A Publication on Turfgrass Management by the United States Golf Association® November/December 1987 USGA Green Section USGA Green Section RECORD Vol. 25, No. 6 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1987 EDITOR: William H. Bengeyfield MANAGING EDITOR: Robert Sommers ART EDITOR: Diane Chrenko GREEN SECTION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Marion B. Farmer 10633 Kinnard Avenue, Apt. F14 Los Angeles, Calif. 90024 NATIONAL DIRECTOR: William H. Bengeyfield P.O. Box 3375 Tustin, Calif. 92681 (714) 544-4411 GREEN SECTION AGRONOMISTS AND OFFICES: Northeastern Region: United States Golf Association, Golf House Far Hills, N.J. 07931 • (201) 234-2300 James T. Snow, Director Tim P. Moraghan, Agronomist Gary A. Watschke, Agronomist Mid-Atlantic Region: P.O. Box 2105 West Chester, Pa. 19380 • (215) 696-4747 Stanley J. Zontek, Director Southeastern Region: P.O. Box 4213, Campus Station Athens, Ga. 30605 • (404) 548-2741 Patrick M. O’Brien, Director 8908 S.E. Colony Street Hobe Sound, Fla. 33455 John H. Foy, Agronomist • (305) 546-2620 Great Lakes Region: 8727 North Deerwood Drive Brown Deer, Wis. 53209 • (414) 354-2203 James M. Latham, Jr., Director Mid-Continent Region: 300 Sharron Drive, Waco, Texas 76710 • (817) 776-0765 James F. Moore, Director Western Region: P.O. Box 3375 Tustin, Calif. 92681 • (714) 544-4411 Larry W. Gilhuly, Director Cover Photo: Soil compaction and direct turf abrasion are two of the consequences of winter play on greens. 1 Politics, Religion, and Winter Play on Greens by James T. Snow 5 Fairway Countour Mowing by Patrick M. O’Brien 1987: The Season in Review Mid-Atlantic Region by Stanley J. Zontek Northeastern Region by James T. Snow and Gary A. Watschke Great Lakes Region by James M. Latham 10 Southeastern Region by Patrick M. O’Brien and John H. Foy 11 Mid-Continent Region by James F. Moore 12 Western Region by Larry W. Gilhuly Back Cover Turf Twisters ©1987 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 $9 a year. Foreign subscriptions $11 a year. Politics, Religion, and Winter Play on Greens by JAMES T. SNOW Director, Northeastern Region, USGA Green Section IT IS common knowledge that three topics are simply too controversial for polite conversation, and should never be brought up at social functions: politics, religion, and winter play on greens. Not familiar with the last? If not, then you apparently haven’t spent much time at northern golf courses dur­ ing late fall and early winter. Few subjects raise such an emotional response from golf course superinten­ dents and golfers alike. Golfers can become irate at actions restricting their access to regular greens during late fall, winter, and early spring, while super­ intendents are just as unyielding in their view that play should be kept off the greens at those times. Who’s right? As with most topics of this nature, qualifications have to be tacked on to any firm answer. It is safe to say, how­ ever, that winter play can only harm the greens, and in many instances it has a significantly negative impact on the health and playability of the turf during the following golf season. Repercussions of Winter Play It is not hard to understand why many golfers are sometimes skeptical about claims concerning the negative effects of winter play, because to them the turf on greens that have been played through­ out the winter usually appears the same as the turf on greens that have been closed. The effects of winter traffic, however, need not be obvious and dramatic to have significant and long- lasting repercussions. Direct wear injury — Thinning of the turf due to direct wear injury is an obvious and important result of winter traffic. Unlike during the growing sea­ son, when the turf is able to regenerate new leaves and stems to replace injured tissue daily, winter weather completely NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1987 1 halts turf growth; the grass is continually thinned throughout the winter in direct proportion to the amount of traffic. This thinning of the turf canopy can, and often does, encourage the establish­ ment of such weeds as Poa annua, crab­ grass, goosegrass, moss, algae, pearl­ wort, spurge, and other weed pests during the spring and summer. True enough, weeds can indeed be a problem on greens that aren’t subjected to winter play, but winter traffic causes them to be just that much more abundant and diffi­ cult to control. Soil compaction — Soil compaction is a more subtle and perhaps more important consequence of winter traffic. Because of the cold winter temperatures and the lack of active turf growth, the loss of excess soil moisture through evaporation and transpiration is greatly reduced. In addition, frozen sub-surface soils may completely block the move­ ment of excess moisture through the soil profile. During the summer, a very heavy rainfall often creates soil con­ ditions that warrant closing the course for a day or two until the excess moisture is eliminated by way of evaporation, transpiration, and downward percola­ tion through the soil profile. Because these moisture losses are often non­ functional during the winter, saturated soil conditions can persist for weeks or longer. Yet the golfers who can appreci­ ate the need to close the course during the summer are sometimes completely unsympathetic to the same conditions and concerns during the winter. The effects of soil compaction on the health and playability of the turf are insidious at any time, but because wet soils are especially prone to compaction, the likelihood of traffic causing the collapse of good soil structure is of constant concern during the winter. As soil particles are compacted and pushed closer and closer together, the pore space that facilitates drainage and root growth during the summer is gradually lost. As the season finally commences, golfers often complain that these compacted greens are hard. From an agronomic standpoint, turf begins the season in a weakened state, pre­ disposed to a host of summer problems. In addition to the potential for weed encroachment, the turf on greens played during winter tends to wilt more readily during hot weather, and often is more susceptible to a wide