Tennessee Turfgrass - August / September 2017

August/September 2017

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association and the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

Native Areas for Southern

Golf Course Roughs

First and Foremost:

Be an Agronomist

Strategies for

Improving the Safety and Performance

of Athletic Fields

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association and the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

TABLE OF CONTENTS August/September 2017

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FEATURED ARTICLES

16 22 26 32

Cover Story — Strategies for Improving the Safety and Performance of Athletic Fields Turf Talk — Native Areas for Southern Golf Course Roughs Turf Tips — First and Foremost: Be an Agronomist Professional Development — Battle Burnout: Address the 6 Motivators for Enjoying Work

DEPARTMENTS From the TTA President, Theo Lankford

6

TTA Membership Application

7

From the TVSTMA President, Connor Schutzman

8

From the ETGCSA President, Pat Rose

10

News from TTA

13

The University of Tennessee Turf Team

31

Calendar of Events & Index of Advertisers

34

The Tennessee Turfgrass Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Tennessee Turfgrass Magazine, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or Turfgrass Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright © 2017 by the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. Tennessee Turfgrass is published bi-monthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. Third-class postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Tennessee Turfgrass allows reprinting of material. Permission requests should be directed to the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS August/September 2017

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26

From the TTA President

Theo Lankford The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association and the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

UT

Turfgrass

Research

Rocks!

S

ummer came and went in a flash!

It feels like it was just yesterday we were getting ready for spring greenup. Now we’re getting ready for fall — ryegrass is such a beautiful thing!

Speaking of things that are beautiful, the University of Tennessee Turfgrass and Ornamental Field Day 2017, held on September 7, was probably the best I have ever attended. It seems like the attendance gets bigger each year, as well as the great research that comes with it. Congratulations to the UT turfgrass team on a job well done!

If you have attended the Field Day in the last five or six years, you know the TTA holds a raffle with 100% of the proceeds going to UT’s turfgrass research.

This year, we changed the beneficiary to the TTA Turfgrass Endowment. This still

i The m

benefits UT’s turfgrass research, just in a bigger way at a later date. I’m proud to announce we raised over $2,500, the most we have ever raised. In addition to the $2,500, there was a donation of $500, making the total raised over $3,000! Thank you to all who participated in any way!

It’s time to get your registrations in for the 2018 TTA Annual Conference and Trade Show in January. Visit TTAONLINE.org for more information or to register. I look forward to seeing everyone there!

Doers do!

Theo Lankford

2016–2017 TTA President

e Te nn essee Turf gr as s A s s o c i a ssion of th tion

To promote the turfgrass industry through education, scholarship and research.

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS August/September 2017 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

Tennessee Turfgrass is the official publication of The Tennessee Turfgrass Association 400 Franklin Road Franklin, Tennessee 37069 (615) 465-6339 info@ttaonline.org www.ttaonline.org Published by Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedge communications.com Editor Dr. James Brosnan TTA OFFICERS President Theo Lankford Kormac, LLC (615) 519-2701 Vice President Jason Pooler Tri-Turf Sod Farms, Inc. (731) 642-3092 Secretary/Treasurer Doug Ward Belle Meade C.C. (615) 292-6752 Past President Paul Carter, CGCS Bear Trace at Harrison Bay (423) 344-6374 Executive Director Melissa Martin Tennessee Turfgrass Assn.

(615) 465-6339 TTA 2017 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ryan Blair, CGCS Cal Hill Joe Hill Jeff Kuhns Timothy Long Mickey Lovett Bill Marbet Richard Pavlasek, CGCS Jason Sanderson Chris Sykes Paul Webb Scott Wicker TTA ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD Bill Blackburn Dr. Jim Brosnan Dr. Brandon Horvath Lynn Ray Jeff Rumph, CGCS Dr. Tom Samples Dr. John Sorochan Dr. Wes Totten

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSN. ———— MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION ———— Membership applications can be submitted at any time during the year.

For more information, please contact the TTA Office at (615) 465-6339 or fax your application form to (615) 790-8600.

Please print or type the following information as you would like it to appear in the annual directory.

Name _ ____________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Facility _ ___________________________________________

Type of Business________________________________________

Address _ ____________________________________________________________

P.O. Box _ ___________________________

City _______________________________________________

State ___________

Zip _________________________________

Telephone (_____) _ __________________________________

Fax (_____)____________________________________________

Email Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Additional individuals from same facility requesting membership: Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Name______________________________________________

Title__________________________________________________

Membership Categories:

Regular Membership.......................................................................................................................................

$50.00

Student Membership.......................................................................................................................................

$10.00

Retired Membership........................................................................................................................................

No Dues

Payable Dues:

# of Regular Memberships ........................................................................................................... ______ x $50.00 = $_ _____________

# of Student Memberships ........................................................................................................... ______ x $10.00 = $_ _____________

Total ............................................................................................................................................... ______

$ _ _____________

Please make check payable to: Tennessee Turfgrass Association Please send check and completed form to:

Tennessee Turfgrass Association • 400 Franklin Road • Franklin, TN 37069 TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

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From the TVST M A President

Connor Schutzman

Don’t Fall Back!

F

or many facilities, fall is a very busy time as patrons continue to gather to use the athletic fields. The sports can range from football to soccer to multi-sport camps.

Fall is also time when overseeding should take place. Many challenges can arise when overseeding, such as the weather and the wear and tear from the particular sport being played on that field. Make

sure you are paying attention to all of these things, since they can affect your results.

Whether you broadcast, broadcast and topdress or aerify and then seed, TIMING IS EVERYTHING! Don’t forget the water and starter fertilizer, since drought conditions are prone to occur in fall. Getting the seed established early and properly will give you the best results going into winter.

A healthy ryegrass plant in the winter means a vigorous plant in the spring!

I would also like to mention that the TVSTMA board members have been hard at work this summer. With the help of many dedicated turfgrass colleagues, we have been preparing to launch a new program with Commercial Sponsorship opportunities and benefits. We also have been able to put together futures locations and dates for 2018. It is our hope that this information will inspire everyone to become more involved members. The benefits of being involved will benefit you as well as help TVSTMA grow! Be on the lookout for more information regarding the sponsorships later this fall.

Connor Schutzman, CSFM 2017 TVSTMA President

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS August/September 2017 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

From the ETGCSA President

Pat Rose

Help Us

Plan Our Meeting Schedule and Topics for Next Year!

