TIC VERT, TURF COMMS V. 55 9 I. 3 I JUN PURPOSE* To pass on what Me learn willingly and happily to others in the profession so as to improve turf conditions around the country. PENNLINK3 - (continued frotn V.5, 1. 2> PennLi nks has been awarded Plant Variety Protection No. 8700030. It was first used by David Kroll on 19 greens at The North Course, Wilmington CC, Delaware. Apparently Doug Petersan at Prairie Dunes is also giving this new cultivar serious thoughts for a replanting of his greens this fall. A check with researchers shows little if any published documentation of above claims but, more positive vibes than when Penneagle came on the scene. One superintendent in the transition zone who used it on a tee confirmed its less aggressive nature. He felt from his trial that it wasn't aggressive enough for him to use on the greens of his heavily played course. Use of Penncross and other cultivars for seeding fairways has put a heavy strain on the supply of Penncross seed. BEWARE The grower of both cultivars had no seed available in December and a check with one East Coast distributor found him with no Pennlinks and only 50 or so pounds of Penncross in mid-December. Plantings of Penncross in the seed fields has increased considerably in the last four years but, has lagged behind demand every year. So BUY ONLY BLUE TAGGED CERTIFIED or get 
stuck! TURFC0MMS is published at unpredictable intervals by the editor and publishers Douglas T. Hawes, Ph D Certified Professional Agronomist Specializing in Golf Course Maintenance Consulting 2408 Roundrock Trail Plano9 Texas 75075 (214) 867ŠO176 Subscription cost is *15. Send Checks to Doug Hawes at the above address. USGA GREENS NOT ALL GOOD: In the last issue under the title THE ALASKAN EXPRESS I discussed the loss of bermudagrass greens in the winter of '83-84. In that article I mentioned that the winter kill on USGA-type sand base greens was more severe than on soil base greens. Well, I saw another confirmation of this in North Texas this last winter. There was a fair amount of winter kill on bermudagrass in the North Texas, OK, MO, AR, TN area this last winter. All of it can be in part blamed on two cold spell that occurred late in what was otherwise a very mild winter. A too mild winter perhaps. The bermudagrass in North Texas did not really stay dormant this winter. It greened up during the winter twice and twice got froze solid. This in itself will not kill healthy bermudagrass. However, much of the bermuda grass lost had been weakened by a record drought the summer before &nd early fa, 11 the year before* Thus went in to the winter weak. It takes more than just cold weather to kill bermudagrass but, if weakened by other conditions a few cold nights may just do the trick. That same weather severely damaged an Arizona ash in my back yard. It did not leaf out normally at all. It does have suckers over most of the limbs two inches or greater and the bark on these limbs is still alive. I may have a decent back lawn this year for the first time (no shade). May also have a cord or more of ash to burn in the fireplace this winter. EQUIPMENT SUGGESTIONS - The Bunton walk behind greens mower has developed a strong following. Take a look. The RedMax Reciprocator is favored by Ken Small's crew over nylon string trimmers. I had considered purchasing one of these for personal use and really perked up my ears when he mentioned that. I had tentatively rejected the Reciprocator because of what I thought was its extra weight. Apparently the fact that you don't have to mess constantly with nylon strings or have debris thrown all over your body well makes up for a little extra weight. Ken claims it does a excellent and quick job of edging bunkers (sand traps) in bermudagrass country. Ken also likes it because it doesn't take the bark off of trees. Joel Ratcliff, supt. Indian Springs CC, MD, claims the Reciprocator is light compared to his 48cc nylon string trimmers. He says it is slow on the grass cutting duties but excellent for edging. Another superintendent told me the lowest price he could find was $495; which makes me wonder how bad I want one. NOMINATIONS FOR "BEST ARTICLE IN 1989" - Gary Grigg's, "One Approach To Fertigation" starting on pg. 6 of the April, Golf Course Management. He gives you a lot more than "one approach". The article is also written by a superintendent that has brought in at least three courses with fertigation and overseen probably a half dozen more. If your irrigation