TIC VERTICAL Official Publication of the W. M.G.C.S.A. PRESIDENTS MESSAGE Kurt A. Thuemmel C.G.C.S. October has come and gone. The month started out with a continuation of the September rains and ended with the weather pattern changing for the better. October also brought us a memorable occasion in the retirement dinner for Roy Peck who is retiring after 41 years as the golf course superintendent at Kalamazoo Country Club. Many of Roy’s friends and neighbors turned out to honor Roy at Gull Lake View Golf Course and enjoyed an even­ ing of socializing. The evening was very well organized, thanks to Bill Madigan, who organized the dinner and Cecil Kerr, Master of Ceremonies. Although Roy is retiring from Kalamazoo Country Club, he will remain an active member of W.M.G.C.S.A. Congratulations Roy; I know it will be tough not worrying about the golf course or work­ ing weekends and holidays. It’s time to put some miles on that new van. November brought us the Fall Party on Saturday the 8th, hosted by Roy Peck at Kalamazoo Country Club. It was a very enjoyable evening with approximately 106 people in attendance. Roy certainly knows how to plan a party as the dinner was outstanding and everyone seemed to have a good time. By the time you receive this issue, you should have received a notice on the upcoming Michigan Turfgrass Conference at the Clarion Hotel and Convention Center in Lansing. The dates for the conference are January 12, 13, and 14. The format will be similar to last year’s with new and informative speakers. Basic schools will once again be offered on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. Sign up sheets will be available for superintendents who wish to accummulate points toward re-certification. Make sure you read the program brochure carefully, because changes in the conference program format will be indicated here. One important change that comes to mind is on Tuesday morning the general session will begin at 8:30 a.m. instead of 9:00 a.m. as in previous years. Please pass along to Michigan Turfgrass Foundation Board Members or the M.S.U. professors comments or concerns regarding the conference, as we need feedback from the members in order to continue to improve the conference from year to year. I am sure most of you are aware of the upcoming National Convention in Phoenix this winter. The dates are January 26 through February 2. As your Board of Directors begins to plan the affairs of W.M.G.C.S.A. for 1987, please pass on to any board member any suggestions you may have in order to make our association more beneficial for everyone. See you at our next meeting in early January. Happy Holidays! 1986 WMGCSA OFFICERS Kurt Thuemmel C.G.C.S...........................................................President Walnut Hills Country Club, E. Lansing, Michigan 517/332-6060 Roger Barton .................................................................Vice-President Blythefield Country Club, Belmont, Michigan 616/363-5945 Chris Fochtman.......................................................Secretary-Treasurer Greenridge C.C., 740 Greenridge Dr., N.W., Grand Rapids, Ml 616/784-6597 Keith Paterson, C.G.C.S...................................................Past President Kent Country Club, Grand Rapids, Michigan 616/363-6728 Directors Pete Ashe, C.G.C.S. Hillsdale C.C., Hillsdale, Ml 517/437-7861 Bill Davis Marywood C.C., Battle Creek, Ml 616/962-9784 Jeff Gorney, C.G.C.S. Grand Rapids Elks C.C., Grand Rapids, Ml 616/453-0705 Bob Hope, C.G.C.S. Kalamazoo C.C., Kalamazoo, Ml 616/343-2895 Bob Johnson Forest Hills Golf Club, Grand Rapids, Ml Fred Pastoor Muskegon C.C., Muskegon, Ml 616/759-0694 Editorial Committee Chairman-Advertising.................................Keith Paterson C.G.C.S. Kent C.C. - 616/363-6728 Charlie Scott 616/731-4148 Photographer Bill Madigan C.G.C.S., C.C. of Jackson - 517/787-0650 Kurt Thuemmel C.G.C.S.. Walnut Hills C.C. - 517/332-6060 Advertisers Please patronize them as they have made this newsletter possible. Art Hills & Associates Benham Chemical Boylan Sales C-R Grinding Century Rain Aid Ellis Sales Grand Rapids Tree Ideal Mower Sales LESCO Lawn Equipment Matthews & Sons Miller West, Inc. J. Mollema & Sons NOR-AM Chemical Co. O.M. Scott Parmenter & Andre Raymer Pump Spartan Distributors Standard Sand Turf Chemicals Turf Grass TURF MANAGEMENT COURSE Michigan State University Cooperative Extension Ser­ vice in cooperation with J. Mollema & Son, Inc, of Grand Rapids, will be holding a Turf Management Course. This course is available to all turf managers and their employees from lawn care companies, golf courses, municipal grounds, athletic and school grounds, cemeteries, and institutional grounds. Who: Dr. Paul Rieke, Dr. Joe Vargas, Dr. Bruce Branham, Dr. Dave Smitley, and Goris Passchier. When: Starting January 20 through March 10, 1987; 7:00 to 9:30 for 8 consecutive Tuesday nights. Where: What: How: Kent Skills Center 1655 E. Beltline, N.E. Grand Rapids, Ml 49505 Turf Environment, Soil and Nutrients Fertilizer math and calibration Grasses ID, adaptation, mixes Cultural practices Weed ID and control; plant growth regulators Turf disease ID and control Turf insect ID and control Pesticide safety, review, exam (Notebook and handouts provided. Exam and completion certificate). Register by calling Wendy at J. Mollema & Son, Inc., (616) 245-0533 by December 