array of primary and secondary disease organisms. Effects on playability — With the loss of turf density from direct wear injury and the loss of turf vigor caused by soil compaction, greens played during winter tend to be hard, slow, and bumpy, and they are slower to develop during the spring, compared to greens that are not subjected to winter traffic. Footprint­ ing is often a problem, and golfers tend to complain about the lack of trueness even after several topdressings in the spring. Finally, the effects of compac­ tion on the health of the turf can last to a certain extent for much of the season, making it difficult or impossible to keep the greens as closely cut and intensively groomed as some golfers might desire. Many winter golfers have heard these arguments before and have dismissed them as being the ravings of overpro- tective golf course superintendents and turfgrass scientists. A favorite response is, “I pay plenty to play golf at this club, and I’m going to use the regular greens during the winter. That’s why we pay the superintendent — to fix up the greens in time for spring. Besides, the Let-’Em- Play-Anytime Golf Course down the street lets them play through the winter, and they don’t lose any grass during the summer. Anyway, we only have a few groups that play much during the winter. How much damage can we do?” Factors to Consider On the surface, these comments seem quite valid; after all, everything is a matter of degree. But many factors should be taken into account in develop­ ing a logical policy on winter play. Anticipated traffic — If a single round of golf were played on the course during the winter, most would agree that the potential for serious damage would be nil. Same for ten rounds? How about 100, 500 or 1,000? If the weather is mild and there is little snow, how many more rounds will it add? Where do you draw the line? Soil type — Winter golfers argue that sand-based greens drain well and don’t compact, making them very suitable for winter play at any time. While it is true that sand-based greens don’t suffer from compaction to the extent that older soil-based greens might, it is also true that direct-wear injury is likely to be more severe on sand greens. Turf density can be greatly compromised, and weed encroachment can be a real concern. It is also true that most golf courses in the North do not have good sand-based greens. Obviously, courses with older soil-based greens are especially vulner­ able to both types of winter injury. Specific weather conditions — Though traffic on dormant turf will indeed cause some injury, the weather and soil con­ ditions at the time of play will dictate the type and extent of the damage. Traffic on dry, unfrozen soil will cause the least damage, but this condition is rare during the winter. Frozen soil can cause signifi­ cant wear injury but little soil compac­ tion. Play on wet, unfrozen soil can result in significant soil compaction but less wear injury. Play on a thawing soil (wet on the surface, frozen below) can result in severe soil compaction and wear injury, and should be avoided. Finally, frosted turf is extremely suscep­ tible to direct injury, and play should never be allowed. Grass species — Do you have bent­ grass greens and want to keep them? Then don’t allow winter play. Thinned turf and compacted soil is just what Poa annua is looking for in the spring. Cultural maintenance programs — Winter golfers argue that a good golf course superintendent should be able to fix the damage done during the winter by aerifying, topdressing, overseeding, fertilizing, and irrigating during the early spring. If weed encroachment is a problem, then he should apply herbi­ cides to kill the weeds, and pre-emergent herbicides to prevent the crabgrass and goosegrass from developing. However, 1) it would be a rare case where intensive spring work would completely compen­ sate for the wear injury and soil com­ paction resulting from winter play, 2) chemicals applied to control crabgrass and other weeds have a negative effect (Opposite page) Poa annua has become well established on the front portion of this green that is used for winter play. The rear section, which is blocked off with a snow fence each winter, remains primarily bentgrass. (Above left) A good quality temporary green can provide satisfactory conditions for winter play while preserving the regular greens for use the following spring. (Above right) Winter traffic on dormant turf leaves thin, weak areas that are open to weed encroachment in the spring. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1987 3 on the root growth and the overall health of the turf during the summer, 3) golfers despise the intensive aerifi­ cation and topdressing required during the early spring, since most of them return after a winter layoff and find their greens ripped up and in poor play­ ing condition for weeks or more, and 4) all of the work to renovate the greens takes more money for labor and materials and comes at the expense of other spring course preparation activities. History of winter injury — The effects of winter play can exacerbate the injury from other types of winter problems, including desiccation, winter diseases, and low-temperature kill (ice damage). Winter play, therefore, should be avoided if the course regularly suffers from other forms of winter injury. Previous weed problems — Courses that have previously experienced and are concerned about weed problems such as crabgrass, goosegrass, spurge, moss, algae, and Poa annua would do themselves a favor by avoiding winter play on the regular greens. Recent stress problems — Winter play is best not allowed on greens that have experienced the loss of turf or extreme weakness during the previous year or years caused by heat stress, secondary disease problems such as anthracnose or summer patch, nematodes or other sum­ mer stress problems. Greens like these probably would suffer even greater problems if they were burdened with the vigor-inhibiting effects of winter play. Trees — Greens close to large trees that suffer from shade, air circulation problems, and tree root competition should not be forced to endure the complicating effects of winter