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Proceedings
Of The

28th Northwest Turfgrass
Conference

September 2 4 - 2 7 , 1 9 7 4
Sun River Lodge
Sun River, Oregon

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

Welcome to Sun River and to the 28th Annual Northwest Turfgrass Conference.
Certainly there is no finer setting for a Conference. Your Program Chairman is Richard
Fluter who has worked closely with Dr. Roy Goss to give you a good, solid turfgrass
program. We hope you will leave some of your ideas with us as well as receiving ideas
from our program speakers. Mrs. June Schwabauer has a fine program lined up for the
ladies. Our thanks to June.
I feel the highlight of this year was our Turfgrass Field Day. Dr. Roy Goss, Dr. Charles
Gould and Dr. Stan Brauen have as fine a turfgrass research program at Puyallup as you
will find anywhere.
I would like to thank the fellow Directors of this Association for their help this past
year. We have had great cooperation from each one. Our membership has shown much
interest in our Association with many helping in the area of membership this past year. I
would hope that you would add to the success of the Conference by leaving your ideas
with one of the Directors as to what you would like to see on the program in the future. I
am sure you will receive consideration for ideas that you have to offer. This is your
Association. Please be active and take part in all of its function.
Thank you for the opportunity of serving as President this past year. I hope your stay
at Sun River is a good one.

NORTHWEST TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION
1974 Officers
Milt Bauman

President

Cliff Everhart

Vice President

Dick Haskell

Treasurer

Roy L. Goss

Exec. Secretary
Board of Directors

Bud Ashworth

Hangman Valley Golf Club
1029 S. Garry
Liberty Lake, WA 99019

Jerry Bacon

Royal Oaks Country Club
8917 N. E. 4th Plain Road
Vancouver, WA 98661

Milt Bauman

Seattle Golf Club
210 N.W. 145th
Seattle, WA 98177

Wayne Dean

City Parks & Rec. Dept.
129 North 2nd Street
Yakima, WA 98901

Cliff Everhart

Manito Golf & Country Club
Box 8025 Manito Station
Spokane, WA 99203

Dick Fluter

Oswego Lake Country Club
20 Iron Mountain Blvd.
Lake Oswego, OR 97034

Carl H. Kuhn

Irrigation Consultant
Box 443
Mercer Island, WA 98040

John Monson

Broadmoor Golf Club
2340 Broadmoor Drive E.
Seattle, WA 98102

Rich Schwabauer

Waverly Country Club
Box 1100 S.E. Waverly Dr.
Portland, OR 97222

TABLE OF CONTENTS

An Alternative Method of Greens Management John H. Madison
Sand Playfields - Irving S. Rodley
Parks Have Turf Management Problems Too! Albert D. Angove
Drainage Principles and Practices on Golf Courses R. H. Brooks
Correcting Drainage in Trouble Spots on Golf
Courses - Milt Bauman
Drainage Problems in Turfgrass Areas —
Cause and Correction - Richard W . Mai pass
Useful Field Methods for Diagnosing Turfgrass
Problems - William H. Bengeyfield
Trends and New Ideas in the Golf Business Jerrold H. Claussen
1974 Northwest Golf Course Maintenance Survey Joe Much
Poa annua Control Program - Roy L. Goss
The Making of Beautiful Golf Courses
The Hard Way - Ronald W. Fream
1973/1974 Snowmold Fungicidal Tests Charles J. Gould
Turfgrass Observations - Ron D. Ensign
British Columbia Turfgrass Research Report D. K. Taylor
Screen Turf Cultivars for the Northwest Stanton E. Brauen
Progress Report on Bentgrass Variety
Evaluations - Charles J. Gould
Results of Fungicidal Tests on Bentgrass Turf Charles J. Gould
Agronomic Turfgrass Research Report Roy L. Goss
Bentgrass Management Plots - Roy L. Goss

6
20
26
29
41
43
46
51
63
65
70
81
84
86
90
93
95
97
101

AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF GREENS MANAGEMENT 1
John H. Madison2
William B. Davis3
Jack L. Paul4

We propose a system of frequent, light topdressing as a
management practice that favors quality putting turf on greens.
Much material of this paper had been formally presented
in one paper (1) and set forth briefly in another (2). Here
we discuss our proposal extensively and informally so the
reader can understand our goals and the approach to achieving
them.
1

1

In the late 50 s Madison had creeping bentgrass plots
which had become thatchbound through a program of heavy
feeding and watering. The grass was unhealthy, the plots
did not accept water well, and the turf did not respond to
nitrogen. The turf problems did not respond to use of fungicides nor wetting agents. Coring resulted in some improvement. Of operations tried, only topdressing restored the
grass to vigorous, healthy growth.
At about the same time some Dano method compost was
piled next to another bentgrass plot. The evening winds
blew small amounts of compost across a corner of the turf
plot.
Over 15 months, the grade of the plot was increased
from 0" about 6' away from the compost pile to over 2" next
to the pile. That part of the turf topdressed by the wind

1

To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.

2

Professor, Department of Environmental Horticulture,
University of California at Davis, California.

3

Environmental Horticulturist, Department of Environmental
Horticulture, University of California at Davis, California.

4

Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of California at Davis, California.
- 6 -

was beautiful the year around until late in the second
summer when, during a hot spell, there was heavy loss of
grass associated with rapid breakdown of the organic topdressing. The pattern of kill resembled what is often
described as "scald".
On the basis of these observations we became interested
in topdressing and initiated some trials. We topdressed
monthly with topdressing containing several different amounts
of organic matter from different sources. We found that
large amounts of light, loose materials such as peat or sawdust resulted in a loose thatch and unplayable turf. Denser
materials such as granulated bark produced a better surface
but were not as good as plain sand in creating a firm, true
surface. Whenever we used 25-50% organic matter, disease
problems occurred during hot weather.
Subsequently we ran tests in which all elements of a
putting green management program were separated and used
individually on bentgrass plots. The first season these
showed that a fungicidal preventative spray produced the
most thatch and an excellent turf. The high rating of the
fungicide treated plots was exceeded in mid-summer when
plots receiving insecticide surpassed it. Any use of herbicides reduced turf quality. Coring aided greatly in thatch
breakdown. Cored plots were better than the control. Plots
receiving a regular sand topdressing showed good quality,
but the plots were not outstanding. Not at first. But as
time went on, the topdressed plots rated higher and higher
until by the end of the second summer topdressing was the
best and most consistent single treatment we had.
The above gives the background of experience from which
we began to develop our present concepts.
In the late ^ O ' s we had many discussions about greens,
about superintendents, about golfers, about turf management,
and about what lay in the future. The amount of play had
been rising steadily and was continuing to rise. The problem of traffic was being met by coring to relieve compaction
and feeding heavily with nitrogen to keep the grass growing

and repairing itself. Two things in particular were wrong
with this program. We were overdoing the nitrogen so that
disease, insect, and nematode pests were being encouraged.
Second, coring was encouraging weed problems and use of
herbicides was debilitating the bentgrass and appeared to
be increasing bentgrass disease susceptibility.
By going to sand greens we had helped overcome the compaction problem, but no one knew what was going to happen to
the infiltration rate of sand greens with time. Some greens
had been sealed by use of products carried on a vermiculite
carrier. In Kansas, Keene reported wind blown silt additions
of up to 1/2" per year. It seemed as if we might have to
keep on coring sand greens to keep up their permeability and
to help keep thatch under control.
On the basis of our experience with topdressing, we
favored the alternative of keeping the sand surface renewed
by frequent, light topdressing. Topdressing would also
control thatch and would make coring unnecessary. Without
coring or similar operations which create a seedbed for
weeds, we should be able to bring weeds under control. Stopping herbicide use would improve grass vigor. A difficulty
was the superintendent and his program. Most superintendents
are geared to a heavy aeration-topdressing program two to
three times a year. They regard topdressing as a major job.
Some apply so much coarse sand that the golfer is unhappy
for two weeks after, and for two or three weeks the coarse
sand grains knock the edge off of the mowers. This makes
topdressing a greater problem. Our attempts to get superintendents to change this kind of program have met little
success in the past.
After 10 years of promotion we were getting some superintendents to stop topdressing with gravelly sand and to
start using medium sand. Perhaps we could use that impetus
for change, work topdressing into a total program and substitute topdressing for something the superintendent was
already doing. Thè more we examined this idea the better
it looked.
On paper our program took this form. We kept mowing
and irrigation as is. All other programs were combined into
one or eliminated. This should provide an appeal of economy

of operation. Fertilizing, topdressing, insect control, weed
control, disease control, liming, etc. were combined into a
single operation; vertical mowing and coring were eliminated.
Chemicals and sand were combined for dry application every
three to four weeks. If properly chosen for size, materials
used should wash out of sight with a light irrigation. Thus
a daily golfer should be able to putt a green within half an
hour after topdressing without being aware that the activity
had taken place. There should be no residue to affect mower
sharpness.
The weed control part of the program looked especialTy
good to us. We didn't want to use an herbicide because of
attendant injury, and it looked as if we wouldn't need to.
By eliminating coring and by reducing and using great care
in vertical mowing, we stop preparing a seedbed for weeds.
Most weed seeds need light to germinate. By continually
burying them we reduce germination and emergence. If, in
addition, we add bentgrass seeds to the topdressing, we will
have turf filling in and competing wherever grass is thin.
Bentgrass will germinate earlier in the fall than POOL annua
and earlier in the spring than crabgrass so it will be up
and competing before they begin to germinate.
Not only would we bury seeds, we would also bury disease inoculum. There seemed a good chance our program would
reduce disease problems. Disease control would also be
helped by elimination of the thatch layer.
Any program has bugs. We needed trials to find the bags.
Also we had a major unknown. We wanted to add enough sand
to continually bury the thatch. But we didn't want to add
so much that we destroyed the mat or cushion that protects
the turf from injury by traffic. Could we bury the thatch
and still keep the mat?
We began a research program using an experimental green
of 'Penncross' bentgrass. The U.S.G.A. assisted our start
with funds, and the TARP program is providing continuing
support.
In designing our topdressing we proceeded as follows:
First, we selected a sand of suitable particle size. This

is essential to any program that is to succeed. The sand
must be less than 1 mm in size. This means that all the
sand should pass a #18 screen (Tyler #16, New U.S. std #1).
Don't try this program if you can't get a sand of this size.
To be effective the sand must drop down into the thatch so
the golfer doesn't see the sand and so the mowers don't cut
it.
To this sand we added appropriate amounts of all important mineral nutrient elements, not on the basis of demonstrated need for grass growing in our green mix, but rather
on the basis of assurance that our results would not be
affected by a hidden deficiency. For our nitrogen source
we used a mixture containing ammonium ions, nitrate ions,
and organic N (from Milorganite). This was taken from careful research done at Rhode Island by Bell and De France (3)
and represents the optimum balance between the three sources
for bentgrass growth. We are aware that any N source can be
used, but we used the Rhode Island results so we would have
a recognized source that would not introduce nitrogen source
as a variable in the experiment.
In the appropriate season we added an insecticide (Diazinon or Sevin) and/or a fungicide (thiram, Dexon, captan, Koban
or Daconil 2728). These were added to the topdressing as
wettable powders. We also used 1-2 oz. of 'Penncross' seed
per 1000 ft^. During the first year of our experiment we
used only one variable, frequency of topdressing. We applied
as little sand as possible, about 1/28th inch, and adjusted
the amount of addends so all treatments got the same amount
of chemicals during the year.
When we applied topdressing every week, grass growth
was depressed and during the slow growth of autumn we almdst
smothered the grass. At two week intervals we were still
adding too much sand. We buried both the thatch and the
mat. When a ball was pitched to those parts of the experimental green, there was no cushion to absorb the shock, and
the grass was killed. Traffic rapidly abraded the grass
around the holes.

When we topdressed at 4 week intervals the sand just
buried the thatch but left an adequate cushion. However,
the grass was low on nitrogen the last week of the four.
When the interval was much greater than 4 weeks, we built
alternate layers of sand and thatch, and this we wanted to
avoid. Roots do not penetrate these layers very well, and
soil-water relationships are impared by the layer cake
condition.
As a result of these observations, for our second season,
we used a standard topdressing interval of 3 weeks with 1/28th
inch of sand added at each topdressing and a check. Variables
were the use or non-use of insecticides and fungicides.
During this, our third summer of treatments, we are
using only two treatments. One is our check which is standard management with topdressing 4 times a year combined
with hole punching, and fertilizer applied monthly with
sprays as needed. The other is the topdressing program
again using the 3 week interval with seed and all fertilizer
and pesticide chemicals in the topdressing. This summer we
are just looking for failures to show in the program. We
don't expect them, but we are alert and watching.
We consider that our program to date is a success.
These are the results we have seen.
WEEDS
Weeds have almost disappeared from the green though
they are abundant around the green, though wind blows in
seed, and though Voa annua was present and seeding when the
program was started. When we have injury that destroys
grass, weeds come in at once, but they are soon crowded out.
We do not know how much of our bentgrass seed is germinating
or whether any of it is becoming established.
DISEASE
In the summer we get VytlvLm on the apron around the
experimental area, but it hasn't become serious on the green.
Before beginning the program we had FuAaAÍum patch in the

winter. Fu^coiim patch occurred in shaded areas in proportion to the amount of shade. The first winter after treatments began there was no Fo6cuilum patch. In late fall of
the second year we added extra applications of N to produce
patch
a cosmetic green for a special open house. FUACVUUM
appeared a month later, again following the patterns of
shade. There was some significant reduction of disease in
the treatments where a fungicide had been added to the topdressing. At this time we haven't the data to draw conclusions about the effect of frequent topdressing on disease.
INSECTS
Caterpillars are a problem but are readily controlled
with insecticides in the topdressing. Without thatch to
burrow in during the day the caterpillars are more vulnerable
to birds, and birds can mar the green with their beaks while
pecking out caterpillars.
FREQUENCY
The three to four week interval appears appropriate at
Davis during the growing season. Three weeks is adapted to
our N program, and to go four weeks we would want to use a
longer lasting N source. From November to February growth
is slow and there is little growth of stolons so there is no
need for topdressing. We continue to fertilize but at less
frequent intervals. In different areas of the country it is
likely that the program would have to be adjusted to make
the total application of sand proportionate to the total
growth. Also, if more or less N is used, then more or less
sand would be needed to just keep the thatch covered. 'Seaside' may require less sand than our 'Penncross' bentgrass.
THATCH AND GRADE
When topdressing is properly done, grains of sand just
separate the organic residues and no thatch layer forms. Air
and water movement continues unimpeded through the sand channels. There is build-up of uniform sand and organic matter
without layers.
Change in grade is not a problem. Of 20 applications
per year that we schedule, we actually use topdressing only

14 times. Because of lack of stolon growth during winter,
we apply only the seed and chemicals. When growth is slow,
we have cut our application of sand to 1-1/2 f t 3 per 1000
ft^ of green. Our build-up is only slightly over 1/2" per
year. This is hardly more than the annual build-up of
thatch and sand under a usual program in this area. In
northern tier states 6 to 8 applications of sand per year
may be sufficient to keep up with stolon growth, and grade
changes are even less. Grade changes occur regularly and
are neither noticed nor commented on. When cutting a cup
in a California green that has been down for 30 years, one
no longer cuts down to parent material, but I have never
heard this change commented on.
FERTILITY
Our program is set down below. It provides a good level
of nitrogen without the excess that gives a high cosmetic
green color, but invites trouble. Less nitrogen might be
desirable on 'seaside' bentgrass, and less would be wanted
in areas of high overcast. The program contains most minerals that would be needed, and it should be reduced to allow
for minerals that are supplied by irrigation water and soil.
We don't wish to have excess salt in our drainage waters.
Some California sands contain sufficient potassium to meet
most of the needs; a few have adequate phosphorus. Irrigation
water may contain adequate amounts of calcium and magnesium.
As we had large amounts of iron in the sand and appreciable
iron in the Milorganite, applications of iron chelate in the
topdressing were probably unnecessary. We still get a favorable response from foliar applications of iron sulfate, but
that is usual. We included zinc as there is evidence of occasional need in California. It is probable that a need could
be as well met by use of zinc sulfate as by the more expensive chelate.

per 1Q0Q ft 2

per lOOm?