15, 1986. Cost of the course is $60.00 per student, which Mollemas will invoice to you or your company. Please make checks payable to J. Mollema & Son, Inc., Attention: Turf Management Course. Call today!! Don’t delay!! Classroom size limited to the first 100 people. FALL PARTY The Fall Party was held Saturday, November 8, at the Kalamazoo Country Club. Hosts for the evening were Roy and Sharon Peck and Mike and Kathy Horvath. Approx­ imately 100 people attended this year’s event. Everyone had a very enjoyable evening — maybe too enjoyable for a few. The evening’s festivities included fine food and drink and some excellent door prizes. The top prize, an evening at the Amway Grand with dinner at the 1913 Room, was won by Pat and Jim Iman. Our thanks go out to the Pecks and Horvaths for a splendid evening. WHO DARES TO ASK FOR YET ANOTHER DAY OFF? Feeling burnt out? Want more vacation? Hate to tell you — only two of us deserve it! Author unknown If you’re like most people, you’ve got too much to do and not enough time to do it. And this week, like so many others in the year, has been a long and hard one. You’ve taken care of the daily duties, handled the major and minor crises at work and at home; maybe you’ve taken some work home. You’re exhausted, thoroughly drained. You need a mental health day to recuperate. So you ask the boss for a day off. He says no and gives you this explanation. There are 365 days in the year, but you take weekends off, so you have to subtract 104 days. That leaves you with 261 working days. But you only work eight hours a day. The other 16 you are either sleeping or tending to your own business. So you have to subtract 174 days. That leaves 87. But wait. We’re not through subtracting yet. You eat lunch every day, and although lunch hours vary, it is estimated that the average worker consumes 45 days per year at lunch. Coffee breaks? Figure 21 days over the course of the year. Take those 21 days from the 42 left from the last subtraction and that leaves you 21 days to get your work done. From those 21 days you have to subtract your two weeks of vacation — 10 work days. Continuing the sub­ traction, 10 from 21 leaves you only 11 actual full work days in the entire year. But of course, you do not work on Christmas, New Year’s, Independence Day or Thanksgiving. Most firms now allow 10 paid holidays per year. After subtracting the 10 paid holidays from the 11 days remaining, you’ve got one full work day to your credit, and you want to take that day off? Forget it! The boss sees no reason why you should be unduly ex­ hausted given the above schedule. So you explain to him that the USA’s population is 200 million or so, of whom 72 million are over the standard 65-year retirement age. That leaves 28 million people to do all the work. If you subtract the 75 million under the age of 21, you are left with 53 million actual workers. Of that 53 million, 27,471,002 are employed by the federal government. That leaves 25,528,998 workers for all the other jobs. Subtracting the 8 million people who serve in the Arm­ ed Forces leaves us with 17,528,998 workers. From here we must turn to the city and state work force. Subtracting their 16,520,000 from 17,528,998 brings us down to 1,009,998. Of course we also should consider those people who have a complete aversion to work. It’s been estimated that there are some 800,500 vagrants, bums and the like. Now we are down to 208,498 people to carry the workload for the entire nation, but you still have to subtract the prison population, which accounts for 208,496 people. This means that two people are carrying everybody else. You know who those two people are, don’t you? It’s you and me. No wonder we’re so exhausted! Credit: Northwest Turfgrass Topics The INDESTRUCTIBLE LAWN HIIMIHIMIMIIUIMIMlim by GEOBLOCK The GEOBLOCK, Landscaping System by PRESTO provides invisible support for pedestrian and vehicular traffic while main­ taining a thick cover of grass. The strong, reinforced plastic GEOBLOCK features. . . •Interlocking system for maximum weight-load transfer •Easy installation, lightweight. . .can be cut with a hand saw •Resistant to chemicals, fertilizers and temperature extremes •Two sizes available. . .2” heavy duty use 1-1/8” light duty use RE LEADIÉG Gi IS COMES* THE m TO YOUR LAI »ROBLEMS Century Rain 3400 Jefferson S.E., Grand Rapids, Ml 49508 31691 Dequindre, Madison Hts., Ml 48071... 22159 Telegraph, Southfield, Ml 48034......... , 616-452-3373 313-588-2992 313-358-2994 Michigan TOLL FREE 800/544-9219 HOW A PLANT TAKES UP NUTRIENTS it How a plant nutrient moves from the soil into a plant cell has been well studied. Water and nutrient absorption are independent of each other. Contrary to popular belief, nutrients are not absorbed with water like blotter absorbs ink. Elements enter the root primarily as ions, a modified form of the element with an electric charge. The cell wall is a barrier for movement of material in or out of a cell. Just how the nutrient moves across this barrier has been difficult is reasonably well understood. For example: a positively charged ion, such as potassium, can move in a series of steps probably at­ tached to various enzymes that serve as carriers; a hydrogen ion, also positively charged, moves out simultaneously. The exchange of one positive ion for another maintains the necessary electrical