USGA Green Section RECOR November/December 1994 A Publication on Turfgrass Management by the United States Golf Association - few Managing Practice Ranged Vol. 32, No. 6 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1994 USGA Green Section RECORD USGA PRESIDENT: Reg Murphy GREEN SECTION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Thomas W. Chisholm 26101 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, MI 48076 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR David B. Fay EDITOR: James T. Snow Dr. Kimberly S. Erusha ASSISTANT EDITOR: ART EDITOR: Diane Chrenko Becker DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS: Mark Carlson NATIONAL OFFICES: United States Golf Association, Golf House P.O. Box 708, Far Hills, NJ 07931 • (908)234-2300 James T. Snow, National Director Dr. Kimberly S. Erusha, Director of Education P.O. Box 2227, Stillwater, OK 74076 • (405) 743-3900 Dr. Michael P. Kenna, Director, Green Section Research GREEN SECTION AGRONOMISTS AND OFFICES: Northeastern Region: United States Golf Association, Golf House P.O. Box 4717, Easton, PA 18043 • (610)515-1660 David A. Oatis, Director Robert Y. Senseman, Agronomist 99 Lawrence St.. Palmer, MA 01069 • (413) 283-2237 James E. Skorulski, Agronomist Mid-Atlantic Region: P.O. Box 2105, West Chester, PA 19380 • (610) 696-4747 Stanley J. Zontek, Director Keith A. Happ, Agronomist P.O. Box 15249, Covington, KY 41015-0249 • (606) 356-3272 Robert A. Brame, Agronomist Southeastern Region: P.O. Box 95, Griffin, GA 30224-0095 • (404) 229-8125 Patrick M. O’Brien, Director Florida Region: P.O. Box 1087, Hobe Sound, FL 33475-1087 • (407) 546-2620 John H. Foy, Director Chuck Gast, Agronomist Great Lakes Region: 11431 North Port Washington Rd., Suite 203 Mequon, WI 53092 • (414)241-8742 James M. Latham, Director Robert C. Vavrek, Jr., Agronomist Mid-Continent Region: 720 Wooded Crest, Waco, TX 76712 • (817) 776-0765 James F. Moore, Director Western Region: 3704 125th Street N.W. Gig Harbor, WA 98332 • (206) 858-2266 Larry W. Gilhuly, Director 22792 Centre Drive, Suite 290 Lake Forest, CA 92630 • (714)457-9464 Paul H. Vermeulen, Agronomist Patrick J. Gross, Agronomist Tur (grass Information File (TGIF) • (800) 446-8443 4 Turf Management in a Battle Zone: Practice Ranges by John H. Foy and Jan Beljan r"l Salinity Management / by Reed Yenny 11 Recovery for Winter-Injured Greens by James E. Skorulski 14 20 21 Back Cover Introducing New Seed-Propagated E Hybrid (2-Clone Synthetic) Bermudagrass by A. A. Baltensperger and J. P. Klingenberg On Course With Nature Of Eagles, Birdies, and Turkeys by Ronald G. Dodson All Things Considered Keep It Simple! by Bob Brame Turf Twisters Cover Photo: Artificial tees are a practical solution to the challenge of managing practice ranges. ®1994 by United States Golf Association®. Permission to reproduce articles or material in the USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD is granted to pub­ lishers 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, NJ 07931. Postmaster: Send address changes to the USGA Green Section Record, P.O. Box 708, Golf House, Far Hills, NJ 07931- 0708. Subscriptions, articles, photographs, and correspondence relevant to published material should be addressed to: United States Golf Association Green Section, Golf House, Far Hills, NJ 07931. Second-class postage paid at Far Hills, NJ, and other locations. Office of Publication, Golf House, Far Hills, NJ 07931. Subscriptions $12 a year. Foreign subscriptions $15 a year (surface mail) or $24 a year (air mail). A practice park at World Wood Golf Club, Brooksville, Florida, offers the ultimate in practice facilities. In addition to a 22-acre practice park with eight separate teeing areas, the facility includes a two-acre practice putting green, three practice holes, an irons range, and a nine-hole short course. Turf Management in a Battle Zone: Practice Ranges by JOHN H. FOY Director, State of Florida Region, USGA Green Section and JAN BELJAN Golf Course Architect, Fazio Golf Course Designers, Inc. KNOWN BEST for designing a number of this country’s great golf courses, Donald Ross also is credited with the invention of the lesson and practice tee. Prior to this innovation, all practice except putting was done on the course, and lessons were playing lessons. According to the late Herb Graffis, Donald Ross first in­ corporated a lesson and practice tee in one of his course designs in 1914. It was also the opinion of Mr. Graffis that this innovation played an important role in the worldwide growth of the game. The popularity of golf has certainly grown, and according to the National Golf Foundation, there were 24.5 million golfers in the United States in 1993. Last year, two million people played the game for the first time, and this has been a steady trend for the past six years. This constant growth in numbers leads to more and more golfers who are warming up before their rounds. The condition of the practice areas, therefore, can have a big impact on the perception of NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1994 1 the overall quality of a golf facility. For golfers who are actively pursuing improve­ ment of their game and want a “total” prac­ tice experience, or for individuals who do not have time for a round of golf but want to come to the course and hit balls for a while, the condition of the practice facility is even more important. Quite simply, prac­ tice facilities can be an asset or a detraction to an operation. Particularly with daily fee and municipal operations, a practice facility can be another revenue source. At North Palm Beach Country Club, which is operated by the Village of North Palm Beach, Florida, a net income of approximately $55,000 was realized in 1993. Although this is a year- round operation, cutting this figure in half for areas of the country with shorter operating seasons still leaves a tidy sum. Even though there are examples of well- designed and maintained practice facilities across the country, they tend to be the exception and not the rule. During the vast majority of Turf Advisory Service visits 2 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD conducted here in Florida, a stop is made at the driving range, and options are dis­ cussed for improving the level of quality maintained. In discussing the subject of practice facilities with other USGA staff agronomists, this scene is repeated regularly across the country. Problems associated with maintaining a good quality practice facility are not new. A review of the information available on this subject from the Turfgrass Information File (TGIF) at Michigan State University reveals that inadequate and poorly maintained practice facilities have been an area of frustration both for course superin­ tendents and golfers over the years. Following is a discussion of practice facility design considerations. Then, basic setup and maintenance practices are re­ viewed, along with a few options for dealing with problem situations. Facility Design Considerations To design a good practice facility, take best advantage of the site. The following recom­ mendations reflect the ideal. One or more site conditions may dictate that you settle for less than the ideal. Regardless of topography, property con­ figuration, soil conditions, and existing vegetation, the ideal is a north-south orien­ tation and into the prevailing wind. East- west/west-east tees are least desirable, as users will have a difficult time seeing the ball in the early morning or late afternoon. Hitting with the wind undermines the perception of how far one can really hit the ball and does not allow the serious player to practice the trickier “into the wind” shots. For the same reason, uphill practice is preferable for sites with modest to severe elevation changes. On such sites, though, it may be possible to arrange for the player to hit short to mid-irons downhill into a valley, or to targets at the same elevation as the tee, and uphill for long irons and woods. Property configuration will dictate more than any other feature the size of both tee and target areas. The ultimate width of the tee surface will be determined by the breadth of the property where the tee is to be placed, (Above) More than 300 golfers in one place for the U.S. Amateur Championship could be a superintendent’s nightmare. The TPC at Sawgrass handled the challenge in 1994 with an 80,000-square-footpractice area. This ample size provided adequate recovery time for the Tifway 419 bermudagrass. (Right and below) All-weather or artificial turf practice tees are becoming more commonplace on golf courses. A more realistic feel and other improvements in these materials have helped increase their acceptance. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1994 3 may be canted from back to front at 1 % to prevent view obstruction, especially if an exceptionally deep tee is being built. Regardless of the direction of pitch, a benched-in tee favors use of drain tile and gravel at the back and/or side of the tee(s) to prevent excess water crossing the tee. Ready access to the tee, especially if wide and deep, is essential. Golf cart access and staging behind the tee and an easily negoti­ ated slope from cart path to tee surface are desirable. A more controlled access will be seen at resort and daily-fee operations. Despite the varied dimensions of a prac­ tice facility (150 to 600 feet wide and 900 to 1500 feet long), the target on a typical, rec­ tangular range should be center and left of center, particularly for the long-yardage targets, to accommodate the slice tendency of the average player. The greens should be raised slightly and shaped so as to be viewed and to accept shots from tees at each end. The secondary tee is often used for clinics, teaching, and by those who practice seriously. Target greens at some public and resort facilities are raised enough to serve as a shield for set-in, ground-level lighting, which can be used instead of, or as a supplement to, pole lighting. Obviously, a tee at each end is not a good idea in this situation. Prac­ tice putting greens, chipping greens, and bunkers are frequently being installed as part of new or upgraded facilities. Practice putting greens planted with the same type grass and built and contoured in the same manner as their golf course counterparts, should be a minimum of 10,000 square feet and linear, if possible, to accommodate more people without “cross­ over” putting. Prime positioning is behind the practice tee or near the first tee. Practice bunkers and chipping greens preferably are located left of the range tee. A linear chipping green can be positioned so that those hitting chip or bunker shots are Controlling the amount of available tee area and regularly moving the hitting line are a must, no matter what the level of usage. less any width needed for cut or fill slopes. Anticipate 8 to 10 feet of width per station, e.g., three foursomes at 10 feet each suggests a tee surface 120 feet wide. A depth of 5 to 10 feet per daily hitting line change needs to be available, with a minimum of a 4- to 6- week rotation. With a 5- to 10-foot-deep hitting line and a 28-day rotation, 140 to 280 feet of depth on the tee surface is needed. If the tee is shaped with a slight curve (half an ellipse), a few additional spaces may be obtained. This crescent shape encourages end-users to align themselves towards the targets and, subsequently, fewer balls will be hit outside the confines of the facility. Some sites are of sufficient length to allow tees at each end of the range. Three hundred yards from the front of the primary tee to that of the secondary tee is currently recommended. The hitting line on the tees should be adjusted at the same time so that as one line is forward, the other is back to maximize the distance between the two. Mention should be made that longer ranges are necessary where the player is hitting with continuous strong prevailing winds or at higher elevations, as the less-dense air allows golf balls to travel farther. Targets have evolved to greens, some with bunkers. Positioning these target greens will depend, to some extent, on the depth of the tee(s), as the distance may vary as much as 80 yards. However, locating five targets so that short, mid, and long irons and lofted and straight-faced woods each can be used by the skilled and less-skilled players from varied hitting lines would be appropriate. Vertical plaques for easy viewing can be placed on the tees according to laser- measured distances. Critical to tee design is its construction. Proper construction requires adequate drain­ age — surface and sub-surface. Loose, sandy soils on flat ground can be “pushed up,” leveled, and seeded or sprigged. Tight, clayey soils may require sub-surface drain­ age (herringbone style similar to that below putting greens). An easier method is to shape a “V”-type subgrade at l%-2% slope with one drainpipe set in washed pea gravel in the bottom of the “V.” The outfall can be into an unused area or into a large drainpipe. A 1 % to 2% fall in the “V” should be sufficient for water to move through the pipe. Two to four inches of pea gravel should then be installed over the subgrade with sufficient (6 to 8 inches) high-sand root zone mix over that to allow aerification. A steeper subgrade will obviate the use of pea gravel and only slightly increase the amount of mix required. A flat surface then can be graded. On soils and terrain not requiring sub-surface drain­ age, a pitch of 1% from front right to back left is preferred. Tees benched into a hillside 4 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD not aimed towards others on the tee. One or two bunkers can be built to simulate the kinds of shots expected on the course. The practice fairway bunker may be an extension of the greenside bunker, but is preferably its own entity. It should be shallow enough to replicate what might be found on the course and wide enough to handle two or three players. Construction and sand should be the same as is found on the course. Although the preferred perimeter screen is some kind of tall, dense evergreen tree (varies by climate), fence or netting may be required, depending on the topography, acreage, and adjacent land use. It is possible to effectively camouflage nets or fences with landscape plantings. Screening brings us back to the initial design consideration — solar orientation. Too much shade on the tee (especially in the morning) will mean a con sistently inferior surface. Thus, to screen the practice tee, hedges and trees should be planted behind the cart path, not between tee and cart path. Basic Setup and Maintenance Regardless of the type of turf on the tee, controlling usage is vital in winning the battle of maintaining a practice facility in good condition. In addition to clearly defining the hitting area, the hitting line must be regularly moved so that recovery from damage can occur. At some courses, the golf professional staff handles setup of the practice tee, but it would be logical to include this with the daily course setup process. After changing the tee marker and hole locations on the course, the individuals assigned to this task can take care of the range tee before moving on to their next job for the day. A common and successful practice tee setup is defining the hitting line with a rope securely anchored to the ground. A 7- to 10-foot-deep hitting line is suggested, and the individual hitting stations should be delineated by 2- x 4-inch boards, bag stands, or other fixed markers spaced 8 to 10 feet apart. The hitting line should be progres sively moved, starting at the front of the practice tee and working back or vice versa. When heavy usage and damage are not experienced, a good option for increasing the usable area is simply to shift the individual hitting stations over to the left or right before rotating the hitting line back. Not making a complete 7- to 10-foot hitting line change can help in increasing the rotation and re covery time available. It should be noted that the use of two parallel ropes for defining the hitting line is no longer being recom mended because of injury and liability problems that have occurred from golfers catching the forward rope with their clubs. Although the innovation of the lesson and practice tee has doubtlessly contributed to the growth of the game, the advent of annual range use programs has resulted in more problems with mamtaining a good quality turf cover. With a one-time annual fee, the number of practice balls hit by an individual or family goes up dramatically. Also, a common amenity at many private clubs in Florida is putting out large baskets of practice balls on the tee for the members' use. As long as the practice balls are readily available, there are some golfers who will continue to hit them. A review of the tee surface may suggest that controlled use be a part of an annual range program. This is particularly true when tee size is limited. Experience suggests that simply going to the use of bags or small buckets of balls and providing only a couple of those at a time can significantly reduce the amount of time most of the golfers spend on the practice tee. This, in turn, limits divot damage. Once the hitting line has been moved, an effort must be made to promote rapid recovery of damaged areas. During periods of peak play, the hitting line needs to be moved every day or every second or third day. With bermudagrass practice tees, simply filling in the divots with topdressing material and making a broadcast application of a complete fertilizer is usually adequate dur ing the summer growing season. Supplying the equivalent of 0.5 to 1.0 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet every 7 to 14 days is suggested. Furthermore, the use of sand plus peat or some other organic material, such as processed sewage sludge, is preferable to the use of a straight sand topdressing on most practice tees. In discussing practice facilities with other Green Section agronomists, it was noted To maintain a smooth surface and dense turf cover on practice tees, topdressing of divot damage, adequate fertilization, and reseeding must be routinely practiced. that although there are a few courses that have bentgrass tees, the dominant turf cover used in cool-season turf