system gives you fairly uniform coverage than fertigation is worth considering. Also, Ted Horton and Mary Medonis's "Employee Safety On The Golf Course" starting on pg. 106 of the same issue. This is a very comprehensive article made interesting by examples of actual golf course accidents and statistics. Ted Horton writes from years of experience at three major New York golf courses with large crews. At least one of these crews was union. GASOLINE STORAGE TANKS - Replaced your underground gasoline storage tank yet? A greater Washington, D.C. superintendent related the fallowing. It cost him $15,000 to update. That was removal of an old 8000 gallon tank and replacement with a 2000 gallon tank and monitor/etc. devices that were needed. $7,300 of the $15,000 went for the removal of the 8000 gallon tank. He is in an area where starting wage for new crew men is at $7.00/hr. ACCLAIM, ACCLAIM, ACCLAIM - Ran into one superintendent in the Greater Washington, D.C. area using Acclaim over his whole golf course rather than preemerges. He said it cost him a $1000 more and resulted in healthier summer turf. He had perennial ryegrass fairways and bent/Poa greens. On greens he used it at 4 oz of product in three applications but, told of another who used six - 2 oz applications. Regardless of the rate very accurate spraying and calibration are needed. He also used lots of blue dye to avoid overlaps. BUFFAL0GRASS VERY SUBMERSION RESISTANT - I demanded a freshman turf student prove it to me and he did! He showed me good references and did a little demonstration in the greenhouse. And there I was shot down again. A paper he obtained recorded observations in West Texas and New Mexico. Apparently during Oct., '41, playas (that's for you Easterners a flat floor of a desert basin occupied by water after heavy rains) in the Panhandle region of Texas filled to record levels. Some still had water in them 19 months later. Buffalograss submerged in these was resumed growth as soon as the water level dropped to 1/2 to 1 inch in depth. The buffalograss stayed dormant if the grass was under more water than that. Even where submersed for 19 months the buffalograss survived. And I thought this was only a drought resistant grass. HAWAII - The wife and I are headed -for the Islands July 5th, returning July 22nd. Do any of you have suggestions on what to see? Please give a call or write soon. GOLF COURSE AND TURF MANAGEMENT GRAYSON COLLEGE, Denison, Texas. Two-year technical program in Golf Course and Turf-grass Management. 18-hole golf course on campus. Dormitories, placement assistance, financial aid and scholarships available (M). Con-
tact: Grayson Community College, 6101 Grayson Drive, Denison, TX 75020, (214) 465-6030, ext. 227. GRAYSON COUNTY COLLEGE - Has the best turf instructor in the business. This college and its two year program is located (west campus anyway) at the old Perrin Air Force Base, Denison, Texas. Almost to Oklahoma. The College has been offering horticulture and turf maintenance programs since 19SL-. A viticulture and enology program will start this fall. Agriculture courses were abandon earlier. The turf maintenance program has attracted a fair number of students from many different states. The average age of the students this year was close to 30. The horticulture program has had a shaky, mostly local enrollment. The College has an 18 hole golf course with bermudagrass greens. There are two other bermudagrass golf courses in the immediate area and one bentgrass green course with another being built. The facilities are good with a greenhouse available and adequate grounds. We are working on improving the materials available for 1aboratories. Hope to have a IBM compatible computer on hand with TRIMS software for the senior (2nd year) students this fall. This will be worked into the two senior turf courses, which are golf course budget oriented. NEED A TURF ADVISORY VISIT ? ? ? I plah to be visiting clubs in West Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota the weeks of June 11th, 18th and 25th. Have open the weeks of July 23rd, August 6th and 13th. Will be at the American Society of Horticultural Science meeting in Tulsa the week of July 30th. PESSIMIST'S VIEW OF A LAWN - A large, green rug, which gobbles up water and fertilizer and converts them to chinch bugs, sod web worms, thatch, disease causing fungi and lots of grass clippings. (Editor's modification of Upson, NF AG NEWS 8< VIEWS, V.7, N. 4, May 1989, pg. 1.) END