neutrality. Knowledge of ionic transport and the carrier concept has invalidated the humus theory. to determine. Today The process of active ion transport, whereby the mineral nutrients are initially secured from fertilizer and nutrients introduced into the biosphere are as critical for life as those that bring about photosynthesis. The only difference is that the leaf is a port of entry for one nutrient (carbon); the root is the interface between plant life and the other mineral sources in the soil. The failure of some books on plant life to stress mineral absorption has permitted widespread ignorance of this im­ portant mechanism. We have witnessed lately an amaz­ ing outbreak of quaint lore about organic fertilization, this reveals an almost total ignorance among many people of the most basic facts concerning the nutrient elements of plants and their absorption. The neglect of this subject in the current teaching has no doubt contributed to the ready acceptance of some students of thoroughly discredited ideas concerning the nutrition of plants. The lack of information on nutrient uptake has given rise to such myths as organic farming or the production of organically grown foods. For all practical purposes, nutrients enter the plant in one way, only this is in the in­ organic form. It makes no difference whether the nutrients come initially from organic or inorganic sources. Credit: Divots C & R GRINDING We specialize in ALL golf course mower repair and sharpening. FREE Pick-up and Delivery Over 15 Years Experience Open 7 days - All year Area sales rep. for D Distributors (R & R Products) 5082 Page Avenue Jackson, Michigan 49201 (517) 764-1182 Member Western Michigan G.C.S.A. 4 -AERIFICATION- A COMPARISON OF SHATTERCORE VS. HOLLOW-TINED by Dr. Roy L. Goss Aerification has been a standard practice on all heavily trafficked turfgrass areas for many years. It is the major means of relieving surface compaction in the uppermost 2-3 inches of soil and mat. Aerification is essential not only to relieve compaction, but to promote faster water infiltra­ tion rates, maintain firm dry surfaces and to allow better gas (oxygen) diffussion into the soil. Aerification will also enhance root growth due to better oxygen relationships and a soil that has less resistance for root penetration. Aerification is more essential on turfgrass areas that were established on soils of sandy loam texture or heavier than it is on those areas established on pure sand. We usually assume that infiltration rates of water and oxygen diffusion rates are satisfactory in sands, although this can change with the accumulation of surface organic materials that are decomposing as well as accumulating as thatch. In this case, aerification also becomes essential. Native soils, due to their fine texture, have greater compactabili- ty than sands due to greater total pore space. When fine materials become packed tightly together, air spaces are essentially eliminated, leaving only capillary porosity, which increases the water holding capacity of the soils as well as increasing their density. The overall effect is poor root growth conditions and surface wetness. In recent years an old concept of soil tined aerification has been modernized where solid tines are fitted into the Ryan Greensaire aerifier. These tines are bullet-nozed, generally of 1/2 inch and possibly 5/8 inch diameter, and are literally punched into the soil with the force of the downward thrust of the aerifier. Due to the rapid insertion and withdrawal of these solid tines, it is reported that hard compacted soils have become much softer, water infiltra­ tion rates have picked up, rooting has increased and overall turf quality has significantly improved. Hollow tined aerification is the usual means of aerify­ ing turfgrass areas. Problem putting greens with heavy soils, fairways, and sportsfields should be hollow tined aerified up to 4 times annually to help reduce compac­ tion and maintain a better environment for root growth. Ob- .vioussly, hollow tined aerification will increase water in­ filtration rates as well. In general, hollow tined aerification should be followed by sand topdressing to place as much sand down the holes as possible to maintain continuity of water flow to the surface. When aerifier holes close over at the soil surface with heavier textured soils, aerification is only a temporary effect. We have some reservations with respect to hollow tin­ ed aerification. Therefore, we have initiated a research pro­ ject to compare shatter core vs. hollow tined aerification to determine if there are any long range problems associated with shatter core aerification. It is obvious that the downward thrust of a solid instrument through the soil must create some compaction at the bottom of the thrust. When a solid object is moved through the soil, there should be displacement in all directions. Although the upward thrust of the aerifier tine may loosen the soil throughout its length, it may not loosen the soil at the bottom of the thrust, creating a pan or compacted layer. No doubt, there is some compaction at the bottom of the thrust even on hollow tined aerifiers as well. Our objective, therefore, is to compare the two methods as well as combinations of the two methods. We will be measuring the parameters of infiltration and permeability rates of water, bulk density of