during the heat of the summer. The goal is to apply the right amount of water to that area of the green and collar that needs it the most without overwatering the entire putting green. When a hand­ watering program is followed, signifi­ cantly less water is used, and the turf areas tend to be in better overall con­ dition throughout the season. One useful key in determining correct soil moisture as it relates to a properly maintained green is the type of ball mark made. Deep pits mean a wet, soft green and shallow bruises that don’t leave much of a mark are an indication (Left to right) Collar improvement extends far beyond eventual collar cut. Old Orchard Golf Club, Eatontown, N.J. Figure 4. of the firmer turf we all should be striving for. Putting greens are for putting; they are not meant to be soft, wet landing areas. A golf ball is not entitled to hold the putting surface simply because it hits there. The skill of the golfer should determine whether the ball holds a properly firm green. The putting green should never be irrigated for the purpose of softening it for the convenience of players. The most interesting compromise is where the existing automatic irrigation system has been modified for better water control on collar and approach areas. Because of the different water requirements of green vs. collar, a supplemental pop-up perimeter irriga­ tion system using low-volume and short­ throw sprinkler heads is programmed to water only the collar, approaches, and near rough areas without watering the putting green itself. The goal is to avoid overirrigating the greens with the regular sprinkler heads when only the collars need the water and hand labor is not available to do the job. Conclusion In summary, even though collars are not defined in the Rules of Golf, ap­ proaches and near rough areas around putting greens are an integral part of the area of maintenance and the play of the game. Each area is distinctly different, ranging from narrow to wide grass areas, low to high cut on loose to heavy-fine textured soils. Each grass and soil area is managed somewhat differently, and each is dependent upon the other. The careful turf manager recognizes that these areas are distinctly different in maintenance and management re­ quirements. This is the challenge that faces the contemporary golf course turfgrass manager. New Green Section Staff Member Patrick Michael O’Brien joined the Green Section Staff in May. He received a B.S. degree in biology from Marietta College, Marietta, Ohio, and an M.S. degree in agron­ omy from the University of West Virginia, Morgantown, W. Va. O’Brien was born in Pittsburgh. He has worked at the Lakeview Inn and Country Club, Morgantown, West Virginia. With the Green Section he will work under the direction of William G. Buchanan, Mid-Atlantic Director. Figure 6. PUTTING GREENS Grooming The Surface by JAMES T. SNOW Northeastern Agronomist, USGA Green Section Sometimes it seems that the art of turfgrass management is becoming more and more a science. With a host of insects and diseases to learn about, a large number of turf- grass cultivars to sort out, and many types of fertilizers and pesticides to evaluate, it is easy to understand how golf course superintendents can become absorbed in their efforts to produce turf, rather than to develop a playing surface for golf. Maintenance programs and budgets are sometimes too heavily weighted in favor of production, and little consideration is given to following through on the details which make a beautiful playing surface out of a healthy stand of turf. The putting green is a good example. Only half the battle is won if healthy 6 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD grass is maintained through severe winters and hot summers, attacks of insects and diseases, and the traffic created by thousands of rounds of golf each year. The other half involves con­ stant grooming in order to produce a consistently smooth and true putting surface. The art of turfgrass manage­ ment can be developed to the fullest to achieve finely groomed greens. For­ tunately, many techniques are available to assist the superintendent in this quest. ONE OF THE best techniques for maintaining well-groomed greens happens to be one of the most basic. Greens should be cut frequently with a properly adjusted, sharp mowing unit. This may seem quite obvious, but it is, Effects of frequent grooming are clearly evident when a bentgrass green receives regular attention (above) as compared to one which does not (opposite page). nonetheless, a very common error. To begin with, each cutting unit should be carefully set and then checked routinely to ensure that the proper adjustment is maintained. Although a low cutting height is not essential for producing a well-groomed surface, other methods for reducing thatch and grain buildup will have to be followed more often on greens cut at % inch or higher. Most superintendents who use both triplex and single-unit mowers for greens main­ tenance find that the triplex units must be set about 1/16 inch lower than the single unit mowers in order to produce the same effective cutting height. The greens mower should be in good run­ ning condition, and the rollers and cutting units should be in proper align­ ment. the brushes will show an immediate effect on grainy greens, regular use is necessary for the best long-term results. A comb works in a similar manner. It is simply a bar with rubber teeth, mounted between the front roller and the bed­ knife on the mowing unit. The teeth project into the turf and fluff it up before it is cut. The combs, brushes