I

want to thank each of you for your participation in this year’s ETGCSA meeting schedule. We had a great slate of meetings and lots of excellent speakers, and each meeting gave our members a chance to catch up, swap stories and share tips for success. In fact, networking — expanding your professional contacts in the industry — is one of the most valuable benefits of being an ETGCSA member.

If you weren’t able to attend a meeting, now is a great time to consider your participation for 2018. We are always looking for new meeting sites, new members and new experiences. The education portion of our meetings is critical for keeping up with current issues and, of course, recertification points. That doesn’t mean it should be boring. If you have an idea for a new speaker or topic, please share it with one of our board members. As we plan next year’s schedule of meetings and topics, we want to know what’s important to you!

See you at the Conference in January!

Patrick P. Rose President, ETGCSA

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS August/September 2017 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

New s from TTA

Who Would You Select As

TTA Professional of the Year?

?

TTA Professional of the Year • Nomination Form Person Being Nominated:________________________ Person Making the Nomination:___________________

Do

you know an outstanding turfgrass professional in Tennessee who deserves the recognition of his or her peers? If so, now’s the time to let the TTA know who you believe should receive one of the association’s highest honors — the TTA Professional of the Year Award — at the TTA Annual Conference and Tradeshow this coming January.

Please take a moment to mail in the nomination form on the right.

Nominees will be reviewed by the TTA Awards & Scholarship Committee, which will make a recommendation for approval by the TTA board of directors. Nominations must be postmarked no later than November 15, 2017.

Please send entries to: Tennessee Turfgrass Association 400 Franklin Road • Franklin, TN 37069 Submit entries online at: www.ttaonline.org

Reason for Nomination:_________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

2018 TTA Environmental Stewardship Award

The

Tennessee Turfgrass Association (TTA) would like to recognize outstanding contributions by individuals, organizations, businesses, educational institutions and agencies for successful projects or activities designed to improve the environment through wildlife-habitat preservation, water and resource conservation and reduction, and educational outreach. Through our Environmental Stewardship Award, we can create greater knowledge and awareness of environmental and conservation practices and projects by members of TTA who have demonstrated outstanding contributions to environmental protection and improvement.

All entry materials must be submitted according to the procedures outlined below. The TTA Awards Committee, consisting of highly regarded TTA professionals, will independently judge the entries.

The winner will be notified in November, and the Environmental Stewardship Award will be presented at the TTA Awards Ceremony at the 2018 TTA Annual Conference.

Criteria for Consideration The following criteria must be met to

submit for the TTA Environmental Stewardship Award: • Property must be fully managed by an active and in-good-standing member of TTA. • Property must have been in use for at least two years.

• All materials must be submitted in one application packet.

How to Apply In order to be considered for the TTA Environmental Stewardship Award, the following materials must be submitted to the TTA Awards Committee no later than November 15, 2017: 1. A type-written essay, no longer than one page in length, that includes the following information: • Name and location of the property • Name and contact information of the person in charge of the property • A detailed account of how the property has improved, protected and/or promoted environmental protection and conservation. The Awards Committee is looking for unique and innovative ways in which individuals have changed practices or programs on the property to either reduce the use

of (and conserve) natural resources, improved or created natural habitats, or encouraged environmental awareness through outreach and education.

2. A minimum of two original photographs of the property, with captions.

The committee encourages creative photos that show how actions and activities on the property have improved or benefitted the environment. Documentation of environmental certifications from Audubon International, The Groundwater Foundation or the Environmental Institute for Golf is encouraged. Materials prepared for education and outreach, as well as any published articles or case studies promoting environmental stewardship, are also encouraged. Photos of wildlife, unless unique in nature, should not be submitted. T All entries must be postmarked no later than November 15, 2017.

Please send entries to: Tennessee Turfgrass Association 400 Franklin Road • Franklin, TN 37069 Submit entries online at: www.ttaonline.org

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

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NE W S FR OM TTA 2018 TTA Golf Course of the Year Award

The

Tennessee Turfgrass Association (TTA) recognizes that golf course superintendents make personal and professional contributions to our industry and to the organizations/golfers that they serve.

Therefore, the TTA would like to distinguish golf courses across the state with the Golf Course of the Year Program. Through this program, we are able to greatly further one main element of our mission: to gain acknowledgement for the professionalism of our members.

This year, based on the results of the judging, the following awards may be presented at the TTA Awards Ceremony at the TTA Annual Conference in January 2018: • TTA Private Golf Course of the Year • TTA Public Golf Course of the Year All entry materials must be submitted

according to the procedures outlined below. The TTA Awards Committee, consisting of highly regarded TTA professionals, will independently judge the entries.

Winners will be notified in November.

Criteria for Consideration The following criteria must be met to submit for the TTA Golf Course of the Year Awards Program: • The golf course must have had two full seasons of play.

• All materials must be submitted in one application packet.

How to Apply In order to be considered for the TTA Golf Course of the Year Awards Program, the following materials must be submitted to the TTA Awards Committee no later than November 15, 2017:

1. A type-written essay, no longer than one page in length, that includes the following information: • Name and location of the golf course • Level of play (i.e., private, public) • Name and contact information of the golf course superintendent • An explanation any special challenges faced by you and/or your team. These challenges may include funding, lack of labor, weather, drought, event preparations/conversions or anything else that you feel the Awards Committee should know about why this golf course should be recognized as Golf Course of the Year. Include anything unusual or new that you have done to overcome these challenges. The Awards Committee is looking for innovative solutions to turfgrassmanagement problems.

2. A minimum of two original photographs of the golf course, with captions.

The committee encourages creative photos — photos that show the versatility of the course, display unique characteristics of the course and show the crew’s unique talents. Focus on issues specific to your golf course that tell the story (issues such as drainage, environmental stewardship, weather, etc.). Do not simply provide “beauty shots” of the course, as they do not reflect the true struggles and triumphs of you and your crew. T All entries must be postmarked no later than November 15, 2017.

Please send entries to: Tennessee Turfgrass Association 400 Franklin Road • Franklin, TN 37069 Submit entries online at: www.ttaonline.org

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS August/September 2017 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

2018 TTA Sports Field of the Year Award

The

Tennessee Turfgrass Association (TTA) recognizes that sports field managers make personal and professional contributions to our industry and to the organizations/athletes that they serve. Therefore, the TTA would like to distinguish athletic fields across the state with the Sports Field of the Year Program. Through this program, we are able to greatly further one main element of our mission: To gain acknowledgement for the professionalism of our members. This year, based on the results of the judging, the following awards may be presented at the TTA Awards Ceremony at the TTA Annual Conference in January 2018: • TTA Professional Sports Field of the Year • TTA Collegiate Sports Field of the Year • TTA High School Sports Field of the Year • TTA Municipal Sports Field of the Year All entry materials must be submitted according to the procedures outlined below. The TTA Awards Committee, consisting of highly regarded TTA professionals, will independently judge the entries.