the soil, and turf quality aspects. There was excessive variability in the water infiltration studies, but this may change in another year, although there are some interesting trends. Bulk density of soils of this nature (silt loan) is a reasonably accurate measure of compaction. It is interesting to note that no aerification resulted in a lower bulk density than any aerification treat­ ment. A bulk density value over 1.5 g/cc might indicate ex­ cessive compaction in a silt loam soil. These data were developed from an area maintained as putting green turf, but without heavy traffic. It is pro­ bable that these values will change more within 2-3 years and even more so if traffic is applied. Credit: The Bull Sheet Ideals are like stars. You will not succeed in touching them with your hands; but like the seafaring man, you choose them as your guides, and, following them, you will reach your destiny. — Carl Schurz He who hesitates is interrupted. — Franklin P. Jones POTASSIUM - A MIRACLE ELEMENT by Robert C Sherman Associate Professor Department of Horticulture University of Nebraska Evidence gathered in surveys of turfgrass nutrition pro­ grams shows that golf course superintendents are taking more interest in the role of potassium in their turfgrass nutrition programs. The surveys were conducted at GCSAA Nutrition Seminars. Further evidence came from superintendents attending regional turfgrass conferences. The growing interest in potassium nutrition has also coin­ cided with the increased use of light, frequent sand top­ dressing and with the use of higher sand concentrations in rootzone media. Potassium is one of 16 essential elements required by plants for growth and development. Though it is an essen­ tial element, potassium is not a constituent of turfgrass tissues. It is found in plants only in the elemental form (K + ). Potassium enhances carbohydrate synthesis and translocation, protein and amino acid synthesis and en­ zyme activity. It controls transporation, respiration and up­ take of certain nutrients, like nitrogen and magnesium. It has been reported to enhance rooting and stress tolerance of turfs. Turfgrasses require fairly large quantities of potassium, second only to nitrogen and there is growing evidence that potassium may be useful to turfgrasses in equal amounts to nitrogen, particularly in relation to environmental stress tolerance. The term “ luxury consumption” has often been E Z G Q C U S H M A N INDUSTRIAL VEHICLES TURF, GOLF and 5 MILLER WEST, INC?"“ * a t p m c n t 274 Mart Street, S.W Grand Rapids, Mich. 49508 616 — 241-4481 OUTFRONT LEADERS Dependable, Out Front Mowing Efficiency from Jacobsen’s Turfcats . . . Now with a LIM IT E D TWO YEAR WARRANTY on Turfcat models GA180, GA200, DW220, DW224, GW224 associated with potassium since it may be taken up by plants in greater quantities than that required for growth and development. Luxury consumption of potassium has been associated with crop production and subsequently has been related to turfgrass management. This associa­ tion may not be fair or realistic, since clipping yeild and dry matter production are not of primary concern to superintendents. But increased turfgrass stress tolerance is. Tolerance for heat, cold, drought and wear grows with increased potassium fertilization of turfs. Therefore, lux­ ury consumption of potassium likely does not occur in rela­ tionship to turfgrass stress tolerance. A drought avoidance study conducted at Nebraska on a Kentucky bluegrass turf growing on a soil that was high in potassium (i.e., greater than 500 pounds available per acre) demonstrated that wilting tendency decreased with increasing potassium, ranging from zero to eight pounds per 1,000 square feet during the growing season. Recovery from drought injury was also enhanced by potassium fertilization. The evapotranspiration rate declin­ ed and turfgrass depth and extent of rooting increased with potassium fertilization in this Nebraska study. Wear tolerance increased and dessication injury decreased with potassium treatment in a Michigan study conducted on a Penncross creeping bentgrass green. These responses were observed even though soil potassium levels were considered to be high. Similar reports of stress exist for warm season turfgrass species like St. Augustine grass and bermudagrass Potassium deficiency symptoms are usually subtle and not seen as easily as in nitrogen-deficient turf. Deficien­ cy symptoms often show up as reduced tolerance to en­ vironmental stress and to disease. Potassium deficiencies occur most often on sandy soils that receive frequent ir­ rigation. Daily irrigation on a seaside creeping bentgrass green growing on a sandy rootzone resulted in a soil potassium level only 79% of a similar grass growing on the same rootzone, but given the same amount of water in three installments per week. In this study, potassium content of turfgrass tissues showed a similar trend as the soil levels; lower levels were found in the frequently irrigated turf. On sandy soils with low nutrient retention capabilities, it is better to apply potassium in light and frequent, rather than heavy and less-frequent, applications. This is par­ ticularly the case when frequent irrigation is also required to maintain desired turfgrass quality. The low nutrient retention capability of sand coupled with frequent irriga­ tion, results