USGA Green Section Record, July 11, 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. ALL THINGS CONSIDERED - A USGA STAFF OPINION DAMNED IF YOU DO, BUT NOT IF YOU DON'T Bob Vavrek, senior agronomist, North-Central Region We all go through life learning how to do things. You could say we are programmed for action. As a turf manager, you make decisions and take action every day. You hire, you fire and promote personnel. If the grass grows, you cut it. When a sprinkler leaks, you fix it. When grass wilts, you water it. A good superintendent spends a great deal of time learning how and when to do the right things on the golf course in a timely and efficient manner. However, I would argue that great superintendents have an additional skill that is far more difficult to learn. The way I see it, great superintendents have a knack for knowing when to do nothing. There are times when the best course of action is to not take any action at all. Can you choose the lesser of two evils? Do you have the moxy to not run fairway sprinklers the night after a brutally hot afternoon because your experience tells you that a Pythium outbreak is likely to occur and any water applied will only spark and spread the disease? Are you willing to lose some turf to wilt and then defend your lack of It's going to be a busy Men's Day this afternoon. How long would you wait before mowing a waterlogged green? It is a difficult concept for turf managers to grasp, but sometimes doing nothing is the correct course of action. action? Read More THE BENEFITS OF LIQUID FERTILIZATION ON FAIRWAYS A PREMIXING TANK FOR LIQUID FERTILIZATION CAN IMPROVE APPLICATION ACCURACY AND HELP SAVE MONEY Larry Gilhuly, director, Northwest Region Name one of the biggest differences between putting green and fairway maintenance programs? Mowing height, topdressing frequency, vertical mowing and rolling are all good answers. So are irrigation practices, earthworm control and surface smoothness. However, one of the biggest differences between putting green and fairway maintenance programs that might not at first come to mind is how these two surfaces are fertilized. As a general observation, putting green fertilization programs are dominated by light and frequent liquid applications while fairway fertilization programs are dominated by infrequent granular applications. There are many reasons for the differences observed in fertilization programs. Let's look at some ongoing fertilization practices that have provided good results in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere for more than a decade. When fast applications of fertilizers are needed to stay ahead of play, the use of a single nozzle can work as long as wind is not an issue. Read More The hole location on a putting green is generally moved on a daily basis. The frequency depends on the specific course and time of year. This short video explains the reasons and benefits of this practice as well as how the process is performed. View In Spanish: Cómo Cambiar La Ubicación De Un Hoyo Although the USA was eliminated from the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, American influence is still alive and kicking - approximately half of the World Cup matches have been played on turfgrass cultivars bred jointly by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of Georgia. The USGA played a critical role from the very beginning of this grass-breeding story. Dust from the propellor blast on poorly grassed airfield. The plane on the left has created a dust cloud which is enveloping the plane and pilot in the foreground. Such a condition has been reported to reduce the life of airplane motors as much as 90 percent. The present crisis has developed a need for an unprecedented expenditure of public funds for turf in connection with airfields, defense highways, housing projects and other facilities for war activities. The agencies that are endeavoring to establish this turf are encountering many of the problems with which our regular readers have been dealing for many years. In a few instances the long experiences of those who have worked with turf have been utilized, but it is hoped that in the near future such valuable experiences may be taken advantage of more fully in the present national effort to produce durable turf quickly. (John Monteith, Jr., Director of the USGA Green Section, Turf Culture, March 1942). This article discusses how the turf industry contributed to the World War II effort and is definitely worth a few minutes of your time. It includes some great pictures as well. REGIONAL UPDATES REGIONAL UPDATES The USGA Green Section is divided into eight regions staffed by agronomists who work with golf facilities on care of the golf course. USGA agronomists provide regular regional updates outlining current issues and observations from the field. Be sure to view updates from multiple regions as featured ideas, techniques and solutions to problems often apply to other parts of the country. NORTHEAST REGION One fortunate outcome of the unfortunate winter injury throughout the Northeast region is that many facilities have been able to establish larger populations of bentgrass. However, promoting the preservation of new bentgrass populations may require adjustments to your maintenance program and is paramount for long-term success. Read More MID-ATLANTIC REGION The expansion of low-maintenance, naturalized areas has become a popular practice that is providing benefits to several courses in the mid-Atlantic. However, low maintenance does not mean no maintenance. Without proper planning and periodic maintenance, the full benefits of naturalized areas may not be realized. Read More SOUTHEAST REGION Bermudagrass roughs are growing vigorously with the heat and humidity of summer. Add fertilizer and enough rain to disrupt mowing schedules and the grass can quickly get out of hand. Fortunately, research is being conducted at various universities that may ease the summertime frustration of managing bermudagrass roughs in the future. Read More FLORIDA REGION Heat, humidity and thunderstorms are part of daily life during a Florida summer. Discover how these conditions, although favorable to warm-season turf growth, pose a challenge to turf managers attempting to provide high-quality playing conditions. Read More NORTH-CENTRAL REGION It's just one problem after another for Poa annua in the North-Central region this season. This regional update serves as a reminder that even though we are no longer coping with severe winter conditions, summer-related stress issues continue to pose a threat. Read More MID-CONTINENT REGION Superintendents have always used photography to document course conditions, communicate with golfers and identify problems. A few early adopters have taken their cameras to new heights through the use of radio-controlled aircraft - primarily quadcopters. Aerial photography/ videography holds a great deal of promise for golf course management. This update provides a short introduction to the use of one of the coolest new tools you might just have to have. Read More NORTHWEST REGION Without a doubt, water use is the most important issue facing golf, and courses across the country are working to reduce the amount of water they use. But what happens if you have too much water? In this regional update discover what one course did to prevent flooding after a particularly catastrophic event in 2013. Read More SOUTHWEST REGION Turf-conversion projects are becoming ever more popular in regions of the country stricken with drought, water restrictions and rising water prices. This regional update highlights case studies from two golf courses in California that have greatly reduced their water consumption as a result of successful turf- conversion projects. 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 | Rapid removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. USGA Green Section | P.O. Box 708 | Far Hills | NJ | 07931 http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/...iX4LjUFIVQp_whBKosNQwsyqNDPMrKefvmT31Jq7VYi2fVdAD-AQ9MlMptlL&id=preview[7/11/2014 10:12:16 AM]