play. Compared to turf growing in clear areas, greens growing in locations like these usually respond very slowly in the spring, and they tend to be weak during the summer. Many greens on the older, mature courses in the North can be grouped in this category. Standards for play — One of the most important questions to ask in contem­ plating whether or not to use the regular greens in winter concerns what the golfers want from the greens during the regular season. If they want top-quality turf from spring through fall, involving very close, frequent mowing, double mowing, frequent verticutting, lean fertilization, minimal irrigation, or other stress-inducing practices, then it is best to avoid winter play. If the golfers don’t mind higher cutting heights, slower speeds, and greater inconsistency, then 4 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD winter golf was made for them. Some bias in that statement? Perhaps, but too many golfers want to trample their dormant greens during the winter months and then enjoy U.S. Open conditions from April through November. There are still some things money can’t buy. Some Alternatives Given that this article won’t end the use of the regular greens during winter on all golf courses, a look at some of the alternatives might prove useful in estab­ lishing a winter policy. • Use temporary greens. Many golf courses avoid winter injury by estab­ lishing temporary greens on the fairway approach area to the existing greens. Often these areas are aerified and top- dressed several times during the fall, and the cutting height is lowered to produce a reasonable putting surface for the winter. Sure it’s more fun to hit to the regular greens, but isn’t it worth sacrificing a little bit during the winter to keep the greens in good condition for spring, summer, and fall? The best policy is to close the greens when growth ceases in the fall, and open them in the spring only when growth resumes and the soil has dried enough to resist compaction. • Design a winter course. This should be especially appealing to the addicts who simply can’t get enough. Many clubs play their course backwards, going from green to tee, using the tee as a target or establishing a temporary green at the tee end of the fairway. Others use their imaginations and design holes in a cross­ country style, crossing roughs and water hazards that might rarely be seen or appreciated when golfers play the regular course. Temporary greens can be estab­ lished on existing fairways or roughs, near fairway bunkers, water hazards, or groupings of trees. The possibilities are limitless. • Establish temporary greens, but use them only when conditions are not appropriate for using the regular greens. This is a bad policy, because conditions can go from fair to terrible in just a few hours. For example, greens that are frozen in the morning can thaw as tem­ peratures rise during the day. If play is allowed on the regular greens in the morning, at what point should it switch to temporary greens? Who will decide? Will golfers already on the course be notified of the change? Obviously, the logistics of this policy are difficult, and the likelihood of damage to the greens is great. • Use the regular greens during the winter, but close the course on days when the potential for damage is great. This policy has the same flaws as the one above. In some ways it’s even worse, because the days when the greens should be closed, when temperatures rise above freezing and the putting surfaces become thawed, are the same days that most winter golfers want to be on the course. Superintendents can come under great pressure from club officials to keep the course open, despite their great mis­ givings, and sometimes they are simply overruled. • Play the greens throughout the winter, regardless of the conditions. Because the alternatives require difficult decisions and complicated logistics, many golf courses opt for this worst­ choice policy. For the reasons we’ve outlined, these golf courses are just asking for problems. • Close the course for the winter. From the standpoint of having the greens, tees, and fairways in the best possible condition for spring, this is certainly the best policy. There is no doubt that winter play on the tees and fairways can thin the turf and compact the soil just as it can on the greens. How­ ever, golfers don’t putt on the tees and fairways during the summer, and most don’t mind some cultivation and over­ seeding on these areas during the spring. Nevertheless, many courses establish temporary tees for the winter, or sacri­ fice small portions of the regular tees for winter use if play is expected to be moderate or heavy. If the club decides to keep the course open, whether or not the regular greens are used, golfers should be asked to wear shoes without spikes or cleats whenever possible, and riding carts should be restricted to paths, if they’re allowed at all. Winter play can do an inordinate amount of damage to the health and playability of the greens in relation to the number of rounds. Every golf course considering winter play should question whether or not it is worth the risk of damaging the greens and affecting their playability for a significant period of the regular season by allowing a relatively small percentage of the club’s golfers to use them at that time. In the view of most golf course superintendents, turf­ grass scientists, and agronomists, it is not. Unfortunately, even the considered opinion of the experts is unlikely to separate winter play from politics and religion as a topic of controversy among golfers. Fairway Contour Mowing by PATRICK M. O’BRIEN Director, Southeastern Region, USGA Green Section Most golf courses like to offer their golfers an artistic contrast between the fairways and roughs, a feature that enhances the natural beauty of each hole. This is true especially if the fairway perimeters are curved rather than set in a straight line. This feature is termed contour mowing, and it is usually considered highly desirable by most golfers. Historically, while the term “fairway” was understood to be the closely mown areas of the course — other than greens — the word did not appear