in much of the potassium being leached from the rootzone and a subsequent reduction in potassium up­ take by the plant. Light, frequent topdressing with sand results in similar potassium management problems as those encountered with high sand content rootzones. Superintendents need to be aware of these relationships and to adjust their nutrition programs accordingly. Potassium is not a miracle element; it is an essential nutrient and superintendents should keep its role in perspective. A fair degree of evidence supports potassium’s role in turfgrass stress tolerance, but con­ troversy exists among turfgrass researchers regarding its potential benefits. For example, concern has been raised about high potassium levels increasing Poa praten- sis competition in turfs, but little research evidence sup­ ports this concern. More work is needed to further delineate the role of potassium in golf course fertilization programs and superintendents should be willing to approach its use for enhancing stress tolerance in a reasonable manner. A concerted research effort with potassium is being con­ ducted at the University of Nebraska. This research is part of an extensive cultural practice research project sup­ ported by the USGA. Credit: USGA Green Section Record M ATTHEW S & ASSOCIATES, P C. G O L F C O U R S E A R C H I T E C T U R E L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T E C T U R E G E R A L D H. Jerry' M A T T H E W S 9373 East Herbison Road Laingsburg, Michigan 48848 51 7-641-6882 and 517-371-4511 W. BRUCE M A T T H E W S 0-16920 Timber Dune Drive Grand Haven, Michigan 49417 616-846 1502 M E M B E R A M E R I C A N S O C I E T Y O F G O L F C O U R S E A R C H I T E C T S RUSS HANCOCK LOU BECKMAN JIM HYDE FRED MILLER TURF CHEMICALS INC. 1011 E. Main P.O. Box 451 Owosso, Michigan 48867 Office: (517) 725-7145 FOR ALL OF YOUR FERTILIZER, CHEMICAL AND GRASS SEED NEEDS EXPERIENCED, DEPENDABLE PEOPLE TO SERVE YOU 7 REDUCING GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE COSTS BY LINING SAND BUNKERS WITH PERMANENT NON-WOVEN POLYESTER GEOTEXTILE FABRICS by Joseph F. Barney Eastern U.S. Sales Representative Warren’s TerraBond Sand bunker maintenance is a routine task most superintendents prefer to spend as little time on as possi­ ble and still keep the membership happy. In the last few years hundreds of golf courses, during the scheduled re­ furbishment of their bunkers, have lined the entire bunker with a geotextile fabric before putting in new sand. They have done this to drastically reduce the time and materials formerly used to maintain those bunkers in acceptable playing condition. And the superintendents are happy not to have to spend so much time on bunker maintenance. Problems In the Bunkers The following routine tasks contribute to bunker maintenance costs: (1) pumping out standing water after rainfall; (2) servicing clogged drainage lines; (3) remov­ ing rocks from the sand; (4) removing clods of soil from the sand; (5) raking sand up onto the bunker slopes after rainfall or irrigation; (6) mechanical or hand raking to keep the sand “ fluffed” and cleaner looking; (7) adding new sand to help mask dirty sand; (8) edging to cut back en­ croaching turfgrass; (9) removing weeds. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Save now, pay later during the ProTurf. Pre-Season Sale All qualifying Pre-Season orders shipped during the August-December period won’t be billed until next spring. Ask your ProTurf Tech Rep for details. Tom Wents Regional Manager (608) 846-9457 8 What a Proper Liner Can Do One superintendent in the Northwest, we have heard, reported that after lining his sand traps with Warren’s TerraBond Polyester Geotextile Fabric, he has reduced his bunker maintenance costs to two functions: (1) edg­ ing and (2) occasional addition of sand to replace that blown out, chipped out and/or volatilized by the sunlight. Using a liner, if a properly designed one is used, will keep the drain flowing, stop rocks from moving upward into the sand from the soil, stop the sand from mixing with the soil, greatly reduce sand wash-down from slopes during rain­ fall, and reduce or prevent weed growth in the bunker. The overall end result, the “ bottom line” , is less time devoted to bunker maintenance, better appearing and more playable bunkers, a far longer time span between sand replacement and bunker reconstruction, happier members and a happier superintendent. Fabric Liner Selection The sand bunker liner must be resistant to sunlight (Ultra Violet light) breakdown, hydro-carbon breakdown caused by spilled hydraulic fluid or gasoline and fertilizers being used on surrounding turf, be extremely supple — yet very strong — so as not to tear during installation, and have excellent filtration capabilities which lets water-born particles of silt pass through its body without clogging. A non-woven needle-punched continuous filament, polyester fabric like Warren’s TerraBond meets these qualifications. The fluffy matt of supple, strong, polyester fibers allows the roots of the perimeter sod to grow through the Terra- Bond and anchor into the soil below. Below the bunker sand, water passes easily between and along the polyester fibers, yet rock, pebbles, and native soil (which often disscolors the sand and impedes water flow in the sand) find their upward journey difficult if not