and Wiehle roll­ ers are all relatively inexpensive and should be used in conjunction with each other and with other grooming techniques. Of the three, the brushes produce the most vigorous action, but they should be used sparingly during hot weather or other stress periods. PERHAPS THE most effective means of grooming the putting sur­ face is through regular vertical mowing, usually referred to as verticutting the greens. It involves the use of specialized mowing units with vertical cutting blades which cut down into the turf surface. This technique is based on the fact that the vertical blades will cut through and remove decumbent blades, thereby producing a smoother, truer surface. The secret of this operation is to set the units so that the blades are very shallow, just nicking the surface of the turf. If you can see the grooves the machine is making, it is cutting too deeply. Many golf course superinten­ dents use 1/16 inch as their guide for this operation. It is recommended that verticutting be done several times a month, if possible, especially during the spring and fall when weather condi­ tions are favorable. Some superinten­ dents verticut as often as once a week, going in two directions each time. An increase in verticutting in recent years is due primarily to the develop­ ment of the triplex putting green mower. Special vertical mowing units can be used on these machines, making this operation easy, fast and convenient. It takes no longer to verticut greens than it does to cut them with standard reel units. Golf courses with two triplex mowers are able to follow up verti­ cutting immediately with regular mow­ ing, producing no inconvenience to the golfers. Courses which prefer to use single unit mowers sometimes purchase a triplex solely for verticutting. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1979 7 The need to maintain sharp edges on the cutting reel blades cannot be over­ emphasized. Dull mowers produce a rough, leafy cut, and putting quality suffers. Cutting reels should be back- lapped several times each month in order to maintain a high-quality cut, especially when greens are topdressed frequently. Bedknives should be re­ placed several times during the season, depending upon the frequency of the aerating, topdressing and mowing pro­ grams. Finally, only a program of frequent mowing will produce the expected con­ sistency in a high-quality putting sur­ face. Mowing three to four times each week is not enough, especially during the peak growing periods. Grass leaves lengthen considerably on days when the greens are not mowed, and the blades then tend to lie over, rather than be cut off cleanly. Leafiness and grain develop under this schedule of infrequent mowing. Most superinten­ dents find that they must mow five to seven times a week for best results. A NUMBER OF accessories are avail­ able for the putting green mower; when they are used routinely, they help reduce or prevent the buildup of grain and excess thatch. The easiest of these to use are the devices which are perma­ nently attached to the mower itself and, therefore, are used each time the greens are mowed. Perhaps the best known is the Wiehle roller, a special grooved roller which is used in place of the traditional solid unit on the front of the mower. This grooved roller has less of a tendency to mat the grass down before it is cut than the solid roller; the result, therefore, is a cleaner and closer cut. Some models have accessory brushes mounted to the frame that project in front of the mower. These brushes, made of wire or thin metal strips, fluff up the turf, especially the prostrate- type growth, before it is mowed. While Vertical mowing units which attach to the triplex are fairly expensive, but they do have other uses; they can be used on tees and collars for grooming or for thatch control. They are some­ times used to develop a good seedbed in overseeding operations, or when renovation is necessary after turf is lost during winter or some other stress period. A discussion of grooming greens would not be complete without men­ tioning the benefits of topdressing. Besides all the biological and chemical factors it contributes to the turf, top­ dressing also plays a major role in the development of a desirable putting sur­ face. Best results are obtained when light quantities of topdressing are applied frequently. Several benefits result from this type of program. First, the grass is forced to grow more up­ right, resulting in a cleaner cut and reduced leafiness and grain. Second, the dragging operation, which usually follows the topdressing application, lifts many of the surface runners which are removed with mowing. The more often the greens are topdressed, there­ fore, the more grooming will occur. A lack of resources to purchase extra equipment or to topdress frequently is no excuse not to groom. Some super­ intendents do an excellent job of con­ trolling grain and leafiness by simply dragging mats across the greens before they are mowed, accomplishing much the same effect as brushes. This is certainly an easy and convenient alter­ native which could be used by any club. The best greens are developed through good agronomic practices which keep the turf consistently healthy and the constant use of grooming techniques which provide smooth, true putting surfaces, regardless of their actual speed. In spite of budget or labor re­ strictions, every club should groom its greens. Priorities may have to be better defined, but the greens, where half the strokes of a par round of golf are allotted, should receive the full atten­ tion of the golf course superintendent and the club. It is always helpful to remember that, despite the problems encountered in growing and maintain­ ing turf, the interests of the golfer in the playing of his game must always be served. Combs, which are attached just behind the front roller, groom the surface each time the greens are mowed. A well-used set of verticutting units is a sign that greens will provide a smooth, true surface. 