Northwest
Vol. 25, No. 2

TURFGRASS TOPICS
PUYAI.LUP, WASHINGTON

September 1982

PROGRAM

36TH NORTHWEST TURFGRASS
CONFERENCE
September 20-23, 1982
Towne Plaza Motel, Yakima, Washington
CONFERENCE THEME: WATER - How to Use It Effectively

MONDAY, September 20, 1982
Morning
Arrive Yakima - Golf Tournament
3:00-6:00
Registration Desk Open
TUESDAY, September 21,1982
7:00-8:00
Registration Desk Open at entrance
to Conference Room
MORNING SESSION CHAIRMAN,
Norm Whitworth, President
8:00-8:15
President's Welcome, Conference
Review, Norm Whitworth
8:15-8:30
Official Welcome, The Honorable
Lynn A. Carmichael, Mayor Yakima
8:30-9:10
An overview on water, Dr. James
Watson, The Toro Company, Minneapolis, MN.
9:10-9:45
Wetting agents - what makes them
work, Dr. Kathy Welch, Mallinckrodt
Chemical Company, Oakland, CA.
9:45-10:20
Economical use of water, E. Lee Bean,
Irrigation Engineer, Boise, ID.
10:20-10:40 Coffee break
SECOND SESSION CHAIRMAN, Ben Malikowski
10:40-11:10
im^mmmmmma^mmtmiamt^m^-

Water source problems, DonTolson,
Yellowstone Golf and Country Club,
Billings, MT.
11:45-12:30 A positive attitude, Gerry Sweda, O.M.
Scott & Sons, Marysville, OH.
12:30-7:30
Free time
EVENING SESSION, Roy Goss, Moderator
7:30-9:30
New trends in golf course design, a
panel of golf course architects, inc l u d i n g Ron Fream, W i l l i a m G.
Robinson, Bob Graves, and John
Steidel.
WEDNESDAY, September 22,1982
SPLIT SESSION A — Golf Course Superintendents
11:10-11:45

FIRST SESSION CHAIRMAN, Ray McElhoe
8:00-9:00
What's involved in golf course management, Rick Manning, General
Manager, Sahalee Golf and Country
Club, Redmond, WA; and Richard
Malpass, Certified Golf Superintendent, Riverside Golf and Country Club,
Portland, OR.

9:00-9:50

9:50-10:10

How golf course architects and superintendents work together for efficient
design, John Steidel, GCA, Kenne-

wick, WA, and Dick Schmidt, Golf
Course Superintendent, Port Ludlow
Golf Course, Port Ludlow, WA.
Coffee break

SECOND SESSION CHAIRMAN, Milt Bauman
10:10-10:30 Research Reports
strategies for the golf
10:30-11:00 Irrigation
course, Tim Ansett, U.S. Golf Association Green Section, Vancouver, WA.
11:00-11:20 Research Reports
11:20-11:30 Merging of Split Session Groups
11:30-11:50
Triplex mowing of large turfgrass
areas, Dr. James Watson, The Toro
Company, Minneapolis, MN.
11:50-12:20
Weed and grass identification quiz
12:20-1:00
General Membership Meeting, Northwest Turfgrass Association and election of board members.
SPLIT SESSION B Schools, Parks, Grounds Managers
FIRST SESSION CHAIRMAN, Jim Chapman
8:00-8:40

8:40-9:20

9:20-9:50

9:50-10:10
10:10-10:50
10:50-11:20

11:20-11:30
11:30-11:50

Managing sportsfields on sand, Dr.

Roy Goss, Western Washington Research and Extension Center(WSU),
Puyallup, WA.

Drainage of large turf areas, Don

Hogan, Professional Engineer, Seattle, WA.

Irrigation systems, installation, operation, maintenance, Carl Kuhn, Pro-

fessional Engineer, Mercer Isl., WA.
Coffee break
Renovation of sports fields, Eugene
Howe, Sportsturf NW, Bellevue, WA.

Budget cuts and maintenance, Ken-

neth Worchester, Parks Department,
City of West Linn, Milwaukie, OR.
Merging of Split Session Groups

Triplex mowing of large turfgrass
areas, Dr. James Watson, The Toro
Company, Minneapolis, MN.

11:50-12:20

Weed and grass identification quiz.