impossible. Site Preparation and Application of the Fabric Liner The first step is to construct the drainage system! After removing the old trap sand and bringing the bunker to the desired shape and grade, excavate the drainage trenches with the exit point at a depth below the lowest point of bunker bottom. Then line the trenches with Warren’s TerraBond, place a layer of gravel, the 4” flexible per­ forated rain, and additional gravel to the grade line of the bottom of the bunker. Fold the fabric over the top of the gravel and itself, thus encapsulating the drainage struc­ ture with TerraBond. TerraBond’s sieve size, or E.O.S. of 70 to 100 mesh, permits fine particles of clay (those which make muddy water muddy) pass right through. Yet the drain system will not clog with mud or sand, thus en­ suring no more puddles of “ casual water” in bunker bot­ toms! Set the sod cutter blade to a depth of 1 ” minimum and cut back the sod 12” around the desired perimeter of the final bunker shape. Excavate the soil directly below the upper edge of trap slopes to a right angle (90 degrees), to a depth of 6” to 8” . (This technique helps prevent erosion of the sand around the steep slope perimeter areas of the bunker dur­ ing periods of heavy rainfall or irrigation due to surface run-off). The bunker is now ready for application of the Terra- Bond liner. Roll the TerraBond across the bunker and trim with a TerraBond geotextile knife (available from dealer). Overlap 3” to 4” until the entire bunker is covered (in­ cluding the 12” perimeter where the sod will be replac­ used, not necessarily the cheapest one or just because it is called a “ filter fabric” or a "landscape fabric” or geotextile. Make certain it is long-lasting, strong, supple needlepunched (mechanically bonded) polyester. Some superintendents have done otherwise and made even big­ ger ponds out of their bunkers after spending alot of money on reconstruction. Credit: The Bull Sheet ed). The TerraBond will closely follow all the little contours and corners. Lay back the overlap areas and apply a generous bead of Goodrich construction and sub-floor adhesive. This technique helps prevent mechanical rake entanglement, and insures “ one piece” liner integrity. (It is suggested to step on the glue bead along its entire length to squeeze the adhesive into the polyester fiber of both pieces of fabric before backfilling with sand.) Replace the sod atop the TerraBond around the perimeter of the trap and keep watered to promote “ knit­ ting” through the fabric and into the native soil. This is the key to permanent anchoring of a fabric liner, and the permanent elimination of soil erosion of the perimeter of the bunker! Future edging of the bunker is done quickly and effi­ ciently with saturated wick applications of Roundup her­ bicide and/or rotary string trimmers! Sand Selection Bunkers should be re-filled with sand that meets USGA specifications. Playability and permeability are the most important considerations. The particle shape should be angular, free of silt and fine clay particles, and range in size between 1.00 and 0.25 millimeters (75% in the .50 to .25 range minimum). Deviation from these sizes should be larger, not smaller, to prevent wind erosion where this is a problem. Conclusion Lining sand bunkers with a geotextile fabric is now a well-accepted technique across the U.S. It is a proven method for drastically reducing bunker maintenance costs. Be certain, however, that the correct geotextile is STOCKING THESE FINE PRODUCTS FOR PROMPT SERVICE STANDARD GOLF PAR AIDE DU PONT NOR AM (Acti Dione) RHONE-POULENC (Chipco) DACONIL 2787 PBI GORDON AQUATROLS AQUASHADE RAINBIRD NELSON PVC PIPE & FITTINGS WEST MICHIGAN DISTRIBUTORS OF MILORGANITE FERTILIZER 1042 MICHIGAN ST. N.E • GRAND RAPIDS. MICHIGAN 49503 • PO BOX 2411 PHONE (616) 458-1546 9 WHAT WETTING AGENTS CAN AND CANNOT DO FOR YOUR TURF by William J. Johnston The field of turfgrass management has seen many pro­ ducts come and go, they were a flash in the pan so to speak. Wetting agents may or may not fit into this category of products. However, they have received a considerable amount of attention from the turfgrass community and have caused some controversy. This paper is being presented to update you on the current status of wetting agents and is also an attempt to separate fact from myth regarding wetting agents. What are wetting agents? Wetting agents are chemicals that change the physical properties of water. They reduce the surface tension of water. Basically, they can be thought of as making water wetter. To illustrate this, if you placed a drop of water on a waxy leaf surface, the water droplet would sit on the surface as a somewhat spherical drop. If, on the other hand, you added a wetting agent to the water prior to placing a droplet on the leaf, the droplet would spread out on the leaf surface. The drop with the wetting agent added would have a lower contact angle between the leaf surface and the water droplet. Wetting agents are classified according to their chemistry as anionic, cationic, and nonionic. Anionic wet­ ting agents are negatively charged, general phytotoxic to turf, and highly leaved in soil. For these reasons the anionic wetting agents are not generally used in turf. Ca­ tionic wetting agents are positively charged and are, therefore, tightly held to the predominantly