areas is perennial ryegrass. To produce quality bentgrass prac tice tees, the combination of very low usage and an extremely large area must exist. The fast establishment and durability of the rye grasses makes this species the best suited turf for practice tees throughout the northern portions of the country. In a few areas, com binations of perennial ryegrass and some of the newer Kentucky bluegrasses are being used. The objective here is to take advantage of the spreading growth habit of the blue- grasses. It has also been a standard practice across the southern areas of the country to overseed bermudagrass-based tees with perennial ryes for the winter months. However, due to the bunch-type growth habit of the ryegrasses, reseeding of dam aged areas must be routinely practiced to reestablish the turf. There are numerous methods of reseeding, but a common denominator with successful programs is performing this work immediately after moving the hitting line. Some use a com bination of pre-germinated seed and top- dressing, whereas others apply the materials separately to fill in the damaged areas. De pending on the severity of damage, broadcast or spot treatment applications can be used, and then the materials can be dragged in to produce a smooth surface. The application of a starter-type fertilizer also is suggested. Furthermore, supplying 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per month is recommended as a basic management prac tice for perennial ryegrass practice tees. Ideally, a period of 4 to 5 weeks needs to be allowed for the turf to reestablish before the area is put back into use. With respect to the management of prac tice putting/chipping greens and bunkers, these areas receive more concentrated use than the corresponding areas on the course. Logically, then, maintenance inputs must be higher. However, since conditions are variable across the country, standardized recommendations are not possible. An important situation not to overlook is the additional buildup of sand on turf areas adjacent to practice bunkers. For these locations, annual or even bi-annual removal of sand accumulations may be required to keep the turf in acceptable condition. The practice range fairway should be managed just as the rest of the fairways on the course, though it rarely happens this way. Options for Problem Situations Boca West Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida, has been faced with an ongoing battle in trying to maintain the level of practice tee quality desired. This is especially true during the winter season when 70% to 80% of their play occurs. Boca West is a very large development complex with four courses for its 2,800 golfing members to use, and its practice range is in almost constant use. Last year it was calculated that well over 3 million golf balls were hit! At Boca West, there is only 72,000 square feet of teeing area. Even with adherence to a continuous grow-in fertilization program When limited space is an issue, there are simply not any options available. 6 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD and daily reseeding during the winter months, Billy Wright, Director of Grounds, and his staff are in a no-win situation. To aid in this battle, a permanent hitting line with an artificial turf cover was installed a couple of years ago along the back of the south teeing area. Different surface materials have been tried, and it seems that the best setup is individual hitting mats that can be replaced easily when they wear out. The use of artificial turf mats has definitely helped at Boca West by providing more time for the turf to recover and some reduction in divot damage. Although Boca West is an extreme case, many other clubs and courses would benefit from the installation of a permanent hitting line on their practice tees. Over the years, improvements in both appearance and play characteristics have been made in artificial turf materials. Calling them all-weather practice tees increases the acceptance of artificial turf tees. There are times when the members should be required to use these tees, but a policy stating that all outside groups and outings are required to use the all-weather teeing areas makes them more palatable at private clubs. All-weather tees typically are placed along the back of the practice tee, but locating them in the front should be considered. With this arrangement, the main tenance staff can work on the rest of the practice tee while the facility is kept open. Another common problem on practice tees is achieving good turf reestablishment. To insure good initial seed germination and establishment of reseeded areas, frequent supplemental irrigation applications are re quired for two to three weeks. Obviously, this can be a problem when the practice tee is in use. A good solution is the installation of rows of small pop-up mist or residential type irrigation heads across the practice tee. Finally, to improve the depth perception and aesthetic character of target greens, bunkering is a desirable design practice. Yet, traditional sand bunkers require a lot of maintenance, and the practice balls must be picked up by hand from in and around these areas. A solution that has worked quite well in Florida is to replace the sand with a white crushed rock material. When the rock is firmly packed into place, the ball pickers can drive right over the bunker and the only other maintenance required is periodic edging and spot weed control. We fully realize that at some courses, space and/or budget limitations restrict the type and quality of practice facilities that can be provided. Yet continuing to ignore the problem will not make it go away. Only by giving the practice facility a higher priority will it be possible to win the battle and meet the expectations of the golfers. SALINITY MANAGEMENT by REED YENNY, CGCS Mesa Verde C.C., Costa Mesa, California IT SEEMS to be a universal truth that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is true in medicine, in criminal justice, and it’s also true in turfgrass manage­ ment. In the arid and semi-arid regions of the United States, the successful manage­ ment of soil salinity conditions requires preventive action. If preventative measures aren’t taken and conditions reach a critical point, it could mean starting over from barren soil. Fundamentally, salinity is the total con­ centration of soluble salts in either the irrigation water or the soil solution. Salinity is measured as electrical conductivity (EC) in either decisiemens per meter (dS/m) or millimhos per centimeter (mmhos/cm). To approximate EC from total dissolved salts (TDS), the value reported in ppm is divided by 640. Likewise, to roughly convert EC to TDS, the value reported in dS/m or mmhos/cm is multiplied by 640. Salinity affects turfgrasses by lowering the osmotic pressure in the soil solution, thus limiting water availability to the root system, or by physically destroying the soil’s struc­ ture. When these two destructive forces are combined, the turf wilts prematurely and gradually declines over a long period of time. Frequently, salinity buildup in the soil is misdiagnosed as a disease problem. This is especially prevalent on courses with annual bluegrass-bentgrass putting greens, and often prompts the needless application(s) of fungi- cide(s). However, in defense of turfgrass managers, it is true that turfgrasses are weakened by salinity buildup and therefore are more susceptible to disease infection. The proper cure in this situation is to manage both the salinity and the disease, not just the disease alone. Salinity buildup is an inevitable process in many parts of the country and occurs as salts in the irrigation source accumulate in the soil. Through evapotranspiration (ET), salinity increases in the soil because only pure water evaporates from the soil and transpires from the leaf surfaces, leaving salts behind. At best, the resulting buildup can be leached below the root zone or into an artificial drainage system by scheduling extra irrigation in proportion to the salinity increase. The amount of water required to reduce soil salinity to an acceptable level is primarily a function of the salinity of the irrigation source. As a rule, the higher the salt content of the irrigation source, the higher the requirement for extra irrigation to prevent excessive salinity buildup. Other factors that must be considered to leach salts from the soil include infiltration rate, surface compaction, irrigation scheduling, and the use of the facility. When salinity is a problem, infiltration must be monitored and steps taken to improve the water infiltration rate. If this problem is not corrected, adequate irrigation cannot be scheduled to move salts below the root zone. Compacted turf areas may need to be aerified before attempting to leach salts to help reduce runoff and allow more water to enter the soil. Irrigation scheduling should always be planned to minimize excess runoff. Typically, multiple 30-minute cycles are more effective than a single irrigation cycle of one to two hours. Low emission, portable sprinklers also can be very effective for small areas or putting