USGA A USGA Green Section Webcast By Todd Lowe. If you experience an error when loading, please return to the mailing and try the link again. THAT’S A GREAT IDEA BUT CAN THE COST BE ABSORBED? All too often assumptions are made about the completion of projects, course adjustments, or improvements without full consideration of the established maintenance budget. Adding, moving, or removing bunkers, building new tees, making the course more playable, or even Superintendents are required to present trying to enhance the first impression of the cost estimates that are high on efficiency. There is little to no wiggle room for unexpected requests, which means it is not realistic to expect that added costs can be absorbed once the budget is approved. . facility by landscaping the grounds are just a few ideas frequently posed by committees or course officials during Turf Advisory Service visits. In most instances, these ideas are great and worth considering. However, it is important to ask, “Can the change in maintenance or cost of a project be absorbed by the current budget, or will additional capital funds be necessary?" Read More ALL THINGS CONSIDERED – A USGA STAFF OPINION INTERMEDIATE ROUGH: A WASTE OF TIME AND RESOURCES It was just a few years ago that the superintendents of nearly all the golf facilities I visited were looking to take their courses “to the next level.” Then the economy changed. Those same facilities are now watching their bottom lines very closely, and many are desperately seeking Eliminate the intermediate rough and ways to cut their maintenance budgets. maintain the primary rough at a height of 2.0 to 2.25 inches and definition between fairway and rough becomes more visible, pace of play improves, and resources can be saved. Interested in an easy way to save money? Eliminate the intermediate rough. The intermediate rough increases cost, increases potential for turf problems, provides negligible benefits, and adversely affects definition, or contrast, between fairways and roughs. Sounds like an easy decision, doesn’t it? Not so fast. Golfers see intermediate roughs on television and are under the impression they are important to have at their courses. A close review of the facts will prove otherwise, in most cases. Read More GETTING KIDS ON THE COURSE GCBAA RAISES OVER $50,000 FOR STICKS FOR KIDS Many organizations in golf are engaged in efforts to bring young people to the game. This week, one organization stepped up in a big way. The Golf Course Builder’s Association of America (GCBAA) completed their summer meeting in Monterey, California. At this meeting, their membership and corporate sponsors contributed more than $50,000 to a program that puts golf clubs in the hands of young people. Sticks for Kids, a junior golf outreach program for youth aged 5-18, provides each Sticks for Kids location with clubs, bags, teaching and marketing materials, and instructors for participating courses. To learn more about this program and the GCBAA, visit www.gcbaa.org. The USGA Green Section congratulates the GCBAA and its membership for their support of the game. MID-ATLANTIC Record-setting rainfall totals in June and early July combined with extreme summer heat spells trouble for putting greens already compromised by poor growing environments, insufficient drainage or thatch problems. Turf decline and wet wilt are difficult to prevent when problems are already present, so begin making plans to improve growing environments and get aeration and sand topdressing programs back on track this fall. Read More SOUTHEAST Two highly qualified students had the opportunity to travel with USGA Southeast Region agronomists for a week. Highlighting the weeklong road trip includes on-site visits to golf facilities to discuss bermudagrass management during hot, rainy weather, divot recovery on small tees, converting bentgrass to ultradwarf bermudagrass, and a pre-championship visit to Pinehurst Resort (Course No. 2). Read More NORTH-CENTRAL As putting greens mature and organic matter dynamics in the soil profile change, so too must aeration procedures designed to target thatch and organic layers in the rootzone. Learn how one golf facility must switch aeration strategies on their bentgrass greens after falling behind on aeration and topdressing programs in the past. Read More NORTHEAST Most of us are familiar with the sports adage that “offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships.” See how this applies to golf facilities when turfgrass survival is on the line because of extreme heat and oppressive humidity currently being experienced in the Northeast. Read More FLORIDA The USGA is again partnering with the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) to establish a new putting green trial for warm-season grasses at 11 research sites throughout the South, Southwest and transition zone. There will be 15 bermudagrass, 11 zoysiagrass and two seashore paspalum entries in the field tests. A multitude of factors and characteristics are of interest, including winter hardiness, but the primary goal is to achieve Stimpmeter readings of 8 to 9 feet while reducing inputs. Read More SOUTHWEST By analyzing existing irrigation coverage in fairways and roughs, Half Moon Bay Golf Links in California has found a practical and inexpensive method to convert out-of-play areas of the rough into naturalized grass that requires less irrigation and maintenance. Read More NORTHWEST A “playlist” of instructions mounted to greens mowers at Fargo Country Club (N.D.) eliminates confusion by ensuring that crew members mow putting greens in the correct order and in the right direction every day of the week. Read More MID-CONTINENT For many golf facilities in the Mid-Continent Region, severe drought conditions continue to persist. Golfers should be interested to know that less water will result in less turf color but not necessarily a reduction in playing quality. Read More USGA Green Section Home Page USGA Staff Contact Information Turf Advisory Service Information USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Online (TERO) USGA Privacy Policy Policies for the Reuse of USGA Green Section Publications ©2013 by United States Golf Association® Be sure to add usgagreensectionrecord@usga.chtah.com to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox! 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