Sand -l.Omm to +0.05 mm
(-#18 + #200 screen)

3 cu ft

90 liters

^Nitrogen source to provide N

3/4 lb

350 grams

K2S04

5 - 6 OZ

150-175 g

Dolomitic lime on acid soils
or
above pH 6.5, gypsum
plus Epsom salts

2 1 / 2 - 3 1/2 oz 75-100 g

Material

2 - 3 oz
1 1/2 oz

50 - 75 g
45 g

Zinc chelate (or mixed minor
element chelates)

1/2 oz

10 - 15 g

Iron chelate

1/2 oz

10 - 15 g

^Phosphorus source to provide P

1-1

Bentgrass seed

1/2 oz

1/2 oz

30 - 40 g
10 - 15 g

*In our study the N and P were provided by:
Ammonium sulfate
Ammonium nitrate
Milorganite

210 g
500 g
2200 g

Fungicides and insecticides were used from the following
list at the rates given for 1000 ft2:
Thiram
Dexon
Daconil 2787
Captan W50
Diazinon W50
Sevin 10%

85
110
56
85
56
570

g
g
g
g
g
g

MIXING
Mixing was done in a cement mixer. The sand was damp
enough to prevent segregation of materials. Pesticides were
added last with the operator wearing a dust mask and gloves.
Once the pesticides are mixed with the sand, there is a
problem of safety in handling and disposal of the topdressing
material.
Mixing can be a problem. If mixing is troublesome and
involves equipment purchase, it is probably best not done in
the beginning. The program can be given a preliminary trial
for a year or two—applying the ingredients separately. If
the program proves to be what you want, then you can consider
whether it is more economical to combine all operations or
to continue to separate topdressing from fertilizing and
spraying. Once several courses in the same area are using
the program, custom mixing may prove more economical.
SPREADING
The need is to apply a light, even application. One
commercial topdressing machine uses a vibratory action.
This will spread both damp and wet sand at a low rate, but
the damp sand spreads only if the machine is run fast to
get intense vibration. This machine also tends to cause
segregation. We have had fertilizer rise from the mix and
then go on last at a heavy rate that caused burning. We
have not yet used the belt type of topdressing machine. One
fertilizer spreader, made by Gandy, has a special agitator
so it can spread damp sand.
Evenness of application may depend on the moisture
level of the topdressing. At some moisture levels with
some sand, one may have only to turn on the irrigation to
wash the sand down. Under other conditions brooming the
sand may be needed to even out the application.
INFILTRATION
When topdressing is started on a soil with low infiltration, infiltration remains low. If infiltration rates are
high, they will drop to the rate sustained by the topdressing
sand.

WHAT DOES THE SYSTEM OFFER ME?
The system presented here produces a healthy, vigorous
turf of excellent golfing quality. Joe Carlson, golf coach
at UCD, says: 111 get excited when we are going to play
Franklin Canyon, or Davis Muni. I know exactly how my ball
is going to behave on those greens. I have complete control,
and the action of the ball is completely predictable whether
I am pitching to the green or putting." These are courses
that are using a fine sand topdressing with greater frequency
in an effort to go in the direction we are suggesting.
The reason for the excellent control is that there is
no thatch layer and the surface is firm and true.
We believe our system of frequent topdressing offers a
desirable method for Voa. annua control. Crowding the Voa
with vigorous bentgrass, burying the seed of Voa, and ceasing
to prepare a seed bed provides control that is more desirable
than any use of herbicides we know of. Herbicides we have
tested are all damaging to bentgrass in some way or another.
Elimination of coring removes an operation that requires
an expensive machine, quite a bit of labor, and some upset
to the golfer. Verticutting may also be eliminated.
As a uniform soil profile is built up, depth of rooting
tends to increase and sudden water stress is less common.
Of course, water stress can always occur when a dry breeze
rises on a sunny day.
Compaction is no longer a problem. The sand used has
good infiltration rates and reasonable aeration characteristics even when densely compacted.
DISADVANTAGES
First, a new method of operation involves change. If
you have a good operation that goes like clockwork and there
are no serious problems on the greens, there is no reason
to change just for the sake of change.
Second, it may be troublesome finding the right sand,
learning how to mix it, learning how to spread it, providing
storage for it, and otherwise working it into your program.

Third, a firmer green with no thatch may feel strange
to the duffers and they may not know how to play it at
first. Result - complaints (but also compliments from the
golfers).
Fourth, there are no sudden spectacular results from
all of the effort you have to put in getting this program
started. Within several months the green should firm up.
Within a year there should be a noticeable decrease in the
amount of Voa annua, but it is apt to be two years or more
before enough new soil is built up so the benefits of a
deeper root system are noticed. If you are looking for
spectacular results, you may be disappointed. This is a
longterm system of management.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
Management using a system of frequent topdressing will
require making new judgments. One should become familiar
with the operation before applying it extensively, and we
suggest initial experience on the practice putting green.
To be thoroughly fair, the initial test should leave half
or at least a third of the practice green under the regular
management so both you and the course members can feel the
difference underfoot and watch the difference in the way the
ball rolls.
The first step is to locate a suited sand source. Without the right sand, the authors do not recommend the program.
One superintendent has solved this problem by using sand from
a deposit on his course. He has a local sand company wash
it and screen out fines that pass through a #100 screen. He
then screens off the +18 material himself and ends up with
an excellent sand.
We suggest that the second step is to begin applying the
light sand topdressing every 3-4 weeks during the growing
season. Find the techniques and equipment that will permit
you to apply in the neighborhood of 1/32 of an inch of sand
and not more than 1/16th of an inch. These techniques should
allow you to apply either dry or damp sand. If the sand
must be dry to go through your equipment, you will have to
find storage space to spread out and dry sand, and this is
seldom economically practical.

The first application or two of sand should go on with
a heavy coring treatment to cultivate the interface and
create a transition zone into the present profile. By the
time you have 3 or 4 applications of sand down, you should
be able to make some initial evaluations of playability.
As you get experience and can make an even application at the
low rate, you can then add seed and fertilizer to the topdressing.
Once seed and fertilizer is in the sand, the mixture
should be used. Seed will probably deteriorate rapidly in
storage and there can well be ammonia loss from mixed fertilizer if the sand is at all damp. We have not tested these.
Begin using seed in the topdressing at least a month before
the season for Poa annua germination. Then when POOL germinates, bent is already filling in the thin areas. During
the next six months you should have some idea of the possibilities for Poa control. After the initial cultivation of
the interface you must, of course, not use a coring machine
on the test area, and disease and insects should not be
allowed to open up bare areas.
You are now essentially in operation and at any time
can make a decision to add pesticides in the topdressing.
If your physical plant allows an economical mixing operation,
then a single periodic topdressing with all chemicals in the
topdressing will give you a simple, economical operation.
If mixing involves hauling and shuffling, and moving, and
loading and unloading, and storing, and reloading, etc. then
it may be more economical to just add a monthly topdressing
as one more operation on top of the fertilizing and spraying.
Once a couple of inches of topdressing and thatch mixture
has been built up, you can begin to test your experimental
area with a little water stress. You may find you can go an
added day between irrigations or that you can economize with
a light sprinkle on one day, with regular irrigation on the
alternate day.
Once you have found the best method of operation for you,
you should find that a light, frequent topdressing 15-20 times
a year requires no more effort than the present major campaign
which is mounted 2 or 3 times a year and which involves several

man crews engaged in the coring, sanding, dragging, vertical mowing, and mower sharpening, and involves you in answering complaints, and in struggling with Poa. A program
of frequent, light topdressing seems to us a simple way to
have championship greens where a controlled shot is still
under control after it hits the green.

LITERATURE CITED
1.

Madison, John H., Jack L. Paul, William B. Davis, 1974.
"An Alternative Method of Greens Management", Proceeding
Second International Turfgrass Research Conference. In
Press.

2.

Madison, John H., Jack L. Paul, William B. Davis, 1974.
"Consider a New Management Program for Greens". Golf
Course Record: 12(3):16-19.

3.

Bell, R. S. and J . A. DeFrance, 1944. "Influence of
Fertilizers on the Accumulation of Roots From Closely
Dipped Bentgrasses and on the Quality of Turf". Soil
Science 58, 17-24.

SAND PLAYFIELDS 1
Irving S. Rodley2

I am a civil and structural engineer and make no claims
to any technical expertise in agronomy or horticulture. I
can tell you, though, that I have acquired enough knowledge
to get into trouble. If someone had told me that I was going
to become involved in a new type of paving laid on a subbase contrary to my discipline and training, I would have
replied, "not a chance."
For some years prior to becoming a Park Engineer I
coached a boy's soccer team. I wasn't in this endeavor very
long when I took notice of playfields. Somehow or another
all fields were a muddy mess. I can still see a soccer ball
floating in a puddle and being blown about by the wind. Who,
I wondered, constructed these fields; what the qualifications
were of the people involved? I soon found out. In school
projects the area designated as a playfield was the place for
the contractor to dispose of excavation for footings and
basements. Parks, in a sense, were not much better. Both
had one thing in common--no money--no thought; and who could
get very excited about a football season that lasted only
until November? I also found no one qualified to install a
field. Sieve analysis of soils was what engineers did on
road projects, or did with sand and gravel for making concrete. What kind of grass to plant? Opinions varied in
direct proportion to seed stores, coaches and home gardeners.
Grass was supposed to have two characteristics: one, that
it could take a beating, and two, that it could stand wear.
I don't pretend to have known all the answers and solutions;
however, I did know there were others who didn't know what
they were talking about.

—' To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.
y

Park Engineer, Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation,
Seattle, Washington.

My 14-year-olds went on to win the State Soccer Championship and I quit coaching while I was ahead. My interest in
playfields gradually died and finally forgotten.
In Seattle the people passed a large bond issue in 1968
and part of this issue included funds for new park acquisition
and rehabilitation of old parks. Three years ago I took on
the job of Park Engineer; it's a crummy job, by the way. I
don't have the time and staff to do much design work; the
vast majority of our projects are designed by consultants.
My role is basically construction and the enforcement of contracts, plans and specifications.
When West Seattle Stadium came on board for improvement
my forgotten interest in playfields was re-awakened. I also
remembered the shame that I felt as a Seattle citizen when I
watched, a South American soccer team play on a cow pasture
such as the stadium was then. I just felt that a city of
half a million people surely could afford at least one good
facility. One that we could be proud of, one with real grass;
not with fake grass such as the Memorial Stadium. You can
bet that I took a personal interest in this project.
Actually, construction of a good playfield is simple;
it has problems true enough, but it isn't hard. The objective
has to be understood, it takes attention. The workmen have
to be interested, and the maintenance men that follow have
to love that field and give it fierce, loving care. Ordinarily most of our work is done by private contractors; in
this case my construction foreman just asked to do this job.
Just a few weeks prior to this project we had extreme difficulty with a contractor who put in another field. This was
the lever we needed and our superiors gave us a go ahead.
It was decided that in-house forces would do all the work
except sod laying and paving.
I have prepared sketches showing schematically the
drainage plan and cross sections. I haven't shown the
irrigation system, even though it is very important, as you
all know. The pitrun layer had a maximum aggregate size of
4 inches. This was kept to a minimum, but when I think back
on it, this may be a mistake. The bulk of this pitrun passed
the 1-1/2 inch sieve, and no more than 2% passed the 200 sieve.

The gradation was very open, a requirement for free drainage.
This open gradation and lack of fines causes construction
problems. It is very difficult for a wheeled grader to
spread and it won't compact. Delivery of the sand layer over
this base course is also very difficult, particularly when
you try to tailgate. There has to be a solution, and I believe that it is possible to design a gradation that will be
open for drainage and still compact, or at least stay reasonably in place under wheeled traffic. Perhaps if we had
increased the amount of 4 inch aggregate so that they would
bear on each other and the voids filled with smaller sizes
would be a solution. I made a sketch showing what I mean.
The cost may be prohibitive, I don't know. At any rate, for
those of you who are about to put in a field, and haven't
done this before, you have been forewarned. It is a serious
problem and slows construction.
The sand layer is our park standard playfield mix and
consists of 50% sand and 50% steer manure and sawdust mixture. The minimum sand size passed the #270 sieve and this
is kept to 10% or less. Of course, this is rototilled
lightly into the pitrun base to avoid a clear line of demarcation. We then applied dolomite and 38% urea.

k

You will remember that I said that we were not going to
lay the sod. This plan took a turn. When we went out for bid,
we learned to our chagrin, that an indifferent contractor with
whom we had previous experience with was the low bidder. We
had tight specifications and construction procedures based
upon experience with other sod laying projects. This contractor was of the type that required watching; if he went to
urinate, the inspector went with him just to keep him in
sight. I tried to award the bid to the second low bidder,
but ran into trouble. It's too bad that our various governments have succumbed to the theory that government is best
run by inexperienced brilliant young men. The fellow who
had all this authority insisted that we take the low bid.
Here was a fellow that could only distinguish a dandelion
from a rose by the thorns and had all this power. We decided
to reject all bids and to lay sod by in-house forces. I
bring this episode up to illustrate my remark that everybody
has to be interested and seriously wants to do a good job.
If you don't get this, you have nothing. You will note in
the slides that will follow that we have a set procedure and

I would suggest that you follow a similar one. After the sod
was laid, we applied 10-20-20 fertilizer, turned on the sprink
lers, and we were in business. Incidentally, for those of
you who are wondering, the sod is a mixture of 60% Merion blue
grass and 40% Manhattan ryegrass. I don't know who determined the mix, but it seems to be a good one.
As you can imagine, when the kids saw that bright green
grass, out came the football. Luckily we were in the school
year and the kids didn't show up as long as park personnel
was around. We timed the irrigation system to come on in
spurts, and it coincided with their timing. This eliminated
a lot of damage, not entirely, but a lot.
This is not the end of the story; more has to be done.
Any grass field can be tromped to death no matter how well
constructed and maintained. The traffic has to be controlled
and maintenance schedules have to be established and kept.
In the case of West Seattle Stadium, we have a man assigned
permanently, and he's fierce. He loves that field like it
were his own home. We have a roving crew that periodically
mows, aerates and fertilizes. We are in a budget crunch as
well as any other city, and we're not perfect yet, but we
are striving.
In addition to maintenance schedules, we also try to
limit a field such as this to games only. Our plan is to
have a few of these fields scattered over the city where
games only will be played. Each of these facilities will
have satellite fields that will be used for practice. We
are experimenting with a sand-cinder field that will be used
for soccer and baseball only. If this is successful, we
plan to establish a few of these also. They are more easily
maintained, require no irrigation, fertilization, and what
have you. We may not be successful, but at least we have a
plan.

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PARKS HAVE TURF MANAGEMENT 1
PROBLEMS TOO!
Albert D. Angove 2

I suppose the title of this talk is rather selfexplanatory. However, if that were the case, I wouldn't
be here. Certainly parks need turfgrass management. Then
why are so few managed? I know that most of you have been
around parks and asked yourself: "Why can't the grass be
in better shape?" or "How come no fertilizer?" or "Who
waters this area?".
These questions and some personal observations are
what I would like to address myself to this afternoon.
I think the first thing to explore is the age of most
of the turfgrass in parks. In most cases, urban park systems
were started in the twneties when grass varieties were primarily bentgrasses and used primarily for golf courses. The
parks got some kind of lawn seed with plenty of clover. Since
there were fewer people, things such as compaction, fertilization, and aerification were not needed. Now some park directors are being forced to live with this same grass in this era
of population explosion and increased leisure time. The
problem, however, is not simple. For years, park budgets for
turfgrass maintenance has been neglected. The park directors
of the country have been no better. In fact, up until recently, most park directors have been involved in recreation
rather than turf management.
History is a very good learning tool. As I've previously
stated, most urban park grass is mixed varieties and mowing
and watering was the maintenance. The primary recreation was
picnicing and this was not organized by the government, but
by individuals, lodges, and community clubs.

—' To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.
Park Director, Spokane County Parks, Spokane, WA.

In the 50's the people demanded some formal recreation
in the parks, so the government got into the recreation
business. Mind you, that with the increased park activity,
mowing and watering were the sum total of park maintenance
techniques. As we have grown into the 70's, the park usage
has gone out of sight!
In our country, for example, since 1970, the park usage
increase has been over 150%. This fact, I believe, is not
uncommon among park departments. The point to this historical review is that there are a lot of park departments that
still only water and mow.
The real challenge as I see it, is two fold:
1.

To effectively manage the old type of grass to get
the maximum greenness and wear factor.

2.

To provide new parks with proper management, seed
types and introduce soil balance to effect "good
management".

For too long, park people have been solely recreation
minded. Turfgrass management is both a necessity and a tool
to provide the park directors additional funds to further
these programs. The better the turf areas look, the easier
it is to get a budget to keep them that way.
What about old turf areas?
rejuvinated?

How can they be effectively

First, I believe in the three laws of turf management:
1.
2.
3.

Aerification
Fertilization
Irrigation

For those who have old park turf, the solutions for
improving management are basic:
1.
2.

Determine grass or grass types
Determine soil type and nutrient level

3.

Get together with a local professional - this could
be your golf course superintendent, agricultural
extension agent, grass seed representative or fertilizer representative, and go over possible management practices.