in the Rules. Even today, the Rules of Golf doesn’t use the term. Between 1700 and 1850, golfers played principally on links courses adjacent to the coastline. Their fairways consisted of the native grasses, which were bentgrasses and fescues, kept short by the first greenkeepers, the grazing sheep, and rabbits. The deep, inescapable rough on either side of these fairways was spotted with heather, a woody groundcover, and gorse, a thorny bush. The main route to the putting green was usually no more than 40 yards wide. With such narrow fairways and difficult rough, slow play, injuries, and lost balls were an integral part of the early game. In the middle-to-late 19th century, as play increased at St. Andrews following the arrival of the gutta-percha ball, the fairways were widened, principally to prevent injuries. The heather was cut away in what was probably the first attempt to specifically shape the route between the teeing ground and putting green. The fairways on British courses even­ tually became even wider, for two reasons. First, the gutta-percha ball traveled farther than the leather-bound feather ball, and therefore required a wider fairway. Second, since the gutta­ percha ball would not dent like the feathery ball, the players now had new clubs called irons. Playing with irons killed or injured much of the heather, and the fairway grasses spread into more of the links land. With more grasses on the fairways, additional men called greenkeepers were needed to help main­ tain these large areas between the tees and putting greens. Even in the early days of golf, the primary goal with the tee shot was to aim at and hit the fairway. Later, more emphasis was placed on hitting a par­ ticular side of the fairway. Position became even more important as the fair­ way was perceived as the defense for the putting green. The reward for a well- positioned tee shot was a better angle to the putting green, and a well-designed fairway helped make the game even more interesting. The first greenkeepers didn’t have enough equipment or labor for intense maintenance; they believed the fairway grasses should take care of themselves. The low-maintenance approach worked quite well, given the acid, sandy soils and the temperate climate. These con­ ditions caused the fairway grasses to grow very slowly in beautiful patterns. AMERICAN golfers expect and deserve x>.top-quality fairways. With the availability of both better fairway grasses and equipment today, good quality fairway turf is within the grasp of most courses. These improvements Today’s mowing equipment creates dramatic patterns. plex unit mowers are helpful on ber­ mudagrass fairways. Many golf courses do maintain approaches to putting greens and par-3 holes with the light­ weight equipment. These machines are more maneuverable in restricted areas, and they allow the operator the flexi­ bility to change mowing patterns more easily. Also, these lighter machines will cause less damage to wet or poorly drained fairways. THE PREVALENT philosophy today with any fairway contour mowing pattern on both bentgrass and bermuda­ grass courses is not to make the game too difficult. The primary goal of any mowing design should be to provide enjoyment for the greatest number of golfers. Fortunately, there are only a few guidelines to follow to start a suc­ cessful contour mowing program at your club: The bermudagrasses are considered the highest quality fairway turf, particularly the Tifway hybrid. However, bermuda­ grass maintenance and care is radically different from bentgrass and Poa annua. Bermudagrass golf courses normally will maintain more fairway acreage and use bigger and heavier mowing machines. Grass clippings are seldom removed. There are agronomic reasons for these differences in mowing practices and care. During the active growing season, ber­ mudagrasses require more frequent cut­ ting than bentgrasses and Poa annua. Bent / Poa fairways are usually cut two to four times weekly, while bermuda­ grass fairways are cut four to six times a week. Also, the active growing season is much longer for bermudagrass golf courses. Bermudagrasses are cut nine to 12 months of the year, while the active growing season for most bentgrass and Poa annua golf courses is five to seven months. Even though all turfgrasses respond positively to lighter mowing equipment, lighter mowers are not generally used on bermudagrass fairways because of their faster growth rate and longer growing season. A sharp seven- to nine-gang reel mower will still produce an excellent fairway surface on bermudagrass. These are the most efficient and economical mowers for open spaces like most fair­ ways. Nevertheless, there are times and situations when smaller three- or five- 1. Make the widest point of the fair­ way 170 to 210 yards from the middle tee, or wherever the majority of drives land. Fairway widths in these areas could vary from 35 to 60 yards, with the norm being 40 to 50 yards. 2. Narrow the fairway shape in the area from 240 to 290 yards off the tee, in the landing areas of the scratch golfer. A 30- to 40-yard width is desirable for these better players. 3. Start the fairway 50 to 75 yards from the regular tee. This gives everyone a chance to play from the fairway. For the golfer to see differences be­ tween fairway and rough grasses from the tee, it is important to cut the roughs at least one inch taller than the fairways for bentgrass courses and three quarters of an inch taller for bermudagrass courses. It is also important not to let the rough grow too tall, especially ber­ mudagrass rough, or the penalty for missing the fairway is too great. Many clubs now mow an intermediate or secondary rough adjacent to the fairway perimeter to reduce the penalty for barely missing the fairway. This is seen most often on bentgrass and Poa annua courses that have narrow fairways. Bobby Jones felt the primary purpose of any golf course was “to give pleasure to the greatest possible number of play­ ers, without respect to their capabilities.” A sensible fairway contour mowing program is one intelligent way for a golf course superintendent to implement this philosophy. Contour mowed bentgrass fairway. have also