/ UNITED STATES QOLF ASSOCIATION 8. P. ROBINSON Southeastern Director SECTION QREEN Southeastern Office Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station T I F T O N, G E O R G IA SOUTHEASTERN TURFLETTER Vol . 2 No. 1 Aprr-.l 1956 It is the purpose of the regional o f f i c es and Turf The USGA Green Section has f i ve regional o f f i c es o f f e r i ng Regional Turf Service to subscribing clubs« Service to help g o lf clubs with t h e ir turf grass problems, to insura that new developments are promptly a v a i l a b l e, and to promote t u rf research. This accomplished through v i s i ts to subscribing clubs by the Regional Directors, T u r f« l e t t e r s, Turf Management Section of the USGA Journal, correspondence, phone c a l l s, and conferences and group meetings with the club superintendents and greens chairmen. is It has been g r a t i f y i ng to observe the response of g o lf clubs in the Southeast to the program. Since the Southeastern o f f i ce was established A p r il 1, 1954, over Your suggestions on how we ninety g o lf clubs have subscribed to the turf s e r v i c e. can improve the T u r f l e t t er and one-half day v i s i ts are welcomed. We want to o f f er the best t u rf service possible to our subscribing clubs. Suggestions from your club w i ll help us. PROBLEMS - THERE ARE LAKY Vihen we meet with superintendents Do bhei~ d st^rb r>^inbbors have always leteresteer s'lionoi L o t i on vr r enc, of the t h e ir troubles and how are they combating tL^m^ t u rf problems or questions encountered during v i s i ts to g o lf course3 laat reason f o l l o w s: in various sections of the Southeast, they are in the problems of other a. IMPROVED GRASSES - Many clubs are interested grasses. Bermudas and bents are receiving attention.* Vhich grass should be What is the quickest and best method of converting eld t u rf without i n t e r f e r i ng with play? Should our greens be plowed or renovated? Tihsre can pure planting stock be obtained? in establishing one of the improved Yt Proper management of the grasses tendents f i nd it necessary to change t h e ir management practices to obtain the be~t improved grasses. T i f f i n e, Gene T i f t, and Everglades Bermudas are performance of is important. A f t er establishment, mai.y .superin- being used for putting greens» T if lawn and Orrnand, and in some cases the Bermudas used for greens, are performing well on fairways and tees* C-l and C-19 (Congressional) bent selections have been used f or bent grass putting greens. A new bent., Pennlu, has performed well in experimental plantings* Several Bermudas introduced from South A f r i ca and a new hybrid ( T i f t on 328) are looking good f or greens in test plantings? Other improved selections of Bermudas and bents are on the wayo (Arlington) Y5A.R~RQTTND BEPJ-.iUDA GR3BKS - Can Bermuda be used f or year round putting greens? Only clubs in Florida and along the lower coastal areas have been successful in maintaining good putting surfaces of improved Bermudas without overfeeding with cool season grasses is needed» ( r y e, bent, Kentucky Blue, e t c » )« Special attention^ however, BEET GREENS FOR TEE SOUTH - Is it possible to grow bent in the South? Howfar South can it be grown"as year-round putting green turf? What are the require» ments for growth and green construction? Bent greens are being maintained successfully as f ar south as i'ashville and Chattanooga, Tennessee© T r i al greens in Atlanta have met with varied success«, The TJSGA Green Section in cooperation with a local club plans to establish an experimental bent green in Atlanta® We need to know more about the various bents and t h e ir management f or the South» SQlETHIiTG__BESID5S RYE - Are there grasses other than ryegrass used to overseed Bermuda greens? Ryegrass is used most extensively, but is sometimes mixed with Kentucky Bluegrass, red top, bent, e t c. A few clubs have tried bent f or winter greens with good success* Is it good practice to burn out the winter greens or help nature in TRANSITION PERIOD - How can we overcome the transition from winter to Bermuda greens? making a natural transition? problem. Turf l e t t er li o. 2 gave hints on f a ll preparation f or the spring t r a n s i- tion- Our next T u r f l e t t er w i ll give hints on spring management to help overcome the t r a n s i t i o n. Improved Bermudas and management have decreased this is c o s t l y. Topdressing mixtures, t h e r e f o r e, vary. Changing from one TOPPRESSING - What is the best mixture f or topdressing