These would include aerification schedules, plug depth,
slicing schedule, compaction test, overseeding, fertilizer
programs, etc... For those who have old turf that needs
some attention besides watering and mowing, there is no excuse not to be on a good-informed turf management program.
I know I've used my superintendent's expertise in turf
management solutions.
New parks are a different problem. Your problems are
certainly less because you have control over the grass seed
and some control over the soil conditions; you may only need
to add some material such as sand. As far as disease goes,
the primary fungus problem is fairy ring.
SLIDE SHOW
In closing, I would like to say that those in the park
business need to look for all available help and education
they can find in turfgrass management. Go to the Superintendents' meetings. Get acquainted with your agriculture
representatives. Most of all - be a good, concerned turf
manager. It will pay off!

DRAINAGE PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES 1
ON GOLF COURSES
R. H. Brooks 2

Managers and operators of golf courses are often faced
with the task of getting water into or out of the soil as
rapidly as possible. In general, water is supplied to the
soil to promote plant growth. However, water supplied to
the soil by rainfall usually cannot be controlled and excess
water may accumulate in or on the soil creating an unstable
or difficult playing surface. The task of providing facilities and conditions for rapid removal of water from the soil
requires an understanding of the basic principles and practices of drainage.
This article will attempt to review drainage principles
and suggest practices that will improve golf course conditions
after excessive irrigations or rainfall.
PRINCIPLES
Soil Properties and Water Retention
The term drainage implies water removal from the soil
either from its surface or from the pores of the soil below
the surface. The discussion presented herein will be centered
around subsurface drainage. The principles associated with
subsurface drainage are much less understood than those for
surface drainage. Since.subsurface drainage water movement
occurs below the soil surface and it cannot be readily observed, some conceptual model is often helpful in visualizing
the flow in order to solve problem situations.

y

To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.

2/ Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.

Irrigation and drainage implies the flow of two fluids
in the soil: air and water. When water enters a soil, air
must leave and when water leaves, air must enter. The rate
of movement of these two fluids, depends, to a large extent,
upon the properties of the media through which it moves.
A great deal can be learned about the hydraulic properties of soils that are important in the construction of
greens and in the placement of drains by subjecting a sample
of material to a water retention curve analysis. The curve
is best understood by remembering that when water and air
coexist in small spaces such as in the pores of a soil, there
is a tendency for the pressure of the water to be reduced
below the pressure of the air in the soil. This occurs .because of the physical nature of water and solids. In other
words, the smaller the pore space, the lower the pressure of
the water. If the air pressure is at atmospheric pressure,
the pressure of the water is below the pressure of the atmosphere. This pressure is called "suction", "capillary pressure",
"Matrix potential" and a number of other similar terms.
A water retention curve gives the pressure of the water
in the soil at various water contents. A typical water retention curve is shown in Figure 1 for two soil materials.
The curve shows capillary pressure head related to water content. The pressure of the water in the soil is represented
by the term capillary pressure head because it has great
physical significance. It is exactly equivalent to the distance or elevation above a water table in a soil-water-air
system after drainage ceases. For example, if a column of
soil material is completely saturated and then allowed to
drain until no further drainage occurs, the water content
from the bottom of the soil column to the top will vary
according to the curve shown in Figure 1(a) if indeed the soil
is of the type shown.
The shape of the curve indicates the nature of the soil
material and in a qualitative manner its drainage characteristics. If the curve exhibits an abrupt change in water
content for small changes in the capillary pressure, as shown
in Figure 1(b), the soil material has a narrow range of pore
sizes and therfore retains a relatively small amount of water
after drainage. That is, the area under the curve is related
to the amount of water retained after drainage.

Porous materials that have a narrow range of pore sizes
usually consist of only sands and or silts. On the other hand,
porous materials that consist of all three primary particles,
sand, silt and clay, where there is sufficient clay to produce
aggregation of particles, will be characterized usually by
curve (b) shown in Figure 1. The effect is to produce a
wide range of pore sizes and a large amount of water retained
in the soil after drainage. This gradual change in water
content for small changes in capillary pressure always characterizes soils having a wide range of pore sizes. This wide
range of pore sizes cannot be synthesized by selecting sand
particles having a wide range of sizes. It is only achieved
under conditions of aggregation when significant amounts of
clay are present in the soil material. Certain types of clay
and weathering conditions produce stable aggregates that
generally have very favorable drainage characteristics.
Many forest soils in the Northwest are highly aggregated and
very stable at high water contents. Other types of clay
produce unstable aggregates and, when loads or forces are
applied to the soil, instability (compaction) results over a
range of soil-water contents.
Another characteristic of the water retention curves in
Figure 1 is that part of the curve labeled (A) or (B), called
the capillary fringe. This characteristic indicates that all
soils (after drainage ceases) remain saturated for a distance [ (A) or (B) J above the water table. This distance
may vary from a few inches to several feet, depending upon
the sizes of the largest pore in the soil. The smaller the
pores, the greater the distance. Pores that result from
aggregation are usually large, whereas, pores created by
sands may be small or large depending upon the sizes of sand
particles.
Water retention curves such as those which are shown in
Figure 1, are very useful in the selection of sands for construction of greens. If more than one soil is encountered
in a profile or if several layers of soil materials are used
in green construction, the water distribution in the profile
after drainage may be determined by superimposing water retention curves for each soil material by using the water table
as the common origin. For example, assume the two soil materials (a) and (b) shown in Figure 1 , exist as distinct layers

in a shallow profile. If layers (a) and (b) are each 40 cm
thick, then the water distribution curve after drainage is
shown in Figure 2 for (a) overlying (b) and vice versa.
Obviously, from a drainage viewpoint, the profile with
layer (b) on top of layer (a) is superior to the inverse
arrangement.
It would be difficult to predict these distribution
curves by a superficial examination of the two soils involved.
However, with the aide of the two water retention curves,
the distribution is easily estimated. One must remember
that such distribution curves occur only at complete equilibrium which seldom occur in nature. The non-equilibrium profiles will have higher water contents, but the shapes of the
curves will be similar. Even though equilibrium seldom
exists, the concept presented above is nevertheless valuable
for predicting water contents of layered and nonlayered
profiles.
Permeability and Water Movement
The concept of permeability incorporates, among others,
the two properties of the soil mentioned in connection with
Figure 1. The single most important property affecting
permeability is the height of the capillary fringe. Permeability is that property of the soil that determines how
readily water moves through the soil, other things being
equal.
The higher the capillary fringe,
bility. There are some sophisticated
the permeability of the soil from the
however, these methods are beyond the

the lower the permeamethods for predicting
water retention curves,
scope of this paper.

In the simplist of terms, the rate at which a soil profile will drain depends directly upon its permeability and
inversely upon the distance to the water table or the subsurface drain. In order to visualize how water moves toward
drains or downward through a profile, it will be assumed that
the pressure of the water is nearly the same everywhere.
Therefore, it can be assumed that water moves from points of
higher elevations to points of lower elevations. However,

the greater the distance the water must travel in going from
one elevation to another, the lower the rate of travel. For
example, assume that a soil profile consists of uniform soil
material with a drain placed in the profile as shown in
Figure 3. If after a heavy rain, the profile is saturated
to the surface, water will move from the soil surface toward
the drain because the drain is at a lower elevation. The
rate at which it moves to the drain, however, depends upon
how far the water is away from the drain. A water particle
half-way between drains at the soil surface will move ten
times slower than the water particle over the drain because
the distance is ten times greater than for the water particle
over the drain. The result is that soil drains much faster
near the drain creating an arched water table between drains
shown by the dotted line in Figure 3. If the drains are too
far apart, the water midway between the drains is not influenced by either drain and moves very slowly or not at all.
In other words, the closer the drains, the more rapid the
lowering of the water table.
Since permeability also affects rate of water table
lowering, spacing of drains can also be expressed in terms
of permeability. Soils having a high permeability may have
drains spaced further apart than soils with low permeability.
Expressing this concept in slightly different terminology:
the radius of influence of the drain is greater for soils
with a high permeability than for soils with a low permeability. This latter statement of fact is more general and
applies to other types of drainage systems.
DRAINAGE PRACTICES
Selection of System
With the above as background information, it may be
possible now to select the type of drainage system which will
correct a given situation. Inadequate drainage will result
usually from a combination of poor profile conditions such
as soil layering and/or topography. On relatively flat
slopes, soil layering may be the principle cause of inadequate
drainage. The problem can be alleviated by use of a relief
drainage system. That is, a system of equally spaced drains
all connected to a collector line or main line. The rate at
which the water table is "relieved" or lowered depends upon
how closely the drains are spaced and upon the soil permeability

The ratio of depth to spacing of relief drains should be
about one to ten, or one to eight, i.e., if drains are placed
1.5 feet deep, the spacing should be from 12 to 15 feet apart.
Drains should be placed in the most permeable soil materials.
Abrupt changes in topography combined with soil layering
may be also the cause of inadequate drainage. This situation
exists as a seepage area. The seepage area is caused usually
by water flowing laterally down a slope below the soil surface. When the slope of the soil surface flattens to a
smaller slope, a seepage area may result. The situation is
shown schematically in Figure 4.
To correct this problem area, an interceptor drain
should be placed in the vicinity of the upstream edge of the
seep. The drain will intercept the lateral flow of water
and eliminate the seepage area downstream from the drain.
It is essential to place the drain in the aquifer where
the water is being carried. The lateral movement is usually
caused by some restricting layer lying parallel or nearly
parallelling the soil surface. The drain should be placed
near this restricting layer as shown in Figure 4.
Drainage Water Disposal
A drainage system is no better than its collector or
mainline which disposes of the water collected from the
laterals. If a mainline becomes plugged or is submerged
with water, the laterals will not perform their designed
function. The selection of a suitable outlet is very
important. Gravity outlets may be an open ditch or a
natural stream channel. The outlet elevation should be
the lowest point in the entire drainage system.
How fast the water moves through the subsurface tubes
depends in a large measure upon the*installed slope of the
tubes. Usually a slope of one inch per hundred horizontal
feet will be adequate.
Due to the topography and outlet conditions, it may be
necessary to use small slopes for the laterals and a sump for
the outlet. The outlet of the drainage system terminating in
the sump may be protected against submergence by pumping the
water to a surface ditch.

This type of outlet is sometimes more economical than
gravity outlets if the distance to the gravity outlet is
large. A schematic of the pumped outlet is shown in
Figure 5.

WATER C O N T E N T
Figure 1.

Typical water retention curves for two soils
of different structure.

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drainage water.

CORRECTING DRAINAGE IN TROUBLE SPOTS 1
ON GOLF COURSES
Milt Bauman2

There are many reasons for poor drainage on golf courses,
some of which are pockets with no internal drainage, impervious soils, poor design, and traffic.
Most golf courses are built by contract. The contractor
is interested in getting the job finished, collecting his
money and moving to the next job. Usually there is little
and poor supervision, and a qualified superintendent is hired
after the construction is finished. The superintendent has
to live with what the contractor leaves.
With good design and construction methods, there would
be no problems with drainage even in heavy traffic areas.
A green can be designed so the traffic can approach and leave
the green over a broad area rather than have it all move
through a narrow path. The green can be so designed that
the surface drainage does not drain into the traffic pattern.
The same thing can be accomplished with a tee. With proper
design, proper soil and internal drainage, there will be no
problem.
Seattle Golf Club inherited many problems in the rebuilding of the tees and greens in 1968. The soil in the
greens had too many sand particles over one millimeter, and
therefore, was very porous and droughty. The soil was not
mixed properly. The mounding and aprons were constructed

1/ To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.
i/ Superintendent, Seattle Golf Club, Seattle, Washington.

from an impervious soil. The surface drainage from the greens
all drained to the front and into the traffic pattern. There
l was a pocket that wouldn't drain in front of every green.
Most of the tees were built in the same manner with an inch
or two of sand mix on top of muck soil.

We will always have a problem in front of the greens
| during the winter as all of the surface drainage from the
' greens falls into the traffic pattern, and there are many
times when we can't move the water out as fast as it flows
on the surface. However, by rebuilding we corrected most
of the problem in front of the greens and tees in the fol\ lowing manner.
We removed the soil from the problem area to a depth of
\ 18 to 24 inches, but all to a minimum of 18 inches deep. We
I then dug drainage ditches in this base 8 to 12 inches deep
and backfilled with drain gravel. The tile lines were spaced
[ no farther than 20 feet apart and no closer than 15 feet
f apart. We then backfilled the total area with pit sand.
| The sand that is used should be of the following particle
size: There should be no more than 15% under 1/4 millimeter
particle size; no more than 5% under 1/8 millimeter particle
size; no more than 10% over 1 millimeter particle size. The
bulk of the sand should be between 1/4 and 1/2 millimeter in
particle size.
This sand should be backfilled and leveled, then fertilizer should be applied at the following rates: 50 lbs. of
dolomitic lime; 25 lbs. single super phosphate; 20 lbs. of
potash; 25 lbs. urea-formaldehyde or slow release nitrogen
per 1,000 f t 2 . This should be raked into the top 2 or 3
> inches of the surface. The surface should then be smoothed
and seeded or sodded.
Obviously, if it is a tee or an apron to a green, it will
have to be put into play as quickly as possible, so it will
probably be sodded. The sod should be grown on sand; but
since very little is, the next best thing is to cut the sod
as thin as possible. After the sod knits, aerification will
help establish a root system and water movement in the soil.

DRAINAGE PROBLEMS IN TURFGRASS AREAS 1
—CAUSE AND CORRECTIONS
Richard W. Malpass2

A well known, and very old adage states "When all else
fails, read the directions". And, if I were writing directions for the purchase of a farm, the building of a subdivision, construction of a highway, a park, a golf course,
or a mu titude of other projects; the problem of drainage
would be considered first and foremost.
My brothers and I were among the first to utilize large,
open drain ditches constructed by dragline or carry-all on
our farms in the upper Willamette Valley. This work was done
in conjunction with the Soil Conservation Service and their
engineers. Subsequently, I was on the Board of Directors of
an irrigation district and of a large drainage district utilizing open drains and canals. Later, with the Agricultural
Stabilization Service of the USDA, I worked with many areas
developing drainage projects.
In the yea^s I have . ived in western Oregon and western
Washington, I have seen the results of improper engineering
or of the complete ignoring of potential drainage problems.
The result has been flooded subdivisions, sections of highway washed out, farms flooded, unusable areas of parks, or
golf courses, or schoolyards, abandoned homes—you no doubt
have seen them all.

1/ To be presented^at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, Sept..,iber 25-27, 1974.
2/ Superintendent, Riverside Golf and Country Club, Portland,
Oregon.

Just a few of the questions you might ask yourself when
beginning or considering a project would be:
What drainage problems exist?
Will they adversely affect the project I have in mind?
Can it be corrected?
If so, can the problem be economically solved?
What steps will have to be taken to insure the continued
proper functioning of the drainage system?
In the late 1950 1 s and early 60's a group of us purchased
over 400 acres of land northwest of Eugene, Oregon, in the
upper Willamette Valley. It was our intention to construct
a golf course and, eventually, subdivide land about the course.
One of the first considerations was to determine if the land
could be drained, what the cost would be, and if the drainage
system, as proposed, would effectively drain the area. When
we were satisfied that these questions could be satisfactorily
resolved, we began our project. In doing so, we utilized the
services of the Soil Conservation Service and the Extension
Service of the USDA. Much of this area has a very slight
fall to the north and west, actually only about 1 foot per
1000. Consequently, it was necessary to build fairly large
drainage channels to move the water across and away from the
property. Large bulldozers and carry-alls were utilized.
With the exception of major flooding by the Willamette River
which spread a shallow sheet of water over much of the lower
areas of the golf course in 1964, it has escaped the major
flooding formerly occurring. Heavy rains will cause temporary ponding of water in some areas, but it soon moves out.
In 1970, we moved to Portland, Oregon where we became
responsible for the care of a golf course, Riverside Golf
and Country Club, lying behind dikes near the Columbia River.
This course was completely wiped out by the floods of 1948.
Seepage water from the river as well as the moisture falling
upon the course must be removed in order to keep it playable.
Over the years, quite a bit of tile had been laid, much of
which was not properly functioning. There were also three
inadequate sump pumps which attempted to remove excess waters
from the course. A major construction plan involving the
rebuilding of the drainage system as well as construction of
new tees throughout the course was proposed. We examined

the plans and noted that the drainage proposed was not much
more than a copy of the existing system which was not properly
functioning. We called in Soil Conservation engineers and
representatives of a pump manufacturing company. A drainage
plan was developed which appeared practicable and we were
authorized by the club officials to proceed. Initially, 5
miles of drain tile were laid on grade, two lakes with a
surface area of approximately two acres were constructed,
and nine tees constructed utilizing much of the spoil from
the lakes. A large pump was installed to remove the drain
water from the course. This water was accumulated at one of
the new lakes at a central location on the golf course. The
pump was engineered to remove anything short of a major
flooding of the course. It is capable of removing 4250 gallons
of water per minute. Under normal operation, during the
winter months, it will run about two hours, then rest for an
hour or so, depending upon runoff. Since it only has to lift
the water about 5 feet, it utilizes a 40 HP motor and is quite
economical to operate. Under conditions of heavier-thannormal rainfall, we have known it to operate almost constantly
for several days at a time removing over 6,000,000 gallons
of water per day. The water is pumped through a 12" plastic
pipeline 600 feet to a slough. Multnomah County Drainage
District #1 then pumps the water up about 10 feet into another
slough from which it is then pumped over 25 feet dikes back
into the river. Portland International Airport property
borders us to the north and east and is 39 feet above sea
level. We are lower than the airport, so probably have some
areas on the course near sea level, or below.
Since the initial construction of the new drainage system,
we have added another one and one-half miles of drainage
lines. Most problem areas have been properly drained. This
past winter, with heavier-than-normal rains, saw the course
playable at all times. We are now proposing a tee-to-green
cart path system in order to allow year around play with golf
cars utilizing the new paths during inclement weather.
Proper engineering, utilizing agencies available nearly
everywhere, using their recommendations, proper construction,
and a desire to achieve the utmost utilization of a recreation
area have resulted in a golf course facility of which the
members may well be proud.