8 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Figure 1. View of old barn. Form Follows Function... Or Does It? by PAUL F. MILLER, Golf Course Superintendent, Tedesco Country Club, Marblehead, Massachusetts IN COLONIAL America, Boston was selected as the capital city of New England. This choice was prac­ tically destined, for Boston really was, as she came to be called, the “Hub of New England.” With a fine access to the Atlantic Ocean and the overland road­ ways that were developed for moving trade goods to and from the port, Boston was a natural choice as the center for commercial, governmental, social, educational, religious and, as it happened, even revolutionary activity. Just as the communities of Colonial New England grew to be, in many ways, dependent upon the leadership, ser­ vices, and resources available only in or through the city of Boston, the 18 holes of a golf course are controlled even more absolutely (for better or for worse) by the knowledge, skills, ener­ gies, materials, and equipment gathered together and directed from its resources center — the maintenance complex. Granted that this area may be com­ monly — and even with some affection — referred to as the barn, perhaps for the pastoral imagery that such a term implies of a time when life seemed more simple and relaxing. When, however, this barnyard imagery bears a rather close resemblance to reality (see Figure 1), there is little reason to expect that the golf course itself will have advanced much beyond the pasture stage. It probably was quite normal that, for many older golf courses, the first maintenance area was developed around an existing building, which could well have been a barn. But, in a new age when it is not uncommon for a fairway mowing machine to be as costly as a Rolls Royce, it is at least incongruous, if not demoralizing and downright silly, to house and care for valuable and sophisticated equipment in such inade­ quate facilities. That, at any rate, was the conclusion we reached at the Tedesco Country Club. We wanted in particular to make it convenient to properly service even our largest pieces of equipment — our tractors, dump truck, and backhoe. Inadvertently, the care of these machines was being neglected because our service building could not accommodate them. There was also a problem with staff morale, which can be a very big deal, indeed. Maybe in some fantasy world one could be superhuman enough to go SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1979 9 it alone. In the real world we have no choice but to rely on the staff for most of the work that must be done if we are to achieve our objectives. Beyond the present-day difficulties with finding reliable people, training and developing their skills, and keeping them with us in spite of competition from work­ places with inflated labor budgets, there is the further realization that each crew member is an individual, with his own private life and, consequently, his own good days and bad. Standards and discipline we must have, but also it must be the aim of good management to pro­ vide the facilities and work arrange­ ments that will make it possible for the crew to perform smoothly and produc­ tively. Just as we do not make grass grow, we do not make people work, but rather we are concerned with setting up the conditions that will permit the right things to happen. While this is true for all our crew members, it is especially important with the mechanic. We simply must have each and every piece of equipment working perfectly when it is needed. We cannot, then, have the mechanic constantly harrassed by the inade­ quacies of our facilities, frustrated by missing tools or lack of parts, exas­ perated from groping about in a dark and dingy barn. IT WAS THESE kinds of arguments and considerations which led us at Tedesco, well over a year ago, into a (Right) Overall view of new building (fore­ ground) attached to previously existing storage and office building (small building with superintendent’s house in background). project to make whatever improvements a somewhat restrained budget would accommodate. We had been working with a maintenance area developed around two buildings. The first, an unheated storage building, also con­ tained a heated section for office space where on one wall the central control­ lers for our irrigation system were mounted. Adjacent to this cement block structure was a centrally heated wooden building (see Figure 1) which we were forced to use as a service shop, with tool and parts storage, employee racks, bathroom facilities, etc., such as they were. This building had become so obviously inadequate that there was nothing to do but put it (and us) out of its (and our) misery by blowing it up. (Simple demolition was actually done, but this was really being too kind.) Naturally, we had plans worked out for constructing a new shop and service structure as an addition to our basically sound storage and office facilities. The first decision in the evolution of this 10 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD plan, and possibly the most significant, was to charge me, the golf course super­ intendent, with producing a basic line