greens? What can be used other than peat f or organic matter? Sources f or the preparation of good top- dressing mixtures are c r i t i c al materials material to another has resulted, in many cases ¿ in the production of undesirable layers in putting greens * This means extra maintenance c An answer to the o^sb mixtures should result from the USGA sponsored fellowship at Texas A & M Cci:.3g3e Are some weed problems due to contaminated topdressing? Clubs which are t r e ^ c sjg t h e ir topdressing f or weed seed and disease control consider the results obtained as good maintenance in many areas and the purchase of desirable insurance. FERTILISATION - Our f i r st T u r f l e t t er pointed out the value of s o il t e s t s» Mere cj_I;bb~^.eec to take advantage of this service o Results of tests- during the past few years indicate that most putting greens have a high to excess pixosphorus but low potash content. There appears to be a need for more nitrogen, especially on fairways and t e e s. 1/hat is the best f e r t i l i z er type of f e r t i l i z e rs are used. F e r t i l i ty studies being conducted at T i ft on, Georgia, and Gainesville, Florida, should answer many questions on the • t icn ^of turf gras se s . por turf grass? Llany methods and f e r t i l i z a- DISEASE CONTROL - What is a good spray f or disease control? Several diseases are damaging to Bermuda and winter grasses in the Southeast« A good control program should be centered f i r st on the i d e n t i ty of the organism, and second on preventa- t i ve treatments. treatment on a ll the diseases. A combination of materials seems to be necessary f or c o n t r o l. ITo one material has been e f f e c t i ve as a preventative or curative INSECT CONTROL - Many clubs had heavy attacks of sod webworms, cutworms, and army worms last summer. Til/fetch f or these insects again t h is year. Ruth or Bermudagrass scale was found a c t i ve Bermuda fairways was increased due to attacks by scales and sod webworms. in a ll Southeastern s t a t e s» Much of the drought i n j u ry to EEMATODES - What are nematodes? How do they attack t u rf grasses? Do we have nema- todes in our greens? Nematodes and related parasites are more commonly known as eelworms or roundworms. Those which are apparently causing a l ot of damage to grasses attack the root systems. Several parasetic types have been i d e n t i f i ed from samples of putting greens, t e e s, and f a i r w a y s. A f f e c t ed t u rf may appear t h i n, c h l o r a t ic at times, w i lt e a s i l y, show slow growth, e t c. The damage may be confused with other t u rf grass problems. A USC-A sponsored f e l l o w s h ip at the University of Florida and the work at T i f t on should answer many of our questions on nematodes and t u rf grasses. (related to D a l l i s ), D a l l is :rass, crabgrass, crowfoot, water- (Sedge), nutgrass, c l o v e r, carpet weed or spotted spurge, pennywart, VEEP CONTROL - The Southeast c e r t a i n ly has i ts share of weed control problems. Poa annua, bull grass grass dichronda, sandspur, wild onion and g a r l ic share the control s p o t l i g h t. herbicides or combinations of herbicides are e f f e c t i ve other weeds. Sodium arsenite, PICAS, and nitrogen f e r t i l i z e rs have been most e x t e n s i v e ly used. Superintendents, however, should consider the use of pre-emergence herbicides f or the control of annual weeds and the use of some of the mere non-selective herbicides f or the s t e r i l i z a t i on of non-grassed areas. Do not overlook the use of new herbicides (di^sodiuc c c t h yl arsenate, e t c .) f or the control of crabgrass or other weeds. S t e r i l i z a t i on of topdressing material prevents the contamination of putting greens. Calcium cyanamid, methyl bromide, and steam are used most e x t e n s i v e ly f or t h is phase of weed c o n t r o l. lead a r s e n i t e, 2,4-D forumations, potassium cyanate, Several in c o n t r o l l i ng these and (Dalapon, Amino t r i a z o l, e t c .) (CRAG Herbicide, e t c .) This is the cry that "Spare that t r ee f in order to produce s a t i s f a c t o ry t u rf on tees and greens. to prune or remove trees Trees which reduce the growth of grass by competing f or nutrients, water, and l i g ht are weeds. Many clubs, however, are not producing s a t i s f a c t o ry Bermuda grass t u rf on greens and tees because of trees surrounding the area. In some cases, thinning of branches and root pruning has resulted is often heard when it becomes necessary improvement. in marked