allowed today’s golf course superintendents to shape their fairways to almost any pattern. There is no doubt that improved maintenance standards and enhanced fairway design can make a course more pleasing and challenging. Probably the most dramatically de­ signed fairways in the United States are on bentgrass courses. Many golf courses with bentgrass and Poa annua fairways are maintained with small three- or five- plex reel mowing units, and in many instances clippings are removed as well. Smaller mowers came into use as a response to the desire of golfers for tighter, drier fairway lies. Because light­ weight mowing produces healthier turf as well as better playing conditions, both golfers and superintendents benefit from the program. In conjunction with this new mowing program, fairway acreage has been significantly reduced, in part to lower costs. Though fairways have become narrower, smaller, more maneuverable mowers have led to more interesting mowing lines. Thus, these smaller mow­ ers have dramatically improved bent­ grass and Poa annua fairway design and maintenance. With healthier fairway turf, better playing conditions, and improved fairway designs, golfers now prefer less fairway turf and more rough on these bentgrass golf courses. In contrast, bermudagrass golf courses have long provided the standard for excellence in fairway playing conditions. 6 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD 1987: The Season in Review Each golf season challenges the golf course superintendent with another set of surprises, crises, and problems to attend to. The Green Section staff has spent the year visiting more than 1,250 golf courses in all parts of the country, and has highlighted the season in the following pages. The major concerns in 1987? You guessed it. . . Heat and Water Problems! Mid-Atlantic Region by STANLEY J. ZONTEK, Director THE BIG STORY in the Mid­ Atlantic Region this season was the turf problems associated with the heat and humidity that came early and stayed right through the summer. A common occurrence this year was the loss of turf on greens located in shaded areas or in pockets with poor air circulation. Greens located even a few yards away, out in the sun and in areas with better air circulation, suffered far less. Common sense and good agro­ nomics suggest this is more than a coincidence. The obvious solution is painful but necessary — to solve these problems the trees need to be removed and underbrush cleared. Another problem this year was the loss of grass to burns from chemicals normally considered safe. Stressed grass is tender grass, and when heat and humidity combine with other stresses, grass can be lost. Overlapping on greens with common fungicides completely killed the turf in some cases. On the other hand, warm-season grasses like bermudagrasses and Zoysia­ grasses grow their best when it is hot. This summer was hot, and these grasses performed beautifully. In fact, a number of courses in the Washington, D.C., area that formerly had only patches of ber- Pythium — a common occurrence in the summer of 1987. mudagrass in predominantly perennial ryegrass fairways now have practically a solid stand of bermudagrass, with the perennial ryes literally being choked out. This shift in the turfgrass popu­ lation is just another illustration of how grasses respond to the weather. If there is a positive aspect to the type of weather experienced in 1987, it is that whatever strengths or weaknesses existed on golf courses, they were clearly seen. If a better fungicide spray program was needed, next season will be a good time to begin. If an irrigation problem existed, there is time over the winter and next spring to solve it. There is even time to renovate this fall to replace the grass that was lost. Finally, the sobering fact remains that even as good as our industry has become technically, and with the grasses and tools available to us, turf managers still must work with the weather. Neverthe­ less, by solving the grass-growing prob­ lems identified this summer, the turf manager and his course should be in a better position next season to manage the grass for an enjoyable season with a healthy stand of turf. This was a lesson learned this summer in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the Green Section. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1987 7 Northeastern Region by JAMES T. SNOW, Director, and GARY A. WATSCHKE, Agronomist AFTER SEVERAL YEARS of only /^localized pockets of weather X JL.extremes, 1987 saw the entire region experience extremes of one type or another. For the first time in quite a while, much of New England and upstate New York was blanketed with heavy snow cover and a subsequent accumu­ lation of ice. As might be expected, many golf courses suffered extensive damage to their predominately Poa annua putting green turf. April turned out to be one of the coldest and wettest on record, delaying recovery from the winter injury, testing the skills of the superintendents and the patience of the golfers. Extreme heat was the common de­ nominator throughout the Northeast. Many superintendents from mid New England to Buffalo and Ontario, Canada, saw pythium blight for the first time. Weeks of temperatures above 90 degrees, combined with heavy thunderstorms in downstate New York and New Jersey, caused many greens to be wiped out, which hadn’t been seen for many years over so wide an area. Not surprisingly, the affected greens were almost without exception poorly constructed and located in pockets of large trees. Rainfall was extreme but variable. Parts of New England received just 0.7 inches from mid-May to mid-September, while rainfall in portions of New Jersey totaled more than 35 inches from July through mid-September. The hot weather accentuated the rainfall extremes, show­ ing drainage or irrigation system defi­ ciencies in the respective areas and causing more than the usual amount of turf injury along the way. Lessons Learned (Again) in 1987: • There is no sure way to prevent ice damage when weather conditions are bad. Let your golfers know this before winter arrives, not after the damage is done. • Do something about known drain­ age and