(Continued on Page 2)

(Continuedfrom Page I)
12:20-1:00 General Membership Meeting, North1:00-6:30
6:30-7:15
7:15 —

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1982
FIRST SESSION CHAIRMAN, Bill Campbell
8:00-8:30
Research Reports
8:30-9:00
Public funding for turfgrass programs
in difficult times, Dr. J.C. Engibous,
Chairman, Department of Agronomy
& Soils, Washington State University,
Pullman, WA.
Weed control in woody ornamentals,
9:00-9:35
Dr. George Ryan, Western Washington Research and Extension Center
(WSU), Puyallup, WA.
Research Reports
9:35-9:55
Coffee break
9:55-10:15
SECOND SESSION CHAIRMAN, Dr. Roy Goss
10:15-10:45
Water movement in soils - a visual
presentation, Dr. Roy Goss, Western
Washington Research and Extension
Center (WSU), Puyallup, WA.
10:45-11:05 Research Reports
11:05-11:40
1:40-12:10

12:10-12:20
12:20

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west Turfgrass Association and election of board members.
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Banquet, awards, etc.

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Pesticide, regulations, and use, Jim

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Water use basics, Dr. Roy Goss,
Western Washington Research and
Extension Center (WSU), Puyallup,
WA.
Conference wrap up, Richard Malpass, Incoming President of Northwest Turfgrass Association.
Adjourn

WOMEN'S PROGRAM
Check at Registration Desk
NORTHWEST TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION

INSTANT SOD LAWNS

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Nftjfe

Dick Schmidt
Norm Whitworth
Richard Malpass
Ray McElhoe
Roy L. Goss

Board of Directors
Milt Bauman
Ben Malikowsku
William Campbell
Richard Malpass
Jim Chapman
Ray McElhoe
Roy L. Goss
Dick Schmidt
Norm Whitworth
REGISTRATION FEES
Members - $25
Nonmembers - $65
PROGRAM CHAIRMAN, Jim Chapman
PROGRAM COMMITTEE, Roy L. Goss

FERTILIZERS

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FUNGICIDES - HERBICIDES
SOIL AMENDMENTS

1982 Officers
Past President
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Exec. Secretary

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36TH NORTHWEST
TURFGRASS CONFERENCE
AT YAKIMA
Inadvertently, some of you may not have received your
^mail along with the pre-registration packets that have been
sent out previously. If you were one of the victims, please get
on the phone and call Diane Ritthaler at (206) 593-8538, and
obtain these materials immediately. For those of you who
did not receive the materials, we can continue to receive your
registrations a little late and still fit you in for the golf
tournament if you wish and also qualify you for the reduced
early registration fee.
The Conference will be held at the Towne Plaza Motel on
North 7th Street East, in Yakima, Washington, on September 21, 22, and 23, with the golf tournament preceding
the Conference on September 20.
The Program Committee has come up with what we think
is a very good and informative program for anyone in the
turfgrass industry. The theme of the program this year is
"Water, How to Use It Effectively" and many interesting
turf management factors surrounding the use of water.
There will be a split session for grounds maintenance
personnel from schools and parks that will go into detail
with the construction and maintenance of intensively used
sports fields. Please make an effort to contact your local
school districts if they have not had the word and encourage
them to attend this Conference because they are one group
in greatest need of the information to be presented.
The educational program will begin on Tuesday morning,
September 21, at 8 a.m. and run each day until 1 p.m.
through Thursday noon, September 23.
We hope to see all of you at Yakima.

Nutrient deficiencies,
weeds, diseases,
thin turf, insects

mSmmgr

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P.O. Box #18128
Spokane. WA 99208
509/326-7651

Thayne Loendorf

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Vancouver. WA 98662
1206/254-6172

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604/271-6352

TURFGRASS RESEARCH
& SCHOLARSHIP DONORS

Any individual, group, or firm wishing to make a contribution or pledge to the research and scholarship program of
the Northwest Turfgrass Association will have an opportunity to do so at the banquet on Wednesday evening, September 22.
The NTA funds are used to support research and scholarships to individuals and locations best qualified to perform
services that benefit members of the Association.
All donors to the research and scholarship fund will be
published in the December issue of the Turfgrass Topics for
1982.