USEFUL FIELD METHODS FOR
DIAGNOSING TURFGRASS PROBLEMS 1
William H. Bengeyfield 2

Whether you are a landscape, park, school, cemetery,
highway or golf turfgrass superintendent—-there is one thing
about being called in on an emergency; you are finally going
to be heard! People reluctant to pay attention in the past
will now be your most ardent listener.
In my work with the USGA Green Section, we will receive
a dozen or so real emergency calls each year. In almost
every case, the problem is "man made" not grass made. The
grass plant responds to the management it receives and, when
it gets into trouble, the problem can usually be traced to
an omission or comission by man. When we are not thinking
clearly, we are truly our own and the grass plant's worst
enemy.
What should you look for when called in on a turfgrass
emergency? What kind of checklist will lead to the cause of
the problem and then to the remedy? Probably the greatest
diagnosticians in the world are found in the medical profession and we can follow much of their routine. Certain tests
can be performed. Experience counts a lot and by deduction,
usually a process of elimination, you can discover the facts
and prescribe corrective steps.

1/

To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.

y

Western Director, USGA Green Section, Garden Grove,
California.

There are two useful tools and, once you get used to
them, they will be invaluable; a good soil probe tube and a
husky pruning knife. The soil probe can give you information
on:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Soil moisture content; smell and color
Depth of rooting
Depth of root activity
Soil texture
Soil layering
Degree of thatch
Degree of compaction.

A pruning knife is suggested because it is husky and
can stand the gaff. Use it to cut pie-shaped wedges from
the sod and these will reveal:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Degree of sod toughness, density
Thickness and condition of thatch
Possible insect activity
Degree of moisture in upper surface
Aerification needs and past accomplishments
Soil Layering
Compaction.

When first approaching a problem area, try to gain a
general, overall view or 'feel' of the situation. Is the
problem confined to an isolated spot or is it spread over
several acres? Is it on high or low ground? Is it in the
shade or sun? Is there a pattern of any kind?. What clues
can be found?
One of your first steps will be in determining if the
right grass has been planted in the right location. We all
know bermudagrass does not do as well in the shade as it does
in the sun. But do we all know zoysia will do well in the
shade along with the velvet bentgrasses, Poa tnlviatis and
the fine-leaf fescues? We must know our grasses. Shade,
sun, height of cut, irrigation and fertilizer needs, salt
tolerance, pH, etc. In a word, "Is the right grass being
grown in the right place and is it being given the right
management?"

Soil tests or tissue tests are invaluable aids for turfgrass managers. Actually, it is the interpretation of the
tests that really counts. Identical soil samples may be
sent to two different laboratories and when the results are
received, they appear to be totally dissimilar. However,
when interpretations are made by someone familiar with the
specific chemical tests and crops involved, the final recommendations will be quite similar. Remember, when taking soil
tests for turfgrass areas, a 2-inch depth is recommended for
the random samplings.
Soil samples should also be checked for soluble salts
and sodium when you find bare areas or turf with weak, poor
growth and color even though other management practices
appear to be generally good. "E.C." or Electrical Conductivity readings can frequently be obtained. The reading is
recorded in Mi 11 i-mhos per centimeter and the scale may be
interpreted as follows:
Less than .75 milli-mhos per centimeter - low salts
.75 to 1.5 milli-mhos per centimeter - medium salts
1.5 to 3.0 milli-mhos per centimeter - high salts
More than 3.0 milli-mhos per centimeter - very high salts.
Turfgrass nutritional problems can sometimes be determined by observing weak, sparse and unthrifty appearance.
Is the clipping removal rate 'normal'? When was the last
fertilizer application made? Were other chemicals applied
and if so, what was the date and rate of application?
One of the more frequent nutritional problems we find
is a general yellowing or chlorotic condition of the turf.
This can be produced by any number of different factors
including:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Plant stress due to any reason
Overly wet soils
Very high phosphorus levels
Very high pH levels
Heavy thatch accumulation.

One of the most frequent causes of turfgrass yellowing
is iron or magnesium chlorosis. This may be easily checked

.with an application of 2 to 3 ounces of ferrous iron sulfate
or magnesium sulfate in no more than 5 gallons of water per
1000 square feet. Do not water in since this is intended to
be a leaf feeding. If iron or magnesium is deficient an
immediate greening (within several hour's time) will usually
result.
Of course, turfgrass problems are frequently the result
of disease or insect activity. Knowing the symptoms and
knowing what to look for can be of immeasurable help. Many
of the chemical companies have published excellent colored
photos of turfgrass diseases and insect damage. If you are
suspicious of disease, check on past weather conditions and
particularly humidities and temperatures. Check to see if
there is good air drainage across the problemed area. If
you suspect insects, look for the telltale signs of cutworms,
sod webworms, soil grubs and frit flies. These are our most
common insect problems.
Irrigation and drainage problems are frequently at the
seat of the majority of turfgrass problems in the West. By
a great margin, overirrigation problems predominate. The
soil probe tube will immediately tell you how wet the soil
is below and, if it has been wet for long, a characteristic
odor can be detected. In many cases, the soil will have a
blue or dark color. One of the best field tests for overirrigation is to remove a soil core and squeeze the upper
1-inch area in an attempt to raise water. If you can develop
free water by squeezing the turf 5 to 6 hours after it has
been irrigated, you can safely conclude that too much water
has been applied in the past.
Tree roots can also cause serious turfgrass and irrigation
problems. Generally it is the samll, feeder-type tree roots
growing within the grass root zone that directly compete for
soil moisture. In all cases, tree roots will win this competion. Cut a sod plug with your knife to a depth of 2 or 3
inches. Break it open and see if small, fibrous tree roots
are present. Of course, shade and air drainage are also
problems of the irrigation and drainage picture.
Finally, when visiting a turfgrass problem area, look
for mechanical signs of damage. Certain wear patterns may
be visible either caused by man or machinery. Grass mowing

equipment frequently is not properly sharpened and causes
a damage of its own. Inquire what the turf manager's program has been in the recent past and what has been applied.
If chemicals have been applied in spray form, frequently a
'spray pattern' may be detected. Similarly, certain patterns
can be found from the application of dry materials.
By checking out the above points, you will narrow the
field of possibilities and draw closer to solving any turfgrass problem. In closing, I'm reminded of a statement
attributed to Professor Lawrence Dickenson at the University
of Massachusetts Turfgrass Management Course. Professor
Dickenson was one of the early sages in the turfgrass industry and he said:
"As turfgrass managers, we must help the little grass
plant to grow. We must never make it grow."

TRENDS AND NEW IDEAS IN THE GOLF BUSINESS 1
Jerrold H. Claussen2

Golf has been the subject of many fine tales, fact and
fiction. For example, a veteran golf course superintendent
once complained to his Green Chairman: "If it wasn't for all
those so-and-so golfers, we could have a fine course."
We might call that losing your perspective. In business
it is easy to forget why we are here and who is paying the
bill. But golfers who play for fun or money seldom consider
the business end of producing the equipment and running the
golf shop and maintaining the grass.
Despite the game's tradition, it is also a gigantic industry. The statistics are staggering: almost 11,000 golf
facilities, 13.5 million golfers, 260 million rounds played
in 1973, $495 million spent on maintaining the courses, $3.4
billion in physical plant investment.
The business is changing, just like everything else
around us. We see signs everywhere. Here are some of the
major trends in golf course development and operation that
look significant:
FIGHTING SLOW PLAY
A strong movement is spreading to find a remedy for slow
play that has been choking our busiest courses for years.
The National Golf Foundation made slow play a high prior
ity about six years ago with a humorous promotion campaign
using "Speedy" and "Mrs. Speedy" golfer, depicted by rabbits.

1/ To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.
y

Rocky Mountain Consultant, National Golf Foundation,
Denver, Colorado.

A starting time system to utilize all of the golf
course for more hours, with maximum time for playing each
9 , was sent to every course. The attempt was commendable,
but the results not very noticeable. Then, one by one, golf
industry leaders and major publications started trumpeting
the need for speedier play. Finally the idea is catching on.
Even PGA tour officials have been tough as they threaten and
occasionally levy penalties on slow players.
Earlier this season Golf Digest gave the campaign first
priority with an article called: "It's Time to Get Tough
with Slow Play." Six specific, firm suggestions were made,
including three rule changes. There were 10 helpful tips
for club officials on managing for faster play.
Many public course operators have picked up these ideas.
Most now have 150-yard markers for faster club selection,
start 9-hole players from No. 10 tee when open, use rangers,
teach rules and etiquette to beginning classes. More are
using realistic spacing of starting time to avoid jamups,
reminder signs in the pro shop, on the course, and even on
the scorecards suggesting how much it should take to play
each hole, 9 and 18.
An example of a sign is on the 7th tee of Brookhaven
Country Club, a 54-hole club near Dallas, Texas: "Par for
playing time to this tee should be 1 hour and 33 minutes.
How is your score today? Everyone enjoys the game more when
play moves on time. We appreciate your help. Thanks...Your
Board of Directors."
Now if everyone would just stop pretending to be Lee
Trevino circling his putts on every green
A MORE EXPENSIVE GAME
Golf has been called the "Game of a Lifetime". It may
be open to almost anyone of any age, but at what price? Inflation is hurting the business.
Private membership clubs have been trying desperately
to keep ahead of cost increases. Many are raising dues, imposing house minimum charges, assessing members for losses,
raising prices for food, beverage and other services, and/or
seeking more outside party business.

Increases in the minimum wage, higher costs for food and
other purveyor's services, plus rising taxes, have forced
those increases. We have seen monthly dues go from $70 to
$90 at one club, $38.50 to $45 at another, and the imposition
of a $20 per month house minimum charge at another, in the
Denver area.
Middle-income families who have access to less expensive
tennis and swim clubs are no longer lining up to join some
suburban country clubs. The so-called "status" means much
less to our mixed, mobile, more open society than in previous
times.
Even the cost of playing golf is soaring. Municipal
courses that once charged $2 to $3 for 18 holes or all day,
now charge $4 to $5. Season tickets at these courses are up
to $125, $150 or more per person. Privately-owned daily fee
courses report green fees up to $7 or $8 for 18 on weekends.
And if the typical club member pays dues of $876, $73 per
month, as the last Harris-Kerr-Forster survey tells us, and
plays even 30 rounds of golf per season, that's almost $30
per round, not counting the cost of golf car or caddie, lunch,
bets, and a couple golf balls dunked in the lake.
MORE MUNICIPAL COURSES
Municipal golf has too long been the poor cousin of the
golf business, except in how many people it served. But no
longer.
A combination of factors — urban population pressures,
public interest in open space and ecology, increasing development costs, Federal support through the B0R grant program,
lots of national publicity about the need for public courses
and how they can be built -- contributed to this trend.
The results are encouraging. Last year 38 new regulation
municipal courses and 58 municipal projects in all opened for
play. Both the 38 new courses, and the ratio of 21% to all
new regulation courses, were new records. Another 45 municipal projects, or more than 15% of the 290 reported, started
construction. Utah led the nation, with two new public-owned
18's, two 9's and two 9-hole additions to existing courses.

Local government can and does use many methods to create
public golf facilities. Johnson County, Kansas, in suburban
Kansas City, purchased a former private club last year. The
City of Piano, Texas, leased land to a partnership of former
PGA tour players to build and operate a public course subject
to city regulations. The City of Arvada, part of suburban
Denver, Colorado, purchased a bankrupt daily fee course on
leased land, will also buy the land, and lease the business
to a private operator for 25 years.

^EXECUTIVE COURSE CONCEPT SPREADS
The name no longer fits the category, because the short,
intermediate course has caught on among all types of golfers.
Not boring like most par-3's, it's also not long, difficult
and time-consuming like many regulation-size layouts. Families
women, seniors and even the rushed executive are finding the
new, well-designed intermediate course a happy golf experience.
At the end of 1973 NGF counted 552 of these courses in
the United States, including 328 clubs having only an executive course. More than 60% were 9 holes, many of these additions to regulation golf courses. About 70% were daily fee,
indicating how popular they are with the public and profitable to their owners. The resort-retirement areas of Californi
and Florida led in numbers. Forty-one states reported at
least one.
The trend is continuing. Thirty of the intermediates
opened in 1973, compared with 18 in 1972. Another 28 were
reported under construction, almost double the 17 of 1972.
For the first six months of this year, 12 more opened and
11 more were started. The dozen openings represented 16%, a
new high, of all new openings for that period.
t
The golfers not only like them, so do developers,
whether a private club, real estate combine, or a municipality.
The short courses use less land, are usually less expensive
to build and maintain, faster to play, and can produce more
revenue.
In Oregon, the only four new courses opened for play in
1973 were intermediate-length, daily fee 9's, connected with
residential communities. One at Charbonneau near Wilsonville

will have 27 holes, three executive 9's. Oakway Golf Club
at Eugene was once a regulation daily fee 18, but remodeled,
reopened in 1974 as an executive 18, and made a profit by
development of excess land.
GOLF ATTRACTS BIG CORPORATIONS
It has seldom been a cheap venture to enter the golf
business. Now land costs near population centers have
soared to $5,000, $8,000 and more per acre. Design and construction standards are higher than ever. Construction and
material costs are escalating fast. Big capital is needed
to buy land, build course and clubhouse, equip and hold on
for two, three or more seasons of operating loss until the
business gets established.
Not that the golf business isn't profitable over the
long term. In recent years surveys have shown that in most
years up to 50% of private clubs run in the red. But other
surveys consistently report that 90% and more of daily fee
and municipal courses make money. So with costs rising, and
potential for a good profit in operation and appreciation,
enter the large corporation.
Nearly half of courses opened in 1973 and now under construction are part of large real estate developments. Nearly
500 such projects have opened in the past four years, 142 in
1973 alone. Some of those are part of conglomerate chains -Diamondhead Corp., McCulloch Oil, Great Western Cities, Golf
Host West, National Golf Courses, Inc., and Rockresorts, Inc.
Most of these groups had little or no previous golf
course development or management experience. They simply
hired knowledge. Their primary goal in almost every case is
to sell real estate. But despite lavish advertising and
promotion campaign, the golf courses are often sterile, the
service impersonal, the cost astronomical.
Also among the new corporate ownerships are the Japanese,
who have purchased or are developing several clubs in Hawaii
and California as investments and homes-away-from-home for
traveling businessmen. Japanese interests own at least 10
courses on American soil, including Mesa Verde Country Club,
Costa Mesa, California; Canyon Hotel and Country Club, Palm
Springs, California; and Incline Village Golf Club and Ski
Resort, Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

COURSE DESIGN:

A PARADOX

There are more first-class, well-designed, well-maintained
golf courses in play today than ever before. Probably 75
active individuals offer good credentials as golf course archii tects. The American Society of Golf Course Architects, the
' elite of the profession, has more than 60 members.
So why are we still seeing so many bland, dull courses
with a mass-produced look? Why so many small tees, bad
f drainage, inadequate pumping systems? For one thing, only
f about one-third of the 300+ new facilities opening each year
are designed by professional golf architects. The rest are
products of well-meaning private owners, local golf pros,
citizen committees and other pretenders. The results in most
cases are disasters for golfers and superintendents who must
maintain them later.