irrigation deficiencies now, before the golfers begin blaming you for the resulting loss of turf. • Heat + Wetness + Poor Construc­ tion + Trees = Dead Grass. • Don’t experiment with new chemi­ cals on 25 acres of prime fairway turf or two acres of prime putting green turf. • Raising the cutting height on greens from 1/8" to 9/64" or 5/32" can save grass and jobs. Great Lakes Region by JAMES M. LATHAM, Director WATER WAS the big story here throughout most of this growing season. Floods in Chicago and Minneapolis made the watering — not syringing — fairway turf to equalize distribution, because golf balls plugged into mid-fairway turf while the edges and intermediate roughs were dry. headlines, but the lack of winter snow­ cover followed by a dry spring and summer were more important. From mid-year into September, heat and high humidity made life tenuous for all golf turf. Pests of all kinds took advan­ tage of this situation, and became budget busters. Irrigation systems designed only to supplement natural rainfall were in­ capable of providing uniform water distribution on many courses. Those on dense soils were especially at risk. Thatchy turf was equally difficult. Many superintendents were forced into hand 8 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Stressed-out greens, particularly those being mowed to ground level, were set upon by algae, moss, summer patch, and other problems of weakened turf. Two greens in Milwaukee were diagnosed as being infested with Xanthomonas campestris — bacterial decline — but contained no Toronto or Nimisila bent. Pythium was everywhere. It was an educational year for every­ one, and stress management was learned the hard way. High potash levels helped a great deal, so nitrogen to potash ratios now favor 1:1, or even 1:2. Nitrogen starvation is getting a second look be­ cause of the non-recovery of ball marks and spike pulls on greens. Light and frequent topdressing with sandy materials performed well, but layering caused big trouble. Careful irrigation and better cultivation practices contributed to a major reduction of black layer. An adequate soil air supply does great things. The year was absolutely wonderful for golfers, who had fewer rainouts than anyone can remember. The superinten­ dent’s year was the worst in recent times, because most golfers don’t understand the causes of turf deterioration. And green speed is so addictive that few players agree with one superintendent’s comment, “Slow green is always better than fast brown.” (Left) Let’s hope fair weather clouds are in the picture for 1988. (Below) A thick layer of old thatch atop dense, compacted soil set the Poa annua turf up for a kill on this area where the green and fairway sprinklers overlap. From the Great Lakes Region. (Bottom) Winter injury was widespread in portions of the North­ eastern Region. Southeastern Region by PATRICK M. O’BRIEN, Director, and JOHN H. FOY, Agronomist WITHOUT A DOUBT, bent­ grass putting greens in Florida have been the biggest topic of the year. Playing the U.S. Amateur and the PGA championships in South Florida during August has brought this subject national attention. For the past ten years, a significant increase in the use of bentgrass, primarily for winter over­ seeding of hybrid bermudagrass greens, has had some success throughout Florida. Golfers who spend more time on their winter courses encouraged this change. However, now a number of clubs are trying to maintain the bentgrass over­ seeding the entire growing season, rather than encouraging hybrid bermudagrass for the hot summer months. A handful of clubs even have pure bentgrass greens. Agronomists and golfers are now debating the Florida bentgrass green issue, and with little consensus of opinion. In some cases the result for the golf superintendent has been headaches, long hours, and poor quality putting greens. For the clubs, it has meant large expenditures of money. One thing is certain: bentgrass is a big gamble in Florida. The controversy will persist even though tremendous progress con­ tinues with the conditioning of hybrid bermudagrass putting greens. The intense summer heat once again was a topic of concern in the Southeast. Because so many locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia had record high temperatures in August, bentgrass greens suffered, especially those in pockets of trees. Air and soil temperatures in those stagnated con­ ditions are much higher than locations where air circulates. Even constructing new USGA putting greens will not help bentgrass live in this environment. Chain saw stocks should soar this winter. Deep-tine aerifiers are now very popular machines for putting greens. These aerifiers penetrate 12 to 14 inches into the soil, improving both soil drain­ age and turfgrass rooting, especially for clay-based putting greens. The deep-tine aerifier is another technological advance, but it is not a cure for a poorly con­ structed green. Purple nutsedge had been a major problem until this summer. The new chemical Image is excellent for killing purple nutsedge in warm-season grasses. Superintendents are now hoping for a herbicide to control Virginia button­ weed, now the most difficult weed to control in the Southeast. Technological advancements have indeed helped the Southeastern superin­ tendent provide better turf for his course. As the challenge of growing a cool­ season grass in a warm-season climate increases, the advancements in turf research will become even more valu­ able to the golf course superintendent. A season of progress in the Mid-Continent Region with triplex mowing. (Left top) Efficient use of water remains the key issue "Out West ”! (Left bottom) New equipment for deep culti­ vation is on the market in the Southeast and across the country. (Below) Black layer was a topic of controversy across the country. Mid-Continent Region by JAMES F. MOORE, Director IT HAS BEEN another fruitful and educational year in the 10 states that make up the Mid-Continent Region. It has been a year of controversy with the infamous “black plague,” a year of progress with new equipment and products rapidly making their way onto the courses, and a year of promise thanks to the