greens with surrounding bunkers or steep grades. The use of the facility immediately after leaching is often ignored as a potential problem, but is nonetheless an important consideration. Depending on how the greens are built, putting greens can require several hours to adequately dry before they are suitable for play. If the course is closed on Mondays, then Sunday nights would be best for scheduling leaching irrigation cycles. When high temperatures coincide with salinity buildup, managing the situation is even more difficult. On one hand, the irri­ gation system may not be able to apply the needed volume of water within a given time period to maintain healthy turf and leach the soil. On the other hand, the soil may be so impervious that it will not accept the needed volume of water without becoming soft and unplayable. Extra care needs to be taken in these situations. Table 1 Relative Tolerance of Turfgrasses to Soil Salinity Sensitive < 3 dS/m Moderately Sensitive 3-6 dS/m Moderately Tolerant 6-10 dS/m Tolerant > 10 dS/m Annual bluegrass Colonial bentgrass Annual ryegrass Chewings fescue Kentucky bluegrass Creeping bentgrass Rough bluegrass Centipedegrass Hard fescue Bahiagrass Bent. cv. Seaside Alkaligrass Perennial ryegrass Bermudagrass Tall fescue Buffalograss Zoysiagrass Seashore paspalum St. Augustinegrass Harivandi, M. A., Butler, J. D„ and Wu, L. 1992. Salinity and turfgrass culture. Turfgrass Series No. 32. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1994 7 Sometimes salinity buildup is misdiagnosed as a disease infection, setting in motion the needless application(s) offungicide(s). To help tell these two common problems apart, look for healthy turf growing in recent aerifier holes. This sign indicates salinity may be the culprit because salts are being leached where water penetrates through the green. Note, too, that some golfers never forget to repair their ball marks, no matter how bad the circumstances may be! Developing a Salinity Management Program Obtaining accurate soil and water analyses are the first steps in developing a salinity management program. All water supplies should be tested annually. Water analysis should include measurements of EC and sodium, calcium, magnesium, and bicar­ bonate concentrations. Soil analysis for salinity should be done a minimum of twice per year. The first analysis should be made at the end of a rainy season to establish a baseline measurement and to detect the effect of annual rainfall on salinity buildup. A second analysis should be made at the end of a dry growing season to detect the total salinity buildup, and to find out how effectively salinity was controlled by the management program. Soil analysis should include measurements for EC, pH, and the concentrations of sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and hydrogen. The sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) also should be calculated by using the sodium, calcium, and magnesium concentrations. 8 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Besides routine water and soil analysis, crude field measurements of electrical con­ ductivity can be used during the dry growing season to judge the immediate results of a weekly or biweekly leaching program. These measurements can be easily made by making a saturated soil paste and measuring with a digital electrical conductivity probe, such as the TDStestr 4 (Cole Parmer, P.O. Box 48898, Chicago, IL 60648-0898, Cat. No. 19088-30). Data from water and soil analyses also are important for calculating the application rate of needed soil amendments. Typically, amendments used to help correct salinity buildup supply calcium to the soil. The most often used form of calcium is gypsum (calcium sulfate). According to on-site cir­ cumstances, gypsum can be applied directly to the turf or injected through the irrigation system. Agricultural gypsum, or the more expen­ sive pelletized form, is surface applied to the turf. These products are most effective when tilled into the soil. Therefore, soil aerification prior to the gypsum application should always be considered, if possible. To inject gypsum through the irrigation system, finely ground or solution-grade gypsum that dissolves quickly in water usually can be purchased locally. If the soil has a high free-lime content (calcium carbonate) and a high pH reading, elemental sulfur or sulfuric acid can be used to increase the calcium concentration. This increase in calcium occurs by the reaction between the free lime in the soil and the added elemental sulfur or sulfuric acid which produces gypsum in the soil. The slowest reaction occurs when elemental sulfur is used because it first must be converted by soil microorganisms into sulfuric acid before it can react with the free lime. It also is important to appreciate that different turfgrass species have a varying tolerance to salinity buildup. Generally, cool­ season turfgrasses have a lower tolerance to excessive soil salinity than warm-season turfgrasses. If salinity levels cannot be maintained below the critical point for a Table 2 Electrical Conductivity and Sodium Adsorption Ratio Measurements for a Green Built with a Well-Drained, Sand-Modified Root Zone Table 3 Electrical Conductivity and Sodium Adsorption Ratio Measurements for a Green Built with a Poorly Drained Native Soil particular turfgrass species, then replanting to a more tolerant species should be con­ sidered. Mesa Verde Country Club — A Case Study Mesa Verde Country Club is a private facility built in the late 1950s. The putting greens had developed a history of occasional turf loss during the late summer because of poor drainage and salinity buildup. The re­ cent drought in California was especially troublesome and caused serious turf loss in the fall of 1990. An average annual rainfall of less than 7.5 inches for the previous five years pro­ duced salinity readings on some greens that exceeded 8 dS/m. For the most part, leaching attempts were ineffective due to the poor drainage that would not allow salts to move past the root zone. Soil and water monitoring were undertaken to develop a strategy for reducing salinity measurements below the upper tolerance range for putting greens dominated by annual bluegrass. Irrigation source analysis revealed that the well water used on the golf course had NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1994 9 root zone had an EC of 4.7 dS/m and an SAR of 6.8. To maintain annual bluegrass/bent- grass putting greens, salinity needed to be reduced to below 4 dS/m throughout the year and calcium levels needed to be increased to improve soil structure. A double strategy was developed. First, to improve the infiltration rate of the irrigation source, 700 pounds of gypsum (salt) was dissolved in each acre foot of water (326,000 gallons) used for irrigation. Gypsum was dissolved in the water by a machine that injects a mixture of gypsum and water into the discharge side of the well that feeds the irrigation reservoir. The treated water resting in the reservoir was then pumped through the irrigation system. The quantity of gypsum applied was based on the amount of calcium needed and the salinity increase required of the irrigation water to improve infiltration. As a point of reference, 235 pounds of 100% gypsum will raise the calcium concentration of the water by 1 meq/liter and the EC by 0.12 dS/m. The use of a digital electrical conductivity meter before and after water treatment verified that the proper amount of gypsum was added. Second, to improve the quality of the irri­ gation source, a twice-per-month leaching program was initiated by applying two hours of irrigation in four 30-minute sets. The leaching program was started in the spring of 1991, approximately one month after the last significant rainfall. By starting early in the season, salinity was maintained below the target measurement of 4 dS/m. Two noteworthy conclusions were made as a result of the salinity management strategy. First of all, salinity buildup in the putting greens built with native soil can be held at a tolerable level. If the leaching pro­ gram is not started until midsummer, when ET demands are at their highest, it is very difficult to apply enough irrigation water to move the salts below the root zone and still have a firm, playable surface. Secondly, we found that salinity buildup in the putting greens rebuilt with a sand root zone can be reduced faster and with less water compared to those built with native soil. While most prevalent in the arid and semi- arid regions of the United States, salinity problems can occur anywhere a poor-quality irrigation source is used during drought conditions. To prevent such a set of circum­ stances from causing the deterioration of top-quality putting greens, the key to success is getting an early start at correcting the problem. Symptoms of salinity damage are not revealed until after turf damage occurs, so electrical conductivity monitoring with regular water and soil analyses is critical. As the old adage says — an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. To successfully manage greens with a salty irrigation source, periodic