USGA Green Section Record, January 10, 2014 The content in this preview is based on the last saved version of your email - any changes made to your email that have not been saved will not be shown in this preview. If video does not load on first attempt, please return to the mailing and launch again. GOLF FACILITIES SHOULD FOLLOW THESE BASIC IDEAS TO CONSERVE WATER TIPS AND TOOLS TO REDUCE WATER USE Numerous issues challenge the game of golf today, including improving pace of play, growing the game, lowering costs to make golf more affordable and making the game more fun for players of all types. However, arguably the biggest challenge facing golf is water use. Efforts have long been underway to help reduce water used to maintain golf turf. A goal of the USGA for decades, both through the Turfgrass and Environmental Research Program and Course Consulting Service, has been to reduce the amount of water used on golf courses. Several examples, just to name a few, include breeding more drought-tolerant turfgrasses and promoting sound agronomic management practices. Water used for golf course turf is now closely examined by regulators and environmental groups throughout much of Are sprinkler heads above or below grade? Level sprinkler heads are essential to optimize water conservation and distribution uniformity. the U.S. Many golf facilities no longer use municipal drinking water for irrigation but now look to alternative sources. Even these other sources of water are now closely monitored. The prolonged drought conditions plaguing many areas of the country have intensified the importance of water conservation practices. Today, golf facilities must not only provide green space but mesh into the community's ecosystem. Golf course superintendents also must ensure that water management decisions are well planned to protect our most important natural resource. Superintendents continually seek ways to conserve water as they examine the impact their operation has on the environment. Nonetheless, there is always room for improvement. Read More FOLLOWING SEVERAL DECADES OF FAIRWAY TOPDRESSING IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, RESULTS ARE CLEARLY POSITIVE, BUT DOES IT MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE? ANOTHER DECADE OF PILING IT ON Dating back to the time of Old Tom Morris (considered the father of modern greenkeeping), sand has been the elixir for creating quality putting surfaces. "Mare sound, Honeyman," was not a simple direction from Old Tom to keep his key assistant, Honeyman, busy applying ever more sand at St. Andrews. Rather, Old Tom knew the results when sand was added to help firm and smooth playing surfaces where the golf ball needed to roll. He very likely also saw how sand helped turf perform better and recover more quickly in areas where countless players focused around that little 4.25- inch-diameter hole to watch their orbs disappear. As they do today, players congregating near the hole caused severe wear and compaction that sand helped minimize. Add in that the rules at that time required the next tee shot take place within two club lengths of the hole and it is a wonder that greens even survived. Yes, Old Tom knew the value of sand, and his discovery lives on for producing fine-turf playing areas today. In the Pacific Northwest, the value of sand has extended far beyond greens, tees, and approaches, and now benefits year-round playing conditions and turf performance on fairways and, in some cases, roughs. So let's take a look at what has transpired with the use of sand over the past few decades, summarize what has been learned - both good and bad - about fairway topdressing, and discuss if it is a program that is economically sustainable today. Light and frequent topdressing requires the proper equipment to achieve desired results of reduced soil layering, minimizing interference with players, and less damage to mowers. Read More GCSAA Golf Industry Show The Green Section staff will be busy at this year's Golf Course Superintendents Association of America's Golf Industry Show. General Session Thursday, February 6, 8-10 am Billed as one of the GCSAA's marquee events, the General Session will feature USGA staff members speaking on golf and golf course maintenance issues including the following presentations: Using Science and Technology to Preserve and Enhance the Game Attracting Players to Your Course By Focusing On What is Important to Them It's About More than Conserving Water - It's About Staying in Business There will also be a panel discussion focusing on how superintendents can contribute to or hinder efforts to make the game better for everyone. Also presented will be the Green Section's most prestigious honor - the Green Section Award. Agronomist Presentations in the Green Section Booth (#2571) at the Trade Show Wednesday and Thursday, February 5-6 The Green Section's booth is a popular stop for show attendees and as always, this is your chance to to visit one on one with staff agronomists. This year there is additional incentive to stop by to hear presentations by our agronomists on a wide variety of topics as outlined in the schedule below: CMAA 87th World Conference and Club Business Expo The Green Section is pleased to once again be a part of the CMAA's World Conference and Club Business Expo.The agronomists of the USGA Green Section see almost every problem in golf course management and offer solutions to help the management team overcome the most difficult agronomic, environmental and economic challenges. These sessions highlight a