1

Why won't ownerships hire the best and build right the
first time? NGF's Facility Development Consultants are often
frustrated by this problem. Most ownerships -- real estate
developers, city councils, citizen committees -- don't know
what a really good golf course looks like, how it is put together, played or maintained. Budget often is restrictive,
too. So they buy cheap — and regret it later.
At the same time, there is a hefty resource of knowledge
in print about what goes into modern golf course design and
construction. The best of our 12,000 courses and 160,000
golf holes have been publicized so that anyone can learn the
principles. But golf architecture remains more art than
science, and great artists are always in short supply.
GOLF CARS MULTIPLY

I
Along with more golfers playing more rounds of golf,
fewer of them want to walk anymore. The result is more
rounds of golf are being played out of those three and four
wheel buggies we call golf cars.
In 1973 NGF estimated that 345,000 golf cars were being
used on about 90% of the courses. That's more than twice as
many as the 160,000 counted five years ago.
Like most trends, the growing popularity of ridinq has
no single cause. But these are contributing factors:

* A decline in caddie programs, mostly because few clubs
and their pros make an effort to attract them;
* The money-making ability of golf car rentals, to both
the club and the pro;
* Improved design and maintenance service for the topline cars, including attractive lease-purchase programs through
local distributors;
* An ego thing the American male has about driving,
matching his attachment to his personal automobile, coupled
with laziness.
The result has been helpful extra dollars made by many
clubs — especially resort and semi-private types -- which
might be struggling otherwise. One Denver daily fee operator reported he grossed about $90,000 from golf car rentals
in 1973. One out of every five of his customers rode to play.
But what of the cost? New clubhouses with full basements for storage of cars, or separate steel buildings for
that purpose, require major capital investments. Where traffic is concentrated, asphalt paths cost $2-$4 per running
foot to build, plus repairs later. There are other costs,
like turf damage, liability insurance, cleanup. But no
matter, because many golfers want to ride, are willing to
pay for it, and the demand is increasing.
WOMEN SHARE THE CHORES
Slowly but surely the equality of women has affected
the golf business. Maybe most men golfers would like to restrict them to Ladies Day one morning a week. But they keep
the clubhouse busy, do a good share of buying in the pro
shops, and now are sharing in operations, too.
Women club managers are no longer unique, like Joyce
Jackson at Cypress Creek Golf Club, Orlando, Florida, and
Bernice Terrell, at Covington Country Club, Louisiana. There
are perhaps 200 or so women teaching professionals at larger
clubs and resorts. A few are running the whole golf shop
business, such as former assistant Ann Gavin at Triple A
Golf Club, a daily fee 9 in St. Louis, Missouri, and Barbara
Myers, Georgetown Country Club, South Carolina.

|

The big breakthrough in women's employment has been in
golf course maintenance. After a few courageous superintendents let down the sex barrier, like Norman^Graft at Stansbury Park Country Club, Magna, Utah, who hired an all-woman
crew two years ago, others have tried it and liked it. In
the last two seasons we've seen girls on maintenance crews
all over the map.
Every superintendent with female crew members reports
the same good results; they are hard workers, reliable, neat,
dedicated. Women can and do almost any job: mowing fairways
and greens, raking traps, clubhouse landscaping.
"I wish my whole crew was just like the two girls I have
this season," says one superintendent.
Girl caddies are part of the trend, too. For instance,
Oakland Hills Country Club, Detroit Golf Club, Franklin Hills
Country Club and Tarn O'Shanter Country Club in the Detroit
area now employ girl caddies. The golfers accept them, and
the boy caddies treat them as equals. They have a future,
too, because the Western Golf Association reports that seven
girls have already won Evans caddie college scholarships.
HIGHER MAINTENANCE COSTS
Like most things, the cost of maintaining our golf
courses keeps going up. That shouldn't surprise anyone in
business, but club members and golfers paying the bill have
to be educated.
The annual Harris-Kerr-Forster survey of 100 of the
most elite private clubs in 1972 reported an average maintenance bill of $6,554 per hole, or nearly $118,000 for an
18-hole course. That was up 5% over the previous year.
After that came the 1973 energy crisis, and rising prices
for fuels, pipe, seed, plastic materials, fertilizers and
chemicals. Superintendents at most courses were smart and
stockpiled fertilizers before the price boost in 1974. But
the crunch is coming for the 1975 season. Budgets will increase 10-20%, or courses will be maintained a little less
lush -- fertilized and mowed less often, less handwork around
hazards and trees.

SEWAGE EFFLUENT FOR IRRIGATION
The fuel crisis emphasized that prosperity and growth
are not forever, but rather are limited by natural resources.
So it is with water.
Where supplies are short, politicians and the public
frown on golf courses using clean, potable water that might
otherwise go for drinking, moving industry, and watering
lawns. If a golf course doesn't already have its own exclusive, reliable source of water, such as a lake, river or
wells, it may be in trouble sooner or later.
We are short of water in this country now, especially in
the Northeast and West. Many new golf courses built in recent
years in the West have turned to treated sewage effluent for
irrigation. In most cases there have been no damaging effects
to either fine turf or humans.
Some examples of successful irrigation programs using
effluent water are at the municipal course in Las Vegas,
Nevada; Mechaneer West Golf Club at Ft. Carson, Colorado;
Slaton, Texas Country Club; Panther Valley Country Club,
Alamuchy, New Jersey; and Continental Country Club, Flagstaff,
Arizona. For these and others the golf course has become an
ideal outlet for using millions of gallons of treated effluent
not useful elsewhere.
AUTOMATION AND MECHANIZATION
The machine, especially the various electronic marvels,
have become important in golf facility operations.
In large private clubs, membership accounts and billings
are frequently handled by a computer program. In the kitchen,
pre-packaged foods and big freezers and micro-wave ovens
have replaced the fry grill. More and more golf courses are
irrigating with automatic time clocks.
The new machines have made quite an impact on golf course
maintenance. Equipment manufacturers have been diligent in
visiting courses and turf conferences, listening to superintendents on what they need, and then producing machines in
answer.

The riding triplex greens mower has now been in use
about five years. Perhaps 80-90% of all the 18-hole courses,
and many with 9 holes, have switched from walking to riding.
Very few machines have been turned back or traded in, distributors report. Some superintendents have converted their
first riding mower to a tee mower, then bought a newer model
for greens.
Such a machine now costs about $3500. But it should have
a life of 5-10 years. Properly trained, anyone can cut greens
and do a smooth job. Predictions that greens would be compacted and grainier have been mostly false alarms. The riding
mower can cut 18 greens in 3 to 4 hours, compared with 12
man hours using walking mowers.
One distributor reported he had received 26 riding mowers
for this season, and sold out before the season started.
"Because of labor saving, none but the richest clubs can
afford not to have o n e / he remarked. Because of materials
and parts shortages, however, orders are backlogged about 6
months.
Another great innovation is the riding trap rake. Available just the last two years, the concept successfully fit
the trend to save time. Perhaps 50% of courses with any
great number of traps now keep them in shape with tractorpulled rakes.
Large tree spades, usually rented from landscaping firms,
have been a godsend for old courses replacing dead or damaged
trees, and to new courses on open land. Such machines make
moving a 20 foot pine a routine task.
It hardly seems that automatic irrigation could get more
sophisticated, but new types of heads and controllers appear
on the market each season. In machinery, better ideas are on
the way, we hear, such as a combined vacuum and finger raking
machine. How about a golf car riding on an air cushion?
There major trends in the business aren't all that's
happening, of course. Many new ideas keep popping up that
could become trends. Golf is blessed with many creative,
dedicated people who never stop looking for a better way.

Here are some examples:
* The Purr-wick green, featuring underground water reservoirs to keep the rootzone constantly moist, but never
too wet or too dry. The idea was developed by Dr. Bill Daniel
and agronomy students at Purdue University. Such greens have
been installed at several Midwest courses and three new clubs
in Colorado.

1
* A hidden maintenance headquarters. At Meadow Hills
Country Club, a non-equity membership club in Denver, the
«
redesign and remodeling of the clubhouse and parking lot
area will soon include an underground maintenance headquarters,
with office for the superintendent, repair shop, equipment and ,
materials storage. It will be under the parking lot. As a
concept this does three things: saves space, places a key
administrative area near the management core which is the
clubhouse, and removes from members' view what often is an
unsightly portion of the club's operation.
* Night maintenance of the golf course. A few have tried
this before. But for courses playing to capacity sunrise to
sunset, it makes more sense than ever. With an automatic irrigation system, any golf course can be watered after dark. But
for the last three years Larry Runyon, superintendent for the
City of Kansas City's three 18-hole courses, has done all the
mowing at night. Every riding vehicle is equipped with lights.
Golfers and maintenance crews don't get in each other's way,
play and income are up, and labor costs have actually been
reduced.

* No-fault accident insurance for golfers. A new type
of policy following the principle of no-fault auto insurance
is now availabe in about half our states. The coverage will
take care of accidents like being struck by a golf ball, tipping over in a golf car, or falling downstairs in the clubhouse.'
It pays up to $5,000, for a premium of $16 per year. According
to the insurance company's president: "As a result of golf's
booming popularity, many golf courses are becoming more crowded
and therefore possibly more hazardous." He's undoubtedly right.
Where are the new trends taking us? How big will golf
be by 1980 and 1990? Predicting the future is always risky,

and it seems we always underguess. Golf is now a world-wide
game, still far short of its potential popularity and market.
For the final quarter of this century, growth can only be
limited by providing enough places to play at acceptable cost.
The National Golf Foundation and the other major golf
organizations will have more work to do in education, proper
promotion, watching the trends and providing helpful guidance.
But we should not lose sight of what keeps us in business,
what the game is all about — pleasure. Golf is a game, a
game with challenge and charm unlike any other.
What it's all about is related affectionately in this
quote from Arnold Palmer's book, My Game and Yours:
"Especially in the spring of the year, when the first
warm sun presses down on your shoulders, when the grass has
just been mowed for the first time and sits there damp and
green, with its fresh-cut smell floating up to your nostrils,
when the sky is a deep blue roof over your head and an occasional cloud drifts by so white that it dazzles your eyes, a
golf course is an intoxicating place."

—
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POA ANNUA CONTROL PROGRAM 1
Roy L. Goss 2

Many turfgrass managers still feel that it is a losing
battle to try to control Voa annua. Those of you who have
had the privilege of maintaining perfect stands of turfgrasses
free of Voa annua can appreciate the need and desirability of
maintaining stand purity. In play and recreational areas
Voa annua will not stand up to heavy abuse, nor will it withstand drought stress. On putting greens it creates an uneven
putting surface, and the prolific seedhead development is
unsightly. Dr. V. A. Gibeault, University of California,
Riverside, in a recent publication sums up Voa annua about
this way: "If a turfgrass stand has from 0 to 40 percent
Voa annua present, the chances of removing it and stimulating
the more desired species by cultural and chemical approaches
are pretty good. Therefore, it can be considered a weed.
If the turfgrass location has from 60 to 100 percent Voa annua,
perhaps it is not such a bad species after all. Total renovation may be out of the question, so let's consider annual
bluegrass a friend and learn to live with it. If the turfgrass location has from 40 to 60 percent Voa annua, the
decision must be made whether to take steps to eliminate it
or take steps to foster its growth." I think that I would
subscribe to this summary made by Dr. Gibeault. Let us consider then some of the cultural and chemical methods by which
Voa annua
can be controlled or eliminated.

1/ To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.
y

Agronomist/Extension Agronomist, Washington State University, Western Washington Research and Extension Center,
Puyallup, Washington.

PRE-EMERGENCE CONTROL
. Many chemicals have been tested in research programs at
the Western Washington Research and Extension Center at Puyallup
for control of Poa annua in both putting green turf and lawn
type turf. Not all chemicals for pre-emergence control are
equally effective under all systems of management. Many of
our pre-emergent chemicals are not registered nor recommended
for use on putting greens. Grasses mowed between 3/16 and 1/4
inch in height frequently will not withstand this treatment.
Bensulide (Betasan, *Pre-san, Prefar) has given best control of
Poa annua under putting green conditions in our tests for the
past four years. The normal practice of applying 15 lbs.
active ingredient per acre once per year, which was the original recommendation, does not work. Tricalcium arsenate has
been recommended in the midwestern area for some years and
excellent results reported from many locations. The problems
associated with Tricalcium arsenate, however, make many turf
managers very skeptical about its use. One has to be extremely
careful if soils tend to be too wet or poorly drained, and
other factors can affect the activity of arsenic as well, including phosphorus levels.
Bensulide and Tricalcium arsenate were the basis for a
four year study at Puyallup to determine their affect on Poa
annua control on Highland bentgrass maintained as putting green.
Plot evaluations made on August 20, 1974 reveal that all plots
treated with Bensulide at 15 lbs. per acre annually averaged
from 47.5 to 65 percent Poa annua in the plot area. Bensulide,
however, applied at 15 lbs. per acre initially followed by
repeat applications of 3 lbs. active ingredient per acre
every three months has maintained plots with less than 10
percent Poa annua after the first two year's treatment. The
initial populations of Poa annua in this particular instance
was over 40 percent of the plot area.
Tricalcium arsenate applied at the rate of 18 lbs of
product (Chip Cal granular) over a 4 month period, then maintained with 2 lbs. of product in May and October for maintenance levels have maintained plots nearly 100 percent free of
Poa

annua.

From this study, it can be concluded that Poa annua can
be controlled with Bensulide, a relatively harmless treatment

on putting green turf if diligently and accurately applied.
Other pre-emergence herbicides are currently being investigated to determine both efficacy in the control of Poa annua
and their phytotoxic effects to bentgrass turf.
POST-EMERGENT CHEMICALS
Whether Tricalcium arsenate and Bensulide had a direct
effect upon established Poa annua plants was not necessarily
determined from our tests. It is felt that the Tricalcium
arsenate did weaken and kill mature Poa annua within the first
year, and it is possible that Bensulide, at the rates applied,
had some post-emergence effects as well. It is felt, however,
that many of the Poa annua plants simply lived out their life
and disappeared, and without new seedlings to replace them,
resulted in relatively Poa free turf. So far, no other postemergence herbicides have appeared that will selectively remove Poa annua from established bentgrass, bluegrass or
fescue turf. One new material that has not been labelled nor
marketed has shown some promise in this direction and is
being actively pursued.
It is a known fact at this point that the manipulation
of sulfur and phosphorus levels is extremely important in
both pre- and post-emergence control of Poa annua. Results
of seven years of applications of sulfur on putting green
bent at our Station has demonstrated variable effects on Poa
annua populations. When sulfur was applied at 1.15 lbs per
1000 ft 2 annually (50 lbs per acre), all turfgrasses were
apparently equally stimulated and Poa annua actually increased.
However, when the sulfur was increased to 3.45 lbs per 1000
ft 2 (150 lbs per acre), Poa annua was significantly reduced,
and especially with variable combinations of phosphorus fertilization. The highest level of sulfur reduced Poa annua at
the highest level of phosphorus application (4 lbs P2O5 per
1000 ft 2 per season), but was highly significant in plots
where no phsophorus was applied. The most significant decrease
in Poa annua in all plots was found where only 6 lbs of
nitrogen per 1000 ft 2 per season was applied and where no
phosphorus was supplied to the grass. Plots receiving 6 lbs
of nitrogen, 4 lbs P2O5 phosphorus, and 1.15 lbs. of wettable
sulfur per 1000 ft 2 per season had extremely high populations
of Poa annua as compared with those receiving the highest
level of sulfur with or without phosphorus; although the

plots that received no phosphorus were nearly 100 percent
free of Poa annua.
Plots receiving 20 lbs. and 12 lbs of
nitrogen per 1000 ft 2 per year with P and no P responded
similarly to those receiving 6 lbs of nitrogen, although
Poa annua populations are slightly higher in these higher
nitrogen treated plots.
T0PDRESSING AND RESEEDING PROGRAM
Dr. John Madison has presented his approach to putting
green quality improvement and the elimination of Poa annua
and will not be elaborated upon at this point. However, his
data indicates that frequent light topdressings combined with
balanced nutrition can significantly reduce or eliminate Poa
annua under putting green conditions. The program he has
outlined also calls for the elimination of aerification. The
holes left after aerification become planting sites and establishment routes for Poa annua. This is an interesting program,
and may be followed up by those of you who may be interested.
OTHER POA ANNUA CONTROL POSSIBILITIES
1.

Use of vigorous varieties. Many of our highly stoloniferous bentgrasses are vigorous enough to provide a dense
turf that resists Poa annua invasion. These should be
closely analyzed. One hundred fifty-seven different bentgrass cultivars are being observed at the Puyallup Station
for any such traits.

2.

Overseeding. Turfgrass managers who provide bentgrass
seed to establish turf increase the possibilities of
maintaining higher bentgrass populations or other grass
populations as well. This constant replenishment of seed
supply will produce some competition for the abundance of
Poa annua seeds produced.