negatively charged soil particles. This makes these compounds somewhat less effective. The nonionic wetting agents have no charge, are less bound to soil, and are less phytotoxic to turf. The nonionic agents are the most com­ mon wetting agents used in turfgrass management. What can wetting agents do? Table 2 gives a list on some of the claims that have been made regarding wet­ ting agents. Let’s look at these claims to see just what role wetting agents might play in your turfgrass program. Localized Dry Spots. The cause of localized drop spots, also termed LDS, has been most frequently at­ tributed to a fungal growth that produces a waxy material that coats soil particles. These coated particles then become very hydrophobic (water hating). These problems most often are associated with sandy soils or sands in golf course greens. Although LDS is most common on golf courses, it is becoming more apparent that LDS is also associated with other turfgrass areas. TAble 3 gives the results of some research conducted at Michigan State University, which indicates that wetting agents are quite effective as a treatment for LDS. Plant Growth. Most of the research with wetting agents would indicate that they have little effect on plant growth or are somewhat detrimental. On a positive note Schmidt indicated from his research at Virginia Polytechnic Institute that sod rooted faster under dry conditions when wetting agents were used. Also, Petrovic’s work at Cornell show­ ed that Aqua Gro substantially reduced annual bluegrass Poa annua seedhead production without reducing clipp­ ing yields on a golf course fairway. Infiltration and Percolation. As has been previously stated, wetting agents can substantially improve drainage in areas with LDS. Drainage is also better on layered soils when wetting agents are used. However, on easily wet soils there is little, if any, effect of wetting agents in his text book Turfgrass: Science and Culture, cites several references which indicate that wetting agents do not in­ crease infiltration. Compaction. There is no direct evidence in most cases that wetting agents affect compaction. In a University of Maine study (cited by Moore, 1981), it was found that wet­ ting agents reduced soil bulk density and is also reduced compaction. Morgan et al., at the University of California at Davis, reported a decrease in compaction in peat- amended soil, but they reported no effect of wetting agents on other soil materials. It should be noted that if a site or soil is now compacted, the addition of wetting agents will not cure the problem. Thatch. Wetting agents have been claimed to reduce thatch buildup. There is little, if any, experimental evidence to support this claim. Most studies show that wet­ ting agents, especially prolonged use of wetting agents, generally have no effect on thatch. Some work has shown a thatch buildup. Murry and Juska, in an 8 year study, showed no effect of wetting agents on thatch. Engle and Alderfer’s 10 year study showed a slight increase in thatch. Dew Removal. Wetting agents are fairly effective in mitigating the formation of dew. Wetting agents have been reported to reduce dew formation for 3 to 10 days on a bentgrass putting treen. The length of effectiveness is pro­ bably related to irrigation and rainfall, both of which would tend to remove the wetting agent from the soil profile and thus decrease the period of effectiveness. Fertilizer and Pesticide Effectiveness. Since water is the carrier for most chemicals applied to turfgrass, improv­ ed water movement and distribution within the soil pro­ file could improve chemical efficacy. It has been propos­ ed that wetting agents might improve the uniformity of movement of systematic pesticides into the root zone. More research is needed in this area to verify these claims. 10 Golfs Premier Irrigation Control System Stadium Course, PGA West i P t f / Z y # ® 11 Repeatedly the choice of the world’s leading architects and super­ intendents, MAXI® III from Rain Bird is recognized as golf course irrigation’s most exciting and versatile computerized control system. Sophisticated. Reliable. Powerful. MAXI® III offers state-of-the-art irrigation tech­ nology. An IBM computer, too. Not to mention the ability to handle a wide range of important functions. Lighting—securi­ ty— and a host of other necessary operations. Legends in the making—the great golf courses of tom orrow are being built today. And MAXI® III is there! Controllers. Rotors. 50 years of golf course irrigation experience. Rain Bird — the choice from coast to coast I -------------------------' 3400 Jefferson S.E., Grand Rapids, Ml 49508............. 616-452-3373 31691 Dequindre, Madison Hts., Ml 48071 .................313-588-2992 22159 Telegraph, Southfield, Ml 48034...................... 