Winners will be notified in November.

• Level of play (i.e., professional, collegiate, high school – public, high school – private, municipal) • Name and contact information of the head turf manager • An explanation any special challenges faced by you and/or your team. These challenges may include funding, lack of labor, weather, drought, event preparations/conversions or anything else that you feel the Awards Committee should know about why this sports field should be recognized as Field of the Year. Include anything unusual or new that you have done to overcome these challenges. The Awards Committee is looking for innovative solutions to playing-surface problems.

2. A minimum of two original photographs of the field, with captions.

The committee encourages creative photos — photos that show the versatility of the field, display unique characteristics of the field and show the unique talents of the crew. Focus on issues specific to your field that tell the story (issues such as drainage, environmental stewardship, weather, etc.). Do not simply provide “beauty shots” of your field, as they do not reflect the true struggles and triumphs of you and your crew. T All entries must be postmarked no later than November 15, 2017.

Please send entries to: Tennessee Turfgrass Association 400 Franklin Road • Franklin, TN 37069 Submit entries online at: www.ttaonline.org

Criteria for Consideration The following criteria must be met to submit for the TTA Sports Field of the Year Awards Program: • For the purposes of this program, a “field” constitutes ONE natural grass playing surface.

• A field must have had two full seasons of play (may be concurrent — i.e., football and soccer on the same field in the fall, etc.).

• All materials must be submitted in one application packet.

How to Apply In order to be considered for the TTA Sports Field of the Year Awards Program, the following materials must be submitted to the TTA Awards Committee no later than November 15, 2017: 1. A type-written essay, no longer than one page in length, that includes the following information: • Name and location of the field TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

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Cover St ory

Strategies for

Improving the Safety and Performance of Athletic Fields

By Kyley Dickson, Graduate Student, University of Tennessee

The

characteristics of a good athletic field include adequate traction, surface hardness and turfgrass cover, while also being consistent and safe. Field managers strive to provide optimal athletic fields for athletes; however, some issues still must be battled due to the nature of sporting events.

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Soil compaction One of the most common problems on athletic fields is that traffic events (games and practices) lead to soil compaction. As compaction increases over time, it creates problems. Some of the negative effects of soil compaction are increased soil bulk density,

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS August/September 2017 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

decreased water-infiltration rates and decreased air-filled space. As compaction increases and turf cover is reduced, the potential for athlete injury rises. Due to the negative impacts of compaction on soils, cultural practices are often needed to alleviate this problem. Traditionally, core cultivation is utilized to reduce soil compaction.

Several cultivation methods can be used to reduce compaction of athletic fields.

Typically, core cultivation physically removes a core of soil, leaving a hole that is then back-filled with sand. An increase in drainage and dilution of organic matter are two of the benefits of sand topdressing. Some techniques utilize water, sand, air or other soil amendments to reduce compaction.

The HydroJect, introduced by the Toro Company, is an example of high-pressure water injection into the soil. Previous studies have shown the HydroJect to reduce soil compaction in compacted turfgrass rootzones. Additionally, dry-material injection is another technique that is utilized to reduce compaction. The Dryject utilizes high-pressure water to insert dry material (sand, calcined clay, etc.) into the surface.

While high-pressure water and drymaterial injection have been used for years, a new high-pressure, air-injection system has recently been introduced. Many field managers are using these different strategies to manage high-use areas. The airinjection system injects high volumes of compressed air into the rootzone through a series of porous soil probes. Air-injection systems use similar principles as the waterinjection system, but they utilize lower pressures than water systems.

Two studies are discussed below, with the first looking at air injection and the second investigating some of the differences between different cultivation techniques. The goal of Study I was to determine changes in surface hardness and soil physical properties in response to air injection on two compacted, silt-loam athletic fields. The goal of Study II was to compare the impact of surface disruption and surface hardness of different cultivation techniques.

Photo

1

Figure

1

Air2G2 on an athletic field in Knoxville, TN.

Surface hardness (Gmax) values taken with the Clegg hammer for both locations immediately after air-injection applications. Data was collected from July 1 – August 15, 2014, in Knoxville, TN. Errors bars represent Fisher’s LSD values at P < 0.05.

Study I The Air2G2 machine, manufactured

by GT AirInject, was used to apply airinjection treatments for this study. The Air2G2 utilizes a self-contained air compressor to inject air at the desired pressure below the soil surface. The Air2G2 has a three-wheeled configuration design that is easily maneuvered across a desired area (Photo 1).

The air-injection system contains three probes that simultaneously penetrate into the soil profile. These probes then release

compressed bursts of air at a desired depth.

For this study, the probes were 7" long on 18" spacing. The air pressure range can be

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

17

Cover St ory set from 0 to 150 psi. Different pressure settings are recommended depending on soil type (i.e., sand versus finer-textured native soils) to maximize the impact. For

Figure

2

this study, the pressure setting was 130 psi.

Research was conducted at the University of Tennessee from July 1 through August 30, 2014. The study was conducted

Soil bulk density (g cm-3) of native-soil athletic fields subjected to air-injection treatments for two locations at the conclusion of the study on August 15, 2014, Knoxville, TN. Errors bars represent Fisher’s LSD values at P < 0.05.

on two compacted (high-use municipal) native-soil (silt loam) athletic fields. Two application frequencies were used — once every 15 days and once every 30 days — and were compared to a non-treated control. Data collection included soil moisture, surface hardness, total soil porosity, soil bulk density and digital-image analysis for percent green cover. Every 30 days, soil cores were extracted for analysis to determine soil bulk densities and total soil porosities. Surface-hardness measurements were collected with the Clegg impact soil tester using a five-pound missile. Surface hardness was collected before and after the application of air injection. Time Domain Reflectometry (Spectrum Technologies) with three in tines was used to measure percent volumetric soil water content. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with three replications. Differences among treatments were determined using statistical software.