leaching is necessary to prevent salinity buildup. If leaching isn’t practiced, the cure for turf loss will inevitably involve starting over from barren soil. an EC of 0.56 dS/m and an adjusted SAR of 3.39. Normally this is considered good quality water for irrigation; however, re­ search by Dr. James Oster, University of California at Riverside, had shown that low-EC waters are likely to have poor infil­ tration rates as the SAR increases. As odd as it may seem, both the water infiltration and the efficiency of the leaching program were improved by adding gypsum to the irrigation supply. Salinity monitoring was initiated in December 1991 after a few light seasonal rains. At this time, the top four inches of the 10 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD RECOVERY FOR WINTER-INJURED GREENS by JAMES E. SKORULSKI Agronomist, Northeastern Region, USGA Green Section REVERE WINTER INJURY due to cold ^^temperatures, ice, or desiccation is k—’likely to occur at most golf courses at one time or another despite all the pre­ cautions that are taken. Information is available that can be used to help prevent or reduce potential injury, and with luck those practices will be successful. However, year in and year out, injury will occur some­ where and superintendents will be forced into action to repair the damage and appease the often unsympathetic golfers. The recovery process that has been preached for years has not changed much, and the basics still hold true. Damaged greens must still be cultivated to create a seedbed, and young seedling turf must be kept moist and well fertilized during the establishment process. Soil temperatures still dictate how quickly seed germination occurs, and the need for patience cannot be overemphasized. However, new equipment and seed technology are now available to help speed the recovery process. Following is a review of the essential recovery strategies and a discussion of how this new technology can improve your results. A winter recovery program begins first by determining the extent of the damage. This can be analyzed in the field, but an earlier and more accurate assessment can be obtained by bringing plugs indoors from areas where injury is thought to have occurred, where growth then can be forced. Damage is quickly evident as the turf resumes growth. This technique provides a good idea of the extent of the damage. Good communication is critical once it is determined that damage has occurred. Be open and honest with course officials about the suspected damage and the recovery actions that will have to be taken. This may include the use of temporary greens for the duration of the recovery period. Open com­ munication is essential at this point to avoid surprises later on. The extent of the damage and the antici­ pated playing schedule will dictate whether the recovery must be accomplished using seed or sod. The sodding option has become more appealing since the development of washed sod, which reduces soil layering concerns in the soil profile. Having a good quality sod nursery available on the prop­ erty also makes this option more practical. However, sodding generally is not advis­ able unless damage is very extensive and recovery is required by an early date. The sodding work itself is difficult, especially when repairing isolated areas of damage on Ice-related injury in a primary hole location area requires intensive recovery work. a green. Commercially grown sod likely will produce an inconsistent playing surface due to differences in turf, and this may not be appealing. An alternative is that if one green is severely damaged, the remaining sod on that green can be used to patch damaged areas on other greens. After the green has been stripped of the turf, it then can be regrassed with sod or seed. The Seeding Option Achieving recovery with seed begins with developing a seedbed in the damaged areas. Work should be initiated as soon as the soil is workable. There are many ways to do this, including conventional aerification and slice seeding. Some superintendents com­ bine both techniques or double aerify the greens, depending on the extent of the damage. Positive results have been observed with some of the new cultivation attachments developed for conventional aerification equipment. The attachments consist of closely spaced, small-diameter solid or hollow tines that produce a large number of tightly spaced, %- to ‘/z-inch-deep holes or dimples that are ideal for seeding. Creeping bentgrass seed can be broadcast at 114-2 pounds per 1,000 square feet following the cultivation work. A light topdressing application should follow. Avoid excessively high seeding rates, which can result in seedling competition problems. Seed germination and establishment rates are dictated by soil temperatures. Fortunately, temperatures sometimes can be artificially elevated to hasten germination. Clear plastic covers can elevate soil tempera­ tures most rapidly and help maintain soil moisture. The plastic covers are installed following the overseeding work and are left on the surface until seedling emergence is observed. Geotextile covers also can be installed to hasten germination, and they are effective for moderating soil temperatures following seedling emergence. They work especially well for protecting the young seedling plants from frost, and they help insulate the soils from cold nighttime tem­ peratures. Be sure to monitor the tempera­ tures closely under the covers and be pre­ pared to remove them on sunny, warm days when excessive heat could injure the young seedlings. Primed seed also can be used to obtain faster germination when soil temperatures are below optimal ranges. Primed seed can be purchased, or priming can be completed in-house. It is a good idea to combine con­ ventional seed with primed seed. The primed seed should germinate more quickly and serve as a nurse crop for the conventional seed. A low-analysis natural organic fer­ tilizer also can be applied during the seeding to provide nutrients and serve as a darken­ ing agent to help raise surface temperatures. 12 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD Obtaining good seed germination during a cool spring is a feat in itself, and all the efforts involved with the seeding can be lost very quickly without close attention. Traffic from golfers and equipment can quickly damage young seedling turf. Temporary greens are therefore a must in cases of severe, widespread damage where hole locations are limited. Allowing play on severely damaged greens will delay the recovery process, often resulting in poor quality surfaces for nearly the entire season and sometimes beyond. Wear injury from mowing equipment can be minimized by replacing grooved rollers with solid rollers and by switching to lighter walk-behind machines set at a Me" height. The cutting units should be well adjusted and kept very sharp to obtain a clean cut. Cultural Practices Fertility management also is important during recovery. Water-soluble nitrogen forms should be utilized initially. They can be applied in either granular form or dissolved and applied at light rates through the spray tank. Avoid using certain slow- release synthetic or natural organic products, as the nitrogen will not be readily available until soil temperatures rise. Ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, or urea-based products work well. The use of the soluble nitrogen forms also helps to avoid excessive nutrient levels in the soil resulting from the sudden release of nitrogen from temperature­ dependent fertilizers. Use balanced fertilizer products to assure that both phosphorus and potassium are readily available to the recovering plants. Try to apply at least 1- 1!4 pounds nitrogen per 1,000 square feet monthly during the recovery to promote aggressive growth. Although promoting rapid early spring growth can make the plants more vulnerable to stress and disease problems, this is a risk that must be taken. Preventative fungicide applications will be required, especially if cool, wet conditions persist. The young seedling plants also must be kept moist, as they are very prone to desic­ cation on greens that have been extensively modified with sand. Light, frequent irriga­ tion should be practiced to sustain the shallow-rooted plants. Hand watering the damaged areas is the best means of providing the moisture necessary to damaged areas without overwatering the healthy areas of the green. Probably the most difficult period of the recovery process occurs two or three weeks into the program. At this point, the young seedling turf is beginning to mature but the areas remain thin. Doubts as to the progress of recovery will be heard from golfers. Sodding often becomes an attractive option at this point despite the fact that good germination has occurred and the young seedling plants are visible. In most cases, the temptation of sodding should be avoided since the young plants will grow quickly, especially as the temperatures warm. Sod­ ding at this point would only eliminate the progress that has been made and probably would not have a significant effect on the final recovery date. Impatient