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The USGA Green Section Weekly Update
April 16, 2010 |
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| Population and Community Responses of Reptiles to Golf Courses | | USGA Sponsored Research You Can Use
by Matt Goode, Ph.D.., research scientist, Wildlife Conservation and Management, School of Natural Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona |
Regal horned lizard |
The demand for golf course communities in Arizona has steadily increased, especially as aging baby boomers transition into retirement. Presently, there is a lack of information on the potential role that golf courses can play in maintaining native reptile populations and communities, especially in arid environments like the southwestern United States. The more information we know about designing and managing golf course communities, the better we will be at maximizing the benefits that golf courses can provide for wildlife. We hope to strengthen these potential benefits by means of education and involvement of golf course professionals and the local community, and through development of recommendations for both retrofitting and design of new courses. Read this article |
| Core Cultivation: Timing is Everything | | Understanding the risks of coring at non-traditional times.
by Adam Moeller, USGA agronomist - Northeast Region |
Scheduling core cultivation can be very challenging. Understanding the risks associated with coring at non-traditional times helps course officials make the best choice. |
Core cultivation is a great way to rejuvenate putting greens, improve long-term turf performance, and maintain adequate drainage and soil oxygen levels. The short list of benefits associated with coring includes: rootzone modification, thatch management, improved gas exchange, increased drainage and rooting, compaction relief, and alleviation of rootzone layering. There are traditional windows of activity for coring putting greens, but superintendents and course officials have pulled the coring schedule earlier and pushed it well beyond the traditional dates over the past decade in response to the demand for flawless conditions throughout the season. This article will focus on the potential agronomic impacts of coring in nontraditional time periods. Read this article |
| Regional Update - Southeast Region | | Investing In Excellence
By Anthony L. Williams, CGCS - Stone Mountain Golf Club by Marriott |
Southeast Region | Is the USGA Turf Advisory Service an investment or an expense? Many golf course superintendents say they cannot participate in the Turf Advisory Service because of the expense. I have always found the Turf Advisory Service to be an investment in excellence rather than an expense. The cost of the service is an initial investment that in my case has always returned much bigger savings (and opportunities for excellence) than the original cost. The information provided has led to direct and indirect savings without exception, every visit and every year. Recommendations on the latest chemicals and cultural practices have saved me time and money for years. I have reached career milestone after milestone by putting USGA recommendations to work throughout my operation. Read this update |
| Regional Update - Northeast Region | The Calendar Says April, But What About The July Feel?
by Adam Moeller - agronomist, Northeast Region |
Northeast Region |
Invariably, springtime obstacles are challenges for golf course superintendents. This year, the early April weather patterns seemed more like July, as some areas closed in on the 90� F mark. All things considered, the warm weather caused many superintendents to raise an eyebrow and ask the question: Is this a sign of what is to come? The warm spell has improved recovery from winter damage --- a welcome sight at facilities that experienced problems this year. Read this update |
| Live Webcast on Tuesday, April 20, at 10:00 AM Central | | Winterkill Impact - Evaluation, Recovery and Procedures
by Charles "Bud" White, director Mid-Continent Region |
The winter weather has left its mark on many bermudagrass courses
Bud White | in the form of winterkill. This webcast will help superintendents evaluate and plan a recovery program. Maybe even more importantly it will provide club officials with information on what winterkill is, how its extent can be accurately evaluated now, and what is the best plan of attack for recovery. We have not seen significant winterkill in many years and its presence now has many golf courses determining their best course of action.
To attend this and any USGA webcast you will need to have the Microsoft Live Meeting CLIENT installed on your computer. Be sure to click the "Check Your System" link below before attempting to join the webcast.
Once you have checked your system, you can join the webcast up to 30 minutes prior to the start time. Click this link to join the webcast.
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| USGA Green Section Survey | | Bermudagrass Winter Injury
by James F. Moore |
One of the many advantages to a digital publication is the ability to gather important information through on-line surveys. The winter of 2010 brought very low temperatures across much of the southern portion of the United States resulting in significant damage to bermudagrass areas. Please help us gauge the incidence and severity of the damage by completing a very brief survey. You can see the results immediately. The information gathered through this survey will be utilized in the April 20 Green Section webcast (see the above article).
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| USGA Green Section Video Presentation | Precision Turfgrass Management - A Glimpse Into the Future
by Christopher Hartwiger, senior agronomist, Southeast Region |  This video is a recording of Chris Hartwiger's presentation on March 16th at the Southeast Regional Education Conference. The conference was held at the Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, NC, and was a joint meeting with the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association.
Chris' presentation highlights the amazing technology that is coming to the golf course management industry and how it could dramatically improve our utilization of valuable resources. |
| $500 discount on the Turf Advisory Service |
Don't forget that if you pay for a Turf Advisory Service visit by May 15, 2010 you will save $500 on the cost of the visit.
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| USGA Green Section
P.O. Box 0708
Far Hills, NJ 07931-0708 908.234.2300
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