Results

Figure

3

18

Green turfgrass cover for various cultivation treatments 15 minutes after treatment applications in Knoxville, TN, and Elizabethtown, KY, on April 1, 2015. Means pooled across locations. Error bars represent Fisher’s LSD values at P < 0.05.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS August/September 2017 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

A 21% reduction in surface hardness was detected immediately after treatment application (Figure 1). Soil moisture content at each location accounted for the differences in surface hardness at each location on all data collection dates (data not shown). A 15% reduction in soil bulk density was detected in the top 2" of the soil for both air-injection application timings (Figure 2). A 17% Increase in total soil porosity was observed in the top 2" of the soil, while the untreated control had no change (data not shown).

This study demonstrates that an airinjection system increases total soil porosity and decreases soil bulk density on compacted, native-soil (silt loam) athletic fields. Surface hardness reductions were found immediately after treatment application.

No differences were detected in percent green cover for this study. Due to the minimally invasive nature of the air-injection system, play could take place immediately following application. Therefore, the air-injection system is a way to reduce surface hardness on compacted athletic fields immediately before an event, with limited surface disruption. Future

studies are needed to determine the longterm impacts of air injection aeration on athletic fields.

Study II The goal of this study was to compare the impact on surface disruption and surface hardness of different cultivation techniques. Research was conducted at the University of Tennessee and the University of Kentucky on a sand rootzone. Cultivation treatments for Study II consisted of: Dryject (DJ), Air2G2 (AI), hollow tine with sand topdressing (HT), solid tine with sand topdressing (ST) and an untreated control. The Dryject treatment injected sand into the surface at the manufacturer’s recommended pressure and spacing. The Air2G2 also used the manufacturer’s recommended pressures. The hollow-tine cultivation treatment used 0.5" tines, while 0.25" were used for solid-tine treatments.

Plots with sand topdressing applications received equal amounts and were brushed in using a push broom.

Fifteen minutes after treatment application, data was collected. Data collection included surface firmness, digital-image analysis for percent green turfgrass cover (GTC), soil moisture and soil bulk density. Surface firmness measurements were collected with the True Firmness Meter (Plainfield, IL); the greater the depth of the missile, the softer the surface. The GTC of each plot was quantified after mowing and 15 minutes after treatment application using digital-image analysis.

Time Domain Reflectometry (Spectrum Technologies) with 3" tines was used to measure percent volumetric soil water content. Soil cores were extracted for bulk density measurements. Differences among treatments means were determined using statistical software.

Results The AI and untreated control did not have significantly different GTC values (Figure 3). The HT treatment resulted in the largest reduction (16%) in GTC compared to the control, while DJ (9%) and ST (8%) treatments had intermediate reductions in GTC. These results are

—

Cover St ory Figure

4

Surface firmness as measured by the TrueFirm for various cultivation methods 15 minutes after treatment applications in Knoxville, TN, and Elizabethtown, KY, on April 1, 2015. Means pooled across locations. Error bars represent Fisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LSD values at P < 0.05.

similar to previous findings that describe the impact of HT cultivation (Schmid et al., 2013). All cultivation methods reduced surface firmness at 15 minutes after treatment application compared to the control (Figure 4).

Hollow-tine aerification produced the softest surface (-0.56") among all treatments. The AI-treated plots had the firmest surface (-0.52") among all the cultivation plots; as expected, the non-treated plots had the greatest firmness (-0.49").

The firmness of the surface and GTC had a positive correlation 0.97 across both locations, indicating that lower GTC (more surface disruption) after cultivation leads to a softer surface. Hollow-tine cultivation is known to immediately reduce surface firmness after application and becomes firmer over time. No changes were observed in volumetric soil water content and soil bulk density measurements.

The results showed that AI cultivation resulted in less surface disruption, which would allow a quicker return to highquality playing conditions compared to other cultivation methods. Positive correlations between GTC and surface firmness 15 minutes after treatment application indicate that cultivation practices with lower surface disruption will be have a smaller impact on surface hardness. These findings suggest that air and dry-material injection have less of an impact on the surface than hollow- and solid-tine cultivation.

Long-term changes in soil physical properties in combination with surface measurements would give the full scope of how AI and DJ methods impact the rootzone, which is beyond the scope of this study.

Take-home message These studies cover strategies that can be implemented to improve athletic fields by reducing compaction. Traditional hollowtine cultivation with sand topdressing is still an important cultivation practice that should be used. The new strategies can be added into a cultivation program. As more strategies become available, field managers have more options for different situations, including a need to cultivate with minimal surface disruption. T 20

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS August/September 2017 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

Turf T alk

Southern Golf Course Roughs

Native Areas for

By Jay McCurdy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor; Brian Baldwin, Ph.D., Professor; and Michael Richard Extension, Associate, Mississippi State University

G

olf ’s modern focus on environmental protection and economic sustainability has led to increased interest in native systems. Within the southeastern region, it is important to think about native areas in three overlapping “structures.”

1. T he native grass rough: with its wispy grasses and forbs, this area is maintained yearly by mowing and may still be correctly called rough.

2. Woodland margins: this slightly more diverse and less playable area could be either in or out of play, depending upon time of year and ground cover. In this structure, a player has a low likelihood of cleanly striking a ball with a club.

3. Native woodland: the most native,

22

whether mixed savannah or dense hardwood, this area excludes play almost entirely.

Native areas can be composed of any of the described structures. Depending upon course design and characteristics, native systems may reduce inputs, such as fertilizers and fuel. Native areas also increase “ecosystem services,” whether by providing rich and biodiverse habitats for wildlife and native flora or by providing nutrient- and sediment-retention zones that protect wetlands.

When installing native areas, a golf course architect’s guidance is recommended but is by no means necessary. Truthfully, in some instances, we have seen golf course architects lose sight of what is

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meant by native and what is actually possible agronomically. Some of the folks most familiar with the ideas and concepts are superintendents.

Two or three plant types dominate “inplay” native structures. Grasses typically predominate, but broadleaf forbs, as well as sedges and rushes, are also an integral part of a healthy ecosystem. The priority of this first article is to discuss nativegrass roughs.

In our next article, we’ll discuss the inclusion of forbs (broadleaf plants) for pollinator habitat.

Tall grass roughs Many American golfers and superintendents are familiar with the look of fine fes-

switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), which is readily available and often discussed. Unfortunately, switchgrass is less playable than many other native grasses, and it overwhelms native areas with its growth.

In native prairies, switchgrass is found in association with numerous other important native grasses, including big and little bluestem, and indiangrass, as well as common forbs. These native grass “swards” are complex ecosystems that should be planted as polycultures, rather than as single monoculture grass stands.