golfers will demand to have the greens reopened during the latter stages of recovery. Patience is of the utmost impor­ tance at this point as the turf may appear to be nearly recovered but often is not. Obtaining turf cover alone does not mean that the surfaces are sound. Opening the greens for everyday play or pursuing aggres­ sive management practices for playability will quickly thin the tender young turf. It might be possible to open the green tempo­ rarily for weekend play or special events, but avoid the damaged areas as much as possible. Light topdressing also can be initi­ ated at this point, but care must be taken to avoid abrasion injury. Light vertical mowing or grooming might also be initiated, but do so sparingly to avoid damaging the recover­ ing turf. Recovery should remain the pri­ mary objective at this point, with playability taking a back seat. More aggressive manage- ment practices can be initiated after the turf has fully recovered. As with any recovery program, patience is critical. This is especially true in spring when growing conditions often are less than favorable. Expect some setbacks during the recovery process as well as some unexpected surprises. Maintaining open lines of com­ munication is critical during the entire process to explain what caused the damage and to set down the ground rules for re­ covery. Pictures of both the damage and the recovery process are also invaluable. Though they may appear healthy, the dam­ aged areas will undoubtedly enter the sum­ mer season in a weakened state. Care must be taken to keep the turf as vigorous as possible and to reduce maintenance intensity for the whole season. The golfers must realize that playing conditions on the dam­ aged greens will be below the standards to which they have become accustomed. Those conditions will be regained, but as with anything good, hard work and patience will be required. (Left) Although plastic covers have been used in the past, today geotextile covers are used to help elevate and maintain warmer soil temperatures during the recovery period. (Below) Curtailing traffic on newly seeded areas aids in the recovery process. Keep the golfers off if at all possible! NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1994 13 Density is one characteristic evaluated when comparing bermudagrass varieties for use on a golf course turf Introducing New Seed-Propagated p Hybrid (2-Clone Synthetic) Bermudagrass by A. A. BALTENSPERGER, Ph.D. Director of Turfgrass Research, FMC, and Emeritus Professor of Agronomy, NMSU and J. P. KLINGENBERG, Ph.D. Research Geneticist, FMC DURING THE past decade, interest I has increased in the development of improved seed-propagated bermuda­ grass varieties that perform better than COMMON. GUYMON, NuMex SAHARA, SONESTA, CHEYENNE PRIMAVERA, and SUNDEVIL are among the new seeded bermudagrasses that have been commer­ cially accepted (Table 1). GUYMON is more cold tolerant and has an attractive turf color, and NuMex SAHARA is moderately more dense, uniform, and drought tolerant com­ pared to COMMON. GUYMON was developed at the Okla­ homa Agriculture Experiment Station by crossing two selected clones of diverse origin, and from this cross, both first (FJ and second (F2) generation seed is produced. NuMex SAHARA was developed at the New Mexico Agriculture Experiment Station by intercrossing eight selected clones fol­ lowed by repeated intercrossing and re­ selection, which resulted in a multiclone synthetic variety. With the exception of 14 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD ON and COMMON, the 10 named varieties entered in the National 'agrass Test—1992* were developed ishion similar to that of NuMex IA (Table 1). recent development of F, hybrids or synthetic bermudagrasses will pro- jrs with a dense, fine-textured variety i be grown from seed. Experimental 6 and FMC-88 are examples of Ft ; resulting from interpollinating two ?f Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. These of many F, hybrids that currently are reeding program under evaluation for ality and seed yield. srent Kind of Hybrid 1-propagated hybrids of the tetrapioid lagrass, C. dactylon (2n = 4x = 36), sen considered for many years. G. W. i and co-workers and A. A. Balten- r and co-workers have published le methods for producing such hybrid ss. C. M. Taliaferro and co-workers ped the variety GUYMON, where the seed crop was from two clones pro- ; an intraspecific F, hybrid. The p! seed generation) was planted and subse- y harvested to produce an F2 (second ition), which is essentially a synthetic i derived from the F| hybrid. : FMC-66 and FMC-88 varieties are ^specific hybrids that are seed propa- That is, both parents are of the same ;s, C. dactylon. They differ from the pecific hybrids, where two different ;s of Cynodon are used as parents in :ross (Figure 1). These generally are :, producing little or no seed, and are itively propagated. Examples of inter­ ne hybrids are TIFWAY, TIFGREEN, RON, and SANTA ANA. IC-66 and FMC-88 were developed in by Farmers Marketing Corp. (FMC) at ew Mexico State University (NMSU) idecker Plant Science Research Center Las Cruces, New Mexico. These Fj ;pecific hybrids were derived from s of progeny plants developed by con- anal plant breeding and selection using sstic and foreign plant material. Only :d will be produced and marketed. Seed rarvested from these hybrids and other ar crosses in November of 1991 and sdiately evaluated in the greenhouse, e hybrids were strikingly more dense finer textured in greenhouse and sub- jpy of the Progress Report 1993 for this test be obtained by writing to: Kevin Morris, tonal Program Coordinator, National Turf- js Evaluation Program, Beltsville Agri- ural Research Center - West, Building 002, >m 013, Beltsville, MD 20705. Figure 1 Intraspecific Hybrid C. dactylon C. dactylon (2n = 36) (2n = 36) Fi P C. dactylon x C. transvaalensis (2n = 27) Y C. dactylon (2n = 36) Sterile — Must be vegetatively propagated because it will not produce seed Fertile — Fj progeny will produce seed for establishment or continued breeding and development Table 1 Seed-Propagated Bermudagrasses Entered in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program in 1986 and 1992f 1986 1992 *C0MM0N *GUYMON *NM S-l (NuMex SAHARA) NMS-3 *NM S-2 NMS-4 NM S-14 ^COMMON *GUYMON *NuMex SAHARA *SONESTA *CHEYENNE *SUNDEVIL J-27 J-912 (JACKPOT) FMC 1-90 (PRIMAVERA) FMC 2-90 FMC 3-91 FMC 5-91 FMC 6-91 (SULTAN) 90173 (MIRAGE) OKS 91-1 OKS 91-11 + The 1986 test also included 21 vegetatively propagated genotypes for a total of 28 entries. The 1992 test included 10 vegetatively propagated genotypes for a total of 26 entries. *Commercially available varieties. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1994 15 sequent field experi than other multi­ synthetic varieties, of these new hy appear to have gooi cific combining s for the selected me logical character and have moderate yield potential. Basis for Hybrid Designation of Th< Zn/raspecific Varie Self-sterility, als ferred to as self-in patibility, is basic tc ducing a high perce hybrid seed relatix self-pollinated seei high amount of c fertility is also desi for seed set. Self-fer studies conducted or mudagrass indicate this characteristic v considerably from clone to another, f ever, most clones tc have exhibited self tility of one or two cent expressed as see compared to cross tility 20 to 30 ti greater. In a field isok study at Las Cruces, ] Mexico, the four pare clones involved in Fl 66 and FMC-88 set seed when self-pc nated, but had mode seed set when allowe cross-pollinate. Seed measured while proc ing the two hybrids approximately 40 pen of the amount measi for the multi-clone s thetic variety NuN SAHARA. Germination and Seedling Vigor Germination and se ling vigor are often lo' for seed of selfed pla (Sj seed) compared tc hybrid seed. In this a St seed from the fl ones tested had con- derably lower germi- ition and reduced seed- ag vigor compared to ybrids. These results iggest that the selfed jedlings would not impete well with the ybrid seedlings in solid ands. Also, the S, seed- ngs tended to be as fine r finer textured and less igorous relative to the ybrids and presumably -ould not detract from irf quality. Jniformity of Tiirf rom These Hybrids Uniformity of the re- ulting turf is important ar most turfgrass uses, ince the parent clones re heterozygous, there is genetic and morpho- agical variability among tie Fj hybrid plants. The mount of morphological ariation among plants nay depend primarily on he gene differences >etween the parent clones br such attributes as leaf ength and width, shoot dongation rate, internode ength, and other charac- eristics. Therefore, uni- brmity within seed lots if an intraspecific hybrid vould not be expected to ?e as high as an inter­ specific hybrid, such as riFWAY, since the latter vas vegetatively propa­ gated from a single plant. However, FMC-66 and FMC-88 have been found to be very uniform mor­ phologically even when individual progeny are evaluated in field plots. This high uniformity likely results from the previous development Growth differences in bermudagrass varieties is evident only 45 days after transplanting. Table 2 Summary of Ttirfgrass Performance of Four Hybrids, Three Synthetic Varieties, and Common Bermudagrass in Trials Conducted at Yuma, Arizona; Gainesville, Florida; and Las Cruces, New Mexico Quality Density Texture Color NM AZ NM Entry FMC-66 FMC-88 TIFWAY TIFGREEN SULTAN NuMex SAHARA CHEYENNE COMMON LSD (P-0.05) AZ1 FL2 NM3 AZ 7.8 7.5 --- — 6.5 5.9 5.3 4.8 0.5 5.9 6.7 6.5 6.3 — 4.3 4.1 4.8 1.3 8.0 7.7 8.2 7.6 7.4 6.9 5.0 4.9 0.7 8.3 8.3 — — 6.9 6.3 5.6 5.0 0.5 FL 6.0 6.3 6.7 6.9 — 4.9 4.2 4.8 1.8 NM 8.5 8.0 8.2 8.3 7.3 6.7 4.5 4.7 0.7 FL 4.0 3.7 4.0 5.0 7.5 7.0 7.7 8.7 — 6.8 1.0 1.0 1.3 0.6 6.7 4.5 5.5 0.9 6.9 7.0 — — 6.1 5.5 5.8 4.5 0.4 7.5 7.5 8.1 8.0 7.1 7.3 5.3 6.3 0.9 1 Mean performance for two years at Yuma, AZ. Means were derived from three-replicate tests and 10 observation days from fall 1992 and spring 1994. 