313-358-2994 Michigan TOLL FREE 800/544-9219 Water Use Efficiency. Work at the University of Nebraska by Shearman has indicated that in turf where water was not a limiting growth factor, évapotranspiration was reduced as much as 25%. However, this does not necessarily translate over into a 25% reduction in water used by the turfgrass manager. Additional studies by Car- roll and Petrovic at Cornell University indicate that a reduc­ tion in evapotrasnpiration due to the application of wet­ ting agents is a result of there being less water available for évapotranspiration due to increased loss of water through drainage. So, it appears that wetting agents will not improve water use efficiency, since water use efficien­ cy is a measure of the amount of water needed to pro­ duce a given amount of dry clippings. CONCLUSIONS There are many wetting agents available in the market place and selection of the best one is not always an easy task; therefore, you should gather as much information as possible, especially hard facts, prior to embarking on a program utilizing wetting agents. Remember, wetting agents can be phytotoxic if not properly applied. Also, there is some evidence to indicate that prolonged use may increase thatch. However, wetting agents are one of the cultural practices available to turfgrass managers to im­ prove water movement into and through localized dry spots (LDS) and hydrophobic soils. Wetting agents should be regarded as just another tool available to the turf manager and not the cureall they are often touted to be. Additional research is needed to fully define the role of wetting agents in turfgrass management. Table 1. Common wetting agents used in management. turfgrass Aqua Gro Hydro Wet Leseo Wet Peneturf* Surf Side Aquatrols Corp. of America Kalo Laboratories Leseo Corporation Four Star Agriculture Service Monteo Products Corporation 4 to 16 8 to 16 8 to 16 0.2 16 to 32 * Marketed as a soil conditioner. Date from A.M . Petrovic 1985 Credit: The Bull Sheet January 26 — February 2, 1987 Phoenix Civic Plaza Phoenix, Arizona ... 29 seminars ... G olf championship ... Trade show ... Annual meeting Make YOUR plans to attend! For Conference, Seminar, Advertiser or Exhibitor Information: 1-800-472-7878 Golf Course Superintendents Association of America 1617 St. Andrews Dr. Lawrence, KS 66046 ^ '.$> STANDARD SAND CORPORATION TOPDRESSING SAND 2150 USA Sieve 20 30 40 50 60 70 100 140 200 270 PAN MM .84 .60 .42 .30 .25 .21 .15 .10 .07 .05 % Retained .0 .6 4.6 28.5 23.6 24.3 17.6 .8 .0 .0 • • • • Meets USGA specfications C onsistent Q uality Lab Reports w ith Every Shipm ent M ichigan’s Largest Topdressing Sand Supplier Standard Sand Corporation P.O. Box 290 Grand Haven, Michigan 49417 Contact: Roy Hanson (616) 842-5180 12 SOME NORTHERN COURSES USING SKIING FOR OFF-SEASON PROFIT It would seem, at first glance, that golf and skiing don’t mix. But for some northern golf course operators, cross country skiing is more than pulling its weight as a winter­ time use for dormant golf courses. Tim Caldwell of American Ski Industries is in the pro­ cess of starting a campaign to set up 500 cross country skiing sites on golf courses and parks throughout the snowbelt. “ For municipal courses, especially, it’s a great way to use facilities and bring in revenue,” he said. “ It also can keep people employed during the winter, and be a great public relations project for the whole community.” Caldwell can point to a number of examples of suc­ cessful, money-making operations. One is run by Jim Klosterman of Dayton, Ohio. Not only did his facility gross $38,000 at the 36-hole Dayton Community Golf Course last winter, but he also helps others interested in operating a cross country skiing facility by providing equipment and assistance in getting started. “ You can generate enough revenue to make it pay,” Klosterman said, “ and municipal golf courses have done as good a job as any.” The first question in the minds of operators usually has something to do with possible damage to the golf course. Klosterman has an answer ready for them. “ I can give them documented letters from people,” he remarked. “ All you need is 2-3 inches of snow and frozen ground base. Cross country skiing doesn’t do as much damage as golfers do in the early spring. And any area that can’t stand traffic can simply be roped off.” The land requirements are not very stringent. “ A small nine-hole golf course is okay for a beginning course,” Caldwell said. “ The bigger the golf course, the better, but you don’t need big hills. The more variety, the better.” The next problem is getting the proper equipment. Most of the revenue is made from the rental fees on skis and boots. Klosterman recommends 40-50 pairs of boots to start out with. He estimates the cost of getting started to be about $5,000 - $6,000. “ If you have 30 days of skiable snow you can make that back without too much trouble,” he remarked. Location is a big factor to consider. “ Places that have not done well have been out in the boonies. The key to success is urban or close suburban locations.” Having a rental facility and a skiing course is a big ad­ vantage. “ You can be right next door to a sporting goods store that rents equipment and you’ll blow them away,” he asserted. That’s because stores have to rent by the half-day, while a facility can rent on a two-hour basis — and the equipment never leaves the area. Klosterman added that there should not be any in­ surance problems when dealing with cross country ski­ ing. “ I have never had a golf course come back and say they had to pay an extra premium for cross country ski­ ing,” he said. The only other thing needed is expertise. “ If you’re in a snow area, there usually are enough people around who can help you,” he said. “ To be honest, all you need are people like me. “ Getting the right equipment is the key. There is equip­ ment that works and equipment that doesn’t work.”