3.

It is essential to control turfgrass diseases to help keep
down Poa annua populations or eliminate it. Spots killed
or severely injured by turfgrass diseases are excellent
establishment sites for this weed.

4.

Balanced nutrition - If you wish to maintain good stands
of Poa annua, maintain high phosphorus levels and adequate nitrogen; but if you wish to eliminate Poa, you
must severely reduce phosphorus applications and maintain good nitrogen, potassium and sulfur levels.

5.

Make no serious mistakes in judgment that will injur or
otherwise kill your turf.

One final caution should be made. If you are practicing
overseeding, do not apply pre-emergence chemicals unless judicious timing is worked out.

THE MAKING OF BEAUTIFUL GOLF COURSES
—THE HARD WAY 1
Ronald W. Fream2

Let me start by saying that regardless of where the golf
course is located, a skilled golf course constructor and a
skilled golf course superintendent are the golf architect's
best friends in achieving the stated objective. The desirability, necessity and appreciation of having available
skilled and experienced personnel becomes more crucial to
the golf architect the farther from the United States the
project is located.
As a partner in a golf architectural firm presently
serving clients in 16 countries, one of our major concerns
is achieving quality golf course construction in remote and
adverse locations. By adverse I would refer to the local
lack of understanding, comprehension or appreciation for
what actually comprises a championship and beautiful course
or in some cases a golf course, period. This problem of
lack of understanding occurs when a firm such as mine is
commissioned to design the first world class or modern
championship golf course within a nation. Perhaps it is the
first resort golf course in a remote portion of a country
which does have some golf. More and more, the 3rd world
countries are developing golf oriented resorts as one additional means of attracting cash-laden tourists to a beautiful, but possibly primitive, new area. Also, an emerging
or expanding national middle class in many 3rd world or
recently industrialized nations are beginning to strive for
the status or prestige membership in a golf club might offer.
Remember, very few countries other than the United States
have municipal public golf courses in any quantity. In many
countries, the only golf courses are private and very expensive. As with Americans, persons taking up golf in other
countries also become addicted to the sport.

1/ To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.
y

Fream/Storm/Associates, Ltd., Golf Architects and Development Consultants, Los Gatos, California.

The primary problems of construction in areas outside
the United States in general are lack of equipment, lack of
materials, and a lack of knowledgeable local personnel. Each
of these groupings can be expanded and modified in many ways.
In Japan, no shortages, except land, exist. That creates its
own very monumental problems. In some Asian countries only
thousands of laborers are available. Middle east and North
African countries especially, reflect a shortage of water.
It is not uncommon to find our project sites located in
tropical areas. Rain forests present their own unique problems. Tropical rain forests are especially worrisome for
someone like me. The architect must obviously view the site
prior to initiation of design studies and construction. Some
of these remote sites are primarily inhabited by such crawling
things as bushmasters, cobras and green mombas. Once someone else has cleared the way, some feeling of security may
be achieved. It is not until the cutlass men have opened the
forest and dozers or hand labor has piled the debris that one
can feel fully at ease. The rain fall frequency and intensity
can be another tropical problem not easily adapted to.
Thick bamboo forests with bamboo stems 3 to 5 inches in
diameter and 30 to 40 feet tall are a challenge of their own.
Clearing of giant bamboo requires fire, hand cutting with
saws or cutlass, and if available, bulldozers. In Northern
Japan bamboo about 5 feet tall with 3/4 inch diameter canes
can carpet a site as undergrowth beneath a birch tree forest.
Hand cutting is a slow, tedious and costly process. Regrowth of the bamboo can be a continuing problem. Armies
have literally been used on some project clearing and construction work where the government of the country is sponsoring golf development as part of the emerging tourist
industry.
Europe, in general, is well equipped mechanically. The
technology of modern construction and local experience has
barely reached Europe, however. African and Asiatic areas
are not well supplied with the basic mechanical equipment
necessary for efficient construction. In Kashmir, a construction company of the Indian Army Corps of Engineers did
provide the machines and man power. The difficulty with that
army was a stifling quantity of red tape. In Morocco, army
personnel were also utilized. The army set up a biviouac
camp of tents on site.

In Japan mechanization is awe inspiring. The mechanized
equipment on hand often resembles an armored batallion. Each
tractor has a ground man to direct the individual operator.
The contractor usually establishes a barracks like camp on
site for the entire crew. In Japan where only mountainous
sites are generally available for golf development, large
quantities of earthmoving machines are obviously a necessity
if 2 or 3 million cubic yards of earthmoving is considered
commonplace for 18 or 27 holes. It is a study in contrast
to see 20 to 30 D-8 and D-9 dozers moving a hillside while
not far away 20 or 30 men and women hand place and spread the
various components of a green seedbed mixture.
The other extreme might be at a tropical paradise such
as Bali in Indonesia where a single pre-World War II model
Russian bulldozer plods along in its one forward gear while
1,200 women and girls and a few men hand excavate lakes,
move rock, build mounds, tees, bunkers and greens with metal
and wooden shovels and shallow baskets carried on the women's
heads.
Even in remote areas a sand and organic humus greens
seedbed mixture is always strived for because of the longterm turfgrass management advantages. In an area as un-v
familiar with golf as Tunisia, Mauritius or St. Kitts the
construction superintendent cannot easily order up 8,000
feet of polyethylene drainline tubing. All you might be
able to get is 3 foot long by 8 inch diameter 40 pound
lengths of perforated and non-perforated concrete pipe; a
little hard to handle, but useable nonetheless. No easier
can the construction superintendent order up large quantities
of specifically sized sand for the putting green seedbed or
gravel of uniform diameters. The sand may have to come from
a beach miles away in 5 cubic yard trucks; if it is legal to
take sand from the beach and if the trucks are available or
operational. Elsewhere, more or less mechanically screened
river bed sand, coral beach sand or crushed volcanic pumice
may be all that is available. In Bali, the sand was hand
screened from local stream beds. Sand hydraulicly pumped
from the sea is another source. In St. Kitts stone "knappers"
will make any size and quantity of drain gravel you want using hand operated hammers to make little pieces out of big
ones. In many areas local stream bed rock is all that is
available.

Consistent quality brand name organic humus is not always
just a phone call away. In some localities such as Glasgow
and elsewhere in the United Kingdom organic material such as
local sphagnum peat moss is readily available. Ireland, too,
has ample supplies of fine peat moss. Irish peat or German
peat can be shipped elsewhere in Europe. We have also used
Irish peat in Japan. At Sapporo, in Northern Japan, Russian
peat moss and local ground pine bark were quite available.
There does not seem to be any difference between Irish and
Russian peat moss except for the differing political systems
and red tape for purchase.
Have you ever built a green using ground cork and hog
manure as the organic components? In Portugal ground cork
is reasonably available as a by product of the wine bottle
stopper business. Pork is a common food and hence a ready
source of manure. Rice hulls are a little light but are
all you can get in Bali. Not surprisingly, when well composted, rice hulls are a very good source of durable organic
humus. Well composted sugar care debris called Bagasse is a
very useful organic humus material which is available in most
tropical areas; that is, unless it is being burned by the
sugar refinery as fuel during the energy crisis. Filter
press mud is another by product of the sugar refining process
which works when no other organic humus is available. Seaweed or kelp, ground olive pits, wheat chaff or the leavings
of a wine grape squeezing operation may also provide a source
of organic humus. It usually is not economically feasible
or reasonable to ship in from out of the country some specialized organic material. There almost always is some type of
suitable local material available if you are willing to seek
it out.

Mixing of the greens seedbed components to insure proper
uniform consistency is occasionally less than a mechanized
process. In some countries a large cement mixer, soil shredder,'
skip loader or patrol grader can be obtained for off-site
mixing. Occasionally a Howard type rotohoe or a small walking
rototiller can be gotten for use in on-site mixing. It is
not uncommon in some high labor-low wage areas to perform
the seedbed mixing entirely by hand with basket and shovel.
Imagine about 40 men, women and children - dressed in colorful

sarongs - mixing sand and rice hulls for 18 greens in a lush
volcanic valley in Bali. All of the seedbed mixture is
transported in baskets balanced on the heads of teenaged
girls. We might recommend this as one means of developing
very good posture.
What with the costs of surface or air freight transportation, importation taxes, customs duties and purchase equalization taxes, it is not always an easy or reasonable matter
to order up all your material requirements from the United
States. Import duties and taxes alone can frequently raise
FOB United States cost of imported materials and equipment
30 percent to 75 percent or even 100 percent in some cases;
hence, the attempt to utilize locally available materials
whenever possible.
Only three or four brands of irrigation sprinkler equipment are commonly available, or even dependable, on an international basis. The irrigation system is one area where
materials of United States manufacture must generally be
used. Most foreign produced irrigation equipment is based upon
United States design. For product reliability it is best to
go with the tested products. This may upset national pride
occasionally, but so be it. Import duties can be quite severe
on these items.
Don't expect to be able to install a nice elaborate
automatic irrigation system. The state of the irrigation
art is rather primitive beyond our somewhat sheltered borders.
I have a copy of a magazine advertisement from a major British
golf magazine for one of the main British irrigation design
and installation firms. This advertisement boasts of the
fact that they installed the first irrigation system in the
United Kingdom that includes automatic fairway and rough
watering during the summer of 1973! Hardly what one might
call longterm experience. Green and, to a lesser degree,
tee automatic watering is certainly more common. Elsewhere
in Europe some American architects have installed full automatic systems in years past. However, what good is automation
when no one understands how to properly operate the system
and labor is very plentiful at a few dollars per day. In
Australia rainmobile type traveling sprinklers are common on
tees, greens and fairways. Club members do not expect any

better irrigation (possibly because they haven't been adequately
exposed to full modern irrigation much yet). Japan has
accepted modern irrigation. However, Japan generally lacks
qualified irrigation engineers who can properly design the
system. Our west coast United States' based irrigation
design engineers have had probably the most extensive experience in golf course irrigation to be found anywhere in the
world.
Irrigation pipe of PVC or asbestos cement is manufactured in quantity and quality in a variety of countries; if
the necessary raw materials are available.
The design of the irrigation system pumping plant must
compliment the design of the sprinkler system. Simplicity
and durability of operation and maintenance are a must. When
rapid back up of spare parts or repair service is not available a duplicate pump system may be provided as a safety
measure. This is obviously quite expensive. In some cases
no reasonable alternative exists.
The import duty and taxes imposed on brass valves, controllers, wire and sprinkler heads by most countries in many
cases more than offsets any installation cost savings realized by $2 or $3 or $6 per day labor rates. Surface transportation charges and time delays in shipping, dockside
pilferage and customs clearance, beaurocracy and transport
to the job site are additional time and bribe consuming and
often frustrating factors to consider. Urgently needed
equipment can set on a dock for weeks while the red tape is
removed.
Also to be considered is the problem of spare parts.
Even with the availability of telex and air freight, days or
more commonly, weeks can lapse between time of need and
arrival of replacement parts. Large stores of spare irrigation system parts must be pre-determined and provided for.
Generally, a one to two year supply is sufficient.
Water for the irrigation system may come as 2 inch per
hour tropical showers, unlimited use of rivers and lakes or
fixed maximum limits of say 1,500,000 liters (approximately
400,000 gallons) per day in arid climates reminiscent of Los
Angeles. Piping water 20 or more miles to the golf course

resort site is not uncommon either. Domestic municipal
water systems may be unknown. Wells are generally the most
desirable solution. Under the influence of a very dry tropical "summer", the available stream flow may not exceed 50,000
gallons a day for several weeks at a time. Ponds or storage
tanks are included whenever reasonable as a reservoir and
supply storage source.
The improved golf course quality turf type grass varieties for what we call world class or modern golf courses
are only available in quantity from the United States. The
rest of the golfing world, including the United Kingdom and
Australia are from about 5 to 20 years behind us in turfgrass
science, research and in some cases also the use of the
improved grasses. The conditions found in our own Pacific
Northwest are unsurpassed for producing the improved turfgrass variety seed for cool season uses. Turfgrass varieties
developed elsewhere are still generally grown for commercial
production in Oregon or Washington. Air freight direct from
grower or distributor to job site ensures viable seed at the
time needed. Arizona is the prime source of common Bermudagrass seed. Some other countries grow commercial quantities
of seed, but have been unable to produce the certified quality
seed top class golf course development requires. This deficiency is being corrected rapidly by some European seed
producers.
Hand pulled homemade wooden board rakes and "people
pulled" drags may be all you have to float the seedbed surface before seeding. Brill ion seeders are not always available. Perhaps all you will have to seed the entire course
with will be 10 or a dozen girls with monkey grinders or 5
gallon cans walking in skirmish lines broadcasting seed.
In tropical climates, the hybrid Bermudagrasses and/or
common Bermudagrass are the most dependable and also can be
very economical. We favor Tifdwarf for greens and aprons
with Tifway. Tifgreen or common Bermuda is used for fairways
and tees. Common Bermudagrass can also be used in roughs if
economy or speed are required. In arid regions with salt
problems and low humidity common Bermudagrass for fairway
and tees with Seaside Bentgrass for greens is a successful

combination. Establishing a nursery on site using only a
few bushels of initial stolon stock can provide more than
ample stolon material for planting an entire course. Initial
introduction of hybrid selections into some countries may
require "covert11 methods. Generally, a one acre nursery for
greens turf and 3 to 5 acres of fairway turf nursery are
ample. If money is no object, all of the stolons could be
air freighted to a job site when needed. However, costs
are generally more closely restricted out of the United
States than here at home. Hence, the establishment of an
on-site nursery. Stolonization by hand using gangs of labor
is frequently the most expedient means of planting hybrid
Bermudagrass. A good local welding shop can fabricate a
stolon planting machine. One exception has been Japan. As
long as the supply lasted, courses around Tokyo or farther
south in the warm humid climate were sodding the entire
course from rough to rough, tee to green with Kori (Zoysia);
generally variety japonica on everything except the greens
where matrella was used. One course we did near Nagoya had
a $500,000 price tag just for sodding all 18 holes!. Here,
too, hand labor - over 500 people - was used to place each
piece of sod.
Fertilizer to make the grass grow and chemicals to keep
it growing are not always available in the formulations recommended by the various United States based experts. Make do
and make shift are the general approaches. Generally, some
type of fertilizer is available from a local agricultural
supply source. Petroleum shortages are cutting deeply into
the availability of these chemical items. The third world
areas are generally not as well suppled with raw materials
as we are here in the United States.
Maintenance equipment to keep the grass growing properly
is manufactured and available from the United States and, to
a lesser degree, from England and Australia. Here again, the
state of equipment and technology outside the United States
has never had the demand to stimulate innovation to as highly
sophisticated a degree as here at home. Don't consider using
fancy hydraulic, electronic, elaborate and complex equipment.
Getting such items through customs and the import tax man are
two large problems. Damage or loss during shipment is common.

