USGA Report on the Greens, Part Four

This week we look at part four of USGA agronomist, Pat Gross’ December 2010 report on the greens at the Villages. This week Pat's report starts getting to the real issue: Improving the firmness of the greens.

ENHANCING FIRMNESS

Cultivation - Core aeration and surface cultivation of the greens should be a primary focus of your ongoing management programs as a method to physically remove excess thatch and organic matter. The following recommendations were made during the visit regarding recommended cultivation programs for the coming year:

Continue with the current program of deep aeration during the month of April using ?-inch to ¾-inch diameter tines followed by sand topdressing to fill the holes completely to the surface.

As part of the April treatment, consider testing the Graden™ Sand Injection machine, which is a heavy-duty vertical mowing machine that removes thatch and injects sand directly into the grooves. You may wish to evaluate this treatment on a portion of the practice putting green and observe the impact on surface firmness and the time necessary for turf recovery. The combination of aeration and sand injection was completed in September at Torrey Pines Golf Course, and the protocol for this operation is attached to this report as a further reference.

Continue the current practice of venting the greens at monthly intervals from May through September. This can be done by using small diameter 1/4-inch solid tines, or a slicing machine, such as the PlanetAir™.

Although most courses schedule core aeration and sand topdressing in the fall, this practice has been suspended for many years at the Villages due to concerns regarding rapid blight disease. As an alternative, you may wish to evaluate the DryJect™ as an option for aerating the greens in late September. This is a contract service using a specialized machine that injects a slurry of sand and water into the greens under high pressure. Several superintendents in the San Francisco Bay area have reported good results with this procedure and slightly less time for turf recovery.

USGA Report, Part Three

This week we look at part three of USGA agronomist, Pat Gross’ December 2010 report on the greens at the Villages. This week Pat discusses disease and pest susceptibility.   Disease and pest susceptibility: Although Poa annua is susceptible to various fungal diseases, the maintenance staff has done a good job of making preventive fungicide applications to sustain healthy turf growth throughout the year. Of particular concern is the susceptibility of the greens to rapid blight disease, which has caused significant turf loss at the Villages in previous years. This disease is most damaging in late summer when soluble salt levels are relatively high in the greens and the turf is under high temperature and moisture stress. Preventive management programs are essential for controlling this disease and practices should include:
- Deep watering of the greens at regular intervals to dilute and flush salts away from sensitive turf roots.
- Suspending abrasive turf management practices in the fall, such as aeration, vertical mowing, and sand topdressing.
- Applying preventive fungicides at recommended label rates.

As you can see, the practices necessary to prevent and control rapid blight disease are likely to contribute to softer surface conditions late in the year.

New Drinking Fountains

The new drinking fountains have now been installed on the golf course. They are located at the putting green, 8 tee, 15 tee and Gazebo Park. As part of the project, the backflow devises were replaced. Hopefully people have noticed a dramatic improvement in the taste and clarity of the water at the fountains.  

The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary program (ACSP)

     We have recently decided to get involved in an exciting environmental improvement program for our golf course. The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary program (ACSP) provides information, guidance, and support to help golf courses conduct proactive environmental projects that benefit people and the environment. We have many sound environmental practices in place already and this program will help us expand upon these.

     The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary program for Golf Courses helps courses to enhance wildlife habitats and protect natural resources for the benefit of people, wildlife, and the game of golf. The program is designed to give golf course managers the information and guidance they need to implement stewardship projects and receive recognition for their efforts.

       The Golf Program is part of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System, a nationwide network of conservation partnership that includes backyards, schools, corporate and business properties, and golf courses. It is administered by Audubon International, a non-profit environmental organization that spearheads education and conservation assistance programs that promote environmental stewardship and sustainability. There will be more information to follow.

Raptors of The Villages G & CC

Many thanks to Mike Kulakofsky for supplying me with some incredible photos of raptors that he has taken  at The Villages. This month's raptor is the Red Tailed Hawk.

• Size & Shape

  Red-tailed Hawks are large hawks with typical Buteo proportions: very broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail. Large females seen from a distance might fool you into thinking you’re seeing an eagle. (Until an actual eagle comes along.)

• Color Pattern

  Most Red-tailed Hawks are rich brown above and pale below, with a streaked belly and, on the wing underside, a dark bar between shoulder and wrist. The tail is usually pale below and cinnamon-red above, though in young birds it’s brown and banded. “Dark-phase” birds are all chocolate-brown with a warm red tail. “Rufous-phase” birds are reddish-brown on the chest with a dark belly.

• Behavior

  You’ll most likely see Red-tailed Hawks soaring in wide circles high over a field. When flapping, their wingbeats are heavy. In high winds they may face into the wind and hover without flapping, eyes fixed on the ground. They attack in a slow, controlled dive with legs outstretched – much different from a falcon’s stoop.

• Habitat

  The Red-tailed Hawk is a bird of open country. Look for it along fields and perched on telephones poles, fenceposts, or trees standing alone or along edges of fields.

Meet the Maintenance Team

Beto is the Assistant Golf Course Superintendent. Beto started working at The Villages in 1988 as the Head Irrigation Technician, before taking over as the Assistant in 2009.

Part Two of Pat Gross's Report

This week we look at part two of USGA agronomist, Pat Gross’s report on the greens at the Villages. This week Pat discusses thatch and organic matter.

Thatch and organic matter - The dense layer of thatch and organic matter in the top ½-inch of the soil profile is primarily responsible for soft surface conditions. The thatch layer acts as a sponge that retains moisture and contributes to deep ball mark scars and foot printing on the greens. Diluting the thatch and organic matter is a matter of making slight adjustments to your aeration and topdressing program over the coming year, which will help to incorporate more sand into the surface of the greens.

Next week: Disease and pest susceptibility.                                                              

Pat Gross from the USGA visits The Villages GCC

On December 9th, 2010, Pat Gross with the USGA Green Section came to the Villages to review the status of the greens. I will be reprinting his report in installments. This first installment includes an introduction and some discussion on the existing soil and drainage conditions of the greens.
The following report summarizes the discussions and recommendations made during the Turf Advisory Service visit on December 9, 2010.
It was a pleasure to return to The Villages Golf & Country Club to discuss golf course maintenance issues on behalf of the USGA Green Section. The focus of the visit was to review the status of the greens with an emphasis on options to improve surface firmness. Specific topics covered in this report include:

1. Health and status of greens

2. Enhancing firmness

3. Do the greens need to be rebuilt?

Soil and drainage - The greens displayed healthy turf growth on the day of the visit and it was good to hear that the greens remained relatively healthy throughout the entire year. Soil profile samples were taken on the practice putting green and No. 9 green to evaluate root growth, the consistency of the soil mix, and the presence of any restrictive layers. The top seven inches of the greens displayed a relatively uniform sand mixture with a layer of organic matter in the top 1/2 inch of the profile. An amended loamy sand material was evident below the seven-inch depth, which appears to be remnants of the original construction mix. Although the difference in soil type at the bottom of the sample is a cause for concern, it was reported that the greens drain well following rain events or heavy irrigation cycles. Aggressive programs for deep aeration and topdressing over the past several years have helped to incorporate more sand into the surface of the greens and maintain acceptable drainage properties. Although the soil profile is not ideal, the greens appear to be sustainable as long as conservative management programs for mowing, disease control, and the use of potable water for irrigation remain in place.

Next week: Thatch and organic matter