TURF TALK
COURSE UPDATE "Good Looking Greens"
One of my favorite comments I hear often from Members is how the greens are “looking good”. Of course this ranking scale of greens is a subjective scale that is going to fluctuate depending on the person doing the ranking. Unfortunately, many people associate the health and vigor of the putting surface based on its color alone. From a playability standpoint color has no effect on how the surfaces play. Due to this fact color is in not a major factor in any of the greens practices that we do on a weekly basis. In fact, the color of the putting surface actually has the opposite effect on playability than what most people think. When you see a dark lush putting surface you can be assured that it is going to be a very soft and slow surface from a playability standpoint. On the opposite side of the scale when you see an off colored to light brown putting surface you know it is going to be a hard fast playing surface. The three main factors involved in maintaining a firm and true putting surfaces are the amount of water in the root zone, the growth rate of the grass, and lastly the organic matter accumulation. From a management standpoint the easiest way to maintain a putting surface would be to keep them on the soft and slow side. By just watering the greens heavily each night and applying large amounts of fertilizers this can easily be done. The more difficult management style is going to involve monitoring conditions daily and adjusting inputs to promote a firm true surface. To accomplish this, we are constantly monitoring moisture levels, growth rates, and organic matter. Moisture content in the rootzone is checked multiple times a day using a TDR soil moisture meter. By using these meters, we can pinpoint areas that require moisture, allowing us to apply the minimal amount of water that is required. The growth rate of the grass is checked daily by monitoring the amount of clippings we catch when mowing the surfaces each morning. We then adjust our weekly fertility levels to achieve our desired clipping amounts. Lastly organic matter accumulation is monitored and adjusted thru aerification practices and frequent light topdressing. We are also able to measure putting surface firmness using a device called the TruFirm. The TruFirm measures the firmness of the surface by dropping a weighted ball a set distance onto the surface and measuring the resistance. The TruFirm gives us numerical data we can use to track and evaluate our progress over time in surfaces firmness. Over the past four to five years we have been working on increasing our topdressing and aerification frequency to improve our surface firmness. This steady increase in the amount of sand we apply to the surfaces each year will continue to improve firmness and playability. As an example in 2016 we applied 5 truckloads of sand to the putting surfaces over the course of the season. In 2017 and 2018 this number was increased to 8 loads each season. Last year we improved yet again applying 10 loads of sand or close to 250 tons over the season. This management system allows us to keep the putting surfaces drier and firmer each year, which in turns creates a smoother, quicker, surfaces. Remember the next time someone ask you how the greens “looked” when you were out playing, remind them that it is not a matter of how they “looked”, it is a matter of how they played. Hopefully the answer will always be that they played great. ~ Ryan Blair, Certified Golf Course Superintendent
THE TEE OFF
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