Native plants to consider for certain scenarios Winter green cover

Mixed native-grass rough at the Preserve Golf Course in Vancleave, MS. Contains Spartina spp., bushy bluestem, wiregrass and broomsedge.

cue roughs on links-style courses, such as Chamber’s Bay or Oakmont. Unfortunately, fescues often fail to persist in the mid to coastal Southeast and are rarely “low maintenance.” Furthermore, fescues are not native.

Regardless, tall grass roughs make sense for southeastern golf courses.

After several seasons, most native grasses achieve a dense stand that suppresses annual weeds, such as crabgrass and goosegrass. They respond favorably to periodic mowing and prescribed burning and are beautiful additions to existing courses.

Despite the availability of many suitable native grasses, superintendents are not familiar with their characteristics and use patterns. Too often, they rely solely upon

Several native grasses used to achieve a natural, albeit less playable rough, include those that are less dense than tall fescue but more or less mimic its height and texture. For example, all of the Elymus species mentioned herein would fit that description. These would be planted in conjunction with other warm-season grasses that follow: • Southeastern wildrye (Elymus glabriflorus) — needs full sun.

• Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus) — does well in partial shade.

• Riverbank wildrye (Elymus riparius) — does well along creeks and rivers.

• Bottlebrush grass (Hystrics species) — a woodland-edge species that does well under deciduous trees.

Shade • Beaked Panicum (Panicum anceps) — prefers moist areas but sandy soils.

Grows best in ~30% shade. Should be planted in fall.

• Toothache grass (Ctenium aromaticum) — understory for pines, especially longleaf pine.

• Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) — good in both sun and shade. Likes sandier soils, but not a necessity. Can reach 8' to 10' in height.

• Longspike tridens/greasegrass (Tridens strictus) — moderately tolerant of burning. Reasonable forage.

• Cedar sedge (Carex planostachys) — tolerates deep shade. Grows under

cedars and deciduous trees.

• Upland switchgrass (Panicum virginicum) — the shorter and less robust of the switchgrass types.

• Oatgrasses (Chasmanthium latifolium, C. sessilforum, C. laxum) — all excellent candidates for understory. Indian woodoat (C. latifolium) is widespread in the market.

Wet or poorly drained soils • Lowland switchgrass (Panicum virginicum) — the more robust of the two switchgrass types. Tolerates standing water.

• Spartina [AKA cordgrasses; especially prairie cordgrass] (S. pectinata) — some southern types are known but not widely propagated.

• Palmetto palm (Sabal palmetto) — there are shorter-stature examples available for use near streams and low-lying areas.

• Hardy sugarcane (AKA silver plume grass; either Saccharum alopecuroidum or S. giganteum) — very tolerant of wet areas.

• Virginia, riverbank or southeastern wildrye (Elymus species)

Sun • Purple muhlygrass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) — also called southern sweetgrass.

• Lowland switchgrass (Panicum virginicum) — the more robust of the two switchgrass types.

• Upland switchgrass (Panicum virginicum) — the shorter and less robust of the switchgrass types.

• Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) — very slow to establish. May require transplanting seedlings and allowing to establish over time.

• Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) — good in both sun and shade. Likes sandier soils but not a necessity. Can reach 8' to 10' in height.

• Purple top (Tridens flavus) — tolerant of rocky soils as well as fertile areas.

General use • Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) — prefers pH 7 or higher.

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Turf T alk This mixed native area contains both grasses and forbs at the Preserve Golf Course in Vancleave, MS. Grasses include big and little bluestem, broomsedge, toothache grass and wiregrass.

Will tolerate flooding but needs welldrained soil.

• Bushy bluestem (Andropogon glomeratus) — has large fluffy inflorescence and is common in most open fields of the Southeast.

• Broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus) — prefers acidic soils. Establish early in the spring. May take three or more years to fully cover.

• Wiregrass (Aristada species) — there are many species native to the Southeast. Fire adapted. Tolerates moderate shade.

• Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) — not very common in the South, but planted along interstates in AL and GA. A bunchforming grass.

Keys for establishment

An example of rough that is soon to be converted to native grasses and forbs at the Reunion Golf and Country Club in Madison, MS.

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Vegetation control prior to tillage is critical. Multiple applications of non-selective herbicides, sometimes a full year in advance, is necessary to control weeds like torpedograss, cogongrass and bermudagrass prior to seeding.

Fall or “dormant” seeding imitates natural re-seeding. Seed to soil contact occurs through natural moisture and frost action, which also leads to natural stratification of seed. When fall seeding warmseason species, germination doesn’t occur until spring. On the other hand, when spring seeding cool-season species, germination occurs soon after seeding. Warmseason species germinate within about three weeks after spring seeding, but they can also be planted in the fall. Spring seeding requires incorporation of the seed into the soil, since frost heaving and winter rains are no longer ensuring seed to soil contact. Spring seeding requires irrigation in drier months.

The best way to plant native seed is by using a “native seed drill,” a type of drill with multiple seed boxes. Use at least one for fluffy grass seed and others for larger seed. A native seed drill can be used to plant native grasses as well as forbs without the need for tillage. The ideal seeding depth is 1/4" and no more than 1/2" of an inch. Drop seeders and broadcast seeders may also be used but require more aggressive tillage and soil preparation prior to seeding.

After seeding, it may be necessary to use a roller-harrow or roller to ensure proper seed-to-soil contact. Hydro-seeding is also an option on slopes and surfaces that cannot be aggressively tilled or worked. When using methods other than a native seed drill, it may be necessary to increase seeding rates by 25% to 50% in order to compensate for seed loss.

potentially decrease natural propagation of native grass seed.

Summary We hope this article sparks interest in native landscapes and reinforces the benefits that managed ecosystems, such as golf

courses, can have. If you are considering including nativegrass roughs, there are numerous resources online. For larger projects, we suggest contacting reputable seed companies that support their products. Start by searching the internet or speaking with the authors. T

Mowing Native warm-season grasses naturally disseminate their seeds during the fall and winter of the year. Mowing should therefore occur to coincide with this process, during the winter or early spring, if necessary.

Cool-season grasses disseminate their seeds during the summer. Ideally, this would be the time to mow; however, this may preference cool-season species. The recommended mowing height for most natives is no less than 8".

Weed control For grassy weed control within nativegrass areas, options are limited. Imazapic (Plateau) is safe on most warm-season native grasses but will suppress or control cool-season natives. Sulfosulfuron (Certainty) is also safe on a broad range of native grasses, including: big, little and bushy bluestem; blue and side oats grama; buffalograss; indiangrass; lovegrass; and switchgrass.

