UNITED  STATES  GOLF  ASSOCIATION 

GREEN  SECTION 

M i d - C o n t i n e nt 

T u r f i e t t er 

No. 3 

June - 1960 

DR.  MARVIN  H.  FERGUSON 
M I D - C O N T I N E NT  D I R E C T OR 
N A T I O N AL  R E S E A R CH  C O O R D I N A T OR 

JAMES  L.  HOLMES 

M I D - W E S T E RN   A G R O N O M I ST 

W.  WAYNE  A L L EN 

S O U T H W E S T E RN   A G R O N O M I ST 

MID-WESTERN  DISTRICT 

R O OM  2 4 1,  L A S A L LE   H O T EL 
C H I C A GO  2, 

I L L I N O IS 

T E L E P H O N E:   S T A TE  2 - 7 4 83 

SOUTHWESTERN  DISTRICT 

T E X AS  A  &  M  C O L L E GE 
C O L L E GE  S T A T I O N,  T E X AS 
T E L E P H O N E:   V I C T OR  6 - 5 2 10 

WINTER KILL PROBLEMS WITH BERMUDAGRASS 

Bermudagrass in the transition zone, or that area within 100 miles north and south 
of the Chio River, has undergone severe damage during the past three winter seasons. 
In a number of areas complete kill has resulted.  From observing this phenomenon 
for the past season, we have the following comments: 

1.  U-3 bermudagrass "winters" in a superior fashion if a mulch is 

used. 

2.  U-3 will not withstand winter traffic. 
3.  After U-3 has been in place for two or three seasons it appears 
to become less vigorous thus more subject to winter damage, and 
competition from weeds such as Poa annua is more of a problem, 
(it is entirely possible that diseases incite this condition). 
4.  U-3 (and other bermudas) is not satisfactory for use in shade 

and on northern slopes. 

5.  Regardless of the noticed disadvantages, bermudagrass remains as one 

of the most useful grasses as an alternate tee and fairway turf. 

Meyer Zoysia, on the other hand, is completely winter hardy for all practical 
purposes.  It is finding increased favor as an alternate tee cover for "wood 
shot" holes.  Its extreme slow growth characteristic makes it only dubiously 
favorable as an "iron shot" alternate tee cover.  We believe that the use of Meyer 
Zoysia will increase.  A number of clubs in the transition area are presently 
establishing fairways in this turf.  All eyes in the Cincinnati area are on 
Marion Mendenhall, the superintendent at Kenwood Country Club,  Marion stripped 
Meyer into two fairways last summer as well as establishing a two acre nursery for 
use as a supply of this sod. 
Pete Bye, greens chairman, and Bob Mueller, superintendent, at The Country Club of 
Indianapolis, have stripped or plugged Meyer into two fairways and plan to seed 
No. 5 fairway with Zoysia  ianonica seed this summer.  Obviously many interested 
parties will be checking with Pete and Bob. 

Of course5 the master experimenter, John McCoy, superintendent at Cincinnati 
Country Club, has had his eye on both Meyer and common Zoysia for a number of 
years.  The common Zoysia around his No, 8 green has presented a tough 
résiliant turf for some time and John says the golfers like it.  He thinks it 
will make a fairway turf which is superior to Meyer.  Naturally, John plans to 
seed other areas on the course to this turf. 

DEEP-DRILLING FOR GREENS 

Bob Ervine, the capable superintendent of Phoenix Country Club, is a man who can 
devise the tools he needs to do a specific job.  Several years ago, when Bob was 
maintaining golf courses in Oklahoma, he saw a need for a machine that would make 
deeper holes than those made by the cultivating machines available on the market. 
Bob built a machine  (he modestly does not take complete credit for it) which 
consists of a gang of power-driven wood bits, mounted on a long frame and 
balanced over a single pair of wheels.  The bits may be any diameter of the 
user's choice.  It is possible to make holes from l/4" to 1-1/4" in diameter 
and as deep as 12 inches.  Thus deep layers of compact soil may be perforated 
and the soil brought to the surface. 
This drilling operation is a rather slow one but it achieves results possible in 
no other way except by use of the old hand fork.  "Old timers" may shudder at 
the thought of the labor involved in the hand forking of greens. 

GNATS DAMAGE GREENS IN PHOENIX 

Art Snyder, Jay Woodward, and others in the Phoenix area, have reported damage 
on putting greens resulting from the presence of a small gnat-like insect.  The 
insect may be present in large numbers at some periods of the year.  Turf shows 
damage by appearing dry or discolored. 
The exact nature of the insect's activity in injuring bentgrass plants has not 
been discovered.  It is reported that they may be readily controlled by the use 
of malathion or by a mixture of toxaphene and DDT.  Chlordane, however, appears 
to be relatively ineffective. 

DON'T FORGET -

National Golf Day will be on Saturday, June 11, this year.  Play your 
round of golf and add your dollar to a worthy cause.  Regardless of how your 
round compares with the "Round of The Champion," you win.  You may not win a 
medal5  but you'll be a winner because indirectly you support research for 
better turf.  Everyone profits from research. 

CENTRAL PLAINS TURFGRASS FOUNDATION FIELD DAY 

On June 6, 1960, the 10th annual field day of the Central Plains Turfgra 

Foundation will be held at Wichita, Kansas.  The meeting starts at 9 a.m. 

ILLINOIS TURF FOUNDATION FIELD DAY 

The Illinois Turfgrass Foundation is progressing rapidly with plans for 

furthering turfgrass research in Illinois.  The Foundations purpose is to 
support turfgrass research and educational programs at the University of 
Illinois.  The work will be conducted at the campus in Urbana and at the Drug 
and Horticultural Experiment Station in Downers Grove. 

There are definite plans for a field day on July 27.  This meeting will 
be at the Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois.  Plots showing grass varieties, 
weed control studies, and the effects of management practices will be visited. 
The Illinois Turfgrass Foundation is being developed under the capable 

leadership of Ben Warren, President; Bertram Rost, Vice-President; Paul Burdett 
Treasurer; and Harleigh Kemmerer, Secretary. 

OTHER MEETINGS OF INTEREST 

July 14-15. 

July 20 

Lawn and Turf Conference 
University of Missouri 
Columbia, Mo. 

Texas Turfgrass Association Field Day 
Texas A. 'and M. College 
College Station, Texas 

September 15-16........Midwest Turf Field Days 

Purdue University 
Lafayette, Indiana 

September 20-21 

Ohio Lawn Clinic 
Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station 
Wooster, Ohio 

Mid-Continent  Yurfletter 

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