Next comes the job of trying to find and/or teach someone to
understand how to operate and maintain such equipment. Replacing damaged or broken parts may take weeks. The grass
waits for no man. The equipment must be simple and uncomplicated. The man driving the tractor towing the fairway mowing
units may never have driven anything but a motor bike before.
The equipment must be on hand in duplicate or triplicate.
Ditto for spare parts. Hand labor frequently is used in place
of even simple mechanized equipment. This is very fine in the
low wage high labor availability areas. "Make" work may be
an important function for the golf course. Cutlasses or
sickles can be used to hand mow roughs. I do not recommend
it, but have seen a three foot wide flail mower being used to
mow fairways with 10 girls following with straw brooms and
baskets to sweep up the clippings.
All of these various items I have discussed actually are
dependent upon a few items that are basic and preparatory to
all others. The golf architect must provide very comprehensive, easily understood and well-detailed plans and specifications. Terminology much be simplified. Extensive, clearly
concise working drawings with many perspective and sectional
detail drawings are necessary. Greens drawings are done using
both a grid system and contour intervals which may be laid out
in the field quite simply. Additionally, we find it desirable
to provide accurate perspective renderings of every green to
complement the plan views. This allows construction equipment
operators who do not read contours to have the architect's
perspective as a guide. Perspective sketches of other critical parts of the construction process are also provided.
Irrigation system plans are treated in an equally precise
manner.
More importantly, we encourage the client to employ a
field superintendent whom we select from the United States.
Sometimes it is difficult to explain to a client who knows
little of the complexities of golf construction to accept a
man at $1,500 or $2,000 per month plus wife and expenses to
direct a construction crew when the local foreman earns perhaps a few hundred dollars or less per month with no expenses.
Daily wage rates for general labor of less than $5 are common
in many parts of the world. In Bali, one dollar a day is the
current going rate. However, we encourage clients in such

areas to pay a premium to the golf crew members as an added
incentive to these people. In Japan $15 a day is a common
laborer's wage, but is rapidly increasing. In Trinidad,
skilled bulldozer operators receive between $6 and $7 per day.
Not only is the wage scale a problem, in many of these
emerging countries a foreigner cannot even get a legal work
permit. With employment opportunities very scarce, many
governments attempt to prevent any importation of labor no
matter how unknowledgeable or inexperienced the local people
may be. If work permits are granted, only a few outsiders
are given permission to enter, and then for only specific
periods of time. Obtaining work permits can be a very time
consuming process frequently requiring several months. This
means the architect cannot bring in numerous skilled and experienced equipment operators to provide the custom shaping
of the greens. The architect may declare himself as a tourist
upon entry as the most expedient means of getting to the
project site. This entry problem varies with the country.
Europe and Japan provide quite liberal entry conditions.
Some Caribbean countries are very difficult.
The field superintendent must understand and interpret
the architect's plans during the periods when the architect
cannot be at the job site. The field superintendent must
frequently perform and direct all of the critical earth shaping
and green contouring procedures. This same field superintendent is chosen for his ability to direct the installation
of the irrigation system. Another responsibility is to train
and teach the local people including the future local golf
superintendent in proper turfgrass management and maintenance.
Without proper training of the local people in turf management, all of the prior efforts can be lost. In part to
achieve this objective, it is often necessary to provide the
client with a very elaborate, and detailed general maintenance program. Obviously, during a 6 month or 1 year stay, no
field superintendent can fully train his local counterpart
who hopefully is a graduate of an agricultural school. Follow
up visits by superintendent and/or architect after turf establishment are always encouraged.
One distinctive challenge my firm has before it will be
the construction of the first tournament calibre golf course

in Tunisia. To this end, we must obtain a United States
trained construction superintendent who fits the various
criteria mentioned above. Additionally, this person must
be mature; perhaps between 35 and 50 years of age to command the respect of the local Tunisian labor force. Finally,
this individual must speak fluent French or Arabic in order
to freely communicate with and direct the local personnel.
What is that old adage; the difficult we do immediately, the
impossible takes a little longer?
The architect's irrigation engineering consultant and
agronomic consultant are available to assist and periodically
provide on-site review of the construction and turfgrass
establishment. Nonetheless, for the most desirable in final
results it is the field construction superintendent who
truly achieves the golf architect's intentions. Successful
golf course construction in remote areas cannot be accomplished
to this firm's modern standards without some very knowledgeable
construction supervision. By providing training for the local
personnel in the science and art of turfgrass maintenance,
with future periodic follow-up consultations as needed, the
client and his own local people can maintain the course to
the standards the architect envisions and the client deserves.
No longer must a golf course in any new area be just a
poor excuse; top quality playing surfaces in an aesthetically
beautiful setting are a practical possibility at reasonable
cost. Knowledgeable and conscientious effort, patience and
time are the principal requirements.

1973/1974 SNOWMOLD FUNGICIDAL TESTS 1
Charles J. Gould 2
Roy L. Goss 3

The 1973/74 experiments were conducted on bentgrass
putting green turf on five golf courses in Washington and
Idaho. Applications were made at three times: early fall
to control FUACVUUM
Patch; late fall to control both
FUACUIÎLM
and Typhuia snowmolds; and early spring to control VuAcviim
Patch. Unexpected snow interferred with the planned schedule
at times. Dates are indicated in the following table.
Table 1.

Application Dates

Location

Early Fall
1973

Late Fall
1973

Early Spring
1974

Hangman Valley

Sept. 24

Nov. 14

Feb. 26

Hayden Lake

Sept. 25

Nov. 14

Mar. 11

Moscow - Univ. Course

Sept. 26

Nov. 12 & 13 Mar. 12

Moscow - Elks Course

Sept. 26

Dec. 1 & 2

Feb. 27

McCall

Sept. 27

Oct. 5

May 8

Six replications of 5' x 5' plots were used at each
location. Most fungicides were applied in water (at 10 gallons
per 1000 ft 2 ) but a few were put on dry as noted in Table 2.

1/ To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.
y

Plant Pathologist, Western Washington Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA

y

Agronomist/Extension Agronomist, Western Washington
Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA.

Weather did not favor VuAaxtum development either during
the fall or the spring. Snowcover was intermittent except at
McCall where it persisted from November to May so, as would
be expected, the most typical snowmold occurred on the McCall
course. Attacks in general were not as severe as often encountered.

B o t h FuAaAtum viioatd

and Typkuta

tncannata

were

present in early spring in the approximate ratios as shown in
Table 2. These are very rough ratios since definite identification of all spots was impossible because of lack of time.
Some symptoms seemed to be clear-cut but the majority were
intermediate. Sclerotia of Typkuta were sometimes present in
the field but often were lacking in "typical" spots and only
developed on samples after prolonged storage in a refrigerator.
It would be necessary to "live with" this disease complex
during the winter for one or more years to satisfactorily
resolve this problem of symptomology under these conditions.
Dr. Drew Smith kindly examined our plots at Moscow, Hayden
Lake and Spokane and could not find any evidence of other
Typkuta species, S . bot^ata* or the low temperature basidiomycete.
Table 2. Percent of Untreated Area Diseased and Percent of
Diseased Area Apparently Infected by Fu^axlum or
Typkuta.

Location

Percentage of
Untreated Plot
Area Diseased
_ _

Untreated Plots
Percentage of Diseased Area Apparently
Infected
FuAa/ituni

Typkuta

Hangman Valley

35

47

53

Hayden Lake

25

59

41

Moscow - University

16

94

6

Moscow - Elks

20

58

42

McCall

66

39

61

Data were obtained at various times by one or more of us
on percentage of area diseased and numbers of diseased areas
plus ratings of area diseased, color and texture. These are
being analyzed statistically and a full report will be made
later.

Although the snowmold attacks were not as severe as we
had hoped for, there was enough disease to show that certain
treatments were very effective. Pertinent recommendations
will be made at the Northwest Turfgrass Conference.
The fungicidal tests will be terminated. However, as
most of you know, we have a bentgrass variety testing program underway at the Hangman Valley Golf and Country Club
to determine if some of the newer varieties are more disease
resistant and culturally desirable than varieties presently
being used. We will also start an experiment this fall on
the effect of nutrition on snowmold development at the
Spokane Golf and Country Club.
We are very grateful to the Northwest Turfgrass Associa
tion for their financial contribution to this project and
also to the excellent cooperation from the respective superintendents or managers: Bud Ashworth (Hangman Valley Golf
and Country Club), Vern Harvey (Couer d'Alene Golf and Country Club), Fred Hall (Moscow University Golf Course), Ken
Jordan (Moscow Elks Course) and John Dripps (McCall Golf
Course). We also appreciate the assistance of Dr. William
Bruehl (WSU, Pullman) in examining some disease samples and
particularly the assistance of Dr. Drew Smith (Can. Dept. Ag
Saskatoon, Sask.) in visiting four of the experimental areas
in March and determining the pathogens present.

TURFGRASS OBSERVATIONS 1
Ron D. Ensign2

We have under evaluation 72 different varieties of
turfgrasses at the University of Idaho, Moscow Station. The
bulk of this planting include established named varieties of
bluegrasses. Some new selections of bluegrasses are also
included. Several fine-leafed fescues, turf timothys, and a
few ryegrasses are also included.
The entries are planted in 5 x 20 foot blocks and mowed
weekly at two heights; approximately one and two inches.
Regular color readings are taken as well as notes on spring
green-up, diseases, thatch accumulation, and root and rhizome
growth.
The fine-leafed fescues greenup slightly earlier than
the bluegrasses at this location. Bluegrasses with early
(late March-early April 1974) green-up include: Adelphi,
Arboretum, Delta, Garfield, Kenblue, Park, Sydsport, P-142
and P-164. Varieties having relatively late green-up are
Nugget, Cougar, Newport, P-29 (Glade), Prato, and Fylking.
Color readings among the turf bluegrass varieties are
quite striking. Varieties with dark green color readings
rather commonly during the growing season include: Adelphi,
Baron, Glade, Nugget, Pennstar, Belturf, Ram #1, Continental
and Galaxy.

1/ To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.
2/ Professor of Plant Breeding, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID.

So far, the plots have been relatively free of diseases
although some H o J ^ n t h o ^ p o / U m was evident on some varieties.
Bluegrasses and the fine-leafed fescues appear to be
superior turf varieties for this area for general lawn or
fairway purposes.
CHLOROSIS STUDIES
Chlorosis is a major problem in grass culture on most
calcareous soils in the intermountain areas of the Northwest.
This is especially severe in high pH soils in irrigated turf
in southern Idaho during the high stress months of July and
August. These chlorosis conditions are generally associated
with the tie-up of iron with carbonates and phosphates.
Plants become yellowish and leaf and root growth is reduced.
Experiments have been established in cooperation with
the Chevron Chemical Company and the City of Pocatello on
the Highland Golf Course. Replicated plots including applications of ferric sulfate, Ferrous ammonium sulfate and
manganese sulfate and zinc sulfate alone and in combinations
were applied in June, 1974. Two application rates of each
chemical; 0.40 and 0.63 pounds per 1000 ft 2 were applied.
Color readings have been taken regularly and tissue samples
are taken monthly and analyzed for Z n , Fe, M n , N0o and total
P and protein. Data collection has not been completed, but
it appears even the minimum application of ferric or ferrous
materials gives a definite greening response. Zinc or manganese gave but little response. Further information including residual responses will be taken and data will be analyzed.

BRITISH COLUMBIA TURFGRASS 1
RESEARCH REPORT
D. K. Taylor 2

FUNGICIDES FOR THE CONTROL OF SNOW MOLD IN THE B. C. INTERIOR
Snow mold is the most serious disease of putting green
turf in the interior of the Province. The organisms responsible for most of this disease have been identified by
Dr. Drew Smith as two species of Typkuia[ T. Inccumata and
T. F.W.) and FuscuUum nXuaCe. The results of three years of
trials at three locations indicate that non-mercurials such
as Tersan SP (chloroneb) 9 oz/1000 ft2 and Terraclor (PCNB)
5 oz. can effectively control the TypkuLa type snow mold in
a one treatment application prior to snowfall. Where snow
mold is likely to be severe, rates of PCNB in excess of 5 oz
would appear to be more effective and from the results at
Saskatoon rates up to 9 oz can be used without injury to the
turf.
However, a late single application date was not effective in controlling early fall attacks of F. vUvaJLd. Therefore a September application of a fungicide such as benomyl
or maneb would appear necessary to reduce the possibility of
a FuscuUum outbreak in the fall. PCNB in late fall applications appears superior to chloroneb in reducing the possibility of a spring attack of F. vUvoJLd.
Mixtures of fungicides applied late in the fall showed
promise of reducing the amount of FuscuUum while controlling
Typkula as well. Granular fungicide containing either chlorneb or PCNB with fertilizer were promising in a one year trial.
However, further trials are necessary to determine the effectiveness of these procedures.
1/ To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.
y

Canada Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British
Columbia.

GRASSES FOR SPORTSTURF
After two winters of simulated wear in a replicated
study of grasses and mixtures for sportsturf use, four
grasses have shown considerable ability to resist wear or
recover well. These are perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, dwarf timothy and roughstalked meadow grass. Other
grasses such as creeping red or hard fescue, bentgrass,
Canada bluegrass and crested dogstail were almost eliminated
from the stands.
Results of a botanical survey in May, 1974 showed a
mean cover of sown species in pure stands for timothy - 74%,
Kentucky bluegrass - 64%, roughstalked meadow grass - 56%
and perennial ryegrass - 53%. The remaining area was either
annual bluegrass or bare ground. Mixtures of the above
grasses were superior to single grasses alone, with best
results from a mixture of perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass and timothy. Timothy was winter green, at times subject to disease or herbicide injury, but seems to have good
recuperative ability.
Where perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass were
seeded in various ratios, perennial ryegrass dominated after
one year but after two years the proportion of Kentucky bluegrass increased markedly.

i

Manhattan was the best of the perennial ryegrass varieties i
tested, superior to Pennfine, NK 200, Game, Norlea, etc., both
in pure stands and mixtures. Among the Kentucky bluegrasses
Sydsport and Merion were superior to Baron, Fylking and Nugget
both in pure stands and in combination with Manhattan perennial ryegrass.
Estimated Mean Percentage Botanical Composition, May 1974
Species or
Number
p*
BG P.a.+BG
K.
P.a.
Mixture
Treatments
T.
34
13
20
47
53
P
4
35
64
31
K
5
3
73
24
T
6
27
PK
6
41
34
18
8
26
43
43
13
1
14
2
KT
4
PKT
28
13
11
3
47
7
* P - perennial ryegrass, K-Kentucky bluegrass, T-dwarf
timothy, P.a.-Annual bluegrass, BG-bare ground.

Percentage botanical composition of Manhattan perennial ryegrass - Merion Kentucky bluegrass mixtures following wear
treatments
Seeding (1972)
Ratio
P:K
1:2
1:1
2:1
3:1
4:1

Percentage Stand
1973

Rate
#/1000 ft 2

P

K

P

K

3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0

58
70
75
86
87

42
30
25
14
13

33
46
46
47
59

56
46
40
43
25

1974
P.a.+BG
11
8
14
10
16

P = perennial ryegrass, K = Kentucky bluegrass, P.a.+BG =
Poa annua plus bare ground.
TURF DENSITY AND WEED COUNT
Previous results from Agassiz have shown a close correlation between susceptibility to disease and the number
of broadleafed weeds. In that instance turf density was
reduced by disease and a weed invasion resulted.
However, varieties of turfgrass appear to be inherently
different in density. It is reasonable to expect that the
denser varieties should be more resistant to weed invasion.
A count of dandelion seedling invasion in variety tests at
Kamloops in 1974 showed marked differences among varieties
within tests. Denser varieties such as Nugqet Kentucky
bluegrass, Highlight fescue and Penncross bentgrass had
significantly fewer dandelions than many of the other
varieties under test.

DANDELION COUNT IN TURFGRASS TRIALS AT KAMLOOPS, B.C.
July 22, 1974
Mean No/m 2
16.3 a
Reptans
Boreal
14.7 b
Duraturf
13.7 be
11.5 be
Rainier
Commercial
10.7 be
Pennlawn
10.7 be
8.3 bed
Durlawn
7.7 d
Illahee
Dawson
4.0 d
Highlight
3.7 d

Kentucky Bluegrass 1969
Mean No/m 2
Newport
40.5 a
Windsor
25.0 b
Park
22.5 be
Fylking
20.0 bed
Cougar
19.7 bed
17.5 bed
Primo
Meri on
17.3 bed
Pennstar
15.3 cd
11.3 de
Prato
Nugget
5.5 e

Mixture 1972

Bentgrass 1970

Fescue 1969

Boreal
Boreal-Sodco
Boreal-Meri on
High!ight
Sodco
Meri on
Highlight-Merion
Highlight-Sodco
Boreal-Nugget
High!ight-Nugget
Nugget

Mean No/m 2
40.0 a
29.7 b
27.8 be
24.0 cd
23.4 cd
23.3 cd
21.0 de
20.8 de
15.4 ef
11.1 fg
9.0 g

Highland
Boreal
Exeter
Emerald
Penncross
Bardot

Mean No/m'
17.7 a
12.5 b
10.3 b
9.7 b
5.5 c
5.5 c

SCREEN TURF CULTIVARS 1
FOR THE NORTHWEST
Stanton E. Brauen2

There are now in excess of 270 turf selections and cultivars being evaluated at the Research Station at Puyallup.
These 270 sources consist of bluegrasses, fescues and ryegrasses. In addition, all fescues have been established at
Port Angeles for evaluation under low maintenance conditions.
Data have been collected on the performance of these varieties
under general turf management conditions during the past year.
Among these cultivars and selections there appears to
be a number of promising materials for Northwest use. Probably no single grass will be the epitome of desires, but
there appear to be grasses commercially available now or
within a short time that will broaden substantially the
future selection of quality turfgrasses. Of course, only
competitive, high seed producing varieties will survive in
the end and be available on the market.
These evaluations have shown many bluegrasses to be susceptible to tissue necrosis during the winter months. This
necrosis is similar to a crown rot and occurs west of the
Cascades. The causal agent has not been identified. Yet,
other selections and cultivars of bluegrass show complete
resistance, at least in the first season. Several of these
grasses that show resistance should improve bluegrass capabilities in western Oregon and Washington. It is possible
that some varieties resistant in the first year will break
down in subsequent years.

I/ To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.
y

Assistant Agronomist/Extension Agronomist, Washington
State University, Western Washington Research and Extension Center, Puyallup, WA.