researchers whose hard work guarantees the future of the game of golf as well as the turfgrass industry. I am happy to report that superinten­ dents in this region seem to have a good handle on the black layer. Few claim to have all the answers to the cause of the problem, but they do realize that the solution is action. They are managing water more closely and are cranking up the aerifiers at the first sign of an­ aerobic conditions. Remember when there were no more than two or three “household names” when it came to aerifiers, mowers, and chemicals? Superintendents have de­ manded better ways to do things, and the producers have come through. We can now choose from a wide assortment of equipment and an expanding list of highly advanced chemicals. At least three new aerifiers and four new light­ weight fairway mowers have shown up on courses in the Mid-Continent Region this year. The most difficult but at the same time rewarding part of traveling the Mid-Continent Region is the diversity of challenges facing turf managers. Out NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1987 11 West, water continues to be more precious than gasoline — and nearly as expensive. The folks in the South want to give their memberships bentgrass greens throughout the year, if only someone could figure out how to sus­ tain bent under 40,000 rounds a year in a climate that at times favors on Kudzu and skeeters. Almost everyone in the central and eastern parts of the region agrees zoysiagrass fairways are great, but surely there is an easier, cheaper, and above all, quicker way of establishment. The Northerners and high-altitude bunch are having to make some tough decisions between fairway grasses too. Ryegrass, bluegrass, bent­ grass, and even Poa annua all have their advantages. Unfortunately, they also each have their drawbacks, which in­ variably become all too obvious the week before the Member-Guest. Truly, 1987 has been an exciting year. Western Region by LARRY W. GILHULY, Director WATER, or the lack of it, con­ tinues to be the primary issue in the Southwestern United States, where there is an opposing in­ crease in the use of effluent water for golf course irrigation. With the exception of some minor problems, the use of effluent has been successful thus far in Southern California and Arizona, with reduced nitrogen applications a positive by-product of golf courses being watered in this manner. of all plants. Several greens turned purple and seemed to be under attack from diseases that could not be identified. However, superintendents who began applying phosphorus in a foliar form (mo no ammonium phosphate) had dramatic results in a very short time. I believe the trend of no phosphorus fertilization will be replaced with appli­ cations in spring and fall to allow the Poa annua to survive both environ­ mental and pathogen attacks. On a subject related with water, black layer became a common problem in the western United States. In every case where black layer was seen on golf courses, it was always in the lower areas on greens, where excess water, lack of drainage, and soil or organic layers combined to produce an anaerobic, black area that made the turf susceptible to other problems. Dr. Roy Goss’s article in the July/August, 1987, issue of The Green Section Record appears to be right on the mark in describing all of the black layer problems seen in the West. One of the more intriguing problems seen in Southern California this past year was the number of golf courses that displayed classic phosphorus deficiencies. For years it has been known that a lack of phosphorus can weaken Poa annua and benefit bentgrass growth. However, it appears that much of the phosphorus on greens in Southern California has not been available at all, to the detriment 12 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Several other situations were common throughout the cool- and warm-season areas in the Western United States, including: 1. Reduced nitrogen rates, decreased herbicide applications due to environ­ mental concerns, and good weather have caused a notable increase in the amount of clover. 2. Moss invasions are becoming more common as memberships ask for green speeds that are simply not attainable on a regular basis. A regular member­ ship Stimpmeter speed of 7.5 to 8.5 feet should provide plenty of speed and less moss. 3. During visits to courses in Oregon and Idaho, bermudagrass was thriving in minimally irrigated rough areas and droughty areas around greens. With new grasses slated for release soon from the USGA/GCSAA Turfgrass Research Program, I believe we will see more advancements in this area to allow less water to be used on today’s golf courses. STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (Act of October 23, 1962; Section 4369, Title 39, United States Code.) 1. Date of Filing — November 12,1987.2. Title of Publication — USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD. 3. Frequency of issues — Six issues a year in January, March, May, July, September and November. 4. Loca­ tion of known office of publication — Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931. 5. Location of the headquarters of general business offices of the publishers — Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931. 6. Names and addresses of Pub­ lisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher — United States Golf Association, Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931. Editor — William H. Bengeyfield, Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931. Managing Editor — Robert Sommers, Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931. 7. Owner (if owned by a corporation, its name and address must be stated and also immediately thereunder the names and addresses of stockholders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, the names and addresses of individual owners must be given). If owned by a partner, partnership or other addresses — United States Golf Association, Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931; President — William J. Williams, Jr., Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931; Vice-Presidents — William C. Battle and C. Grant Spaeth, Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931; Secretary — Charles M. Pyle, Jr., Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931; Treasurer— Montford T. Johnson, Golf House, Far Hills, N.J. 07931. 