April 1, 2011 -- Volume 49, Number 13

Believe it or not, this is how greens used to be mowed. Are these men "Greenskeepers" or "Greenkeepers"?

A good deal of confusion surrounds the use of the word green in proper golf terminology.  Should one use "green fee" or "greens fee?"  Is it "greenkeeper" or a "greenskeeper?"  Exactly what area does the word "green" pertain to on a golf course?  And is it the "USGA Green Section" or the "USGA Greens Section?"

Green is a noun and has two proper golf meanings.  The first meaning is chiefly of Scottish origin.  It simply defines all territory of a golf course, or all areas outside the confines of the clubhouse.  Thus, it can be used in relation to all outdoor areas of a golf course.  The second meaning, most readily known to modern audiences, means the area of short grass surrounding a hole.  This area is generally mown and rolled to the smoothest possible texture.  In keeping with the first meaning, a greenkeeper is someone whose responsibilities entail maintaining all areas of the golf course outside the clubhouse.  The term was changed to golf course superintendent in the United States several decades ago.

In most cases of using the word green in golf terminology, the use should be singular.  Green fee, greenkeeper, green committee, and USGA Green Section are all correct uses.  

One final word on this subject.  Green, in proper golf terminology, does NOT refer to any particular color found on a golf course.  It only applies to areas or regions of a golf course.

Put yourself in the audience at the Green Section Conference held at the 2011 Golf Industry Show

For the 34th consecutive year, the annual Green Section Education Conference was held in conjunction with the 2011 Golf Industry Show (GIS).  This year's program, held on February 11th, addressed the theme, "Lessons Learned Come in All Forms." The Green Section's staff totals 420+ years of experience, and the session highlighted some of the lessons learned and changes witnessed in the turfgrass management field. 

We are conscious of the fact that economic challenges have made it more difficult for people to attend the GIS, and, with this in mind, we are sharing the Green Section presentations in this publication. Over the coming weeks you will find written summaries of the presentations and links to the video of the actual conference presentations.

Part III - this week's presentations:

Adam Moeller

Ty McClellan

Life on the Road

Lessons Learned by the New Guys

Adam Moeller, Ty McClellan, Derf Soller, Brian Whitlark, agronomists

In this article and the accompanying video we pool together lessons learned from common mistakes (okay, let's just say it) experienced in our early years as agronomists and those we've seen made by both inexperienced and experienced superintendents. We do so from our perspective as the four newest additions to the Green Section staff. Many examples presented here were learned the hard way. Some are lighthearted in nature, whereas others are not, but everything discussed falls into the category of important lessons learned. May we all learn from our mistakes and be better for it tomorrow!

Read the article

Watch the video
 

Darin Bevard

Keith Happ

Philosophy versus Agronomy

It's Important to Know the Difference - And When To Stand Your Ground

Darin Bevard and Keith Happ, senior agronomists

At every golf course, there are course officials. It may be the green chairman or president at a member-owned club, the owner of a private course, or the supervisor of parks at a municipal property. Regardless of the course type, the golf course superintendent must work with these officials and other department heads to communicate the needs of the golf course while defining the daily playing conditions on the golf course. Generally, the issues on the golf course can be broken down into a few categories, but two distinct divisions exist: philosophical issues and agronomic issues. Each of these areas can be a potential point of conflict between the golf course maintenance staff and course officials as the golf course is prepared for daily play. The question is: Which is more important, philosophy or agronomy, and what does each mean to you?

Read the article

Watch the video

Turf on the practice facility tee is stripped at a height equivalent to the depth of the incoming sod. This method is an efficient way to remove spoils, level the tee and offer players a dense and cosmetically pleasing surface to enjoy when soil and air temperatures do not support active growth and seed germination.

Turfgrass growth and recovery during the winter of 2010/2011 in the southwestern region of the country was slow due to colder than average temperatures. Compounding the problem, winter months in the Southwest often coincide with a significant increase in golfer activity, especially on the practice facility tee. Unfortunately, seed germination, turf growth, and recovery are sluggish, as nighttime temperatures often dip below 45�F and soil temperatures stay below 50�F. This is especially apparent on driving range tees when heavy play chews up the overseeded turf and often results in an unpleasant experience for golfers. If the practice facility tee at your course is small and cannot support the play it receives, golfers will find themselves searching for turf to hit from. Consider synthetic turf to relieve some of the pressure on the natural turf surface, or try pre-germinating seed to improve the performance of the practice facility. As an alternative, consider a sodding technique that is rapidly gaining popularity in the Southwest Region.

Read the rest of this article

Watch a brief video of the stripping technique 

A Mid-Continent Regional Update
by Stanley J. Zontek, director

Golfers are asking their superintendent to core aerate, either earlier in the spring or later in the fall in order to maximize the number of days that golf can be played on the best possible putting surfaces. Unfortunately, recent cold weather has resulted in this important work, either being deferred, which is not good in the long term, or delayed, which means that some aerator holes will be open when spring golf will be played. As much as we might not like to believe it, so much of what we can and cannot do is affected by the weather.

In reality, there is very little that can be done. Dark-colored topdressings and dark-colored natural organic fertilizers absorb heat due to their dark color, helping to increase turf growth. In some rare cases, turfgrass covers can be used, but generally only for areas where you are trying to germinate seed. 

Our best guidance is to simply understand the situation, appreciate the limitations caused by the unseasonably cold weather, and be patient.  Simply said, the grass will grow when temperatures rise.

Read the rest of this update.

A Northeast Regional Update
by David Oatis, director

A recent cold spell and snowstorms in various parts of the Northeast have people thinking anything but spring.  Nonetheless, golfers are waiting with eager anticipation for the grass to begin growing and for the greens to be opened.  Unfortunately, plenty of golfers now are learning that their greens will not be open and that winter injury is the cause.  Although some courses have suffered extensive damage, and may be considering regrassing, plenty of other courses experienced damage in isolated areas.  In some of these areas, the annual bluegrass does not appear to have been killed outright.  Green shoots are now appearing in plenty of affected areas, thereby promising faster recovery.

The bottom line - winter injury is usually difficult to predict and often impossible to prevent.  Recovery time can be equally difficult to predict.  Keep in mind that opening your greens too soon will slow the recovery dramatically, and will promote annual bluegrass at the expense of potential gains in creeping bentgrass.  If there is a silver lining in the winter injury cloud, it is that it almost always translates to increased bentgrass populations.

Read the rest of this update.

A North Central Regional Update
by Bob Brame, director

No April fool's joke - the harsh 2010 season was well documented with most courses experiencing some level of turf weakening or loss.  Unfortunately, for some, the impact of a difficult 2010 season extends into 2011.

For many courses in the lower North Central Region, the harsh 2010 summer weather brought significant and widespread loss of grass in the rough.  This was followed by a very dry fall, and since most courses do not have adequate irrigation in the rough, the extended dry weather pattern blocked seeding efforts to recover from the summer's losses.  The thinned rough turf is glaring this spring.

What to do if this combination applies to your course: Read on 

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