collection of some of the most important issues and delivers "real-world" solutions that can be utilized by courses across the country. This year's presentations include: Meeting the Challenge of Maintaining Enjoyable Pace of Play at Your Course Innovative Technology to Help Your Course Conserve Resources Developing Maintenance Standards for Your Facility Bunkers - What Works and What Doesn't There will also be plenty of time for questions and answers regarding any aspect of golf course management. For more information on the Green Section sessions as well as the conference visit www.cmaa.org/conf. The Club Managers Association of America will hold it's 87th World Conference and Club Business Expo at the Orlando World Center Marriott, February 4-8, 2014 www.cmaa.org/conf Have you ever wondered what goes into keeping a putting surface in great shape? Here we explore what a course maintenance staff must accomplish to do just that. Warm-season grasses, better adapted to the South, will have a tough time surviving the arctic cold that has crept across the United States. USGA-funded research at Oklahoma State University has specifically developed bermudagrass varieties with better cold tolerance to survive sub-freezing temperatures. Army Golf. The Putting Green at Camp Gordon, Georgia, Calif. 1944. USGA Museum World War II forced golf courses to learn how to conserve resources. For example, chemical forms of nitrogen were reserved for the war effort and banned from use on golf courses, many turf tools were no longer produced and fairways were converted to sheep pastures. For those courses that continue to face reductions in budgets and the availability of critical resources it will be worth a few minutes to read some of the steps taken in 1942 by courses trying to survive the most difficult of times. A surprising number of the ideas are as applicable to 2014 as they were in 1942. REGIONAL UPDATES REGIONAL UPDATES The USGA Green Section is broken into eight regions with each staffed by Green Section agronomists who work with golf facilities on care of the golf course. Every two weeks USGA agronomists provide updates outlining current issues of what they are observing in the field. Be sure to view updates from other regions and not just your own because featured ideas, techniques and solutions to problems often apply to other parts of the country. NORTHEAST REGION A roller coaster of weather patterns and a deep freeze are no way to begin the New Year. There is cause for concern regarding turf survival and, although options are limited, there are things that can be done to assess turf health and improve its chances for survival. Read More MID-ATLANTIC REGION A polar vortex and some of the coldest temperatures to hit in the region in nearly 20 years has turf managers fearing winterkill damage. While it's too early to know the full extent of damage, now is a good time to discuss potential consequences. Read More SOUTHEAST REGION The coldest temperatures in 20 years invade the Southeast. This update is designed to equip superintendents with resources to answer the many questions they will receive from golfers about turfgrass survival. Read More FLORIDA REGION Warm winter temperatures combined with heavy cloud cover has golf courses playing soft and wet. As conditions are prime for fungal activity, it also has turf struggling to defend itself against disease outbreaks. Read More NORTH-CENTRAL REGION Here's a frigid opportunity you don't want to miss. Winter weather leads to frozen ground that supports heavy equipment needed to address trees that have a history of sabotaging turf performance. Read More MID-CONTINENT REGION The South has not been exempt from winter weather extremes. Should ultradwarf greens be covered? Is it safe to play on warm days following freezing temperatures? Read on to find out. Read More NORTHWEST REGION Read on for a top-10 list of New Year's resolutions for cart usage on golf courses in 2014. Read More SOUTHWEST REGION Top winter issues in the Southwest include damage caused by coots and geese, deciding whether or not to mow fairways and rough, and water management. Read More IMPORTANT LINKS USGA Privacy Policy USGA Green Section Home Page USGA Staff Contact Information Course Consulting Service Information USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Online (TERO) Policies for the Reuse of USGA Green Section Publications ©2014 by United States Golf Association® Policies for the Reuse of USGA Green Section Publications USGA Green Section publications are made available through the courtesy of the United States Golf Association (USGA®). The reuse of these materials is authorized only if the following conditions are met in their entirety. This policy applies to all Green Section publications, including articles, videos, presentations, and webcasts. 1) Adherence to all components of our Conditions for Reuse policy. 2) Inclusion of the appropriate Reprint Permission Language. 3) Notification of your Intent To Reprint Content. The USGA Green Section Record (ISSN 2156-5813) is published biweekly via electronic mail by the United States Golf Association®. Golf House, Far Hills, NJ 07931 USGA Green Section 908.234.2300 Forward this email This email was sent to jmoore@usga.org by usgagreensectionrecord@usga.org | Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. USGA Green Section | P.O. Box 708 | Far Hills | NJ | 07931 http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/...uSh4TqSrJnelGcR9-CYrLZAFYVj5nRjR9O_pzhIU24CIbNCuMugB-wed4dGF3wE&id=preview[1/13/2014 9:05:14 AM]