September 21, 2012 -- Volume 50, Number 20               

(Left) Meyer zoysiagrass provides high-quality fairways at the Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn.  (Right) Zoysiagrass provides a playable surface in the winter months. If only the distinct color contrast would actually help more golf balls find the fairway! (Photo courtesy David Stone, Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn.)

The transition zone is that 200-mile-wide belt between the cooler northern states and warmer southern states that stretches from Kansas to Maryland. Both cool-season and warm-season turfgrasses are present in this area, although few turfgrass species are well adapted to this challenging climate. Transition zone golf courses primarily have cool-season grasses, such as annual bluegrass, creeping bentgrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and perennial ryegrass on the fairways. However, golf course superintendents in this region struggle to maintain cool-season grasses during the summer due to excessive heat, irrigation requirements, disease pressure, and traffic effects. These grasses can decline in the summer, causing poor golfing conditions in spite of superintendents spending many hours and dollars to maintain acceptable playing surfaces.

 Click here to read the rest of this article  

The pile just keeps getting bigger - deferred projects, worn-out equipment, an old irrigation system, and an overgrown and increasingly problematic tree population. These are just a few of the most common examples of deferred maintenance and financial cutbacks at golf facilities today, but there are more. Although we want to close our eyes and hope the pile disappears, it never does. What is a golf course to do? Understandably, the downturn in the economy in recent years has been especially difficult on the golf industry. It has forced owners, managers, and superintendents to decide what they can afford to do at the present time and what must be deferred for later.

In some cases, the desire to balance the bottom line has unfortunately extended into even the most basic agronomic practices. Managers, golf professionals, and superintendents face difficult questions. "Do we really need to aerate and topdress greens? If we skip aeration this fall, can we get more play and generate more revenue?" Granted, putting greens won't die if one treatment is skipped, but it is in the best long-term interest of the golf course to aerate and keep the greens as healthy as possible. Observations over the past four years have been very interesting. In general, skipping one core aeration treatment has had very little impact on the overall performance of greens. But skipping the second, third, and maybe fourth treatment has had a cumulative effect on putting greens. This comes in the form of a dense thatch layer that contributes to soft, soggy greens that are more prone to disease. Consequently, more fungicides are applied and extra hand watering is needed just to keep greens alive under difficult weather conditions. Is this really a bargain?

 Click here to read the rest of this article 

The USGA Green Section agronomists see an broad variety of issues and challenges as they visit golf courses across the country. Be sure to read the highlights of each region since many of the topics covered apply to courses everywhere.

   Mid-Atlantic Region

Wrapping up the Summer and Prepping for Winter - Isolated flooding, bermudagrass management during reduced sunlight intensity, and other fall challenges. 

Important Links