Broadleaf weed control is fairly straight-forward, with most pyridine herbicides being safe for use, including clopyralid and triclopyr. Non-selective herbicides, like Roundup (glyphosate), can be used only as spot treatments but, in some instances, can be used on dormant warm-season grasses.

Ongoing research at Mississippi State University seeks chemical control options within native warm-season grass roughs.

We are currently evaluating several preemergence herbicide options for safety in tall grass roughs; many of these herbicides are already commonly used on golf course fairways and should be easily adaptable to out-of-play scenarios. In fact, once established, preemergence herbicides, such as prodiamine (Barricade) and pendimethalin (Pendulum), are safe to use but could TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION â&#x20AC;˘ TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION â&#x20AC;˘ Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

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Turf Tip s

First and

Foremost: Be an Agronomist Mike Goatley Jr., Ph.D., Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Tech

H

ave you ever thought of yourself as an agronomist? If not, you should. I used this title for a presentation at the inaugural Deep South Turf Expo (in Biloxi, MS) in 2015 because it seems that the older I get, the more I see the value of returning to the basics in turfgrass management. I always make it a point to tell students to let people know they are an agronomist because that sets up the opportunity to tell people what it is that they do.

When I was a new Ph.D. in Starkville, MS, back in the late 1980s, all of the secretaries were worried about how I could be 27 years old and not be married yet. In their concern for me, still being single at such an advanced age, I would be invited regularly to church bingo and fish fries so that I could just “by chance” meet some of

26

their lady friends. One of the young ladies I met asked what I did, and I said, “I am an agronomist.” She then went on to tell me that was cool and that while she was somewhat embarrassed to admit it, “I read my horoscope every day, and I’m a Pisces.” Hmm… I think we had a failure to communicate!

Unfortunately, the term agronomy has fallen out of use over the years because of the confusion as to what it means. The two departments that I have worked for at Mississippi State and Virginia Tech both moved away from being Agronomy Departments many years ago. However, the basis of being an agronomist still applies to each of us who manages grass because it is essentially talking about someone who manages plants AND soils. In this management, your agronomic skills also include

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the principles of biology, chemistry, genetics, biochemistry and mathematics. See how smart you must be? And all along you thought you were just a professional grass cutter!

When you get caught up in the daily grind and challenges of delivering on your job, you often forget just all the expertise that you have and that you deliver. Sometimes it helps for a refresher course on the basics in agronomy so that you can return to utilizing all the high-tech equipment and strategies that make you so great at your job. So, get ready to be refreshed.

It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature I don’t think there are any more skilled agronomists than turfgrass managers in manipulating Mother Nature, given how

Turf Tip s we can grow turf under some crazily extreme environmental and use conditions.

Most of the strategies I will detail in this article are ways that we have figured out how to manipulate Mother Nature, and those manipulations evolve every growing season. However, it also becomes quickly evident how difficult it is to consistently fool Mother Nature, even with the resources and tools at your disposal.

Where you are located makes a huge difference as to whether you are trying to grow warm-season or cool-season grasses.

We are always reminded of this each time we face the challenges of cold winters and/or hot summers, extreme drought or excessive moisture, and all the possible combinations of just these two environmental factors of temperature and moisture. But then we add in one more consideration that often seems to be overlooked until after we realize it is limiting: light.

Light We know light matters, but we keep pressing the limits of where we can grow grass under reduced light conditions. Trees impact turf on golf courses and in lawns; the verticality of stadiums affects how well grass is now growing on many professional and collegiate stadium sports fields.

It is important to remember the “q words” for light: quantity and quality. For instance, that dappled light penetrating the canopies of most hardwoods has very poor photosynthesis properties for the turfgrass below. And the type of grass (warm- or cool-season) and its response to light make a difference, too. Coolseason grasses become light saturated for photosynthesis fairly quickly, while warmseason grass photosynthetic rates climb as greater light saturation occurs. These differences have important management implications for the different types of grasses and how they respond to light.

Bell and Danneberger (1999) at Ohio State reported that when working with cool-season turfgrasses, turf receiving sunlight for only 40% of the day maintained color and density even when shaded at 31% of full sun. It was the duration of the shade that was more destructive to turfgrass growth and development. Bunnell 28

et al (2005) at Clemson reported that afternoon shade was more detrimental to TifEagle bermudagrass growth and development as compared to morning shade.

What I take home from all this great research is that fortunately, when it comes to growing good turf, sometimes it takes only some fairly small adjustments in tree canopies to successfully co-mingle trees and turf. Selective pruning internally in the tree’s canopy architecture and “limbing up” might make enough of a difference to maintain a reasonably healthy turf canopy.

While it won’t apply to most facilities, the use of supplemental lighting on highend athletic fields continues to become more common, and I can think of at least a handful of situations where I have seen some pretty ingenious uses of supplemental light by superintendents on some of their most challenging putting greens.

Most of you will likely never have to tackle supplemental lighting in your management program, but I remind you to never say never.

Air supply I’ve been “All Out of Love” for this 1970s band for many years, but air supply is oh-so important for healthy turf, and it ties in directly with how successful selective pruning can be in improving turfgrass health. In addition to enhanced light penetration, effective pruning also greatly improves air circulation. The more stirring of the air you have, the less the disease pressure, and the better the process of evapotranspirative (ET) cooling. And having plenty of ET potential might be the only chance you have for keeping coolseason grasses alive during some of your most stressful environmental periods.

For those of you who have been in this business since the early 1990s, think what an advancement fans were in efforts to grow bentgrass in the South where as little as a 3- to 4-mph breeze was the difference between life and death. Then as we better understood the strategies in syringing (over-the-top applications of up to 0.05" of water) the turf and combined that with the use of fans, another huge step forward was made in our strategies to overcome Mother Nature’s environmental limitations.

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This was confirmed by research by Guertal et al. (2005) at Auburn, who reported that the use of fans and syringing both reduced rootzone temperatures of ‘Crenshaw’ creeping bentgrass, and the treatment effects were even more pronounced when the treatments were combined. However, it was the fan treatment that consistently increased root length density, providing at least a 33% increase in roots at all rating dates.

Cutting to the chase There’s no way we can talk agronomic principles of turfgrass management and not bring cutting heights into the discussion, especially as we build upon the environmental limitations and our management strategies just listed above. Think about how much benefit just a slight raising of the cutting height has made at some point in your turfgrass-management career. The reason why is that this adjustment increases the photosynthetic leaf area by approximately 25%. Something this simple makes such a huge difference, yet in our quest for the fastest, most-dense playing surfaces, we sometimes forget how something this basic can be the difference between living or dead turf.