8. Known bondholders, mortgages, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities — None. 9. Paragraphs 7 and 8 include, in cases where the stockholder or security holder appears upon the books of the company as trustee or in any other fiduciary relation, the name of the person or corporation for whom such trustee is acting, also the statements in the two paragraphs show the affiant’s full knowledge and belief as to the circumstances and conditions under which stockholders and security holders who do not appear upon the books of the company as trustees, hold stock and securities in a capacity other than that of a bona fide owner. Names and addresses of individuals who are stockholders of a corporation which itself is a stockholder or holder of bonds, mortgages or other securities of the publishing corporation have been included in paragraphs 7 and 8 when the interests of such individuals are equivalent to 1 percent or more of the total amount of the stock or securities of the publishing corporation. 10. This item must be completed for all publications except those which do not carry advertising other than the publisher’s own and which are named in sections 132.232 and 132.233 Postal Manual (Sections 4355a, 4344b and 4356 of Title 39, United States Code). Average No. Copies Single Issue Each Issue During Nearest to Preceding 12 Months Filing Date A. Total No. Copies Printed (Net Press Run) B. Paid Circulation 1. Sales through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors and Counter Sales 2. Mail Subscriptions C. Total Paid Circulation D. Free Distribution (including samples) by Mail, Carrier or other means E. Total Distribution (Sum of C and D) F. Office Use, Left Over, Unaccounted, Spoiled after Printing G. Total (Sum of E and F) I certify that the statements made complete. 15,167 15,300 0 13,528 13,528 0 13,901 13,901 639 399 14,167 14,300 1,000 15,167 1,000 15,300 by me are correct and Robert Sommers, Managing Editor USGA Green Section Educational Session GCSAA International Conference and Show February 8, 1988, Houston, Texas Understanding Some Things We Think We Know All About 8:30- 8:40 A Welcome from the USGA Green Section F. Morgan Taylor, Jr., USGA Executive Committee, Hobe Sound, Florida 8:40- 8:55 The Best Turf Tips of 1987 — Part I James T. Snow, Northeast Director, Far Hills, New Jersey James F. Moore, Mid-Continent Director, Waco, Texas Stanley J. Zontek, Mid-Atlantic Director, West Chester, Pennsylvania 8:55- 9:15 The USGA/GCSAA Research Program at the Halfway Point William H. Bengeyfield, National Director, USGA Green Section and Research Committee Chairman, Tustin, California 9:15- 9:45 “It’s a Matter of Opinion” Coordinated Effort Means Successful Research Funding James Prusa, Member, USGA/GCSAA Research Committee, Olathe, Kansas You Can Grow Better Golf Turf with Less Frequent Water Edward Miller, Golf Course Superintendent, Desert Forest Golf Club, Carefree, Arizona Public Golf Courses Ain’t Dogs Anymore Ted Sokolis, General Manager, Pine Meadow Golf Club, Mundelein, Illinois 9:45 -10:05 A Message from the GCSAA Don Hearn, CGCS, President, GCSAA, Weston Golf Club, Weston, Massachusetts 10:15 -10:30 The Best Turf Tips of 1987 — Part II Larry W. Gilhuly, Western Director, Tustin, California Gary Watschke, Northeast Agronomist, Far Hills, New Jersey John H. Foy, Southeast Agronomist, Hobe Sound, Florida 10:30 -11:00 Water Movement in Soils Dr. Walter H. Gardner, Professor Emeritus, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 11:00 -11:20 If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Ladies’ Day Judy Bell, USGA Executive Committee, Colorado Springs, Colorado 11:20 -11:45 Featured Speaker (to be announced) 11:45 -11:55 Best Turf Tips of 1987 — Part III Patrick M. O’Brien, Southeast Director, Athens, Georgia James M. Latham, Great Lakes Director, Brown Deer, Wisconsin 11:55 Closing Remarks F. Morgan Taylor, Jr., USGA Executive Committee, Hobe Sound, Florida NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1987 13 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1987 TURF TWISTERS THE HENBIT Question: I do not overseed, and winter annuals, including Poa annua, henbit, chickweed, parsley- piert, to name a few, have been a problem in my bermudagrass fairways and roughs each year. They die in the summer, but the golf course looks terrible in the spring with these weeds. What should I do? (Florida) Answer: There are several excellent chemicals for controlling these winter annuals, either preemergently or post-emergently. Kerb, simazine, or pendimethalin are three very good preemergent herbicides, and atrazine, paraquat, diquat, or glyphosate are very good post-emergent herbicides. Check with your Green Section office for the rates, timing, and restrictions for these chemicals in your area, and have a weed-free golf course next spring. THE SIDEWALK Question: I’m always concerned about spreading salt on the sidewalks and patios around my club­ house. The salt is hard on the concrete as well as on the grass and shrubs. Any thoughts on alternative materials? (Pennsylvania) Answer: Yes, try urea; it melts ice and snow just fine. You may see some extra greening and growth of the grass along the sidewalks in the spring, which isn’t all that bad, but that is its only effect. AND HELP IS NEEDED Question: Out of financial necessity, ours is a very low budget course (less than $100,000 annually). What is the minimum number of employees we should maintain throughout the year? (Kansas) Answer: The absolute minimum should be a superintendent, mechanic, and foreman. These three key individuals should remain on the payroll throughout the year. They should be supplemented during the growing and playing season with a minimum of two general-purpose laborers. Courses with such low budgets should concentrate their maintenance efforts solely on the playing areas, and not spend valuable time on remote roughs, ornamentals, or course construction projects and the like.