Several goodlooking Chewings fescues, Red fescues and
Hard fescues appear forthcoming if seed production is economic. Although it is too early to determine the best adapted
varieties of bluegrass and fescues from this collection, there
are a few varieties that have performed well during the first
winter. Some of these are listed; others may turn out to be
equally well adapted:
BLUEGRASS

FESCUE

RYEGRASS

Bonnieblue
NJE P59
A-34
Birka
Pennstar
Majestic
HV-44
Kimono
Adelphi
Galaxy
Merion
Banff
Fylking
Baron
EVB Selections
NK Selections

Menuet
Jade
Oregon K
Jamestown
Barfalla
Frida
Li rouge
HF-11
Koket
Mari et
Halifax
Glory
Oregon D
Li fai la
Eri ka
Waldorf
High!i ght
Dawson
Encota
Pol ar

Manhattan
Pennfine
EER-7
N7-157
Sprinter
EER-88
Epic
TS 222
NK 200

The following listing contains the names of varieties
or selections performing well during summer. Again, there
may be other varieties that could be added to the list:
BLUEGRASS

FESCUE

RYEGRASS

Bonnieblue
Windsor
Majestic
NJE P59
Meri on
Fylking
Baron

Jade
Mariet
Waldorf
Oregon K
Frida
Roi ax
Halifax

Pennfine
Manhattan
Sprinter
Eton
Ensporta
N7-157
Epic

BLUEGRASS

FESCUE

RYEGRASS

Adelphi
Birka
Galaxy
Enoble
Nugget
Sydsport
Glade
A-34
EVB Selections
NK Selections

Menuet
351 Daehnfeldt
SuR-006
SvR-005
Pol ar
Wintergreen
SvR-007

TS-22
Barlenna
EER-7
NK-200

In the end, it will be desirable to select or have
varieties that perform well in both seasons. Naturally,
this combined with good seed production performance will
limit substantially the numbers of varieties available on
the market. In the meantime, further evaluations will be
needed to determine these features. The present results
look promising and should add measurably to the release of
improved turf varieties for the Northwest.

PROGRESS REPORT ON BENTGRASS 1
VARIETY EVALUATIONS
Charles J. Gould 2
Roy L. Goss3
Stanton E. Brauen4

One hundred and thirty-five cultivars and selections
were tested during 1973/74 at the Western Washington Research
and Extension Center. Most of the experimental area was
dug up and reseeded or stolonized on May 31 and June 1, 1973,
in order to: (1) provide room for new selections, (2) increase the number of replications of varieties that had
appeared most promising in the 1972/73 tests and (3) reduce
the number of replications of the less promising ones. In
some cases, the use of only one or two replications was
necessitated by scarcity of seed or stolons. Most of the
plots will be left intact for the next three years in order
to observe reaction of the grass under more mature conditions.
As occasion requires, the number of replications of the
least promising varieties will be reduced to one in order to
make room for new introductions as well as more replications
of the more promising varieties.

1/ To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.
2/ Plant Pathologist, Western Washington Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA.
3/ Agronomist/Extension Agronomist, Western Washington
Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA.
y

Assistant Agronomist/Extension Agronomist, Western Washington Research and Extension Center, Washington State
University, Puyallup, WA.

|
I

A general mix fertilizer with urea as the major source
of nitrogen was used during most of the year, but ft was
necessary to switch to ammonium sulfate during summer months
to suppress the development of OpkiobotuA Qh<mivuA var. aucnac.

In order to both inoculate and to expose the varieties
to more than one possible strain of the fungus Fu^axiim
viivaldy clippings from various diseased sources, such as
u golf courses and home lawns, were scattered over the plots
intermittently during the year. During the winter the disease developed rather severely on some plots, but its distrif bution was spotty. Certain varieties that had appeared
reasonably resistant in the 1972/73 tests did not perform as
i well in 1973/74. Therefore it will be necessary to continue
the tests for several years before we can be reasonably sure
\ that resistance is present.

!
i

Turf varieties respond somewhat differently to attacks
by F. viivalt and these differences make resistance rating
somewhat difficult. For example, in some varieties the spots
may be few but large while in other varieties they are smaller
but more numerous. Also some varieties heal more rapidly
than others. In view of all these differences, we have decided to select for larger scale tests those varieties which
produce the most healthy grass for most of the year.
We appreciate the seeds and stolons we have received from
various sources and will welcome additional varieties as they
become available. We particularly thank the United States
Golf Association Research and Education Fund, Inc., for financial support, in part, of this project.

RESULTS OF FUNGICIDAL TESTS 1
ON BENTGRASS TURF
Charles J. Gould 2
Roy L. Goss3

FUSARIUM NIVALE - Fusarium Patch
Two large scale tests were run during the 1973/74 season.
One (5B) was a continuation of a test started November 13,
1972. This was repeated since Tukanlim viioatd had not developed appreciably in the test area during 1972/73. An
additional test was started in the fall of 1973 on an adjacent area in order to test several new compounds and schedules.
Both plots were originally planted to Highland bentgrass but
contained a considerable percentage of Poa annua, which is
also subject to attack by F. nevoid.
Applications were scheduled for three-week intervals,
weather permitting. Most fungicides were applied in ten
gallons of water per 1000 ft. on five replications of 25 ft z
each. A few materials were applied dry. Several alternating programs were tested at various intervals. In some
cases we intentionally started with a high rate of a benzimidazole and subsequently dropped to a lower rate in hopes
of finding an effective schedule with fewer applications.
Unfortunately very little F. nivale, developed in the
plots in spite of repeated introduction of diseased clippings
from various sources. In a final effort to obtain some disease control data, the turf in 5C was covered with saran

1/

To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.

y

Plant Pathologist, Western Washington Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA.

1/

Agronomist/Extension Agronomist, Western Washington
Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA.

shade cloth from April 1 to 29 (at first intermittently and
later continuously) by which time the grass was somewhat
etiolated. Although the fungus had started attacking the
turf, the poor condition of the latter resulted in a rather
abnormal development. Therefore, both 5B and 5C will be
rerun this fall.
CORTICIUM FUCIFORME - Red Thread
Red Thread began appearing in the 5B set in October and
became progressively worse until the weather turned warmer
and somewhat drier in late March. The data show that certain
products gave excellent control of Red Thread. The best contained thiram, but combinations with Dyrene were also very
effective. A supplementary experiment was started on
February 14 on an adjacent infected area to compare the relative effectiveness of thiram and Dyrene in reducing the Red
Thread infestation.
We are grateful to the following companies for their
financial support which enabled us to run the above experiments: Eli Lilly and Company, Mallinckrodt, 0. M . Scott and
Sons, Velsicol Chemical Corporation, Diamond Shamrock Corporation, and Rhodia, Inc.
0PHI0B0LUS GRAMINIS var. AVENAE - Ophiobolus Patch
This experiment was started on August 11, 1972 to investigate the effect on Opkldb oluA Patch of different sources of
nitrogen, lime, sulfur, fungicides, and particularly to test
the possible inhibition of the OpktoboluA
fungus attacking
bentgrass by adding soil from a field in eastern Washington
which inhibits infection of wheat by a similar
OphtoboluA.
The disease has not yet developed sufficiently to permit
evaluation.

AGRONOMIC TURFGRASS RESEARCH REPORT 1
Roy L. Goss2

PUTTING GREEN NUTRITION, N-P-K-S
Tests were continued during 1974 with variable rates of
nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur, and data were
collected with regard to color and POOL annua as influenced
by treatments. The highest color ratings were found in plots
2
receiving sulfur at 1.15 lbs or 3.45 lbs per 1000 ft per
year. These figures are based upon August 20, 1974 evaluations. The highest color ratings were 8.75 and ranged down
to 5.0 on a possible scale of 9.0. Interestingly enough,
6 lbs. of nitrogen, 0 phosphorus, 8 lbs. K?0 potassium, and
2
3.45 lbs S per 1000 ft per season produced color ratings of
2
8.25. Plots receiving 20 lbs. of nitrogen per 1000 ft per
year in various combinations with P and K and high sulfur
had the highest color ratings up to 8.75. Plots receiving
20 lbs of nitrogen with no S ranked as low as 6.25 on the
average for color. Plots that received only 6 lbs N will
lose color this winter.
Perhaps the most significant figures are in the Poa
evaluations. With 20 lbs of nitrogen and variable
rates of phosphorus and potassium and no sulfur, Poa annua
ratings were as low as 30 percent of the plot. However,
when 1.15 lbs of sulfur was added to these 20 lb nitrogen
plots at both levels of P and K, the percentage of Poa annua
increased up to 65 percent. Twenty lbs of nitrogen, 0 phosphorus, 8 lbs K 2 0 and 3.45 lbs sulfur resulted in less than
annua

1/ To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.
y

Agronomist/Extension Agronomist, Washington State University, Western Washington Research and Extension Center,
Puyallup, WA.

10 percent of the plot containing Poa annua.
Poa annua
populations were higher than they should be in all plots
receiving 12 lbs of nitrogen, regardless of P, K or S . This
is possibly due to the fact that phosphorus levels are not
under stress, and these high phosphorus levels are stimulating
more Poa annua, although when sulfur is added, there is a
decrease in Poa annua in the plots. Likewise, the highest
level of sulfur resulted in less Poa annua than the lower
levels of sulfur.
Based upon seven years work on variable rates of sulfur
application, we could safely recommend sulfur applications
between 2 and 3 lbs per 1000 ft 2 per season. Caution should
be exercised, however, not to apply all of this amount in
one application. Rates no higher than 1/2 lb per 1000 ft 2
should be applied in single applications, and all applications
should be timed for the cool season, that is, March and April,
October and November. As an added bonus, all plots receiving
sulfur, even from 50 lbs per acre (1.15 lbs per 1000 f t 2 )
per season, have no algae within the plot. At low levels of
sulfur, the algal effect may not be obtained in one year, but
will certainly be effective with continued applications.
SLOW RELEASE NITROGEN TRIALS
Sulfur coated urea at 8 lbs and 4 lbs per 1000 ft 2 respectively, Blue Chip Nitroform at 8 lbs and 4 lbs per 1000
f t 2 , Scott's Turf Builder at spreader setting No. 5 (recommended setting), Urea at 8 lbs per 1000 ft2, Agriform (19-6-13)
at 8 lbs and 4 lbs, IBDU at 8 lbs per 1000 ft 2 have been
applied and observed for two years. In a summary statement,
all materials applied at 8 lbs per 1000 ft2 were superior to
those applied at 4 lbs. In general, sulfur coated urea applied
3 times (May, August and November), Blue Chip Nitroform
applied May, August and November, and Urea applied at 5 times
per year were generally best quality. Agriform applied in
May only maintained excellent color and growth characteristics
from a single application.
Sulfur coated urea provided the best carryover effect
colorwise over winter until the next spring. Although Agriform at the highest rate had the highest overall plot rating
of 8.5 out of a possible 9.

These trials have been conducted on Merion and Cougar
bluegrass and will continue for one additional year.
EXPERIMENTAL TOPDRESSING PROGRAM
The topdressing program as described by Madison and
others, University of California, Davis, has been initiated
at the Western Washington Research and Extension Center at
Puyallup with certain modifications made to correct for soil
differences for the Pacific Northwest. At the time of
writing this paper, 5 topdressings have been completed with
the fertilizer additions and Kingstown velvet bentqrass
overseeded on a plot that was originally planted to Toronto
bentgrass with approximately 20 percent Poa annua mixture.
The appearance of the plot is superior in both color and
texture to any previous appearance in the last two years,
but it is still much to early to assess any true response
to this program.
Evaluations will be made throughout the next 2-1/2 years
on the overall quality of the plot, Poa annua percentages,
bentqrass dominance (whether Toronto or Kingstown will dominate] and other quality factors such as surface conditions,
drainage, etc. More will be reported on this work in 1975.
PLAYFIELD CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE
Research on quality playfields has been limited to
practical applications on school and park sites. Due to
the cost of initiating a significant program of this type
at the Research Station, and the fact that play would not
occur on the plots, all attempts in this area have been
conducted in cooperation with schools and parks.
In general, our recommendations for proper play and
athletic field construction are as follows:
Use 75% sand of high quality and 25% organic material
such as sawdust or various bark preparations. The sand
should meet the following specifications: Preferably, no
particles retained on a No. 16 screen, but with a maximum

of 15% retained. Ninety-five percent of the particles should
be retained on a No. 100 screen to avoid compaction and sealing problems. The most desirable range would be between a
No. 30 and 100 screen; however, this particular gradation of
material is extremely difficult to come by.
We further recommend that drainage tile be installed at
intervals necessary to achieve rapid drainage (15 to 25 foot
intervals) 16 inches or more below the finished grade, if it
is determined that the subsoils do not have sufficient permeability to carry the drainage water. It is preferable to lay
down a base material such as pitrun at least 10 inches deep
over all tile lines followed by a minimum of 6 inches of the
prepared sand and organic mixture. Following this type of
construction, a minimum of 20 lbs of 0-20-20 and 1-1/2 tons
of dolomitic limestone should be incorporated into the surface 4 inches prior to planting. One pound of available
nitrogen per 1000 ft2 should be applied immediately before
or after planting. For maximum quality, it is recommended
to apply 15 lbs of urea formaldehyde per 1000 ft 2 worked
into the surface 2 inches of soil to maintain a constant
release of nitrogen for a period of several weeks.
The area should be seeded to a mixture of Manhattan or
NK-200 perennial ryegrass and one of the improved bluegrass
types such as Merion, Fylking, Baron, Bonnieblue, etc. The
best procedure is to plant 70 lbs. of bluegrass per acre
with a brill ion drill, and after the bluegrass has germinated,
and approximately 3/4 inch high, overseed the area with 100
lbs of ryegrass per acre. This will eliminate the extreme
competition of the ryegrass with the bluegrass and will achieve
a more uniform mixture in the stand. If this is too cumbersome, then seed the area with 70 lbs of bluegrass and 30 to
40 lbs of ryegrass per acre, mixed.
These procedures are proven to be highly successful by
a number of athletic sites in western Washington and will
serve as the basis for future recommendations.

BENTGRASS MANAGEMENT PLOTS 1
Roy L. Goss2
Charles J. Gould 3
Stanton E. Brauen4

Fourteen selected bentgrasses from previously screened
cultivars were stolonized in September, 1973. At the same
time, ten screened cultivars were seeded in plots at the
Western Washington Research and Extension Center. Due to a
shortage of stolons from some of the varieties, some plots
were slow to fill, therefore, quality ratings were not made
on these plots until August 20, 1974.
Color and texture ratings were made on the plots, and
those receiving 7.75 rating or higher out of a possible 9
are as follows:
Stolonized Types

Seeded Types

Arlington
Northland
Waukanda
Yale Selection
Hayden Lake Selection

Kingstown Velvet
Emerald
Prominent
Bardot
Penncross

y

To be presented at the Northwest Turfgrass Association
Conference, Sun River, Oregon, September 25-27, 1974.

y

Agronomist/Extension Agronomist, Washington State University, Western Washington Research and Extension Center,
Puyallup, WA.

3/ Plant Pathologist, Washington State University, Western
Washington Research and Extension Center, Puyallup, WA.
1/ Assistant Agronomist/Extension Agronomist, Washington
State University, Western Washington Research and Extension Center, Puyallup, WA.

In regard to texture, those receiving ratings of 7.75 or
higher are as follows:
Stoloni zed Types

Seeded Types

Nimisila
Northland
Waukanda
Yake
Keen's 36
Arrowwood
Smith's 721
Smith's 736
Penn No. 5
Hayden Lake

Kingstown Velvet
Novobent Velvet
Emerald
Prominent
Tracenta
Bardot
Highland
Penncross
A-75
Bora!

Only one out of the stolonized group received a rating
of 9 or near perfect texture, and that was Yale. Only the
velvet bent selections of the seeded types rated a perfect
9 for texture.
Textural ratings of these plots at this time can be
misleading due to the young age of the plots. Many of the
stolonized plots will improve in texture with age, and
perhaps some of the seeded plots may decrease slightly.
These plots will receive both high and low nitrogen
treatments (12 lbs and 4 lbs per 1000 ft2 per year respectively), and then crosschecked with fungicides and no fungicides. This will give us information under field management
conditions whether or not these varieties that were picked
for Fuscviim resistance for the most part and agronomic
characteristics will maintain reasonable disease free qualities.
Some of these grasses were not selected because they were
resistant to FUACVULM,
but because they had outstanding agronomic qualities. Highland bentgrass was included only as a
check against all the others since it is known to be very
susceptible to FuscuUum patch disease, but generally does have
a suitable texture. More information will be forthcoming on
these cultivars within the next two years.
POA ANNUA PRE-EMERGENCE PLOTS
For further information regarding results of trials with
pre-emergence herbicides, refer to the paper in these Proceedings related to this subject.

L