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VOLUME 51, NUMBER 06 | March 22, 2013
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USGA PODCAST
OUT FROM UNDER WINTER PROTECTIVE COVERS
Jim Skorulski, senior agronomist, Northeast Region
Listen To The Podcast |
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ECONOMIC CHALLENGES FACING GOLF REQUIRE CREATIVE IDEAS TO REDUCE EXPENSES
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ADDING VALUE - IT COMES IN ALL SIZES
Scott Stambaugh, superintendent, Overlake Golf and Country Club, Medina, Wash.
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The golf course serves as a perfect classroom setting for local schoolchildren to learn about nature and how golf courses can improve the environment.
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The phrase "adding value" has grown into somewhat of an iconic catchphrase in the golf world in recent years. It has become an increasingly difficult task for many golf facilities to remain attractive to their current members, prospective members, and the community in general. Management teams, especially those responsible for the golf course, are being tasked to find ways to add value to a membership or green fee without the luxury of any additional funds. Doing what we have always done is not a viable option anymore. At Overlake Golf and Country Club, we are fortunate to have several resources to turn to in regard to adding value: ● We have a core group of staff members with a shared, common-sense approach to golf course maintenance. We continually strive to find ways to make things happen and are always brainstorming for ideas to elevate the golfing experience. ● The course maintenance history is well documented in more than 40 years of USGA Turf Advisory Service visits and reports. ● In the Seattle area, there resides a tight-knit group of local superintendents who are always willing to openly discuss and share ideas with each other. What follows are a few examples of practices we have implemented and projects undertaken that we believe add value on many different levels to golfers and the community.
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THE ART AND SCIENCE OF MANAGING PASPALUM GREENS CONTINUE TO IMPROVE
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GOING FOR THE GOLD WITH SEASHORE PASPALUM PUTTING GREENS
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One of the advantages of seashore paspalum is the ability to utilize the same grass on greens, tees, fairways and other course areas.
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Seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz) is a warm-season perennial turfgrass that inhabits many tropical to temperate coastal locations around the world. It is classified as a halophyte, which means it is a salt tolerant or salt loving species. This characteristic, in combination with concerns about declining irrigation water quality, resource conservation and environmental impacts, resulted in increased interest in the collection and breeding of paspalum cultivars with improved turfgrass quality characteristics. In the late 1990s, paspalum cultivars 'Salam,' 'Sea Isle 2000' and 'Sea Isle 1' were introduced and began to be established on golf courses in the contiguous United States, Hawaii, the Caribbean and the Pacific Rim. This was followed by the introduction of 'Sea Dwarf,' 'Sea Isle Supreme' and most recently 'Platinum TE' in the mid-2000s. The book, Seashore Paspalum: The Environmental Turfgrass, by Drs. Duncan and Carrow, and a number of general articles and research reports have been published that discuss various aspects of seashore paspalum management. While these are certainly valuable resources, whenever new grasses are introduced to the industry the fine tuning of best management practices occurs in the field over a period of years.
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ALL THINGS CONSIDERED - A USGA STAFF OPINION
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LET'S MAKE A DEAL: OVERSEEDED OR NON-OVERSEEDED FAIRWAYS?
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Is this fairway green because of a turf colorant or overseeding? It is difficult to tell.
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Chances are that if I begin this memorandum with an admonition to "just say no" to fairway overseeding, you would rapidly push it into the giant recycle bin in cyberspace. So instead, let's make a deal. I will not tell you not to overseed if you promise to take a short four-question quiz. Don't worry, everyone will pass. Think of this as a diagnostic test. Your answers will indicate whether you are a candidate for a new type of winter fairway management program that costs and requires fewer inputs. Do we have a deal?
Given that resort golf facilities have vested interest in filling tee sheets as full as possible from October through April, there is a premium on customer satisfaction. Therefore, we will call this the "The Customer-Comes-First Quiz."
Answering these questions will assist you in making sure your customer is satisfied.
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USGA LIVE WEBCAST
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PAINTING FAIRWAYS - A BETTER OPTION THAN EVER BEFORE
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Sign up today to attend the live webcast on Wednesday, 04/03/2013 at 11:00 AM EDT. The webinar will last approximately 30 minutes.
In this presentation, Patrick O'Brien of the SE Region will provide an overview of turf colorants and how they are used to provide color to fairways. Numerous golf courses now paint fairways in the winter to (a) reduce inputs such as water, fertilizer, and fuel, (b) save money compared to traditional overseeding, and (c) to provide golfers with the green color they enjoy even when bermudagrass is dormant and brown. Ten key tips on how to apply the turf colorants will be discussed, as well as when to best apply these products to optimize the results.
Click Here To Register
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EAGLE UPDATE
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"GREAT WAY TO START OFF THE DAY!"
| These were the words Paul Carter used to begin his email to us Thursday morning, March 21, 2013. Paul is the superintendent of The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, the home of the Harrison Bay Eagle Cam.
Here is the rest of Paul's email:
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First eaglet born 3-21-13, waiting for brother or sister.
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All, Great way to start off the day!!!! New eaglet arrived around 7:30 this morning. Looks strong and fuzzy. Hopefully little brother or sister will follow suit in the next few days. Thanks for making this possible for all around the world. Paul L. Carter, CGCS The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay |
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REGIONAL UPDATES
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Northeast Region What A Difference A Year Makes - At this time last year we were talking about how much play was already taking place on courses in the Northeast Region. This year we are hoping the alternating warm and cold weather will have a negative impact on one of our most troublesome insects. Read More | |
Mid-Atlantic Region Test Now To Identify Best Management Practices For The Rest Of The Year - The spring is a great time of year to test and scout for issues that can be controlled preventively. Read More | |
Southeast Region Lessons Learned From Winter Painting Of Fairways - As spring temperatures finally arrive in the Southeast, now is a good time to look back at the emerging trend of fairway painting in winter as an alternative to overseeding. Read More | |
Florida Region Educating Others - One Junior Environmentalist At A Time - Well-managed golf courses provide a significant benefit to wildlife and the surrounding environment. Tours like the ones offered to school children by superintendent Tim Hiers of the Old Collier Golf Club are an excellent way to educate others about the role golf courses play in more than just the game of golf. Read More | |
North-Central Region "(Vole)Re, Oh, Oh" (With Apologies To Dean Martin) - It is a pretty safe bet that Dean was not singing about voles but some in the North-Central region are singing the blues about this pest. Read More | |
Mid-Continent Region Most Recent Updates | |
Northwest Region
A Green Committee University - A idea that began in the Florida Region has potential nationwide and will be emulated in upcoming Northwest Green Section meetings. Read More
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Southwest Region It's Time For An Irrigation Audit - Now is the time to take a close look at all components of the irrigation system and employ practices to improve efficiency. Here are a few good places to start. Read More | |
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