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THIS MEETING IS
ESPECIALLY FOR YOU
By Roy L. Goss

In a recent article in Divot News from the Golf Course
Superintendents Association of Southern California, Jack's
column entitled, "Rambling with Herkwig," puts the responsibility on members exactly where it should be.
At a recent Turf and Landscape Institute at Anaheim, he
indicated that out of 150 Class A and B members, only about
15 percent made the Institute.
He goes on to say, "I would guess that most of those
among the missing would say that they were 'too busy' to
attend. The trouble with being 'too busy' is that you never
give yourself the chance to work any smarter than you
already are. As the songs says, 'The times, they are achanging', and we are all going to be forced to work smarter
and get smarter at an ever increasing rate of speed. How are
you going to do that by staying home and pulling plugs off
your greens or other areas? Does your crew still need you to
show them how?
"Those of you who stayed home could do all our members
a lot of good by getting involved right now in planning next
year's Institute. It is supposed to be for all of us, but 85
percent of us didn't find this year's program attractive
enough to drive to Anaheim on a rainy day. What do you
want to learn? Only you can tell us."
The article continues, but this is the meat of what Jack
was really talking about. It is very easy for all of us to find
excuses why we should not attend the Annual Northwest
Turfgrass Conference. It seems difficult to locate a Conference that suits everybody perfectly. Last year's Conference
at Olympia had low attendance of which no one could really
put their finger on - hard times, low travel budgets, etc.; but,
it was felt by some members of the board of directors,
through backfeed, that it was simply too close to home for
any who would rather be farther away or at some exotic
location. The Tyee Motor Inn at Olympia, Washington, is
about as easy to get to from most locations in the Pacific
Northwest as any place you will find, which is right on
Interstate 5, and it is within easy range of the greater metropolitan areas of Oregon and Washington, yet the attendance
at the 1981 Turfgrass Conference was extremely low.
A few members of the Association feel that Yakima,
Washington, does not have a lot of glamour either since it is
not on the sea coast or on the high desert plateaus. But, all
you have to do is look around and you will find a great deal
of beauty in the Yakima Valley. There is ample recreation,
good dining facilities, tons of beautiful fresh fruit, and a
number of scenic attractions very nearby to suit all who
want to attend.
Let's all make an effort this year to notify your friends
about the Conference and come and enjoy the fruits of the
labors of the Board of Directors of the Association and the
Program Committee. See you in Yakima!

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OPHIOBOLUS
PATCH DISEASE?

Ophiobolus patch disease, caused by the fungus Gaeu^nannomyces gramminis var. Avenae, has been identified in
western Washington since 1961. It has been a common
occurrence on vast turfgrass acreages and is most commonly
associated with light, sandy soils or developments from
newly cleared land in Douglas-fir/hemlock type forest
areas. In general, this equates to low fertility and a totally
different spectrum of microorganisms in the soil.
Ophiobolus patch disease usually begins as small circular
to irregular dead areas that continue to increase outwardly
with a dying perimeter and may achieve sizes up to several
feet in diameter over a period of years. Usually the centers
may be recolonized with clover, chickweed, other broadleaf
weeds, and perhaps weedy grasses with time.
The fungus is a crown and root rotting type of organism
and will definitely kill bentgrass and Poa annua while not
affecting to any great extent fescues and Kentucky bluegrasses in western Washington.
Within the last few years, and especially the last two, vast
areas near Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, Yakima, and Spokane have been hit hard with this disease. The intriguing
part is that it is affecting Kentucky bluegrasses and some
fine fescues and generally has not affected turftype perennial
ryegrass.
At this time it is not positively known that the eastern
Washington, Oregon, and north Idaho problem is Ophiobolus patch disease, but it is strongly suspected. Runner
hyphae have been found on nearly all of these affected areas
while few if any spores have ever been detected.
Drs. Gary Chastaagner and Roy Goss have been working
intensively on this problem in 1982. Gary has made isolations, cultures, and reinfections on seedling turf at this point
and there are still several areas to be covered yet.
At the present time we are treating the problem in the area
east of the Cascade Mountains as Ophiobolus patch, but
possibly of a different variety of the disease.
For control of Ophiobolus patch, there have been no
known fungicides that are effective. It has been successfully
prevented with the use of moderately high levels of sulfur
applied to these soils prior to planting (3-4 lb of elemental
sulfur per 1000 ft incorporated into the soil) followed by 3-4
lb of elemental sulfur per 1000 ft in several split applications
annually. It has been stopped and eliminated on established
turf with sulfur applications ranging from 8 oz per 1000 up
to 1 lb per 1000 ft applied at annual totals of 3-5 lb per 1000
ft . This problem is not one that can be stopped with perhaps
one season of application but must be continued for a period
of 2-3 years.
On saline soils or those with pH readings over 7.0 and up
to 8.5, applications of sulfur up to 8 lb per 1000 annually
may be required. Ophiobolus patch disease is much more
pronounced on high soil pH than on acidic soils. Do not
confuse a pH reading of 5.5 or so with acidic conditions if
lime has been applied regularly to the surface of existing
turf. The surface one inch may possibly have a pH considerably higher than 5.5 while the 3-6 inch depth may read
somewhat lower. This is one of the principal reasons why
lime should be applied to existing turf in light applications
ranging from 25-35 lb per 1000 ft annually to prevent
excessive accumulations of lime in the surface.
It is hoped that both management and chemical programs
can be developed by 1983 that will be useful to turfgrass