2 Mean performance during 1994 at Gainesville, FL. Planted: October 1993. Data supplied by Dr. A. E. Dudeck, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. MSD used instead of LSD for test of differences. 3 Mean performance at Las Cruces, NM, in 1993. Means derived from three-replicate test. NOTE: All plots were rated from 1 to 9, with 9 indicating highest quality, most dense, finest texture, and darkest green color, except texture ratings at Florida were 1 to 5, with 5 being most fine. Dash (—) indicates variety was not included in the test. Table 3 Morphological Comparison of Three Hybrids, Three Synthetic Varieties, and Common Bermudagrass at Las Cruces, NM, in 1994* Entry TIFWAY FMC-66 FMC-88 SULTAN NuMex SAHARA COMMON GUYMON (Syn 2) LSD Leaf Width mm Leaf Length mm Leaves/ Stem number Leaf Density** number Stem Diameter mm 1.65 1.84 2.06 2.58 2.79 2.80 2.91 0.09 19.1 24.3 17.7 29.2 34.7 51.4 37.6 2.2 25.2 34.7 20.4 24.4 19.3 17.4 13.2 10.6 4.4 3.9 3.3 2.8 2.0 1.7 1.8 0.3 0.99 0.99 1.00 1.12 1.16 1.03 1.31 0.06 *Data from 90 individual plants (30 plants in each of three replications) established from seed, except for TIFWAY, where 90 vegetatively propagated plants were _ valuated. **Mean number of leaves per centimeter on first five nodes of stem measured from apical leaf. 18 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD ment and selection of parent clones that resulted in similar genetic backgrounds. Genetic control for the seed crop of intra- specific hybrids is enhanced over synthetic varieties with proper establishment, isola­ tion, and maintenance of the two distinct parent clones. The Fj seed harvested in sub­ sequent years will be genetically identical since only F, seed will be produced. Performance Results Although these hybrids were not included in the National Bermudagrass Test - 1992, field evaluations have been conducted at several locations. Results indicate these hybrids produce a turf with significantly higher density and finer texture than the cur­ rent generation of improved open-pollinated or multiclone synthetic seeded varieties. Both F, hybrids, FMC-66 and FMC-88, are more dense and have scored higher for turf quality than multiclone synthetic varieties in experiments at three locations across the United States (Table 2). Additional performance data have been collected to better describe the two new intraspecific hybrids and to compare them Breeding Terminology Fj The first filial generation. The first generation of descent from a given cross or mating. F2 The second filial generation from a cross, such as the offspring from intercrossing F, plants. ntraspecific Progeny resulting from a cross of two hybrid individuals of the same species, such as Cynodon dactylon x C. dactylon. nterspecific Progeny resulting from a cross of two hybrid individuals of different species, such as C. dactylon x C. transvaalensis. Clone Identical organism descended asexually from a single ancestor, such as a vegetative stem or stolon of bermudagrass. Progeny Descendants or offspring from a mating or cross. Hybrid Offspring of genetically dissimilar parents (as members of different breeds or species). Synthetic Population of cross-pollinated plants or variety resulting seed from combining selected clones or lines. :h named seeded varieties and to the interspecific hybrid T1FWAY. af and stem characteristics, including leaf density, of 90 spaced nts of each genotype indicate large morphological differences tong varieties (Table 3). These quantitative data along with visual )ring should help users better choose a variety for their needs. ssibilities — Present and Future /ntraspecific F, hybrids (2-clone single-crosses) that are seed jpagated, such as FMC-66 and FMC-88, provide additional rieties for specific environments and uses. Although less dense or pen” varieties, such as NuMex SAHARA, are often scored lower - turf quality, they may be the variety of choice for specific uations where drought resistance and lower density are desired. JYMON, although coarser textured, should be considered where nter killing is a problem. An intraspecific F; hybrid, such as FMC- , with high density and fine texture may be the choice where better 11 support for golf is desired. Perhaps the most significant “bottom line” is that bermudagrass seders are investigating new methods and providing users with □re choices in seed-propagated bermudagrasses. :knowledgement Some of the research leading to the feasibility and methodology suiting in the development of these hybrids was financed and icouraged by the USGA Turfgrass Research Committee and the ;w Mexico Agriculture Experimental Station. Support for graduate ident projects was especially significant. STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION (Act of October 23,1962; Section 4369, Title 39, United States Code.) 1. Title of Publication — USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD. 2. Date of Filing — September 30, 1994. 3. Frequency of issue — Bimonthly: January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, and November/ December. 3A. Number of issues published annually — 6. 3B. Annual Subscription Price — $ 12.00. 4. Complete mailing address of known office of publication — USGA, Golf House, P.O. Box 708, Far Hills, Somerset County, N.J. 07931-0708. 5. Complete mailing address of the headquarters of general business offices of the publisher — USGA, Golf House, P.O. Box 708, Far Hills, Somerset County, N.J. 07931-0708. 6. Names and addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher — United States Golf Association, Golf House, P.O. Box 708, Far Hills, N.J. 07931-0708. Editor James T. Snow, USGA, Golf House, P.O. Box 708, Far Hills, N.J. 07931-0708. Managing Editor — James T Snow, USGA, Golf House, P.O. Box 708, Far Hills, N.J. 07931-0708. 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 partnership or other unincorporated firm, its name and address, as well as that of each individual must be given. If the publication is published by a nonprofit organization, its name and address must be stated.) — United States Golf Association, Golf House, P.O. Box 708, Far Hills, N.J. 07931-0708; President — Reg Murphy, USGA, Golf House, P.O. Box 708, Far Hills, N.J. 07931-0708; Vice Presidents — Judy Bell and D. Ronald Daniel, USGA, Golf House, P.O. Box 708, Far Hills, N.J. 07931-0708, Secretary — F. Morgan Taylor, Jr., USGA, Golf House, P.O. Box 708, Far Hills, N.J. 07931-0708; Treasurer — Gerald A. Stahl, USGA, Golf House, P.O. Box 708, Far Hills, N.J. 07931-0708; 8. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities — None. 9. For completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at special rates — The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for Federal income tax purposes has not changed during preceding 12 months. 10. Extent and nature of circulation — Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months 16,350 Actual No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date 16,800 None None 15,707 15,707 16,273 16,273 583 500 None 583 None 500 16,290 16,773 60 None 16,350 96 27 None 16,800 95 A. Total No. Copies (Net Press Run) B. Paid and/or Requested Circulation 1. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, and counter sales (not mailed) 2. Paid or Requested Mail Subscriptions C. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Sum of 10B1 & 10B2) D. Free Distribution by Mail (Samples, Complimentary, and Other Free Copies) E. Free Distribution Outside the Mail F. Total Free Distribution (Sum of D and E) G. Total Distribution (Sum of C and F) H. Copies Not Distributed 1. Office Use, Leftovers, Spoiled 2. Return from News Agents I. Total (Sum of G, Hl and H2) Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. JAMES T. SNOW, Editor NOVEMBER/DECEMBER1994 19 Wild turkeys and golf courses are a natural combinatio ON COURSE WITH NATURE Of Eagles, Birdies, and Turkeys by RONALD G. DODSON President, Audubon Society of New York State FOR A GOLFER, there is no doubt that eagles and birdies rank high on the list of satisfying experiences. But what about the turkeys? Wild turkeys on golf courses? It’s a natural combination. The wild turkey, an insect- and seed-eating bird, is found throughout the United States and northern Mexico, and is one of the largest birds in North America. Besides Thanks­ giving and Christmas dinner, what do you know about turkeys? An average adult male (called a tom or gobbler) can grow up to four feet long and weigh 18 pounds. The average female (hen) is much smaller, weighing only about nine pounds. Anatomical features are more promi­ nent on the male turkey than on females. During the spring breeding season, the caruncles (wartlike growths on the neck) and the wattles (folds of skin below the beak) can turn fiery red, white, or blue, depending on the bird’s mood. The snood is a flap of skin hanging down from the tom’s beak. To help get the attention of a hen, the gobbler’s snood will grow from about one inch to five inches! The beard is simply a bundle of special long, thin feathers. 