One great tool that has allowed us to push the extremes in tolerable cutting heights and low-light conditions in turfgrass management has been trinexipacethyl (TE). This plant growth regulator (PGR) that we now take for granted was a pretty revolutionary compound when it first hit the market, and it remains an important management tool to this day.

In particular for ultradwarf bermudagrass management, the research by Bunnell et al. (2005) reported that when TE was combined with raising the mowing height of ‘TifEagle’ bermudagrass from 3.2 mm to 4.7 mm, the turf-quality improvement was significant when as little as 4 hours of light per day were supplied. McCarty et al. (2011) compared TE to other PGRs on ‘TifEagle’ and reported that it was a superior treatment for improving roots, reducing clippings and enhancing the playability of putting greens. And of course, these types of responses have been evidenced for many years on both

Turf Tip s warm- and cool-season turfs nationwide as researchers dialed in appropriate use rates for different grasses, climates and uses.

Going under cover Another strategy that turfgrass managers have successfully employed to manipulate Mother Nature is the use of either temporary or permanent winter covers. The use of temporary covers in ultradwarf putting green management came onto the scene in the 1980s, and I remember one of the first comments was, “That’s crazy… why would anyone want to go to the trouble to pull covers on and off throughout the winter?”

Of course, what was first deemed crazy is now a standard management strategy, particularly in warm-season turf management. However, covers have a variety of potential uses pending how they alter temperature and light at the turfgrass canopy surface. I have dabbled in cover research for more than 15 years, going back to partnering with Mississippi State CGCS Pat Sneed in an on-course research project in the early 2000s (Goatley et al., 2007). I continue to be intrigued by the potential turf response to and use of a new turfgrass cover source, but I find that pretty much any cover source will have both desirable and undesirable properties that should be considered in cover selection and use.

Black polypropylene weaves have been a standard “ultradwarf bermudagrass protection blanket” for years, owing to their low-temperature protection and ease in handling. However, they aren’t very effective if you are trying to promote early spring greening and/or an off-season grow-in or recovery of turf.

As with all agronomic practices that manipulate Mother Nature, there is an element of give and take in play. When Virginia Tech had a Kentucky bluegrass football practice field, a temporary cover was applied to the bluegrass in early March in order to enhance its growth and color for spring practice. It worked quite well and delivered just what the coaches desired for spring ball. However, later on that summer, the spring-covered turf paled in comparison in turf quality to the areas that 30

were not covered previously. VT graduate student Nick McKenna termed this “postcover decline,” a response that inevitably had to occur due to using so much of the plant’s carbohydrate reserves in that one big spring push for color and density.

Celebrate youth My mentor from the University of Kentucky, Dr. A.J. Powell Jr., used a great word one time during a presentation at a turf conference that at the time I didn’t realize how agronomically important it was. But once I thought about it, that word has stayed with me ever since: juvenility.

He pointed out that we spend our time as turfgrass managers striving for (1) the most-uniform, dense turfgrass canopies possible, (2) the deepest, most-extensive root system possible and (3) accolades from our end users for the turf appearance, quality, playability and/or safety.

Those are some pretty typical goals, but it begs the question: does achieving your goals ever work against you? And the answer is a resounding YES. The reason why is very simple. It’s all about competition among the turfgrass plants as they fight for light, air, water, nutrients, etc. The highest-quality, mostdense turfgrass canopy is literally waging an internal war amongst itself in that canopy, and it is only by successfully using or manipulating many of the agronomic principles detailed here that those surfaces are sustained for long periods of time.

Mother Nature’s great rejuvenation tool for vegetation is fire, and some of the readers here can likely recall that before the days of concern for air pollution (and the unintentional burning down of a few buildings and/or homes), it was commonplace that a late-winter burning event was used to remove much of the dead foliage from a dormant warm-season turf. The spring greening response following a quick burn was always remarkable.

These days, we mostly use our mechanical tools to remove some of this competition and stimulate new growth. Verticutters and groomers are standard fare in the intensive management of high-input turfgrasses, and one of the latest tools that I think is tailor made for the growth habits

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of most warm-season turfgrasses is fraze mowing. If you have ever done a grow-in for bermudagrass or zoysiagrass turfs, you remember how healthy and actively growing that turf was once the grow-in really reached a zenith. I think of fraze mowing as returning to that peak grow-in situation, but with the advantage of having already established sprigs. This is an awesome agronomic strategy to restore your turf ’s juvenility every three to five years.

Concluding remarks I have only scratched the surface of agronomic principles in this article, as there has been little to no discussion about fertilization, irrigation and soil-aeration programs in managing healthy turf. We also could have an entire article devoted to the breeding and evaluation programs for new cultivars and how new species and/or cultivars affect our agronomicmanagement programs and the uses of the grasses. I encourage you to embrace your role as an agronomist and tell everyone just what that professional title means.

And by the way, I am a Virgo. T

References Bell, G.D., and T.K. Danneberger. 1999.

Temporal shade on creeping bentgrass turf. Crop Sci. 39:1142-1146.

Bunnell, B.T., L.B. McCarty, and W.C. Bridges. 2005. ‘TifEagle’ bermudagrass response to growth factors and mowing height when grown at various hours of sunlight. Crop Sci. 45:575-581.

Goatley, J.M., Jr., J.P. Sneed, V.L. Maddox, B.R. Stewart, D.W. Wells, and H.W. Philley. 2007. Turf covers for winter protection of bermudagrass golf greens.

Applied Turfgrass Science. 4:1-9.

Guertal, E.A., E. van Santen, and D.Y. Han. 2005. Fan and syringe application for cooling bentgrass greens. Crop Sci. 45:245-250.

McCarty. L.B., T.G. Willis, J.E. Toler, and T. Whitwell. 2011. ‘TifEagle’ bermudagrass response to plant growth regulators and mowing height. Agron. J. 103:988-994.