drawing to show our needed dimensions and the categories and layout of desir­ able facilities. The first step was to conduct a thorough space requirement study. We used, for instance, the size of our largest piece of equipment in deter­ mining the needed building depth and doorway dimensions, and we also made allowances for equipment and facility needs that could be anticipated in the future. Having completed this first planning phase, the drawihgs and notes were taken to the green committee chairman for review. This review, the necessity for which is obvious to a certain degree, proved most fruitful for us, because our chairman is a keenly perceptive The advantages of the turn-key pro­ cedure are that a custom design can be achieved without spending a good deal extra on architectural fees, and also without recklessly moving ahead in the absence of necessary engineering services and construction drawings. Although the turn-key procedure has many qualities to recommend it, an enormous amount of careful thought must go into the preliminary plans presented to the contractors interested in bidding on the project. For instance, a number of what might be termed accessory features may easily be over­ looked. To avoid this, we tried to visualize what the entire complex should be like. Such items as land­ scaping, paving and needed interior equipment we knew must be a part of this vision, otherwise, the project might never truly be completed. We found it extremely desirable, too, to solicit suggestions from the people who would ultimately work in and from our new service center. Not only did they contribute directly to the final design, but also for them to be sincerely consulted made them more aware of their importance in the success of this project and in all aspects of our golf course program. In other words, we used this project as another means for developing a kind of team spirit which we were confident would have a positive impact upon the attitudes and produc­ tivity of the entire crew. In giving this due consideration to our most impor­ tant assets — our employees — we incorporated such facilities as a lunch room with a stove, cabinets and a refrigerator (Figure 3). The total cost of this sort of customizing? — a mere 1.5 percent of the total construction bill. The bottom line on all of this may be impossible to measure, but having worked in this building for only four months, I am positively convinced that it was all worthwhile and that the morale of the crew and the quality of their work has already vastly improved. So, for those who believe that they cannot afford a new maintenance com­ plex, I would say that, on the basis of our experiences in bringing in a new 32 foot by 94 foot service center for $68,000, it just may be that you cannot afford to remain shackled to your outdated one. It is inspiring to become involved in this kind of project, to see others involved, and to see that tired old barn transformed into the sort of facility (Figures 2 & 4) that really can function as the hub of the golf course. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1979 11 Figure 3. (Above) View of new, well-equipped employee lunch area (air-conditioning, music, bulletin board, good light, sink, stove, refrigerator, space for hanging garments, etc.). individual who added a number of important new suggestions to the proj­ ect. In any event, a review process is definitely needed, for we all tend to see with tunnel vision on projects particu­ larly near and dear to us. THE NEXT MOVE was to bring in another club member, a man with considerable construction experience and knowledge. He spotted several potential construction problems and explained various structural standards to which our new building must conform. Fur­ thermore, he recommended that the facility be built on a turn-key basis. Under this procedure, contractors are invited to submit project bids on the basis of desired dimensions and sup­ plied line drawings. Upon being awarded the contract, the winning firm is obli­ gated to provide an engineer’s plan of the building drawn to scale and in com­ pliance with applicable building codes. ness less than six inches deep to avoid our in-ground hydraulic tube controls for the irrigation system. At that time, the telephone lines to each green and mid-fairway landing area were also installed. Because ABC, which did the telecast, set up three separate control areas, it was necessary to run power lines to the three separate areas. We were fortunate to be able to reach those areas by overland power lines around the perimeter of the course. With transite pipe in primary use for our irrigation system, we stressed immediately that no heavy cranes or equipment would be allowed over our main water supply line and that all No stakes should be driven without direct approval of a groundsman familiar with the irrigation system. 