managers, commercial applicators, and others. In the meantime, do not wait for the disease to happen but take preventative measures through the use of sulfur and sulfur-bearing
compounds until better recommendations can be developed.
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SUMMER STRESS
By Roy L. Goss

The summer of 1982 has been one of those 'off again, on
again' situations. In June we all thought it was going to be a
long, hot summer due to the high temperature and dry
conditions during that month. Large areas of turfgrasses
were under extreme stress during this period of time due to
both moisture and heat stress.
July was a cool, cloudy month with not too much precipitation, followed then by brief periods of high heat and
additional stress conditions. August has been variable with
periods of high temperature and little preciptiation.

What about other stresses

The more intensively that we manage turfgrasses, the
greater the potential for many stresses. Mowing stress, in the
author's view, is one that must be seriously addressed. It
seems we have a horsepower race in progress on golf courses
to see who can have the fastest greens, and in most instances
it is felt that the lower the mowing height, the faster the
green.
Looking back 25 years ago, superintendents mowing their
greens at 3/16 inch were few and far between. Today, the
fast green group consider this a shaggy cut. Many are aiming
at even less than 1/8 inch. These extremely low cuts reduce
the photosynthetic area and, in many instances, the rooting
depth of the turfgrasses. With a reduced root system, a few
roots must provide water and nutrients from a very thin
profile, mostly thatch and very little soil. This predisposes
the turfgrass area to possibly rapid drying and increases the

need for more frequent, but light irrigations to maintain the
turf. Herein lies one of the major problems - most often we
overirrigate these areas. The soil can become saturated in
the surface zone, or in some instances hydrophobic areas
will develop and further complicate the problem. In the case
of saturation, there is little gaseous exchange and we induce
another stress.
Some strange physiological and pathogenic problems
have developed in many of these areas. If the plants are
weak, a pathogen present at small populations may severely
damage the turf. If the turfgrass is healthy, it may tolerate
these levels of pathogens with no visible symptom.
Much of the low cutting syndrome has been blamed on
the Stimpmeter and justifiably so, principally because it has
fallen into the wrong hands. If the Stimpmeter were confined only to the use of the golf course superintendent for
practical use and not as a club with which to be hit in the
head by green committees and scratch or low handicap
golfers, it remains a very useful tool. Unfortunately, however, it seems that it cannot be confined to the proper use.
The speed of a green cannot be controlled strictly with
close mowing. Other factors such as texture of the grass,
frequent light topdressing programs, firmness of the green
(related to wetness or dryness) and even the genus and
species of grass that we are dealing with are all factors
relating to speed.
I feel that it is time for us to get back to the basic principles
of how to keep grass alive and healthy even if it slows the
speed by a foot or so.
(Continued on Page 7, Column I)

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(Continued from Page 6, Column 2)
The ultimate responsibly for this problem lies with the
golf superintendent and the educational programs that he
carries out with his playing membership. What's wrong with
V 16 or even 7/ 32-inch mowing heights if we will practice all

of the other good things that do enhance the speed of a
green. Just remember, stresses are not just heat, cold, and
moisture, but are made up of many other factors. The decision is basically yours.

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NORTHWEST TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION
P.O. Box 397
Puyallup, WA 98371

Officers of the Northwest Turfgrass

ASSOCIATION

Norm Whitworth
Dick Malpass
Ray McElhoe
Dr. Roy Goss

President
Vice President
Treasurer
Exec-Secretary

NORTHWEST TURFGRASS TOPICS is sponsored by the Northwest Turfgrass Association and
financed through funds of this organization. Any
communications concerning distribution of this paper
or association business should be directed to P.O. Box
397, Puyallup, WA 98371, or Roy L. Goss, Western
Washington Research and Extension Center, Puyallup, WA 98371.
Communications concerning content of this paper
should be directed to Dr. Roy Goss, Editor, Western
Washington Research and Extension Center, Puyallup, WA 98371.

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