20 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD For the tom, all of these features are de­ signed to prove to a female that he is a worthy mate. Wild turkeys like company. Flocks of eight to ten turkeys form in the fall and winter. Generally, adult hens and their young of the year stay in one flock, while males come together to form “bachelor flocks.” As spring approaches, the flocks break down and all of the groups join in large courtship flocks. They will stay together for about two to three weeks, when the hens move off to search for nest sites, followed by one or more adult gobblers. Mating takes place at this time. After mating, the males rejoin the male-only flocks until the following spring. Females then prepare their nests and take on all responsibilities for raising the poults (young turkeys). Wild turkeys need diverse habitats that vary seasonally. They tend to be habit generalists — using several different kinds of plant communities during the year. During the winter, turkeys need high-energy foods. Acorns, beechnuts, and pine seeds are pre­ ferred, but under harsh winter conditions, waste grain will do. As spring arrives, wild turkeys move from their winter habitat t areas that are better suited to provide nestin and brood-rearing habitats. These habital are often on the edges of hay fields, ol logging roads, fairways on golf courses, an thinned-out woodlots. For short distance: wild turkeys are strong flyers. However, the spend more time walking. For short sprint: they can reach running speeds of up to 1 miles per hour. Proper management of your course woodlot, and grass areas can provide excel lent habitat for these magnificent creatures Because they’re insect eaters and will con sume seeds from invasive vegetation, they’r great for your course’s IPM program. The; tend to be wary of people, so although yoi may see them from a distance or in transi from wooded area to wooded area, they ten< not to be intrusive. While you’re out with your next four some and you happen to spot a turkey, us< this opportunity to show off your gol course wildlife expertise. It may be almos as much fun as birdies and eagles to chai lenge them to describe a snood, wattle, o: caruncle! ALL THINGS CONSIDERED KEEP IT SIMPLE! by BOB BRAME Agronomist, Mid-Atlantic Region, USGA Green Section Keeping it simple in golf course maintenance does not mean turning your back on modem technology. As an industry we have progressed a long way over the last few years. We cannot hide our head in the sand and survive for long. However, keeping it simple does mean first things first. A truly successful golf course mainte­ nance program is built on a solid founda­ tion. This includes good water management (drainage and irrigation), a good grass­ growing environment (sunlight, air move­ ment, and a reasonable mowing height), and proper fertilization. At times, fine-tuning strategies are placed in front of a solid foundation. Think about these examples. A plant growth regulator is being used as a means of reducing Poa annua in putting greens. The idea is to stunt the growth of Poa annua so that the stoloniferous, lateral growth of bentgrass will fill in and crowd out the Poa. Sounds like a reasonable strategy, right? Yet, when these same greens are being mowed below !4 inch, a contradiction occurs. At ultra-low cutting heights the mower will scalp down into the crown of the bentgrass plant. The weakened bentgrass is now more prone to disease, and the turf canopy is thinner, allowing weeds to encroach. Poa annua is given a green light. A proper mow­ ing height is part of the foundation of a good maintenance program, and the use of a growth regulator is a fine-tuning strategy. Foundation elements must be in place to realize full value from fine-tuning strategies. Problems always occur when we get the cart before the horse. We are seeing more and more biostimu­ lants being used in maintenance programs, sometimes by themselves and at times in combination with fertilizers. For the purpose of this discussion, let’s assume they do en­ hance plant growth (there is some disagree­ ment on this point, depending on the actual biostimulant being used). If they do create a growth response, how can you tell what is occurring because of the biostimulant and what is caused by the fertilizer? Biostimu­ lants may have value, but anything that New equipment innovations can help improve the playing surface for the game of golf, but new technology doesn’t replace the required basics: direct sunlight, good air movement, and proper irrigation and mowing practices. camouflages the superintendent’s ability to monitor the growth response occurring from fertilization should be viewed as a potential problem. First things first. We have a wide variety of tools (equip­ ment and pesticides) available today for the maintenance of golf course turf. However, modem technology cannot replace the grass plant’s need for direct sunlight and good air movement. It makes very little sense to invest time and money in the maintenance of quality turf and not provide the grass plant with what it needs to grow. If trees are blocking sunlight penetration, do some selective thinning. If underbrush is restrict­ ing air movement, remove it. The bottom line is that sunlight and air movement are foun­ dation elements in producing healthy, stress- tolerant golf course turf. Today’s golf course superintendents are expected to wear a number of hats. Yet, it is the actual conditioning of the golf course for which the superintendent is ultimately evaluated. The pressure for perfection has, more than once, caused well-meaning superintendents to shoot themselves in the foot (I’ve been there, and I’ve seen others do it). Keeping it simple would suggest making sure your foundation is solid before trying to fine-tune. During the heat of battle, stay with what has worked in the past. When in doubt, don’t do anything! Keep it simple. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER1994 21 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1994 TURF TWISTERS MORE POROUS SOILS Question: We plan to cap the fairways on our new course with a material that is much more porous than the underlying soil. Do you foresee any major problems? (Wisconsin) Answer: You may create seepage areas near the base of slopes because of the different permea­ bility rates of the soils. Water can easily enter the surface layer but not the lower layer, so it will flow downhill, underground, until it is forced to the surface by some obstruction or because of soil saturation. Interceptor drains placed across the slopes should minimize the problem. Ditches must be cut into the dense soil and drainage tubing should be imbedded into gravel to be effective. MAKE FOR SUCCESSFUL Question: We’ve had a difficult time developing appropriate fairway contours. We have information on proper widths and advice from an architect; however, every time we try to mow the new contours, it looks terrible! Do you have any advice? (Connecticut) Answer: Get several hundred yards of yellow or white rope, and use the rope to outline the proposed contours. You can then stand on the tee or landing area and hit golf shots to actually experience the new contours. If you don’t like them, move the rope! After you have agreed upon the new contours, simply use marking paint to outline the contours to guide the fairway mower operator. LEACHING OF SALT ACCUMULATIONS Question: Salt accumulation on my native soil greens is a big problem, especially during the summer. I know I need to leach the soil, but my soil percolation rates are so low I can’t apply enough water to do any good. Is there anything else I can do? (California) Answer: For optimum results, try to schedule leaching operations in conjunction with putting green aeration. Deep-tine aeration in the spring, and additional aeration during the summer using %" to 3/s" hollow tines may be necessary if the problem is severe. Another option may be to schedule several short irrigation cycles during the night at repeated intervals. Be sure to allow time between the cycles to allow the water to percolate into the soil profile. If your irrigation system cannot apply water at a slow enough rate, try placing a low-precipitation-rate sprinkler on the green for a period of four to six hours. A lawn-type stream rotor sprinkler placed on a stand and connected to a quick-coupler valve works well for this purpose.