1979 U.S. OPEN Some Reflections by DR. J. ROBERT YODER Green Committee Chairman, Inverness Club, Toledo, Ohio A detailed map of the golf course, showing all underground installation, such as irrigation systems, power lines, drain tiles, must be available. Repro­ ductions should be given to the com­ mand personnel of television, bleacher installation, and to the concessionaire. Organizational meetings with the tele­ vision company should be carried out in early summer the year before the Open so that they can lay out their requirements for underground coaxial cables and telephone lines. Six to eight weeks’ delay is inherent for delivery of the coaxial cable. In September, the majority of the cable was carefully installed at Inver­ OUR SUPERINTENDENT, Wil­ bert Waters, said it best: “Com­ pared to this one, the 1957 Open Cham­ pionship was a breeze! Today, it’s not easy to keep up with the everyday problems which arise as a result of the vehicle traffic, the needs of all the people involved in the event while thousands of spectators are on the course, and the National Open Cham­ pionship is in progress.” Some of the problems in preparation for the 1979 Open were unique to Inverness. The primary problem was construction of four new holes, which required a vast amount of additional time and effort on the part of the grounds superintendent and crew; hence, it was impossible to give the remainder of the course the attention it usually receives. Two years is proba­ bly too short an interval between con­ struction and a major competition. More time is needed for the grass and the trees on the new holes to mature. For the Open Championship, fair­ way lines are altered to conform with the degree of difficulty of play on each hole. In my view, it is necessary to narrow the bentgrass fairways to cham­ pionship width as early as possible in order to obtain more uniform rough in the areas formerly designated as fairways. Bentgrasses grow slowly, and Poa annua, when it is first allowed to grow to rough height, produces an extremely tangled pattern. I believe that this narrowing of fairways should be done in the spring of the previous year, instead of in the early fall, to allow careful nurturing of the grass in this difficult area. I feel the primary rough should be brought to a height of four inches as soon as possible, and held there by mowing with rotary-type riding mowers. We found we had in­ sufficient rotary mower capability until just before the Open, when a major manufacturer of mowing equipment lent us several units. 12 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD (Above) Preparing the course is easy com­ pared to accommodating large vehicle and trailer traffic for a major championship. A view of the ABC TV area at Inverness. (Left) The author and groundsman Michael Strantz, right, attending to appropriate signs. moves by heavy equipment could only occur with direct supervision of a repre­ sentative of the grounds department or the subcommittee of grounds and tele­ vision. We recommend this procedure highly. We should state that we had the full cooperation of ABC personnel. No tree trimming was allowed during the placement of TV towers or other equip­ ment without grounds committee ap­ proval. Additionally, a member of the grounds committee who knew the location of the underground installa­ tions watched while the course was roped for gallery control. No stakes were allowed to be driven into the ground or moved during the champion­ ship by marshals or other personnel without the direct approval of our groundsman. It is also important to define respon­ sibility for the evening trash pickup before the tournament. We found that two ground crews, using small open­ body trucks, could quickly pick up the filled and tied plastic bags, which were removed from the trash boxes by the Boy Scouts. It would help if the ecology committee could draw up a map showing sites of the trash con­ tainers so that all areas can be cleared each evening. An additional item under grounds and ecology would be to not allow the concessionaire to use pull-tab beer or soft drink cans. In conclusion, be prepared to cope with many small but critical problems during each day of the championship. It is inevitable, and despite the best organization and planning procedures, something will go wrong. As our Wilbert Waters said, “Preparing the course was the easy part of it all.” Editor’s note: Indeed, the overall course condition was excellent — greens in par­ ticular were superb, and for most of the championship their speed averaged 10 feet 3 inches using the USGA’s Stimpmeter. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1979 13 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1979 TURF TWISTERS A PITCH Question: What is the maximum recommended slope or pitch that can be designed into a putting green for good surface drainage and for fairness in putting? (New York) Answer: Generally, the maximum recommended slope is 3 percent. This is not to say, however, that some fine and challenging greens do not have slopes that exceed 3 percent. There are always exceptions to every rule, and there are those who will defend greens exceeding 3 percent to the very end . . . that’s what makes the 19th hole so interesting! AND PEARLS Question: Ground pearls have been reported to be a problem in some states. What are they and have they ever been found in our state? (Oklahoma) Answer: Yes, they were first reported on a home lawn in Oklahoma in the summer of 1977. The ground pearl is a soil-inhabiting scale insect enclosed in a hard, round shell measuring about 0.13 inch that very much resembles a tiny pearl. Ground pearls feed on grass roots. Heavy infestations cause the grass to turn brown and die in irregular spots. Control can sometimes be very difficult. Check with your Agricultural Experiment Station or the College of Agriculture at Oklahoma State University for recommended insecticides for control of this pest. FOR THE PESTICIDE SAFETY NETWORK Question: Do you have any information on the Pesticide Safety Team Network? (Connecticut) Answer: Yes. Chemical manufacturers have established the Pesticide Safety Team Network, which includes a 24-hour toll-free phone number. The number is 800- 424-9300. The PSTN also has trained teams available to help with the clean-up and disposal of spilled pesticides.