The Turfgrass Team at the Univers ity of Tennessee Scott Boyle Communications Coordinator The University of Tennessee 2431 Center Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-6730 sboyle1@utk.edu

James Brosnan, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Turfgrass Weed Science The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-8603 jbrosnan@utk.edu

Tom Samples, Ph.D. Professor, Turfgrass Extension The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-2595 tsamples@utk.edu

William Dan Strunk, Ph.D. Research Associate I The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 363 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-2988 wstrunk@utk.edu

José Javier Vargas Almodóvar Research Associate II Turf & Ornamental Weed Science The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996 (865) 974.7379 jvargas@utk.edu

Frank Hale, Ph.D. Professor, Entomology and Plant Pathology The University of Tennessee 5201 Marchant Drive Nashville, TN 37211-5201 (615) 832-6802 fahale@utk.edu

John Sorochan, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Turfgrass Science The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 363 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7324 sorochan@utk.edu

Alan Windham, Ph.D. Professor, Entomology and Plant Pathology The University of Tennessee 5201 Marchant Drive Nashville, TN 37211-5201 (615) 832-6802 awindham@utk.edu

Greg Breeden Extension Specialist, The University of Tennessee 2431 Center Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7208 gbreeden@utk.edu

Brandon Horvath, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Turfgrass Science The University of Tennessee 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

2431 Joe Johnson Drive Knoxville, TN 37996 (865) 974-2975 bhorvath@utk.edu

John Stier, Ph.D. Assistant Dean The University of Tennessee 2621 Morgan Circle 126 Morgan Hall Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7493 jstier1@utk.edu

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Professio nal Development

Battle Burnout: Address the 6 Motivators for Enjoying Work

By Erick Lauber, Ph.D., Indiana University of Pennsylvania

R

oger wasn’t happy at work.

It wasn’t that he hated his job or anything like that. His co-workers were fine, and he didn’t mind the type of work he did. In fact, he thought he did it pretty well. Of course, he wanted more money, but who didn’t? No, something else was bothering him. At some basic level, he simply didn’t enjoy coming to work. Whatever excitement or sense of accomplishment he used to get had been replaced by a lack of motivation.

Roger’s issue was a common one.

Employees around the world sometimes lose sight of what makes their work worthwhile. They get run-down, burnt out and de-motivated. At times like these, it can be difficult for anyone to enjoy work and find the old levels of motivation and energy.

To help Roger and the millions like him, it is necessary to look at the underlying causes. Why do any of us enjoy work?

And can we re-ignite those causes in our own work environment? The answer is yes!

Other than the financial compensation, there are at least six different reasons why we enjoy work.

Inner accomplishment The remarkable time and energy that some people put into their work can only be understood as an “inner drive” — they simply want to achieve that goal. Seeking a personal sense of accomplishment is natural and can be harnessed every day. It 32

can be described as “taking pride in one’s work” or a sense of “This is what I was meant to do.” Whether the objectives are short term or long term, making progress toward a goal makes all of us feel good.

not encourage it, in their workplace. Has Roger’s manager given him the opportunity to connect with others? Has he diagnosed that this is something important to him?

The greater good

Sense of team

Many of us are also motivated by a sense of community, the feeling that we are part of something larger and that life isn’t just about our own individual needs and wants.

This particular joy and peace is experienced by millions as they volunteer for church or service-club tasks, but it can also be encouraged in the workplace. For example, it is claimed that many Asian/Eastern companies reinforce this message. Clearly, many Americans are also motivated by community considerations. Perhaps Roger could be encouraged to reframe his circumstances and see how he is contributing to the greater good.

Personal relationships Many get enjoyment from the individual relationships they experience at work. It helps them look forward to each day. The laughter, the camaraderie, the forgiveness and even the occasional stress are all something they enjoy and know they wouldn’t want to live without. But not everyone is the same, and certainly we’re not all our best self every single day. Enlightened managers respect this basic human need to connect with others and allow it, if

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Similarly, some people enjoy a special sense of completeness and wholeness by experiencing team. In the workplace, many employers work hard to encourage this shared identity by conducting internal PR and messaging campaigns. For quieter teammates, a sense of camaraderie might provide an extremely important opportunity to connect and feel like they belong.

Does Roger feel that he’s part of a team?

How much team spirit has his boss created?

Physical exertion For some, a special sense of joy comes from physical exertion, and the absence of it makes any job less appealing. It just doesn’t feel like work if they aren’t breaking a sweat or doing battle with the weather. This is partly a product of socialization and might be tied up with what “work” means to them. Modern day psychology reaffirms the benefits from physical labor.

We all know how endorphins can give us a slight high. And everyone knows about the stress-management benefits from working out? Is getting physical a way for Roger to battle his “lack of motivation?

If his job is sedentary, does his employer even offer a “get in shape” program?

Mental challenges Finally, a great many of us enjoy the special mental feeling that comes from exercising our creativity or satisfying our curiosity. The small euphoria that comes from developing something new or conquering a complex problem can be a big part of enjoying work for some. Does Roger’s boss know whether he’s incredibly bored or frustrated by his tasks? Is it time for a promotion or perhaps a little job engineering to offer a chance at being creative?

“Why” is the answer to “How?” So, what can be done more generally to

help employees enjoy their work? Or what can Roger or any employee do themselves?

The answer is simple: treat the cause, not the symptoms. Instead of worrying about symptoms like aggressive behavior or poor attitude, employees and employers can create a more enjoyable work environment by directly addressing one or more of these common denominators. Why not casually interview Roger about whether he feels connected to his fellow co-workers? Does he have any friends at work? Why not ask, “Is this job challenging enough?” or “Would you like the opportunity to be more creative?” Stepping back and reflecting on each of these six motivators can

guide any manager or employee toward a more enjoyable work place. There is hope for Roger in the application of modernday psychology to the workplace. T

About the Author Erick Lauber, Ph.D., is an applied psychologist and faculty at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He speaks and consults on leadership, personal growth and development, and taking charge of our own life stories. He has won 19 educational TV/ film awards and has been published in numerous psychology journals and book chapters. Contact www.ericklauber.com, or call (724) 464-7460.

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Calend ar of Events November 6–10

2017 Irrigation Show & Education Conference Orange County Conv. Cntr.

Orlando, FL

November 7

MTCSA Meeting (Speakers: Dr. Jim Brosnan and others) Bluegrass Yacht & C.C. Hendersonville, TN

January 8–10, 2018

52nd Annual TTA Conference and Tradeshow Embassy Suites Murfreesboro, TN

Index of Advertisers January 15–19, 2018

Green & Growin’ Show (NC Nursery & Landscape Assn.)

Greensboro Coliseum Greensboro, NC Contact: (919) 816-9119 www.ncnla.com

January 16–19, 2018

STMA Conference and Exhibition Fort Worth, TX

February 3–8, 2018

Golf Industry Show Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center San Antonio, TX

February 12–15, 2018

TPI International Education Conference & Field Day (Turfgrass Producers Intl.)

Westin LA Paloma Resort Tucson, AZ

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